Frantic for him, she shoved her hands between them and fumbled with his jeans. She slid the zipper over his erection so fast he sucked in a startled breath. She dipped her hand under his briefs to find him. He was hot, hard, and huge in her hand. Staring deep into those swirling dark eyes, she stroked and fondled every glorious inch of him. He blinked and stared down at her. His eyes blazed into hers. He growled, low and deep and urgent, and then abruptly jerked back.
Lacking all finesse, he stripped off jeans and underwear. Just as quickly, he removed her remaining clothes.
Fascinated by all of his naked masculinity, she reached out and wrapped her hand firmly around his pulsing shaft. It only took a slight tug to tumble him on top of her. Pressing her deeper into the mattress, he was neither heavy nor uncomfortable. She shifted restlessly until he settled between her legs with his erection nestled against her. She clutched his shoulders, clinging mindlessly to his sheer strength, and lifted her hips, urging him to give her what she demanded.
“I’m trying to be gentle,” he croaked, his eyes as wild as she felt. “But you’re making me crazy!”
Something fragile deep inside her snapped. In silent demand, she wrapped her legs around him, arching to meet him. He fastened his mouth to hers, his tongue plunging deep in desperate conquest as he drove himself deep and hard into her.
At that instant of invasion, everything coiled tight inside her erupted. Every contraction of her inner body pulled him deeper. Wanting more, she met each thrust, each tug on her raw senses, with spiraling passion until everything exploded around and inside them.
Stunned by the sheer force of their passion, Laurie lay under him, trying to force air into her burning lungs. Her hands slid limply from him as aftershocks rippled through her.
Damien rolled clumsily off her and pulled her to his side, his arm curved around her shoulders. In the aftermath of wild sex, she rested her head on his shoulder, her fingers twirling ALWAYS A WARRIOR Patricia Bruening
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through the dark hair sprinkled across his chest. She tilted her head sluggishly and looked into those wonderful dark brown eyes, amazed. She had never dreamed making love—she simply could not call it sex—was so absolutely wonderful.
“I …,” she began breathlessly, wanting to tell him everything in her heart.
He shushed her with a firm finger across her lips. That enigmatic glitter in his eyes unsettled her.
“No, don’t say it now,” he said gruffly. “It’s enough that you’re here.”
Uncertain, she bit her lip and stared at him for a moment, then let out a deep sigh and snuggled into his arms. With his heart beating steadily in her ear, she slid into sleep not caring what tomorrow held in store for her. She only wanted the night to last forever.
* * * *
Holding her close, one arm curved around her, Damien stared at the shadows flickering over the ceiling. The storm had faded until thunder echoed in the distance. Rain fell softly on the windows, a subtle background music that did nothing to soothe his turbulent thoughts. He wanted her. He had her. And suddenly it was not enough. He did not want to need her for more than sex. He had stopped her from verbalizing the love in her eyes. He did not want to hear a declaration of love that would certainly turn to hate in a few short days.
His feelings for her went far deeper than simple lust but he had to keep things strictly physical between them. There was no place in his violent life for her. It had to stay simple. Only sex, he told himself as he left the bed to douse the lights. He blew out the candles and lowered the wick of the lantern until that flame was extinguished. Standing by the bed, he could barely make out her sleeping form. He planned to be gone long before she woke in the morning but he wanted a few more hours with her, a few more hours of her gentleness and fiery passion.
He crawled into bed beside her, rolled her into his arms. Her sleepy unintelligible murmurs as she snuggled closer lulled his mind and aroused his body. He pushed his leg between hers then slid his fingers into her hair.
“Damien?” she said drowsily.
He could just see the gleam in her eyes when she lazily lifted her lashes. Desire mingled with love in her emerald eyes. He could not have one without the other—not with Laurie. She loved him. She would not have made love with him otherwise.
Even knowing he would hurt her in the end, he still wanted her with a bone-deep hunger that time would never ease. He had to let her go but for this one night, she was his. She shifted her legs, grazed his erection, and shot fire straight to his crotch. He bit back a throaty groan, tugged her hair gently until her head tilted slightly. He moved, his hair-roughened legs sliding along silky smooth bare skin until he rested against those silky dark curls.