Page 27 of Wings of Deception
I nod and thank him before unwrapping the croissant, surprised to find it warm beneath my fingers. As I take a bite, flavors burst on my tongue, and I can’t help but release another groan of satisfaction. I swallow, covering my mouth and say, “Raphael, this is fucking incredible.”
He hands me a cup, tapping his own to mine. “To new friends.”
“And talented cooks,” I add, before taking a sip of the cool liquid. It’s sweet and tangy, a perfect addition to the sandwich, and it’s not long before I’ve devoured both.
Raphael finishes his too, but at a slower pace, and I think I should feel self-conscious. Girls aren’t supposed to eat like heathens, are we? Either way, I can’t find it in me to care.
There are only the strawberries left, and Raphael hasn’t had a single one yet. I take a deep breath, mustering up the courage for what I have planned.
“You really should try one,” I tell him, picking up a strawberry before getting to my knees and shuffling closer.
His eyes widen as I bring the fruit to his lips, and he doesn’t hesitate before taking a bite. Damn, he has pretty lips. The bottom one is slightly fuller than the top, both of them slick with juice.
“See,” I whisper, my body tingling at our nearness. How easy would it be to kiss him right now? To show him just how grateful I am for his friendship and everything he’s done for me. But something holds me back. What if I’ve read the signs wrong? I don’t think I can survive without his friendship.
I pull away slowly, forcing myself back to my spot on the blanket, and let him make the next move. Nothing has happened yet that we can’t shake off. If he’s not interested in me, then at least I won’t make a fool of myself.
Raphael stays quiet, watching me as I grab another strawberry from the plate. I feel naked beneath his gaze. Exposed. To distract myself, I take a bite of the juicy berry, silently telling myself this is the last one. Just as I finish chewing, Raphael comes closer.
Slowly, he lifts his hand and wipes the corner of my lips with his thumb. I sit frozen in shock, barely breathing in case I might spook him. He’s close, so close that the heat of his body glides across my skin, and I don’t want him to move away again.
He brings his thumb to his mouth, sucking off the chocolate he stole from my lips. “Delicious.”
Fuck, that’s hot. My heart thrums to an irregular beat, making me disoriented. It mixes with the need and desire until it feels like I’ve taken a shot of adrenaline.
He must feel it too because he grabs my face in his hands and kisses me, stealing the very breath from my lungs. My core clenches as he wraps his expert tongue around mine, shifting us both until I’m lying back on the blanket, not even caring that my head rests on the warm sand.
He pulls back a little, his eyes roaming over my face and down to my SCU T-shirt. “I’ve wanted to do that since the cafeteria.”
Without replying, I kiss him again, pulling him into me and lifting my head to deepen it. I turn on my side, half considering straddling him right here and now, but I hold back. The judgy bitch in my head tells me I’ve done this already with Zeke and reminds me of how poorly that turned out. But Raphael isn’t Zeke. He’s been there for me when I needed him and I trust in that more.
As if he can read my mind, his kisses move south, down my neck and over my shirt, until his knees settle between my legs. He doesn’t speak, but I read the question in his eyes well enough and nod, letting him know I’m okay with where this is going. By the wicked glint in his eyes, I know he’ll have me begging in no time.
He pulls my shirt up, exposing me to him. My nipples pebble beneath his watchful gaze, but he doesn’t move to touch me. Instead, he reaches for the sparkling juice, and I can’t help but laugh.
“Thirsty, are we?” I tease. Things are always so light and carefree with Raphael. He makes me smile and laugh more than anyone ever has, and I’ve come to realize just how much that aspect has been missing in my life.
“Absolutely parched,” he replies, unscrewing the cap.
Instead of taking a swig from the bottle like I expect, he pours the cool liquid carefully onto my bare skin. I yelp when it hits me, but don’t move. There isn’t a lot on me, just enough to pool between my breasts and trickle down the sides of my stomach.
My breath comes out in short pants, waiting to see what he’ll do next. He doesn’t make me wonder for long, dropping his head to lap up the liquid from my flesh. He licks me everywhere, regardless of where the juice is or isn’t. The only place he doesn’t touch is my nipples. I mewl, desperately needing more.
When he sits up and grabs the bottle again, I break.
“Raphael.”
He takes a swig straight from the bottle of juice, then descends onto my nipple, wrapping his lips around the pointed bud and making me cry out. The contrast between his warm lips and the cold cider makes me giddy and desperate.
In a move so out of character that I shock even myself, I unbutton my jeans.
“Are you sure?” he asks me, and I want to scream and beg for him to take me, fuck me. Make me feel.
Instead, I nod. “I need you, Raphael.” My voice comes out hoarse, as if I haven’t spoken for days.
He moves to lie beside me, his muscular frame the only thing I can see. I grab hold of his shirt, pulling him down for a kiss and wishing he was far less clothed. I want to see his chest, learn the contours of his body until I know them as well as my own.
All thoughts stop when his hand teases at the waistband of my jeans, slipping beneath my soaked panties. He groans into my mouth, but I swallow the sound down with my own inhale.