shrugged, those wide shoulders rising. She caught the white gleam of his smile. ‘If you like.’
He half-turned from her and she clamped her mouth shut over an instinctive protest at the loss of contact. It took only seconds for him to remove his shoes and socks, then he was standing by the bed, shucking the rest of his clothes off, and Eva’s eyes rounded at the sight of him.
Even in the half-light he was magnificent. Tall, lean but powerful across the chest, with a flat abdomen, narrow hips and long, muscled legs. His erection stood out proud and ready for her and Eva squeezed her thighs together as moist heat drenched her.
‘Would you like to put the condom on me?’ He picked up a packet from the table and tore it open.
Eva swallowed, torn between excitement and horror. She did want to, but if she fumbled too much he might guess she’d never done this before. It was a wonder he hadn’t already. Down in the kitchen she’d acted on instinct rather than experience. Presumably he’d been too aroused to notice.
Four years of celibacy, he’d said. That must explain it. No wonder he’d been so responsive to her touch.
Her heart dipped. Paul’s eager reaction hadn’t been to her specifically. He’d been primed by abstinence to respond to a woman’s caresses.
Even so, Eva wanted this. Wanted him. This was her one opportunity for intimacy with the man she still, despite everything, loved.
So much for pride. But pride was a cold bed-fellow. She craved the warmth of his loving, even if it was only a travesty of the emotional response she needed from him.
Whatever the reason, Paul wanted her. She couldn’t refuse him or herself.
‘No. I want to watch you do it.’ Her voice was a rough croak but he didn’t seem to mind.
Paul laughed. ‘Do you, indeed? Well, it’s probably better. I don’t want to disgrace myself again like I did downstairs. This time I intend to last long enough to satisfy you.’
Eva’s indrawn breath was fire and molten metal as her brain provided a picture of him doing just that.
Then he was on the bed, knees straddling her legs.
‘Sit up, sweetheart.’
Eva’s silly heart somersaulted at the casual endearment. Part of her brain screamed she was a fool. The other part urged her on.
She raised herself so Paul could reach behind to her zip. Slowly he peeled the narrow straps down her arms. Then gently, almost reverently, he undid her bra.
Any hesitation she felt about baring her breasts died as he leaned in and kissed her, murmuring how beautiful she was as he cupped her with his big, warm hands.
Heat shot through her, another arrowing dart of fire, and then she was on her back, lifting her hips as he dragged her dress down and away. Their knees bumped and she didn’t know quite what to do with her hands. But none of that detracted from the shivery delight of Paul’s hands on her, his mouth caressing hers, and that possessive-sounding growl as he palmed her bare hips.
Finally, they were naked. He turned her towards him so they lay on their sides, facing each other. Then he pulled back and looked down, grinning.
‘You’re exquisite.’
It was on the tip of her tongue to refute it, knowing he didn’t mean it, but then his fingertips touched her nipple in the most delicate touch and her breath fractured.
When he touched her like that she felt different. Special. She imagined his eyes glowed with a light she hadn’t seen before, even though common sense said she couldn’t really read his expression. She tried to tell herself it was simply lust but her aching heart wanted to believe it was because at last Paul saw the woman she really was.
The harping voice of caution was silenced by the sheer magic of this moment with Paul.
His caresses as he skimmed her body brought fire in their wake, and when he bent to kiss her breast, then suck her nipple, Eva arched into him, a lightning bolt of desire ripping through her.
She was panting when finally, after exploring her thoroughly with his hands and mouth, he rolled on top of her. Eva was bombarded with sensation. The weight of him, pressing her down onto the bed. He was taller and broader than her. It might have felt suffocating but instead she welcomed it, wrapping her arms around him. His skin was smooth as silk, swelling intriguingly over lean muscle and bone. His hairy legs tickled hers and the