TALL DARK AND HUNGRY Page 0,74

did look. He simply sat for the longest time, his eyes raking over what he had already touched and, in some cases, tasted. Terri lay still, biting her lip and wishing he would stop look¬ing. Wishing he would kiss her. Wishing he didn't still have his pants on. She didn't think it would be quite so bad if she weren't alone in her nakedness. She'd barely had that thought when he reached for her hand. Terri hesitated, then uncrossed her arms to place her right hand in his.

Bastien pulled her to a sitting position, then knelt between her legs as he had done earlier. There was no trifle on her belly now, however, and it wasn't her tummy he was interested in. Her eyes widened in shock as he urged her legs farther apart and lowered his head.

"Bas--" Her choked protest died abruptly as he buried his face between her thighs. Terri jerked and stiffened, her body arching up off the couch. Torn between embarrassment, shock, and the first slam of pleasure, she wanted to beg him to stop--but she didn't seem to have a voice to do it with. She wasn't even sure she had a tongue. Or a head. The only part of her body she was sure existed at that point was the part he was busily laving. Every cell of her body was suddenly focused in that area, every thought in her head on what Bastien was doing to her.

Terri became aware of a pain building in her chest, and suddenly she realized she'd been holding her breath for several moments. Letting it out in a whoosh, she gasped in another, aware of the fact that she was now panting, but not really caring. She didn't really care about much just then; the entire world could have come to an end outside the penthouse and she wouldn't have noticed. Terri was completely focused on what Bastien was doing to her and the ten¬sion he was building.

The tension was becoming almost unbearable. Bastien's ministrations were causing havoc, a plea-sure-pain she wasn't sure she could stand. Terri wanted him to stop but needed him to continue, and her movements reflected her confusion. She began to twist her legs in an effort to escape, while at the same time arching herself upward into his attention.

Bastien took it all in stride, merely catching her thighs and holding them firmly in place. He contin¬ued to drive her crazy with need, making her buck against him.

"Please," Terri cried, twisting wildly, then gave an excited cry that even seemed loud to her own ears. A shaft of embarrassment slid through her, along with the fear that she might be heard by Vincent or C.K., drawing one of the two men to see what was wrong. Not wanting that, she turned her head and bit firmly into the couch cushion. It didn't stop her moans, but muffled them.

Just when she thought she could stand no more, Terri felt Bastien slip a finger inside her, adding to the pressure. She crumbled, her body convulsing as she cried out into the couch. Wave after wave of ecstasy washed through her as he continued what he was do¬ing. Those waves slammed into her hard and fast, one after the other, again and again until she was sobbing with the release. Only then did Bastien finally lift his head. Moving onto the sofa beside her, he took her in his arms and eased them both to lie on the couch where he held her gently as she trembled and shud¬dered in aftermath.

Terri held him back, wonder and gratitude upper¬most in her mind, but too exhausted by what she'd just experienced to offer him either. She lay still and quiescent as Bastien kissed her closed eyes, the tip of her nose, her lips. The kiss was gentle and soothing at first, then became more demanding, and despite her exhaustion Terri found herself responding.

When his hand closed over her breast, she sighed and arched against him. When it slid lower and dipped between her legs, her passion reawoke as if it had never been sated. She moaned into his mouth, her legs opening like a flower at the promise of sunlight.

Bastien groaned and broke away.

"I want you," he murmured against her cheek.

"Yes." Terri reached between them and found him through his trousers. He was hard against her fingers as she squeezed and ran her palm over his length. She slid her hand to the button of his chinos, but after