And in that simple response, she’d combined the innocent Sophie with the bold Rosalind. “I’m excited, too.”
Her gaze dropped to his pantaloons, making him regret his words. “Will you take off your shirt now?”
He counted himself fortunate she only mentioned his shirt, and gladly complied. Unbuttoning just the top two buttons of his fall, he pulled his shirt out and then over his head to drop it on the floor with her dressing gown. “Is that better?” He held his arms out to his sides.
Her gaze swept over him, turning almost hungry. “You are bigger than I thought.”
His damn erection jerked again at her words. “You thought about what I would look like without a shirt?”
Her cheeks colored once again, but she continued to stare at him. “I did.”
When she’d said she didn’t lie, he didn’t realize how truthful she could be. He sincerely hoped she didn’t ask him the same question, and he knew one way to avoid that. He stepped closer to her again and lifted her hands, placing them upon his chest. “Is this how you thought I’d feel?”
Her hands moved beneath his, and he let go as her fingers glided over his pectorals, around his nipples, and down to his stomach muscles. “You’re hard but smooth.” Her fingers moved back up, and this time they brushed over his nipples, causing his muscles to contract.
She dropped her hands.
“You needn’t stop.”
“But you flinched.”
“No, I didn’t flinch. I tensed because what you did was pleasurable. Would you like me to show you?”
Her pupils appeared to grow large as she nodded.
He pulled her close again and kissed her, easily untying the back of her shift at the neckline. With his goal accomplished, he ran kisses down her face, her neck, and over her shoulder. He returned to her lips while he pulled the shift down over her shoulder to bare one breast. He cupped her neck with his hand, allowing her to get used to his touch before he moved it lower, reveling in the softness of her skin.
As he reached her breast, he gently cupped it, not releasing her from his kiss. Then, softly, he moved his thumb over her hard nipple.
Sophie gasped around his tongue, just before pressing herself into his hand.
He knew the need she felt and obliged her by brushing her hard peak back and forth until soft moans filled his mouth.
She broke the kiss, her breaths passing by his ear as she whispered, “I need it all.”
He froze, his own craving crawling up his back, telling him to take her, but his heart refused. Time seemed to stop as conflicting needs fought in his gut. He couldn’t deny her.
So he must deny himself.
Chapter Fourteen
Sophie couldn’t believeshe’d said what was running through her mind. But she wouldn’t take it back. She wanted to feel like the book had described, and she knew, instinctually, that Tam could accomplish that. It wasn’t until that moment that she understood what it was like to need someone so desperately, to not care about anything else except what it was like to be in his arms.
“I will give you all.”
At his words, her heart skipped a beat. Relief, excitement, and gratefulness rose at once, and to express it, she kissed him, holding his head as she swept her tongue over his own. She was so thrilled by the kiss, she didn’t realize he’d moved them until her behind hit something hard. She pulled her lips from his and opened her eyes to find the desk at her back. How heady a kiss could be, indeed.
Tam stepped away from her, forcing her to drop her arms. When she did, her shift fell to her waist. Immediately, she pulled the material up to cover her. When she finally looked at him, she found disappointment in his eyes. Understanding why, she dropped her arms again, allowing him to view her bare torso. The sharp desire that went through her at his hungry look surprised her.
“You’re beautiful.”
For the first time in her life, she felt it. “Thank you.”
He stepped close to her once again and pulled her into his arms,her bare breasts pressed against his bare chest, and beyond the thrill was a feeling of safety. She found it odd, since she never felt unsafe, but she wasn’t going to question it, too pleased to be in his arms again.
Tam tipped her head up and gazed into her eyes, his own almost glowing in the lantern light. “I’m going to show you what pleasure is.”
She took a deep breath. “Please.”
