«Unless touching me offends you?»
Shannon’s head came up in surprise. «How could it offend me? You feel wonderful.»
Whip shrugged. «Some women don’t like touching a man at all, much less where he’s most a man.»
«Truly? I’ve spent most of my time wishing I could touch you, even…there.»
«You’ve got your wish.»
She smiled despite the blush burning across her cheeks.
«Tell me if I hurt you,» she said huskily. «Although how I could hurt anything so hard is beyond me.»
Whip made a sound that was part laugh, part groan. The feel of Shannon’s fingers exploring him beneath the surface of the hot spring was a pleasure so great it was almost pain. As she caressed his length several times from blunt tip to rigid base, blood hammered so fiercely through him that he was afraid he would burst.
«Shannon.»
Her hand froze. «Am I touching too much?»
«Not enough.»
«I told you I didn’t know how,» she said unhappily.
Breath hissed between Whip’s clenched teeth. When Shannon would have withdrawn her hand, his fingers closed around hers.
«Like this,» he said hoarsely.
Shannon felt the circle of her hand being moved slowly over Whip’s hard, silky length, felt the fierce beating of his life’s blood beneath her palm, and savored the sleek combination of satin and steel that was uniquely male. She smiled and gave a shivery little sigh of pleasure at being permitted the freedom of Whip’s body.
The knowledge that Shannon was truly enjoying his arousal almost undid Whip. As her fingers pressed firmly around him, measuring and pleasuring at the same time, his blood leaped wildly. He dragged at breath and self-control and found neither. Release surged through him, taking him by surprise, for he had never been so quick off the mark before.
But then, he had never had a virgin widow looking at him before, watching his eyes and enjoying his flesh like a cat discovering catnip for the first time.
«You’re shivering,» Shannon said after a time. «Are you all right?»
«Much better.»
She smiled and stroked all of Whip’s body slowly, soothingly, for she could feel that some of the tension had left him. As she caressed him, she looked down at the swirling surface of the pool, where streaks of golden lantern light intertwined with black water.
«I wish I could see as much of you as I can feel,» Shannon said, trailing her fingertips down over Whip. «I’d like to see how you change when you want me.»
Whip’s heartbeat kicked hard as hunger rushed through him once more.
«Honey girl, you’re going to be the death of me.»
She looked at him, startled. «What do you mean?»
«I’m not sure I can tell you, but I’m damn sure I can show you.»
With that, Whip captured Shannon’s caressing hand and lifted it to his neck. Then he bent his head and took Shannon’s mouth, consuming it, making it completely his.
While he kissed her, his fingers stroked from Shannon’s neck to her knees. He teased her breasts, drawing their peaks into tight velvet crowns. When he rugged on one nipple, twisting it with great care, she arched and cried out.
The sound was lost in Whip’s mouth, but Shannon didn’t notice. A radiant darkness was swirling around her, glittering with the possibility of ecstasy, calling to her in all the colors of the rainbow.
One of Whip’s hands slid slowly up between Shannon’s thighs until he could go no higher. Long fingers curled around her softness. He probed lightly, felt a sultry welcome that owed nothing to the hot spring, and eased deeply into her clinging heat.
Shannon flinched and stiffened as though he had taken a lash to her.
«What’s wrong?» Whip murmured against her lips. «We’ve done this before.»
«And then you raged at me and wouldn’t touch me again.»
«Not this time. This time I know you’re a virgin. This time I’m going to touch you every way I can, but one.»
Whip’s hand moved swiftly, hungrily. A ripple of tension went through Shannon’s whole body, making it impossible for her to speak.
«I —» she said raggedly. «I —»
His thumb circled the knot of swollen flesh he had drawn from her softness. Shannon’s arms tightened around his neck as another fierce shiver took her. She tried to speak but could make only a choked sound.
Concerned, Whip reluctantly withdrew from Shannon’s body. His fingertips caressed the full, soft folds with great gentleness.
«What?» Whip murmured. «What is it?»
«I feel so strange,» she said raggedly.
«But do you like it?»
A long finger eased into Shannon as Whip spoke.
«Yes,» she whispered. «Yes.»
Even more than Shannon’s words, her body told Whip that she enjoyed the intimate caress. Hotter than the pool, her response spilled over him. Slowly he withdrew from her, his own body taut with the certainty that she could take him with only brief pain when her maidenhead was breached. She was sleek and sultry, made to hold him within her loving heat.
No, Whip told himself savagely. I can’t risk it.
What risk?came his own instant retort. There will never be a safer time of month for her. It will never be easier for me to control my own release than it is right now, when she has just given me such a sweet easing.
There were more arguments in Whip’s mind against taking Shannon, but he wasn’t listening to them. He was listening to the swift breaking of Shannon’s breath as he caressed her softness once more, slowly, deeply.
«Did you mean it?» Whip asked when he could go no farther into her.
«What?» she asked, dazed.
«That you wanted to see me?»
«Yes.»
«Good. Because I sure as hell want to see you. I’ve been dreaming of watching you again, all honey and cream and fire. I’ve dreamed some other things, too.»
«What?»
«When I show you, you’ll blush all over.» He laughed softly. «But you’ll love it.»
Whip stood up and walked out of the pool with Shannon in his arms. He got only as far as the heavy bearskin blanket before he stopped and looked down at the girl who was lying so trustingly in his arms, watching his eyes.
Steam lifted in silver wisps from Shannon’s skin. Water gleamed on her shoulders and slid in golden rivulets between her breasts. Taut nipples glistened with liquid diamonds. The desire to lick up each shining drop nearly brought Whip to his knees.
«The cabin will be cold,» he said huskily. «And it’s too far.»
«It’s just a few steps.»
«Like I said. Too far.»
Shannon smiled and watched steam lift from Whip’s body, first revealing and then concealing the power of his shoulders. Silver lines of water tangled in the thatch of dark gold hair on his chest. Captive drops glistened and winked at her as though they knew how much she wanted to sip them from his skin.
«Shannon?»
«Whatever you want,» she said huskily. «However you want it.»
Whip looked from Shannon’s mouth to her breasts and then to the sleek, dark pelt concealing her softness.
