She leaned her head on his shoulder. "But you hated me the first day we met."
"Hate is a strong word. I thought you were like the rest and out to get what you could from me."
She considered him and his life, and it made her sad. "You and I aren't much different." Her shoulders shook with laughter. "I mean, we are totally different, but the people in our lives have used us. The only difference between us is that I had good role models, and I should have known better. But you, by the sounds of it, couldn't have known."
"It's easy to blame ignorance. I watched my mom die from loneliness while my father lived happily with his fame and women. His life seemed far more pleasurable, so I modeled mine after his. But now that I have Maddie, I'm scared to death. I need to do better. I know how I've been as a man, and I wouldn't want my daughter to date someone like me."
She sat up and studied him. "But you want me to date you?"
"I do because, when I'm with you, I'm a better person." He lifted to reach her lips and talk about their past ended. With his mouth on hers, there was nothing left to consider but the tingle and pulsing in her core.
Desire hit her, hard and fast. Shifting so she straddled him, she ran her hands up and down his chest. Every muscle rippled under her touch. "Take this off."
"My girl is demanding." He pushed back into the couch and reached between them to pull off his shirt.
Lord almighty, the man was made of stone. She let her fingers trail across his bare chest.
"Your turn." She had no time to consider his words before he had the hem of her top moving past her chin. When it was free, he tossed it aside to land on top of his shirt.
His eyes focused on her breasts. They probably weren't like the ones he was used to. Hers were real.
He pulled the lace down to reveal nipples that seemed to reach for his mouth. And when his lips touched them, she closed her eyes and moaned. Full lips and hot tongue alternated between suckling and sucking. He made her want things she wasn't sure were possible, like love and multiple Os.
Grinding against him, he hardened to steel beneath her—his thickness fitting perfectly between her thighs.
He shifted and stood with her in his arms. Long-legged and quick on his feet, he had them in his room in seconds.
"Was she in your bed?" She hated to ruin the moment, but when they made love, she wanted to be the only woman to have touched those sheets.
"No, she was on the comforter, which I tossed in the wash already."
She glanced at the bed to see it covered with a thin blanket.
"Carry on, then."
He set her down and went straight for the button of her shorts. It didn't take him long to get her fully naked.
She lifted on her elbows. "Your turn."
God was he sexy with a lift to his brow and a smirk on his face. Shirtless, he tugged the button on his jeans loose and pulled the zipper down one tooth at a time. For a man who was in such a hurry moments ago, he wasn't rushing now. He took his time undressing, and she loved the suspense. Having her attention focused on him made her forget all the ways she might be inadequate—almost.
"Hey, what just happened? It looked like I lost you.” He stopped stripping and climbed onto the bed with her. "I saw something change in your eyes. If this isn't what you want, we can wait."
She rolled to her side to face him. "I don't want to wait, but I don't want to disappoint you either. We've got something special building that I don't want to ruin it with bad sex."
His eyes widened. "Seriously? You think there's any possibility that I won't enjoy what we're about to do?"
She bit her lower lip and nodded.
He took her hand and held it against his denim-covered length. "Does this feel like I'm not enjoying you?"
"No."
"Then let's get out of your head and into us. Only we belong in this bed. You didn't want the groupie here, and I don't want your ex. He was an idiot. A lesser man would have already finished in the living room when you were grinding on me. That was so hot." He slid his hand over her body and settled his palm over her breast. "These are perfect." He gently pinched her nipple, pulling a moan from her. "That response is everything." He moved his hand down her stomach until it rested on her mound. "This is a freaking playground for a man who knows how to use the equipment." His mouth followed the trail of his hand until he settled his shoulders between her thighs and let his tongue loose.
Her body was a tightrope and her nerves the acrobat teetering and tottering on the edge. Every few seconds, she was certain she would fall forward and float blissfully back to earth, but she was tethered to Alex, and he kept her body ready to fly.
Shuddering beneath him, she could no longer avoid the fall and tumbled fiercely, spinning, gasping, pulsing until she lay on the bed spent and panting.
Alex was there to catch her.
When their eyes connected, all she saw was a predator who had gotten his first taste. She was a mouse who'd entered the lion's den.
"Did you like that?"
What was not to like? "I now know why women are sneaking into your house."
"Not for that. That's far too intimate for a stranger."
Could a heart break from happiness? Was hers too full to hold the joy
