he kissed her over and over.
He urged her to shift so she could part her legs. She tried to do as he requested, but it was too difficult to maintain her balance. Suddenly she stumbled and was falling, only to be caught in his strong embrace.
Jeff smiled at her as he lowered her to the carpet in the living room. He settled her on her rear, then carefully drew her robe off her shoulders and pulled her nightgown over her head. She was naked and found that she didn't much mind. It felt right with him. Maybe a sensible woman would have been nervous or even scared, but all she could think was that she wanted him to pick up exactly where he'd left off.
Unfortunately he didn't read her mind. However, what he did instead turned out to be just as wonderful. He bent over her breast and drew one tight nipple into his mouth. The other received attention from his fingers. He licked, he nibbled, he teased until she was writhing on the floor and desperate for more.
After he'd switched so that her other breast had equal attention, he shifted so that he knelt between her legs and kissed his way down her stomach. Her breath caught as she stiffened in anticipation. Finally he bent low to give her the most intimate kiss of all. The one that made her cry out his name as she drew back her knees and dug her heels into the carpet.
His hands cupped her hips. His breath was hot, his tongue insistent. She couldn't stand what he was doing to her. Not for another second.
'Don't stop,' she gasped. 'Please.'
She felt more than heard a low, throaty sound of laughter as he continued his ministrations. Then suddenly the world tilted and flew out of control. Before she could prepare herself, a powerful wave of release crashed through her. She was caught up and carried away, drowning in the most amazing sensations she'd ever experienced.
Once again Jeff caught her in his strong arms. Caught her and held her as she slowly, very slowly, returned to normal.
When she finally surfaced enough to open her eyes, she found herself staring into his face. He smiled down at her. She felt her own lips curve in response.
' Mission accomplished,' she murmured. 'They teach you that at boot camp?'
'No. In special forces. I took the advanced course.'
Her own smile turned into a grin. 'Jeff, you could teach the course.'
He touched her face, then smoothed back her hair.
'I wanted it to be good for you,' he told her. 'I'm glad you were pleased.'
'
He was so gentle, she thought. Despite the fire still raging inside of him. She felt the insistent pressure of his arousal. He was as hungry as she had been just a few moments before. Yet he'd taken the time to satisfy her very thoroughly. This from a man who dreamed he wasn't human and kept mostly to himself?
She wanted to ask what it meant that they were doing this. But even more, she wanted to feel his bare skin against hers as he entered her.
She stroked his back, then slid her hands around to his chest. 'I think it's time for the second act,' she said and brought his mouth to hers.
As they kissed, he moved his fingers against her breasts, then slipped them lower. She was still slick and swollen and it didn't take much to get her blood boiling all through her. In a matter of minutes she was writhing against him, as hungry as she'd been before.
He shifted so that he could pull off his jeans, then returned to kneel between her legs. The only light in the room came from outside-a diffused illumination from the streetlights' glow in the damp night. His face was in shadows and she couldn't see his eyes. Yet she wasn't afraid. Not even when she felt his arousal pressing against her.
She slipped a hand between them to guide him inside. With one smooth thrust, he filled her completely. She gasped as her muscles relaxed to admit him, then immediately tightened around his width.
He braced himself on his hands and stared into her eyes. She kept her gaze on him. Even as he entered her again and again, even as her own body began to react to the tension filling her, she refused to look away.
Jeff knew he wasn't going to be able to last much longer. His lack of control wasn't about not having been with a woman in a long time, although that was true enough. Instead his legendary self-control was being destroyed by a wide-eyed gaze and the feel of slick walls contracting in pleasure.
He felt the first release ripple through Ashley's slender body. She clutched his arms and arched back her head, all the while gasping for breath and pleading with him to follow. He told himself to hold back. That his waiting would make it better for her. But suddenly he didn't have a choice. He couldn't wait, couldn't do anything but fill her again and again, shifting back on his haunches as he grabbed her hips and pulled her closer.
And then he was at the point of no return. He thrust into her deeply, making them both cry out. He surrendered to the release, losing himself in a perfect moment of paradise.
Jeff rolled over and pulled Ashley into his arms. The night was still except for the sound of their breathing. She cuddled against him, her head on his shoulder, her breath tickling his chest.
'When was the last time you did it on your living room floor?' she asked.
'Never.'
He thought about telling her more. That he'd never invited a woman to his house. He'd never made love here before.
Made love.
The words stopped him, but he couldn't deny them. Ashley was more than just sex.
'What about you?' he asked.
She propped herself up on her elbow and grinned down at him. 'I've never made love on your living room floor before, either.'
Her humor made him wrap his arms around her and pull her against him. He liked the feel of her naked body pressing into his.
'How do you feel?' he asked as he stroked her from shoulders to rear.
'Good. Better than good.' She sighed. 'You were pretty amazing. All that ability to focus on the task at hand. I should have guessed how well it would translate. Now if only my rug burn will fade by morning.'
'Rug burn?'
He started to sit up to look at her back, but she laughed and pushed him back onto the carpet.
'I'm kidding. My back is completely unscathed.'
'Good.'
She turned onto her side. He slid his hands over her hip and felt the prominent bone. 'You're too thin,' he told her.
She glared. 'I take back all those nice things I just said. It's incredibly tacky to criticize a woman's body at any time, but never more so than after you'd just done the wild thing and while she's still naked.'
She was being playful, but he didn't smile. 'I'm not being critical, I'm stating a fact. You haven't been eating enough. Why do I know that it's more about money than looking good in clothes?'
She sat up and turned so she was facing away from him. 'Don't, Jeff. I don't want to talk about that. Please don't spoil the mood.'
Her request answered his question. He hated that money had been so tight for her that there were times when she didn't get enough to eat. He wanted to fix her life. He needed to make it better. Except he was the wrong person for the job. Nicole had been right when she'd pointed out that he didn't know how to be like other men. At least he'd given Ashley a good job. As long as she worked for him, she would be safe.
'You're supposed to say something reassuring,' she muttered.
'I'm sorry.' He touched her bare skin. 'I don't want to spoil the mood. Please come back here and let me hold you.'
She turned toward him. The lamplight filtered through the partially open drapes, illuminating her body. Her breasts were surprisingly full for her slight frame. The nipples were tight. As she moved, her breasts swayed slightly. She was an erotic image brought to life by the night.
Unable to stop himself, he leaned over and took her right nipple in his mouth. She grasped his head and
