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Diner Girl(12)

By:Mary Malcolm


Mark groaned as he pulled away. “You are making it very difficult for me to be a good guy.” He kissed one corner of her mouth and then teased his way over to the other side.

Jennifer ran her hands through his hair and pulled him closer. “Then why try?” Her lips parted and Mark’s tongue tested and teased its way into her waiting mouth. Her mind raced and her stomach flipped nervously. She pulled away. “I haven’t been with anyone in a long time.” Understatement. It’d been over five years since her last kiss and more than a decade since she’d been with a man in any other way. “I’m—I’m not sure how good I’ll be.”

He opened his eyes. Caressing a strand of hair away from her face, he tucked it behind her ear. “Don’t say that. If your kissing is any indicator, you’re going to be amazing.”

“I want to go slow,” she whispered, leaning in close to his ear.

“And I want to take my time,” he whispered back. Soft lips stroked her jaw giving “taking his time” a whole new meaning. The gentle kisses, the exploration, the softness...it was all more than she could handle.

Mark pulled back and she let out a soft, needing sound. Music to his libido.

She said, “I’m not sure what to do.”

Unspoken thoughts flashed in her eyes, and he caressed his hand over her pale skin. “Relax.” He tangled his fingers in her long tresses and watched the hair spill around her shoulders. “Do what feels good.” His thumbs explored her jaw as he kissed that perfect place, that hollow place on her neck.

Jennifer moaned and offered more of herself as she arched into his touch.

“Beautiful.” He kissed a trail back up to her lips and asked, “I want to take you to the bedroom—are you okay with that?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?” He expected a hesitant answer, thought she might need a little more time. Thought that maybe he should stop completely.

She said, “I want more.”

For weeks women had thrown themselves at him. All offering to be exactly what he wanted, if only he told them what that was. Jennifer with her saucer-blue eyes and trusting smile gave him more than he could have asked for. Heat surged between his thighs at her request. I want more. He rose, took her hand and led her to the bedroom.

Jennifer felt exposed by his wandering eyes. She wondered if he felt the heat she knew must be radiating from her body. But as he took his place next to her on the bed, as his hand caressed down her arm, she didn’t care. His green eyes darkened as he leaned toward her.

Her heart pounded and threatened to come up through her throat.

Tugging the turtleneck up over her head, she felt self-conscious of her white cotton bra. Goosebumps tickled her arms as cool air danced across her stomach. She wanted to act as if lying half-naked in front of a man wasn’t new to her, but the soft way he ran his hand over her skin assured her he knew the difference. She lay stiff, unsure and, for a moment, very near tears.

His lips found their way to her ear. “Are you okay?”

That question. That he sensed her reluctance made her want him even more. But what does one say about being a thirty-year-old woman with almost no sexual experience? She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m…I...” She could not finish. “My heart is pounding.”

Mark knelt on the bed beside her. He took her hands into his and brought each to his lips. Kissed them. Grazed his lips over her fingers. “All you have to do is say stop.” He looked into her eyes. “At any time, at any point. And I will.”

Her heart leapt beneath her ribs. His gentleness surrounded her in a cocoon of warmth. Shyly she took her hands from his and unlatched the clasp on the front of her bra. The fabric fell away and she had to fight against the urge to re-cover her breasts.

“Make love to me,” she murmured. Her voice sounded weak. She said it again. “Make love to me. I want to feel all of you. Please.”

He smiled at her. “What do you know about sex?”

His statement made her hackles rise. “I thought that’s what we were moving toward.” Then she did cross her arms over her chest.

“No, no,” he said as he ran his hand down her arm. Traced his fingers across her belly. “I mean, have you enjoyed it in the past? What did you like? What would you like me to do?”

Warmth spread through her face, down her chest.

He asked, “What?”

“I don’t know.” Her words faltered. She couldn’t think of anything about it she’d enjoyed in the past. But Mark made her tingle. And his caresses made her ache.

He said, “I can’t just ‘make love’ to you. First I want to kiss you.” He leaned over and kissed her left breast. “Here.” Then the other. “And here.” His lips trailed down her stomach until they landed at her bellybutton. “Everywhere.”