Even with her practically naked body beneath him, he yearned for her mouth. He’d come to love kissing her, something he couldn’t stand going a day without. From the moment he first kissed her at the ball game, he realized kissing Isabel was different. It was what he felt when he was that close to her that made it different. He needed that feeling.

Romero thrust his tongue in her mouth, mimicking what he’d soon be doing to her body. She squirmed beneath him, pulling her mouth away to catch her breath and he stared at her. That feeling again overwhelmed him. It scared the hell out of him, but in a strange way, he welcomed it.

He reached over to his nightstand and pulled out a condom. Isabel stroked his shoulders and arms. That alone did things to him he’d never felt before. This was crazy. “It’s been a while for me, Romero. Just so you know.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, chasing away any thoughts of his Izzy with someone else. “I’ll be gentle. I promise.”

He kissed her again, and continued to until the intensity of his kisses had her moaning. He could be doing anything to her at that moment but he couldn’t pull his lips away from hers. Each kiss was deeper and each kiss made that unfamiliar emotion grow stronger and even more beyond his control.

Finally, he let his hands travel lower, caressing her over her panties, loving the way she continued to moan into his mouth. Then he pushed the thin fabric aside and slipped a finger in. She was so ready.

“You ready, baby?”

“Yes,” she said willingly.

Romero had never felt the need to be so excessively gentle. Hell, he’d never cared enough to ask anyone if they were ready, and he’d had his share of virgins.

As she pulled down her panties he put on the condom, still incredulous of his nervousness. The only time he vaguely remembered being nervous before sex was way back when he’d done it for the first time, but the anxiety he felt now was unreal.

Nudging her legs apart gently he stared into her eyes as he positioned himself to enter her. She was tighter than he expected. He promised he’d be gentle but he suddenly wanted nothing more than to be in her completely—claim her.

She lifted her hips up against him, wrapping her legs around him, making him groan in delight.

He squeezed his eyes shut, driving himself in all the way and she cried out. He continued to do so again and again, slowing down when he felt she was getting close. Sex was usually simple. He knew exactly when to slow and when to move faster. As wild as things could get, he always managed to stay in control. But today, with Isabel, he couldn’t steady his responses.

He started up again slowly trying with all his might to hold back for her, but then she began to twitch and squeeze around him moaning even louder and then he felt her trembling explosion. He was done restraining himself. Burying himself deep inside her, the emotion he’d felt earlier now nearly suffocated him. He collapsed onto her, kissing her forehead, her cheeks and all around her mouth, barely able to catch his breath.

It was a struggle but he eased himself off of her and lay there, breathing hard. His heart felt like it could shoot out of chest any at second. He’d never even heard of anyone feeling all this. “That was…” He couldn’t think of the word to describe what he was feeling.

She turned to him. “Incredible.”

“More than that. It was the best.” For him it was and he could only hope it was as good for her. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so satisfied. Nothing had ever felt so perfect. She was perfect.

They lay there for a good while in a absolutely comfortable silence. Romero was content just listening to her breathe and feeling her heartbeat so close to his own. Even with everything he was feeling now, one thing gnawed at him. He didn’t want to ruin the moment or the night. but he’d never been one to hold back saying or asking about something the instant he wanted to, and he’d held this off this long.

He lifted himself onto his elbow and leaned into her. “Who made you laugh earlier, Izzy?” He kissed her eyebrow when it questioned him. “The text you got in the car?”

The look she’d given him when he asked her in the car was a strange one. Up until that moment in the car, he hadn’t put much thought into the possibility that Isabel might have other guys in her life—a thought that now had him grinding his teeth.

“Oh.” She lay there naked next to him, and the thought of that text made her blush? He tried not to frown. “Valerie was teasing me about my overnight bag. She can be so silly.”

The smile matched the one in the car and the irrepressible jealousy he’d begun to feel the moment he thought another guy was responsible for his Izzy’s silly mood, subsided. He exhaled, then kissed her. “You hungry?”

“Yeah, I think I worked up an appetite.”

Romero got out of bed, disposing of the condom, pulling on his briefs. “Growing up, I never learned to cook much of anything, but if there’s one thing Max taught me, it’s how to make a kick-ass grilled cheese sandwich.”

“Mmm, that sounds so good right now.”

“Coming right up,” he said, pulling his pants on. “You do any cooking?”

He watched as she pulled her blouse over her head without a bra. He had to fight the urge to jump back into bed and attack her.

“Yeah, a lot actually. My mom was big on cooking and I do all the cooking now at home for Valerie and me.”

Romero laughed. “One thing I remember about that girl is how much she can eat.”