Jim removed her clothing piece by piece with drugging kisses in between. He pulled the bedding back and guided her down before standing. Cool ivory sheets caressed her heated skin. His heated gaze pinned her to the bed while he toed off his shoes and unbuttoned his shirt.
She licked her lips when his sculpted chest was revealed. He leaned down and captured her lips for a searing kiss.
“So beautiful,” he whispered before removing his shirt and pants.
She swallowed hard, sat up, and reached for him—no longer able to wait to touch him. Her fingers skimmed over every ridge of his abdomen.
He clasped her shoulders in his warm hands.
Allison gazed up at his handsome face, staring down at her. She leaned forward to press her lips to his skin.
One large palm cupped her cheek. His thumb caressed her cheekbone.
She trailed her lips across his stomach in a series of kisses. Her tongue darted out to taste him.
He groaned and tilted her head back to claim her mouth.
The bed sagged beside her when he placed his knee on the mattress. His forward momentum propelled her to lie down. The delicious weight of his body covering hers caused her to gasp.
His work-roughened hand explored her arm and torso, then cupped her breast. His thumb played with her nipple until it hardened, and then his hot mouth replaced his hand.
The sensation washed over her, clouding her thoughts and melting away any lingering hesitation. Allison cradled his head in her hands.
He pressed his thigh between her legs while he ran his palm down the back of her thigh to her calf and back again, lifting and opening her. His fingers teased and coaxed.
Heat and pleasure built like a raging inferno, licking out along her nerves. She panted, desperate to reach the top. Her eyes slid closed, and her back arched as she cried out in bliss.
Jim placed a soft kiss on her lips.
The rustle of plastic and the dip of the mattress as he placed a hand beside her slitted open her eyes. He rose above her, staring down at her with need blazing in his eyes.
She reached for him.
He filled her with an aching slowness that left her gasping. He closed his eyes on a harsh groan as he sank to cover and fill her completely.
Allison wrapped her arms around him. His lips grazed her jaw, and one hand gripped her hip. She lifted her leg and rested it over his backside.
His movements quickened. Hot breath tickled her neck when he gasped and surged against her.
The heat spiraled from her core throughout her body.
She cried out as her orgasm detonated.
Jim clutched her closer as he reached his own completion.
Their sated bodies loosened. Her arms draped over his shoulders while his hurried breaths panted against her ear.
He shifted and raised his head. His gaze traveled over her face before focusing on her mouth. He leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her lips, lingering for a moment.
“Be right back,” he whispered before leveraging himself off the bed.
She mourned the loss of his weight and his body heat. Cool air tightened her skin. She pulled the bunched sheet next to her loose and covered herself. Her gaze flitted around the room, taking in the details she’d been too preoccupied to notice before.
The bed was the only piece of furniture in the room. Faded and torn blue floral and striped wallpaper covered two of the walls, and fresh gray sheetrock coated the others. There were no curtains or shades on the windows. The room was clean despite being part of a construction zone.
Jim reappeared from an opening in the wall. There was no door. He’d obviously added the opening recently because she could see exposed lumber and the rough edges of the sheetrock.
His gaze remained on her as he walked naked across the room. She desperately tried to keep her gaze on his, but her eyes disobeyed, and her gaze dropped to catalog the perfection of his form. Toned muscles, not bulging like a bodybuilder, but thick and built like someone who does physical labor for a living. Not that she could remember ever seeing a body like that on any laborer she’d seen. Of course, she wasn’t in the habit of checking out men, anyway.
He smiled and lifted the edge of the sheet her arms had clamped to her body. “Penny for your thoughts?” He slid onto the bed next to her and tugged on the sheet until she lifted her arm.
Suddenly self-conscious, she lay stiffly beside him. The perfection of his body made her painfully aware of her nakedness and the fact that she couldn’t recall the last time she did any deliberate exercise. She supposed she should be thankful she never struggled with being overweight, but her thin frame lacked the generous curves most men seemed to prefer.
He propped himself on an elbow next to her. She glanced at him and then down to where his fingers toyed with the sheet next to her hip.
“Regrets already?”
Her gaze shot up to his. “What? No!”
How could she have regrets about something so spectacular? She wasn’t a prude; she enjoyed sex. Her marriage hadn’t been an overly passionate one, but the lovemaking had been pleasant when it had happened.
That didn’t sound good.
She couldn’t compare the two. It wasn’t fair. One was a coming together of a committed married couple, and the other resulted from an overabundance of attraction and hormones.
Wait, did that mean he had regrets?
He lifted a brow. “Then what’s the problem?” He touched the spot between her brows. “You have a very adorable little bump here when you’re worried about something.”
She immediately relaxed her face.
He chuckled.
“I’m just feeling a little self-conscious.”
“The afterglow has faded already, huh? I guess I didn’t do an exceptionally good job then.” He put his hand on her waist. “I’ll have to try harder.”
Her eyes widened. If it gets any better. I might die of ecstasy. Was that possible?
His lips caressed and cajoled hers. Her mouth opened, and his tongue swept in to duel with her own.
She lifted her arms and smoothed her palms over the muscles of his back. Her fingers traced over his shoulder blades and then cupped his sides.
His hand angled her head, and their kiss deepened even more. His leg slid over hers, and she sighed over the feel.
If dying of ecstasy was a thing—sign her up.