Instantly he released her.
«I’m sorry,» Whip said. «I didn’t mean to hurt you.»
Shannon’s eyes opened, luminous with fire.
«Hurt me?» She shook her head and laughed. «Oh, no.»
Her mouth went to Whip’s chest and returned the fierce love play, tasting and biting and branding Whip with her heat until he groaned. Slowly she lifted her head.
«Am I hurting you?» Shannon asked.
But her eyes said she already knew the answer.
«You’re killing me,» Whip said huskily, «but you’re not hurting me one bit. Well, not most of me. One particular part of me is aching fit to die.»
«Where?»
«Guess,» he said succinctly.
«Oh. There.»
«Yes. There.»
Shannon’s hand slid beneath the water and rubbed down the taut muscles of Whip’s torso. Her fingers met a dense cushion of hair and a blunt, rigid thrust of flesh.
«Here?» she asked.
Breath hissed through Whip’s clenched teeth.
«Does touching you make it worse?» Shannon asked anxiously.
«Depends.»
«On what?»
«On where you touch me. And how.»
Shannon bit her lip, looked away, and went very still.
«I don’t know how,» she said.
«Explore, honey girl. I’ll survive.»
«But —»
«Unless touching me offends you?»
Shannon’s head came up in surprise. «How could it offend me? You feel wonderful.»
Whip shrugged. «Some women don’t like touching a man at all, much less where he’s most a man.»
«Truly? I’ve spent most of my time wishing I could touch you, even…there.»
«You’ve got your wish.»
She smiled despite the blush burning across her cheeks.
«Tell me if I hurt you,» she said huskily. «Although how I could hurt anything so hard is beyond me.»
Whip made a sound that was part laugh, part groan. The feel of Shannon’s fingers exploring him beneath the surface of the hot spring was a pleasure so great it was almost pain. As she caressed his length several times from blunt tip to rigid base, blood hammered so fiercely through him that he was afraid he would burst.
«Shannon.»
Her hand froze. «Am I touching too much?»
«Not enough.»
«I told you I didn’t know how,» she said unhappily.
Breath hissed between Whip’s clenched teeth. When Shannon would have withdrawn her hand, his fingers closed around hers.
«Like this,» he said hoarsely.
Shannon felt the circle of her hand being moved slowly over Whip’s hard, silky length, felt the fierce beating of his life’s blood beneath her palm, and savored the sleek combination of satin and steel that was uniquely male. She smiled and gave a shivery little sigh of pleasure at being permitted the freedom of Whip’s body.
The knowledge that Shannon was truly enjoying his arousal almost undid Whip. As her fingers pressed firmly around him, measuring and pleasuring at the same time, his blood leaped wildly. He dragged at breath and self-control and found neither. Release surged through him, taking him by surprise, for he had never been so quick off the mark before.
But then, he had never had a virgin widow looking at him before, watching his eyes and enjoying his flesh like a cat discovering catnip for the first time.
«You’re shivering,» Shannon said after a time. «Are you all right?»
«Much better.»
She smiled and stroked all of Whip’s body slowly, soothingly, for she could feel that some of the tension had left him. As she caressed him, she looked down at the swirling surface of the pool, where streaks of golden lantern light intertwined with black water.
«I wish I could see as much of you as I can feel,» Shannon said, trailing her fingertips down over Whip. «I’d like to see how you change when you want me.»
Whip’s heartbeat kicked hard as hunger rushed through him once more.
«Honey girl, you’re going to be the death of me.»
She looked at him, startled. «What do you mean?»
«I’m not sure I can tell you, but I’m damn sure I can show you.»
With that, Whip captured Shannon’s caressing hand and lifted it to his neck. Then he bent his head and took Shannon’s mouth, consuming it, making it completely his.
While he kissed her, his fingers stroked from Shannon’s neck to her knees. He teased her breasts, drawing their peaks into tight velvet crowns. When he rugged on one nipple, twisting it with great care, she arched and cried out.
The sound was lost in Whip’s mouth, but Shannon didn’t notice. A radiant darkness was swirling around her, glittering with the possibility of ecstasy, calling to her in all the colors of the rainbow.
One of Whip’s hands slid slowly up between Shannon’s thighs until he could go no higher. Long fingers curled around her softness. He probed lightly, felt a sultry welcome that owed nothing to the hot spring, and eased deeply into her clinging heat.
Shannon flinched and stiffened as though he had taken a lash to her.
«What’s wrong?» Whip murmured against her lips. «We’ve done this before.»
«And then you raged at me and wouldn’t touch me again.»
«Not this time. This time I know you’re a virgin. This time I’m going to touch you every way I can, but one.»
Whip’s hand moved swiftly, hungrily. A ripple of tension went through Shannon’s whole body, making it impossible for her to speak.
«I —» she said raggedly. «I —»
His thumb circled the knot of swollen flesh he had drawn from her softness. Shannon’s arms tightened around his neck as another fierce shiver took her. She tried to speak but could make only a choked sound.
Concerned, Whip reluctantly withdrew from Shannon’s body. His fingertips caressed the full, soft folds with great gentleness.
«What?» Whip murmured. «What is it?»
«I feel so strange,» she said raggedly.
«But do you like it?»
A long finger eased into Shannon as Whip spoke.
«Yes,» she whispered. «Yes.»
Even more than Shannon’s words, her body told Whip that she enjoyed the intimate caress. Hotter than the pool, her response spilled over him. Slowly he withdrew from her, his own body taut with the certainty that she could take him with only brief pain when her maidenhead was breached. She was sleek and sultry, made to hold him within her loving heat.
No, Whip told himself savagely. I can’t risk it.
What risk?came his own instant retort. There will never be a safer time of month for her. It will never be easier for me to control my own release than it is right now, when she has just given me such a sweet easing.
There were more arguments in Whip’s mind against taking Shannon, but he wasn’t listening to them. He was listening to the swift breaking of Shannon’s breath as he caressed her softness once more, slowly, deeply.
«Did you mean it?» Whip asked when he could go no farther into her.
«What?» she asked, dazed.
«That you wanted to see me?»
«Yes.»
«Good. Because I sure as hell want to see you. I’ve been dreaming of watching you again, all honey and cream and fire. I’ve dreamed some other things, too.»
«What?»
«When I show you, you’ll blush all over.» He laughed softly. «But you’ll love it.»
Whip stood up and walked out of the pool with Shannon in his arms. He got only as far as the heavy bearskin blanket before he stopped and looked down at the girl who was lying so trustingly in his arms, watching his eyes.
Steam lifted in silver wisps from Shannon’s skin. Water gleamed on her shoulders and slid in golden rivulets between her breasts. Taut nipples glistened with liquid diamonds. The desire to lick up each shining drop nearly brought Whip to his knees.
«The cabin will be cold,» he said huskily.
«And it’s too far.»
«It’s just a few steps.»
«Like I said. Too far.»
Shannon smiled and watched steam lift from Whip’s body, first revealing and then concealing the power of his shoulders. Silver lines of water tangled in the thatch of dark gold hair on his chest. Captive drops glistened and winked at her as though they knew how much she wanted to sip them from his skin.
«Shannon?»
«Whatever you want,» she said huskily. «However you want it.»
Whip looked from Shannon’s mouth to her breasts and then to the sleek, dark pelt concealing her softness.
«Don’t tempt me, honey girl. I want you in ways that would make you blush to the soles of your pretty feet.»
Shannon’s glance lifted lazily from Whip’s chest to his burning quicksilver eyes.
«Do you?» she asked. «What are they?»
Whip opened his mouth. No words came out. He lowered Shannon to the thick, furry blanket. Then he sat on his heels and looked at her, simply looked at her, until she trembled.
For she was looking at him, too. The blunt, heavy flesh she had so recently measured with her hand looked very intimidating.
Whip put his fingers beneath Shannon’s chin, lifting her face, forcing her to look away from the stark evidence of his renewed arousal.
«Don’t be afraid,» Whip said simply. «I won’t take you that way.»
«I — but —» Shannon swallowed and tried again. «It’s all right. It just —»
Whip waited.
«Well, damn,» she muttered. «It didn’t feel as — as unsettling — as it looks.»
«Then close your eyes.»
With a small sound Shannon did as Whip asked.
«Give me your hand,» he said.
She held out shaking fingers to Whip. He took them, kissed them gently, and put them around flesh that ached as though it had known no ease in months, rather than in mere minutes.
Shannon let out a long, ragged breath. After another breath she began to caress Whip with slow, tentative movements.
«See?» he asked deeply. «No teeth.»
Helplessly Shannon laughed. When she opened her eyes, Whip was smiling down at her. His eyes blazed with an odd combination of tenderness and raw desire.
«I won’t take you that way,» Whip said again. «Not unless you ask me to just as plain as the sun rising.»
«Will it hurt?» Shannon asked.
«A little. But only a little, and only the first time. You were made for me, honey girl. I’ll fill you perfectly and you’ll fit me just the same.»
«Are you sure?»
Whip’s eyelids lowered. Watching Shannon, he caressed the soft nest between her thighs, then parted her, sliding deeply within. She gasped as pleasure washed through her, licking over him hotly in turn.
«I’m sure,» Whip said, his voice thick. «And so is your body. It kisses me in the sweetest way.»
With a swift, controlled movement, Whip moved between Shannon’s legs, urging them apart.
«W-Whip?»
«It’s all right. I’m just going to return the favor.»
«What?»
«I’m going to kiss your body in the sweetest way.»
At first Shannon didn’t understand. Then Whip bent and nuzzled the tender skin of her inner thighs. His tongue flicked out just as his lips brushed over her softest skin.
Shannon gasped Whip’s name as she understood.
«You told me whatever I wanted, however I wanted it,» Whip said, nuzzling her. «Right now, this is how I want it. Does it hurt you?»
«N-no.»
«Do you like it?»
Shannon’s breath came in with a ripping sound as Whip caressed her lovingly. He smiled, repeated the intimate touch, and felt her response all hot and sleek around him. The scent of her pleasure was a primitive perfume, telling Whip what he already knew. The virgin widow was his — whatever he wanted, however he wanted it.
And he wanted it all.
«There are some other things I learned in odd places around the world,» Whip said, biting Shannon with great delicacy.
A hoarse sound came from Shannon’s throat. Her back arched like a bow drawn by a master archer. Lightning strokes of pleasure surged through her with each touch of Whip’s mouth. As he pleasured her, his hands pressed against her inner thighs, opening her to his unexpected, consuming caresses.
«Seems there are as many ways of loving as there are of fighting,» Whip said against Shannon’s sultry skin.
Distantly Shannon realized that she was in a position of total vulnerability, utter abandon. Yet she could do nothing about it, for a net of wild, glittering lightning held her enthralled and shivering between her lover’s hands.
«I had no problem finding partners to hone my fighting skills on,» Whip said between tender, probing kisses. «But I never got around to finding a partner for this kind of play. So be patient with me while I get the hang of it.»
Whip’s tongue discovered the tight knot passion had drawn from Shannon’s soft, sultry flesh. Intrigued, he swirled around the knot teasingly.
Shannon gasped as tension and pleasure spiraled up swiftly, driving her higher and higher with each moment.
«Do you like that?» he murmured. «I do. I know how delicate you are there, so I’ll take only a tiny little bite.»
A high, rippling cry came from Shannon as the world became a glittering kind of black and then exploded into a thousand rainbow shards.
Smiling darkly, Whip felt ecstasy take Shannon, shaking her like a leaf in a fierce storm. He knew he should release her untried flesh, but he couldn’t force himself to do it. He kept on caressing her, tasting her lightly, biting her tenderly, loving her in a silence broken only by her wild cries.
Finally, reluctantly, Whip released Shannon from the thrall of his sensuality. He stretched out beside her, stroked her hair, and kissed the passionate tears from her eyes.
Blindly Shannon reached out to hold on to Whip, needing him in ways she didn’t understand. When he gathered her against his body, his rigid flesh nuzzled the apex of her thighs. She was soft, hot, flushed from his caresses and her own response.
The intimacy of their position made Whip’s heart stop, then beat with redoubled force. Reflexively his hips moved, probing the sultry nest with his blunt, unbending flesh. Silky heat curled out to meet him, inviting a deeper exploration. Knowing he shouldn’t, not able to stop himself, Whip caressed her with slow movements of his hips.
Instinctively Shannon’s own hips stirred. The motion slid Whip more firmly against her softness. A thrill of pleasure radiated up through her body at the slight penetration. She moved again, and was rewarded again by the sweet, unexpected pressure that caressed and stretched her in the same motion.
Whip groaned when Shannon’s helpless response licked over him as hotly as his mouth had moved over her a few minutes before. Then he felt her shift closer to him, her hips moving, her sultry core opening to him, weeping for him.
«Honey girl,» Whip said almost roughly. «Do you know what you’re asking for?»
Slowly Shannon opened her eyes. They were changed by passion until all that remained was a smoldering sapphire rim around each dilated pupil.
«What?» she asked, her voice husky.
«Look down.»
She did. Her eyes widened. She moved experimentally, then smiled a smile as old as Eve.
«I thought you said it would hurt,» Shannon said.
«You keep moving your hips like that and it will.»
«You mean…?»
«I mean you’re still a virgin,» Whip said bluntly, «but if you keep kissing me like that with your hot little mouth, I’m going to slide in you so deep you won’t know where I end and you begin.»
Shannon’s glance traveled down Whip’s powerful body to the place where they were almost joined. She moved again, testing him and herself at the same time.
«I don’t think so,» she said.
Disappointment sleeted
through Whip. His body tightened in savage rebellion at being denied what it needed more than breath.
«We’re already as close as we can get,» Shannon said. «I push and it feels good but we don’t get any, um, closer.»
Whip let out a long, breaking breath as he realized that Shannon wasn’t turning away from him. She just didn’t understand how to accomplish the deeper interlocking that their bodies desired.
«Do you want to join with me, Shannon?» Whip asked softly. «Do you want to get as close to me as a woman can get to a man?»
Shannon looked up into Whip’s eyes and felt her heart turn over with love.
«Yes,» she said huskily. «I want that. I wantyou.»
Slowly Whip shifted until he was lying between Shannon’s legs once more.
Shannon’s breath broke. She could feel him more clearly now. The sensation was delicious. Bubbles of pleasure expanded through her. When they burst, they caressed him with loving warmth.
Whip smiled and fought against the harsh urgency that was driving him. He hadn’t expected Shannon to want him after he had given her one kind of fulfillment.
But she did want him. The honeyed proof of it was licking over him right now, calling to him, telling him how easy it would be to push into her untried body.
And how hot.
«Wrap your legs around my hips,» he said huskily.
When Shannon did, her breath broke. She felt Whip between her legs with stark clarity. It was disturbing…and profoundly arousing.
A shudder of pleasure and anticipation rippled through her.
«All right?» Whip asked.
«Yes,» she whispered.
Whip pressed into Shannon until he knew he would forever change her if he went any farther. He retreated, then returned, then retreated.
«Still all right?» he asked, his voice strained.
Shannon didn’t notice the roughness of Whip’s voice or the sweat standing on his skin. She was consumed by sensations that taunted her as much as they pleasured her. She twisted hungrily beneath his powerful body, seeking to increase the sensuous pressure of his presence within her.
Whip froze.
«Is it too much?» he asked, withdrawing.
«I want more, not less,» Shannon said raggedly. «I want everything you have to give me!»
Whip’s eyelids lowered for an instant as a shudder racked his body and soul. Then he looked straight into Shannon’s eyes and began rocking slowly, carefully. Her hips lifted insistently, demanding a more thorough kind of movement.
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