Page 51 of Stripping Bare

“What aboutit?”

“It’sshaking.”

“From adrenaline and norepinephrine, mostlikely.”

“Don’t you get it, Tessa? I can’t be trusted around you. I lost control once. I won’t do itagain.”

“That’s what this is all about, isn’tit?”

He rubbed his palm over his head as if he could scrub away his desperate need for her. Hell, if that were possible, he would’ve exfoliated his brain yearsago.

“You’re scared of hurting me.” She yanked his hand away and slapped it against her breast. “Grabit.”

His fingers twitched, but he resisted tightening his grip on her softskin.

Tessa should never have to endure pain to receivepleasure.

With a huff, she jumped off his lap. Her gown fell to her hips, leaving her breasts bare. She grabbed his other hand and covered her breast. Her nipples were burning holes in his palms and his mind was melting from the heat. He could lean forward—just a few inches—and suck her into his mouth. Use his teeth on her until she was hot and wet andbegging.

“My God,” she said. “I’ve seen better moves from men choosing tomatoes in the grocerystore.”

A wave of shame—red and ugly—rushed over Jonah, suffocating him. Who he was, the things he wanted… She deservedbetter.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have said that. I know better than anyone that everything about sex should be achoice.”

“I care about you,but…”

She leaned toward him, pressed a kiss to the side of his mouth. “I know you do, but you’re holding back.Why?”

He’d just killed her on-screen. Didn’t she remember that? Jonah tried to close his mind against her video game character’s fate. “What do you want fromme?”

“I want you to treat me like a normal woman. Last time I checked, I wasn’t made of glass. You can’t breakme.”

Oh, but he could, and when he did, it would breakhim.

Maybe he could restrainhimself.

Slow andeasy.

She’d made it clear he wouldn’t get another chance. He slid a hand down to her hip, and urged her closer. Taking his time, he drew her breast into his mouth and flicked her nipple with histongue.

Slow.

This time her groan was full of satisfaction, and she shoved her hands into his hair to press his face closer. He sucked gently, savoring the flavor and texture that was uniquely Tessa. When he released her, she tried to wrigglecloser.

Easy.

He could do this. Was doingit.

Jonah took her other nipple in his mouth and lightly fingered the recently abandoned one, keeping it hard and tight. With one hand, Tessa released her death grip on his hair and snaked it down between their bodies to slip it inside herpanties.

Shock and body-shaking lust drove through him. “What’re youdoing?”

“What does it looklike?”

“You…you do thatoften?”

“Are you asking if I masturbate?” Her chuckle was somehow both amused and aggravated. “Of course Ido.”