‘‘You’re scared? If I mess up, you can have me beheaded. Talk about performance pressure.’’
Despite her attempts to convince him that she was nervous, he had her laughing by the time they walked into his bedroom. Then, as she took in the large four-poster bed and the stone fireplace in the corner, she froze.
Mitch drew her to him instantly. ‘‘Don’t start thinking about all those doubts and questions. It all comes down to two things—do you want to do this and do you trust me?’’
She tried to speak, but her throat was too tight. Yet she needed him to know the truth. So instead of words, she tried actions. Her wool shirtwaist dress fastened in the front. She reached up and unfastened the top button of her dress.
Mitch swallowed hard and told himself he had to be dreaming. No way was he really standing in his bedroom with a beautiful, sassy, funny woman who was going out of her way to tell him that she wanted him. This wasn’t happening. He’d had a good life, but he’d never had this kind of luck.
‘‘Alex,’’ he breathed, and stilled her fingers with his. He searched her face, first with his gaze, then with his fingers, gently tracing her perfect features. He wanted her to be sure. He’d always tried to do the right thing, but this time he was determined to get it right, no matter what that cost him.
Her blue eyes flashed with passion and nervousness, but no regrets. He kissed her softly and nearly lost it as her lips clung to his in unmistakable need.
‘‘Why me?’’ he asked.
The question made her smile. ‘‘Why not you?’’
‘‘But I’m just a—’’
She stopped him with a kiss. ‘‘No, you’re notjustanything. You’re strong and safe. I like you and I trust you.’’
Her words made him feel ten feet tall and downright invincible. They also toppled about half the ice around his heart—ice formed by loneliness and a sense of having failed at his first marriage. She was more than a desirable woman to him; she was getting under his skin. If he had the sense God gave a snake, he would turn tail and run. Instead he reached for the second button on her dress and unfastened it.
He cleared his throat, trying not to notice the growing expanse of perfect, pale skin. ‘‘This is where I tell you that I’ll stop anytime you’d like.’’
Despite her obvious apprehension, she gave him a faint smile. ‘‘Liar.’’
‘‘Hey, I’m trying to be a gentleman.’’
‘‘I think this would go better if you told me that you want me desperately and that you’ll die if you don’t have me.’’
‘‘All of that is true.’’
‘‘Really?’’
At that moment, with her dress open to the sweet valley between her full breasts and her long auburn hair tumbling loose over her shoulders, she was both sultry and incredibly innocent looking.
‘‘I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you, Alex.’’ He leaned close and pressed a kiss at the base of her collarbone. ‘‘I swear.’’
She clutched at him. He unfastened the rest of the buttons, then pushed the dress off her shoulders until the delicate wool puddled at her feet. She wore scraps of lace instead of a bra, and beneath her panty hose were the tiniest pair of panties he’d ever seen. Both in peach. Both more tempting than legal.
He swore under his breath as he stared at her curves, her pale skin, the rapid rise and fall of her chest. ‘‘If I’d known what you were wearing—or not wearing—under those conservative clothes of yours, I would have thrown you down on the sofa and had my way with you that first night.’’
She blushed and half raised her hands to cover her breasts. At that moment Mitch remembered that Alex hadn’t had a whole bunch of experience with men. He wanted to ask how many she’d been with, but figured that was a surefire mood breaker. Instead he decided to treat her like a virgin. That way he’d go slow enough for her to relax.
He knelt on the floor and peeled down her panty hose, then had her sit on the edge of his bed. When he picked up one foot, she opened her mouth to no doubt ask him what on earth he was doing. Then he licked the inside of her ankle. Her eyes widened, then closed. A soft sound escaped her parted lips.
Moving a millimeter at a time, he kissed and licked his way up to the inside of her knee, then started on her other leg. When he’d repeated his action, he took her right hand in his and nibbled on the center of her palm. By the time he reached the inside of her elbow, she’d broken out in goose bumps, and her breathing had increased.
As he urged her to lie down, he pulled off his boots and socks, then stretched out next to her. ‘‘Pretty lady,’’ he murmured before kissing her mouth.
She parted for him instantly. Their tongues stroked and circled, sending fire through him. He’d been hard for what felt like hours, but being next to her like this, knowing they were going to make love, sent even more blood south. His erection pulsed in time with his rapid heartbeat, and he had to concentrate to keep from rubbing himself against her. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted a woman before in his life. He needed to be inside of her the way a drowning man needed to breathe.
He touched her shoulder, then brought his hand lower, cupping her breasts. The silky lace was smooth and cool against his hand. In the front seat of his truck he’d been too eager to touch her to even notice what kind of lingerie she wore. But now he took the time to tease her, tracing the top of the bra, barely touching her bare skin.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close. He responded in kind, drawing her into his arms, then raising her up slightly so he could reach behind her and unfasten her bra. When he pulled the garment away, he broke their kiss so that he could look at her. Her tight nipples were the palest shade of peach.
‘‘I know you taste as sweet as you look,’’ he murmured just before taking that taut peak in his mouth.
