As the implication of what she felt sank in, she blushed hot crimson.
He laughed again and then his mouth lowered over hers. This time, it was he that demanded entry to her mouth with his tongue. The kiss was incendiary, burning her sense of reality to ashes around her.
All she could do was feel. Every touch was new for her, every caress a step into an unknown but amazing world. One where passion ruled and desire was a tangible presence surrounding her.
He traced the curves of her face and neck with barely there fingertips. But when he reached her breast, his touch changed, growing more insistent and he cupped her soft curves possessively through the thin fabric of her worn flannel shirt. It was so intimate, she shuddered from the impact while he growled his approval of her braless state.
He began to knead her with a knowing finesse that made her ache in her most private place.
She needed to touch him, too, wanted to feel his skin with no barriers between them. She yanked his T-shirt out of his jeans so she could get her hands under it and his sweater. His skin was hotter than she expected, emanating warmth that made her fingertips burn deliciously.
And the hair on his chest was silky smooth. She touched everywhere she could reach, exploring his tight body with hungry innocence. When she found the nubs of his hard nipples, she stopped and circled them with her thumbs, then brushed over them, primal delight shimmering through her at his passionate response.
She was only vaguely aware of him unbuttoning the front of her shirt and peeling it back.
She noticed when his hand touched her bare skin though. Her whole awareness was consumed with the feel of his hands on her bare flesh, as her nipples hardened almost painfully and small goose bumps broke out on her flesh.
He kissed along her jaw and down her neck. “You’re so soft, Maggie, so delicious.”
Her only response was another soulful whimper as his mouth found her breast and then a scream as he began to suckle the nipple. Her hands fell to her sides, thudding against the carpet. She twisted her head back and forth as a mewling sound came from her throat that she could barely recognize as herself.
Then speech burst forth from her, words she did not plan on uttering tumbling from her lips in a breathless cascade. “Oh, wow! I knew it would be wonderful, but this beats anything. I feel so much, like my whole body is buzzing from a beesting.”
He laughed, pulling his mouth from her nipple. “I will gladly sting your petals and drink your nectar with my tongue.”
The erotic words shivered through her and she moaned.
He smiled darkly and went back to sucking her tenderized flesh. She tried to arch off the floor, but his body held her down.
“Tom…that’s so good, oh, it feels so good…” The word drew out long and low on a moan she didn’t even try to stifle.
She wasn’t sure how it happened, but he lost his T-shirt and sweater and then she felt his bare skin against hers. It was amazing and things were happening inside her she’d never experienced before…a feeling of spiraling tension she didn’t know how to handle. It just grew tighter and tighter and then he unzipped her jeans and slipped his hand inside.
His fingertips trespassed the top of her panties, touching her mons and then slipping between her swollen lips to caress her sweetest spot. Something happened inside her. It was like a rocket exploding and she screamed as her body bowed with unbearable pleasure.
“That’s right, bella. Let me feel your pleasure.”
She stared at him, her body convulsing as his fingers continued their ministrations. Who was Bella? Her thoughts splintered as one fingertip barely slipped inside her and he pressed the heel of his hand against her clitoris, prolonging the bliss.
He pushed further inside and she felt a stab of pain at the same time as he said, “Maggie!” his voice laced with stunned disbelief.
“You are a virgin?” he demanded as he withdrew his hand from her body, but his hand remained in possession of her most private flesh.
“Yes.”
Something strange flashed in his eyes and he started whispering in a language she didn’t understand and pressing kisses all over her face and throat. Overwhelmed by sensation, she didn’t realize what was happening until he started pulling her jeans off.
“Tom?”
“What, bella?”
His use of the other woman’s name again brought her back to herself with a jarring thump. Of course he was thinking she was another woman. He wouldn’t want her otherwise, but she couldn’t give him her virginity on such a pretext. Could she?
“What are you doing?” she asked stupidly.
He laughed, the sound husky and strained. “Making love to you.”
But it wasn’t love. It was sex and she didn’t know if she could go through with it. “I’m a virgin.”
“I know.”
“I mean I’m not on the Pill, or anything.”
He had her jeans down to her knees and he tugged them to her ankles. “I have condoms.”
“But…” She put her hand down to shield herself even though she was still wearing panties. “Please, Tom. Wait.”
He stopped and looked at her, his expression frightening in its intensity. “You do not want to go all the way?”
“You called me Bella.”
Uncomfortable chagrin flashed in the depths of his cobalt blue eyes, confirming her fears she was a substitute for another woman. “Well…yes. You need me to explain?”
“No!” The very thought of hearing about some other woman he had loved while she lay practically naked below him was repugnant. “Absolutely not.”
Now he looked confused. “Then what is the problem?”
Was he really that dense? “I don’t want to make love with you while you’re thinking of one of your girlfriends.”
“I would never do such a thing,” he said, his whole body going stiff with affront.
She wished with all her might she could believe him, but what had he just been doing if not that very thing?
Driven by fear of playing substitute and what making love would ultimately entail physically, she said with pure honesty, “I’m not ready.”
“I think you are.”
“You said you’d fire me if I ever tried to seduce you. What would happen if we had sex right now?” she asked.
His expression turned grim, disappointment flashing in his blue eyes. “It would no doubt ruin a good friendship,” he said cynically.
Despite her protests, that was not what she had wanted to hear. Pain lanced through her. “I guess you’re right. It would be stupid to make love, then. I can’t afford to lose my job over a single night of lust.”
She hated saying the words, no matter how true they were.
He jerked back from her, an impenetrable emotionless mantle settling over him. “I will not push you into doing something you believe would be damaging to you,” he said stiffly.
“I know that.”
He did not reply, but moved to sit on the sofa. She could not see his expression because his head was down and his big body shuddered with several heavy breaths.
Without the passion to lose herself in, she became embarrassed and quickly redressed. She stood up, awkward and unsure what to say.
After a few seconds, even his breathing was under control. When he looked at her, there was nothing in his gaze to tell her what he might be thinking. He simply sat there in