Harris Channing (21 page)

"I
was sleeping up until about an hour ago when you snuggled up to me." He
leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm sorry, I couldn't
restrain myself any longer. You are a beautiful, sensual woman, Roberta."

"You
should have asked."

"If
I can sleep in my own bed?" He let out a deep chuckle. "Forgiveness
is easier than permission and I grow tired of the floor." Quirking his
brow, he smirked. "The bed itself was incentive enough for me to consider
it, but seeing you
in
my bed, had me
slipping beneath the sheets."

His words
sent an unexpected surge of desire flaring through her. God help her, for a
moment she wanted to let go of her suspicions. Needed to feel something more
than anger and loneliness and the truth was, she could easily become addicted
to the way he looked at her now. There was tenderness mixed with passion and
the fact that he was sober aroused her immeasurably.

She
pulled away again and this time he allowed her her freedom. "Still, it's
highly improper for a single woman to share a bed with a man. It's bad enough
my living alone in a cabin with you, but losing my virginity? Well, that will
certainly ruin me for all others."

"My
darling, that is exactly what I want to do." The spark of mischief in his
eyes had her tugging the blanket snugly beneath her chin despite the fact that
she was fully clothed.

"What
do you mean?" she said, her voice quavering, her mind racing with the
possibilities.

In a
quick, easy motion he was once again on top of her, his elbows resting on
either side of her head, his bulk pressing against her. With his face but
inches from hers he claimed her lips in a kiss that not only had her insides
quaking, but her mind reeling.

Without
thought of consequence, she responded. God help her, she was lost, her need far
stronger than any concerns she had. Despite her worries, her sorrow, he offered
her a momentary reprieve. A chance to feel rather than to think. To let go
rather than fight. Yes, just one time. That's all. Give in to what she wanted.
Surrender to the yearning that simmered in her every time she thought of him.
For mercy's sake, but she still loved him. Didn't trust him, but oh how she
loved him.

He pulled
away, his face serious, his eyes filled with his desire and admiration.
"Bobbie, I only ever want to make love to you. Do you understand what I'm
saying?"

Tears
welled up in her eyes and she reached for him. He wanted her, not as a
replacement, but for who she was. And did she dare to believe that he loved her
in return? And if he did, was it so wrong that her body trembled at his touch,
or that the ache in her belly demanded to be eased? Could she, for a moment,
consider that perhaps he'd be different with a different sort of woman?

Reclaiming
her lips, he parted them and slid his tongue between her teeth. His mouth tasted
warm and spicy. With no hint of alcohol he was far more inebriating, not to
mention debilitating. She opened wider to receive him. If the man could kiss
when drunk it didn't compare to the precision he exhibited now. He taunted,
teased, and flicked until a moan that seemed to start in her toes whooshed
through her and had her clinging to him for dear life.

The
stiffness in her body evaporated and her legs parted, cradling his in an
intimacy she could easily grow accustomed to. Moisture slid from deep inside
her and she instinctively curved her back.

He pulled
back, gasping for breath. "I want you. Do you know what that means,
Bobbie?"

She too
fought for air, the room suddenly hot, and every nerve she possessed came to
life as if for the first time. Was she going to allow this to happen? With a
man she didn't wholly trust?

"I
swear to you, I'll try my best to never hurt you again." He smiled, but it
was a sad sort of smile that warmed her heart. "Even if you can't tell me,
can you at least forgive me for whatever it is I said or did?"

His eyes
shimmered with his own lust, yet in the deep recesses of the green orbs, she
read his earnestness, and knew his words to be true.

She
didn't verbalize her answer, simply nodded her head. How she could so easily
let go of her apprehension she didn't know. But what should have bothered her
more was the fact that she had lost all modesty, all inhibition. She was ready
for him to complete the dance they had begun. She wanted him to take her,
needed him to fill the void left behind by all her horrible loss.

With a
tender touch, he pushed her hair from her face. "Drunk, I realized you
were stunning, but with my eyes clear, there's so much more to your
beauty."

"You
think I'm beautiful, truly?"

"Yes,
especially as you are now. So sweet, relaxed…I-I…" He swallowed hard and
instead of continuing to speak, he poured his heart out with the most loving of
caresses. His hand slid down her neck, his fingers firm as they stroked the
sensitive flesh. He reached the small divot at the base of her throat, and
stopped. Offering her one more simmering stare, he lowered his head and placed
an affectionate kiss on the spot before his mouth traveled upward and toward
her ear. Using the tip of his tongue, he drew her lobe between his teeth and nibbled.

She
moaned, his hot breath tickling her deep down and raising a chill across her
already heated skin. Running her fingers through his thick curls, she relished
the coarseness and strength that she felt. A shiver chased across her and she
turned her head, inviting him to continue to tantalize.

"You
like that?" he whispered and she lazily nodded her head. He chuckled and
rolling onto his side, he pushed back the covers, his gaze traveling the length
of her. So heated was his stare, that she found it hard to believe he wasn't
looking through her clothes.

"I
want to undress you. I want to touch every inch of your body."

She
swallowed hard at the lusty timbre in his voice. Pulling her lower lip between
her teeth, she stared at him, waiting for him to move.

A smile
slid across his face. "You always have something to say, Bobbie. Say
something now."

Dragging
air into her lungs, her mind raced toward the carnal. She wanted him to touch
every inch of her. She wanted to feel the length of him inside her body. Oh,
how she ached for the experience. Despite the disappointment she was sure her
mother would feel, and despite the guilt that would probably come later, she
wasn't about to turn back. Not when this feeling, this feeling of belonging to
someone, clouded her judgment. She would worry about all of that later. But
now, she would experience everything he had to offer a woman, because she had
learned something living in this cold, unforgiving place. That you never knew
what would happen next.

"Is
your silence an invitation or a rejection?" He raised a dark brow and
reaching for her, he kissed her lips. She wrapped her arms around him pulled
him closer. If she had anything to do with it, it was going to happen and the
sooner the better.

His groan
of satisfaction empowered her and her heart strummed heavy against her ribcage.
Pressing her hands to his chest, she clutched the fabric of his shirt before
slowly unbuttoning it. Scratchy wool met her touch but did not deter. She
would
feel his skin beneath her
fingers. If he was going to memorize her form, she wanted to be able to close
her eyes and remember this day, this moment, the feel of him, the masculine
smell and taste of him. Every detail of her first time.

Pushing
the fabric from his shoulders, she nudged him back. He truly was a magnificent
looking man. All sinew and strength.

She ran
her fingers through the crisp hair at the center of his broad chest. It curled
around her hand, but what fascinated was just how rapidly his heart beat.

"Your
turn," he mumbled, tugging at the large black buttons that held the top of
her gown together. Pushing the jacket apart, he stared down at her.
"You're breasts are glorious," he mumbled, taking hold of one and
caressing it through the cotton of her shift.

Small
currents of desire shot through her at his touch. She could feel her nipples
grow hard and tight and she trembled at the want for more and more and more
from him.

"Let's
get you of this gown," he rasped as he stared at her from beneath hooded
lids. "Hurry Bobbie, I want you. I want you with a fierceness that drives
me mad."

She
should have heard alarm bells ringing in her head but she didn't for she knew
how he felt. She was wet, and hot and trembling with the most pleasant of
fevers. With his steady hands at the ready, they removed the layers of clothing
until she was naked. Modesty should have had her reaching for the sheet but
instead she lay there, looking at him with an expectation that should have had
a virgin scrambling. Yet she didn't move, curious to see what would happen
next.

He stood
at the bedside. "I don't believe I have ever felt so much," he
mumbled. "Wanted so much." He removed what remained of his clothes
and for the first time in her life, she knew what power women truly possessed.
Standing in the light cast from window, he seemed to glow like some God of old.
If possible she grew wetter and more ready. He was unbelievably tall and
chiseled and his cock…well, even though she'd never known another, judging by
its length and girth, he was a very gifted man.

Nervous
and excited, she lifted her arms to him, and shoved any and all residual
concerns aside. Her only thoughts and needs focused on one thing. David.

A grin
tugged the side of his mouth and he slid into her embrace, his warmth and spicy
scent swirling around and through her. His weight pleasantly pressed her
against the bed. He kissed her, the sensation of his mouth atop hers, the sweet
heat from him and the feel of him had her writhing.

She slid
her hands over his shoulders and across the expanse of his back. Smooth skin
and tight muscles met her eager touch. He drew away, the kiss leaving her
breathless.

He inched
back and rising to his knees, he gathered up her breasts, holding each globe in
the cups of his hands. Lowering his head, he buried his face in the tender
mounds, taking turns suckling each nipple until it hardened. She threw her head
back savoring the pulsing need that spiraled higher and higher within her.

She
dropped her hands and twisted them in the folds of the blanket while he
continued to raise the tide of desire that threatened to overflow and drown
her. His hot mouth moved further down, until he reached the soft triangle of
her sex. Her lower jaw quivered as he slid his fingers in her folds. She closed
her eyes, the tremble that started in her jaw traveling through her. Separating
her lips with calloused fingers, he pressed his mouth to the small nub, his
tongue tantalizing as he gently prodded.

"W-What
are you doing?" she asked, pressing her hips deeper in the mattress.

"Ruining
you," he said gruffly. "Marking you for life as mine."

His
possessive nature should have had her fleeing, yet she found she liked it. He
wanted her. He wanted her to be his. Yes. She could live with that.

He
returned to his sensual task, his tongue flicking the button until she let out
a frustrated grumble. Something deep within her built, the floodgates
threatening to give way, but when? When would they release and end her
delicious agony?

When he
pulled away and reclaimed her lips, her ardor had her clutching him, grinding
against him. She was no longer human, she had become an animal. An animal that
would not be denied. No turning back. No regrets. This was what she wanted.
What she had to have.

When she
raised her knee, he slipped his hand between her legs, rubbing her sex into a
heated frenzy. "Tell me you want me, Bobbie," he mumbled against her
mouth. "Say the words. I need to hear them."

She
swallowed her passion and stared up at him. "I want you David," she
said, her tone demanding, her voice foreign in her ears. "So much."

"Then
I'm yours, with all that entails."

Pushing
her knees apart, he gazed at her before settling between her legs. His chest
rose and fell as he gasped for air. Pressing the head of his cock at the
entrance of her sex, his eyes glazed with passion. Gently, he pushed deeper
into her and her mind hummed with the pleasure she expected to follow their
foreplay.

Deeper
and deeper he delved into her folds and despite the care he took, the pain of
her virginity giving way had her drawing in a sharp breath. Her ardor chilled
and tears slipped from the corners of her eyes.

"I'm
sorry love. First time hurts. But it will get better."

He bent
forward and caressed her cheek, his expression one of sympathy.

Biting
her lower lip, she wondered if she should push him off. Wondered when the pain
would subside. Wondered what had possessed her to allow this to happen.

And then
he moved within her, slowly drawing back before thrusting forward. With each
movement, the pain began to ease, replaced by a warmth and need unlike any
other.

"Better?"
he asked, his body trembling.