Andy arrived at the motel just after five in the morning. Caris had managed a few hours’ sleep but had been awake for some time, listening for him and watching the open connecting door.

He stood in the semi-darkness, and she pushed back the sheet and got out of bed. “How is she?” she asked, softly.

“So much better. She saw me sleeping in the chair and made me come back here for a proper rest. I couldn’t argue. I’m shattered.” He rubbed his hands through his hair and put his Stetson on the dresser on his side of the door.

“I’m not surprised. This has been a huge attack on your emotions, and you’re not invincible, Cowboy.”

“No. I’m not. I’m not immune either,” he growled.

She didn’t understand, but she could hear something ominous in his voice. Was he angry with her? “Immune to what?”

“To the fact that you’re standing there in almost nothing.”

She looked down at herself. The baby doll nightie was more decent on her than it might be on other women due to her lack of height, but it still barely grazed mid-thigh and had a rather low neckline.

Now she got it, and suddenly her heart was beating faster and her skin began to tingle. “You don’t like it?” she asked, taking a step towards him so she could see his face. He was looking at her with such intensity and something else.

“Oh, I like it very much. I may still be mixed up about a lot of stuff, but coming home to you isn’t one of them. I want you, Caris. I need you.”

She didn’t need to hear another word. Running into his arms, he lifted her, as if she weighed nothing. He pulled her legs around his waist as he kissed her throat. Her head dropped back to give him better access, and greedily he devoured the exposed skin.

She whimpered and clung to him as she showered kisses over his face. Then his mouth sought hers and nothing came close to this feeling of euphoria. Any nervousness she’d had about making love with Andy was subdued. His wanting her now might be partly due to outside influences, but now was their time, and she would take what he had to offer, regardless of the consequences.

* * *

Andy’s skin began to hum along with the fire in his blood as it pulsed through his body. He’d never wanted a woman this way. Never felt a desire so strong that all reason escaped him.

Since he’d allowed himself to think of this possibility, things had changed for them. He still had remnants of the feeling that they were doing something wrong floating about in the back of his mind, but there was nothing that could possibly stop him from making love to Caris. Right at this moment, there was no thought of repercussion, only a need which had to be met, or he would surely die.

“Love me, Andy. Love me now.”

Her sweet voice issuing the command fueled the already deadly furnace of his passion and he carried her into his bedroom.

After laying her gently on the bed, she immediately scooted up to the pillows, her breasts pushing against the thin material of her nighty and bulging over the top of it. He was mesmerized for a moment or two until he began to feel decidedly over-dressed. He pulled off his shirt and undid his belt. She licked her bottom lip and his nether regions grew even harder, something he hadn’t thought possible.

She was leaning back on her elbows, her knees bent. With a cheeky look she slowly parted them. The matching panties barely covered her crotch and were now see-through.

He certainly wasn’t new to making love, but Caris acting this way rendered him immobile.

“Are you planning on standing there all day? How about taking off those pants, Cowboy?”

His hands reacted first, as her eyes devoured him.

“Can I help you with anything?” she asked in a sweet voice.

“You can help me with a lot.” He stepped out of his jeans and boxers in one movement, not in the least shy.

The hunger in her eyes as they trailed wantonly over his body was an incredible turn on, and he began to worry for the first time in his life if his lovemaking would stand up to scrutiny. He needed her so badly that there might not be time to do the moment justice.

He threaded his fingers through her blonde hair and brought her face to his. Their eyes locked until their lips met and then her eyes fluttered closed as the kiss deepened. It was sublime and he greedily took everything she gave.

When he released her, it was to cover her breasts with his hands and his mouth. She held his head, encouraging him with gasps and small noises. He crept lower and lower, until he found what he was after. She sighed so deeply that he had to take a moment to get himself under control before he could love that part of her as if he might not get the chance to do so again.

“Please, Andy,” she begged.

With those words, said in her sexy voice, there was no longer a question of his being able to wait. He covered himself with a condom and crawled up her body. Holding her hands above her head with one hand, he tried to enter her. A painful gasp made him stop immediately. Surely not?

“Caris? Why didn’t you tell me you were a virgin?”

“It’s fine, Andy. Please don’t stop, we can talk about it later.”

Naturally after his initial shock, he was flattered to be her first, but no matter what she thought, this changed things. Instead of taking her the way his body wanted, he took his time building her to a crescendo which had her moaning and pleading with him. This time he was gentler when he entered her, his self-control near breaking point considering his sweet Caris turned out to be a demanding lover.

Making love to her was everything he’d imagined and so much more. As one they moved, stretching the moment into infinity where they brought each other to the pinnacle and collapsed down the other side. Heaven could not be sweeter.

Caris could barely breathe, and she didn’t care. To lie in Andy’s arms was a dream come true. To have made love with him was better than any dream.

As if he’d heard her thoughts, he rolled to the side, but took her with him so that she straddled his hips. Pushing her hair back from her face, he kissed her. “All right?”

She bit his lip. “It was a little more than all right.”

He grinned. “I’d give it a solid ten, but that’s not what I meant. I hope I wasn’t too rough for your first time, and I didn’t hurt you too much?”

Sure enough, her body felt bruised, but it was definitely in a good way. “Hell, no. You were perfect.”

He nodded. “Like I said, a solid ten.”

She pinched his nipples between her fingers. “Maybe even an eleven.” Then she moved up and down his body, delighted to hear his breathing hitch. “Want to try for a twelve?”

He groaned as if he couldn’t manage it, but she felt a hardness nudging at her once more, so it seemed like he did.