Hello, Robert.

Wow. Talk about blown preconceptions.

Sharon thought herself an excellent judge of character. In fact, she was never wrong in her initial assessment of people. But she’d been wrong about Robert.

Either that or lust had overridden his reserved and careful attitude, making him into one hell of a lover.

First times were never like that.

Heck, she’d been with plenty of men and had experienced everything from those who were awkward and timid and needed her to tell them exactly what to do, to those who thought that they were all that but had ultimately come up short.

Neither was satisfying.

Accepting that the perfect lover didn’t exist, she’d convinced herself that this was as good as it was going to get.

Wrong!

Robert’s approach was perfectly balanced—hot male dominance that was still considerate and didn’t take anything for granted.

It was as if he was reading her mind.

He’d asserted his will, which was totally unexpected, but hadn’t forced it. By going slow, he’d given her the option to refuse or redirect. Sharon didn’t doubt for a moment that he would have obeyed her wishes without hesitation and without the disgruntled attitude guys usually threw at her when she didn’t want to do things their way.

Robert was the best… and he was tearing the third condom wrapper. The sounds she’d been hearing finally pierced through her hazy, dreamy state.

He’d either gotten a defective batch or was having trouble putting the condom on. Sometimes when a guy was too eager, he became clumsy, and the thing tore.

Feeling for him with her hand, she found Robert sitting on the bed with his back to her. “Do you need help with that?”

It was too dark for her to see, but she felt his back muscles contract as he turned her way. “They keep tearing.”

“Let me do it.” She lifted up to her knees and hugged him from behind. “May I?” She put her palm out, at the same time finding his hard shaft and giving it a little up and down caress.

It was a shame the room was so dark that she couldn’t see anything. Given how the smooth, hot flesh pulsing in her hand felt, it must’ve looked magnificent. Maybe next time. It seemed Robert was still a little shy despite his display of assertiveness.

He tore another wrapper and put the condom in her palm. As she rolled it on him, it was obvious that there was nothing wrong with the condom. Robert must have been nervous.

Or could it be that he was out of practice? He sure knew what to do as far as pleasuring her, though.

“It looked so easy when you did it.” He sounded embarrassed.

She kissed his shoulder. “I already had my orgasm, so I wasn’t as impatient.”

He turned around and threaded his fingers through her long hair, cupping the back of her skull before smashing his lips over hers.

Yeah, definitely impatient.

A moment later, her dress that was still bunched up around her middle got pulled over her head and tossed away, her bra joining it a second later. Evidently, lust impaired Robert’s dexterity only when dealing with rubbers, it didn’t affect it as far as getting rid of clothing went.

With one gentle push, he lowered her onto her back and got on top of her. It felt so good, having his big male body blanketing hers. He wasn’t too heavy, only substantial, and every part of him that touched hers was muscled and smooth. The only hair she’d felt on his torso was a light smattering between his pectorals and a delish goodie trail.

Cupping both her cheeks in his large hands, he kissed her, gently at first, just a little nibbling on her lips, but soon his talented tongue was making love to her mouth the same way she wanted the hard length wedged between her thighs to do below.

Why was he waiting?

Wasn’t he desperate to be inside her?

Because she sure was. She’d been waiting for this moment for so long the anticipation was already too much.

He was so much taller than her that she had to stretch her arms to reach his ass. As soon as she got a good grip, she sank her fingernails into the solid flesh and arched up, rubbing her needy center against his hardness.

Robert groaned, lifting just enough to reach between them and guide himself inside her.

Bracing, Sharon closed her eyes, but the hard thrust she’d anticipated didn’t come. Robert inched into her as slowly and as carefully as if she was a virgin.

Should she tell him she’d given away her virginity years ago and had never looked back?

The snarky side of her wanted to do just that, but she bit her tongue. Not only would it have been offensive, but the truth was that she was starting to feel a slight burn as he stretched her.

Apparently, after several weeks without sex, she was back to an almost virginal state. Or maybe Robert was thicker than what she was used to.

He was certainly longer.

As he reached the end of her channel, she had to lift her legs and spread them wider for him to fit all of that inside her. And she wasn’t a small woman.

As he kissed her again, the drop of sweat that landed on her forehead revealed how hard he was straining to hold back.

But why?

She was drenched and more than ready for him. “What are you waiting for?” The question left her mouth before she could put a lid on it.

“Patience, my sweet. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t.”

“Patience,” he repeated, pulling out a few inches and pushing back.

“That’s good.” At least he was moving.

He thrust again, harder this time, then pulled all the way out and surged back in.

“Oh, yeah, that’s it, baby.” She clasped those broad shoulders of his, ready to hold on tight as he pounded into her.

Her words acted as scissors, snapping the line that had tethered Robert’s natural instincts to his formidable will, and he went all out.

She wanted a pounding, and she was getting one hell of one. Clutching Robert’s shoulders, Sharon tried to meet his hard thrusts with her own, but pretty soon it became obvious that all she could do was hang on for dear life and take the pounding because she was no match for his size and his strength.

Getting taken like that was hotter than hot. But only by Robert. On some subconscious level, she knew that he was the only man she would ever trust to possess her like that—the only one she would enjoy letting go with and not feel threatened by the potential destructive power of her own lust.