Men of courage

by Lori Foster

  Relishing each broken breath he took, the way his strong fingers fisted in the sheets, Rosie reached out her hand and touched him. The feel of his penis amazed her, warm velvet over flexing steel, alive, pulsing. Ethan made small desperate sounds as she explored him, but she barely paid him any mind, too intent on what she wanted.

  She bent toward him again and his rough fingers tangled gently in her hair.

  “You smell so good.” Nuzzling into him, she breathed deeply, filling herself with the wonderful musky male scent.

  With the smallest nudge, Ethan guided her mouth to his straining erection, and she obliged, anxious to taste him as she’d so often dreamed of doing.

  She wasn’t disappointed with his reaction. The first touch of her tongue on him and he froze, his powerful body shaking. “Oh, damn.”

  Rosie stroked her tongue over him, licking along his length then up and over the broad head. With a rough growl, he tried to pull away. “I’m going to lose it, honey,” he warned.

  “Okay,” she purred, and opened her mouth, taking him in. His taste was delicious, turning her on even more. She heard him moan again—and she sucked.

  A great shudder went through Ethan; his fingers clenched in her hair to hold her closer and his hips lifted with a small, unintentional jerk. She took more of him, sucking gently, moving her wet tongue over and around and…

  “Enough.” His strength took her by surprise as he pulled her away and up to his chest. “Rosie, baby, that’s enough.” Before she could protest, he turned and caught her beneath him. His mouth covered hers and he kissed her with rough determination, his tongue wild, his hands stroking everywhere.

  Wanting him now, Rosie opened her thighs for him, but instead of accepting her invitation he slid down a little and again kissed her breasts. He wasn’t so gentle this time, sucking strongly at her nipples, nipping with his teeth. She cried out, stunned by his urgency, which made her own need escalate, but still he didn’t stop. He slid lower and one hand moved between her thighs.

  The shock of it had her stiffening, but he didn’t seem to notice. They both paused and she heard Ethan groan as he carefully began exploring her, his fingertips gliding through her curls, pressing in, parting her. It seemed the oddest caress, so intimate, so hot and stimulating and, judging by the hungry sounds he made, Ethan enjoyed touching her as much as she enjoyed his touch. She didn’t know what she had expected, but the gentle, insistent way he continued to stroke her made her wild.

  His five o’clock shadow rasped against her belly as he turned his face inward to kiss her, leaving small, tingling love bites. By slow degrees, he went lower and lower until taking a single breath was too difficult to accomplish.

  Rosie struggled to assimilate all the new feelings—and then he pushed one finger into her and she jerked, her eyes rounding, her body rioting with sensation. “Ethan.”

  “You’re tight.” His voice was nearly soundless with arousal. “And wet.”

  She bit her lip to keep her groans to herself, but she couldn’t stop the automatic rise and fall of her hips. Ethan had large, hard, wonderful hands.

  “Yeah, that’s it. That’s what I want.” He worked another finger in, stretching her, just as his breath touched her most sensitive flesh.

  “Ethan?” This was all very new to her, though he couldn’t know that. “I…”

  With his fingers buried deep inside her, he covered her with his mouth. The scalding heat struck her first, then the gentle damp rasp of his velvet tongue. The sensation was so intense she couldn’t bear it, but she couldn’t stop him, either. No matter how she twisted, how she moaned, Ethan didn’t stop.

  If anything, he pressed closer, holding her motionless with the weight of his broad shoulders, and then his mouth closed around her clitoris, suckling at her while his fingers pushed, withdrew and sank in again.

  Her climax hit her without warning. Rosie had thought about this moment so many times, about how she’d act feminine and sexy and she’d lure Ethan so that he wanted to have sex with her again and again.

  Instead she shouted like a crazy person, her body arching hard, uncontrollably. His hold tightened and he drove her until every nerve was alive, tingling.

  As the spiraling explosion faded, she heard Ethan moan, felt his hands settle on her hips, tenderly squeezing. When she lay flat again, stunned and more or less quiet, he pulled away.

  Rosie couldn’t move. Her legs were sprawled around him, her thoughts scattered. She simply hadn’t expected such a thing, such a wild bombardment on her senses.

  Ethan rested his cheek on her belly and hugged her. She still gasped for breath, astounded by what had just happened, when he whispered, “I love you, Rosie.”

  Her heart slammed to a halt. It took her two tries to catch her breath, to believe he’d actually said those special words, and then she started to sob. She didn’t mean to, but once the tears started, she couldn’t stop them. And damn it, she wasn’t a pretty crier. She wasn’t very quiet, either.

  Ethan lifted his head to look at her, and his smile was lopsided, a little silly. “I’ve never seen you cry, Rosie.”

  “Shut up.” She sniffled, wiped at her eyes and stretched her arm to the nightstand for a handful of tissues.

  Watching her with that endearing grin in place, Ethan said, “So surly.”

  “I’m embarrassed, all right?”

  “Why?”

  “I’m not very dainty about crying.” Her brother used to tease her that she sounded like a drunken walrus when she wept.

  “You’re not very dainty about coming, either, but hey, I’m not complaining.” He stood beside the bed. Rosie froze in the middle of blowing her nose.

  Dear heaven, he was gorgeous.

  He lifted his jeans from the floor, pulled his wallet from the back pocket, located a condom and, casual as you please, opened the package and put it on. Rosie bolted upright in fascination. She’d never seen an erection in a raincoat.

  Then she remembered she’d never seen an erection—not up close and personal anyway.

  She started to comment on the process, but then Ethan was there, pushing her back down on the bed, crowding over her.

  He kissed her cheek, up to her damp eyelashes, to her temple. Very softly he said, “I love the way you cry, and I love the way you come.” He cupped her face. “I love you.”

  The tears came again, this time in a torrent. “Ethan.” She wrapped her arms tight around him and bawled. She felt stupid for her loss of control, but she couldn’t count the nights she’d lain awake and prayed that someday he’d say those three special words to her. Now that he finally had, her heart wanted to burst.

  In a butterfly caress, he kissed her shoulder— and nudged her thighs wider apart so he could settle between them. “Shh,” he rambled lowly, sounding indulgent. “You’ll make yourself sick.”

  “I don’t—”

  He pushed into her.

  “—care!” Rosie clenched down hard as his cock slid deep inside her. It burned a little as he filled her, and felt so good she lost her breath again. “Oh, my—Ethan. Ethan.”

  He actually laughed. But the laugh trailed off into a groan. He kept his hips flexed, straining against her, maintaining the pressure, pushing deeper and deeper. “Relax for me, honey.” He kissed the corner of her mouth. “I want you to take all of me.”

  All of him? Rosie bit his shoulder, trying to silence her roar of pleasure as he rocked against her, slowly giving her more, then more still. Without thinking about it, she lifted her legs and locked them around his waist—and he sank in another inch.

  Just when she thought it would be too much, he stopped and rested against her. “Rosie?”

  She swallowed, shivered and finally choked an indistinct, “Mmm?”

  “You were a virgin?”

  There was only one answer she could give. “I’ve never wanted anyone but you.”

  Ethan didn’t tease her, didn’t crow about his conquest, he simply gathered her closer against him, k
issed her mouth in a long, slow, deep kiss—and began moving.

  The friction proved beyond incredible. Ethan kept kissing her. Long, lazy, consuming kisses. Hot, frantic kisses. He started to move faster and his breathing deepened, his muscles tightened.

  Suddenly he levered himself up on stiffened arms. His thrusts were hard, slow, deep. Rosie stared at him, enthralled by the sight of his corded neck, the bunched muscles in his shoulders and biceps. His narrowed eyes were golden brown, bright, fevered. His jaw clenched.

  And then she knew he was coming. She watched him through a haze. Their labored breaths mingled and she moaned with him, so excited to see him like this.

  Moments later Ethan dropped sluggishly onto her, his face in her neck. Her legs went slack and slipped to the mattress. He was still inside her. It wasn’t easy, but Rosie managed to lift one hand to stroke the nape of his neck down to his sweaty shoulder. “I love you, too, Ethan.”

  He gave an incoherent reply and tightened his arms.

  Smiling, happier than she ever thought possible, Rosie asked, “When can we get married?”

  He stopped breathing.

  One second he was sucking air, sounding like a marathon runner, the next he was perfectly still. She barely felt his heartbeat—until it started drumming madly against her breast.

  He raised his head, eyes agog. “Married?”

  He appeared so horrified by the idea that Rosie considered slugging him. “Don’t say it like a dirty word, Ethan.”

  “Well, no, but… marriage?”

  Oh, she didn’t feel like crying now. She was spitting mad and very determined. “I’m marrying you, Ethan Winters, so you might as well get used to it right now. And, by God, we’ll live in my house and plant flowers in the summer and get a damn dog and eventually have some kids and—”

  The shock cleared from his face and he started to laugh. Rosie shoved at him, but he didn’t seem inclined to stop. “You think me being a mother is funny?” she demanded.

  “No,” he gasped around his chuckles. “No, I swear.”

  “Buffoon! Get off of me.”

  Instead he dropped his whole weight on her and got his chuckles under control. He wore a tender smile and his eyes were twinkling when he said, “Rosie.”

  “Don’t you ‘Rosie’ me!”

  He kissed her, but it was a funny kiss because she was fighting him and he was snickering again.

  “I love you,” he reminded her when she tried to twist his arm behind his back. “Ow, ouch. Rosie, I love you! Now stop that.”

  Mulish, a little hurt, she let him go but glared at him.

  He still looked entirely too close to hilarity. “Honey, I love you.” He touched her mouth, teasing. “You just took me by surprise, that’s all.”

  He sounded sincere, she had to admit. “I’ve always known I loved you, Ethan.”

  “Yeah, well, I’ve only had it figured out for a few hours, so how about just giving me some time?” He cupped her face, kissed her again, a tickling teasing kiss.

  “And time will make you realize that we need to be married?”

  He tried to sound somber when he said, “I’d consider myself a shallow ass if it didn’t.”

  Relief washed over her and she found her own smile. “All right.”

  With one last kiss, Ethan moved away from her. “Stay put. I’ll be right back.” Naked, gorgeous and far too sexy, he went out into the hall and then she heard water running in the bathroom.

  Ethan loved her. The rest would come. It had to.

  Ethan took his time removing the condom, finding a washcloth, soaking it with warm water. Marriage. Damn, but Rosie only knew one speed—Mach.

  She’d left him in the dust that time for sure. He’d been doing his best to reconcile the fact that he loved her, that she’d been a virgin, that she was a regular wildcat in bed—and bam! She’d planned out their whole lives, complete with a dog and kids.

  But now that she’d brought it up, the idea appealed to him. He did love her, no doubt about that one. Once he’d admitted it to himself, the feeling had expanded and grown and all but consumed him. He couldn’t believe it had taken him so long to realize what was firmly rooted in his heart. The strength of what he felt for her was even a little scary.

  Ethan knew he couldn’t bear the idea of any other man touching her. So far, no other man had. If he played his cards right, no other man would. She was his in every sense of the word—and by God, he’d keep her. If that meant marriage, then so what? It wouldn’t make him care more for her, but if she needed that, then he’d give it to her.

  A quiet little ceremony, with only two witnesses… yeah, he could do that. He wouldn’t like it, and he assumed some pretty ugly memories would plague him. But Rosie was worth any emotional discomfort.

  He took a steadying breath, wrung out the washcloth, and headed back to the bedroom.

  She hadn’t bothered to cover herself.

  Ethan almost tripped over his own feet. He’d always known Rosie was pretty, and that she was built nice. But naked, stretched out on a bed, she was about the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.

  Her head turned toward him when he stopped in the open doorway. Her hair was tumbled around her face, her body still flushed in selective places—such as her breasts, her belly, her silky thighs.

  Damn, he was getting hard again.

  Ethan cleared his throat and sat beside her on the mattress. “I’m going to clean you up.”

  Now she moved, darting under the covers so fast she was a blur. “You most definitely are not.”

  Ethan grinned. “Wanna bet?”

  “Don’t even think—”

  He had the covers completely off the bed in a flash, which left Rosie squawking and ready to tussle. He obliged. Wrestling with Rosie wasn’t at all like wrestling with other women. For one thing, she refused to understand that she was the weaker sex. Instead, she fought hard, determined to get the upper hand. By the time Ethan had her hands pinned above her head and his hips settled firmly between her spread thighs so she couldn’t kick him, they were both panting from exertion.

  And he was fully aroused again.

  He grinned down at her, but she didn’t smile back. No, her eyes had turned all molten and she was staring at his mouth. The way he held her left her breasts on display and Ethan had a hard time keeping his gaze off her tight pink nipples and on her face.

  He lowered his forehead to hers. “You’re distracting me, Rosie.”

  “Good.” She lifted her hips in an undulating roll, stroking him with her body. “Let’s do it again.”

  Hell of an idea. “You’re not too sore?”

  She shook her head. “No. Well, maybe just a little, but… no.” She lifted her long lashes to stare up at him. “I want to watch you come again. You are so sexy.”

  Feeling a little selfconscious with her bold statement, Ethan laughed. “You don’t act like a virgin, you know that?”

  Her thighs closed around his waist. “If you stay the night with me, I’ll try to act more virginal.” Since she made that promise while leaning up to nip his chin, Ethan could only nod his agreement. It felt damn good to be wanted so much, especially by Rosie.

  “You have more condoms?” she asked.

  “Just one,” he told her.

  “Then let’s make it last.” She pulled her hands free, pushed him to his back, and Ethan groaned as she climbed atop him.

  Loving Rosie was going to be a lot of fun.

  As the night wore on, so did Ethan’s determination to legally bind her to him. The rest of his life wouldn’t be long enough to love her. He’d discuss it with her in the morning, and then they could make plans. With any luck, they could get the marriage business over with on his next day off.

  When Ethan awoke, he found Rosie at her dresser, putting in earrings. He smiled, thinking how delightful she looked standing there in her slip and nylons, her beautiful hair twisted atop her head.

  He scooted up in the bed and stretched. Rosie turne
d to face him, smiled, and came to him for a good morning kiss.

  “I’ve got coffee in the kitchen if you want some.”

  He pulled her onto his lap. “I was hoping to find you naked in bed beside me, not half-dressed.”

  “Sorry.” She pushed away and checked her hair to make sure he hadn’t messed it up. “I have to see a client in about half an hour.” Absently, she stroked his chest hair, and her gaze warmed. “You look good in my bed, Ethan.”

  “Is that a hint?”

  “That I’d like to see you here more? Absolutely.” She stood and went to the closet to pull out a tailored dress, which she stepped into and buttoned up. Next she slipped her feet into medium-heeled shoes and she was done.

  It felt right to watch Rosie dress, to be privy to her little morning rituals. He should have awakened in time to shower with her. Tomorrow he would.

  Ethan swung his legs over the side of the bed, stood and scratched his chest. When he reached for his jeans, he realized that Rosie was just standing there, staring at him, and he grinned.

  “You know,” he said as he pulled on the jeans, “I was thinking about this marriage stuff.”

  Her breath caught. “And?”

  “I think it’s a hell of an idea.”

  She stood still for almost fifteen seconds before she let out a squeal and bounded around the bed to reach him. Ethan caught her, whirled her around once, then laughed out loud as she choked him with a tight hug. “I knew you’d be reasonable!”

  Still laughing, Ethan said, “It has nothing to do with reason and everything to do with loving you.” He cupped his hands over her bottom and kissed her. “Do you think we could get it done next week on my day off?”

  “Next week?” Her face went blank. “Of course not. I have to order a dress and rent a hall and find a preacher and invite everyone… weddings take time, Ethan.”

  His heart sank like a stone into his stomach. “Rosie.” Gently he set her away from him. “I want no part of a big, fancy wedding. I thought we could just go to a justice of the peace and be done with it.”