Page 68 of Stripping Bare

“That was part of my recovery, learning that I had say-so over my body. That I could enjoy being touched again. That I was capable of sexual satisfaction. Now, I make my own choices aboutsex.”

“That…that’sgood.”

“And I choose you. But you have to choose me back. Why do you keep pushing meaway?”

“I’m afraid I want you toomuch.”

“How is that evenpossible?”

“I damn well don’t deserve you!” He sat up and shoved his fingers into his hair. “Think about what happened when we were together inSeattle.”

“Besides the five-star orgasm, youmean?”

“I ripped yourclothes.”

Yes, she still had that camisole tucked inside her bedroom drawer after all this time. Pulled it out on occasion to refresh her memory of what it felt like to be loved by Jonah Steele. “Thin straps and men don’t always getalong.”

“You don’tunderstand.”

Oh, but she thought she might. “You’re worried aboutsomething.”

“I don’t want to hurt you. In anyway.”

“And you think a seam popping somehow damagedme?”

“Tess, what you looked like sitting on my desk, top ripped, skirt shoved up toyour…”

A flash of insight so bright that it almost blinded her bolted through her. He’d had some kind of flashback that night. That was why he’d pushed heraway.

“You didn’t hurt me. You won’t hurt me. Youcan’t.”

“Maybe you haven’t noticed that I’m twice yoursize.”

Oh, she’d noticed. She’d also noticed he was half hard. Had been since he’d woken up with his hand between herlegs.

“This isn’t a good time,” hesaid.

“When will it be a good time? Truth is, whether we do this tonight or next month, I will still be a rape victim. People live and love with baggage all the time. If you really want to be with me, we have to get past it.Together.”

With a flip of his wrist, he captured her hand and pressed it against the front of his shorts. “That’s what you do to me.” Each word was dripping in self-disgust. “And it makes me want to tear at your clothes, get between your legs,and…”

“Not made of glass, remember?” She squeezed his erection through the fabric of his sleep shorts, felt him expand in her hand. “You don’t scareme.”

His eyes closed and his jaw tightened as though he was fighting off pain, but he wrapped his hand around hers until they were both fisting his cock. “What’s that feel like toyou?”

“About the right number of inches forsatisfaction.”

The sound that came from Jonah’s throat couldn’t be mistaken for anything but what it was—an animalistic growl. And it rippled through Tessa’s body, raising pricks of pleasure along her nerveendings.