She had a single thought that consisted of a solitary word…hurry. Burning with an unrelenting hunger that only he could ease, Vanessa obeyed, and in doing so, she offered her all, without fear or hesitation. For this one magical night, he was hers alone.
Ralph released a heavy sigh as he settled between the expanse of her long, shapely legs and eased her toward him. He caressed his way up the outside curve of both legs, then leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers before he sank back and kissed his way back up her inner thighs. At her startled gasp when he pressed a kiss against her feminine curls, Ralph hesitated. When she made no further protest, he parted her plump folds and found her slick with feminine moisture. He moaned her name as he slid a finger deep inside her sheath.
At the sound of her whimper, he husked into her ear, “You are so incredibly tight. Relax, beautiful.” He moved until he could take her nipple into his mouth while he played in her heat, increasing the friction while pressing his palm against her exposed clitoris.
“Oh…ah,” Vanessa cried out, turning her head from side to side as her enjoyment grew. She arched her back, losing touch with everything but how he made her feel. Added to that, the increased suction on Vanessa’s taut nipple caused her senses to go wild, sending her into yet another release.
Before she could gather herself, Ralph’s hard body covered hers. His eyes burned hot with desire as he stared down into her velvet-dark eyes. Her hands caressed down his broad back as he pushed a firm thigh between hers, spreading her legs even more. Her eyes went wide when she felt the unmistakable pressure of his rigid sex. Using the broad crest of his thick shaft, he parted her soft folds, moving against her damp opening. Ralph’s breathing was as uneven as hers as he teased her softness, giving her time to adjust to his size.
“Ralph…” she moaned.
He said her name as he slowly pushed forward.
He growled into her ear, “Relax, sweetheart. I won’t hurt you.” He kissed her.
Vanessa tried to relax but whimpered in pain when he reached the natural barrier deep inside.
He stopped moving. His entire body stiffening.
As the burning eased, the pleasure returned. Vanessa moaned, needing to feel more…all of him. “Hurry,” she urged.
He growled, “Why didn’t you tell me?” through gritted teeth.
Even though she sensed his anger, that didn’t stop her from wanting him…now.
Instead of answering, Vanessa arched her back, lifting her legs to encircle his waist. His response was a groan and deep shudder.
Licking his neck, she whispered “Please…Ralph. I need you, all of you.” She was beyond pride as she pleaded with him to finish. When he didn’t move, she followed feminine instinct. She tightened her inner muscles around his hard shaft, stroking him, milking him.
He covered her mouth in a hard, punishing kiss, then he thrust forward past the barrier until he filled her completely. Vanessa cried out at the pain. Taking a deep breath, she rested with her lips at the base of his throat. She kissed him there again and again. Growing frustrated when he remained still, she wiggled her hips beneath him.
Ralph moaned huskily, then began to ease out slowly before plunging into her sheath, repeating the movement again and again. Each stroke was deeper, harder than the last, as he gripped her hips, showing her how to move with him. All too soon Vanessa climaxed, her entire body quivered, and he quickly followed as his large frame convulsed into an earth-shattering release.
Ralph had used his arms to support his upper body. Then he dropped down beside her, his breath quick and uneven. He said nothing for such a long time that Vanessa began to worry. She was certain she’d pleased him. Despite her lack of experience, her instincts told her she couldn’t be wrong about that.
Determined to push the negative thoughts away, she concentrated on that one positive…she hadn’t failed. She’d done what she set out to do…turned her fantasy into reality. Making love with him had been better than she imagined.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he said tightly.
“You sound angry.” Suddenly uncomfortable with their nudity, she reached down and pulled the sheet up to cover them.
Ralph turned his head toward her, a muscle jumped in his jaw as if he were grinding his teeth. “Why didn’t you tell me that you had never been with a man?”
Nervously smoothing the sheet covering her breasts, Vanessa took a few minutes to collect her thoughts. Of all the things she imagined might happen between them, this conversation wasn’t one of them. She’d foolishly assumed he wouldn’t notice. Why was he making such an issue of it?
“I asked why didn’t…”
“I heard what you said. I just don’t understand why you are so angry about it. It was my decision to make, not yours.”
“I don’t believe this!”
He swung his feet down to the floor, his back to her. He walked through a set of double doors into what she saw was a hallway. Both sides of the hall were lined with closet doors. At the other end of the hallway was another set of doors. He disappeared inside what must be the bathroom.
Vanessa sat up in disbelief. This was nothing like she imagined it would be afterwards. Where was the romance? He hadn’t held her close. Instead he was truly angry with her. If anyone should be angry, it should be her. Why did her lack of experience matter? Why was he letting it ruin what they had shared?
Frowning, she dropped her hands over her face. He hadn’t taken anything that she hadn’t wanted to give. Oh, she wanted him all right. For weeks she’d been desperate to know how it would feel to have him deep inside her body. Evidently it hadn’t been as good for him as it had been for her. For her, it had been sheer magic. Why wasn’t he pleased? He’d climaxed! That had to mean something, didn’t it?
Feeling absolutely stupid, she listened to the sound of the shower being turned on. No, no, no! It was not supposed to end this way! She sniffed unhappily. Well, sitting and crying about it wasn’t going to fix things. She had to do something, that is, unless she wanted their special night to end now, right this minute.
Brushing her tears away, Vanessa yanked the sheet off the bed and wrapped herself in it. Walking over to his dresser, she used his brush to bring order to her thick curls. Taking a deep breath, she knocked firmly on the bathroom doors.
There was no answer. Calling his name, she pulled them open and looked inside. The room was done in taupe granite and bronze features; a row of thick white towels were heating on the towel warmer.
It was not the opulence of her surroundings that held her attention. Ralph stood in the center of an oversize, clear glass shower stall, water rushing from multiple showerheads.
He was all smooth hard muscle on one powerful bare frame. His broad, rich brown back narrowed into a trim waist, and taut yet nicely rounded buttocks, with long, muscular legs, and narrow feet. His head was down, his hands braced against the wall as water cascaded over him. He must have sensed her presence, for he turned to glance over a broad shoulder.
Vanessa could read his expression through the sheet of water. He stared at her before turning his back on her.
Suddenly furious, Vanessa marched over, yanked opened the shower door, and stepped inside. She yelled over the sound of the spray, “What is your problem, Ralph Prescott? You are the one who invited me here. Do you want me to leave? Is that why you are treating me this way? If that’s the case, just say the word, and I’m gone!”
Before she could say more, he yanked her inside and against him.
Burning with need, Ralph took her sweet mouth again and again. The more he tasted her, the more he wanted. When she whimpered in protest, he softened the kiss, soothing her with gentle strokes of his tongue. How had she managed it? She was turning him inside out, crazy with desire. Once was not nearly enough. When she melted against him, he pressed kisses down her throat. He tugged the sheet tucked over her magnificent breasts until it dropped onto the marble floor. He didn’t want anything between them…nothing from preventing him from feeling every one of her voluptuous curves.
For tonight she was his dark, chocolate beauty. He never dreamed that this shy, quiet woman was so hot or that she could make him forget everything, but her. He felt as if his head had blown off when he came inside of her. He’d never even come close to feeling that way before.
“Vanessa…” he groaned, pressing her cushioned soft breasts into his chest. The magic between them was starting again. One minute he was furious…the next he was wild with need. How had she gotten past his anger? How had she made him forget that she’d kept her virginity a secret?
He still couldn’t believe that he hadn’t made himself pull out…and he had tried. This untried virgin had done something no woman had ever done. Vanessa had caused him to lose control completely.
“You feel so good.”
“Oh Ralph.” Trembling, she wrapped her arms around him, holding on tight.
He took another taste of her lips, then he reached for the bar of milk soap he preferred. When his hands were covered in lather, he slowly moved them over her body, from her soft throat to her sleek shoulders. Satisfied when her lids closed and she trembled with need as his soapy hands slid over sensitive breasts, Ralph paused to tug her nipples into peaks. Once they were swollen and taut with desire, he moved sudsy hands over her soft skin down to her stomach. Vanessa moaned in earnest. He was holding her up by the time his soapy fingers played first in her nest of ebony curls, then focused on caressing her ultrasensitive folds. He took his time before he found and worried her feminine core until the bud was swollen from need, and she begged him to take her.
Ralph was so hungry to have her yet again that only a kernel of common sense kept him from taking Vanessa against the wet marble without protection. He switched off the water, then, with more haste than grace, carried her into the bedroom wrapped in a bath sheet, another fresh towel over his shoulder. After he placed her on her feet beside the bed, Ralph dried her hair.
“Sorry, it got wet,” he said, between kisses.
“I’m not sorry about anything.” She stared up into his eyes.
He stared at her for a long moment before taking her kiss-swollen bottom lip into his mouth to suck. “Sweet…so sweet,” he groaned. At her responsive shiver, he deepened the kiss until they were both breathless.
Ralph picked up a new packet from the nightstand, but before he could do more than open it, Vanessa took it from him.
Her beautiful dark eyes pleaded with him when she asked, “Please let me.”
He didn’t even consider objecting, when there was nothing he wanted more than to have her softness on him. He nearly lost it when she gently caressed him from the thick base of his shaft to the sensitive crown.
Suppressing a moan, he released a pent-up breath when she finished unrolling the condom down his hard length. He relaxed, showing her how he like being stroked.
“Thank you.” He kissed the side of her neck, then slowly unwrapped her towel as if she were a gift especially meant for him. She was glorious, and he told her so.
He kissed her again and again, caressing and squeezed her lush hips. Quickly drying off, he stretched out on the bed. He chuckled at her look of surprise as he took her hand, urged her to sit astride him, his hands on her hips as he guided her down onto him.
His gaze heated as he watched her eyes widen as he carefully filled her. He enjoyed the way her eyes softened and her breath quickened even more as she moaned her pleasure.
“You are open and wet for me. Can you feel how much I want you, Vanessa?”
She nodded, as if speech was beyond her at that moment. He studied the way her lids closed, her beautiful eyes hidden as he lifted her. She sank onto his throbbing shaft, but this time she slowly took all of him. He growled his pleasure from deep in his throat.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now,” she confessed.
“Just relax and enjoy,” he whispered back as he wrapped her in his arms until her sweet breasts pressed against his chest. He waited, giving her time to adjust. He indulged himself, kissing her again and again. Once she seemed comfortable, he guided her hips, whispering. “You’re in control. Move as slow or fast as you want, beautiful.”
Vanessa’s eyes searched his as she carefully moved along his pulsating length. He closed his eyes and groaned huskily at her tight, wet heat. It took all his control to wait until she was ready. The wait was sweet agony. He growled his pleasure.
“Good, Vanessa?”
She nodded as she began to quicken their pace. Judging by her facial expression and the way her inner muscles tightened around him, he suspected she was close to completion. He reached between their bodies and caressed her slippery feminine pearl. Her entire body stiffened as she shuddered in his arms. Her strong release triggered his own and he climaxed mere seconds after she did.
Exhausted, he held her close as their breathing returned to normal. Their bodies were still joined as he kissed her hungrily, not wanting to let her go. She’d done it again, given indescribable pleasure. Everything about her pleased him. His body began to harden, again.
“Didn’t you…” she questioned.
He chuckled, saying huskily, “If you are asking if I came, the answer is yes.” He rubbed her soft cheek with his. “What can I say?” he asked, moving a caressing hand down her back. “I can’t get enough of you. Relax, I’m not going to take you again. I don’t want you sore.” Easing out of her, he rested on his back. He was tempted to leave the light on, so he could look at her, but it was late, and they were both tired. After turning off the lamp, he held her close, relishing her soft curves.
He whispered in her ear, “You okay?”
Vanessa nodded. “It has been a long day. I wonder where Devin is taking Brynne.”
“Private island near Hawaii.”
“Sounds wonderful. I’m surprised he kept quiet.”
He yawned. “Sorry.”
“Tired?” she asked, moving a hand over his chest.
“Mmm.” He sighed deeply. “We should talk.”
“About what?”
“I need to understand why now and why you chose me. But it will keep until morning.” He brushed his lips against her temple while moving his palm soothingly up and down her arm. Her skin was so soft all over.
Smiling, he closed heavy lids.
Vanessa lay on her side, her head on Ralph’s chest, her fingers spread low on his concave abdomen. Judging by his deep breathing, he was asleep.
Carefully, she slid her leg from beneath his. He stirred, his brow creased in a frown, and he tightened his arm around her waist.
“Come back here,” he grumbled in a deep, gravelly voice.
“I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Mmm,” he mumbled, never opening his eyes, but dropping his arm to his side.
Quietly picking up her things, Vanessa hurried into the bath. After using the facilities, she took a quick shower. As she stared at herself in the mirror, she realized how tired she felt and that she looked a mess. Last thing she wanted was to talk about what happened.
How could she make him understand why when she couldn’t sort it out herself? He made her feel things she didn’t want to feel. How could she admit she had a schoolgirl crush on him? Or that he filled not only her dreams, but her daydreams?
She re-dressed in panties and hose and tiptoed out of the bedroom. Finding the rest of her clothes in the den, she finished getting dressed and let herself out.
She had originally planned to stay the entire night and part of the following day. But that had all changed the instant he decided they needed to talk. Her car was parked in the spacious circular drive. She didn’t congratulate herself until she was out of his subdivision and on Twelve Mile Road. It didn’t matter if it was close to three o’clock in the morning. She could sleep as late as she liked.