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“Sorry,” he said “I shouldn’t be bothering you with this You’re in it for the sex and this is not ”

She squeezed his hands and stared at hi on, that won’t change As for you not being sexy, you couldn’t be ”

“Into the vulnerable thing? I don’t think so”

“You’re wrong You being real is uy on a calendar I didn’t pick you because of how you look If you’ll remember, that actually freaked me out a little I picked you because I trusted you I still do”

He pulled one of his hands free and stroked the side of her face “Thank you,” he whispered “I think of us as friends, too” He kissed her mouth “Good friends”

She felt the exactanywhere except her hand in his and his fingers on her cheek, yet she knew she was right

If asked a few days ago, she would have honestly clai a ued by Clayhis lips to hers

She parted her lips before being asked and ue stroke for stroke As the kiss deepened, she wrapped her aret as close as possible

He put his hands on her waist and quickly her When he cupped her breast, she felt the contact all the way down to her toes

She’d changed out of her unifor the station Now she wore her usual jeans and a T-shirt He explored her brsts through the fabric, pausing to run his fingers across her tight nipples She shivered with delight

He reached for the hem of her T-shirt She helped hi Then his ht breast with his hand on her left He licked and sucked, drawing her into his mouth

Desire turned liquid She tre him to never stop The heat inside intensified With each pull, she felt an answering tug between her legs She needed this, needed more

Her breathing ragged, she ran her hands up and down his back, then tugged at his shirt He stopped and jerked it over his head before tossing it away Then they were kissing again, her bare brsts nestling against his perfect chest

“Not like this,” he ainst her mouth “Not in the kitchen But Charlie” He swore “I just have to—”

His hands dropped to the waistband of her jeans He undid the button and then the zipper

She drew back fro still fast Apprehension battled with need She saw the passion in his eyes and kneas as aroused as she was He gave her a gentle smile

“Turn around”

“What?”

The srin “Turn around That way you can run if you need to”

Aware she was topless, she did as he requested He drew her close and put his left hand on one breast then the other At the same time, he kissed the side of her neck The co doubt His body arainst her Almost protection This was Clay, she reminded herself She trusted him

He put his right hand on her belly, his fingers pointing down He didn’t move them, even as he continued to stroke her brsts and tease her aching nipples The tension returned and with it a need she hadn’t experienced before

She knew about the whole concept of orgasms After the rape, she’d done her best to avoid any sexual feelings She ran frouratively, most of the time Occasionally literally Now she found herself curious about what really happened Was her body capable of surrendering that reat as everyone claimed?

Minutes passed While his fingers worked their ic, his mouth nipped and kissed and licked her neck until she was having trouble catching her breath She leaned ainst him Her hands fluttered at her side until she finally slipped theainst her rear and wondered ould happen if she turned and told him she was ready

Before she could gather the courage, the hand on her belly moved Clay eased his way under her plain cotton bikini panties She felt the individual fingers, the pressure of his palh not what he would do when he got there She froze, unclear on how she would react

He slipped lower and lower, before sliding his fingers against her swollen flesh He asp

It was like electricity, but not Hotter,to, she parted her legs No, that wasn’t right She needed—

He circled again and again

She shuddered, lost in theto her She could feel her insides tightening, her legs tre He dropped his left ar her None of it mattered Only what he did when he touched her

He moved a little faster, pressed a little harder She put her hands on his ar

He withdrew his hand, which rabbed her wrist and pulled

She stu down the short hallway and toward her bedroouided her to the bed

“Shoes,” he said

She kicked off the boots she’d worn that et now, she pushed down her jeans, taking her underith them, then stepped out of her clothes

He looked her over, swore, then urged her onto the bed

She are of hi else, as he joined her Then he was kissing her and his hand was back between her legs and she really didn’t care what he had on

Lying on her back, she was able to part her legs more She rocked her hps in ti herher brsts and the sensations flooded her She grabbed the bedspread with both hands and moaned

He moved faster and faster She couldn’t keep up She couldn’t think she could only—

She’d heard it was like falling, she thought as the first contraction rippled through her They rong It was like flying Her body shook and treh her There was more and more until it eased and waned and she was able to find her way back to her house, and her bedroom She resurfaced and stared into Clay’s very satisfied face

He’d propped his head up on his other hand and was still stroking her Lightly, barely touching A last little ripple shook her With their eyes locked, he eased a little lower, then pushed one finger into her

She supposed she should have gotten scared and tense but right now she couldn’t suood

“Okay?” he asked, watching her intently

“Oh, yes”

“Good”

He withdrew his hand, then leaned over and kissed her “Like I said before,is your time”

“If it always feels like that, anytime is my time”

He pulled her close She went into his ar to the steady beat of his heart

“Thank you,” she whispered against his bare shoulder

“You’re welcome” He kissed the top of her head “Coet first dibs on the Danish”