Power and Possession(92)

He was gentle, thorough, really thorough, so much so that she was seriously panting by the time he was rinsing off the last of the soap.

Setting the shower hose aside, he ran his fingers lightly over the waves of her hair. “Your hair was wet like this when I first saw you. I’ll never forget it. You took my breath away.”

“Even with your dick in Silvia Fermetti?” She couldn’t resist; it was one of those gloating moments of female mojo.

“It wasn’t quite in her yet,” he said, like fractions of inches mattered. “And once I saw you—well, we know how that turned out.”

She gave him a little wink. “I won Hokusai’s Great Wave.”

“Along with the rest of me.” He stared at her for a second, then nodded as though coming to terms with the notion. “I’ve never said that before, never wanted to, never even thought about it.”

She smiled. “I do like all of you—really a lot.” Her voice went soft. “A whole lot.”

“Ditto here. We’re having a moment aren’t we?”

“Sorta. Don’t panic.”

“I’m not. It feels good.”

A small silence fell, only the dozen showerheads steaming up the room were backdrop to the quiet wonder of the moment.

Programmed to avoid emotion, Rafe spoke first. “Speaking of feeling good, I made a promise to you.”

Understanding his sudden shift in mood, aware as well that neither of them were going to be setting a wedding date after knowing each other for a day, she politely said, “Yes, you did.” She grinned. “Now deliver, Contini, or I’ll make your life a living hell.”

He laughed. “Too late. But it’s the nicest hell I’ve ever been in.” And with a wink, he took her by the waist, said, “See if he fits,” and raised her enough so she could guide his erection into her warm body.

As she sank down his hard, rigid length, she wrapped her arms around his neck, shut her eyes, and sighed with such utter contentment, her smile mirrored only a very small fraction of her pleasure.

His low, throaty grunt as she came to rest, fully impaled, on his thighs was a sound of such intense satisfaction that he felt the echo resonate in his brain like a song loaded with bass.

Neither moved, breath held, filled with hope and fear and something beautiful.

Then his dick twitched, a reflex or a calculated transition, and they both took a breath.

“Amazing,” she whispered, less afraid. “Like tasting a dream.”

“Yeah,” he said, learning to accept a world beyond lust, lowering his mouth to her lips. Tasting her.

And he made love to her then; made love to a woman for the first time in his life. She was more than a fleeting dream, something real and wonderful. And she deserved more than the heat and technique, the naked, dangerous lust—he smiled to himself as the word romance slid into the picture, but that’s what she deserved. It was a little complicated at first; he had to slow down and think about what he was doing. No automatic moves, no do-it-by-the-numbers, but something better.

Although the first time wasn’t precisely slow because she’d waited too long.

Rafe took Nicole to climax in a blazing rush, her orgasm so intense, whirling hot, and raw that she was sobbing at the end. “It’s all right, tiger,” he whispered, holding her close. “That first one after that long hits you hard. The next one’s a piece of cake.”

She slowly tipped her tear-stained face up and smiled, half shy, like she was still feeling the fizz. “It was good.”

“I could tell.”

She said, “You didn’t come.”

“You first.” Not joking, not teasing, like he’d had time to think about it and was making a life change.

“Thank you.” She smiled a little and wiggled on his primed, ready-to-rock erection. “You gonna be okay?”

He grinned. “I’m fine. Just waiting on you. It’s your party.”

He didn’t mind acting the gentleman; he wanted to please her as if he were being graded. And he screwed the hell out of her in the nicest possible, five-star, straight-A, planning-every-move-for-her-pleasure way. Not just twice. But until she finally held up her hand, said, “Hang on a second. Let me think. Nope, I’m done. Don’t wake me up when you come,” and collapsed on his chest.

It probably wouldn’t have traumatized her if he’d taken his turn, but she was played out. He’d live if he didn’t climax.

Turning off the showers, he wiped them both dry and carried her to bed.





Chapter 22


Resting against the headboard, Rafe cradled Nicole in his lap while she half dozed. She gave him such pleasure, he felt as though he were high. Crazy. He wondered if other people ever felt this good. It was extraordinary.