finally!—she was almost there and then...
And then he slowed. Then stilled completely.
She wanted to scream with frustration. She wanted to flip over and slap him for denying her her pleasure. But remembering what he’d said, that if she wanted to come she’d have to wait, she forced herself to remain still.
Behind her, he waited a few seconds, obviously waiting to see what she’d do, and when she only drew in deep breaths, biting her lip to stifle her desperate moans, he said, “Good girl,” and started in again.
Twice more he repeated that particular brand of torture, going at her like a jackhammer and building her to an intense orgasm only to stop and prevent her from going over. Twice more, when he stopped, she somehow managed not to press his hand, but she couldn’t stop the words that fell from her lips.
“Please, Simon. Please. I want to come. Please make me come.”
She was babbling, almost crying with the need for release, sure she wouldn’t be able to take it if he started and stopped again.
“Shh. I know you want it. I know you need it. And this time I’m going to give it to you. Even harder than before. But first...I said I wanted to taste you, remember?”
He slid back and pulled her legs apart, but when she instinctively moved to turn on her back, he held her and said, “No. Like this.”
“What?” she said automatically, suddenly feeling shy. “I don’t want—”
But then his breath was on her, followed by the slick, firm caress of his tongue. It startled her into silence. And then drew a wail of pleasure from her as it probed inside her. Just as he had before, he penetrated her with slow, strong rhythmic thrusts, but this time he used another part of himself. When he wasn’t penetrating her, he was licking at her while his fingers penetrated her. And he didn’t let up until she was a shaking, sobbing mess, her body trembling with her need for release.
Weakly, she lay there and sensed him reach into the nightstand for a condom. She heard rustling as he put it on. Then, once again, he gripped her hips and positioned himself at the entrance of her body. “You ready?” he growled.
“Yes,” she breathed. “I’m ready.”
“Then come, Nina. Come hard. And when you do, think of me. Only me. Me over you. Me inside you. Me,” he commanded, punching his hips forward. Just like before, he rode her hard. This time, however, he reached around and put his hand between her legs, manipulating her clitoris even as he filled her.
It took less than a minute for her world to shatter. She screamed when her orgasm hit her, her hips bucking uncontrollably and her whole body shaking with spasms that seemed to go on and on. At some point, she was aware of his chest pressed against her back and his own bark of pleasure as he found his release, as well.
When it was over, he was shaking, too. So hard that she couldn’t tell where her tremors ended and his began. With a groan, he moved to the side, slipped out of her and pulled her into the cradle of his arms.
* * *
NINA’S BREATHING SLOWED from harsh gasps to a more mellow rhythm. Simon kept his arms wrapped around her, enjoying the weight of her body as it lay against his, unwilling to let go. He breathed in deep, inhaling her heady scent—lilac, peppermint and sex. Their sex. And what incredible sex it had been. Wonderful, terrific, beautiful. Hell—to someone more sentimental, it might be described as butterflies-and-rainbows-and-glitter kind of sex. To another, it would more aptly be described as raunchy as hell. He’d been more aggressive with her than he’d ever been before. Because he’d wanted to control her. Mark her. Give her the best sex of her life, and take the kind of sex from her he knew she was capable of giving him.
The kind of sex a woman gave when she completely let go.
The kind of sex a man gave when he completely fell in love.
His heart revved up. What the hell was that word doing in his mind?
Nina shifted, as if to move away from him—as if she sensed he was upset—but he instinctively tightened his arms around her.
Love. What a loaded word. But there it was, bouncing around inside his head as if it belonged there.
He couldn’t love her. He hadn’t known her long enough to fall in love with her. Besides,