Page 80 of The Murder Club
“Privacy?” Bailey frowned, the desire fogging her brain. It wasn’t until he nodded toward the dogs, who were lined up next to the table as they impatiently waited for their share of pizza that she realized what was troubling him. “Oh. They are nosy,” she agreed with a chuckle.
Warm fingers traced the edge of her hairline, intensifying the craving that was no longer fluttering in the pit of her stomach. It was churning with a reckless abandon. Dom’s softest touch stirred a need that was drowning her with pleasure. And she’d never been more eager to become lost in the glorious sensations.
“And I’m old enough to desire comfort,” Dom added as he moved around the table to stand beside her.
She tilted back her head, her lips curving into a teasing smile. “No kinky experimentations?”
The black eyes smoldered with a sensual promise. “I’m open to any kink you want. All that matters is pleasing you.”
Bailey’s smile faded as she allowed him to glimpse the emotions he stirred deep inside her.
“You please me,” she said in a husky voice. “Everything about you.”
A strange expression touched his features as he bent down to slip his arms beneath her, scooping her into his arms with a graceful ease. Bailey instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck as he cradled her against his chest before he headed out of the kitchen. Bailey released a soft sigh as she studied the face that had become so vitally important in her life. Was it a cliché to be impressed by a man sweeping her off her feet? Who cared? Dom Lucier made her happy. To the depths of her soul. Besides, falling in love was supposed to be a little clichéd, right? Racing hearts and delicious tingles that made her toes curl.
“What does ‘everything’ include?” he asked as they moved through the living room and down the hallway.
She rolled her eyes. “You don’t need me to tell you that you’re outrageously gorgeous.”
“I wouldn’t mind.”
She blinked, belatedly catching sight of his vulnerable expression. He truly needed to be reassured that she found him irresistible. Was it because they’d known each other for such a short time? Or because this moment mattered as much to him as it did to her?
Either way, she didn’t hesitate to reassure him. Holding his gaze, she ran her fingers through the short strands of hair at the base of his neck.
“I love how your hair shimmers in the sunlight. Like priceless gold. And it feels like satin.” She tangled her fingers in the silky strands. “And I love your eyes. They’re as dark and mysterious as a midnight sky.” Her hand stroked over his cheek, relishing the scrape of his whiskers, which he hadn’t bothered to shave that morning. “And this face . . .” She traced the proud length of his nose before moving to outline his lush lips. “Each feature is perfect.” She released a shaky breath as he entered the shadowed bedroom and gently lowered her onto the mattress. The short journey had inflamed her passions until they threatened to explode. Touching him . . . wrapped in his arms as his scent seeped into her skin . . . it was intoxicating. Plus, it had been a long time for her. Nearly two years since she’d dated a guy she’d desired. And it’d never been like this. She was starved for Dom’s touch. “I love all of you.” Reaching up, she grasped the edges of his flannel shirt and opened it with one determined yank. She smiled in pleasure as the sculpted muscles of his chest were exposed. “And I want to spend my nights exploring every inch.”
Dom shivered as she placed her palms flat against his chest, her fingers spreading to explore the steely strength beneath his smooth skin.
“Yes, please,” he rasped, his eyes dilated and his skin flushed with anticipation as he leaned over her.
She lightly scraped her nails over his puckered nipples, savoring his deep groan of desire.
“But that’s not why I want you in my life,” she breathed. “Or at least not the only reason.”
“Then why?” His voice was strained, revealing the effort it was taking not to fall on top of her and ease the hunger pulsing between them.
“Because I trust that you would never walk away from me. Not even when it gets too hard.” The words were simple, but they came from her heart. Any other man in his right mind would have disappeared the moment they realized she was being stalked by a crazed killer. But not Dom. He’d convinced her to move in with him while he put himself in danger to keep her safe. “You don’t see me as disposable.”
“Never.” It was a harsh vow that echoed through the room as Dom swiftly rid himself of the remainder of his clothing, revealing a body that looked as if it’d been chiseled from stone.
Bailey’s mouth went dry as she ran her fingers over the rippling muscles, heat blasting through her as she investigated the broad expanse of his chest. Sucking in a ragged breath, Dom was settled on the edge of the mattress, gazing at her with a fierce intensity.
“You are where I want to be. For always,” he assured her, reaching out to cup her cheek in his hand. “Now it’s my turn.”
Bailey lay back against the pillows, watching him with a delicious sense of anticipation.
“Your turn for what?”
“For sharing how much I adore these freckles.” He bent down, brushing his lips over the bridge of her nose.
Bailey trembled with pleasure even as she snorted at his ridiculous words. “That’s a stretch.”
“Not at all,” he insisted. “I sat next to you at the wedding dinner, battling the urge to do this.” He pressed kiss after kiss over her face. “I also spent an inordinate amount of time wondering if you had those delicious freckles anywhere else on your body.”
She arched her neck as his mouth moved down the curve of her throat. “We’d just met.”
“I knew I desired you at first glance,” he assured her, expertly grasping the hem of her sweater to gently tug it over her head before tossing it aside. He gazed down at her as he unhooked her bra and smoothed it away. “And spending time together that weekend convinced me you were special.”