The Billionaire's Beautiful Mistake(29)

That’s when the scents hit him and he almost groaned as he realized how hungry he was. He’d been working since before dawn this morning, trying not to acknowledge his need for this woman. But in the end, he’d called her, needing to hear her voice, to make sure she was okay after last night. He’d felt guilty after taking her virginity and then walking out in the morning before she’d woken up.

Taking her hands in his, he stopped her from moving around the kitchen. “Are you okay?” he asked, wanting to know if he’d hurt her last night. Needing to hear that she wasn’t still tender. He never should have left her this morning. He should have woken her carefully with gentle kisses, and asked her before he’d left.

Violet loved the concern reflected in his dark eyes. “I’m fine. Happy now that you’re here.”

“No, Violet,” he said, squeezing her hands slightly. “I didn’t hurt you last night, did I?” He shook his head. “Wait, that’s a stupid question. I know that I hurt you, but it wasn’t too bad? If you’d told me…” he started to say but then stopped himself. George had indicated that she’d been a virgin, but that conversation hadn’t made any sense. How could Violet be a high priced call girl, and still be a virgin? Nothing made sense after last night. Besides, her shyness, her blushes couldn’t be faked. No one was that good of an actress. And her wonder at each touch, each caress, and new way of making love had been genuine. He hadn’t been that clueless last night.

“I’m fine,” she told him, even as her face blushed once again. “It was one of the most amazing nights of my life,” she said, as she stared down at their hands.

He cleared his throat. “I might be more convinced if you looked at me when you made that claim.”

Violet laughed, feeling self-conscious, but still warm and wonderful. Looking up at him, she wasn’t aware of her feelings for him shining through in her eyes. “I loved last night,” she told him, with sincerity in her voice. “I loved everything about it. You didn’t hurt me. It was the sweetest way to learn about making love any woman could hope for,” she told him.

His grin made her stomach tighten with anticipation. “You loved it, eh?” he asked, pulling her closer as his arms wrapped around her waist.

“Very much,” she purred, her hands sliding up his chest and loving the way his muscles flexed under her touch.

“I’m not sure I like being called sweet, though,” and he bent to nibble at her earlobe, causing Violet to jerk in surprise.

She laughed even as his mouth moved lower. “I like sweet,” she replied, with a shiver.

“I don’t think you understand how damaging those words can be to my reputation,” he explained, his hands slipping underneath her sweater. “Are you wearing something sexy for me?” he asked, his hands skimming along the soft skin of her back.

She leaned her forehead against his broad, muscular chest as she tried to hold onto him, to remain standing. His touch was devastating to her use of muscles. “I don’t have sexy underwear,” she admitted, then inhaled sharply when his fingers slid against her sides. “I think that tickles.”

He chuckled, deep and sexy. “You think? And how can you not have anything sexy?” he asked, another aspect of her call-girl status that didn’t make sense. But then her fingers tightened on his shoulders and she pressed herself against him. He was lost as she shifted her softness against him, and the light, teasing touches weren’t enough any longer.

“Can dinner wait?” he asked urgently as he bent to nibble along her neck. Damn he loved those sounds she made when he touched her!

“Dinner?”

He smiled slightly but the smile vanished when she moved her hands down his chest, stopping on his stomach. He waited, hoping that she might move her soft, delicate hands lower, but her fingers curled into fists and stopped at his stomach.

“I’m taking that as a yes,” he growled, and lifted her up into his arms. Carrying her into her bedroom, he didn’t stop until he was right next to her bed, lowering her feet to the floor as he kissed her.

When he lifted her sweater over her head and tossed it onto the chair in the corner, she almost laughed with the joy that flooded her. But then his hands reached around to her back, about to release the clasp on her bra, and she stopped him, her eyes pleading for him to understand.

“Would you mind if we…if I…,” she licked her lips, and stared at his chest, her fingers moving over the buttons. “Last night, you touched me in so many wonderful ways. But tonight, I was hoping…” she hesitated, and then just blurted it out. “If you take my bra off, then I’ll be too self-conscious to touch you. And I’d really like to explore…you,” she trailed off.