I had entertained carrying Sage over the threshold into the suite. Not that I normally did such things. There was a fine line between romance and farce.

But as in all things, Sage Evans was different. She made me want to be different as well. To live outside the box just as she did.

If anyone deserved that extra jolt of romance, it was sweet, untainted Sage.

Not that she’d remain untainted much longer. I had my share of positive qualities, but my saintly nature wasn’t one of them.

I’d tried to keep my distance at different times during the evening. It was simply impossible, no matter how often I reminded myself of my brother’s stern words. I wanted more from her—what, I wasn’t yet certain—but if she needed less…well, I could be what she needed, for tonight or a string of them.

Whatever she would give, I would greedily take.

Beginning her sensual education by carrying her over the threshold was a no-brainer.

I just never expected to do it because she was unconscious.

Oh, she wasn’t dead. Not even passed out in a drunken stupor. She’d just worn herself out like a delirious child who’d sampled all the offerings at the buffet table and hit ground zero against my shoulder in the gilt-trimmed elevator.

My luck.

She hadn’t fully been out, just kind of snore-snorting herself awake as she leaned on my arm, but as soon as I swept her up, she blinked out. Just snuggled right in, her face in my throat, and allowed me to suffer all manner of stares from the few returning late-night partiers also stumbling to their rooms.

Not that I was stumbling. I was quite sure-footed, since I hadn’t imbibed enough to take down a buffalo.

Somehow I managed to maneuver the door open without dropping her. Small favors. As I placed her in the center of her bed, I frowned. She was awfully pale. This wasn’t some kind of alcohol poisoning, was it?

She couldn’t have consumed that much. Though I had left her a few times while she’d been at the slot machine to take care of some business with our secretary, who just loved being awakened out of a sound sleep due to my urgent requests. If she hadn’t dealt with Seth and me for years now, and thought of us as sons—annoying ones—she probably would’ve quit on the spot.

But I didn’t think this sudden slumber was alcohol-related, beyond the natural system-depressant effect liquor had. She’d just run herself into the ground. Soaking up every little bit Vegas had to offer.

I smiled as I fluffed the pillows under her head and carefully worked to free the sheet and covers from beneath her without disrupting her sleep. Tomorrow there would be more fun and exploration. I didn’t know if she’d want to gamble again, or maybe see if we could take in another show. There was also the possibility of driving out to the desert.

Making love on a blanket under the stars.

Whoa. This is not General Hospital. You won’t have sex with the virginal woman and she’ll suddenly decide you two are soul mates. More likely, if you do have sex, she’ll enjoy an O or two and happily bounce back home and act as if nothing ever happened.

I was okay with that. Truly. I had no expectations about getting physical or anything else. Even if my thoughts kept veering to a form of romance I wasn’t used to.

Seth thought I was skilled at the woo, but there had never been another woman I wanted to woo as much as this one. And that was fucking terrifying.

After I tugged the sheet up to her shoulders, I glanced at the nightstand. She should have water for when she woke up. Probably some painkillers too, just in case a headache kicked in. She hadn’t stayed hydrated enough throughout the evening.

I collected two aspirin from my travel case and filled a water glass then double-checked that she was still resting peacefully. No issue there. Her lips were even lifted in sleep. I hoped she was having good dreams. She deserved them.

Okay, that was it. I turned and headed toward the door of my connecting suite. I was going to bed to hopefully banish this sappiness that had overtaken me. As much as I hated leaving her alone, it was probably for the best. Besides, being in her presence had brought something soft out of me I couldn’t identify and wasn’t sure I liked.

Former shark, recently neutered. Pay your quarters for viewing now.

I would return often to check on her. My threatened balls weren’t more important than her well-being.

“Oliver.”

Her voice was thick with fatigue and so low I could barely hear it. My gut lurched just the same.

I was never going to be able to leave now. I didn’t want to.

“Shh, get some sleep. I’ll be right next door—”

“No. Too far.” She flung out an arm and indicated the other half of the enormous King bed. She looked so tiny in the center of that enormous space. So vulnerable and sweet.

Fuck, my dick twitched. I couldn’t help it. She was so beautiful. I took in that spray of long blond hair over the pristine pillows, the heavy fringe of lashes that cast shadows on her cheeks, the pale pink bow of her lips.

Every fiber of my body strained toward her, and my brain threw up roadblock after roadblock.

“Oliver,” she said again, stronger now. She still hadn’t opened her eyes. “Your smell’s still too far away. Come to bed.”

It made me laugh. I wasn’t entirely sure if she wanted me for me or my musk.

Or the fact that you’re a convenient penis. Don’t forget that part. Thanks, brother.

Right then, I didn’t care. I’d never spooned with a woman before in my life, but I had a feeling tonight would be a first.

In a lot of ways.

I toed off my shoes, then shed my clothes down to my boxers and set them on a nearby chair. Bring the wallet or no? The debate lasted far longer than it should have.

In the end, I left it behind. No assumptions, remember? I stood at the foot of the bed, studying the steady rise and fall of her chest. Perhaps she’d fallen asleep again.

“I’m awake. Ish.” It was as if she could read my thoughts. Disconcerting as hell. She wiggled her fingers. “Come on, big boy. I won’t bite.”

“So you keep saying.”

I got in on the opposite side, then hesitated, my back propped against the headboard. Now what? Just lie down? Roll toward her and seem available for possible snuggling?

Christ, why was this all so fucking hard?

Normally, I didn’t give any of this stuff a second thought. Second or third-date sex didn’t require such intense scrutiny. Now I was overanalyzing every step.

That damn virginity of hers was slowing my roll to a stop.

“Still too far,” she mumbled, rolling over and inching across the bed until her head was in my lap.

Nope, already played this scenario once tonight. It wasn’t occurring again until she got some of her own back. I wasn’t a saint, but I also wasn’t a selfish son of a bitch.

At least not with her.

Luckily, I didn’t have to shift her away because she did that all on her own. She didn’t go far, instead pressing her cheek into the side of my thigh. “Too far away up there.” Her voice was muffled by the bedding.

I slid down the bed and let out a startled oomph as she rolled half onto me, attaching herself as if I were her own personal body pillow. One leg went over both of mine, her arm draped over my waist and her mouth landed at the base of my throat.

She smelled so fresh and clean. That sunshine and fresh air scent clung especially strongly to her hair, and I tilted my head to take a long, leisurely sniff.

“Smelling me?” she muttered as heat singed my ears. “I do that too with you.” She buried her nose in the crook between my neck and shoulder. “So yummy.”

“Go to sleep.” I stroked a hand over her wild hair and like a kitten under a hand, she drifted right off again.

So much for spooning. She was practically on top of me.

It didn’t seem to matter that the position was a little uncomfortable, because my eyes were already closing. She’d worn me out.

I smiled. And I’d enjoyed almost every moment. Minus some of the Celine show. Only some. She had actually been pretty good.

Neutering half-complete. Will be finished by morning.

When I woke, light was filtering into the room. I’d forgotten to pull the blackout curtains and the pearlescent gray of dawn was intruding on our warm tangle of arms and legs.

I didn’t know how long we’d slept. It couldn’t have been more than a few hours. Sage should’ve been still dead to the world after the day and night she’d had yesterday.

Not so much.

Her face was still tucked into the crook of my neck, but her hands were wandering. Caressing my chest, slipping lower to toy with my happy trail. As she neared the waistband of my boxers, I caught her hand against my stomach.

“Are you sleep-fondling?”

She let out a soft giggle and lifted her head so that her crazy hair tumbled down to frame her face. “You were sleeping for some of it, but I was awake. As are you now.”

“Did you take advantage of me?”

“Oh, no, I waited for you to be conscious for that.”

I brushed a few strands of hair out of her eyes. “Feel better?”

“Yes. You carried me to bed.”

“I didn’t have much choice, as you timed out in the elevator.”

That intoxicating giggle again. “It’s hard work having the best night of your life.”

Christ, I was sunk. She could’ve asked me for anything in that moment, and it would have been hers.

She might’ve been the virgin, but I was the one in foreign territory.

“Now I’d like to have the best morning.” She brushed a kiss over my scruffy jaw. “In a minute.” She started to roll away from me, but I caught a handful of her dress.

Hmm, I probably should’ve done something about that last night. Undressing her while she was asleep was a sticky spot. Eh, well, I’d have it dry-cleaned.

Not that she seemed concerned, since she pushed away my hand and rose to haul the dress over her head. It dropped on the floor beside the bed and she didn’t give it another look before she disappeared into the bathroom.

Ah, the call of nature.

Except she didn’t return quickly. By the time she came back, I was on the verge of going in there to check on her. I was half sitting up, but the sight of her in the growing sunlight knocked me flat back down on my ass.

She’d done a full face of makeup. Even curled her hair or poufed it or something so that it fell over her shoulders in sexy blond waves. And she had on lingerie, for fuck’s sake. It was skimpy, lacy, and nearly unable to contain her curves.

My already immoral dick waved a white flag and surrendered for good.

“Morning breath,” she explained as she caught me staring. “Ruins the moment.”

“Now she tells me.” I swallowed and tried to remember where my brain was so I could get out of the bed and do the same.

Minus the hair curling and makeup.

She smirked and crawled across the bed. “Don’t worry. I’ll accept you au naturel. Just this once.”

Then her mouth was on mine and I couldn’t think straight, never mind recalling proper pre-morning fucking protocol.

She didn’t waste time on easing into the kiss. She wrapped her tongue around mine, doing some sinuous maneuver that warped my last remaining senses as she pressed her full breasts against me. God, her nipples were like little skewers. Frissons of awareness danced down my spine and for a minute, possibly more, she was in control. I was her putty to do with as she wished.

Except this wasn’t going down like this.

I rolled her beneath me and caught her wrists, dragging them above her head. She yelped and kicked out at me, clearly surprised. I let her squirm and fight, my body becoming more and more rigid.

“Go ahead, princess. I like it when you writhe against me.”

“What are you doing?”

“You seemed to be in an awfully big hurry, and we need to slow down.” I nibbled her lower lip as I met her gaze. “Trust me?”

If she’d hesitated for even an instant, I would’ve called a halt to everything. It might’ve killed me, but I would have done it.

She nodded, her eyes steady on mine as she blew out an impatient breath. “I’ve waited long enough, don’t you think?”

“Not even close.” I rubbed my thumb over the pulse hammering in her wrist. “I wish I had cuffs with me.”

Her pupils went huge. “You have cuffs?”

“I do. Fur-lined ones. They don’t hurt sensitive skin.” I licked her lip as my thumb circled over that wild, erratic beat. “You’re not with your usual safe, predictable sort, princess. If this isn’t what you want, you need to speak up now. Otherwise, you’re not leaving this bed until you’ve been thoroughly fucked.”

I waited for her to balk at my crude talk. But just like yesterday, she seemed to strain toward it. Toward me.

“I don’t want safe.” Her breathing sped up. “I want this. Want you.” She bumped her hips up, grinding against me so that I had no choice but to close my eyes and grit my teeth.

This woman.

I counted backward from ten and opened my eyes, letting my gaze drift down her body. She couldn’t stay still under my perusal. Her nipples were beaded, and the lace had hiked up to nearly reveal the treasure between her legs. She wasn’t wearing panties. I wanted to see, touch, ravage every bit of her. Make her mine in all the ways that counted, and a few new ones that we would invent between us.

“If you were anyone else, I would tear this right off.”

“Please. I’m so hot. I’m dying already.”

A quick glance at her reddened cheeks told me she wanted that experience too. She craved to be desired that much.

Her wish was about to come true.

I shifted my hold on her wrists to one hand, though she’d gone limp enough that I doubted she’d fight me. She appeared to like it when I took charge, even if she felt honor-bound to put up a token protest. I had my guesses about what it would be like to explore her natural submissiveness, but those considerations weren’t for right now.

There was only this moment.

I ripped the lace keeping her from me down the middle with my free hand. She didn’t make a sound, just arched her back, offering me her breasts and the flushed pink perfection of her untouched pussy as if they were gifts.

Her lovely innocence and the courage it took for her to share herself this way stunned me nearly into silence. A rumble of pleasure was about all I could manage.

I lowered my head, turning it so she couldn’t escape meeting my gaze as I lapped at her nipple. She shifted beneath me, her wrists flexing in my hold as I widened my area of focus, giving her entire breast the same attention. I moved to the other and did the same, my eyes never leaving hers while her breathing went from quickened to a full-on pant. “The most exquisite creature I’ve ever seen.”

Her only response was to press her shoulders deeper into the mattress and offer me more of her breasts.

Squeezing one, I returned to her mouth, kissing her as slowly as if we had all the time in the world. I licked my way into her mouth, absorbing her little mewl as I pinched her taut nipple. Rolling it between my fingers, I twined my tongue around hers, fighting every impulse inside me that told me to rush. I would be a better man for her.

Still kissing her, I plucked at her other nipple, alternating between rough touches and gentler ones to figure out what made her heartbeat slam crazily against mine. Rough, definitely rough. She had a hidden wild side, my princess, and I couldn’t wait to explore every nuance of it with her.

“Grip the headboard,” I said into her mouth. “I need both hands for this.”

She complied at once. I cupped her breasts together and nuzzled them both, rubbing my thumbs over the stiff tips. She watched my every move, riveted. Her curious expression only made me more determined to show her everything, give her everything.

Make up for every idiot male who hadn’t realized what a gift they’d been offered.

Their loss. Now she was mine.

I leaned up to kiss her gently, teasing open her lips with mine. She was so eager, so hungry. I returned her kiss and slowed it down, swallowing her noise of frustration and giving her an answering tug on her nipples.

She arched and quieted, her body mine for the taking. At exactly the pace I intended.

Still cupping her breasts, I skimmed my mouth down her rib cage. Her skin was flushed all over, especially between her legs. I’d barely allowed myself a look, knowing it would push me to move faster than I meant to go. But now I let my gaze linger between her thighs as I kissed my way there, wanting her well aware of my destination before I reached it. She was so pink and delicate, already damp with desire. A landing strip of downy blond curls led like an arrow right to the heart of her.

I couldn’t wait to taste her. To know her in a way no one else ever had.

Mine.

I dipped my tongue into her belly button, swirling it there. “Have you?” I breathed against her skin, trusting she would get my meaning.

Her throat rippled, and she shook her head.

Fucking morons. Those men weren’t worth the pavement beneath her feet.

Neither are you.

More and more, I was beginning to think just that. But if I could earn my redemption, I would start at the altar between her thighs.

I finally released her breasts to draw apart her legs. “Hold on tight, princess.”

Apparently, she thought I meant to grip my hair, because at the first lick, she grasped it in both hands and let out a sound crossed between surprise and pure animalistic need. I didn’t admonish her since her hands in my hair felt too fucking good. As did the frantic pulse against my lips as I learned her reactions, sliding down to lap at the well of liquid pooled at the tender entrance of her. Then I slipped inside, just the tip of my tongue, savoring both the crush of her legs against the sides of my head and those demanding pulls on my scalp.

She would never be a passive lover. Never shy away from sharing her approval at what I was doing.

I looked up at her and wet my fingertips, again taking my time so she could do nothing but watch and wait. And quiver on the mattress as if she were dying for every touch.

As I eased one finger inside, she gasped and rocketed upward, still holding onto my hair. I didn’t retreat. I continued on, marveling at the unrelenting tightness that would certainly strangle my dick. I repeated the move a few times and she splayed her legs wider, her inhibitions fleeing in search of more. I added another finger, stretching her open slightly, picking up speed while I licked at her distended clit. She was throbbing around me, tightening already. She wouldn’t last long, and I didn’t want her to.

If anyone had earned a goddamn orgasm, it was Sage Evans.

“Come for me, princess,” I murmured, meeting her eyes as I pressed the flat of my tongue to her clit and curved my fingers inside her, deliberately seeking out that secret spot that only worked on good days and if the angels aligned their interests with mine.

They were fucking singing with their harps out this morning.

“Oh God, what—oh God!” She bucked against me, yanking at my hair again and again as I flexed my groin into the bed in a futile attempt to get some relief. Going down on her was more erotic than I’d ever begun to guess. “Too much, I can’t—”

“Don’t fight it, princess,” I whispered, using the nickname that always seemed to work magic. “Just let go.”

Her pupils blew wide before she shut her eyes and arched, her whole body going taut as the rubber band of need inside her snapped. She flooded my tongue, her clit a manic drumbeat against my mouth as she screamed.

Fucking screamed. Not some little moan meant as a merit badge for a halfway decent effort.

She was still quaking when I finally gathered my wits enough to climb up her body. I kissed her with lips soaked from her and she ate at them, hungry for every taste and sensation I could offer. Her hands raced down my back, her nails scraping my skin as she shoved down my boxers and cupped my ass. Hard. Nails leaving welts while she sucked on my tongue to swallow every bit of herself left behind.

“You better have a fucking condom,” she panted, and I couldn’t decide if I wanted to groan or laugh.

So I did both.

“I didn’t come here to get laid. What kind of man do you think I am?”

“A smart one who’d better get moving.” She smacked my ass and I rolled off her, kicking my tangled boxers down my legs and onto the floor. Where I soon followed.

Christ. Classy move, dude.

But it was completely worth it to look up from where I was lying on the floor on my back with the wind knocked out of me to see her peering over the edge, her big green eyes dancing, her hair falling forward to frame her lovely flushed cheeks. She looked freshly fucked, and I hadn’t even had the honor yet.

“Need a hand?” she asked silkily, but she didn’t reach for that. She gripped my cock, giving it a long, hard stroke, ending with the perfect amount of friction at the tip. She shimmied forward, her long hair trailing over my tensed belly. “Maybe a mouth…”

“Uh-uh. Not again. I have plans for that delicious pussy of yours.”

“Good. So let’s go.” She licked her lips and squeezed her hand over my length one more time. “It misses you.”

I groaned. Christ. Dead. I was so dead.

Somehow I stumbled to my knees and crawled over to the chair that held my clothes. Her joyous laughter filled my head as I struggled to retrieve my wallet and the condoms inside. I had three crammed in there, and they hadn’t been touched in longer than Sage would believe.

I intended to use every damn one today. Morning, noon, and night, as often as her untried pussy could take me.

With condoms in hand, I stood and returned to the bed. Her heavy eyes drank me down, lingering unabashedly on my cock. It was painfully hard, and her attention didn’t help that matter. She reached for it and leaned up to meet my mouth at the same time, caressing me in uneven pulls that shouldn’t have made me even hotter. But she was so greedy, so expressive, that every bit of excitement she showed only increased my own.

I settled myself between her legs and kissed her softly, trying to convey that I was in no rush. My body was, but my mind and gut and everything in between wanted to stay right here with her in this bed forever. But she was rubbing herself against me, soaking me with the proof of her readiness, and fuck, I was only so strong.

As I leaned up to roll on the condom, she took it out of my hand.

“Can I?”

Nodding, I guided her hands when necessary. It gratified me in some caveman-like way I didn’t care to explore that her fingers fumbled, and she caught her lip between her teeth as she tried to roll it on. Clearly, this too was new to her. She’d never even gotten this far.

I wished like hell she’d never get this far with another man again.

Just me. Only me. And I didn’t care what that said or what it meant.

Mine. All fucking mine.

The instant the latex was in place, I loomed over her, bracing my arms on either side of her on the pillows. “Hold on tight, princess. But this time, hold on tight to me.”

She wrapped her arms and legs around me, tilting back her head to give me the sweetest kiss. “I’m glad it’s you, Oliver,” she whispered, and I couldn’t hold back a second more. My hips drove forward of their own accord.

She cried out, and later, I would rue that I hadn’t maintained control for just a bit longer. But there were no half measures, and once I was in, I was all the way in, sinking to the depths of her before drawing back slowly. So slowly that she whimpered and bit down on my chin, drawing blood.

“Okay?”

I expected her to tell me to stop. Her eyes were wet, and I could tell from the tension in her limbs that I’d hurt her. But she nodded, her smile fierce as she rose up to meet my next thrust. And the next, and the next.

Losing myself in them was like breathing. I tried to take it easy, to remember that no matter her enthusiasm, this was all new to her. But God, the sounds she was making as she dragged her nails down my lower back were my undoing.

“More. I’m okay.” She nipped my lip. “I want it harder. Make me come again.”

I let the chain on my control snap and rutted into her the way my body demanded, hauling her legs up until they were over one shoulder and I could grip her thighs for leverage. She was right there with me, her moans endless as she scrabbled her hands over the pillows for purchase. She turned her head, biting one of them as her pussy spasmed, wrenching my cock so tightly that I couldn’t hold back my groan. Goddamn, I was close. A couple more strokes.

I worked her hard, and harder still, muttering apologies and promising to make it up to her later as I sought my elusive orgasm. Right there, right there.

And then I felt the condom break—a second before my hips snapped forward and I drained myself into her giving pussy with a long, low groan.

I collapsed half on top of her and half on the pillows, my mind already racing as hard as my still pulsing body.

Fucking hell.

I’d just come inside her with nothing between us.

Maybe it was a small hole. A pinprick. Perhaps only a few swimmers had sneaked through.

Fuck me.

It wouldn’t have been as obvious if I hadn’t been paying so much more attention than usual to all the nuances of her reactions. Not that I hadn’t lost the thread of those when my overeager cock had decided to run the show.

Christ, it was her first time. She couldn’t get pregnant. I mean, what were the chances?

Ask your brother that. The kid’s name is Laurie.

“Oh, wow. My God. Wow. That was…” She trailed off and shifted to grin at me over her shoulder. “Sex is so awesome.”

I returned her grin weakly. So weakly she probably thought I’d sprained a hamstring.

How could I ruin her afterglow with a conversation like this?

Glad you enjoyed it. How do you feel about unplanned pregnancy?

“It certainly is.” I rolled away from her to attend to the condom. I cupped my hand over the weapon of my destruction, walked into the bathroom, calmly flipped on the light, stared downward, and only narrowly resisted shouting a curse.

The latex was ripped like a child’s piñata after it had been attacked by a bat—or it appeared damn close to my crazed brain. I had no illusions that my dick was an object of sports memorabilia, but holy shit, I had a lawsuit on my hands.

All over my hands.

“You okay in there?” Sage called.

“Fine.” I cleaned up and braced my palms on the edge of the sink.

Now what? I didn’t have the foggiest.

Me, the guy who never faltered.

Ever.

I had no freaking clue what to say or do next. The last thing I wanted to do was mar this experience for Sage, and discussing broken condoms was basically a recipe for such.

Her footsteps were padding toward me, making that decision imminent.

She appeared outside the doorway, still gloriously naked, her lush body covered with a few marks from my lips and hands and growing-in beard. They only added to her allure.

I wanted to tell her how much I appreciated that she’d shared herself with me. How much this morning had meant to me.

Instead, I shut the door in her face.