minutes. Just for now.”
Under any other circumstances, he probably would have told her to keep her emotional mumbo jumbo to herself, but right then, the words made sense. He did want to give up the burden for a little while. To not think about anything except how she made him feel. But kisses on his shoulders and back weren’t going to get it done, despite how nice they were.
In one quick move, he flipped over. He grabbed her around the waist, keeping her in place. Only now her hot, wet center was directly on his.
She sighed. “That’s what I get for playing with an expert, huh?”
“Exactly.”
He could have pushed inside of her. A large part of his body wanted just that. To bury himself inside and let the feelings take him away. But not just yet, he thought, thinking about things he could do to her and how good they would feel.
So he stayed in place, and when she moved up his body so she could kiss him, he didn’t stop her.
Instead he claimed her with a deep kiss. He traced her tongue with his, to explore the soft sweetness of her mouth. He slid his hands to her breasts and cupped them. When he teased her tight nipples, she groaned.
That throaty, hungry sound was his undoing. Suddenly he had to have all of her. He had to touch her and taste her everywhere, except he didn’t want to stop kissing her. Not yet.
He ignored the throbbing between his legs and concentrated on her pleasure. When she raised her head to catch her breath, he drew her up so that he could suck on her breasts.
First one and then the other. Her breathing increased and he felt her body tremble. He urged her up onto her knees as he slid down a little. For the first time, she hesitated.
“No, that’s okay.”
Joe looked at the beautiful naked woman straddling his chest and knew he needed her more than he’d ever needed anyone before.
“I want to,” he told her.
She made a vague motion with her hands. “It’s um…just…I don’t know. I’m fine.”
He didn’t want her fine. He wanted her writhing and panting and completely out of control. Had some guy refused, saying it wasn’t his thing? Had some bastard hurt her by going down on her? Or was this her first time?
He had a fantasy of her straddling his face, hanging on to the headboard and riding him to heaven. But that would have to wait for another time. In one quick series of grabs, shifts, and drops, he had her on her back with him between her legs.
“Jeez, how do you do that?” she asked. “I need more self-defense lessons if I’m going to keep up with you.”
He thought about telling her she couldn’t possibly keep up, but that it was okay because he had no intention of leaving her behind. He opened his mouth to say just that, but instead he realized he was inches above her belly and that any conversation could be had another time. Right now he had important erotic work to do.
He kissed her stomach, then along the top of her thighs. She squirmed, but it wasn’t in a good way. Her hands pushed at him.
“Please,” she said.
He braced himself on one elbow and looked at her. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
Color stained her cheeks. “Nothing. It’s not important.”
“It is to me.”
She closed her eyes. “I’ve only slept with a couple of guys. I was always afraid of who would talk and what they’d say. Maybe to the press or something.”
“Makes sense.”
“Well, the first one was someone from college. I thought he was really special. I thought I was in love with him.” She opened her eyes and looked at him. “I wasn’t. But before I found that out, I suggested we try, you know, oral sex. He got all disgusted and said it was gross and he couldn’t believe I’d asked.”
“Which made you embarrassed.”
“Among other things. It was a couple of days before Christmas and I was taking him home to meet my family. On Christmas afternoon I overheard him coming on to my sister. He said that he and I were only friends, that he had a real thing for her, and that he wanted to make love with her. Then he detailed exactly what he wanted to do with her, including that.”
Joe wanted to go find the bastard and pound him into a bloodstain on the sand. Instead he kissed her thigh and asked, “What did Lauren do?”
“Slapped him as hard as she could, called him a sex-crazed asshole, and told him to get out of the house.”
He thought about saying he liked Lauren, but he figured Darcy would misunderstand his words.
“I’ve been a little sensitive about the whole thing ever since,” she said.
“Makes sense. Give me five minutes.”
“Joe, don’t.”
He moved between her thighs. “Five minutes and if you hate it, I’ll stop.”
She twisted away. “But you don’t have to-”
“I got that. I want to, and I took this correspondence class on some real interesting techniques. You might like them.”
Her eyes widened, then she started to laugh. “You did not,” she said.
“I can show you my certificate. I graduated at the top of my class.”
Then while she was still laughing, he used his fingers to part her and lightly stroke his tongue against her swollen center.
Darcy had big plans to endure the five minutes, then push him away. Sure she’d heard that some men liked that sort of thing and she was curious, but Greg’s reaction had scarred her in a way she’d never forgotten. The look of absolute disgust and horror on his face had pretty much shattered her tiny burst of confidence.
With her second lover, she’d been passive, not daring to ask for anything in case he reacted the same way. Joe had been her third foray into sexuality, and their passionate encounter hadn’t left any time for doubts.
But now she could think, and once she started, it was impossible to stop her brain.
The first brush of his tongue felt good. Really good. The second set nerve endings to humming in a way she’d never felt before. Her legs fell open, her hips tilted toward him, and suddenly breathing didn’t seem all that important.
He licked her over and over. It was different from being touched by his fingers. More intimate. Softer, but more direct. She could feel his breath. His shoulders pushed against her thighs. She was torn, wanting him inside of her and never, ever wanting this to stop.
Which, of course, it did.
She opened her eyes and stared at him. Fear swept through her. He hadn’t liked it. He hadn’t liked doing it to her. He hadn’t-
“Relax,” he said. “Give me your hands. Hold yourself open.”
He positioned her fingers so she parted herself for him. She felt exposed and stupid, but before she could ask what he was doing, he returned his mouth to her body and rational thought fled.
The licking, gentle sucking, circling, breathing all continued. Tension moved through her body, starting at her toes and working its way up. At one point she thought she might have felt his teeth lightly graze that one most sensitive spot, but then there was his tongue again and a slight pressure at the opening.
Then she was caught up in a whirlwind of sensation. Even as he continued to use his mouth on her, he slipped in first one finger, then another. He filled her in a slow, steady rhythm designed to make her scream and beg.
She drew her legs back and dug her heels into the mattress. She rocked her hips and tried to catch her breath. Need swept through her. It was hot and thick and too powerful to ignore. Closer, she thought as pleasure tightened and grew. She was so close.
His fingers moved faster, sliding in and out of her. His tongue kept pace. Suddenly her body was out of her control. She shuddered into her release as incredible sensations washed through her. She bucked against him, desperate to keep him there, touching her everywhere.
He read her mind, slowing but not stopping. Again and again she came until the climaxes slowed and her body
