Page 52

“Baby,” he said brokenly, “Annie. Forgive me.” He held her against him, stroking his hand down her back, cradling her against his body, rocking her gently in his arms. “I think I went crazy when you left me.”

Annie lifted her tear-stained face and kissed him.

“I never wanted to leave you,” she whispered. “Why would I have left the man I love?”

Could you actually feel your heart fill with joy? Declan bent his head and kissed her.

“I’m in love with you,” he said. “I can’t remember a time I wasn’t in love with you.”

Tears filled her eyes. “I never thought I’d hear you say those words.”

He kissed her again. Gently at first, and then she made a soft little sigh of surrender, of desire, and he changed the angle of the kiss. Deepened it, and she moaned and stroked her hand down his spine.

He undressed her again, even as she undressed him. Slowly, this time, with soft caresses and kisses as each bit of skin was bared.

When she was naked, the sight of her took his breath away.

She was everything he had dreamed, everything he’d wanted. Her delicate breasts. Her narrow waist. Her ge

ntly rounded hips and long legs.

He would never get enough of having her in his arms.

He drew her down to their bed of leaves and she opened her arms to him.

“Come into me,” she said, and as he captured her mouth with his, he sank into her, gritting his teeth with the effort of taking her slowly, of not hurting her, of giving her time to adjust to him.

He was big. He knew that. The size of his dick had always been a source of what he realized was foolish male pride, but the women he’d been with were always experienced.

Annie wasn’t, and he was afraid he might cause her pain.

And, dammit, he was. He had to be, judging by the breathless little gasp that went from her mouth to his.

Dec went still.

“I’m hurting you,” he said hoarsely.

She shook her head. “No. Yes. Declan. Don’t stop. Don’t—”

He groaned and slid deeper.

She said his name. Wound her arms around his neck as he slipped his hands under her ass and lifted her to him.

“Oh,” she whispered, “oh oh oh…”

He was inside her now. Not all the way, not deep enough, but despite what she’d said, he knew he had to be hurting her—she was so tight and he was so big. He was shaking; it was hard, so hard not to take her completely, not to make her his after all the days and weeks of waiting…

“Declan,” she said, and before he realized what she was going to do, she raised her hips and impaled herself on his erection.

The world tilted.

She gave a sweet, soft moan and rocked against him, and whatever control remained to him was gone.

He drove into her.

She sobbed his name. Bit his lip. Fisted her hands in his hair as he claimed her. Wrapped her legs tightly around his hips so she could meet each thrust of his body.

He was going to come.