Tempted by Her Innocent Kiss. Maya Banks

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.