The Roommate (Roommates, #1)

It was time to show him that I was more than capable of a one-night stand without falling in love-either that or scurry back to my room, alone and afraid. Those were my two choices. Unless the fire alarm decided to sound in the next four seconds, his full lips were going to be on mine.

Making the split-second decision to put my money where my mouth was, I leaned in.

Cannon smiled against my lips, in no rush to claim his prize. Maybe because he knew it was already his. Maybe because, unlike most men, he understood the virtues of slowing down. We both wanted this, but delaying gratification would make it that much better when we did finally get there.

Slowly, his lips moved against mine, parting so our tongues could tentatively touch. It was electric. Deepening the kiss, his mouth fused over mine, taking all I had to give. His hand cradled my jaw, his tongue tasted of wine, and I realized I’d never been kissed like this. So possessively. So completely. I was hardly inexperienced . . . but whatever I’d been doing before, I couldn’t call it real kissing anymore. With careful licks against my tongue, Cannon taught me how to kiss all over again.

Holy shit! I’m making out with Cannon Roth. This should have felt strange and utterly foreign. My brain should have been screaming Abort! Abort! Instead, it was the most natural thing in the world. Our tongues moved together as though they’d spent years training for this exact moment. Lust mixed with pleasure rolled through my veins.

Pulling back a few inches, he smirked at me again. “You still with me?”

Eagerly, I nodded, drugged with my desire for him. If he could make me feel this out of control from one kiss, I was almost scared to find out what the rest of the night had in store.

He placed my hand against the bulge in his pants. It was hot and hard, and made my insides clench. “Do you feel that, Paige?”

I swallowed a groan. He felt so warm and solid beneath my palm. “Y-yes.”

“Do you want me inside you?” he murmured, trailing kisses up my neck while I continued rubbing his erection through his jeans.

“God, yes.”

His warm, silky chuckle vibrated against my skin. “Good, because I’ve wanted to fuck you since I was sixteen years old. But tonight’s not about me. I’m going to make sure this is good for you. Do you want that?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“Then you need to trust me.”

For a second, I wondered if I could do that. Totally give over control? I was an independent woman, and what if he was into some kinky stuff? I pushed the thoughts away. I would suspend judgment . . . for now.

“I do trust you.”

“Good girl.” His lips met mine once again, kissing me until my body pulsed in a lustful frenzy. After a few moments, he broke away. Reluctantly, I pulled my hand away from his cock and opened my eyes.

“Are you absolutely sure you want to do this? If my track record is any indication, this won’t end well.”

To my wine-buzzed, lust-clouded brain, his warning to stay away was about as effective as one of those “enter only if you’re eighteen” notices on a porn site.

“I want this. I want you.” I looked right into his emerald-colored eyes as I spoke, hoping he could feel the sheer desire in my voice.

“Then let’s take this to the bedroom.”

Rising from the couch, I followed him down the hall. “Is that why you got the bed?”

“Yes. That, and I didn’t exactly fit on the futon.”

My heart pounded as we entered his bedroom. He’d made up the massive king-sized bed with new sheets, and his masculine scent hung in the air all around us.

“Turn around,” he murmured.

I faced the full-length mirror that was mounted on the wall as Cannon stood behind me. The room was cast in shadows, but there was enough light to watch his large hands move up my sides, over my hips, my waist, all the way up until he lifted my hair from my shoulder, then placed a tender kiss at the base of my neck. Little chill bumps erupted, dancing down my spine.

Transfixed, I watched his hands move from my neck to my shoulders, down to cup my achy breasts.

My breathing went shallow as his fingertips traced my nipples.

“You have beautiful breasts, Paige.”

His thumbs grazed the firm peaks of my nipples, and I sucked in a breath.

“You like your nipples stimulated?”

I arched my back in reply, leaning my head against his chest, pushing my breasts forward into his hands.

“Good to know, princess.” He kissed the side of my neck. “I’d love to fuck these pretty tits sometime.”

He pulled my shirt off over my head and let it drop to the floor. My chest heaved as he unfastened my bra and dropped it next to my shirt. In the mirror, a topless me stood against the backdrop of Cannon’s broad, muscled body. His fingers, strong and certain, traced up my rib cage as I watched.

If I’d thought it felt good before, his large, warm palms against the naked flesh of my breasts was almost too much. My breath shuddered, and sparks zinged straight from my nipples to between my legs. But Cannon didn’t torture me for long. His eyes were dark and hooded as his hands moved lower, sliding inside the front of my pants, into my underwear.

I gasped at the very welcome invasion. His fingers made contact with my slick flesh, and I bit back a moan.

“No,” he said. “Don’t hold back. Let me hear you.”

He stroked me again, making feather-soft circles against my clit, and I whimpered in pleasure, both relieved that the wait was over and impatient for more.

“That’s right,” he said, encouraging me. “You like watching me touch you, princess?”

I did, but I couldn’t string together the words to tell him, couldn’t form a coherent thought right now if my life depended on it. His skilled hands knew all the spots, and just the right pressure and speed to deliver maximum pleasure.

Leaning back into his solid form, I succumbed and let the pleasure wash over me, pushing my hips forward to grant him even greater access. He rewarded me by sliding one thick finger inside me. Another needy cry escaped me. I wasn’t the type to climax quickly-the few lovers I’d been with in the past had had to work at it-but somehow, after just a few short minutes, Cannon had me poised right on the edge. That dangerous place where I’d splinter into a million fragments and burst apart.

Surrounded by his warm muscle and rich, masculine scent, I lost all sense of modesty, moaning out loud as he slid his finger in and out, watching him watch me. It was incredibly erotic.

“You’re beautiful. It’s a privilege to touch you.”

I could have melted at his darkly seductive tone. It was clear he meant it; his breathing was ragged and his erection pressed as hard as steel into my lower back.

With one hand between my legs, he caressed my breasts with the other. His mouth burned against my neck. “Are you going to come for me, gorgeous girl?” he whispered against my skin.

I shuddered in his arms, coming apart at the seams as my release tore through me. White light burst beyond my vision, blood thundering in my ears as my body clenched almost violently around his fingers. Blinded by pleasure, nothing else existed for me but his soft touches, gentle kisses, and dirty whispers.

Coming down from my high, I sagged against him, grateful when his strong arms wrapped around me.

Cannon spun me around to face him and lifted me up, holding me tightly against his chest while he walked us toward the bed, where he stripped me of my pants and underwear.

“I’ve got you,” he said, placing me in the center of the pillow-top mattress.

Boneless and relaxed, I smiled at him shyly, watching as he pushed his pants and boxers down, freeing that thick, gorgeous cock I’d dreamed about since the night I’d run into him naked in the hallway. I almost groaned at the beautiful sight. He was exquisite. I wanted to touch him, to taste him, to hear him moan with pleasure.

His hand found his cock and he stroked slowly once, twice, my core tightening all over again as I watched him. “You ready for more?”

I nodded. “Come here.”

He grabbed a condom from the top of the desk and rolled it on with practiced ease. Joining me on the bed, Cannon positioned himself between my parted thighs. But rather than drive into me with a powerful thrust like I expected, he drew out the moment, kissing me deeply and rubbing his length over my slick center, taking his time, letting the desire build even hotter, higher.

It was the sweetest form of torture I’d ever experienced. My body was still reeling from my first release, my core simultaneously hypersensitive and pulsing with renewed need. His thick cock ground against my wet, ready center.

He was taking his time. I wasn’t sure why that surprised me. When we agreed to a one-night stand, I’d imagined us climbing between the sheets and getting down to business. I’d thought it would be little more than a meaningless fuck, but boy was I wrong. Delightfully wrong. I hadn’t counted on the kissing and the foreplay and the dirty whispers breathed against my naked skin.

I gripped his hips, flashing him a playful smile. “Fuck me, big boy.”