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Whether she was amused or merely interested, she never blinked as I pulled it free, placing it beside the gun. Only then did her eyes dart toward the table, a slight look of mischief spreading across her face.

“Don’t get any ideas.”

Her giggle was girlish, another reminder she was far too young and too vulnerable.

She continued watching as if fascinated as I removed my boots and socks. At this point, the rest would remain. I was too impatient to wait any longer.

I planted one knee on the bed, lifting her leg with the other. As I pulled off her tennis shoes, she held her breath. I rubbed her calf and she stared at me, those gorgeous eyes darting back and forth. When I slowly lowered my head, kissing her wounded knee, she shuddered audibly.

How long had it been since any man had offered her any TLC? If I had to guess, I’d say one hell of a long time if ever.

I pressed kisses down the side of her leg, reaching her ankle before replacing one for the other. She wiggled her toes as soon as I tossed the second shoe against the wall. She even laughed her nervous laugh. I repeated my actions, enjoying every second of tasting her skin.

She was nervous, trembling, but I could tell by the twist of her lips this was exactly what she wanted. The first kiss never lied.

I straddled her legs with my knees, flexing my hands open and brushing my palms up her thighs over her shorts to the edge of the funky tee shirt. This time when she sucked in her breath, she held it, closing her eyes when I crawled my fingers underneath.

“So beautiful,” I whispered and pressed my fingers under her full breasts. They were perfect for my hands, allowing me to wrap my fingers around the fullness, squeezing until she let off a single moan. Her slight smile was filled with anxiousness.

“I’m not very good at this,” she admitted. “At least according to my last boyfriend.”

“Then the man is an idiot.” I rolled the material further up her chest, gently pulling it over her head. “An absolute idiot.” Hunching over, I blew across one nipple before the other. The scent of her desire wafted between us, mixing with mine. The fragrance was intoxicating, so much so I sensed she was already lightheaded.

I kept my eyes on hers as I flicked my tongue across her rosy bud. She arched her back, smashing her hands against the comforter. Everything about her was so sexy, even the way she clawed the bedding, grabbing a handful on both sides. I took my time while realizing it was precious as fuck.

With her back remaining arched and her eyes now half closed, she pursed her lips and allowed several scattered moans to escape. I licked around her hardened bud before pulling the sweet nipple into my mouth. Her skin tasted like her mouth, sweet cherries in the springtime.

She wiggled, shifting her hips as I moved from one to the other. When I bit down, she jerked up, her eyes now like saucers. Laughing, she ran her fingers through my hair, even kicking her feet on the bed.

I continued tormenting her, licking and nipping until both nipples were fully taut. When I planted both hands on either side of her shoulders, lowering my head until our lips were inches away, she pressed both hands against my chest. With another mischievous look, she ripped at the material, managing to pull the shirt free from my pants.

There was a slight frenzy in her actions, her soft laughs combined with moans pushing my cock against my zipper. She had a way about her that created an obliterating need deep within.

From the back of my neck, I ripped the shirt off, tossing it aside. She blinked several times and chewed on her lower lip. With such gentleness, she brushed the tips of her fingers across the scars on my chest, the raised welts and remnants of flash burns still visible even after so many years. Every one of them told a story.

Of torment and suffering, violence and survival.

What they didn’t highlight was the ache that had never left my heart and never would.

Some said I was lucky to be alive. In my mind, the only luck would have been to have perished on the battlefield. Only then would the pain have been vanquished.

Yet she’d helped remind me I was very much alive.

I dropped my head until our lips were barely touching.

Her breathing was scattered, the light rise and fall of her chest fucking me up. She was afraid of me. Or maybe she was terrified of what this would mean. Hell, I knew what could happen. I was no fucking fool. Yet when she pursed her lovely mouth, all bets were off. I crushed my lips against hers once again, savoring every sweet moment.

When I was finished devouring her mouth, I pulled away and the soft sounds coming from her throat fueled the longing even more. I dragged my tongue from one side of her jaw to the other. Her eyes were fully closed, her head tipped back. She wrapped her long fingers around my arms, every sound emitted from her lush lips a sinful offering.

I kissed between her breasts, lifting my gaze every few seconds. When I reached her stomach, I rolled my tongue around her belly button before untying the drawstring of her shorts.

With eyes opened wide, she said nothing as I pulled them down, taking the cheap panties with them. She was stiff, her cheeks flushed as I dropped both to the floor. And when I pushed her legs apart, easing between them, she pressed her hand over her mouth as if ready to object.

That wasn’t going to happen.

The heat pulsing in me refused to be denied.

For a man like me, hunger accepted no delays.