“Goddammit.” His head bowed, his lips wide. “Fuck, that feels good.”

His greedy cock leaped in my hands, demanding more. Something hot and sticky coated my fingers as I swooped over the crown and back down again.

He hooked his finger deeper, causing me to writhe on the bed. My voice erupted on a gasp. “Oh, God.”

“Finally, you speak.”

I shivered, sinking back into myself as he stroked and teased. Words seemed a million miles away in the realm of conversation and humanness. I was somewhere deep inside where only feeling and sensation were permitted. “I wasn’t aware you wanted me to.”

“I want to know how this is for you.” His eyes blazed.

“How?”

His thumb landed on my clit. “Do you like this? Do you need more? Less? Tell me.”

I answered back with a squeeze of his cock. “Do you like this?”

He groaned. “Do you really need to ask?” His hips thrust into my palm. “I’m practically coming all over your goddamn fingers.”

The confession sent lust and desire and giddy, giddy happiness fizzing like fireworks.

My body slowly melted, becoming more inviting, wetter, hotter.

He noticed.

A dark gleam entered his gaze. “I have no intention of fingering you all night, Elle. Just like I don’t expect you to jerk me off.” His fingers stroked me ruthlessly. “I want to fuck you. I need to be inside this.” He hooked his grip, pressing something intimately hardwired to an exquisite button inside my belly.

Another press and I could’ve climbed up whatever pleasure hill I currently trampled, striding closer toward the summit. But each time he pushed me, he pulled me back a little—making me out of breath and desperate for the top where I could finally rest and be rewarded.

He pulled away, removing his touch, making me empty. “Tell me now if that’s going to be a problem.” He fisted himself, looking between my legs. “Tell me if you’re having second thoughts because once I’m inside you, I won’t be able to stop.”

Now was my final chance to admit I wasn’t ready. That this was too soon. Too fast. Not done by rational women.

But the words weren’t there.

The only ones I knew were: “I want this. I want you to fuck me.”

His eyes snapped closed as his stomach tightened. “Your wish is my command.” Shoving my thighs wider, he pushed his boxer-briefs down his legs and threw them to the floor. Reaching for his discarded jeans on the bed, he pulled out a condom packet and passed it to me.

“I take you’re not on the pill.”

I took the slippery foil. “No.”

“Fine.” His jaw gritted as his gaze locked on my shaking hands. “Put it on me then.”

I had no intention of telling him I’d never done this before. Ripping the packet, I carefully pulled out the odd smelling latex and pinched the top like I’d been shown in sex education at school.

He didn’t say a word as I positioned it over his crown and rolled it down his very impressive length.

He shuddered as my fingers went further than necessary and cupped his balls. His eyes flared wide before I pulled away, unsure if I was allowed to do that or not.

Wedging his hips between mine, he snarled, “Answer me one question.”

I was obsessed with the sight of his sheathed erection only inches away from my core.

He grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. “Are you a virgin?”

I stiffened. “How—how would you know that?”

“I don’t know that. That’s why I’m asking.”

I licked my lips. “I’m—”

He waited with angry eyes, the tip of his cock nudging against my entrance. “Tell me, Elle. Otherwise, this will be very painful for you.” Pushing forward, he entered me just a little.

The discomfort burned, but in a good way; but he had so much more to go. So many ways to rip me apart if I wasn’t honest with him.

I dropped my eyes. “This is the first time I’ve been with a man.”

His forehead furrowed. His face replayed a memory I couldn’t see. His hips pushed forward again, inch by lazy inch. “I’ll go slow.”

I tensed. “Okay.”

We breathed in the same ragged rhythm as he slipped ever so slowly into my body. When he hit an unbreakable barrier, I clenched with trepidation and pain.

He stopped.

A few dazzling drumbeats of my heart, and I forced myself to relax a little.

He pressed deeper.

His dominion was collected but incomplete. There was nowhere I could look without him being there. No scent I could breathe without it being him.

I couldn’t do a thing but allow him to penetrate me in every sense of the word.

Another inch and a sting began—an awful burn that brought tears to my eyes. I turned my head, doing my best to bury my face or bite down on freshly laundered sheets.

“Hurts?”

I nodded, unable to look at him. I was a failure at this.

“I told you I’d protect you even when I was hurting you, remember?” He grunted, dragging my eyes to him. He loomed over me like a demon with muscles etched in shadow, a face chiseled from granite.

I nodded.

“Well, then, this is going to hurt.” The flash of lust on his face distracted me then all I knew was pain and pleasure and pain and pleasure and pain, pain, pain.

He impaled me swiftly, sharply. No more creeping softly. No more adjusting or seduction.