Fortune's Forbidden Woman. Heidi Betts

ha! Verging on nonexistent, was more like it. But even so, she was familiar with the basics of the male anatomy, and in her somewhat biased opinion, Creed was a most impressive specimen.

      Before she had a chance to look her fill, he was stretching out above her, covering her from head to toe. The hair on his legs and chest tickled, but she didn’t laugh. She was too distracted by the rigid length of his erection rubbing her in all the right places.

      His fingers drifted over her temples, threading through her hair to hold her steady while he planted light, butterfly kisses on either side of her mouth. First one corner, then the other before he took her mouth for a slow, luxurious exploration. He made her feel like a particularly decadent sweet he wanted to take his time with and really enjoy.

      While he continued to kiss her deeply, his hands traveled down her body, one pausing to toy with the tip of her breast, the other sliding lower. Past her waist, over the curve of her buttock, and down her thigh until he reached the bend of her knee.

      He lifted her leg, bringing it up to hook around his hip so he could settle more fully against her. His arousal, already sheathed in the condom he’d retrieved from his wallet, prodded her feminine opening.

      Cocking her hips, she opened herself even wider, doing everything she could to ease his entry. He slipped inside, just the tip, but she was already wet and ready for him. She’d been waiting for this moment all her life, and her body was primed and more than eager for him to finally claim her.

      A low groan rolled up from his diaphragm as he pressed deeper. Inch by inch, he filled her, stretching her slick inner folds until she thought she could die from the sheer pleasure of it all.

      Just when she figured he couldn’t go any farther, he pushed forward again. This time, instead of pleasure, a sharp, lightning flash of pain made her stiffen and bite her bottom lip to keep from crying out.

      Thankfully, the discomfort passed quickly, and she was once again able to breathe. Above her, Creed held himself perfectly still, staring down at her. His brows knit in consternation.

      “Are you all right?”

      The words were strained, his chest heaving as he struggled to get enough air into his lungs. The muscles in his biceps quivered with the effort to hold his weight off her.

      She nodded, offering a small smile to let him know she was telling the truth. A beat passed while he considered her answer, then seemed to take her at her word.

      He returned his mouth to hers, kissing her softly but thoroughly while lower, he began a slow in and out motion that washed away any lingering tenderness. Instead, there was only pleasure.

      It started as just a trickle, the temporary replacement of something not-so-nice with something not-so-bad. But soon enough the sensation grew, building in ever-increasing waves.

      She lifted her legs to lock more tightly around his waist, urging him closer. Her hands smoothed up and down his back, the nails alternately digging in and clawing long lines across the sweat-slickened flesh.

      His own fingers clasped her bottom, kneading and stroking as his thrusts picked up speed. He moved deeper, harder, faster, until she was gasping against his mouth and reaching for…she didn’t know what. She only knew she wanted it, needed it, might die without it.

      Still holding her hip and buttock, Creed’s other hand slipped between them and stole into her damp folds, finding the tiny bud of desire hidden within. He rubbed the spot, first lightly, then with more pressure, making her cry out and writhe beneath him.

      “Come with me,” he whispered raggedly. The rough line of his cheek abraded hers, his lips mere inches from her ear. “Come with me now.”

      He pounded into her again, at the same time his fingers worked their magic, sending her off like a rocket. Her mouth opened on a soundless scream, her back arched and her vision went hazy.

      From somewhere outside her body, she felt him thrust once, twice more and then stiffen above her. Oxygen left his lungs in a loud sigh as he collapsed, his weight pressing her down into the mattress.

      She lay there, her legs still wrapped around his waist, her arms still linked about his shoulders and a smile as wide as the Big Sioux River curving her lips.

      Making love with Creed Fortune was everything she’d ever imagined and more. It had fulfilled every one of her adolescent fantasies, not to mention more than a few of the hopes and dreams she’d envisioned since becoming an adult.

      For the first time, she was glad she hadn’t slept with another man, even Brad. She hadn’t realized what she was really doing all those years, but she’d inadvertently been saving herself for Creed, and for that she could never be sorry.

      She knew better than to think everything would be perfect from this moment on. Creed wasn’t going to ask her to marry him in the next five minutes, or declare his undying love.

      This was a start, though. They may have put the cart before the horse in their personal relationship by sleeping together before they’d ever even been out on a date, but there was time for all of that.

      Time to get to know each other better—really get to know each other. Time to go out, have fun and get the family used to the idea that they were going to be together.

      It would come as quite a surprise to the Fortunes, she imagined, including her mother. But they all loved her and Creed, and as long as they were happy, she knew they would offer their support wholeheartedly. She hoped so, anyway.

      The important thing was that this was the beginning. The beginning of everything she’d ever wanted, and for the first time, she realized she could have it.

      Delight coursed through her veins and her grin widened. It was all she could do to keep from giggling aloud.

      She couldn’t remember ever being so happy. And she would make Creed happy, too, she swore she would.

      Above her, he shifted slightly, slipping out of her and rolling to his side. Cool air brushed the perspiration dotting her skin, and she immediately missed his weight, his warmth.

      With a groan, he sat up, rubbed his fingers through his hair, then stood and headed for the adjoining bathroom. She heard the water running for a second, then he was back, in all his naked glory. He stalked across the room, and she took the opportunity to admire him every step of the way.

      Expecting him to rejoin her, she shimmied toward the head of the bed, rearranging the pillows and crawling under the covers, leaving plenty of room for him to crawl in beside her. They would probably cuddle a bit first, maybe take a nap, then hopefully make love all over again. She couldn’t wait.

      Instead he bypassed the bed altogether, bending to retrieve his jeans from the floor. Without a word he stepped into them, adding his shirt and boots in short order.

      Her brows met in a frown. “What are you doing?”

      He didn’t bother to meet her gaze as he finished buttoning the pine-green shirt, tucking it into the waistband of his pants.

      “I’m leaving.”

      “Leaving?” Clutching the sheet to her breasts, she scrambled forward, climbing to her knees. “What do you mean you’re leaving? I thought…” She’d thought so many things, but she settled for, “I thought you’d at least stay the night.”

      “Why would I stay? Now that I’ve gotten you out of my system, I can leave you alone. Get on with my life.”

      He finished rolling the sleeves of his shirt to just below the elbows, finally glancing in her direction. “Good night, Maya.”

      Then he turned and walked out of the bedroom.

      She could hear his footsteps in the hall, pounding down the steps and through the rest of the house. A second later the front door slammed, sending a shiver down her spine.

      She sat frozen, unable to believe what had just happened. He’d made love to her, made her believe he cared, that they had a future together, and then walked