Colin froze and every circuit in his brain seemed to short out. Slowly he straightened and turned toward her. “You want that?”

“Desperately.”

With a groan of relief, he pulled her into his arms and captured that mouth that had been driving him bollocking crazy. Ah, yes. Only two kisses ago she hadn’t the foggiest notion of how to do this, but as he’d predicted, she was a fast learner.

As she opened her mouth to allow his tongue inside, he tried to remember that she was a virgin. But she wasn’t kissing like one at the moment. From the way she writhed against him, rubbing her hot body over his crotch, he almost wondered if she’d made up that story.

If so, he’d know soon enough, because he wasn’t going for the civilized approach of guiding her down the steps to a proper bed. If she wanted him to pounce, then pounce he would. She might think of him as gentle and persuasive, but under that domesticated exterior lay a wild, Scottish heart. His ancestors had defended their land to the death, either as naked, blue-faced warriors wielding claymores, or snarling wolves in powerful packs that yielded to no one.

Luna, a maddening combination of innocence and bravado, brought out his primitive instincts. He would be her first lover, and no matter how many she had after he was gone, she would remember him. Fierce, triumphant heat bloomed in his chest and surged to his groin.

He undressed her with a quick efficiency that left her gasping. Then he asked her to spread out the quilt while he rid himself of his clothes. She was quick about it. Once he’d tossed the last thing aside, he glanced down to find her stretched out and waiting for him.

Now there was a visual—white skin gilded with moonlight against a navy quilt that created a perfect background for her hourglass figure. He’d never viewed more lovely breasts or more graceful thighs. The dark triangle tucked between them made his cock jerk with impatience.

Her eyes widened as she looked him up and down, and her gaze lingered on the length and rigidity of his penis. Her throat moved in a convulsive swallow.

A virgin. He tried to clear the red haze from his fevered brain. She’d asked him to pounce. Apparently she’d relished the deep, demanding kisses and the urgency with which he’d pulled off her clothes, because he could read eagerness in her expression. But if he took her now without any preparation, that would be brutish.

Kneeling beside her on the quilt, he leaned down, cupped her face in his palm, and kissed her with tenderness instead of lust. She moaned softly against his mouth. That pleading moan threatened to destroy his hard-won control, but he kept his kiss gentle as he took his hand from her cheek and began to caress her full breasts.

Then his hand stilled. She’d taken hold of his cock.

Lifting his head, he gazed down at her. His voice was thick with restrained passion. “Virgins don’t usually do that.”

Her voice was equally thick. “Why not?” She curled her fingers around his penis and squeezed. Not too hard, not too soft. Just right.

And just right to make him come if she didn’t let go. “They’re generally too shy.”

“Probably because they’re young,” she said in a throaty voice. “I’ve had years to think about this.”

She was out to kill him. He was sure of it. “Have you imagined what it will be like when someone slides his cock deep inside you, thereby ending your virginal status?”

“Of course I have.” Keeping her fingers curled, she stroked upward and explored the tip with her thumb. Naturally she found the moist result of her efforts and spread that moisture around.

He gritted his teeth against the climax that threatened. “Would you like to experience that and lose your virginity?” he said in a strained voice.

“Boy, howdy, would I ever.”

“Then you need to let go of me, or I’ll come now. Do you understand about climaxes?”

“Females can have several, but males get one and then they have to…to…”

“Reload. And no telling how long that would take.” Although with her around, he suspected it wouldn’t be long.

“I thought I might be bothering you. Bless your heart, there’s a vein standing out in your temple.”

“I’m not surprised.”

“I want to learn how to give a blowjob.”

Yes, she was definitely out to kill him. “Not now,” he muttered as he recited football stats in his head.

She let go of him with obvious reluctance.

He’d wanted to take his time with this, but he could still feel the imprint of her soft fingers on his cock. And while technically a Were of his experience should be in complete control of his climax, he hadn’t had sex for several months and wasn’t in the best shape for a prolonged seduction.

In other words, if he didn’t take care of this deflowering soon, he might deliver a less than stellar performance. He’d tried to convince himself that she wouldn’t know the difference. However, if he didn’t give her a climax this first time, he thought she would know the difference. Even virgins knew they were supposed to get an orgasm out of the deal.

So he changed his tactics and his position. When he put one knee between her thighs, she spread them obligingly. He took a deep breath, hoping that would steady him.

Instead he inhaled her delicious scent, which created a greater problem. As a normal male Were, he wanted to bury his nose and mouth between her thighs and taste her. He needed to do that. It was hard-wired to a Were’s sexual response, a way of knowing the female that couldn’t be duplicated.

But he wasn’t sure he could indulge that urge without bringing his climax perilously close. Ah, bloody hell. He’d chance it. The risk was worth the prize. Stretching his legs out behind him, he levered himself downward toward her fragrant center.

“What are y’all doing?”

He glanced up to discover her propped on her elbows, staring at him. His lust-filled brain couldn’t seem to form a coherent explanation. Maybe if he just did it, she’d instinctively understand. He lowered his head.

“Wait.”

He looked up again, but his mind was occupied with the prospect of feasting on her nectar and he had to wrench it back to the point where it would understand the spoken word.

And she definitely had words to speak. “Unless your tongue’s longer than I thought, I won’t get deflowered that way.”

His jaw muscles tightened against the desire to scoot back up and take her in one swift thrust, just to shut her up. She was the most maddening female, but she also didn’t know what she was talking about, and he had to make allowances for her total lack of experience.

He strove for patience. “You want me to teach you about sex, I believe.”

“I also want to lose my virginity, and I only know of one way to do that. Well, I suppose I could have used a vibrator years ago, but that seemed like cheating.”

“Have you ever had a climax?”

“That seemed like cheating, too,” she said softly.

“Then just stop talking, lass, because I’m about to give you your first climax, and this is definitely not cheating.”

All her life, whenever she got nervous or scared, Luna had battled her fears by taking control of the situation. She wanted to do that now. His kisses had made her forget everything except his mouth, his hands, and his very large penis. She wasn’t used to losing herself in the moment, and she was afraid.

Panic must have shown on her face, because his expression gentled. “I promise you’ll like it,” he murmured.

“Will y’all stop if I say so?”

“Of course.” He smiled. “But I don’t think you’ll want me to stop.”

“All right, then. Go ahead.” She sounded ungracious, but when she was frightened, her manners went out the window.

“Lie back.”

“No, I want to watch.”

“Suit yourself.” With his forearms braced on either side of her hips, he lowered his head, and his warm breath touched the hot, slick place he was about to invade.

She shuddered but resisted the urge to close her eyes. She’d never had a male’s head between her legs before, and she wanted to keep an eye on him, just in case he…oh. His tongue made contact with a spot that had been throbbing quite a bit since the moment he’d touched her shoulder.

Although she’d heard the clinical name for that sensitive part of her body, she’d always considered it her sacred center. She’d known instinctively that tiny spot held immense power, the power to undo her. Now Colin was circling it with his tongue, and it seemed as if each rotation tightened a coiled spring deep inside her.

The tension built, and her thighs began to quiver. Yet all he was using was the tip of his tongue to go round and round, and sometimes he’d bear down, just a little, and the pressure increased, building higher, making her heart race. Could she be dying? She couldn’t take this!

“Stop!”

He went completely still. Then he slowly lifted his head to gaze at her. His eyes caught the moonlight, and they were glittering and dark, not the laughing eyes she remembered from their first meeting.

Although he’d stopped, the throbbing continued. It spread through her body, heating her veins and making her tremble with a combination of excitement and dread. She held her breath, waiting for what would happen next. Would she explode?

Apparently not. The pressure lessened slowly, and gradually the throbbing became bearable. It was going away. And she discovered, to her embarrassment, that she didn’t want it to go away. Crazy as it was, she wanted to feel that tension again.

Now she knew that she truly was safe with him, because when she’d told him to stop, he had. Perhaps other males wouldn’t have, but he did. If she flew apart because of what he was doing to her, he’d help put her back together.

Dragging air into her lungs, she met his gaze. “I panicked.”

“I could tell.”

“I won’t panic the next time.”

His eyebrows rose. “The next time? You want me to start again?”

Her heart beat faster as she imagined him using the tip of his tongue to make her feel the way she had only minutes ago. “Yes, please.”

He hesitated for a moment, as if wondering whether he should risk it.

“I’ll go through with it this time,” she said.

“Aye, but will you crush my head like a grape between your thighs when you come?” He gave her a half-smile to show he was teasing.

“I’m not that strong, but if you’re worried, grab hold of me.”

“I might, at that.” Adjusting his position, he slipped his hands under her thighs and gripped her tightly with his long fingers. Then he urged her to spread wider for him.

She had better trust him, because she’d only felt this vulnerable once before, during her first shift. That’s when she understood why she’d panicked. “Can a climax bring on a shift?” Although she was used to shifting, she wasn’t sure how she’d react to an unexpected one.

“No, it cannot make you shift.”

“You’re sure?”

“Sure as my name is Colin MacDowell. All you’ll feel is pleasure. Relax and let it happen.” Leaning down, he blew gently.

Warm air on moist skin had an electrifying effect, and she gasped.

“Good?”

“I don’t know. Do it again.” He did, and she felt the spring begin to tighten. “Yes, good.”

He laughed softly, which sent more warmth to caress that significant area that both intrigued and frightened her. She waited for the first touch of his tongue, but instead, he gave her a deep, highly personal kiss in her sacred center.

She sucked in a breath, shocked by the intimacy of it, but she’d promised to see this through. And she would. Oh, yes, she most certainly would. Only a fool would stop someone from doing this. As he settled in, pleasure flowed over her like hot fudge sauce.

Insistent pressure, more familiar to her now, built quickly. Yet her body felt languid and heavy. She discovered that closing her eyes allowed her to focus all her attention on the sensations provided by Colin’s mouth and tongue. Finally, she lay back on the quilt in total surrender and allowed him to plunder at will.

He intensified his assault. Soon he had her moaning and thrashing about. She clutched a section of the quilt in each fist and lifted her hips to demand more, and yet more, not knowing what lay ahead, yet yearning for it, all the same.

Her climax came in a rush that knocked the breath from her. She cried out in surprise and wonder at the sheer majesty of it. Waves of delight lifted and carried her to shore, where she rolled like a seashell in the surf.

All the while Colin held her, anchoring her to reality so that she wouldn’t panic. As the tremors gradually subsided, she let go of the wads of quilt in each fist and reached down to circle his wrists with her fingers.

Placing kisses over her damp inner thighs, he slipped his wrists free, laced his fingers through hers, and drew her arms up over her head as he rose over her. “Open your eyes.”

She’d forgotten they were closed. Allowing them to flutter open, she looked up and there he was, his massive chest heaving, his expression intent. Her throat felt tight with emotion, so she settled for mouthing the words thank you.

“You’re most welcome, lass.” There was nothing relaxed about Colin. He was taut as a bow. “And now comes the next part. Are you ready for it?”

She nodded. She was so ready. Giving her virginity to Colin made sense.

“You’re very wet, but this still might hurt a bit.”

“Do it.”

He probed with the tip of his penis, and she was glad she’d been bold enough to fondle him. Now she knew what a penis felt like, or at least what his felt like. She wasn’t being invaded by some unknown object. She’d stroked this penis, and besides, it belonged to Colin, who had provided the first orgasm of her life. She would honor him forever because of that.

He entered her slowly, and she discovered that she really, really liked this feeling of Colin’s penis inside her. The walls of her vagina contracted around him, and the pressure of another orgasm began to build. What an excellent idea sex was.

Then he stopped moving forward, and his chest heaved. He muttered something that sounded Scottish, and his tone suggested it was a swear word.

“What’s wrong?” Even in the shadowy light, she could see that his brow was furrowed with concern.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You’re not hurting me.”

His voice rasped in the cool night air. “But I will if I keep going.”

“It’s the hymen problem.” She’d read enough to know about that pesky issue with being a virgin. “Break it.”

“You’re sure?”

“I’m a twenty-seven-year-old Were virgin. It’s time.”

“I suppose that’s true. And to tell the truth, I’m not sure what I’d do if you denied me.”

She’d been so wrapped up in her own first experience with sexuality that she’d lost sight of how he must be suffering. The books said postponing a climax could literally be painful.

She rubbed his back. “Bless your heart, do y’all have blue balls?”

With something between a chuckle and a groan, he surged forward, destroying her virginity with one firm thrust. So it was over.

And it hurt like hell. She hadn’t been prepared for that, and she yelped.

“Sorry.” He held still for a moment.

“Don’t be.” The pain was already less, and she arched upward, even though it cost her. “You deserve something out of this.”

“Don’t worry about that. I will come.” He sounded slightly out of breath. “I might not even have to move to do it.”

“Move.” She wiggled against him. “I’ll be fine.”

“Oh, lass.” With another heartfelt groan, he drew back and rocked forward again.

She’d expected more pain, but instead the easy thrust felt good. “Nice. Do that some more.”

“You’re humoring me.”

“No, it actually felt good. Maybe virgins need this to get broken in.”

“I wouldn’t know.” He held her gaze as he initiated a slow, easy stroke. “I’m no expert on virgins.”

Her pulse rate picked up as she caught his rhythm and began to move with him. “I’m guessing you’re an expert on sexual satisfaction, though.”

He shook his head. “But I can tell you this, my lovely Luna.” He increased the pace. “You’re a natural.”

Rising to meet him thrust for thrust and glorying in the fiery connection between them, she thought he might be right. Her second climax seemed even more beautiful than her first, because they’d created it together with the fusion of their bodies.

Even more joyous, Colin quickly followed. He gasped her name once, and then shuddered in reaction as he emptied himself into her willing body. She held him close and murmured her gratitude for all he’d given her tonight. She didn’t have enough experience to judge fairly, but she couldn’t help wondering how the joining of two Weres could be any better than this.