Matching Mr. Right(56)

Forcing herself to stay on track and get to the good stuff, she unbuckled Nick’s belt and threw it aside. Then she lowered his zipper. “And maybe I didn’t like the idea of those women sending you naked pictures.”

“I wouldn’t mind if you sent me some, but keep that up and this party’s going to end in about three seconds. It’s been awhile.” He leaned down and kissed her. “We’re doing this my way. The first time. After that, you can do anything to me your heart desires. Unless it involves that bat of yours.”

Before she could protest, he scooped her up and carried her to the bed.

Nick had them both stripped naked, with her under him, in less than thirty seconds. “I’m going to start with your toes and work my way up.”

Hot panic rushed through her at the thought of Nick’s mouth on her legs. It was one thing to get naked with him, but entirely another for him to actually focus on her damaged skin. Why couldn’t he be like the other guys she’d slept with who just sort of ignored her legs?

“I . . . won’t . . . be able to feel much. Why don’t you start at the top?”

“Nope.” He kissed her deeply before he whispered, “Relax and enjoy.”

Relax? That was the last thing she’d be able to do. When he slid to the bottom of the bed she squeezed her eyes shut. She didn’t want to see the look on his face when he got the up close and personal view of her skin. Why hadn’t she thought to kill the lights? Probably because she wanted to see him as much as he apparently wanted to see her. He’d change his mind about that soon enough.

When he’d seen her legs before, he’d said he wasn’t repulsed by them, but what if he was just being nice? Maybe sleeping with Nick had been a big mistake.

As he lifted her foot to his mouth, she fisted her hands in the sheets and prayed it’d be over quickly so they could just get to the good part.

Odd little licks of thrill running up her spine forced her eyes open in surprise. Nick sent her a knowing grin and then went back to work.

No one had ever kissed her toes before, she had no idea. Closing her eyes again, she drew a deep breath, released her death grip on the sheets, and tried to focus on the slight, sensual sparks that came and went. Who knew toe-kissing could be so sexy?

Then his hands and mouth moved higher, up to her calves, slowly caressing them with his long fingers and soft lips. When his tongue found the back of her knee, a zap of heat shot through her so hard and fast she jerked in surprise.

If Nick could do this to her by just touching her mostly numb legs, what was it going to be like when he got to the top of them? She couldn’t wait to find out.

But the warm buzz waned a bit as her worries crept back again about what he must be thinking about her marred skin. She pried her eyes open and blinked in surprise at the lust in Nick’s gaze as he softly kissed her knee.

He seemed to be enjoying this as much as she was.

Maybe her legs weren’t as bad to look at as she’d always thought.

She closed her eyes again, determined to enjoy the ride.

He finally moved high enough that she felt his warm breath heat her inner thighs. Just a little higher and he’d be able to focus on the undamaged parts of her and they’d be all good. Maybe then she could draw a deep breath again.

With each inch he advanced, she could feel more and more of his soft caresses. A warm wave of pleasure built deep inside, spreading gently throughout her whole body. Nick moved so slow it drove her insane, but if he stopped she’d kill him.

And then as if reading her mind, he stopped. “Look at me, Shelby.”

Really? Now?

She cracked one eye open. “What?”

“Both eyes. I want to tell you something.”

She huffed out a breath and opened the other eye. Why did she ever agree to let him be in charge? “You’re killing me here, Nick.”

He slid up her body and lifted her face between his rough palms. Then he kissed her lips so gently it just wasn’t fair. Her annoyance with him instantly disappeared.

After he’d made her mind go all mushy, he leaned back and beamed that sexy you-know-you-want-me grin of his. And she did. More than she’d ever wanted anyone else before. Or probably would ever again, so he needed to hurry up with whatever he wanted to say and get back to it.

“You’re an incredibly beautiful woman, Shelby.”

“This is a one-night stand, remember? You don’t have to say stuff like that. I know I’m not—”

“Stop.” He growled before he dipped his head down and then used those capable lips on her neck, then her shoulders, then back to her mouth again.

She stared into his eyes, so filled with emotion she’d be a fool to argue they spoke anything other than the truth, and her heart soared. Nick was the only man who had ever made her feel pretty despite her ugly legs.