But his mouth landed on hers, his hand at her neck, holding her close, and she forgot all about being careful with anyone or anything. His desire devoured her own, and when the kiss deepened, Maylee's knees got weak. She'd never been quite so affected by a kiss as she had by his. Her hands clawed at his clothing, and she felt a sudden desperate need to feel his skin against hers. "Clothes off," she panted.
"You first," he told her. "You said you wanted my tongue all over your body and I aim to comply. Now, get na**d for me."
A shiver moved over her and she nodded, pulling at her T-shirt. So much for staying in control. He'd quickly taken over again and she'd willingly given up control to him. With a quick movement, she tugged her shirt over her head, and then undid her jeans, slipping out of them and kicking them aside. Then she stood before him in nothing but an old bra and panties that had both seen better days.
She grimaced, imagining how it must look to his eyes. "I left all the clothes you bought for me back at the hotel. All I have is this old stuff-"
"You're beautiful," he told her softly, and kissed her mouth with infinite tenderness. "Even if you wore rags, you would be the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. Before you, I never found camouflage erotic, and now I get a cockstand at the sight."
Tears pricked her eyes and she gave him a soft smile. "You're just saying that to get into my pants."
"I'm in your pants," he told her. "But I mean what I say. I love you, Maylee Meriweather, and to me, you are the most wondrous creature I have ever seen."
She gave a small sigh of pleasure at hearing him say that. This was the man she'd fallen for. She was terrified to think about what might happen. What if they were just words? What if a man with an upbringing like Griffin's didn't know how to love? She worried it was all another misunderstanding, but kept those thoughts to herself. To distract him from her silence, she removed her bra and panties.
"Utterly beautiful," Griffin said reverently, stroking his fingers up her tanned arm. "Like my own personal Venus." Those fingertips moved across her shoulder and collarbone, lightly tracing her skin. "I am the luckiest man alive."
Her hands fluttered as she put them on his formal coat, her desire making her pulse and ache between her legs. "Are you going to get na**d with me?"
"Eventually," he said, and his hand trailed between her br**sts. "First, I want to get my fill of looking at you."
So she stood in front of him, trembling, as he let his fingertips explore over her body. They glided and grazed over her br**sts, circling the tips. They moved down the gentle curve of her belly, traced along the lines of her hipbones. They moved between her legs and lightly grazed over the damp curls of her arousal, and she sucked in a breath, hoping for those fingers to push between her legs and open her for him.
But instead, he knelt before her and tenderly kissed the skin just above her mound. "So beautiful."
She was practically vibrating with desire. "Griff," she murmured, voice husky. "If you don't throw me down on this bed and make love to me, so help me-"
He ignored her and pressed his face inward, lightly nuzzling at the curls of her sex with his mouth, and she felt the tip of his tongue graze her clit.
A high-pitched gasp escaped her throat, and her knees buckled slightly. Only his hands on her h*ps kept her upright. "Oh."
"Lay down, darling," he said. "I want to put my mouth on you."
She did, finding the edge of the bed and sitting on it with trembling legs. Then, as she laid back, she watched as Griffin slowly, methodically undid the buttons on his thick ceremonial coat and then tossed it to the floor, revealing an undershirt tucked into his slacks and those muscular arms. Maylee gave a sigh of pleasure at the sight of that, marveling again at the ugly tattoo on his bicep that seemed so out of character for him.
"My beautiful, darling Maylee," he murmured, leaning down over her on the bed. He crawled over her, and while she lay flat on the bed under him, he gently kissed her brow, then her cheekbones, and continued on across her face, paying homage to every feature. He nipped at her chin in a way that made her ni**les tighten even more, and she shifted, almost panting with desire. Strange how these sweet, thoughtful kisses were more erotic than anything she'd ever experienced in her life.
He kissed his way across her shoulders and on to her br**sts, gently taking the tip of each one into his mouth and lightly sucking and teasing at the tip until she was biting back her moans of pleasure. Her hands raked through his hair over and over again, and her back raised off the bed each time his mouth clasped over a nipple. It felt so good; she wanted more, and she ached deep inside for him.