„I know. Your brother asked me what I wanted him to do and I told him to get rid of the cabinets. And the appliances. They’re old and ugly.“
„They are.“ He felt for the pins in her hair and pulled them out one by one, freeing her curls. „But you’re beautiful.“
Her agitation seemed to dissipate before his eyes. „You really think so, don’t you?“
„I know so.“
She swallowed hard and his heart stuttered. „You make me feel beautiful.“ It was a husky whisper, as if she was afraid for anyone to hear. „And…“
He brushed her lips with his. „And desirable?“
Her eyes heated. „No one ever has before.“
„Their loss, my gain,“ he muttered, pulling her back against him and taking possession of her mouth the way he’d been thinking about since sending her to bed last night alone. Her hands flattened against his chest, her fingers raking through his hair, then moving back and forth, pleasuring him as he’d taught her to do. His hands moved down her back, itching to catch her from behind and pull her into him. To thrust against her. To feel her writhe against him. But his mind regained control at the last moment and his hands detoured to anchor at her hips. He groaned against her lips and pulled away. „I don’t want to push you.“
She was breathing as hard as he was. „You’re not.“ She stood on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck, pressing her breasts against him. „You came to my room last night,“ she breathed into his mouth, then kissed him softly. „Why?“
His mouth went dry as dust. „I was checking on you.“
She shook her head, every movement grazing his lips with hers. „Try again.“
He closed his eyes and his fingers stretched, half-touching her round rear end. The tight biker shorts showed off every curve. „I was hoping you’d ask me to stay.“
„For what purpose?“ It was practically a purr and a shudder racked him from head to toe. Once again she’d taken the reins, and once again he’d be damned before he stole one inch of her advantage. If this was a tease, he’d bear it. It might kill him, but he’d bear it. He could tell she wanted him. Her nipples were pebbled hard against his chest, but until she was ready, until she asked him, he would control himself.
Even if it killed him. And it just might.
She nipped at his lips. „What would you have done if I’d asked you to stay?“
He swallowed again. „Kristen, I don’t think…“
„I dreamed about you all night,“ she murmured.
He opened his eyes and found himself drowning once again. „What did you dream?“
„I dreamed you put your hands on me and made me cry out.“
His hands covered her buttocks and kneaded gently. „Like this?“
„Exactly like that. Then you made love to me.“ Then she hesitated, looking away.
He caught her chin with one hand, leaving the other firmly grasping her butt. „Look at me. Please.“ He waited until she lifted her lashes, shy uncertainty in her eyes. „You dreamed I made love to you. And then?“
She took several rapid breaths. „And I pleased you.“
He felt as if he’d taken a physical blow. „Kristen… It’s not about whether you please me. Haven’t you figured that out by now? It’s how we please each other.“ He kissed her, a rich melding of mouths and hearts. „Did you like that?“
She nodded, so slightly. „Yes.“
He let go of her chin and covered her breast, heard her inhale sharply, felt her nipple grow rigid against his palm. „And you like this?“
She licked her lips, catching her lower lip between her teeth. „Yes.“
He brushed his knuckles against the juncture of her thighs and felt her shiver. „And the other night, you liked that?“
„You know I did.“
He took one of her hands from his neck and kissed her palm. „Then I promise you I’ll like the same things.“ He brought her hand lower until her fingertips trailed the length of his erection and he tensed. „See? I like it, too.“
Indecision clouded her eyes and once again he cursed whoever had hurt her in the past. Whoever had damaged her magnificent spirit. „But you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,“ he murmured and her mouth set in a determined line. It was as if he’d thrown down the gauntlet. „Kristen, I’m not daring you. We can stop right n – “
She pulled his head down for a kiss so hard he saw stars. „Don’t,“ she whispered fiercely. „Don’t treat me like spun glass. When you came into my room last night, what did you want from me? Be honest with me.“
As if he could lie. „I wanted to be inside you. I wanted to feel you come around me. I wanted to hear you cry out and beg me for more. I wanted all that more than I wanted to breathe. Is that honest enough for you?“
Her eyes filled with tears and she defiantly blinked them away. „Yes. Now tell me this. If things were normal… If I were normal – “
This time he cut off her words with a hard kiss. „Stop. There is nothing wrong with you.“
Her eyes flashed, impossibly, intensely green. „Then show me. Show me how it’s supposed to be. Because I’ve always wanted to know.“
For a moment they stood staring at each other and Abe realized a new gauntlet had been thrown down, by Kristen. She wanted to be romanced. Wooed. And he realized something else. He was scared to death. He drew in a lungful of air and slowly let it out. „Okay. How it’s supposed to be. Well, first I’d be dressed better. Suit and a tie, maybe.“
Her lips curved and her hands splayed wide against his bare chest. „I like you just like this. Then what?“
Her hands felt so incredibly good. „Then I’d ply you with a terrific meal.“
She raised a brow. „You can cook?“
He smiled down at her. „Of course. Can’t you?“
She scowled. „You’re supposed to be making me swoon, not insulting me.“
„Sorry. Then after dinner, I’d put on some soft music and pull you into my arms.“ He pulled her close and her hands slid up to his shoulders. „And I’d dance with you.“
„I don’t know how to dance,“ she admitted.
„Doesn’t matter.“ He brushed a kiss across her lips. „The dancing’s not important.“
„What is important?“ she asked breathlessly.
„Holding you. Touching you. Feeling your body against mine. Making you wish for just a little bit more.“ He moved with her, showing her how to follow his lead, letting his aroused body brush up against her lightly. She shuddered in his arms and he gritted his teeth against the sudden wave of lust.
„It’s working,“ she said thickly. „What happens next?“
„Patience, patience.“ He kissed her dusty forehead. „We haven’t finished our dance.“ But he slowed the motion until they were no more than swaying in place. He pressed kisses to her temple, her chin, the hollow of her throat. Heard her sigh. „Right about now I’d be wanting to feel you hard against me,“ he murmured. „I’d dance you backward until your back was against a wall and press against you.“ His brows lifted. „But you’ve knocked the wall down, so I can’t do that.“
She smiled at him, a siren’s smile that set his hot blood to boiling. „Improvise.“
He couldn’t wait any longer. He took her mouth in a kiss that was everything he’d wanted and she returned it with equal fervor. Her arms slid around his neck and she pressed against him with her whole body and he filled his hands with her round ass and hauled her up into him, thrusting the way he’d dreamed. And she arched, sweetening the contact until he groaned and sank to his knees, bringing her with him. In a fluid movement he pressed her to the floor, cradling her head in his hands.
He lifted his head, every nerve in his body screaming for release. „This is what I wanted.“ He settled himself between her thighs and thrust his hips and watched her eyes flash. „It’s what I wanted the first time I saw you.“
„It’s what I want now,“ she said. „Show me the rest, Abe. Please.“