On The Verge Of Losing Control

Gabriel's POV

Clairessa was playing with fire.

And she damn well knew it.

Every touch was tempting.

Maddening.

And she was fully aware of what she was doing to me. I was trying to take things slow, trying to look after her, but she clearly had other plans.

"You're playing with fire, Clairessa." My voice came out rough, strained.

She looked up at me with innocent yet mischievous eyes, her lips brushing against mine in a teasing, testing kiss. "And what if I want to get burned?"

A low growl rumbled in my chest before I crushed my lips against hers, claiming her mouth with raw hunger. My hands gripped her waist, pulling her closer until our bodies pressed together in a desperate, feverish need.

Her lips parted for me, and I plunged my tongue inside, tasting her, owning her. She met me with the same intensity, her hands sliding up my chest, nails scraping lightly over my skin, sending jolts of fire straight to my cock.

I lifted her off the ground, and she wrapped her legs tightly around my waist, locking us together. Her heat pressed against me, and the ache for her only grew more unbearable.

I carried her, our lips never breaking, until my legs brushed against the sofa, and I forced myself to stop. As much as I wanted to throw her down and claim every inch of her, I needed to give her a moment-a chance to back out.

Slowly, I lowered her, breathing heavily, giving her the space to decide.

But Clairessa had no intention of stopping.

She pressed a single finger to my chest and pushed me back onto the sofa, her touch light yet commanding.

Her eyes darkened with desire as she settled over me, her warmth pressing against my aching cock, making me groan.

She slid her hand around my neck, tilting her head with a teasing smirk playing on her lips. Her confidence was intoxicating, and though I was surprised she was taking the lead, I couldn't deny how intrigued I was by what she planned to do next.

Then she kissed my neck, her lips soft and teasing, sucking lightly as she rolled her hips against my arousal. Waves of heat surged through me.

"Clairessa... you might still be sore," I gritted out through my teeth.

She didn't answer. She didn't even pause. Instead, she continued her slow assault on my neck, her lips and tongue sucking every layer of my skin, igniting every nerve ending in my body.

Then she stilled, wiggling her hips just from side to side, before pressing her core against my hardness-as though she was testing herself, making my breath come out in a sharp hiss.

It was torture. Sweet, fucking torture.

"No... I think I'm perfectly fine," she whispered, her voice dripping with desire.

Her fingers found the remaining buttons on my shirt, and she popped them open one by one with excruciating slowness. Then the next. And the next.

When the last button was undone, she didn't rush. She slid her hands inside my shirt, her warm palms pressing against my bare skin.

She pushed the fabric off my shoulders, inch by inch, letting her nails graze over my muscles, sending shivers rippling through me.

Her palms flattened against my chest, feeling the rapid beat of my heart. "God, you're beautiful," she murmured, hunger thick in her voice as her fingers traced every ridge of my torso.

I had never been called beautiful before, and hearing her say it awakened a passionate desire in me to always make her mine.

Her lips followed everywhere her hands touched, sucking and biting just enough to leave a mark.

Every caress was intentional, a perfect mix of tenderness and possession. My hands fisted at my sides, barely holding on to the last threads of control.

Then her fingers dipped lower, her nails grazing my abs before moving toward the waistband of my pants. When her fingers closed around my bulge, I couldn't stop the instinctive reaction of my hand covering hers.

"Clairessa," I growled, grabbing her wrist to halt her movement.

She looked up at me, her dark brown eyes locked onto mine, her pupils wide and blown with desire.

"Oh, Gabriel..." she purred, her fingers sliding over my thick length, reveling in the way it twitched beneath her touch. "I want you. And from how hard you are… I know you want me too."

Damn.

She was right.

I wanted her so badly it ached. But this wasn't just about raw, physical need.

It was more.

I'd always been in control-at work, during sex, in every freaking situation. Control was my speciality. No one ever took the lead. No woman had ever gone down on me without my command.

But with Clairessa, I could feel myself slipping, and she was doing everything she could to make me lose that grip.

She ran her hands through my hair, her fingers threading through the strands, and before I could stop myself, she kissed me.

Then she kissed me again.

It was fierce. Deep.

A kiss that shattered every last ounce of control I had left.

I responded instantly, my hands gripping her hips as I kissed her back, my lips devouring hers with bruising intensity.

She moaned into my mouth, grinding her hips against my aching length, making my head spin. Her hands slid lower, tracing the line of my abs and only stopped when she got closer to my cock.

I should have stopped her. I should have regained control.

But I didn't.

She was pushing me, and I let her, letting go of the need to lead. I told myself it was just my body and not my mind.

I couldn't take my eyes off her as she lowered her gaze to unbutton my slacks, her fingers brushing against my length as she tugged my pants down my legs. The sight of her so eager, so in control, made it impossible to fight anymore.

Next, she reached for my briefs and stripped them away. Now, I sat before her, fully exposed-my cock thick, hard, straining toward her.

She took me in, her gaze widening slightly, just like the first time. I'd always been well-endowed, even as a teenager, and over the years, I'd grown accustomed to the reactions from women when they saw me fully naked. But with Clairessa, it felt different. Her gaze wasn't just about admiration-it was filled with a raw, unspoken connection.

I could tell exactly what she was thinking when her hands wrapped my cock. Her touch was soft and light, as she weighed me in her hands.

"You're so big… and so hard," she gasped, her voice filled with awe and hunger.

She tightened her grip, stroking me in torturously slow movements. My hips jerked instinctively, needing more, but she held the pace, drawing out every ounce of pleasure.

"Hell, Clairessa..." My voice was hoarse.

She smirked, her lips parting slightly, before she wiped her tongue over her bottom lip in a way that made my cock throb even more.

Shit. Her mouth… I couldn't help but imagine how it would feel to have her wet lips wrap around me, her tongue teasing, sucking, taking me deep-

My thoughts cut off when I felt her lips brush against the head of my cock, her tongue swiping across it with a teasing gentleness that made me lose my breath..

A guttural groan tore from my throat, my cock jerking and throbbing, practically begging her to take all of me.

She pressed a lingering kiss there before running her tongue along the length of me, tasting, teasing me from tip to base, her breath hot against my skin.

I felt like a teenage boy, completely at her mercy.

I was losing it-losing control. I hated this, the loss of control, but I loved it all the same. I shut my eyes, letting myself sink into the sensation of her touch, but it was as if I could feel her deeper, in my heart maybe.

Fear crawled up my spine. My eyes snapped open. I saw her face, her eyes closed, lost in the rhythm of her actions. I felt her taking control of every part of me.

I couldn't let that happen. Not when I knew how much it cost me in the past.

My hands reached for her head, grabbing a fistful of hair as I yanked her up to me. Before she could protest, my lips crashed against hers in a ferocious, burning kiss-taking back everything she had just stolen from me.