His words seemed to have a direct line to some secret feminine place inside her. She knew she should protest, but all she wanted to do 
was melt in his arms. His hand parked on her thigh, just shy of where 
she wanted it to go, and it didn’t look like he was moving it until she 
gave him what he wanted. 


She turned her head up to face him and realized he wasn’t as controlled as he wanted her to believe. He clenched his jaw tight and she 
reached up, brushing her fingers along the bristles of his five-o’clock shadow. He shaved every morning. She’d caught glimpses of him dragging a razor across the planes of his face, but somehow it seemed right 
that those whiskers were there. Another layer of texture. He reminded 
her of a sensual beast, one of the big cats. He could be lazy when he 
wanted to, but she should never forget that he could eat her up in an instant.

Her stare caught on his lips. So firm and plump and perfect. She’d 
become fixated on that mouth and whether she’d see a sexy smile 
or that arrogant, regal frown she’d come to know so well. She leaned 
forward and pressed her mouth to his, feeling the velvet so ness of 
those lips. A little zing of electricity zipped through her every time she 
touched him.

While he had been the one to demand that she kiss him, he was 
perfectly still beneath her. At first it made her self-conscious. He 
stayed his hand, heating up her thigh. His mouth moved, but only in 
time to hers. He didn’t leap up and take over. Was she doing it right?

She wasn’t sure how good a kisser she was since she’d never really 
taken the time to just lie around on her lover’s lap and explore him.

That was the gift he was offering her. He was allowing her to 
explore, exactly as he’d promised. She hadn’t quite believed him. And 
she hadn’t realized just how much she wanted it.

Lara raised her hands and cupped his face, enjoying the lines of his 
jaw and cheeks. She didn’t need to balance. He wouldn’t let her fall. He 
would ground her so she could touch him as she liked. Emboldened by 
that revelation, she did what came naturally. She dragged her tongue across his lower lip. He rewarded her with a low growl that seemed to come from his chest.

She gave him one last kiss before staring into his eyes. “You’re right. I’ve always just done what my partner wanted because I didn’t want much more out of it than the cuddling and closeness that comes a re- ward. I didn’t like kissing much before you. It was messy and awk- ward, but when I kiss you I don’t feel any of that. But I don’t know what to do when it comes to sex. I’ve had exactly two lovers and not a single one in the last two years.”

His hand eased up, his fingers lightly playing at the edges of her panties. “Now we’re getting somewhere. And you’re not awkward when you kiss. You just have to stop thinking and let your instincts take over. If it helps, I haven’t slept with anyone in almost eighteen months.”

That was surprising. “Why? I mean, I just didn’t think a man like you would go that long between lovers.”

“Such a sweet thing. I didn’t have lovers, princess. I had one-night stands and casual hookups. Those get boring after a while. That’s why this is going to be different for both of us. I’m not going to let you treat sex like something you have to do to keep a boyfriend. I want you to crave it, to want me so much you can’t think about going a day without my cock inside you. Now spread your legs for me.”