“There are some things you need to understand before we go any further.” He stood at the end of her bed, a large and unapproachable male.

  Feeling slightly uncomfortable about lying there totally naked while he was still fully dressed, she started to pull a sheet over herself. “No.” She stilled at his command and looked uncertainly at him. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for her to comply. Slowly, she dropped the cover from her hands. Now she was more than a little nervous.

  “I want you lying there naked, waiting just for me.” Nathan prowled around the room as he spoke. “If we’re going to have any kind of a relationship, then you have to accept that I’m in charge in the bedroom.”

  Carly was slightly appalled by his blunt statement even as she found herself being aroused by it. Images of her being at Nathan’s every sexual whim filled her head and her breathing quickened. As if sensing her chaotic emotions, Nathan continued to explain.

  “I respect you as a woman and an equal in life, Carly, but in here—” he swung his arm around to encompass the entire room, “— I’m in charge. You have to trust that I’ll never do anything I know would hurt you or demean you. This is about pleasure, both mine and yours.” His slow smile was filled with sexual promise. “I’ll be good to you,” he teased.

  She was definitely intrigued by his proposition. She’d never pictured herself deferring to a man sexually. It sent a shiver down her spine, imagining what he would ask of her, what he would do to her. Even just lying here naked in front of him because he’d told her to was a huge turn-on. Her nipples were tight and she could feel the dampness between her legs.

  Carly trusted Nathan implicitly, and knew that he would never ever hurt her. She wanted to please him, and if she was honest with herself, his very words had conjured images in her head that made her hot and achy. She’d always wondered what it would be like to be dominated sexually by a man, captive to his every whim, and Nathan was the only man she could ever trust enough to allow it to happen.

  As if sensing her very thoughts, he walked to the side of the bed and looked down at her. “Spread your legs.”

  She hesitated for a moment before spreading them slightly.

  “Wider.”

  He stood patiently beside her. Waiting. She sensed he was testing her resolve, so she opened her legs wider.

  “That’s a good girl,” he praised her even as his fingers dipped between her legs and stroked her clit. Her legs started to tighten around his hand, but he withdrew it quickly. She moaned in protest.

  “You’ve got to decide what you want. I know you’re frightened, but you’re also aroused and intrigued. I’ve stayed away from you for years because I didn’t think you could handle my sexual demands, but you offered yourself to me and I’m not fool enough to turn you down.” Nathan’s face was grim as he watched her. “I love you, Carly, but if you can’t accept me for who I am, then I’d rather walk out the door now than have you regret things later.”

  Her mind was reeling with his words. He loved her. The words rolled over and over in her mind. It was what she’d always wanted. Deep down, his intense sexuality frightened her a little, but she’d trust him with her life. She knew she’d loved him for years and had never been able to even look at another man. Faced with accepting him or losing him, there really was no decision to make.

  “I love you too.” Her voice was soft, but strong as she made her declaration. She could tell that he understood exactly what she was telling him by the sudden look of relief in his eyes, quickly followed by a flaring of passion.

  Nathan walked to her dresser and began opening the drawers and rummaging around. He stopped when he got to the third one and took out two items. Curious, she tried to see what he had in his hands. Turning, he sauntered back towards the bed. A pair of black silk stockings hung from his large hands.

  “I like your taste in lingerie, but I’ll buy you some even better stuff that you can wear for me. Next time, I’ll be better prepared, but this will do for now.” Nathan sat on the side of the bed, leaned down and placed a soft, gentle kiss on her lips.

  “Raise your arms and spread them wide.” Carly inhaled a deep breath, told herself to be brave, and raised her arms over her head. Slowly she spread them wide, having a good idea what was coming.

  Nathan kissed her again before wrapping one of the stockings around her right wrist and then anchoring it to the post of the bed. When he was finished, he walked slowly around the bed and did the same with the other. She never took her eyes off of him, but he was fully absorbed in his task. It was only when he was finished, and both her hands were securely tied to the bedposts, that he looked at her. “Does that feel okay?”

  “I can’t move them.” Her voice sounded shaky and frightened to her own ears.

  “I know you can’t move them. That’s not what I asked you.” He stood silently, waiting for her to answer his question.

  “It feels fine, I guess.”

  “Good. Don’t pull on them and you’ll be fine.” He stood at the bottom of the bed and studied her for a moment. Her large breasts were thrust upwards, her nipples hard. She moved her legs restlessly on the bed under his intense scrutiny. He smiled as if pleased.

  He reached behind his head and grabbed his cotton shirt with both hands before pulling it off over his head and dropping it to the floor. He yanked off his boots and tossed them aside before unbuttoning his jeans and pushing both them and his underwear to the floor at the same time. She drank in the sight of his large, hard body and her fingers itched to touch his skin and explore every inch of him.

  Climbing up the end of the bed, he settled himself between her spread legs. “You are so damned gorgeous, you take my breath away.” Totally enthralled, he used his hands to spread her legs even wider before bending over and licking the soft folds of her aroused flesh. “Mmm, you taste amazing.”

  Carly could feel the heat in her face at his words. No man had ever spoken to her in this way before. Nathan was very blunt and unabashedly sexual. “Thank you,” she managed to squeak, not quite knowing what else to say.

  Nathan laughed and crawled up over her until they were face-to-face. “You’re welcome, but it’s only the truth.” He cradled her head in his massive hands, his eyes intense. “I’m the one who should be thanking you. You’ve given me my heart’s desire.”

  Nathan’s lips covered hers, sliding back and forth over them until she parted them, silently asking for more. His tongue eased inside, slowly tasting and teasing hers until they were both gasping for breath. “We’ll keep it simple this time. I just can’t wait.”

  His stark words thrilled her. She could feel his erection pressing against her stomach, and knew his desire for her was great. As he kissed his way down her neck, she could feel a trail of dampness being left on her skin as traces of his arousal seeped from the tip of his cock. Even though she couldn’t move her arms, she felt powerful. As strong as he was, he couldn’t hide the effect she had on him. It evened things out for her and she found it easier to give herself over to his particular style of lovemaking.

  Nathan cupped her breasts in his hands and kneaded them slowly. The contrast of his dark fingers on her pale skin excited her. “Please,” she gasped, and he bent his head and swirled his tongue over her aching nipples. First one and then the other received his undivided attention.

  In spite of her resolve, she tugged at the silken bonds, wanting to stroke his body. “Let me touch you,” she pleaded. Every time he licked her nipples, she felt an answering pulse between her legs. Her moist, hot slit longed to be filled by his cock.

  “Later,” he promised. His fingers skimmed down her stomach and straight between her legs where he slid two of them straight inside her. “I love that your pussy is hot and wet for me.” Moving his fingers in and out of her, he continued to praise her.

  “Your pink nipples are all tight and aching for my touch.” He flicked out his tongue and rasped at one of her sensitive nipples. She writhed on the bed, moving her hips to drive his fingers deeper inside her.

  “Come for me.” His thumb pressed hard on her swollen clit even as his fingers continued to move in and out of her throbbing body. “Come for me.” His voice was strained, and she shivered as he blew lightly on her damp breasts.

  She could feel her orgasm building deep inside her and gave herself over into his keeping. Focusing on the sensations racking her entire body, she felt herself peak. Crying out, she came against his fingers. With his body wedged between her legs, she couldn’t close them and Nathan kept moving his fingers until she collapsed back against the sheets, shivering and moaning.

  Nathan quickly moved between her sprawling legs, sat back on his knees, lifted her hips, and plunged deep inside her. Unbelievably, she came again, convulsing around him. Her inner muscles clamped down hard on his cock, and he groaned, gripping his arm tight around her waist before pulling back and then thrusting long and deep inside her.

  Carly was unable to take her eyes off his face as he continued to drive himself hard within her pussy. His eyes were closed and his concentration complete. She moaned again and managed to wrap her legs around his waist, drawing him even deeper inside her. Shuddering, he came. She could feel the power of his orgasm as he emptied himself inside her. When he was finally finished, he rested his head between her breasts.

  Exhausted, her legs dropped back to the bed. Now that they were both spent, she noticed that her arms were feeling a little sore, but before she could summon the energy to ask him to untie her, he stirred. Heaving himself up, he untied both of her hands, lowering her arms carefully, and massaging her shoulders. Sighing, she allowed her arms to flop to the mattress beside her.

  “It gets easier with practice,” he promised her. His face was filled with emotion as he gathered her in his arms and pillowed her against his chest. “That was the most amazing experience of my life.”

  Carly rested one of her hands on his chest, enjoying the feel of his muscles beneath her palm. “Me, too.”

  “I didn’t use protection,” he pointed out.

  “I’m on the pill,” she told him, thinking to put his mind at ease. Instead, he heaved a huge sigh.

  “You’d look gorgeous carrying my child, but I guess we can worry about that after we’ve been married a while. I’ll admit, I’d like a few years of having you too myself.” Nathan toyed with her hair as he spoke.

  Carly was stunned by the ease with which he spoke about their future. “You’re assuming a lot, aren’t you.” She knew that she loved him, but she was slightly perturbed by his easy assumption that she’d fall in line with his plans.

  “No, I’m not.” His voice was drowsy and filled with contentment. “You would never have allowed me to do what we just did if you didn’t love me.”

  “So?”

  “So, now that I’ve got you, I’m not letting you go.” He dropped a kiss on the side of her forehead. “We’re not kids playing games, Carly. There’s a promise between us now, and if you’re truthful with yourself, you know that it’s been there for years.”

  “I know,” she conceded. “But, I don’t want you to get the idea that you’re always in charge.”

  “The only thing I want to be in charge of is your sexual pleasure.” His wicked words made her shiver and the devil knew he’d aroused her again if his laughter was any indication. Her head shook as his chest rumbled with laughter. She didn’t know if she should be peeved with him or amused. She chose to be amused.

  “Hey, just to prove what an easy guy I am to get along with, I’ll let you pick the wedding date.”

  Carly sat up in bed and swiped her hair out of her face. “Are you proposing to me?”

  Nathan sat up next to her and took her cold hands in his. “Yes I am. Carly, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  Tears filled her eyes and began to roll down her cheeks. Sighing, he released one of her hands and swiped the tears with his fingers. “Please tell me they’re tears of joy.”

  “Yes,” she said suddenly.

  He froze at her words and searched her face. “Yes?”

  “Yes,” she nodded emphatically.

  Nathan clutched her tight in his arms and held her against the frantic beat of his heart. Tilting her head back, he whispered one short phrase before proceeding to kiss her senseless. The sound of his simple, heartfelt “thank you” echoed in her ears as the passion overtook her once more.

  Chapter Eleven

  The feeling of something heavy lying across her chest awakened Erin the next morning. She lay there in bed, savoring the feeling of Abel’s strong arm wrapped around her as if, even in sleep, he was unwilling to release her. Erin wished that he would never let her go, and that he would want to stay home with her for good. But that was just wishful thinking. As a crime writer, Abel always traveled extensively. It was necessary for his work that he investigated the crimes where they happened and talked to all the people involved. That meant living for months at a time in various parts of the country.

  She shifted cautiously in the bed, testing to see if her skin was still sore. Peeking down at herself, she noted that her breasts were still slightly pink, but overall they looked better than she’d anticipated. She was just thankful that it hadn’t been worse. The sight of Abel’s strong, tanned arm rested against the softness of her pink belly made her feel soft and womanly. He was the only man who’d ever made her feel this way.

  Turning, Erin buried her face in his chest, rubbing her nose against the fine covering of hair there. She fit comfortably in the curve of his body and felt more at home in his arms than she’d ever felt in her life. They suited each other well and not just physically. He was easy to be with, and she never felt like she had to be anything other than her real self. Abel seemed to like her for who she was, and that was the most precious gift anyone had ever given her.

  As she lay there, she felt his heavy cock twitch against her thigh. Smiling, she waited to see how long it would take him to fully awaken. Even though they’d made love after they’d gone to bed, she expected that Abel would wake up with a hard-on. She could feel his arousal lengthening and thickening, and she pushed her hip against it. Her own body answered his and she could feel the moisture between her legs as her own arousal grew. She stretched sinuously against him, enjoying the heavy feeling in her breasts and the ache between her legs. It was amazing how quickly her body responded to his.

  A low rumble escaped him as his hand slid up her belly to cup her breast. “How do you feel this morning?”

  Arching into his hand, she all but purred. “I feel wonderful this morning.”

  Fondling her gently, he tweaked her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. “You certainly do.”

  Erin laughed, feeling happy. She’d never spent the night with a man before, and found it extremely intimate to sleep wrapped around this one and wake up in his arms. It would be very easy to become addicted to his touch and his presence.

  Turning onto her side, she faced him and slung her leg over his hip. His hand drifted down to her behind where he squeezed gently. “Are you too sore?”

  Erin knew that if she said yes, he wouldn’t make love to her, but there was no way she was going to let him get away with that. “Not if we do it a certain way.”

  His eyes were filled with a combination of lust and indulgence when he looked at her. “What do you have in mind?” His hand continued to lazily trace circles on her butt and she gasped when he trailed his fingers in the dark cleft between her ass cheeks. His index finger traced the outline of her anus before going lower and slipping into her vagina.

  Erin gasped as a second finger joined the first inside her and he began to move them in and out in a lazy rhythm. “I want to fuck you until neither one of us can think straight, but I don’t think you’re up to that yet.” He continued to stroke the inside of her body. “But I think we’ll have to take it slow this morning. You should be feeling much better later today or tomorrow.”

  Biting her lip was the only way Erin could keep from begging him to fuck her now. She wanted him hard and hot inside her. “Scissors,” she blurted.

  He froze, his fingers deep inside her. “What?”

  Erin would have laughed at his dumbfounded expression except she was much too aroused. Her body was on fire for his and she was tired of waiting. “I don’t want scissors. It’s a position from the magazine, remember?”

  Relief spread across his face and she felt his body relax once again. “I guess I conveniently forgot that one. For a second there, you had me worried.” Leaning down, he kissed her on the forehead. “You have got to show me the article in that damned magazine. Now, what do I do?”

  Doing her best to picture the position, she realized that they were perfectly aligned already. Hoisting her leg higher onto his hip, she wrapped her arm around his shoulder to give her some support. “You slide inside me and use your hands on my butt for leverage.”

  Abel shifted, spreading the folds of her labia wide as he squeezed his cock into her. Her slick vagina welcomed him, and her muscles clasped greedily around him. She clung to his shoulders as he got a firm grip on her behind. Keeping her bottom leg braced against his, she rotated her hips in little circular motions, moaning as his cock seemed to swell even larger inside her.