But oh, how she wanted to. A tingling warmth was spreading throughout her. Her entire universe seemed to refocus, heightening her awareness of her womanhood. Even her breasts began to yearn for a touch. Anticipation became her friend for the first time in a long time.
But she had to take the first step. Seconds must have ticked by as she tried to find the courage to make a move. Even a simple move that would let him know.
Odd how she seemed to have forgotten even such an easy thing. But Hector, she realized now, hadn’t welcomed overtures from her. Not ever. She’d had to wait until...
Ah, to hell with it, she thought. She raised her face, met those gray eyes squarely—they looked probing, she thought—then leaned into him and touched his mouth with hers.
“Ah, Sky,” he breathed against her mouth. Then his arms became steel bands around her, pulling her close, holding her tightly to the length of his body.
His hard muscles against the softer curves of her body felt like heaven. She reached up to hang on to his shoulders as he deepened his kiss, taking care, so much care, as if he were testing how far she wanted him to go.
That had never happened before, she thought with hazy delight. Hector had always taken what he wanted however he wanted it. And why the devil was she thinking of Hector now? She wanted to banish him to the depths of a hell where he probably belonged.
She let her head fall back a little, her mouth opening even more, and Craig took her invitation. His tongue plunged into her, seeking out every sensitive place, some she hadn’t realized she had.
Along her cheeks, over her tongue, then over her lips again until each nerve ending awoke to exquisite sensitivity and delight. She tried to respond in kind, to give him the same surprising pleasures, and loved it when he groaned quietly, deep in his throat.
Ah, this was good, so good she never wanted it to end. Never had she felt that way about a kiss before. But then never had a kiss seemed to awaken her entire body.
He tasted like coffee, but even as she reveled in his taste, his aromas began to fill her nose: musky, manly, woodsy, a little damp from rain. Delightful scents, enticing scents. And as the kiss continued, the odor of musk increased, exciting her even more.
Everything else dropped away like dead leaves from a tree in a winter wind. Gone, it was all gone except for Craig and the passion he was stoking in her.
* * *
God, she tasted so good, Craig thought. Like coffee, yes, but with a hint of her minty toothpaste. Her mouth was warm, welcoming, making him want to enter her another way now.
He was as hot as a bonfire already, certain she must feel his hard, throbbing staff against her belly. Tinder to her spark. It was only with effort that he clung to his control. This was no time to go caveman. Not this time, although he could easily have lowered her straight to the floor and taken her with only the barest nod to necessities.
Fire licked at his groin, at the edges of his mind, but concern for her never entirely vanished. Not yet. She might become afraid again at any moment.
But having her cling to him this way and welcome him this way was enough to push him to the edge of madness.
He knew how scary this must be for her. He half expected her to stiffen, to try to pull away, and he wondered if he’d be able to let go.
But she didn’t pull away. He could feel her growing softer against him, more yielding, more accepting, more hungering.
She was riding the wave with him.
Gently he pulled his mouth from hers and felt a surge of renewed desire as a soft moan escaped her. But he had another goal now, and without hesitation he found her ear, nipping gently, feeling the shudder pass through her, feeling the way her grip on his shoulders tightened almost painfully.
Then down her throat to the edge of the sweater she’d tried to hide in. The paint-spattered sweater. Those paint splotches that seemed to embarrass her but that he found somehow endearing. But he couldn’t express that now.
No, nothing in him wanted to talk right now. Every single cell wanted to act, to pursue satisfaction, to find the answer to his manhood in her womanhood.