Any Way You Want It (13 page)

He tilted his head to get a better look at her face. “I don’t think we are exactly strangers now, are we? And don’t you want to kiss and touch me?”

Her eyes remained focused on the floor between them. “Of course I want to touch you,” she admitted, again surprising him with her candor. “But I’m…not sure.”

“Not sure? About what?”

“It’s just not…something I’ve done.”

His frown deepened, not following what she was trying to say. Then he froze.

“You are a virgin?”

She gaped at him, then laughed. “No. I’ve done that. I just haven’t really initiated the whole process much. Or only rarely. Or well,” she pulled in a deep breath, her face turning pinker by the moment. “Ever, really.”

Ren stared at her for a moment, not sure what one said to that sort of admission. Finally he smiled rather lamely. “Well, you’ve been doing a good job tonight of letting me know what you want. That should carry over to this, too.”

She met his eyes a moment longer, then looked down. Her uncertainty still thickened the air.

His fingers moved from her hair to her face, cupping her cheeks between both his palms, making her eyes meet his again.

“I want you, Maggie. Very, very much. And I can assure you that I want you to touch me. I want you to do whatever you want to me.”

“Really?”

He grinned widely. “Oh yeah. Initiate away, darling.”

He waited for her to make the first move, sensing that she needed that in some way. She needed to be the one to start this, though he didn’t quite understand why he felt this way. He just knew it.

She still hesitated, but then touched her fingertips lightly to his jaw. She leaned up and pressed her mouth to his, kissing him, her touch sweet, unsure. She pulled back, her cheeks scarlet.

“Darling, you don’t have a thing in the world to be nervous about. I want you,” he said, his forehead resting against hers. “I’ve thought of little else since the moment I saw you near the stage that first night.”

She met his gaze, her eyes moving over his face as if trying to read his feelings, his thoughts.

Then her hand came up, stroking his hair, pushing it back to tuck it behind his ear. He tilted his head, closing his eyes at the almost innocent touch. Desire, not innocent at all, rippled through him.

She rose on her tiptoes and pressed her mouth to his. This kiss was less unsure, more passionate. Desire rocketed through his veins, propelling his whole body to painful awareness.

Damn.

He made a noise in the back of his throat, then broke the kiss. “I really have no idea what you are nervous about. You are good at this.”

He wiggled his eyebrows, and she laughed, pleased with his response.

She kissed him again with more force, more confidence, but this time he couldn’t resist taking control of the embrace. He cupped the back of her head, slanting his head to deepen the kiss.

More need pulsed through him, sharp, painful, and so delicious.

All other thoughts were gone, nothing existed but Maggie and his need. And all the things he wanted to do with her. To her.

But to his surprise, it was Maggie who started to undress him. He broke the kiss to watch as her fingers, only shaking slightly, worked on the buttons of his shirt. Soon it was open and parted and her small hands brushed over his bare chest.

He groaned as her hands slid around under his shirt, kneading the muscles of his back. She pressed a kiss to his collarbone.

“Maggie,” he murmured, his own hands tugging at the sides of her shirt, pulling up the satiny material until he made contact with her silkier, smoother skin.

The briefest touches of skin had ignited them both into a frenzy, and soon they were tugging at each other’s clothing. All the while their mouths devoured each other, only parting long enough to yank off another article of clothing.

When they were both undressed, Maggie to just her panties, Ren in his boxers, he stepped back from her.

“Maggie,” he murmured, taking in all of her pale, flawless skin and lush curves. Her breasts were perfect, round and full with small, tight nipples.

She stood with her arms down at her side, but he could tell by her tight fists she longed to cover herself.

Good Lord, why? Didn’t she have any idea how gorgeous she was?

Maggie watched Ren, trying to read the look on his face as he stepped slightly back from her and scanned slowly down her body. Her first inclination was to cover herself. To hide her abundance of curves. Curves she’d always considered bordering on chubby. Curves that Peter hadn’t considered bordering on chubby. Curves he’d considered outright fat.

But Ren’s expression didn’t show disgust. If anything, as his gaze moved over her in excruciatingly slow perusal, she only saw approval and desire darkening his eyes.

“Maggie.” The roughly muttered word said more than any pretty compliment.

Her muscles relaxed. The tension, the fear, drained from her, allowing her own gaze to move over him. All his long limbs and lean muscles. Her fingers twitched as she studied his bared chest, muscled and covered in a light thatch of dark hair that narrowed to a strip that trailed down his stomach, whorled around his belly button and disappeared inside the waistband of his boxers.

“You are beautiful,” she murmured, then came forward to touch him. His chest hair was springy and tickling under her palms. His muscles hard, his skin hot.

He took a sharp breath as her hands stroked him, teasing his nipples.

Suddenly, her world tipped on its axis and she found herself scooped up in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting out a small squeal.

“Ren! You’ll drop me.”

His response was a chuckle, then he kissed her. His lips, nibbling and hot. He placed her on the bed, the velvet of the covers rubbing the skin of her back, the soft mattress and covers swelling up around her.

He followed her down, his hard length covering her. The hair of his chest rubbed against her swollen nipples. His muscles flexed and relaxed. She gasped, the sensation too good.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, desperate for him to be as close as possible, mouth to mouth, skin to skin. He allowed himself to be directed to her, his hair falling in a curtain around them, as he pressed his lips to her. Her fingers tangled in the long locks pulling him closer still.

She deepened the kiss. Her tongue found his, touching him in small licks.

He groaned, his weight pushing her down into the mattress.

“I never knew kissing could be like this,” she admitted against his lips. Kissing Peter had always been nice. This was something altogether different.

“I know,” Ren agreed, his voice low and husky, filled with a tone close to reverence. More arousal shot through her, the hoarse quality of his voice like velvety fingers stroking her.

He pressed another kiss to her mouth. “Let’s see what happens when I kiss other parts of your body.”

His mouth moved to her neck, nibbling the sensitive skin just below her ear. She shivered, desire curling through her.

Then he kissed her chest, pressing opened mouth kisses over her skin. He stopped to lever himself up so his gaze could roam down her.

“You have the prettiest breasts.” He leaned forward and ran the tip of his tongue over the pebbled nipple. She gasped, arching her back, wanting more of his moist heat on her sensitive skin.

He smiled at her reaction, again straightening to admire his handiwork. The nipple shone pink and glistening in the lamplight.

“So beautiful,” he murmured, leaning in to capture the whole peak in his mouth. She cried out at the intense pull, an electric shock of need zapping throughout her.

He sucked and licked and teased her, until she was wiggling against him, her body demanding more. She wanted him all.

But Ren didn’t seem in quite the rush she was. He left that breast to show the same excruciatingly arousing attention to the other one. All the while, Maggie knotted her hands in his hair, constantly pulling him closer.

She wouldn’t be satisfied until he was deep inside her. Until their bodies were one. That was the only coherent thought in her mind. She need all of him.

“Ren, please, please make love to me.”

She felt the curve of his lips against her breast—even that touch so erotic she nearly cried out.

“That’s what I’m doing, darling.”

She slid a hand out of his hair to stroke the smooth skin of his back. His muscles undulated under her palms, the movement thrilling, arousing.

Ren’s hand stroked down her side, shaping the span of her ribs, the curve of her hip, trailing over the swell of her stomach to find the edge of her panties. Her breath caught in her throat as he toyed with the waistband. His fingers slid inside only to slip back out.

She growled, the sound causing Ren to lift his head. He raised an eyebrow.

“Something wrong?”

Maggie was thoroughly and utterly dazed with need, but still she did manage to notice the pull of a smile at his lips.

“You’re driving me crazy.” The words came out ragged and desperate.

“You don’t like this?” He licked her nipple again, his tongue a quick rasp across the hardened flesh.

She made a small noise. “No, I like it,” she managed.

“Or this?” He nipped the tender flesh of the underside of her breast.

She nodded her head, when he gave her an innocently inquiring look.

“What about this?” He trailed kisses down her belly.

She nodded again, a shuddering breath escaping her lips.

“And this?” His tongue delved into her belly button.

She wriggled, a small laugh escaping her already parted lips. She shook her head at that one.

Again she felt his smile on her skin.

He tugged at her panties, easing them down her hips and thighs until he had them off and had cast them onto the floor. Then he pressed his lips to the top of the curls covering her sex.

She gasped, her hips reflexively rising up to push herself against his mouth. Again she felt his smile against her. Then he ran his tongue up the slit of her sex, his tongue just grazing the tender damp flesh beyond.

Her hips bucked, her legs falling apart to expose herself to him.

Ren intended to take it slow, to make sure this was perfect for her, but at the sight of her pink flesh spread open for him—hot, wet, and so damned lovely—he only stared for a moment.

Maggie rose up on her elbows, her cheeks flushed, her eyes heavy-lidded with desire. But even in her haze of arousal, she still frowned, concern marring her flushed, desirous look.

“What’s wrong?” She started to close her legs, but he caught them, keeping her knees apart so he could look at her.

She nibbled her bottom lip, already red and swollen from their kisses.

“Do you have any idea how breathtaking you are?” His voice sounded raspy, low with awe.

She shook her head.

He shook his in return, although his action was filled with disbelief and awe.

“I’ve never wanted anyone the way that I want you.”

Again she nibbled her bottom lip, and he knew she was warring with the decision of whether to believe him or not.

Why wouldn’t she? She was truly stunning. Lovely full breasts, curved lush hips, pale thighs and tight curls like spun gold and copper creating a small triangle between her thighs. She was the perfect vision of female beauty. Soft, curved, stunning.

“I want to keep kissing you, to keep tasting you,” he told her, his voice little more than a rough mutter. “But I can’t wait to feel you all around me. Your tight heat. The vibration of your release.”

Maggie released a hitched breath. “I don’t want to wait either.”

Her breathy words were all the invitation he needed. He positioned himself between her thighs.

Her curls teased his erection, her heat called out to him.

But he did manage to control himself long enough to kiss her again. Her hands tangled in his hair, her finger stroking him, raising his desire to the point of pain.

He balanced himself on his elbow, positioning himself, the head of his penis just breaching the fiery moisture of her sex.

“Wait,” she said, her voice ragged.

He froze, something akin to pure fear solidifying his very marrow. She couldn’t say no, not now.

He had to have her. His body ached for her.

“We need a condom,” she whispered. Her cheeks reddened.

He tried not to sag against her with relief. Hallelujah! She didn’t want to stop. She just wanted to be safe. Smart woman.

His relief quickly fled. He didn’t have a condom. Firstly, he couldn’t pass on human diseases.

Secondly, he didn’t bring women back here. But he couldn’t expect her to accept either of those excuses.

“Darling, I don’t have any.”

She looked slightly surprised. Her cheeks grew even pinker. He immediately calculated how long it would take for him to get to the store on the corner of St. Ann and back. Damn.

“I have some in my purse.”

Ren stared down at her again, blushing and beautiful underneath him.

He groaned, then kissed her. “Thank God. Damn, I adore you.”

Maggie actually laughed. “Thank Erika and Jo. They insisted.”

“Thank you, Erika and Jo!” he shouted as he crawled off the end of the bed, spotting Maggie’s purse on the floor near their strewn clothes.

He quickly found the silver packets, made a show of grabbing a couple of them, and then practically launched himself back to the bed. She laughed again as he returned to her, crawling up her body until he was back where he so longed to be, between those pale thighs.

He kissed her then, taking his time, to taste her, arouse her, make sure she was still ready for this. For him.

Soon she was back to wriggling against him, her soft smooth skin a delicious torment against him. He pulled back long enough to roll on the condom, then he positioned himself. His penis entered her, just barely, and already his muscles tightened with pure bliss. God, she felt good.

She lifted up against him, pushing him just a little farther inside. And with that tease of heaven, he seemed to lose his mind. He thrust into her fully.