Groaning, he moved the panties to the side and slid his fingers into her, moving them along the slicked furls of her sex.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Yes, indeed, Dahlia. You’re almost there already, aren’t you?” He spoke against the flesh of her nipple and she writhed against him, rocking herself over his fingers.

“More, baby? Like this?” He pressed one finger and then two into her gate and they both gasped. Tight and inferno-hot. Her inner muscles fluttered around him. Shifting his wrist, he pressed the heel of his hand over her clit and fucked into her pussy with his fingers.

Her breath came in pants as her honey rained hot onto his hand. Her nipples glistened from his mouth, still hard and darkening. The line of her body gleamed with a light sheen of sweat against the warm light from the lamp across the room.

“I want you to come for me, Dahlia. I need to hear it, feel it. Give it to me,” he murmured as he kissed from one breast to the other.

“Ohhh, yes,” she hissed. He felt the clench and flutter of her pussy around him as she thrust herself onto him, grinding into his hand.

He kept loving her with his mouth and hands as her orgasm engulfed her, the heat of it rolling off her in waves, catching him. Just watching and feeling her had been enough to drive him right to the edge, but he didn’t want to come right then. He wanted the moment to be all about Dahlia.

Finally, she slumped forward, laying her head on his shoulder as she caught her breath. Gently, he slipped her panties back into place and felt the exact moment she really realized what had happened between them was deeper than just an orgasm.

Her back stiffened and she sat up. “Oh, my. Well. I…”

Shaking his head, he pressed fingers over her lips. “Thank you will suffice. Now come here and tell me about Liberty.”

He pulled her from his lap up against his side, snuggling her to his body.

Reaching out toward him, she looked up into his face, but he stopped her from touching his cock. God knew if she did he’d come right then and there, and he wanted that first time to be slow and hours long.

“What about you?” Her eyes moved to the hummock of his cock pressed against his jeans.

Leaning down, he kissed her and then once more because he couldn’t get enough. “I want tonight to be about you. Next time there’ll be naked and sweaty and lots of coming. You’re so beautiful when you come, Dahlia. Let me keep that in my head for a while.”

Confusion marked her face and he shook his head, understanding. “No, I want you tonight, Dahlia. I really do. But I’m in no shape to do this right. I’m on the edge just with watching you come. A guy’s gotta have a little dignity about these things and coming two seconds after you touch me would get me tossed out of the cool-guys club.”

Rolling her eyes, she laughed. “I owe you one, then. And thank you.”

“I’m not lying when I tell you it was my pleasure.”

They talked and broke into the gelato. Nash was sure he’d never get the memory of how she looked licking her spoon with relish out of his brain. Hell, she did everything with relish, another thing he loved about her. She was just herself, as if trying to be something else wasn’t worth it. So few people he came into contact with were like that.

His cell phone rang. He’d ignored most of the calls, but that particular tone belonged to his assistant. “I’m sorry, Dahlia, I have to take this one.”

Ten minutes later he hung up and sighed. “I won’t be able to come to the show tomorrow, or rather tonight. I just got called to Paris a day early. I’m sorry.”

She shrugged. “It’s your job, Nash. Don’t apologize for having to do it.”

“I’ll be back in a week. I’ll see you then, all right? I have your e-mail now, so I’ll keep in touch while I’m gone.”

“I’d like that. Take some pictures and send them to me, please. I’ve never been to Paris.”

He’d have to remedy that. He wanted to shower her with presents, but he knew she’d be uncomfortable and with the way he’d acted when they first met, he understood why. So he’d have to wait and bide his time and figure out ways to do things for her that wouldn’t make her feel bought.

She walked him to the balcony just outside her door. “Which one is your car?” Looking out over the parking lot she laughed. “Never mind. I’m guessing it’s the dark blue GTO?”

“Yeah. Isn’t she lovely?”

“She’s hot. I love the new design.”

He looked surprised.

“What? Oh, I see. Women aren’t supposed to have opinions about cars? Or is it that Bambi and Kitten just liked to look pretty in them?”

“You’re a smart-ass. I’ve liked that from day one. I’ll have you know I’ve never dated anyone named Bambi.”

“But Kitten?”

Surprised laughter burst from his lips. “Busted. I don’t think her given name was Kitten though. So, changing the subject now.” He raised an eyebrow at her, and she smirked.

“You like cars then, I take it?”

“I do. My dad runs a mechanic shop back in Liberty. My older brother and brother-in-law work there, too. Dad restores cars on the side. The first one I helped with was a 1967 Mustang Fastback. The last time I was home he was working on a ’53 Chevy.”

Nash practically salivated. “Really? Beauty. I bet that ’53 is sexy.”

“Oh, yeah. Big and hard and makes a nice throaty sound.”

“Suddenly, I’m even harder. Dahlia, each new thing I find out about you pleases me more. I have a ’54 ’Vette.”

Her eyes widened. “Get out! You do not!”

Pulling her flush against his body, he spoke, lips just barely touching hers. “I do. What’ll you give me to drive it?”

“Well, my goodness.” The tip of her tongue darted out and traced the line of his lips. “I wouldn’t want you to crash or anything, but a car like that just calls out for a blow job with the top down.”

He shivered at the thought of watching the midnight fall of her hair over his lap as he drove. Those lush lips wrapped around his cock. “God, you’re perfect.”

She laughed, tipping her head back. “There’s no way I’d actually really drive it, by the way. I’d be terrified of even scratching it. But I’ll still make good on my offer. And, just as a related piece of information? I’ve always wanted to be fucked on the hood of a muscle car.”

“Damn it, Dahlia, how am I supposed to wait a week to see you again?”

“Hunger is the best sauce, Nash.”

Reluctantly, he walked back down to his car and turned to wave goodbye. She waved back and didn’t go inside until he’d driven off.

CHAPTER FOUR

Dahlia filled her days with school, class work, job hunting, and at night she worked at The Dollhouse. If she stopped for one minute she’d think of Nash and she couldn’t afford to. Hell, he already consumed her thoughts twenty-three hours a day as it was. Nash made her want things she shouldn’t want. A man like Nash wasn’t for her. Her mind knew that but the rest of her wasn’t so damned convinced.

Her body won out at least in part. The day after he’d left, she’d thought all day long and had come to the decision that an affair with a man like Nash would be fun. She’d have a great time in bed and most certainly learn a few things, and she liked him. He seemed to like her, too, although she wasn’t quite sure if a hundred percent of his niceness was real or practiced seduction.

The fact was, they both knew sex was going to happen. As long as she went into the fling knowing it had an expiration date, she’d be all right. No harm, no foul and a lot of heat between the sheets for a while.