"You bought this tonight?" For his enjoyment? He was pleased, surprised.
Honored.
Slowly she nodded, inhaling sharply when his fingers brushed against her collarbone. "What I have on beneath I bought there too." He greedily drank her in, not sure what to look at first, there were so many wondrous things happening. The robe stopped mid-thigh, giving him an uninhibited view of her long, shapely legs. The lace was beautiful, s.e.xy yet demure and he grabbed the ends of the belt, wrapping the thin fabric around his hands once, twice. "You"re like a present. One I can"t wait to unwrap." His anger, his frustration about his brother, all of it melted away. That she"d done this, bought lingerie with him in mind, was incredibly arousing.
"You"re taking an awfully long time unwrapping your present," she said breathlessly.
Smiling, he tugged on the lacy ends of the belt, pulling her in so close she nearly stumbled and fell against him. He held her there, dropping his gaze to his hands covered by the lace. He undid the belt, pulling it from her waist and letting it fall to the floor.
112.
The front of the garment gaped, offering him a glimpse of skin. He caught a flash of pale blue covering her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, the same sheer blue wrapped around her hips, and his c.o.c.k came to full attention at the bounty before him.
"Take off the robe, Tessa," he murmured.
She shrugged out of the robe and let it fall off her. She was gorgeous. Her skin like cream, dark hair tumbling over her shoulders, the delicate bra she wore barely containing her full b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Lifting her chin, she watched him watch her. "I wanted to take your mind off your troubles," she admitted.
He smiled, l.u.s.t coursing through him. "It worked." She smiled in return but the corners of her mouth trembled. "I"m glad." Unable to take it any longer, he yanked her into his arms, a needful shiver moving throughout his entire body when it made contact with hers. Wrapping his hand around the nape of her neck, he thrust his fingers into her hair, pulling lightly so her head tilted back and her eyes met his. They were so dark, so full of secrets and he wanted to discover each and every one of them.
Her lips parted, damp and inviting and he moved so his mouth hovered above hers. So close he could feel her warm breath waft across his lips. "So sweet." He traced the delicate line of her jaw with his index finger, drew across her chin. "So innocent." Brushing his thumb against her lower lip, he dipped just the tip of it in her mouth, closed his eyes when she wrapped her lips around it and sucked him deep.
He started to laugh when she nipped at him with her sharp teeth, causing him to withdraw from her. "My kitten has claws." Her eyes darkened even more, if that was possible. "Bianca said that."
"Who?" The creamy texture of her skin was a distraction, as was the rest of her. He found if he kept his gaze focused on her face, he could control himself.
One more glimpse of her luscious body and he"d probably throw her on the bed, 113.
rip the brand new and probably very expensive bra and panties from her and screw her senseless.
He wouldn"t do that, not tonight. She deserved more. He wanted to take his time. Learn her body. Learn what she liked. Savor every moment with her because he knew deep down inside this wouldn"t last.
It couldn"t.
"Your friend Giorgio"s mistress." She sounded completely exasperated. But how could she blame him for not remembering? He couldn"t focus on anything else but her. "She said those exact words to me the night of the ball, just after she thoroughly insulted me."
"How dare she insult you." He wrapped his other arm around her and splayed his hand across her lower back, his fingers sliding beneath the waistband of her panties.
"She lashed out at me because she was really upset with Giorgio." She bit her lip when he slipped his hand further, cupping one plump b.u.t.tock.
"A rather forgiving kitten too." He brushed a brief kiss to her proffered lips.
"And why are we talking about Giorgio again?"
He didn"t let her explain, capturing her lush mouth in a longer, more thorough kiss instead. Thrusting his tongue inside the velvet warmth of her mouth, he groaned when her tongue tentatively touched his.
Her sweet innocence would be the absolute death of him.
It turned hot fast. She melted against him, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s pressed against his chest and she wound her arms around him, her hands sliding up and down his back in a soothing gesture.
But her touch didn"t soothe. It burned him up, as if little sparks shot from the tips of her fingers. His temperature rose with her every simple caress. She 114 grasped hold of his shoulders, her leg winding around his and he wondered if she was trying to climb on top of him.
As if she couldn"t get enough of him.
Regret suddenly hit him, swift and deep. How stupid was he for denying the two of them from being together? He"d had his chance and let her go. Thought he was doing what was best for both of them.
Clearly, the attraction they felt for each other couldn"t be denied.
"I"m a d.a.m.n fool, letting you almost slip out of my fingers," he whispered against her neck after he broke their kiss. He pressed his lips to the spot where her pulse beat rapidly.
"Well, you have me now." She tilted her head back, offering him better access. He kissed a path up her neck, licking at the edge of her ear and she shivered. "So what are you going to do with me?" Reaching around, he carefully undid the snap of her bra and the cups loosened. "I"m going to finish what I started." And then some.
115.
Chapter Nine.
Alex had her undressed and sprawled across the bed in no time, his hands lightning quick as he removed her bra, then pushed her panties off her hips and down her legs. A flash of disappointment lanced through her for a brief moment, mourning the loss at the chance to really flaunt her body in the s.e.xy, expensive lingerie she bought just for him.
But the disappointment left Tessa in a rush when she felt Alex"s mouth on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s for the first time. Soft and hot, he kissed her chest, the valley between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, his hands cupping her flesh, driving her wild. His velvety hot tongue circled one nipple and she nearly shot off the bed. When he drew the nipple into his mouth a second later, she cried out in agony, sliding her fingers into his hair to hold him there.
Never wanting to let him go.
She knew it would be good. Knew he would be a master at seduction but she wasn"t prepared for the overwhelming emotions his touch brought forth. Tears gathered in the corner of her eyes at the gentle way he touched her, kissed her, looked at her.
Almost as if he might really care.
Foolish thoughts, but she couldn"t help them.
When he withdrew from her she reached out, her hands grappling for him and he chuckled. She opened her eyes to find him standing close to her, tugging the pullover sweater over his head and tossing it on the floor. Her entire body tingled as she drank him in. Bronzed skin stretched over tight muscle and sinew, impossibly broad shoulders and a wide chest covered with a light dusting of black hair. Rippling abs that tapered to narrow hips, standing there in only his jeans, he was absolute masculine perfection.
And for tonight, he was all hers.
She loved that he"d come to her dressed casually. His usual elegant and expensive suits were gorgeous-but screamed untouchable. In a sweater and jeans, he was much more approachable. Simply Alex versus Alexander Worth, CEO of Worth Luxury and her boss.
Tessa frowned. She wanted to be with him in every sense of the word but would this one night ruin everything? Would he treat her differently tomorrow?
Or worse, would her greatest fears come true and he would ignore her once they returned to New York? Pretend what they"d shared never happened? He was capable of such a thing. What had just happened between them this last week more than proved that.
How she hated that she doubted him. How she hated even more that she was so weak when it came to him.
Because she was-terribly weak.
He kept his gaze locked on her as he undid the b.u.t.ton fly of his jeans and shoved them off his hips. Her mouth went dry when she saw his rather large and imposing erection straining the front of his black boxer briefs.
Swallowing hard, she couldn"t stop staring at that telltale bulge. Even covered up, he looked scary yet-intriguing. Maybe she needed to tell him the truth. That her lack of experience might be something to consider before they carried on...
"You keep looking at me like that and I can"t be held responsible for what I"ll do to you." He joined her on the bed, covering her completely with his big, hot body. The tension slowly eased out of her as he kissed her, his damp lips blazing 117.
a trail of fire on her skin. She writhed beneath him, wanting to get closer, wanting to feel his hard shaft brush against her belly though she wished he would get rid of the underwear...
Curling her fingers around the waistband, she tugged the offending boxer briefs off, tentatively stroking his hard b.u.t.tocks. He groaned, low and guttural and wrenched away, shucking his underwear quickly before he rejoined her.
Their mouths locked, limbs entwined, their soft, encouraging whispers and moans filled the room. She absorbed it, trying to focus, desperate to memorize every inch of his skin, the taste of his lips, the texture of his hair. But he kept distracting her, touching her in places she never thought would arouse her, kissing her until she grew dizzy. Anxious and needy.
He slipped his hand down the slope of her belly, his fingers tangling in her pubic hair before he slipped lower, parting her with his index finger.
She gasped against his lips, and he smiled. "So wet," he murmured, his finger sliding in further. She was incredibly wet, embarra.s.singly so and her cheeks heated when he slipped his finger lower, touching her intimately.
Alex rolled to his side so he could watch her as he continued to stroke between her legs. She closed her eyes, losing herself to the blissful sensations his touch brought forth. He searched her folds with his index finger, circled gently around her c.l.i.toris again and again until wave after wave of pleasure rippled over her skin. She lifted her hips and arched into his hand, her breath coming in frantic little puffs as he increased his speed, slipping one thick finger deep inside her.
"Oh G.o.d," she whispered brokenly, reaching for her climax, so achingly close she could almost taste it.
"Come for me, Tessa," he growled and it was as if his words were infused with magic.
118.
She broke apart, crying out as the o.r.g.a.s.m slammed into her. Tremors consumed her entire body and she shook in his embrace, his fingers slowing until finally the climax subsided and she lay there panting in his arms.
"Beautiful." He kissed her, stealing her breath, her thoughts and then he was looming over her once more, miraculously with a condom in hand. Sheathing himself quickly, he rested his palms flat on the mattress on either side of her head, the broad head of his erection nudging at her entry.
She tensed, fear making words lodge in her throat. She should warn him, let him know she needed to take it slow but all the breath rushed out of her at feeling him slide into her body for the first time. He thrust deep and she cried out in agony, pressing her hands against his chest as if to push him off.
"Christ, did I hurt you?" His voice was rough, sweat covered his brow and he exhaled loudly, regret etched over his face.
"I-I"m fine. Really." She breathed deep and blew it out slow and even, willing herself to relax. Even with the earlier o.r.g.a.s.m loosening her muscles, she"d tensed quickly.
Such a burden, her virginity. At least she"d gotten rid of it once and for all.
And with a man she feared she was falling in love with...
He remained still, watching her carefully, not moving so much as a muscle though she felt the throb of his shaft deep inside her. "I hurt you." She winced at the tone of his voice. "Only a little."
"d.a.m.n it, Tessa." He began to withdraw and she clutched at his shoulders, desperation filling her.
"Don"t leave me." The moment had finally happened, she had him in her bed and he wanted to be n.o.ble and leave her?
119.
"Never." He kissed her, his lips warm and coaxing, his tongue wicked and alluring as it flicked against hers. "You should"ve told me," he murmured against her lips.
"Told you what?" Funny how having his lips on hers wiped her mind clean of rational thought.
Carefully, so slow he barely moved, he withdrew from her, inch by excruciating inch before just as slowly he pushed inside her. "You should"ve told me you were a virgin."
G.o.d, she really hadn"t wanted him to figure that out. Too late now. "Would it have mattered if I did?"
"Absolutely. I wouldn"t have been so careless."
"And you probably wouldn"t have made love to me," she added.
The look in his eyes told her she was right. "You don"t deserve being manhandled, especially your first time."
"I happen to like being manhandled." When his gaze darkened she giggled.
Joy filled her heart full to bursting. "Only by you though." He chuckled. "My naughty little kitten."
She slipped her hands into his hair and tugged so that his face was level with hers. "Make love to me, Alex. I want to know what it feels like to come when you"re inside me."
Alex had no answer for her delicious words beyond an agonized groan that vibrated deep within his chest. She felt so good, so impossibly tight and hot clenched around his c.o.c.k. It took everything within him not to just slam inside her again and again until he came with a wild burst.
120.
He held it together, barely. His jaw ached from clenching his teeth, and the muscles in his legs and arms quivered with his restraint. His c.o.c.k was like a throbbing beast, dying for the chance to ram inside her welcoming virginal body.
A virgin. He could scarcely believe it though Tessa always did have an innocent air about her he found impossibly alluring. That he was the first man to enjoy her, push inside her, become one with her, filled him with pride. Why had she chosen him to be her first?
If he thought about it too much he might not want to know the answer.
Ignoring his newfound reluctance, he focused on giving her pleasure. He wanted the glory of watching her fall apart in his arms again because the first time had been beautiful, a sight not to be missed. The expression on her face, the way her body shook against his, how her inner walls had clenched and throbbed around his invading finger.
Hot. s.e.xy. Sweet.
He wanted more. He wanted her again and again and again.
With the patience of a saint he took his time, encouraged by her whispery moans, the way she slipped her hands up and down his back. Her touch sent heat rocketing throughout his body, electrifying him from the inside out.
That this little sprite of a woman could reduce him to a quivering ma.s.s of flesh with just a simple touch overwhelmed him completely. Filled him with an emotion he didn"t quite recognize, didn"t really want to acknowledge.
It was best to focus on her. The two of them together.
Easier that way. Emotions only made everything stickier, more complicated.
The very last thing he needed. His life was complicated enough.
Tessa ran her fingernails lightly over his b.u.t.tocks, shocking him out of his thoughts. "You don"t have to be so careful with me, Alex. I won"t break. I promise," she murmured.
121.
He gazed down at her lovely face. The sultry glow in her eyes, the flushed cheeks, her lush mouth swollen from his kisses, she was a vision. His angelic seductress.
She reached out and touched him, her fingers feather light upon his cheek.
Closing his eyes, he turned into her palm, kissing her there. "Please, Alex." Her voice trembled, and the way she said his name completely undid him.