"You want to sleep with me."
Thankful that he clearly didn't have the same problem, she nodded.
"But something is holding you back?"
Again, she nodded.
"How many lovers have you had, Anna?"
She flushed at his question. "Two," she said in a voice that was barely more than a whisper. "But being with them wasn't like being with you."
The words were out before she realized they were coming and her flush flamed even brighter.
"You're special to me, too," he said softly against her lips and this time when he kissed her, she was able to sink into it a little more. "I want to give you pleasure, Anna, more pleasure than you've ever known. Will you let me do that for you?"
His heated words shot through her veins like a drug. "I want to, Cole." And she did. God, how she did. "But what if I freak out again?"
"Will you trust me to make sure that doesn't happen?"
She had no reason to trust him, now when she didn't know any more about him than his name and profession. And yet, there was something in his eyes, in the way he'd touched her so far tonight, in the way he'd kissed her, that had her feeling cherished.
Adored.
No one had ever made her feel that way before. Not just the sexual part, which was way off any chart she'd ever had, but the safety part.
Cole made her feel protected.
"What we've had so far tonight is only the beginning. There's so much more, sweet Anna. Let me show you how good I can make you feel."
She couldn't hold back a shiver at his words. His arms were still around her, light enough that she could walk away at any moment, but she didn't want to go. His erection throbbed hard and thick against her belly even through his pants, and she wanted what he promised.
Badly.
But now she knew for sure that she couldn't do it on her own. Not without him helping her. Guiding her. Leading her.
Not without trusting him.
She'd thought a quickie wedding would be the craziest thing she'd ever done, but now she knew she was wrong.
Sleeping with Cole, trusting him enough to give her body over to him, letting him learn what gave her pleasure--learning it for herself--was far crazier.
"I'll trust you, Cole."
The relief that flashed across his features was quickly replaced with a darker, deeper desire than she'd seen yet.
He was halfway to kissing her when she found herself saying, "But please, don't betray my trust. Please don't hurt me."
He stilled a breath away from her mouth. "I don't want to hurt you, Anna."
Her brain tried to tell her it wasn't the promise she was looking for, but before she could fully hold onto the warning, he was picking her up again and kissing her as he carried her back inside.
Into his bedroom.
Chapter Five
Cole didn't throw her on the bed, didn't crawl over her and keep kissing her. Instead, he set her on her feet again and said, "Turn around."
Anna's eyes flashed a combination of desire and that uncertainty she couldn't shake at his command. But she did it.