“Gavin…” Jessica pleaded through gritted teeth, her body begging for fulfillment.

“Damn,” he murmured, giving in and slipping his fingers between her legs. He caressed the small wet strip of satin that separated them, and then yanked it aside, his finger plunging inside her.

Her body responded immediately, convulsing as she threw her head back and called his name again. When she came to her senses and saw his expression, she realized the effort his control had cost him. Pausing only for a moment to put on a condom, he pulled off her thong impatiently.

“I had wanted this to be soft and romantic, but I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you…”

He entered her roughly, a harsh thrust that made her arch. She had pushed him over the edge and she gloried in it. Gone was the patient, gentle man she had known; his iron control had vanished and she gasped, feeling the rock-hard pressure as her slick wetness encased him.

The sensation was so intense, so pleasurable, that she rode him desperately until he grabbed her hips and drove deep into her, thrusting from beneath. Clinging to him, the blood pooled in her belly as the tension built once more, and her body began to stiffen in delicious anticipation. Everything else vanished except for what was happening to her body.

“Ahhh!” Spasming helplessly, she clung to him, dimly aware that he drove deep within her as he found his own release.

Somehow they made it to the floor. It seemed they lay together a long time, but in actuality it was only minutes. Reality returned as the lights came back on, and when Jessica opened her eyes, she saw that she was sprawled on top of Gavin, still tangled in her robe, limbs, and hair. His arm tightened possessively around her waist, pulling her even closer as if he didn’t want the moment to end.

So she settled, just enjoying the solid feel of him beneath her, his warmth, and the delicious male scent of him. She wasn’t a cuddler; normally she fell right to sleep after sex, or just got on with her day. But this, she had to admit, was nice. A few minutes later, he surprised her again by sitting up, sweeping her into his arms as he rose.

“You shouldn’t do that!” she squeaked, even as he kissed her forehead. “You could hurt yourself!”

“The day I can’t pick you up is the day I’d better be in a body brace,” he said with a grin.

Carrying her to the bedroom, he kicked open the door and lowered her to the sheets. “Stay the night.”

“I can’t. Work tomorrow.”

“Stay,” he said, his voice commanding. “I waited so long for this, for you. I want to hold you all night, and wake beside you in the morning. Stay.”

She nestled into a pillow. She was staying.

Chapter 29

He left her for a few minutes, and she thought she heard the water running. When he returned, he had a fresh glass of wine, and the robe.

“I thought you might like a bath,” he said, holding out the garment as she rose and shrugged into it. His dark eyes sparkled knowingly. “I was a little rough on you.”

She was surprised at this, a man being so thoughtful. Or anyone looking after her needs. She was the strong one who took care of everyone else. It felt strange yet overwhelmingly pleasant to have this gorgeous man thinking of her comfort.

“That sounds great,” she admitted, wrapping the robe around her.

He led her to the white marble bathroom, and her heart lurched as she saw the candle burning, and the soaking tub filled with bubbles.

“Since we are still getting used to each other, I’ll leave you to it. But in the future,” his eyes darkened with a seductive promise, “I have lots of plans around this activity.”

She shivered at his words and the image they created. Gavin had an erotic side to him that was extremely compelling. She hung up the robe on the door and sunk to her neck in the tub.

It was exactly what she wanted: warm, soothing, and relaxing. After the red-hot sex she’d just experienced, she needed a few minutes alone, and the bubble bath was perfect. Glancing at the flickering candle, her heart gave that little twinge again. She felt…cherished, a notion that was utterly foreign to her.

When her fingers began to wrinkle, she reluctantly climbed out of the water, wrapping herself in a thick white towel. She could get used to this, she decided, Gavin taking care of her. When she reentered the bedroom, she felt incredible. Between the sex, the dinner, the bath, and the wine, she was completely relaxed. There was a tee shirt lying on top of the bed, and she substituted that for the robe and then slipped beneath the soft linen sheets.

He had given her a gift by providing her with something to wear and a few moments of privacy. How did he know so much about women? She cringed as she thought of Kristin and firmly pushed her from her mind. When he returned a few minutes later, he brought her glass along with his own and joined her under the covers.

“Need anything else?”

She shook her head. “You thought of everything,” she said, giving him a warm smile. “Thank you for a great evening.” She put her hand on his naked chest and kissed him.

She wouldn’t have been female if she wasn’t pleased when she saw his eyes darken immediately. “Don’t,” he said, grabbing her wrist. “Unless you are ready for round two? With the way I want you, I guarantee you’ll be hurting tomorrow.”

Her mouth fell open. The mischievous part of her wanted to dare him; the wiser woman counseled otherwise.

There was always the morning.

—

Jessica arrived at work a little late.

She’d woken first and found his en suite, grateful to see a washcloth and an extra toothbrush. Crawling back to bed, she figured to catch a few more minutes of sleep before starting her day, unaware he was awake.

Gavin had other ideas.

This time, he was determined to make it up to her for his haste the night before and took things agonizingly slowly. As she lay in that peaceful gray world between night and dawn with her eyes closed, his touch was tingly and arousing.

There was nothing for her to do but enjoy. When she tried to reach for him, he refused to let her, but instead he lifted up the tee shirt she’d slept in and nudged apart her thighs, inching his way down.

Had she known what he had planned, she would have stopped him in embarrassment, for what happened next nearly brought her off the mattress. Leisurely, he stroked her, his warm fingers exploring the silk of her thighs, the softness of the hair between her legs. She squirmed a little, but he held her thighs firmly apart, and then his lips replaced his hands.

Sensation jolted through her, luscious and hot.

It was unlike anything she had ever experienced: warm, wet, sweet. Helplessly, she twisted, digging her heels into the sheets as his scorching tongue circled her clitoris, making her arch shamelessly for more. Her body demanded release, yet the sensation was so exquisite she didn’t want it to end.

It didn’t. When she came too close to the edge, he pulled back, turning his attention to her legs, calves, even to the arch of her foot. When her breathing calmed, he began pressing torturous kisses along her inner thigh until she whimpered, silently begging for that intimate kiss once more.

And he gave it to her. This time she moaned out loud, totally giving in to the moment as his tongue stroked her once more. As she cried out in ecstasy, he slipped on a condom and then filled her, thrusting deep inside her, bringing her once more to a place that shattered them both.

She was dizzy by the time he got done with her, and sore in all the right places. Her body felt delicious, achy, and thoroughly loved.