Free Relinquished by K.A. Hunter

warm.
    “Holy shit,” Holden mumbled as his hands dug into my ass, encouraging me to keep rubbing against him. Suddenly, we were mobile as he carried me into his bedroom, laid me on top of his bed and yanked his shirt off.
    Son of a bitch .  I knew he had a great body, but damn . I grabbed for him, unable to get enough. It felt like my entire existence depended on keeping him within my reach.
    “Hold on.” He braced himself on his elbows while moving my wild hair away from my face. “I’m not complaining, but I need you to understand I didn’t bring you here for this.”
    “I don’t care,” I panted. Truth be told, I’d never been so desperate for this.
    His lips touched the skin on my chest. “Believe me, I want you, too. But let’s slow down a little.” He trailed kisses from the top of my cleavage spilling out of my bra and up my neck until he was hovering above my face. “I want to take my time with you.” A sheepish smile came over his face. “I’ve been hoping for this for a while, and I want to enjoy every second.”
    Overwhelmed with emotions, I blurted out, “I want this to mean something to both of us.”  
    He chuckled, unbothered by my statement. “You’re so beautiful, Jules.  I knew the first time I saw you that you were special. Every moment we’ve spent together means something to me.”
    I swallowed hard. I’d never given anyone access to my heart and my body at the same time. Panic started to overtake me, my mind swirling with doubt. I was afraid of once again being left broken and used.  But as I stared at him, I still knew my self-control was out the window.
    Thumbing the clasp in the front of my bra, he never took his eyes off my face, showing me the respect that a true lover deserved, not what you would expect from a one night stand.  With one hand, he was able to unlatch the hook and lay my bra open.  I could feel my body give in to his hands as he slid the straps slowly off my shoulders with such tenderness.
    His touch became more confident as he tightened his hands around my breasts, giving them a firm massage, his gentle kisses were such a contrast to his firm grip. After a second, that slight sting turned into immeasurable pleasure.  
    My panting breaths picked up speed when his lips took mine, searing me as his strong hands trailed down my ribs.  He asked me if I trusted him, and even though I wasn’t fully sure, all I could do was nod.  
    The stars outside were the only light filtering into his room, but I saw enough when he stood up and slowly unbuttoned his jeans, sliding them with his boxers down and toeing off his shoes.  
    Fuuuck.
    His body on full display for me was more than I thought my mind could take. I was in a daze and didn’t even notice he’d taken my shoes off and was in the process of removing my last barrier of clothes.  In no time, we were exposed, and I felt the last inhibited thoughts fade away.
    The hungry sounds he made while smoothing his palms across my hip bones instantly made my body melt and conform to the mold of his hands, like I was created for him, and he was made for me.  
    He grunted louder when our bodies touched, grinding against each other, skin on skin.  Holy hell, he felt good. No, perfect. Everything felt euphoric, the weight of him on me, the longing of his touch, knowing he treasured each and every one of my curves.
    I moved my hands up and down his back, putting every ounce of myself into our kiss and praying he would understand every emotion I was feeling. I wrapped my legs around his waist, trying to keep the closeness going, begging him to not stop again.
    But suddenly, the passion that had consumed me minutes ago started to evaporate as my insecurities and doubts took over. Why? Why now? I’d had sex plenty of times, each leaving me feeling empty and alone. I was used to just lying there until the guy got off inside me, then he would roll over and either go to sleep or put his clothes back on and leave. I’d