Chapter 96
Julian’s POV
Watching that video opened a wound I tried so hard to heal from. It ripped through me, tearing down the wall I’d spent months building but the moment Catherine rushed to me and wrapped her arms around my waist, it felt like the first genuine, uncomplicated comfort I had felt in years.
I clung to her, burying my face against her hair, inhaling the clean, sweet scent of her. My chest hitched with shuddering breaths I couldn’t control. This was a complete collapse, a surrender I hadn’t planned, yet it felt strangely right. Gosh! How could I have ever wanted her out of my life? Catherine’s the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life.
I held her tightly, pulling her small, solid body flush against mine. The vulnerability I felt was overwhelming, but in her embrace, it turned into an intense, powerful need.
When the worst of the trembling passed, I slowly pulled back, keeping my hands on her shoulders. I looked down at her, seeing the genuine concern in her eyes.
“Thank you,” I managed, my voice still rough and thick with emotion. The simple words felt inadequate.
She didn’t speak; she just nodded. Goodness, her eyes were so soft and beautiful.
My gaze dropped from her eyes to her mouth. It was slightly parted, waiting, perhaps, for my next move. The proximity, the emotional intensity of the hug, the fact that I was still essentially naked under a towel, all combined into a fierce, urgent yearning.
I lifted my hand, my thumb gently brushing the soft curve of her lower lip. She didn’t pull away. Her eyes fluttered closed for a brief moment, and my chest tightened almost painfully. I needed to taste the sympathy, the acceptance she was offering me.
“It’s happening again,” I muttered and the look in her eyes showed she was confused. “The urge to kiss you,” I quickly added.
The confusion was gone but she didn’t say anything, though it looked like she wanted to. I lowered my head slowly, giving her every opportunity to stop me. When she didn’t, I let my mouth settle over hers.
It wasn’t a demanding kiss, not at first. She melted into the kiss, her hands coming up to rest lightly on my chest.
The fragile emotional dam broke completely. I deepened the kiss, tilting my head, moving my hand to the back of her neck to hold her steady. I poured every confusing, overwhelming emotion into that kiss: the surging, undeniable physical attraction I had been suppressing.
She made a soft, needy sound in her throat, the sound bypassed my mind entirely and went straight to a primal, instinctive level. I knew, with absolute certainty, that she wanted this just as much as I did.
I broke the kiss, needing air, but kept my forehead pressed against hers. My heart was pounding hard against my ribs, matching the furious beat of hers.
“Wildcat,” I breathed. That single word was a question, a plea, and a confession. I gripped her tight, the loose towel around my waist threatening to fall again. The feel of her body pressed against mine, the fabric of her clothing suddenly feeling like an unnecessary barrier, was agonizing.
I eased back just enough to look at her. Her eyes were glazed, her lips swollen and damp from the kiss. She wasn’t still speaking, but her breathing was quick, and shallow. I reached for her hand and pulled her with me, taking a single, determined step back toward the center of the room.
I reached behind me and found the edge of the towel. I looked into her eyes, and there was no hesitation, no fear, only an answering hunger, so I let the towel drop.
I gathered her into my arms, her body pressed against mine, sending an immediate electric. After lifting her effortlessly, I held her weight against my chest, and turned toward the bed. Her arms immediately wrapped around my neck, while her legs instinctively locked around my waist, pulling me closer.
I stumbled slightly toward the large, unmade bed, my vision narrowed entirely to the woman in my arms. When we reached the bed, I let her slide down, our bodies separating just long enough for me to follow her down onto the soft sheets, leaning over her.
“This time, I do not plan to stop. Catherine, I’m going to fuck you, I can’t hold it anymore p>
She bit her lip and nodded her head but as tempting as those moves were, I needed to hear her give me permission, I needed to know that she wanted me too.
My hands were everywhere, on her waist, under her shirt, tracing the curves of her hips. I was desperate to shed the clothes separating us, desperate to feel her skin, desperate to confirm that the solace she offered was physical as well as emotional. “Don’t stay quiet. Tell me you want it. Give me your permission p>
“Julian, I want you to be my first. I want you inside me, I want you to fuck me p>
I didn’t let her finish, raw want took over me and I immediately tore off her clothes, throwing them haphazardly to the floor as they joined the detritus of my earlier anger.
I finally had her where I needed her, completely accessible, completely mine but here I was too, completely accessible to her too, completely hers!
Sitting up straight, I turned and stretched my hand to my drawer, pulling it out and searching through it, till I found a condom. I turned back to her, her expression was open and demanding. While staring at her, I tore the condom nylon open, and fixed my dick in it.
Damn it! Fuck what I ever said about seeing so many beautiful ladies. Catherine was the most beautiful I had ever seen and she would certainly remain the most beautiful woman ever.
I moved over her, and kissed her hard again, deeper this time, it was a possessive, consuming kiss that demanded everything she had to give. I moved my body against hers, letting her feel the full weight of my desire, the raw, demanding proof of my focus.
She responded with a fierce, answering hunger, meeting my energy, pushing up against me, letting me know she was ready. Her hands dug into my back, pulling me closer still.
There was no more space between us, no more thoughts. There was only the feeling, the heat, the connection, and the immediate, powerful release of tension as I pushed my hard length into her.
“Oh fuck, Wildcat! You are so wet,” I breathed hard and began to slam in and out of her, while she moaned.
Just then, a knock came on the door. “Julian, Lucy wants to see you.” Gabriel’s voice rang from outside the door.
Shit!