The Wedding Wager. Sara Orwig

for him. Searing need burned like wildfire. He traced circles around her nipple with his tongue, as dazzling sensations showered her.

      “Jared!” she cried, unaware she’d spoken.

      Gasping for breath, she pushed away his suit, freeing him. Bending to take him into her mouth, her tongue circled the velvet tip of his manhood.

      His fingers wound in her hair and he groaned. She hoped to make him as desperate for her as she was for him.

      Stroking him with her tongue, she caressed his inner thighs, running her hands between his legs. He groaned again and then his hands went beneath her arms and he lifted her to her feet and plunged his gaze into hers, his broad chest expanding with his breath.

      He scooped her into his arms and carried her to a chaise lounge to place her on it and sit beside her, tracing feathery kisses along her collarbone to her breasts, sucking and biting each nipple lightly, an exquisite torment for her.

      “Oh! I want you. Heaven help me, how I want you!” she blurted.

      His hand was between her legs, caressing her, rubbing her and starting to build tension all over again. Then he moved between her legs to place them over his shoulders and give himself access to her, his tongue retracing his fingers’ path.

      She squeezed her eyes closed tightly, as she was bombarded by sensations. She was open for him, eager, intensity building with each stroke of his tongue.

      “Love me,” she cried as he lowered her legs to the chaise.

      “I’ll get protection,” he said, picking her up. He carried her with him through open doors and laid her gently on the bed.

      She watched as he retrieved a condom from the bedside table. Caressing her inner thighs, he moved between her legs. Wanting him with increasing urgency, she stroked his strong legs.

      While he opened the packet and put on the condom, she drank in the sight of him, storing the moment in memory, relishing looking at him and touching him. Virile, muscled, and bronze except for a pale strip across his groin, he was masculine perfection. Thick black curls spread on his chest, tapering in a narrow line to his waist. Short crisp hair curled on his thighs. Locks of black hair fell over his forehead. His body was marvelous.

      As she looked up into his dark eyes, magnetism sparked between them from a mutual feeling of attraction and something deeper, a tenuous bond held for the moment, created by sheer physical longing.

      In a silent welcoming, she held out her arms. While he kissed her, she wrapped her arms around him.

      Jared was in her arms again, consuming her. Time didn’t exist. How she had hungered for this moment!

      Driven, she pulled him toward her. When he entered her, she arched her hips to meet him. Making love with him enveloped her and smoothed over problems. She wrapped her long legs around him and ran her hands over his smooth back, and then his firm buttocks.

      For this brief moment, their union seemed right, incredibly necessary for her. She held him tightly, running her hands over him again, relishing the feel of his body and that he was in her arms.

      Moving her hips against him, she groaned with pleasure. He filled her slowly, withdrawing and then entering her again, in a sweet torment that heightened her need to a raging inferno.

      His powerful body was spectacular. She clung to him, mindlessly raking his back with her fingers, moving faster beneath him.

      “Jared!” she cried his name, unaware of anything except his loving. She moved frantically.

      His control vanished and he moved rapidly, pumping deeply into her. They were locked together—rocking, intimate and close, and she sobbed because she wanted him with all her being.

      “Meg, darlin’.” He ground out the words in a husky voice. His endearment made her heart leap, and she knew she was vulnerable in too many ways. His words were as seductive to her as his lovemaking. Physically and emotionally, she wanted him.

      She climaxed in a shattering release. Lights exploded behind her closed eyelids while her heart pounded violently. Ecstasy enveloped her as spasms rocked her. He pumped faster, and then groaned, reaching his own finish, still pleasuring her.

      He inhaled deeply and slowed and she could feel tension winding up once again. She tightened her arms and legs around him again.

      “Jared,” she cried softly, “don’t stop loving me,” she whispered as he thrust slower, and as it commenced another building, sweet torment. Impaled on his thick rod, she moved her hips faster. And then another climax rocked her with rapture.

      She hugged him, feeling the sheen of sweat on his back. They held each other tightly, returning to earth from a distant paradise.

      Reality was a wolf at the door, and she didn’t want to face tomorrow’s problems.

      He turned on his side, untangling his long legs from hers. She pressed tightly against him, her face against his throat with her head on his shoulder. Deliberately, she kept her mind blank, relishing the euphoria and lethargy after lovemaking.

      He shifted, then tilted up her chin so he could look into her eyes. “Loving you is fantastic, Meg.”

      “Shh.” She put her finger over his lips. “Don’t talk. Don’t do anything for a few minutes,” she urged. She agreed privately, but she wasn’t going to confess what she’d experienced.

      He was quiet, gazing at her solemnly while she traced his jaw with her fingers, letting her hand caress his chest lightly. He sucked in a deep breath and gently combed her hair away from her face while he showered light kisses on her.

      “You’re fabulous,” he said in a husky voice, shifting away again to brush his fingers across her bare breasts.

      She caught his hand in hers, trailing kisses over his knuckles, still refusing to think about anything except the present moment.

      Rolling onto his back, he drew her close in his embrace, remaining quiet, as she had asked. She tangled her fingers in his chest hair and then let her hand slide over him to his waist. His body was in peak condition, a marvel to her.

      As she shifted, starting to sit up, his strong arms held her. “Where are you going?” he asked.

      “To shower,” she said.

      He sat up. “I’ll shower, too,” he said and she shook her head.

      “Jared, we’ve—”

      His arm circled her waist and his mouth covered hers, taking her words. He kissed her deeply, lowering her to the bed. Once again, she knew now was the moment to stop him, but she was already responding to him as if they hadn’t just made love.

      When he raised his head, she opened her eyes to find him watching her. Standing to pick her up, he was hard again, ready for love. While he gazed into her eyes, he carried her into the shower and turned on warm water.

      As he lowered her feet to the floor, he leaned forward to kiss her. Desiring him more than ever, she wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning into him. Their bodies were wet, warm, pressed against each other while her heart raced. Desire rekindled, quickly reaching a raging fire.

      Jared’s arousal was hot against her belly. She moaned softly. It had been so long since she had been loved by him, and he was the only one, something she never intended for him to know. Worse, she couldn’t get enough, now that she had let go.

      He picked her up, stepped back to brace himself against the glass wall of the shower and then lowered her onto himself.

      She cried out with pleasure, throwing her head back, running one hand over his shoulder as she moved with him and he thrust fast, taking her quickly.

      She squeezed her eyes closed, gasping for breath, holding his shoulders tightly now while he kissed her.

      “Love, this is good,” he whispered, but she heard him as she had before.

      “Love me,” she