Brothers of Paradise Series

He rises up on a shoulder and kisses me, his tongue moving in the same tempo as his fingers. Teasing me, moving in and out, shifting back up to circle. When he presses three fingers down and rubs, I have to break apart from the kiss to gasp. Electricity blazes down my thighs, up my stomach.

“Like that?”

I can’t reply, but he gets it, because he gives a low growl of satisfaction and keeps going. And keeps going. Beyond the point where I’d have slowed down myself, pushing me ever closer to the edge. And then I have to turn my face into his chest, because I can’t possibly watch him as this is happening.

He pushes me over the edge and I’m falling, my legs open, his hand working. His heartbeat is strong under my cheek as I shatter, but it’s got nothing on how mine races.

I bite my tongue but a moan slips out.

The pleasure has a hold of me far longer than the orgasm itself, lingering in every limb. Rhys continues touching me, but slows down, softens, strokes my inner thighs.

“That,” he murmurs, “was excellent, Ivy.”

My breath is shaky, but his words and the obvious satisfaction in his voice drives away any embarrassment.

I’d just come in his arms.

“I thought so too.”

He continues to touch me, but softly now. “And you’re not cold anymore?”

“No, not at all.”

“Mission accomplished, then,” he says, and if there was light in here I would have sworn he winked. “Do you think you’ll be able to get some sleep?”

“I think we’d better try.” But I don’t move from my place against his chest, and he doesn’t push me away, either. His hand gently pushes my legs closed and settles around my waist. I swallow my fears and shift closer, until my hip is next to his.

“What about you?” I ask, wondering if I dare move my hand south. “You haven’t… you know.”

“I’m not the important factor in this equation, nor is my… you know.”

“I’d say you’re pretty vital to this plan.”

Rhys chuckles. “Only tangentially, and I’m not in a rush. This was a good first step.”

“I’ve approached the ticket office?”

“You’ve approached the ticket office,” he agrees. “Sexville is the next stop.”

I settle against him and his right arm returns under my shoulders, holding me close. Sneakily, as if he wouldn’t notice, I slide my hand inside his half-unbuttoned shirt and rest it against the warm skin of his chest.

“Don’t get me wrong,” he murmurs, “because I have absolutely no problem holding you while you’re practically naked. But won’t you be cold?”

“The silk didn’t cover much to begin with.”

Fabric rustles, and then he drapes his jacket over both of us. “I’ll start the car for a bit if it gets too chilly.”

“Thank you.” And though I thought I’d never be able to fall asleep, not in this car, not with him so close, I find that my eyelids have grown weights. It has to be a result of all the excitement, of the pleasure.

“And thank you for helping me with this, too,” I murmur.

Rhys’s voice is low, somewhere close to my ear. His heart beats underneath my hand. “I’m doing myself a favor too, Ivy.”

The thought brings a smile to my lips, but does nothing to stop sleep from dragging me down. I don’t know if he follows, but he keeps me close for the rest of the night regardless.

Rhys

“I thought Kenya was hot,” Ivy says, wiping at the back of her neck. A few tendrils of blonde hair are stuck to the damp skin.

“Kenya’s dry,” I say. “Singapore is wet.”

She nods absentmindedly, craning her neck to look for the approaching car. She doesn’t say anything else, but at this point, I think she’s figured me out. She knows I’m not someone to be spoken to around airports, not to mention on flights. But she hasn’t commented on it, either.

Completely oblivious to the looks she’s getting from other travelers waiting for their cars, she tugs at the buttons on her dress and huffs a sigh. “Why didn’t I pack more comfortable clothes?”

“Because you didn’t think this far ahead.”

“Yes, that’s exactly why.”

“And because you sleep in silk chiffon dresses.”

She levels a stare at me that is supposed to be withering, but it’s anything but. It’s a beautiful mixture of chagrin and embarrassment and something else, something warm. “Only sometimes,” she says. “And only when I have to.”

I can’t help it. I step close and wrap an arm around her waist, which I know I shouldn’t in public, but fuck it. “Best night’s sleep I’ve ever had,” I tell her.

Ivy looks up at me. “You could barely fit. We had to open the door halfway through the night because it got too humid inside.”

“Still the best night.” I’m telling her that because I love seeing the look in her eyes, the one she’s giving me now. She’s remembering my fingers between her legs, and I’m remembering the way she felt. The sounds of her moaned cries against my shirt.

Yeah, I’d slept for shit, but it was still a fantastic night.

“We’ll have a proper bed tonight,” she whispers. Her eyes on mine are wide, golden flecks breaking up the beautiful blue. “Your legs won’t hang over the edge.”

“I’m a good deal taller than the national average here, so I wouldn’t count on it.”

“You think highly of yourself, don’t you?”NôvelDrama.Org owns this.

“Yes, highly being the operative word here.”

She smiles, and I wish I had a camera to capture it. I’ll have to take her advice instead and take a mental picture. Her bad jokes are starting to grow on me.

This woman is starting to grow on me.

And the fact that she’d decided to trust me enough to give sex a try?

Yeah, I’m definitely taller than the average man here, not to mention anywhere, because I feel ten fucking feet tall.

I catch a group of tourists to our left eyeing us, something I’ve discovered is a normal side effect when you travel with someone like Ivy. She draws looks wherever we are, on planes, waiting at the gate, walking down the street, checking in at hotels.