"Mmmmmm."
"I need you."
Instead of answering, he buried his lips in her neck and increased the pace of his
strokes along her labia, softly touching, inserting a finger deep within her and setting a
languorous rhythm.
Emma knew the meaning of heaven. All her feelings centered on the wonderful
torture as he massaged and caressed her. He drew out her pleasure until she gasped for
breath. When he inserted two fingers into her, she gasped out in pure joy. Then his
fingers found her clit, and with one tiny brush over the hard kernel, she ignited.
As the pleasure built to a shattering peak, she cried out, feeling the tingling ecstasy
rush through her loins. She trembled, the warmth sizzling through like fire. As she
came down slowly, he continued to caress her, enjoying her tiny gasps as he gave her
more. He lowered her to the bed. He came down next to her, covering her mouth with a
consuming kiss. They entwined on the bed, hands searching, legs tangling. She savored
the sensation of his hair-rough, hard thighs along her smooth skin. His cock bumped
her belly.
Worry flashed over her flushed face. "Shane…"
"Shhhh…" he whispered softly.
He allowed his fingers to trace delicate patterns across her breasts, relishing the
pale softness, worshiping her. Every moment was precious…indefinably important. He
kissed her and when her hands found his erection, he jerked in response, groaning as
she caressed him without restraint, testing the length and width of him.
He quivered as her delicate touch brought him perilously close to losing it. One
single touch from her would unman him, make him burst like an overeager teenager.
Sex had never been this fucking good before.
Emma knew she was torturing him and she loved it, treasuring the feeling of
feminine power. Right then he was as helpless as she moments ago. Caught up and
about to find heaven.
"I need you," he rasped.
"Yes," she whispered.
He wedged his hips between her legs, his forearms taking his weight. She braced
her hands against his shoulders. She parted her legs, arching against him, wanting him
inside. The large head of his arousal bumped against her swollen pussy lips. The
torment was too much, and she moved against him, leaving no doubt what she wanted.
Easing gradually, he filled her, slowly, ever so gently. Despite her arousal and
wetness, he felt huge.
She gasped. "Oh!"
He frowned. "Did I hurt you?"
"I'm…you're…" She blushed.
A sweet grin touched his mouth. "It's been a while for you."
"Centuries."
His cock probed again, and she closed her eyes as pleasure moved inside her. Then
he pulled back. Each movement of his cock brushed against her desire inflamed senses.
Eager, she shimmied a little against him. "Damn it, Shane, you're driving me nuts."
"Yeah," he said with satisfaction. "That's the idea. Fuck, you are so hot, so wet. You
feel so good naked against me."
He probed again, thrust.
Trembling, she unlocked herself, opening and surrendering to the hard, thick cock
stretching her relentlessly. Once more, he pulled back.
He closed his eyes, his teeth bared and clinched. "Sweet Jesus, you're tight."
"Shane." Her voice held a warning. "If you don't take me—"
He thrust harder this time and made more headway.
She gasped with pleasure as he delved until every powerful inch and breadth
buried balls-deep.
She whimpered and dared look into his eyes. "Oh, Shane. You feel so good."
His self-assured grin, layered by a potent male yearning, fired her desire into a
higher plane.
Carefully Shane retreated, pulling back, then entering slightly, teasing. The burn
rose higher and higher, and then he pushed forward, plunging until he seated deep and
hard one more time. He waited there, for what seemed an eternity, his breath coming in
pants as he observed her.
He started a slow, deep ride that made her moan. She knew if she lived to be a
hundred she'd remember this moment with him, even if it were the only time she'd feel
Shane inside her. Slick, steady, his cock parted her smoothly, sliding along her soaked
channel. Every stroke from his thick male presence was exquisite delight. She clutched
at his shoulders, her head tossing back and forth, the pleasure rocking her.
The sensation of his arousal driving hard and deep ignited a fresh surge of joy
along her tingling limbs as she wrapped her arms around him and planted her feet
against the bed. Her hips joined the movement, pushing up, countering each renewed
entry. She lost control, abandoning all sense of time as her heart pounded and her
breath went ragged, and the burning pleasure in her loins grew to an insupportable joy.
The pace steadily increased until nothing but transcending delight existed for
Emma. As the heat centered and gathered, she reached for breath, feeling the world
spin around as he drove harder, faster, deeper. Soon there was nothing but the steady,
relentless flow of his body, his thrusts forcing groans of delight from her lips. His cock
plundered, his hips pumping forcefully. Masculine grunts ushered from his lips, his
desire coming fiercely, unmercifully. He wedged his hands under her ass and upped
the pace, his hips pounding, fingers digging into her flesh.
"Shane, oh God!" She trembled as the tension peaked.
Seconds later her world flew apart and startled her with intensity and force,
launching her up and filling her with exquisite pleasure. She sobbed, shaking in his
arms.
His body shook as he hammered again and again, punctuating each thrust with a
groan of ecstasy as he spewed cum into her repeatedly.
He collapsed on her and then rolled to the side, pulling her into his arms.
Warm lassitude spread over her, filled her senses with a cloudy, giddy sensation.
Replete, she traced her fingers over the whorls of hair on his chest. She touched his
nipples and he trapped her wayward hand, holding it still.
"If you do much more of that I'll have to make love to you again."
She smiled and propped herself on one elbow. "You'll have to make love to me
again? What a chore."
He reached up to cup the back of her neck. "Oh, it'll be a chore I revel in, believe
me."
Sinking into the warmth in Shane's eyes, she kissed him and tasted the passion he'd
unleashed moments before. Their kiss was a mixture of fire and urgent need that
threatened to propel her back into desire. When he finally released her lips, her breath
came shaky with pleasure and happiness.
Eventually her senses came back together and reality intruded, reminding her of the
revelation she'd encountered in his arms.
She was falling for him, and that was damned scary and complicated.
It should have felt liberating. Shouldn't she be happy? Instead, raw fear tangled her
insides, pulling her deeper into apprehension rather than freeing her to love him. They
barely knew each other, yet the passion, admiration and need she felt for Shane froze
her with fear.
When he'd whispered to her to take what she wanted from him, she had. Without
restraint and with total lack of forethought. In those long mi
nutes of touching, caressing
and kissing, she'd given herself in a physical outpouring she'd never shared before.
Making love had never been that intense, nor passion so uncontrollable.
He traced a finger over her cheek. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever
seen."
A flush spread into her cheeks. "Shane…"
"Everything about you is…golden. Your hair, your skin, your heart. Hell, it's hard
to describe. You blind me with your light."
The hush in his voice made her tremble. Never had she heard such romantic words
voiced just for her. Speechless, she allowed her gaze to lock with his. He plunged his
fingers into Emma's hair then let his touch drift over her shoulder to land softly on her
bottom. He kneaded her softly and a shiver of renewed desire tickled inside her.
"I could lie here all day and all night, and taste you. I'd never get tired of your
flavor," he said.
A glow surrounded her, pulled her into a fantasy where he declared his love and
promised he'd never leave her.
Did she want him to love her?
"Shane…"
He put his index finger over her lips. "Ever have sex in a huge tub?"
Momentarily thrown off by his question, she just stared at him. When Shane
quirked one eyebrow in question, she found her voice and spoke. "No."
He sat up and put his hand out to her. "Come on."
She took his warm hand and followed.
* * *
Chapter Fourteen
"What? You don't have any girly bubble bath?" Emma asked.
Shane gave her a mock glare then broke out in a smile. He turned off the steaming
water as it poured into the large garden tub. "Shit, no."
She sighed, planted her hands on her hips, naked as the day she was born. "I didn't
think so. I suppose that would be somewhat girly for a big, tough cowboy."
"Big and tough eh? Is that what you think of me?"
She allowed her gaze to land on his cock, no longer erect but dangerous and
delicious nonetheless. "Oh, yes. Big."
His cockeyed grin said he understood her double entendre. He shrugged and
turned on the jets. "Who needs bubble bath when we have whirlpool?"
"Indeed. We've got everything we need, including the wine."
Shane had opened a bottle of Merlot in the kitchen and filled two wine glasses. The
glasses sat on the deep window ledge almost even with the rim of the tub. His gaze
coasted over her with true appreciation, and she took the opportunity to give his superb
body a thorough examination. Before she could put a toe in the swirling water, he
tugged her gently toward him, and she overbalanced and landed against his chest. She
squeaked in surprise.
His arm slid around her waist and kept her pinned to his stalwart frame. He tilted
her chin up with his fingers and looked deep into her eyes.
Small lines formed between his brows. "Tell me I didn't hurt you."
Confused, she asked, "What?"
"I hope I didn't hurt you."
Still puzzled, she shook her head and his fingers slid away from her chin. She took
the opportunity to palm his magnificent chest. "I don't know what you're talking
about."
He sighed and slipped his hand behind her neck to cradle her. He touched her
forehead to his and closed his eyes. "While we were having sex I went a little…nuts. It
blew my mind. When I got inside you I just…I banged away at you."
She smiled and lifted her head so that he had to gaze into her eyes once more. "Yes,
you're…big, Shane. Deliciously so. But you didn't hurt me. I was as crazy as you were.
Everything we did together was fantastic."
He winked. "Good." He speared his fingers through her hair. "I've never…a
woman has never turned me on the way you do, Emma."
A flush stole into her cheeks. "I don't know what to say."
"You don't need to say anything. Just know it's how I feel."
She didn't expect him to talk about feelings—at least not tender expressions. His
gaze held warmth, sincerity, and it stirred her heart. His cock started to rise and harden
between them. She sucked in a breath as renewed passion rose like a warm wave within
her. God, he intoxicated her, made her mad with desire.
"Come on," he said. "The water's getting cold."
She disengaged from his arms and stepped into the water. "Oh, it's hot."
"Too hot?"
"No, just right."
As she sank down into the water, she said, "We should have some candles.
Subdued lighting."
"Now that is too girly." His wicked grin made her heart skip a beat.
"It's romantic."
He nodded and stepped into the tub. "You're right. I'll get some candles soon. In
case we want to do this again."
"Better let me get the candles." When his eyebrow went up, she grinned. "It's a
girly thing, remember."
He grunted and sank down into the bubbling water with a sigh. "Damn, that feels
good."
"Better than sex?"
He slipped further into the water until he faced her with his legs bracketing hers.
"No way."
She couldn't suppress a grin. His hair got wet as he eased even lower into the tub.
She watched his gorgeous body covered by swishing water.
When his calves brushed her thighs, she said, "This tub is large, but maybe not
enough."
He opened one eyelid. "Big enough for what I have in mind."
Intrigued and lured by excitement, she slipped her hand boldly over his knee.
"What do you have in mind?"
His uncompromising, sensual stare coasted over her breasts. "Fucking you in this
tub. There are a hell of a lot of things we can do in this tub." His eyes glowed with
unrepentant enjoyment. "Anything you want."
"Anything?" She edged down into the bubbly water, enjoying the sensations and
his insinuations.
"Yeah." His voice went husky as he allowed one of his muscled calves to slip
alongside her thigh. "First, talk to me."
A bit surprised he wanted conversation and not sex right away, she chastised
herself for assuming so much. So far, despite their rocky start, Shane had proved
nothing if not a man capable of deep contemplation and good conversation.
"Emma?" He frowned. "Something wrong?"
"No, not at all. I just…this feels so good." Did she dare say it? "It feels right."
He nodded. "Mmm. It sure does."
When he picked up his wine glass, she did too. "A toast."
They sat forward so they could clink glasses.
"To us," he said.
"To us."
After one generous sip, she placed her glass down next to his on the ledge.
"Now, where were we?" she asked.
"I wanted to know more about you."
She sighed. Perilous area indeed. "What did you want to know?"
"Anything you want to tell me."
Her thoughts had scattered by what they'd done, by the passion she continued to
experience with him so near. What woman could lay in a huge tub with a gorgeous,
hunky man and be expected to find her voice? After all, she could see a good chunk of
his chest and imagined too well his generous-sized cock rising from that water like a
sword.
She licked her lips. She cleared her throat and leaned her head back on the edge of
the tub. "Well, I'm a Cancer born on the cusp with Gemini."
"Aha."
"Aha?"
"Probably explains why I sometimes feel like you're two different people."
She stared at him in dismay. "Others have said the same, but always in a belittling
way."
He shook his head, eyes anxious as he explained. "I don't mean it like that."
"I know. Wait a minute, I never pegged you for the type to know about astrology."
"I don't know much. General knowledge. I'm a Taurus."
"Aha."
"Now what does that mean?"
"Same thing it meant for you. Your sign explains many things. Like the fact you're
stubborn as hell."
He shrugged. "That doesn't bother me. Sometimes stubborn is a good thing."
"And sometimes it's bad."
"Maybe I'm stubborn because you're driving me outta my mind, Emma Baker." He
sat up straighter and reached for his wine. He saluted with the glass. "You're calm,
collected and excellent at your job. And yet you're vulnerable. Soft. It's a combination
designed to drive a man insane."
"It's not by design."
"Not by you, but the gods must have gotten together and decided they'd drive a
man to distraction. They picked you for the job."
"Any man? Or just you?"
He winked. "There's probably plenty of guys who find you attractive. Don't tell me
I'm the first."
He had to be kidding. "Other than Grant, you're the first man I've associated with
in a work setting that's expressed any interest in me sexually."
"What about a social setting?"
"Not since college."
His eyes widened, and one of his hands slipped down to caress her calf. "Then they
must have been fuckin' crazy."
She sighed and closed her eyes. "You're good for my ego, Shane."
"I'm glad. For a while there I figured you might hate me."
A secret smile played with her mouth as she remembered her initial reaction to him.
"When I first met you I was put off. Except you were so damned sexy I couldn't resist
you."
She opened her eyes and witnessed his shit-eating grin. "Now that we've slept
together, what do you think of me?"
Emma's heartbeat quickened. "You've been wonderful to me, Shane. And you're
even sexier now."
She traced her fingers over his kneecap, leaning forward until her roaming hands
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