Awaken to Pleasure - By Nalini Singh Page 0,42

pain will pass." It was a low-voiced command, almost a growl. "It was better all at once."

The sheer maleness of the comment snapped her out of her sudden shock. She hadn't expected it to hurt so much. Catching her breath, she glared at the sexy man holding her prisoner. "Easy for you to say. Big, my eye! You're enormous!"

She couldn't believe he started to grin through the strain on his face. "Wait 'till I am really aroused, little one." It was clear that he was teasing her with that emphasis on "little."

"Ha, ha." In an effort to settle him more comfortably inside her, she wiggled.

His eyes squeezed shut.

She froze. "Jackson? Am I hurting you?"

He sounded like he was struggling to breathe. "You're torturing me." He opened his eyes. "Do you suppose you're ready for me to move?" The rough amusement in his tone made her sigh in relief.

His chest was as delicious as ever. The wide expanse of hot male skin had quickly distracted her from the sharp pain. It was the feeling of complete and utter penetration that took some getting used to. "Can you goslow ?"

He looked at her like she was mad. " Dio! After I die in this bed, please tell the church that I am a candidate for sainthood." Despite his obvious arousal, he did move slowly, making her sensitive inner tissues feel almost too much. Under her hands, his back muscles moved in an erotic symphony. Fire began to ripple through her.

Two slow, deep strokes later, he stopped. "I can't."

"Can't?" shecried , desperate. "You have to! It feels wonderful." The sensation of his big body moving inside her was the best thing she'd ever experienced.

He glanced down at her with that dark male look that had always scared her. Except on him, it made her want to pet and soothe. And give.

"I.Can't. Go. Slow." He was enunciating his words very carefully, as if he'd forgotten how to speak English. The Italian in him was very much apparent, all smoky heat and possessive hunger.

Wrapping her arms and legs tight around him, she whispered, "Then go fast." Her trust in him was absolute.

"Taylor." His eyes went darker than night at her consent and she could almost see his control snap."Hold on, mia moglie e bellissima ."

Clasping her hard against him, he surged into her and then there was only passionate fury. Her husband's body drove deeper and deeper until she felt indelibly marked. Forever branded. Her skin tightened over her entire body as he stroked her closer to a shattering crescendo so magnificent that her mind could barely comprehend the sensory overload.

Then every muscle, in her body seemed to stiffen and barely a second later, explode. She screamed as hot, hard sexual pleasure short-circuited every nerve she possessed, shocking her into ecstasy so powerful that she felt singed. Her only anchor was her husband, big and powerful and hers.

Hers.
Chapter 9

Jacksonroused at six the next morning to findTaylorcrushed under him. He lifted himself off at once.

"Whatchyadoin'?" A sleepyTaylorraised her arms above her head and stretched. Her breasts rubbed against his chest, plump and inviting.

"I was squashing you." He laid his hand on her rib cage, indulging in the feel of her sleep-warmed skin, like liquid satin under his palm.

"Um." Lazy blue eyes blinked at him. She raised her hands and squeezed his biceps. "You're kinda heavy but I didn't mind. It's nice. Like a sexy blanket." Then she tried to span one muscular upper arm with her small hands, without success. "You're so..." She just sighed.

His throat turned dry. "I wasn't hurting you?"

She leaned up and ran her teeth along the muscles she seemed fascinated with. "What?"

"Never mind. Go right ahead." He let her push him onto his back, more than ready for her soft caresses.

To his surprise, she suddenly sat up wide-awake. "Am I being selfish? I should be thinking about my brother."

"We've done all we can for the moment." He reached up to touch her cheek. "Enjoy yourself. It might be tough for a while once the paparazzi descend."

Her scowl was ferocious. "If they hurt you again, I swear I'll kill someone."

He pulled her down to sprawl on top of him. "Thank you." His heart was so used to cynicism that he could barely understand this new emotion shouldering its way in.

"You're welcome." She made a solemn face, then leaned up on her elbows and kissed his jaw. "Jackson?"

"Yes, piccola?" He felt such tenderness for her that he spoke to her as he never did