an emotional car wreck, but she wasn’t ready to go there yet. Letting herself touch and be touched was a big enough step for now. “It’s been a while since I’ve...been with anyone. I’d feel more comfortable if we left the lights off.”
“How about a compromise.” He slid the dimmer switch up a notch, bathing the room in a soft, blue-gray light. “As for the rest...” He moved his hand up to her cheek and brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She could almost hear the smile in his voice. “I guess we’ll just have to feel our way through.”
She shook at the thought of feeling her way across his toned torso, down the hills and valleys of his abs and into the hollows where his hips met his pelvis. “That sounds...nice.”
“ Nice doesn’t even begin to describe what we’re going to do to each other, sweetheart.” He crossed the room to the bed, letting her slide to her feet along his solid, muscular frame. One arm snaked around her back and molded her to him. The other hand still cradled her cheek, forcing her to look at him as he spoke, his voice husky. “I plan to explore every inch of your gorgeous body, from those perfect, pouty lips to the tips of your pretty little toes. I’m going to touch and kiss and nibble and lick you all over until you’re begging me to let you come. And then, I’m going to start all over again.”
Oh. My. God. Her body thrummed with sexual energy. No one had ever talked to her like this, so erotic. No one had ever wanted her like this, so openly. She felt like ice cream in a hot-fudge sundae, melting and dripping under the warm chocolate.
“And because I’m a fair-minded kind of guy,” he continued, his lips moving closer to hers, “my body’s yours for the taking, too. Nibble and lick wherever you like. As much as you like.”
She sagged against him, every nerve ending screaming to be touched next.
“You okay?”
Voiceless, she could only nod.
“Good.” His lips edged closer. “Because I’m going to explode if I have to wait one more minute to do this.”
The hand on her cheek slid to cradle the back of her neck, holding her captive as his lips met hers in a kiss that stole her breath. His tongue darted out to stroke hers and she moaned into his mouth, relishing the taste and feel of him. Pulling away slightly, he gently sucked first her upper lip, then her lower one, giving each a little nip before releasing it. Then it was her turn to nibble at his mouth, her tongue skating across his lips until they were both flushed and panting.
“Time for bed,” he said with a growl, backing her into the mattress.
She fell with a squeal onto the soft duvet, loving the way it enveloped her. He stretched out beside her, their bodies touching from hip to toe, his head propped up by one hand. The other lingered over the waistband of her jeans.
“Tell me what you want.”
His words, hoarse and quietly demanding, had her insides doing somersaults and her brain working overtime. What did she want? She’d never really thought about that before. Her admittedly limited sexual experience had been mostly about the guy getting off, not her own pleasure. It had certainly been that way with Clark. And the only orgasms she’d had in recent memory were self-induced.
“Talk to me, Holly.” The hand over her waistband traveled across her body, gently kneading her hip. “I want to make you feel good.”
“I...I do feel good,” she gasped.
“Then I want to make you feel even better.” He wedged one leg in between hers and she couldn’t help but clamp her own legs around him.
Sighing, she rubbed against his tight, muscular thigh. “I’m not sure that’s possible.”
“It’s possible.” He freed the top two buttons of her blouse and pulled it off her shoulders. Her bra straps followed, pinning her upper arms to her body. “Let me show you.” With one finger he ran a languorous trail from her chin down her neck to the valley between her breasts.
“I