All About Seduction(101)

“Not your fault,” she warbled, and then cleared her throat. “It’s s-soothing . . . feels almost c-c-cool.”

That didn’t relieve his guilt. Concentrating on coating the opening of her body, he dipped one finger inside her and then a second. No wonder she was more reluctant tonight. He wanted to look and see if his fingers were reading her correctly, but she would never allow it.

“Caro, sweetheart, you don’t have to like this, but don’t pretend it doesn’t hurt if it does.”

She made a sound of protest.

Touching her in her private place was raising his need for her. But for her desire for a pregnancy, he would have begged her to wrap her fingers around him and let him find satisfaction that way instead of risking making her sorer.

But that wasn’t why she was in bed with him. She wanted his release only to get her pregnant, not because she wanted sex with him. If only he could convince her to fool around awhile first, he could wait until he was close to coming and then finish quickly inside her.

“Sweet, let me see your face,” he whispered near her ear.

He slipped his fingers higher, looking for that elusive little nubbin where a woman’s pleasure was centered.

She lifted her head, and he thought she might turn toward him. He found what he was looking for and caught it. Careful to use only a little pressure, he tightened his fingers and rubbed the nubbin between them.

She gasped and jerked toward the head of the bed and away from his hand. “Jack!”

Ah, he’d found her sweet spot, and had just as quickly lost it when she shot away from him. But she hadn’t yelped in pain. No, her reaction was surprise. Her neck was near his face and it was all he could do to stop himself from pressing his lips there. He turned into her, burying his nose in the fold between her shoulder and neck, breathing in the sweet scent of her skin. “You liked that,” he murmured.

She shuddered and then tensed, but didn’t protest.

Yes, he thought. He could yet show her pleasure, if only she would let him touch her, kiss her, hold her.

She tilted her head farther away then lowered herself back down. She kept a space between their bodies, as if she could keep this all business and no pleasure. He reached again to slide his fingers in her feminine folds.

She caught his wrist and pulled it away. “I’m sure that is enough.”

She drew in a deep breath and lowered her bottom onto him. He didn’t help her to join their bodies, although the heat of her flesh against him caused rush after rush to slide down his spine and throb in his cock. Wanting to slow everything down, he reached for her hips.

“Caro, if we touch—if you touch me awhile before we are joined—I can be fast.” Why wouldn’t she look at him?

“Please, could we finish this?” Her voice quivered.

“Just be a part of it with me,” he begged. He needed to watch her expression for signs of pain. He needed to know she was all right. He needed her to connect with him.

“I can’t. I can’t like this. I can’t like you,” she quavered.

Her words stunned him. She couldn’t like him? Or didn’t want to?

She reached down and positioned his cock against her. A burst of physical pleasure spiraled through him. He wanted her so badly. Then she was pushing down, joining them. He grunted, as his cock slid inside her. A soft moan left her, even though he could tell she’d tried to hold it back.

His head spun while she rocked on him. Her body felt so right, warm and slick this time.

Part of him wanted to shove her off, but another part wanted to be like this, forever buried deep inside of her. But he wanted this and so much more. He didn’t know that he’d ever thought too much about connecting with a woman on more than the physical level, but this purely mechanical act left him hungry and angry, as if she’d taken his heart, soul, and body and given him nothing in return.

He’d had enough things taken from him today. If it killed him, he was going to get her to be part of this. Her face had gone soft with desire on the stairs. A minute ago she’d looked like a woman who wanted to be kissed. She wanted this for more than getting pregnant. The exchange of looks at the mill hadn’t been one-sided. She’d been attracted to him for a long time. She might lie to herself, but he’d be damned if he would allow her to lie to him. Not now, not in bed, not while their bodies were locked together. Grasping her hips tightly, he held her down, stopping her rocking.

“Why are you determined to not enjoy this?” he demanded.