stared into his eyes, the warm green depths overflowing with promises. Joy flooded through her, and her spirit soared. "Yes!"
His trembling increased. His smoky gaze roved over her, and her body tingled under his heated regard. "The day I stole you out of the bank, you stole my heart. You don't know how much it means to me to receive yours in return, freely given."
"My heart belongs to you. It always has." Pure, golden happiness bubbled inside her. She smiled at him tenderly. "Make love to me, Gabe."
Gabe slowly rose to his feet. He stared into Tessa's beautiful, glowing eyes and the desire to make her his slammed into him. He sucked in a shaky breath, fighting for restraint. Ripping off her clothes and taking her against the door would not be cool. He bent his head and kissed her.
Her lips parted, welcoming him inside, and he lost it. The long hours when he didn't know if she would live or die, the torturous week of hospitalization, the silent message of love in her eyes right before she fell off the ship swirled through his mind.
He shoved her against the door, and drank in the heady, drugging taste of her. Mindless with the need to touch every inch of her precious body, to reassure himself after the nightmare of nearly losing her, he arched his hips into her welcoming softness. He ran his hands over her breasts, the small of her back, the curve of her bottom.
Her fingernails dug into his shoulders, and she moaned into his mouth. The pain and the soft sound jarred him out of his sensual haze. He jerked back. Planting his hands on either side of her head, he leaned against the door. Gasping, he struggled for restraint. "Oh, hell. I'm mauling you like a high-school sophomore. My control goes AWOL when I'm with you."
Her lips curved into a sensual smile. "I liked it."
He sucked in more air, trying to regulate his breathing. "I need you so much," he admitted shakily. "I need to be inside you, be a part of you. But this is your first time, sweetheart. We have to go slow."
She slid her arms around his waist and pressed full-length against him. "I need you, too. I've waited so long. I don't want you to go slow."
He didn't dare touch her again until he'd regained a measure of control. He kept both hands on the door. Breathe. "Trust me on this one, Houdini."
"I trust you," she murmured against his chest. "With my heart. My soul. And my body."
A groan slipped out. "Heaven help me." He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her again. Her vanilla fragrance dazzled his senses as he savored her sweet mouth. He turned and began edging them to the far end of the loft toward the bed.
They'd progressed as far as the piano when he had to stop and kiss her again. Locked in the sensual dance, her tongue flirted with his. He threaded his fingers in her hair, drawing her closer, his thumbs stroking in reverent wonder over the baby-fine skin of her temples and cheekbones.
Her hands slipped between them to unbutton his shirt. She hastily tugged it off and boldly explored his shoulders and his chest before moving to his abdomen. At his sharply indrawn breath, she smiled and cupped his buttocks. Then her fingertips brushed over his jeans to tease his straining fly. "I love touching you."
Perspiration dampened his skin. He groaned again and grabbed her wrists. "I'm real happy to hear that, but you're killing me, honey."
Her husky laugh arrowed straight to his heart. She arched her hips into him. "You feel like you're enjoying it."
He clenched his jaw. Dredge up that famous self-discipline, Colton. He spanned her waist with his hands and sat her on the oak piano. Stepping between her thighs, he cradled her against him, kissing her cheeks, her nose, her eyelids. He nibbled the tender spot where her neck met her shoulder, and she shivered. Under the silky blue top, her beaded nipples grazed his chest. He palmed her breasts, thrilled at the sound of her breath catching in her throat.
He bent his head and suckled her nipples through the silk. Her throaty moan speared through him, pumping scorching blood through his veins like lava. He stroked the cool, slippery pants and matching panties down her slender legs, delighting in her sensual shivers as he bared her lower body. Taking his time, he unbuttoned her shirt, revealing her creamy