“I’m used to everyone in my life with money assuming they can use it to bend me to their will, and I’m sick and tired of it. Whatever we have, we’ll earn together. That will mean far more to me than gold bathroom fixtures and trips to Paris.”
I love her outlook. “Are you saying the French are overrated?”
She grimaces. “Actually, Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and I’ll miss it. But I don’t need it the way I need you.”
“Oh, baby, I need you, too.” I step closer again—and drop one hand to the strap of her summery dress. “I need to see you, feel you, sink into you.”
She closes her eyes. “Yes.”
“I need to feel like you’re mine.”
“I want that.”
I slide my fingers under her strap and slowly lift it off her shoulder. When I drop it, the thin strip of fabric hangs halfway down her arm. “Your first time was hurried.” Not to mention painful. “I want ours to be different, and we have all afternoon.”
Mandy’s cheeks bloom with color. “I’d love that.”
“Come with me.” I hold out my hand.
She takes it without hesitation. I lead her to the big master bedroom overlooking the ocean and the mostly private beach. Even here the sun shines on her like she’s an angel. I feel so lucky that I’ll have her in my arms.
“This is going to be intense, isn’t it?”
With chemistry like ours? “Yeah.”
I’ve intentionally blocked as many sexual thoughts of Mandy as I could. But now that she’s removed my mental barrier, a million lascivious thoughts flood my brain. But first, she asked me to kiss her.
When I bend to her, she’s already waiting for me, eyes closed trustingly, lips soft and waiting. My blood surges, and I eliminate the distance between us until I lay my mouth over hers. She opens to me. Her sugary lips meld against mine as she moans. She’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever tasted.
My fingers tighten around her nape as I nudge her open wider and kiss her deeper. Then I use my other hand to lower the remaining strap from her other shoulder. I’m reluctant to break the kiss and leave her mouth, but I need to look into her eyes, study her…peer into her soul. Is she really ready for what’s next?
Her baby blues have gone darker. They’re full of invitation.
Yes, she’s ready.
And her damn cotton dress is barely clinging to the swells of her breasts. One deep breath, and I’ll be able to see everything it’s concealing.
I swallow. “Mandy…”
“Don’t stop there.” Her breaths sound rougher. “I need your hands on me, Tanner.”
Oh, I’ll be putting my mouth everywhere, too. “Nice and slow, baby. I want to give you the first time you should have had.”
Something more than acceptance crosses her face. It looks like need. And gratitude. That’s what I’m seeing. Her expression is so soft and angelic…but I see the hint of something devilish there, too.
My heart thumps as I lift my hand to the fabric straining between her breasts—then give it a tug.
The cotton slides down, exposing a strapless something lacy that’s not quite a bra. It adheres to her curves, but I can see straight through it. Her taut pink nipples nearly make me swallow my tongue.
Somehow, I manage to tear my stare away and back to her face. “Oh, baby…”
“I’ll get rid of this.” She reaches behind her back to unclasp the transparent scrap of undergarment.
Gently, I grab her wrists. “Let me.”
With a nod, she releases the band, then slides her palms up my arms to my shoulders, closing her eyes, giving herself over. That’s even sexier, the trust she’s placing in me. I’m so damn hard that my first impulse is to toss her on the bed, cover her body with mine, and shove my way inside her. But there will be time for that later. Now is about her. It’s about building us.
I bend and brush my lips up her neck as I work the clasps open at the small of her back. It falls away as I lift her chin to me and seize her lips. Mandy is soft and open again, this time welcoming me with passion, too. My other hand glides down her body, pausing to cradle her breast and thumb her taut nipple. As she gasps and clings tighter, I skim down to her hip, settling my hand under her dress, then begin to peel it away until it falls to her ankles.
I’m so damn torn. I want to keep kissing her sweet mouth, dive even deeper into it while reveling in every catch of her breath, at the same time I want to relish every inch of her smooth, pearly skin I just revealed.
Mandy makes the decision for me when she eases away from our kiss with heavy-lidded eyes and kicks off her shoes. Then she stands before me, and I can hardly breathe. She’s not perfect, but she’s so damn female and lush. And she’s nearly heart-poundingly bare. Visually, I follow the lean line of her naked torso from the hint of her ribs, swoop into the soft curve of her waist, then out again to the jut of her hips where her small white lace panties cling. The neat little bow in the middle of the band, flirting so deliciously close to her pussy, nearly makes me lose my mind.
“You’re staring. I know I’ve still got an extra ten pounds I can’t seem to lose after Oliver.”
I lay a finger over her lips. “You don’t need to. You’re beautiful. I love that you have breasts just the right size to nestle into my palms.” As I cup them both, I drop a kiss to her shoulder. “And I love that you have hips and thighs I’ll be able to
