LITMIR.BIZ

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just a man, darlin’,” he said, reaching behind her to unfasten her bra. “You aren’t afraid of me, are you?”

      “N-no,” she murmured. “Being afraid of you has never crossed my mind.”

      “Good.” Tossing the scrap of black lace to the pile of clothes on the floor, he kissed her deeply before cupping her breasts in his palms as he stared into her pretty eyes. “I promise we’ll be perfect together, Mariah.”

      “I—I know,” she said, shivering when he kissed each one of the taut peaks, then moved his hands to slip his thumbs into the waistband of her panties.

      He slowly lowered them over her slender hips and down her thighs, and when he tossed them aside he stepped back to appreciate her gorgeous body. Everything about her was perfect, and he felt humbled at the knowledge that a woman as stunning as Mariah would want to be with him.

      “You’re amazing,” he said, his voice sounding a lot like a rusty hinge.

      When he took her in his arms, the feel of her soft, feminine body pressed to his much harder one sent a shock wave the entire length of him. He had never allowed himself to speculate what it would be like to hold her nude body to his—to have their bare skin touching. But he knew for certain that he never could have imagined anything as erotic or sensual as what he was experiencing at that moment.

      When she sagged against him, Jaron swung her up into his arms and carried her over to place her in the middle of his king-size bed. Her long dark brown hair spread across his pillow and her lithe body lying on the black satin sheets was an image he knew he would never forget.

      Opening the bedside table’s drawer, he removed a small foil packet and, tucking it under his pillow, stretched out beside her to take her in his arms. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?” he asked, not really expecting an answer.

      “Not as beautiful as you are,” she said, raising her arms to his shoulders. From the look on her face, he knew the moment she felt the scars on his shoulder that he normally kept covered. “Are these from participating in the rough stock events for so many years?”

      He didn’t want to lie to her, but he didn’t want to explain, either. “Everyone who competes in rodeo has a few,” he said, making sure he kept his answer vague. He did have a couple of scars from riding the rough stock, just not the ones under her fingertips.

      To distract her from asking more about them, he fused his mouth with hers and kissed her with all of the need he had denied for almost as long as he had known her. Sweet and soft, when her lips melded with his, Jaron forgot about anything but the woman in his arms and the heat inside him that had built to a fever pitch. He had wanted Mariah for years and he found it damned near impossible to think about anything but burying himself so deep inside her that they lost sight of where he ended and she began.

      Unable to wait any longer, he kissed his way down to her collarbone as he moved his hand along her side to her hip and beyond. Caressing her satin skin, he parted her to stroke the soft folds with tender care. The fire inside him threatened to burn out of control at her readiness for him. She needed him as much as he needed her.

      “Mariah, I promise next time we’ll go slower,” he said, reaching for the packet under his pillow. “But right now, I need to be inside you.”

      “I need that...too,” she said, her tone breathless.

      He quickly arranged their protection and nudged her knees apart to rise over her. When she raised her arms to his shoulders and closed her eyes, he leaned down for a brief kiss.

      “Open your eyes, Mariah,” he commanded.

      When she did, he captured her gaze with his as he guided himself to her. The desire and the depth of emotion he saw in her rapt expression were humbling, and unable to wait any longer, he slowly, gently moved forward.

      The mind-blowing tightness as he carefully entered her robbed him of breath. It felt as if she had never...

      He immediately froze. “Mariah...are you a virgin?” he asked hesitantly. He hadn’t even considered the possibility that she’d never been with a man. But he was for damned sure thinking about it now.

      “Y-yes,” she answered.

      Jaron closed his eyes as he waged the biggest battle he’d ever fought in his entire life. The logical part of his brain advised him to get out of bed, send her back to the guest room, then go downstairs to his game room and drink himself into a useless stupor. But his body was urging him to complete the act of loving her—to make her his and damn the inevitable consequences.

      She must have sensed the conflict within him because, wrapping her long legs around him, she captured his face with her soft hands. “Jaron, I want this. I want you.”

      He might have been able to win his inner struggle if he hadn’t seen the desire coloring her smooth cheeks or heard the urgency in her sweet voice. But the combination of her heartfelt declaration and the feel of her tight body surrounding his was more than he could resist.

      “Forgive me, darlin’,” he said, pushing himself forward to breach the thin barrier blocking his way. Her eyes widened and a soft moan passed her parted lips when he sank himself completely inside her.

      Holding his lower body perfectly still, Jaron kissed away the lone tear slowly trickling down her cheek. He hated that in order to love Mariah this first time he had to cause her pain. But as he felt her body relax around him, he knew that she was adjusting to his presence and, easing himself back and then forward, he set a pace he hoped would cause her the least amount of discomfort. He knew she probably wouldn’t derive much pleasure from their lovemaking, but that wasn’t going to keep him from trying to give her whatever pleasure he possibly could.

      As the driving force of the tension holding them captive increased, Jaron held himself in check until he felt Mariah begin to respond to his gentle movement. Only then did he increase the depth and strength of his strokes.

      When he felt her tiny feminine muscles begin to tighten around him, he knew she was close to realizing the satisfaction they both sought and, reaching between them, he touched her in a way he knew would send her over the edge. Her fulfillment triggered his own and, gathering her close, he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t pass out from the extraordinary sensations of his release.

      Collapsing on top of her, Jaron buried his face in her silky hair and tried to catch his breath as he slowly drifted back to reality. He had never experienced anything as intense or as meaningful as being one with Mariah.

      As his strength returned, he eased himself to her side and pulled her into his arms. “Are you all right?”

      With her head pillowed on his shoulder, she nodded as she rested her hand on his chest. “I’m fine.” She yawned. “That was amazing.”

      He could tell by the sound of her voice that she was drowsy and, remembering that she’d mentioned having a rough day, he kissed the top of her head and reached over to turn off the bedside lamp. “Get some rest, darlin’.”

      He’d barely finished making the suggestion before he could tell that Mariah had dozed off. Long after he was sure she was sound asleep, he continued to hold her close as he stared up at the ceiling. What the hell had he done?

      No matter how much he would like to go back to the way things had been between them in the past, it would never be the same again. He’d not only crossed the line with her, he had taken something that she could give to only one man.

      He closed his eyes as he fought the need building inside him once again. He wanted her, and just the thought that he had been the first man to touch her like this sent heat streaking throughout his body with lightning speed.

      It hadn’t even crossed his mind that she might still be a virgin. Hell, Mariah was twenty-five years old and he knew for certain that over the years she’d dated several men. So why him? Why had he been the one she chose to be the first man she made love with?

      Unable to think clearly with Mariah in his arms,

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