I smiled. “I thought you would like it because it was white, and you always say—”

“You’re an angel in white.”

“I’m your angel.”

Bending down, he gripped the hem of the nightie and pulled it over my head. Closing my eyes, I leaned my back against the shower stall as he took in my appearance. When he didn’t reach out for me, I opened my eyes.

Jake was staring right below my chest. When I glanced down, I gasped. Somehow in my nervousness and enthusiasm, I had thrown my negligee on over my chest wrap. My hand flew to cover my eyes. “Oh God, I’m such an idiot! What a way to ruin a moment,” I moaned.

With a chuckle, Jake pulled my hand from my eyes. “I assume it comes off just like the lingerie, right?”

“Yes.”

He winked at me. “Then stop worrying. I’ll just take it off.” Bringing his fingers to the clip, Jake then started unwrapping the bandage. I began to twist from side to side to help him get it off quicker. With a wicked grin, he said, “You know, this makes me think of that scene in the movie Shakespeare in Love where Will unbinds Viola’s br**sts.”

I laughed. “The very fact you know that movie is very swoonworthy, Mr. Slater,” I teased.

“Hey, don’t be acting like I’m not a romantic. I was quoting Romeo and Juliet the first night we were together.”

I cocked my brows at him. “Right after I had to prove that you could get it up for a virgin.”

Jake winced. “I was such a douche to you.”

I leaned in and kissed him. “I’ve forgiven you for all your douche moments in the past.”

“Thanks, Angel,” Jake replied with a grin. Once he finished taking off my bandage, Jake’s expression darkened, and he sucked in a harsh breath. I knew he was surprised by how bruised I still was. Most of them had faded, but there was still a yellow and green discoloration all around my ribcage and abdomen.

I cupped his cheek and shook my head. “Please don’t do that. I promise you they don’t hurt.”

Dropping to his knees, Jake began feathering tender kisses along my ribs and across my stomach. “I’m sorry,” he murmured, his breath warming my already scorching skin.

I gripped the strands of his hair and gently pulled his head back to look at me. “Stop apologizing for something you couldn’t help. You’re not the one who did this to me, and I will never, ever blame you.”

He rested his cheek against my stomach. “I love you, Angel.”

“I love you, too, Jake.”

As his fingers grazed the waist band of my thong, he glanced up at me. I gave a short nod of my head before he tugged it down my thighs. We were both totally na**d together for the first time ever, and I shivered with anticipation.

“Are you cold?”

“No, I just want you.”

A pained noise came from the back of Jake’s throat. He kissed my inner thighs before nudging my legs further apart. Staring up at me, he held my gaze as his tongue flicked out to lick across my folds. I sucked in a breath and let my head fall back against the shower wall as his warm tongue worked over me. He lapped and suckled at my cl*t to where I was rocking my h*ps against him. He took one of my feet and pulled it up to rest on his shoulder giving him better access. The moment he thrust his tongue inside me I came apart and cried out his name.

Once I came back to myself, I figured he would stand up, but instead, he remained on his knees. He pulled away momentarily to tease my opening with one finger before pushing it inside. He added two and then three to swirl and move within me. With his free hand, his fingers skimmed over my stomach before coming to cup one of my br**sts.

I was on sensory overload as my nipple peaked under his attention. His hand then snaked over to the other breast to bring it to a hardened nub as well. All the while he kept plunging his fingers in and out of me while his thumb made my cl*t feel like it was going to explode.

Gripping the strands of his hair, I cried out his name over and over again as I came. If it were possible, I think I had experienced an even stronger orgasm that time. When I gazed down at Jake with hooded eyes, he frowned.

“What’s wrong?”

“Baby, you’re so tight. I’m worried about hurting you.”

“I’ll be fine,” I panted.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, dammit, now take me to bed and make love to me!” I demanded.

Jake chuckled. “Boy, you get bossy when you come, don’t you?”

“Please?”

“Well, I never actually took a shower.” When I started to protest, he grabbed the body wash. Pushing my hands together, he squirted some into my palms. “Wash me, Angel.”

Bringing my palms to his chest, I worked my hands over his pecs, down along his heavily tattooed arms, and then to his rock hard abs. As my hands skimmed above his waist, his stomach tensed while his erection bucked up against my hand. Eying it, I couldn’t help but start to feel some of the anxiety Jake had earlier. I pressed myself flush against Jake to reach around to wash his back before I let my hands dip down to grip his butt cheeks.

With our bodies so close, Jake began to slide his erection against my folds. I gasped and rocked back against him. Just as I began to get carried away again, he stopped. In a ragged breath he said, “We need to get to the bed.”

“Okay,” I replied.

When we stepped out of the shower, Jake didn’t even bother with a towel. He swept me off my feet and then proceeded to carry me to the bed. Gently, he deposited me on the side of the mattress. Drawing my knees up, I wrapped my arms around my legs while I watched as Jake opened the top nightstand drawer. He pulled out a condom and a bottle of something I didn’t recognize. At what I guess was my questioning expression, he replied, “It’s lube. It’ll make this first time easier for you.”

“I see.” I tilted my head up at him. “So you have a whole drawer of sex goodies in there?”

“It’s not what you’re thinking, Angel,” Jake replied as he ripped open the foil wrapper.

“And just what am I thinking?”

“That I use this loft as my swinging bachelor pad where I bring all my conquests and bang them.”

I hated myself for being that easy to read. “Are you sure, or are you just giving me a line so I won’t bail on you?”

He grinned. “I keep this out here because it’s the one place that’s off limits for Mama and her cleaning lady. I would prefer to keep this aspect of my life private.”