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Not so with Devon. She’d known from the moment he introduced himself to her in that husky, sexy-as-hell voice that she was a goner. She’d spent the last weeks breathless in anticipation of this night. Now that it was here, her entire body ached for him to take her.
He pulled away for a moment and she stared at him with glazed eyes. He touched her cheek, tracing a path down her face with his fingertip. Then he kissed her again. And again.
Hot. Breathless. His tongue slid between her lips and feathered over her own. Warm and decadent, his taste seeped over her tongue and she drank him in hungrily, wanting more.
His harsh groan exploded into her mouth and the rush of his exhalation blew over her face. “You make me crazy.”
She smiled, some of her nervousness abating. That she had this effect on this gorgeous, perfect man infused her with a sudden rush of feminine confidence.
He fastened his mouth to her jaw and kissed a line down to her neck. He pressed his lips just over her pulse point and then lightly grazed his teeth over the sensitive flesh.
Shivers of delight danced over her shoulders. His hands glided up her arms and then gripped her just above the elbows. He held her in place as his mouth continued its downward trek. Over the curve of her shoulder and then down the front.
He went to his knees in front of her so that his mouth was barely an inch from her nipple. She sucked in her breath, afraid to move, wanting so badly for him to touch her there. His mouth, lips, tongue … She didn’t care. She just knew she’d die if he didn’t touch her.
He lowered his head and kissed her belly instead. Just above her navel. She sucked in her breath, causing her stomach to cave in. He moved up an inch and kissed her again, tracing a path between her breasts until finally he pressed a kiss directly over where her heart beat.
A slow smile turned his lips upward, the movement light against her skin.
“Your heart’s racing,” he murmured.
She remained silent. It didn’t require acknowledgement from her—her heart was beyond racing. It was damn near about to explode out of her chest.
But her hands wouldn’t remain still. Drawn to the light brown wash of his hair, she threaded her fingers through the short strands. In a certain light, she could see the shades of his eyes. Amber. Golden. That warm, liquid brown.
Her fingers moved easily through his hair. No styling products stiffened the strands. A little mussed. Never quite the same from day to day. He paid as little attention to his hair as he did to the other things he deemed inconsequential.
He glanced up, her fingers still thrust into his hair. “Are you afraid?”
“Terrified,” she admitted.
His gaze softened and he wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her into his embrace. The shock of her naked body against his still fully clothed one sent shivers up her spine.
“I’d feel less afraid if you were naked, though.”
He blinked in surprise and then he threw back his head and laughed. “You little tease.” He pushed upward to his feet until he towered over her. “I’m happy to accommodate you. More than happy to accommodate you.”
She licked over suddenly dry lips as he pulled away and began unbuttoning his shirt. He tugged the ends from his slacks and unfastened his cuffs before shrugging out of the sleeves.
She swayed precariously because oh, Lord, was the man mouthwateringly gorgeous. He was lean in an “I work out” way but he wasn’t so muscled that he looked like he got carried away with the fitness regimen. He was hard in all the right places without being a neckless, snarling, swollen, knuckles-dragging-the-ground caveman type.
A smattering of light brown hair collected in a whorl in the center of his chest and then tapered to a fine line that drifted down his abdomen and disappeared into the waist of his pants.
She wanted to touch him. Had to touch him. She curled her fingers until they dug into her palms and then she frowned. There weren’t rules to seduction, right? She could touch. No reason for her to stand here like a statue or an automaton while he did all the work. While taking things slow did have its good points, there was simply too much she wanted to experience to stand idly by while seduction happened. She wanted to take an active part.
He’d only began to undo his pants, when she slid her hands over his chest and up to his shoulders. He went still and for a moment closed his eyes.
His response fascinated her. Did her touch bring him as much pleasure as his touch brought her? A sudden rush of power bolted through her veins, awakening the feminine roar inside her.
She moved in closer, wanting to feel his naked flesh against hers. Hot. She gasped when her breasts pressed against his chest. It was an electric sensation that was wildly intoxicating. She wanted more. So much more.
“What are you doing?” he asked hoarsely.
“Enjoying myself.”
He smiled at that and remained still, his hands still gripping the fly of his pants. She ran her palms openly over his chest, exploring each muscled ridge, enjoying the rugged contrast between his hardness and the softness of her own body.
“Take them off,” she whispered when her hands drifted perilously close to where his hands were positioned.
“Has the blushing virgin turned temptress?”
On cue, she flushed but he smiled and then let go of his pants to frame her face in his palms. He kissed her, nearly scorching her lips off with the sudden heat. “You take them off me,” he murmured into her mouth.
Sudden nerves made her fingers clumsy as she fumbled with his pants, but he stood there patiently, his hands caressing her face, gaze locked with hers as she pushed his pants down his legs.
Swallowing, she chanced a look down to see his erection straining hard against the cotton of his briefs. Plain, boxer briefs. Somehow she’d imagined something a little more … She wasn’t sure. She just knew she hadn’t imagined plain boxer briefs but then he was a no-fuss kind of guy. Yes, he wore expensive clothing, but it was comfortable expensive clothing. The kind you only knew was expensive because you recognized the label. Not because it looked terribly pricey.
Simply put, Devon Carter looked like a man who’d made money but wasn’t overly concerned with appearing as though he was wealthy. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t look the part. She’d seen him in full business attire with the sleek designer labels and the polished, arrogant look to match. But she’d spent much more time with him privately. When he was relaxed. Less guarded. That was the word. In public situations, he was intensely guarded at all times. Almost as if he was determined to let no one in. It thrilled her that he trusted her enough to see his more casual side.
“Put your hand around me,” he coaxed in that low husky tone that had her melting.
Tentatively she slid her fingers beyond the waistband of his underwear and delved lower until she encountered the velvety hardness of his erection. Emboldened by the immediate darkening of his eyes, she curled her fingers around the base and slowly slid upward, lightly skimming along his length.
His hands left her face and he impatiently pushed his underwear down until he was completely nude, cupped in her hands as she gently caressed him.
Having nothing but stolen glimpses of elicit photos to compare him to, he seemed to measure up adequately in the size department. At least he didn’t look so huge that she feared compatibility issues.
He gently took her wrists and pulled her hands away from his erection. Then he pulled her hands up until they were trapped between them against his chest. His thumb lightly caressed the inside of her palm as he stared into her eyes.
“You, my love, are driving me slowly insane. It was me who was supposed to do the seducing and yet you utterly enslave me with every touch.”
She flushed with pleasure, her skin growing warm under the intense desire blazing in his eyes.
He kissed her again, and he pressed in close until he walked her backward toward the bed. He stopped when the backs of her legs brushed against the sumptuous comforter.
He wrapped his arm around her waist and lowered her back until she was lying on the mattress, him hovering above her.
His expression grew serious and he brushed her hair from her forehead in a tender gesture. “If at any time I do something that frightens you, tell me and I’ll stop. If at any time you simply want to slow down, just let me know.”
“Oh,” she breathed out. Because it was impossible to say anything else around the tightness in her throat.
She reached for him, pulled him down to meet her kiss. She felt clumsy and inept but it didn’t seem to matter to him. She wished she was more artful. More practiced. But she couldn’t wish for experience because more than anything she was glad she’d waited for this moment. For him.
“I love you,” she whispered, unable to hold back the words that swelled and finally broke free.
He went still and for a moment she was terrified that she’d effectively thrown a wet blanket over a fire. She drew away, eyes wide as she searched his face for something. Some reaction. Some indication that she’d breached some forbidden barrier.
Trust her to ruin what would have been the most exciting, wonderful, splendiferous moment of her life by opening her big mouth. She’d never been able to restrain herself. She tried. Most of the time.
“Devon?”
His name came out in a near croak. Her lips shook and she started to withdraw, already feeling the heat of embarrassment lick over her with painful precision.
Instead of answering her, he moved over her in a powerful rush. He took her mouth roughly, devouring her lips as his tongue plunged inside, tangling with hers.
Her body surged to life, arching up into his. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he gathered her tightly against him. Their bodies were as fused as their mouths. Between her legs, she could feel him so hard. Hot.
His hips jerked, almost as if he could barely contain the urge to push inside her. She gasped for air, partly out of excitement, partly out of sudden, delicious fear and anticipation.
His hands and mouth were everywhere. A sensual assault on her senses. Magic. Gentle caresses mixed with firmer, rougher touches. He slid down her body until his mouth hovered over one taut nipple. And then he flicked his tongue out and licked the tip.
She cried out, nearly undone by the shock of such a simple touch. Pleasure rocked over her and she shuddered violently, her fingers suddenly digging into his flesh, marking him.
Not satisfied with the intensity of her reaction, he closed his mouth over the rigid peak and sucked strongly.
Her vision blurred. She gasped but couldn’t seem to draw air into her lungs. Oh, but it was heaven. So edgy. She couldn’t even find the words to describe such a decadent sensation as his mouth sucking at her breast.
But then his hand slid between them, over the softness of her belly and lower.
She held her breath as his fingers tentatively brushed through her sensitive folds and then he found her heat, teasing, touching. He knew better than she knew herself exactly how to pleasure her. Where to touch her. How to touch her. Each stroke brought her to greater heights.
It was as though she was being wound tighter and tighter. Tension coiled in her belly. Low. Humming through her pelvis. She wasn’t ignorant of orgasms, but this was nothing like she’d ever experienced before. It was powerful. Relentless. Nearly frightening in its intensity.
His fingers left her and he carefully parted her legs. His hand glided soothingly up the inside of her thigh and then he stroked her intimately again as he positioned himself above her.
His mouth left her breasts and she moaned her protest. He covered her lips once more with his own and then whispered softly to her.
“Hold on to me, love. Touch me. I’m going to go inside you now. I’ll be gentle. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
She trembled from head to toe. Not in fear or trepidation. She was so close to release that she feared the moment he pushed inside her the barest inch that she’d go over the edge, and she wanted it to last. She wanted to enjoy every single moment of what was to come.
“Wait,” she choked out.
He went still, the tip of his erection just touching the mouth of her opening. Strain was evident in his face as he stared down at her, but he held himself in check.
“Are you all right? Did I frighten you?” he asked urgently.
She shook her head. “No. No, I’m fine. I just needed a second. I’m so close. Just need to catch up.”
He smiled then, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light. “Tell me when.”
She reached up once more, feathering her hands over his shoulders and to the bunched muscles of his back. Her gaze met his and she drowned in those beautiful amber eyes. “When.”
He swallowed hard and his lips tightened into a harsh line. Then he closed his eyes and flexed his hips, pushing into her inch by delicious inch.
At one point he stopped and she stirred restlessly, a protest forming.
“Shh,” he murmured as he kissed the corner of her mouth. “Give me just a moment. I don’t want to hurt you. Better to have done with it quickly.”
She nodded her agreement just as he surged forward, burying himself to the hilt.
Her eyes widened and a strangled sound escaped her throat as she sought to process the sudden wash of conflicting sensations that bombarded her from every angle.
He was deep. Impossibly deep. She surrounded him. He surrounded her. Their hips were flush against each other. His body covered hers possessively. There was a burning ache deep inside her, and she couldn’t discern whether it was pleasure or pain.
She just knew she wanted—needed—more.
She whimpered lightly and struggled, not against him, not in protest. She wanted something she couldn’t name. She wanted … him. All of him.
“Easy,” he soothed.
He kissed her, stroked his tongue over hers and then deepened the kiss just as he began to move inside her. Gently. He was so gentle and reverent. He lifted his body off of her and arched his hips, pushing deep then retreating.
Then he levered himself down, resting on his forearms, never breaking away from her eyes.
“Okay?”
She smiled. “Very okay.”
“You’re beautiful, Ash. So very beautiful. So innocent and perfect and mine.”
His. The possessive growl in his voice thrilled her and sent another cascade of pleasure through her body.
“Yes, yours,” she whispered.
“Tell me how close you are. I want to make sure you’re with me. I can’t hold off much longer.”
“Then don’t.” Her voice shook. She was nearly beyond the ability to think much less speak. Her body was taut. Her senses were shattered and she was so very close to losing all control. Just one touch. One more touch …
He gathered her close and thrust again. And then again. He forced her thighs farther apart, plunged deeper and she lost all sense of herself.
She cried out his name. Heard him murmur close to her ear. Soothing. Comforting. Telling her beautiful things she could barely make sense of. She was spiraling at a dizzying speed, faster and faster until she closed her eyes.
It was the single most beautiful, spectacular sensation she could imagine. She’d wanted wonderful, but this far surpassed even her most erotic fantasies.
When she regained at least a modicum of sanity, she was firmly wrapped in Devon’s embrace and his mouth was moving lightly over her neck. For that matter she was on top of him. Her hair was flung to one side while he nuzzled at the curve of her shoulder, moving up and down to just below her ear and back to her shoulder.
She raised her head to stare down at him, still feeling a little fuzzy around the edges. “How did I get here?”
He smiled and slid his hands over her naked body. They stopped at her behind and he squeezed affectionately. “I put you here. I like you covering me. I could get used to it.”
“Oh.”
He raised one eyebrow. “Speechless? You?”
She sent him a disgruntled look but was too wasted to follow up with any sort of admonishment. Okay, so obviously she was speechless.
He chuckled and pulled her down against him. She settled over him with a sigh and he rubbed his palm over her back, stroking and caressing as she lay draped over him like a wet noodle.
“Did I hurt you?”
She smiled at the concern in his voice. “No. It was perfect, Dev. So perfect I can’t even find the words to describe it. Thank you.”
He lifted a strand of hair and lazily twined his fingers around it. “Thank you? I don’t think I’ve ever been thanked by a woman after sex.”
“You made my first time special,” she said quietly. “It was perfect. You were perfect.”
He kissed the top of her head. “I’m glad.”
She yawned against his chest and cuddled deeper into his hold.
“Go to sleep,” he murmured. “I want you to sleep here tonight.”
Her eyes were incredibly heavy, and she was already drifting off when his directive registered in her consciousness.
“Want to sleep here, too,” she mumbled.
His fingers stilled in her hair and then his hands wandered down her body, bold and possessive. “That’s good, Ash, because from now on, you’ll sleep every night in my bed.”
Three
Devon woke to the odd sensation of a female body wrapped around him. Not just wrapped but completely and utterly surrounding him.
Ashley was draped across him, her legs tangled with his, her breasts flattened against his chest, her arm thrown across his body and her face burrowed into his neck.
He … liked it.
He lay there a long while watching the soft rise and fall of her body as she slept soundly across him. She was really quite beautiful in an unsophisticated, effervescent way. She lit up a room when she walked in. You could always pick her out of a crowd. She was extremely … natural. Perhaps a bit too exuberant and unrestrained but in time with the proper guidance, she’d be an excellent wife and mother.
He ran the tips of his finger lightly up her arm. She was pale. Not so pale she looked unhealthy, but it was obvious she wasn’t a sun bunny, nor did she indulge in salon tanning. Perhaps what he liked most about her was that she looked the same no matter when he saw her. Though she wore makeup, she didn’t wear so much that she was transformed into someone completely different when they went out.
Glossy lips and a touch of coal to already long, lush lashes seemed to be all she did, but then he was hardly an expert on women’s gunk.
But she didn’t seem fake. At least not that he could tell. Yet. Who knew what the future would bring. He liked to think she wasn’t an accomplice in this ridiculous plan of her father’s even when he knew it was best for all parties involved to know the entire story from the start.
The selfish bastard in him liked the idea that she felt affection for him, free of machinations. If her words from the night before weren’t merely a result of being overwhelmed in the moment, affection was perhaps the wrong term. She’d said she loved him.
It both complicated the matter and gave him a certain amount of satisfaction.
While he may approach the marriage as a matter of necessity, convenience and a chance at a successful business venture, the idea that she would be coming into the marriage for the same reasons bothered him immensely.
It made him a flaming hypocrite but he was happy for her to want him because she desired him and yes, even loved him.
First, however, he had to get the preliminaries out of the way. One of which was making their upcoming nuptials official. She didn’t know it yet, but she would become Mrs. Devon Carter.
He carefully extricated himself from the tangle of arms and legs, but he needn’t have worried because she slept soundly, only wrinkling her nose and mumbling something in her sleep when he slipped away completely.
He pulled on his robe and glanced back at the bed. For a moment he was transfixed by the image she presented. The sun streamed through the window across the room and bathed her in its warm glow.
Her blond hair was tousled and spread out over his pillow. One arm shielded most of her breasts from view, but there, just below her elbow, one nipple peeked out. The sheet slid to just over her buttocks but bared the dimple just below the small of her back.
She was indeed beautiful. And now she was his.
He dug into the pocket of the jacket he’d discarded the night before to retrieve the box with the ring in it and then quietly left the room. When she awoke, he’d put into place the next part of his carefully orchestrated plan.
Ashley stirred and stretched lazily, blinking when the sun momentarily blinded her. She kept her eyes shut for a moment, simply enjoying the warmth and comfort of the sumptuous bed. Devon’s bed.
She sighed in contentment. As virginal deflowering went, that had to top the list of all-time most awesome. How could it possibly have been any better? A wonderful night. Romantic dinner for two. Devon staring at her with those gorgeous eyes and murmuring that she would now be his. Oh, yeah, perfect.
Then she realized that he was no longer in bed with her and she opened her eyes with a frown. Only to see him standing just across the room. Staring at her.
He was clad in a robe, though it dangled loosely, open just enough that she could see his bare chest. He was leaning against the doorway to the bathroom and he was simply watching her. For some reason that sent a giddy thrill up her spine.
Then a flash of color caught her eye and she glanced downward to see a lush red rose lying on the sheet next to her. But it was the tiny card propped next to a dazzling, truly spectacular diamond ring that took her breath away.
Blood rushed to her head and she stared openmouthed at the items before her. She pushed to her elbow and reached for the ring, hands shaking so badly that she was clumsy, nearly dropping the small velvet box where the ring rested.
Then she glanced at the note again, sure she’d misunderstood. But no, there it was. In his neat, distinctive scrawl.
Will you marry me?
“Oh, God,” she croaked out.
She looked at the ring, looked at the note and then back up to him, almost afraid that he’d be gone and that she’d imagined this whole thing.
But he was still there, an indulgent smile carving those handsome features.
“Really?” she whispered.
He nodded and smiled more broadly. “Really.”
She dropped the rose, the ring, the note—everything—and flew out of bed, across the room, and launched herself into his arms.
He stepped back and laughed as she kissed his face, his brow, his cheek and then his lips. “Yes, oh, yes! Oh, my God, Devon, yes!”
He made a grab for her behind before she could slide down him and land on the floor. Then he hoisted her up so they were eye level. “You know it’s customary to actually put the ring on.”
She glanced down at her hand and then over her shoulder to the bed. “Oh, my God! Where is it?”
Shaking his head, he carried her over to the bed then set her on the edge while he reached behind her.
A moment later, he took her hand and slid the diamond onto her ring finger. She sucked in her breath as the sun caught the stone and it sparkled brilliantly in the light.
“Oh, Dev, it’s beautiful,” she breathed.
She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. “I love you so much. I can’t believe you planned all this.”
He gently pulled her arms down and then collected her hands in her lap as he stared into her eyes. “I don’t want a long engagement.”
Was this supposed to worry her? She beamed back at him. “Neither do I.”