His breath caught as he took in the sight of her. Not one stitch of clothing adorned her body under the dress. Her pale skin glowed beautifully in the light. And her dark nipples stood out in stark contrast to the rest of her skin. Her chestnut hair flowed around her shoulders, silky and begging for his fingers to run through it. She was perfect.

And for tonight, she was his.

He pushed away the thought of what tomorrow might bring. Asking her for more than the night had been too difficult. What if she'd refused? This way, he had the whole night to convince her to take a chance—a real chance—on him.

Eyes shining brightly in the night, she looked at him. A bit of worry creased her brow.

"You're beautiful," he said. "Just as beautiful as I imagined."

Her eyes widened at that, but before she could speak he closed the distance between them and pulled her back into his arms. Careful to keep his mouth soft against hers, he plucked her up from the ground. She weighed little, and she giggled when he set her on the bed and pulled off her heels.

"This is hardly fair, you know," she said, smiling against his lips.

"What's not fair?" He trailed kisses down her neck, reveling in the softness of her skin, in the small little sounds she made as he moved. He pushed her softly, and she sank into the comforter, giving him full access to her body.

"You're still wearing clothes." She tugged on his shirt. "Not fair, Ian."

God, his name sounded good coming from her lips.

He pushed away from the bed and undid the first couple of buttons on his shirt. Impatient, he pulled it over his head after undoing only half of them. Standing over her, he stopped and stared, taking in her beauty. Blushing, she reached out and pulled him back down.

* * *

The moment his lips touched hers again, all the playfulness in his demeanor disappeared, and she was lost. Lost in his masculine scent, aftershave with a hint of scotch. Lost in his lips that fit so perfectly against hers. He kissed his way down to her breasts, and he took one nipple into his mouth, his free hand massaging her other breast. She gasped, eyes closing against the sensation. Mouth gentle, he sucked and licked one nipple, then the other. Then he returned to the first. More insistent, he plucked and pulled at her with his mouth.

Desire so fierce it was almost painful built in her stomach and in between her legs. And when his hand caressed her abdomen, coming to rest only inches from her wetness, she groaned in frustration.

"Do you want me, Lizzy?" he asked, voice rough with need. "I want to hear you say it."

Her eyes met his, and she saw her own desire reflected in the dark blue pools. Voice catching, for a moment she couldn't speak. He moved his hand to cup her between her legs, and his palm moved against her. He rubbed her slowly, tenderly. It was infuriating. She wiggled her hips, closing her eyes to concentrate on the delicious feeling building within her, but he wouldn't be hurried, and he kept his deliciously slow pace until her eyes fluttered open.

"I want you more than I've ever wanted anything in this world," she said, the honesty leaving her feeling more bare than even her nakedness.

A smile touched his face, but it was different than the normal crooked grin he'd offered her over the years. It was sexy, confident, and wholly male.

"You're beautiful, Lizzy. You're so goddamned beautiful."

Before she could process that, he pushed her knees farther apart and moved his hand, making her feel somehow robbed. But then his mouth was back on her. Leaving butterfly kisses in his wake, he gently made his way down to kiss her hipbones, her stomach, her inner thighs. When his mouth touched her there, all the air left the room. She couldn't think, couldn't feel anything but him. His mouth. His tongue.

He kissed her most sensitive spot until she was at the brink. Then he moved back and pushed a thick finger into her. She moaned, unable to hold back.

"If you knew," he murmured, "how many times I've thought about this. How many times I've imagined you just like this..."

She heard his words, but the meaning behind them was lost on her. She needed more. Needed him. Needed to relieve the ache burning within her.

"Ian," she cried, whipping her head up to look at him. Seeing him settled between her legs, that possessive look in his eyes, almost pushed her over the edge. "Now, Ian. Make love to me now." Her voice was desperate, but she didn't care. She moved against him, hips rocking—release so close she could feel it at the edge of her senses.

Hunger rose up on his face, and a need so great danced in his dark blue eyes that she would have been frightened if she hadn't felt safer with him than she had anywhere else in her whole life.

Ian pushed up from the bed and reached into his back pocket, and she barely comprehended the condom wrapper in his hand. He tossed it next to her on the bed, and then slowly he unbuttoned his pants.

Lizzy bit her lower lip as she watched him, and it was everything she could do to stay put. She'd seen men naked. Heck, she'd even seen her long-time boyfriend Stewart naked a couple of times despite the fact that he always liked to have sex with the lights off. But she'd never seen a man like this.

He wasn't built like a gym-head, but he was in amazing shape. Muscles played under his skin. Strong shoulders and arms looked like they could carry her anywhere, and his stomach…

She licked her lips as he pulled off his pants. When he slid off his boxer briefs, she shivered. God, he was magnificent. From head to toe, every inch of him screamed Adonis. His cock jutted out proudly, hard and thick. And his dark eyes were rich with promises.

Promises that made her want so badly for more than just one night.

Pulse racing, her heart dropped. How could she hope for more than a quick affair with Ian? He was gorgeous, cultured, and rich besides. A self-made millionaire, he was hardly likely to want to take up house with the girl who'd followed him around with doe eyes while he fished as a boy. She didn't live in his world. Heck, she didn't even know the zip code.

"Quit thinking so much, worry-wart," he said, teasing grin back on his face. A smile tugged on her lips in response to the familiar nickname. She grew up a worried kid, and Ian had always tried to ease her young mind with a joke or a tease.

The bed was soft beneath her as he pushed her back, and when he captured her mouth again, her worries disappeared into the night.

* * *

Ian held her face between his hands and rubbed his cock softly against her entrance. God, she was wet, so damn wet, it was everything he could do not to shove into her and come like a teenage boy having sex for the first time. So he moved slowly. This had to be good for her. He had to be the best she'd ever had. Thoughts of her being with other men flashed in his mind, and jealousy flared. He pushed the thoughts away. She was here with him now. She was his. And he would do everything he could tonight to keep her.

"Ian, please," she said, voice wrought with need.

He moved a hand between them, and rubbed her, gaining him another satisfactory cry of pleasure. Then he positioned himself and slid into her as slowly as he could manage.

Tightness surrounded him, almost pushing him over the edge. Thrusting his hips forward, he buried himself in her, barely hearing her moan his name when his own guttural cry filled his ears.

"God, you feel good," he murmured against her ear. She wiggled beneath him, and he held her hips firm. "Don't move baby, give me a minute."

A disappointed noise slipped from her lips but she held still. He took her mouth again, kissing her, tasting her, showing her with his tongue exactly what he was going to do to her with the rest of his body.

* * *

She bucked against him again, unable to help herself. It felt so good. He filled her completely, and for the first time in her life it felt more than physical. He moved against her, inside of her. Sliding in and out so smoothly that she couldn't do anything but enjoy the sensation. Then her body took over, meeting him, thrust for thrust. He slipped a hand between them and rubbed her as he continued to push into her.

"Come with me, Lizzy," he murmured, voice firm against her ear.

She cried out, the orgasm taking her by surprise even as her body shuddered against his. Stars flashed across her vision. Ian thrust into her hard, once, twice, and he went stiff against her. Then he whispered her name and pulled her close.