Page 31 of Too Hot To Handle

As she said his name, he took her mouth with a hot, slow movement of his tongue, teasing and caressing her even as he absorbed her into himself. She shivered uncontrollably at the sweet consummation, giving him even more of herself as she sought to taste more of him. The impact of the kiss left her disoriented, shivering, able only to hold on to him as the rest of the world fell away.

Gradually she began to move her tongue as he did, caressing him as he was caressing her. He made a thick sound of pleasure and deepened the kiss even more, exploring every dark, soft curve of her mouth until the kiss became an act of intimacy that made her feel both ravished and cherished. When he lifted his mouth, she tried to follow him, wanting more of him, trembling with her wanting.

„Easy, little cat,“ Reever said, his voice ragged. He looked down at the sweet young mouth blindly seeking his and didn’t know whether to swear or shout with triumph. „So innocent. So hot.God.“

Tory’s eyes half opened, shadowed by a thick fringe of lashes. She ran the tip of her tongue over her lips, and her eyes widened in surprise. „I taste like you,“ she whispered.

With a low groan Reever arched his hips into Tory, trying to ease the pain that was also pleasure.

„Don’t say things like that,“ he grated. Then he saw her face change, passion draining into hurt. „Tory,“ he said, kissing her swiftly, repeatedly, calling her name between kisses. „I didn’t mean it like that. I’m trying to go slow with you, but you’re so damned sexy and giving and honest that I – “ He took a shuddering breath and slowly lowered his hips into the soft cradle of her thighs. „Tell me again,“ he whispered thickly, licking her lips with hot touches of his tongue.

„Reever – “

„Tell me, Tory. Feel what it does to me.“

Hesitantly his tongue touched her lips. She shivered as the tip of his tongue met hers. „I was wrong,“ she whispered. „We taste like each other.“

The words ended in a tiny cry as she felt his powerful body tighten like a drawn bow. The hard length of his arousal caressed her intimately, separated from her only by his clothes and the thin satin smoothness of her underwear.

„You’re right, little cat,“ Reever groaned. „I taste like you and you taste like me.“ He bit Tory’s mouth gently, hungrily. „Say whatever you like. Say it whenever you like. I want to hear you. I want everything you think, everything you feel, everything you are. I want – “ Reever laughed shortly and shook his head. „The things I want would shock you now. But not in a while. In a while you’ll want everything I have, all of it, all the way, and you’ll want it until you scream.“

Tory’s fingers flexed on Reever’s shoulders as she shivered at the hot words flowing over her, making her burn. She watched his mouth hungrily.

She loved the feel of it, hard and resilient, warm and skilled, teaching her things about hunger and satisfaction that she had never suspected could be learned from a kiss.

Hesitantly she ran her fingertips over his lips, tracing their clean outline until she touched his teeth. The difference between his lips and the small serrations of his teeth fascinated her. She ran her fingertip over him again. When the tip of his tongue licked hotly over her, she made a small sound of surprise and pleasure. She dipped into his mouth again and then again, enjoying his changing textures, touching him slowly, rhythmically, not knowing that her whole body was moving beneath his in the same slow rhythms of discovery.

Reever took as much of the sweet torment as he could before he turned his head away sharply, fighting for control. He felt Tory flinch and snatch back her hand.

„Tory – “ he began, trying to explain.

„No,“ she said in a raw voice, covering his mouth with her hand. „Don’t say it. Please, don’t say it. I know I’m clumsy. I’m sorry, it’s just that I’ve never done this before. I don’t know what I should or shouldn’t do.“

Reever saw the legacy of pain in Tory’s eyes, pain echoing from his cruel remarks ever since he had first seen her, wanted her like he had never wanted another woman and known that he shouldn’t even kiss her.

And the worst of it was realizing that he had savaged her more deeply than he had ever intended because he hadn’t really believed that he could hurt her at all. Not like this, her humiliation strong enough to taste.

The realization that Tory had no defenses against him shocked Reever even as it humbled him. He felt the same with her and had from the first moment. No defenses. Just a need and a fire that transformed him, giving him a strength and gentleness that he had never dreamed was possible for him.

„Tory,“ Reever murmured, kissing her softly with each breath, each instant. „My sweet, sensuous little virgin. I accused you of being clumsy because I was afraid to have you know what your grace did to me. You made me – burn. No other woman has ever done that to me. A look. A smile. A word. You didn’t have to touch me. All you had to do was be there and my body – changed. Oh, God, honey. I got so hard I thought I’d die unless I undressed you and eased into that slender, perfect body. I almost took you the first time I saw you. And then on the ride back to the ranch, all I wanted to do was turn you around on Blackjack and slide you down over me and – “

With a shudder Reever stopped the reckless words, afraid that he would frighten Tory. „You are not clumsy,“ he said, biting off each word. „I pulled away just now because your sweet, sexy little moves almost made me lose control. I want you so much I’m afraid I’ll hurt you.“

Tory’s eyes widened as she saw the truth written in every hard line of Reever’s face. She believed him. She believed that he wanted her so much it was an agony inside him.

„Take me,“ Tory whispered, holding his face with trembling hands. „Take me where you’re touching me now, where you’re making me ache. Please, Reever. You can’t hurt me more than I already hurt right now.“

A few moments ago Reever would have taken her right there, ending his torment within her soft, willing body. But now he knew that there was no end to her vulnerability to him. Knowing that, he found the strength to be gentle.

„I’ll take you,“ he promised, kissing her slowly, joining their mouths as perfectly as he knew he would join their bodies. „Eventually. But I want to know you first. And I want you to know me.”

Reever’s hand went from Tory’s back to her ribs. He hesitated there, savoring her suddenly taut body and the sound of breath wedging in her throat. Smiling, he watched her nipples harden un- til they thrust against the soft cotton nightshirt in silent pleading for his caress.

„They remember me, don’t they?“ he murmured. „Which do you want first, honey – my hands or my mouth?“

Tory blushed at Reever’s sensual teasing even as her back arched reflexively, bringing her breasts closer to his mouth. He saw her helpless reaction and smiled.

„Wild little innocent. So sweet. God, I could die finding out how sweet you are, and how wild.“