“Ember!”
It wasn’t until he set her away from him that she heard the amusement in his voice. Was he…laughing at her?
“What?” she snapped.
He blew out a breath and winced, breathing heavily and obviously affected by their kiss. “I’m not used to…”
When she raised a brow at him, not sure if she should be embarrassed, he waved a vague hand toward her pelvis. Apparently, sheshouldbe embarrassed—thanks to the way she’d reacted to him.
“I will not apologize,” she declared, lifting her chin in defiance. “Your kisses make me want…”
She trailed off, not certain if she should admit those things out loud. But to her surprise, he smiled ruefully.
“No, love, not—” Chuckling, he reached for her apron. “It’sthis.” He pulled the thick gouge from the leather pocket. “I’m just not used to so muchhardnessgrinding against me.”
Relief burst over Ember so quickly, she couldn’t help the surprised laughter which burst out of her. “I was wondering what I was feeling.”
“Oh, I think you had a pretty good idea of what you were feeling,” he quipped. As he placed the gouge on the workbench to his left, he shifted his own pelvis forward again, and Ember groaned atthe sensation of his hardness pressing against her core through the leather apron, and she reached for him again.
This kiss was slower, deeper. They explored one another, not just with their lips and tongues, but with their hands and hearts as well.
Max’s fingers were magical, Ember decided. They wereeverywhere, and everywhere he touched left a spark of fire behind. Anemberof desire.
The thought had her smiling against his mouth, and she felt his lips curl in response.
Then his lips were moving across her jaw, down her throat. She tipped her head back to give him better access, while simultaneously grinding her pelvis against his, chasing that delicious pressure which had built between her legs.
She needed this.
She neededhim.
When Max’s mouth reached her blouse, she was the one to yank the material to the side, and she felt him smile against her skin as his kisses trailed hot fire across the top of her breasts. Thank the saints she’d neglected a corset today!
“Max!” she gasped as his tongue found her nipple. “Oh, God,yes.”
The pulsing in her core was more than she could stand, and he seemed to understand. With a sudden shift, his hand was between her legs, and he was nudging her back against the worktable. She wanted to climb atop it so she could straddle his waist, but each movement sent indescribable little flickers ofpleasure through her body, and she knew she was ready to come apart.
Max continued to worship her nipples, one hand splayed across her back to hold her in place while the other pressed against her core. The heel of his hand ground against her sensitive pearl, providing all the pressure she needed, while his fingers pressed her petticoats into her wetness.
It was crude and wicked and exactly what Ember needed. When his teeth scraped against her nipple, she came with a mewling sort of gasp, grinding against his hand as pleasure burst over her in waves.
Max knew, of course. He gathered her close, holding her and whispering words of devotion against her hair as she rode out the pleasure.
“That’s it.” He kissed her temple. “That’s the way. Good girl.”
“I am not—” She sighed, relaxing against him. “I am not a horse, Max.”
Shefelthim grin. “No. But if youwerea filly, I would say this was the moment you became mine.”
Was she?His?
Ember tipped her head back to meet his dark eyes, fully aware of the dirtiness of their surroundings, and not caring. “Am I?” she whispered. “Yours?”
“Always.” He dropped a kiss to her lips, and that felt like a promise.
So she turned in his arms, wrapped hers around his neck, and snuggled up against him. “Then make meyours, Max. For always.”
“I don’t think?—”
