It could have been from the cold but it was more from the feral look he raked over her body. The room was dark, save for a small stream of light coming through the partially opened bathroom door. It illuminated Caleb, so that she could observe his expression. His green eyes looked almost black and his jaw twitched uncontrollably.

The only thing she saw on his face was desire. She’d been admired before but she’d never been on the receiving end of such raw lust.

He still hadn’t made a move to kiss her again though. His erection was real, very real but maybe he was having doubts.

Somehow, she found her voice, though the question came out as a whisper. “Do you want…is this what you want?”

He nodded and swallowed so hard she could see his Adam’s apple bob up and down. “Foreplay. I was trying to give you as much as possible because once I’m inside you, I plan on staying that way for hours.”

Hours? Was he serious? “Oh.”

His entire demeanor changed. It wasn’t his stance so much as the wild gleam in his eyes. No longer was he the calm and collected cowboy. Now, he was a predator. And she was his prey.

He pulled her roughly against him so that their naked chests collided. His muscled, slightly hairy chest rubbed against her already hard nipples, turning her on even more.

His kissing alone had sent shock waves straight to her vagina, something she hadn’t known was possible but the tortuous rhythmic motion of his body against hers was driving her hormones haywire.

Before she realized what was happening, he laid her on the bed and had shucked his boxers. He pulled a condom from the nightstand and faster than she would have imagined, he sheathed himself. She only had a moment to appreciate him in all his glory but it was long enough to admire his broad, muscular shoulders and chest. He didn’t look like the gym rats she associated with back home. Most of the men she knew waxed and shaved any and all body hair and spent hours in the gym.

Not Caleb. He had a thatch of dark hair covering his chest but not so much that he looked like a rug, and his body was carved from working outdoors. She was sure of it.

In the pale light, he reminded her of a barbaric warrior. Random scars and nicks tattooed his entire body. And a couple of real tattoos. Instead of being turned off, she sucked in a breath and tried to steady her increasing heartbeat. She briefly wondered how he’d gotten all his wounds but dismissed her thoughts when he stretched out on top of her.

Crimson sheets cooled her backside, though nothing could cool the rest of her body.

She was propped up against two of the pillows, almost in a sitting position, resisting the urge to squirm under his intense scrutiny.

He stared down at her as if she were a goddess. Lust rolled off him in waves and maybe it was biological but she could almost swear she smelled his desire, it was so potent. When he stretched his body over hers, he paid particular attention to her breasts. They weren’t very impressive but he feasted on them as if he’d never seen a naked woman. He teased and tugged with his teeth, pulling moan after moan from her.

She arched her head back further into the pillow and pushed deeper into his mouth.

Involuntarily, she squeezed her legs together in a vain attempt to ease the ache but he gently nudged them back open with one of his thighs and peeled her long johns and panties off. Then with a free hand, he opened the sensitive fold and began rubbing her clit in such a slow tortuous motion, her hips bucked wildly but he placed a firm hand over her stomach.

One finger, then two slipped inside her and she moaned at the intrusion. He froze.

He lifted his head back but didn’t withdraw.

“You’re a virgin.”

He wasn’t asking. He was telling. She’d been hoping he wouldn’t be able to tell.

She’d played enough sports in high school, she went scuba diving all the time and hell, she was twenty-six. She knew about sex. Knew all the basics. The probability of her hymen being intact was slim. Apparently not slim enough.

She swallowed hard and prayed he wouldn’t stop now. “Yes, I am but hopefully I won’t be after tonight.” There, she’d said it. Now it was up to him to decide. He knew what she wanted.

He might think it strange that a woman of her age was still a virgin but he also knew nothing about her life. Growing up, no one had wanted to touch Javier Garcia’s daughter. Well, they might have wanted to but nobody in their right mind wanted to get involved with an arms dealer’s daughter. Not if they wanted to live. And the ones who did were creeps anyway. Then, after her father’s death, his protégé, Ricardo Mendez had blackmailed her into being his girlfriend to hide the fact that he was gay.

So, yeah, she might be a virgin but only because the opportunity hadn’t presented itself. If Caleb backed out now, she just might die of embarrassment. Or kill him. She couldn’t decide.

Chapter Five

Emma was a virgin. A fucking virgin. How was that even possible? Every cell and fiber in his body screamed at him to back off. Leave her alone. He never would have known if he hadn’t decided to test her slickness before pounding into her. Now he almost wished he hadn’t. Almost.

She stared at him but her dark eyes were no longer filled with lust and desire but uncertainty and a small measure of fear. His chest clenched. A gentleman would stop. A gentleman would take his hands off her, put his clothes back on and tuck her into bed for the night.

But he was no gentleman and he had no intention of leaving her.

He didn’t understand how someone as gorgeous and sweet as Emma was still a virgin. He also didn’t give a shit. She’d chosen him. Emma, the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on had chosen him as her first. And her last if he had anything to say about it. The thought should have filled him with terror. Instead, possessiveness like he’d never known overwhelmed him.

Without a word, he resumed stroking her clit with his thumb and slowly moved his fingers against the walls of her tight cunt. As he probed and primed her, he watched her face. Just watched. Some of her doubt vanished and a small dose of confidence was back, glittering in her eyes.

All thoughts and fantasies of fucking for hours disappeared. He had no experience with virgins but he wasn’t so dumb that he didn’t know she was going to be sore afterward. Why she’d decided that tonight was the night and with him of all people, he couldn’t imagine. He did know he was going to make this good for her. Especially if he wanted a repeat performance.

Everything about her looked delicate, from her petite build to the satiny pink folds between her legs. She writhed every time he touched her and that worried him a little.

He hadn’t had sex in so long and now his body was primed for an all day marathon. He didn’t want to hurt her when he finally got his cock inside her.

“Do you like this?” he whispered against her ear.

Her cheek rubbed against his as her head bobbed up and down. He dropped kisses along her jaw and neck until he located the sensitive spot below her ear. She nearly jumped off the bed when he raked his teeth over her skin.

“I guess you like that too.”

A light chuckle escaped and he felt some of the tension leave her body when her tight little cunt loosened around his fingers. Maybe she’d been subconsciously holding her breath but soon after his lighthearted comment, her entire body released and relaxed underneath his. Her legs loosened and he knew she was close to climaxing. She just hadn’t been allowing herself to let go until now.

Her breathing came in shallow gasps and her inner muscles began contracting around his two fingers, milking him in quicker successions. Without warning, she surged into orgasm.

“Oh my God.” Her voice was hoarse, scratchy and he realized she was trying to hold on to some of the last shreds of her control.

He knew he needed to enter her while she was still climaxing. He poised himself at her entrance and even though she was climaxing, she understood what he was asking.

She nodded. “Yes, yes. Now.”

With one long thrust he pushed inside her. Her eyes glazed over and she let out a sharp cry but just as quickly she focused on his face.

He held her gaze and began thrusting in long, hard strokes. He tried to hold himself back from pushing too deep but she’d wrapped her toned legs around his waist, urging him on, pulling him to the hilt. Instead of kissing her, he held her gaze. He wanted her to see his face when he came. Just as he’d seen hers.

She raked her hands and fingers over his chest and he lost it. He exploded without warning, coming just as quickly as she had. He kept pumping inside her for what felt like forever, until he was completely spent. She’d taken everything from him. He collapsed but rolled slightly to the side so he wouldn’t suffocate her.

A million questions raced through his head but none of them mattered until Emma’s needs were taken care of.

“That was amazing.” She half turned toward him and revealed two rows of perfect, white teeth.

That was a good sign. Right? He’d expected a few tears. Instead, she was staring at him with an almost goofy grin on her gorgeous face.

“Hold that thought.” He dropped a light kiss on her forehead and left her splayed on the bed like some pagan offering.

In the bathroom, he wetted down two washcloths and discarded the condom. A slightly archaic sensation welled up inside him at the sight of her blood. He’d never thought of himself as a particularly primal being, but for the first time in his life, he understood why medieval men had hung bloody sheets from their windows.

Apparently he wasn’t as civilized as he thought.

He walked back into the bedroom, unsure of what kind of reaction to expect. Emma had pulled the sheet over her chest, not that it did much good. He could see her form outlined perfectly under the thin material. Even if he couldn’t, he had her entire body committed to memory.

He sat on the edge of the bed and held up the washcloth. “Do you mind?” When she shook her head, he pulled the sheet down and gently wiped between her legs. Softly, reverently, afraid he’d hurt her. She lay back on the pillow and sighed in what sounded like appreciation. He laid the cloth on the nightstand and tried to gather his thoughts.