Elena untangled herself from Camden’s arms and stood up.
“Wait,” she said, walking backwards and holding up one finger. “Don’t move a muscle.”
Camden actually chuckled. “As if heaven or earth could budge me from your apartment right now.”
Once inside her bedroom, Elena went to her nightstand. She knelt down in front of the photograph of her and Antonio holding Tina outside the children’s hospital. She sighed as she ran her finger down the side of Antonio’s face.
Mi amor, I will always, always love youshe thought.But I’m lonely. I’m ready, because Camden is a good man who loves me and loves our daughter. Please, I hope you understand.
She removed her necklace with Antonio’s ring and opened the drawer. In it went along with the photograph.
She expected guilt. Tears, even. Sadness, of course. But there were no tears. Negligible guilt. And as for sadness, she felt something else—something as bittersweet as caramelized sugar, a hard crust about to give way to something soft and decadent underneath.
Elena took a deep, clean breath. She stood and smoothed down her shirt. Then she turned to invite her new lover into her bedroom, into her arms, into the soft and secret places only one man had known before.
“Camden,” she called softly. “I’m ready.”
He paused in the doorway only long enough to look her up and down before he broke into a big grin.
“What?”
“I was afraid you were changing into some sort of lingerie, or worse, just getting naked.”
Was he being sarcastic? Should she have changed or gotten naked? She didn’t own anything even remotely sexy anymore. Now she regretted not taking Elissa up on her offer to go shopping. “I’m going to say it again—what?”
Camden crossed the bedroom and stood in front of her. “What I’m trying to say is, it’s been a while for both of us. I want to savor you, slowly. Like this.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and she was suddenly aware of how big he was—how his hands enveloped them.
His amber eyes roved over her face, her throat, to the V neckline of her shirt, and stopped at the bit of cleavage peeking out. He’d never looked at her so deliberately, and it made her skin heat. “I love that little freckle you have right there on your left breast. I’ve only glimpsed it a couple of times, and I’ve wondered if there are more. I’ve lost sleep thinking about all those other freckles and dimples and everything else that might be hiding from me.”
Elena felt her nipples tighten into stiff peaks at his words. They immediately drew his gaze and made him smile. He smoothed his hands down her arms until they were even with them, then he brushed her nipples with his thumbs, making her tremble. “I’ve wondered what color these are. Seashell pink, dusty rose, sandy brown.” He stroked them again and Elena mewled. She pressed herself into his hands, wanting more, right now.
“Slowly, Gorgeous. We’ve got all night and I intend to use every minute of it pleasing you. I need to tell you though, I brought condoms in case we need them. I haven’t been with a woman since my wife.” He blushed as his voice dropped, absolutely charming Elena. “But I don’t know if you’re on birth control.”
“I am. And you can probably guess that I haven’t been with anyone else, either.” She bit her lip. “So, I think we can skip the condoms.”
“Gotta say, I’m glad about that.” He dipped his head to the side of her neck and ran just the tip of his tongue from her ear to the hollow of her throat where he placed a lingering kiss. Elena lifted her chin and closed her eyes in pleasure. She ran her hands across his broad back, fighting the urge to dig her fingers in. If Camden wanted slow and sweet, she’d give it to him. For now. But if he kept kissing her and touching her like this, she was liable to lose control.
She ran her hands into his hair as he lowered his head. “There it is,” he whispered, then kissed her freckle. She realized he was shaking under her hands.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
“I’ve wanted to do that for so long, Elena. And so much more.”
She reached for the hem of her shirt and he covered her hands with his. Together, they pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it aside. Her thoughts went immediately to her not-ready-for-a-bikini body and her hand moved to cover her belly, which had stayed soft and rounded ever since Tina was born.
Camden frowned and carefully moved her hand away. “Told you before, I like a woman with soft curves. I’m going to tell you how gorgeous you are until it sinks in. And if that doesn’t work,” he moved his hands to her waist and pulled her to him until she could feel the hard length of his erection, “then I’ll demonstrate for you at every opportunity how hot you get me.”
He slid down until he was kneeling at her feet, then he pressed his cheek against her belly. “Just as I thought, a nice, soft place where I’m gonna love resting my head after we make love.” He pulled back and undid her jeans. As he tugged the zipper down, Elena thought she’d lose it. He peeled back her jeans and pulled them down her legs until she stepped out of them. She could tell her panties were soaking when the air hit them. Camden ran his hands back up her legs to the insides of her thighs and stopped just short of where she wanted them. She mewled in frustration.
“What do you need, Gorgeous?” He ran his thumbs along the lacy edges of her panties and she sucked in a breath with a hiss. “Tell me. Tell me everything you want.”
“You. I want you.”
Camden gave her a rumbling chuckle. “Specifics, Gorgeous. Do you want this?” He ran his finger straight down the middle of her panties, pressing against her clit and running between her lips. Elena felt her knees go weak as he ran his finger back up the way it came and then plunged it into his mouth. He closed his eyes as he savored her taste. He opened his eyes and smiled up at her. “Well?”
“Yes, I want that.”
“What else, Gorgeous? Tell me. Tell me everything you’ve missed about being with a man. Tell me, so that I can give it back to you.”
