Her h*ps shifted restlessly, drawing his attention. Grinning, he kissed his way down her belly, lapping and nipping as he went. By the time he pulled off her panties, she was ready for him. He licked into her sweet hotness, groaning at the taste of what he’d been craving since yesterday. Some men thought this was a chore, but with Alana, it was a f**king blessing. Delving in with his tongue, he watched her.

Her lips parted and her br**sts rose and fell seductively. When his tongue circled her clit, her head fell back against the pillow and a soft, mewling moan escaped her rosy lips.

“Goddamn,” he groaned, his eyes riveted to her face. His body ached to be inside her. There was a good chance he was going to lose it without even getting his pajama bottoms off. Release was burning through him, already on the brink of an orgasm. He’d never been this hot for a woman before. He’d never f**king cared this much.

The L word was forming in his thoughts, and what did ya know, it didn’t freak him out. It didn’t make him want to run for the hills screaming. On the other hand, it made him want to mark her, to claim her. It made him want to please her and to hear her say those words.

When had it started? He didn’t know. Was it the moment she’d burst through the door at Leather and Lace or further back, when she’d come to the house the very first time? Or was it the first time she’d cried out, coming in his arms? It could’ve been on the ride to dinner afterward or in her office, her sweet ass up on her desk. Maybe it was when she’d opened her eyes in the hospital, concerned about not wearing panties? Last night, when she’d finally curled up against him? Or just now, when he’d walked in on her, finally seeing her vulnerable.

All of his brothers had fallen hard and fallen fast, so why would he be any different? Honestly, he didn’t care what moment had made it happen.

Chandler slipped a finger in her wetness and was rewarded with a breathy moan. Taking deep breaths and putting the brakes on the way his h*ps unconsciously followed the movements of his fingers, he worked slowly. He was captivated by the flicker of emotions whirling across her face and drawn in by the way she rolled her hips, coaxing him deeper and faster.

“Please,” she said. “Chandler, please.”

Dropping between her thighs, he blew a hot breath over her clit, and she cried out. “I’m here, right here,” he said.

Her breaths came out in pants. “No.”

Chandler froze between her thighs. “No?”

“I don’t want that,” she said, eyes open and fixed on his face. “I want you.”

“You have me.”

A smile raced across her lips, full and absolutely dazzling. Luckiest man alive to be on the receiving end of something so f**king marvelous. “I want you in me.”

Holy shit, had he heard her right? Like being handed a winning lottery ticket and not believing it. “Are you sure?”

Fuck. Listen to him. Are you sure?

She wet her lips, and he groaned. “Positive.”

For a few second, he didn’t move, and then he was up and off that bed faster than any man had ever moved, shucking off his bottoms even quicker. He reached into the nightstand and grabbed a foil wrapper, tossing it on the bed beside her.

A breathy laugh came from Alana. “Excited?”

“You have no idea.”

…

Alana was beginning to get a good idea of how excited Chandler was as she eyed his thick, rigid erection as he rolled a condom on. Good God, he was huge and unbelievably hard, and she was also pretty sure that he was going to f**k every troublesome thought out of her head in a matter of seconds.

When she’d woken this morning, she had panicked. All the things she’d told him last night had felt like bitter ash on her tongue this morning. Never had she talked about her mother or anything with any man, but she had with Chandler, and even though she’d love to blame the pain pills, they weren’t what had done it.

And never had she woken up next to a man before, either.

Walls she had built around her had cracked wide open, and as she’d lain there, gazing at Chandler as he slept, she’d let herself feel what was building inside her. The rush of emotions was nothing short of disastrous. God, she wanted him, and not just on a physical level. She wanted a tomorrow and a weekend. She wanted a next week and a next month. She wanted a future, and she had never wanted that before.

The swelling that had taken place in her chest had been too much. She’d panicked and raced from the bed, needing the familiar—her job—but Chandler, he’d done another thing that no one had ever been able to do.

He’d chased her down, caught her, and brought her back.

And now she was here, and she wasn’t running.

Chandler swooped in, kissing her deeply, and bringing her back to the present. The taste of him lingered on her lips as he got his hands under her hips. As he sat back, he pulled her onto her knees, straddling him.

“Tell me if it hurts your shoulder,” he said, cradling her hips. “Tell me anything, and I’ll do whatever you want.”

Her heart pounded at the words, at the feel of him prodding at her entrance. Air moved in and out of her throat too quickly for her to speak. He kissed her again, tasting her lips and her mouth.

“I’ve wanted this since the moment I first saw you,” he said, running his hands down her front, cupping her br**sts. “I would’ve kicked Chad’s ass out of the house and f**ked you right there in the foyer.”

At those words, her body went wet and ready. “In the foyer?”

“Fuck yeah,” he groaned against her parted lips. “I would’ve stripped those damn pants off you, flipped you onto your knees, and taken you from behind, my hands holding your br**sts as I f**ked you long and hard. When you’re feeling better, I’m going to have to live out my fantasy.”

Oh God… “Promise?”

“Cross my heart.”

Need slammed into her core at the images of him taking her roughly on the floor. She reached down between them, gripping him and stroking the hard, hot length, and his h*ps punched forward.

“God,” he moaned, pressing a fiery trail of kisses down her neck. “You keep that up and I’m going to be inside you in two seconds.”

“I’m not complaining.” She moved her thumb over his head, delighted in the bead of moisture already forming there.

He chuckled deeply but gripped her hand, pulling her away. “I want to savor this.” His gaze crawled over her face. “I want to give you a taste of what it will be like with me.”

She shuddered as she ran her hands up his taut abs. “Is this not going to be like it normally will be?”

A wicked, downright sinful look appeared on his striking face, and she pulsed between her legs. “Oh, it will be like this, but there’ll be other times when I’ll want to tie you up again. You liked that last time, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” she whispered, closing her eyes.

He sucked her lower lip into his mouth, and her h*ps pressed down on his erection. “Say it again.”

Breathless, she rotated her pelvis, wanting and needing him. “Yes.”

“That’s my girl.” He skated a hand down between her br**sts, over her quivering stomach to her bottom. A second later, his hand landed solidly on her ass, causing her body to jerk and for every part in her to clench up with need. “Yeah, you like that, too.”

He smacked her ass again, and Alana cried out, her body and mind spinning. “Oh God…”

His hand came down once more, and she kissed him without any inhibition, unashamed at how wet and lush her body became in response to his teasing strikes.

“So we’ll definitely be doing some of that.” His hand trailed over her bottom, soothing away the burn. “And then I’ll take you against the wall. The floor. The kitchen counter. And this?” His finger slid between her cheeks, gently probing her.

Alana’s eyes flew open as the pressure turned to a pleasure with a bite of pain. “Chandler…”

His eyes held a wealth of sensual promise. “Yeah, I can tell you’re going to like that, too.” His hand drifted away, curving over her hip. He tugged her up, over where his arousal stood out, proud and commanding. He gripped himself in his other hand, stroking himself slowly. “Tell me what you want.”

“You.” She placed her hands on his shoulders, ignoring the twinge of pain in her shoulder as she watched his hand move. In response, her body tightened.

“I think you can say it better.”

Her gaze swung up and her eyes narrowed. “You.”

Stroke up. Stroke down. “Better than that.”

“I want…”

His large hand pumped. Chandler groaned as his back arched. “Come on, baby.”

Her mouth watered as she rocked her body closer, feeling him slide through her wetness and then retreat.

“Naughty,” he murmured, his grip tightening on her hip, adjusting her right above him. Just a thrust away. “Tell me.”

She wanted to continue to push, but she was burning up on the inside. Then he shifted and his head pushed in. A spasm lashed through her and she tried to bear down, to take him fully, but he stilled her.

Alana wanted to punch the guy, but she wanted him inside her more. “I want you.”

“That’s all you ever have to say.”

He thrust up, and Alana cried out as he entered her in one deep and long thrust of his hips. The pressure of him filling her was nearly overwhelming, and he held still as her body adjusted to his size.

“I’ve never felt something so…” He shook his head, eyes opening and fixing on hers. One hand curled around the back of her head, urging her down to his mouth. He kissed her, drawing her in as he moved his h*ps again. “You’re f**king perfect.”

Alana let those words wrap around her as she braced herself on her knees and started to slowly ride him, matching his thrusts. Pleasure coiled tightly as he withdrew and then eased his way back in. She’d never felt so full before. The slow pace picked up and his h*ps were pounding up into hers as she held onto his shoulders, matching him. Shards of pleasure hit her. She shouted out as the orgasm tore through her, deep and fast, and wholly shattering.

Her release was still rolling through her as Chandler unexpectedly lifted her. She whimpered at the loss of the fullness, but then he turned her around. In every movement, he was mindful of her shoulder while she had forgotten it. Bullet wound? Whatever. All she was focused on was the man now behind her, whispering things that scorched her cheeks and ears. The man was raw and primitive. He oozed sex and pleasure like most men breathed.

Chandler guided her so that her back was against his chest. He spread her thighs wide and seated himself deep inside her. She moaned at the fullness of the new position and then tensed when he cupped her breast, rolling her nipple and plucking until it ached deliciously. His other hand trailed down her stomach, his fingers easily finding the bundle of nerves at the juncture of her thighs, and then he started to move again.

“Oh God,” she gasped, eyes wide, mouth parted.

The friction of him moving in and out, along with both his hands working her, was too much on her sensitive skin. She wanted him to stop, to speed up, and it was too much and yet never enough. The second time she came, he joined her. As he dropped his head against her uninjured shoulder, his thrusts became irregular, soul searing and deep. She pulsed and squeezed around him as he came, his hard muscles flexing against her back.

When the storm passed, she could feel his heart pounding just as quickly as hers. His lips brushed against her neck, so tender and sweet. “You okay?” he asked, voice husky.

“Yes.” She was shaking, and as he eased out of her, she would’ve fallen flat on her face if he hadn’t held onto her.

Chandler eased them down onto the bed, nestling her front to his chest, his hand on her bare hip. “Are you sure?”

Other than feeling absolutely boneless and like a useless pile of goo, she felt great. A sleepy smile tugged at her lips. “I’m sure.”

He leaned over, kissing her softly, and as he pulled back, he pulled her closer so that their legs tangled together. “I could use a nap.”

She giggled, not even embarrassed by the light sound. “We just got up.”

“Yep. I still could use a nap.”

Closing her eyes, she listened to his heart rate slow down. “Okay. Me, too.”

“You’re not going to make a mad dash for the other bedroom and lock yourself in?”

Her smile spread. “No.”

One eye pried open. “You promise?”

“Promise.”

Chapter Fourteen

Things weren’t as awkward as Alana expected them to be the following morning. Wearing one of Chandler’s old cotton shirts and nothing else, she sat on the stool in the kitchen while Chandler displayed another wonderful ability.

Frying bacon shirtless without managing to splatter grease all over that beautiful bare chest of his.

Alana nursed a cup of coffee while stealing long looks at the taut muscles stretching up and down his back as he flipped over the bacon. The sizzling and popping reminded her of what her brain cells had to have been doing last night.

Chandler turned, delivering a plate of bacon. “Eat up.”

She waited until he’d joined her across the island. The bacon was the perfect level of crisp and when she bit down, she almost moaned.

Chandler grinned as he watched her. “Good, right?”

“Yes.”

“The special touch? Brown sugar.” He picked up a slice, and for a few minutes, they ate in companionable silence.

Alana had never done anything like this before. Have sex with a man, sleep with him, and then let him make her breakfast and share it together while she wore his clothes. This was all new.