Worth the Risk_ A Contemporary - Megan Hart Page 0,41

A kind man. She could let him love her, just for tonight, and know that even though it wasn't the real thing, he would be able to make her believe it was. It was the LoveMatch guarantee.

She pushed his shirt off his shoulders and ran her fingers along the broad plane of his chest. His muscles jumped and twitched under her touch as she circled his taut male nipples with her fingertips. Driven by an urge she didn't understand and didn't want to think about, Laila dipped her head to put her tongue on the places her fingers had just caressed.

Hal's groan was inspiration enough for her to continue. He caught his fingers in her hair as she lavished kisses along his chest and down further, following the line of crisp, crinkly hair to where it disappeared into the waistband of his jeans. Laila paused there, for just one moment, thinking that if she wanted to turn back, now would be the time.

She didn't want to turn back. She found the button and unhooked it, slid the zipper down and opened his jeans. Hal wore purple briefs, a sight so surprising Laila sat back.

"Purple?" She asked.

He looked down. "I like purple."

"I like purple, too," Laila said. "But I'd prefer to see them on the floor."

Her bold words shocked herself into a chuckle. Being with Hal made her feel bubbly, giddy. Lighthearted, she realized. Like she was having fun.

She helped him push off his cumbersome jeans and socks, but stopped before helping him remove his last piece of clothing. Laila had never been shy about lovemaking. She was confident with her body and how it reacted, and she was assured enough to know she could please a man. But something about this last step made her pause.

Hal didn't give her time to think. He pulled her close for another kiss, wrapping his arms around her. He caressed her back, still slick with oil. Every slide of his fingers against her skin electrified her.

She opened her mouth and their tongues met. Hal didn't stab her with his tongue. He didn't force her mouth wide. His every movement was gentle and exactly what she needed and wanted, just when she wanted it.

Slowly, Hal pushed her back onto the mound of pillows, but he didn't lie on top of her. They lay on their sides, facing each other, and he slid his leg between hers. The feeling of his thigh against her made her gasp. She was on fire.

She ran her hands along his smooth, strong back, letting her fingers learn every sensitive part of him. All the while, their mouths danced together in kisses so exactly perfect she had to wonder if she was just dreaming all of this.

When her hands encountered the waistband of his briefs, she knew this was real. No dream would come with persistent purple underpants. Laila hooked her fingers inside the waistband, easing them over his lean hips and down his sturdy thighs. They never stopped kissing, not even when she used her foot to finally push the bulky briefs all the way off.

Laila was glad she'd left the lamp on. Seeing Hal naked was worth it. His body was lovely, perfectly formed and golden brown in the dim lamplight. The hair around his rising erection was darker than on his head, a springy tuft that crinkled softly against her belly.

He groaned softly as she pulled their bodies apart to look at him. "Laila--"

"Shhh," she said. "I want to see you."

He shivered in response, and he bent his head to the hollow of her shoulder. Now it was her turn to gasp as his tongue found her skin. They rolled together again, Hal's leg slipping further between hers. He ran his hand down her back to cup her buttocks, pressing her more firmly onto his thigh.

The pressure was delightful, incredible. Erotic. Laila rocked against him and was rewarded when his mouth slanted across hers again. Hal's kisses became more urgent, more focused as she let her own hand slide down to caress the firm bulge of his rear end.

Laila hooked her leg over his calf, locking them together. Hal's erection rose hotly against her stomach. Suddenly she wanted to touch it. Laila pushed their bodies apart again so she could slip her fingers around his arousal.

"Oh, Hal," she whispered when he jerked beneath her touch. "You're so lovely."

Ian would have scolded her for using such a feminine adjective to describe the part he held in highest esteem. Hal