The other times, he had been a friend; now he was being elevated to lover status, and that was something she had no idea how to navigate.
Reminding herself that he was still her best friend, she unlocked the door and stood there staring at him.
Vincent had no idea what he had expected. He had spent the entire journey here anticipating what she would be like, but nothing prepared him for his first sight of her.
The robe was translucent, outlining her slender curves and sliding over her body like a lover's hand. The color suited her to perfection. And her toes were painted some sort of pink. Lifting his head to her face, he saw the uncertainty there.
"Are you going to invite me in?" he asked huskily.
Without a word, she stepped back and allowed him to enter. He closed the door behind him and locked it, eyes never leaving her face.
"You smell nice."
Althea swallowed the lump that had become lodged in her throat.
"I- it's the body wash."
"I like it." He reached out to touch her left cheek and felt the smooth satiny texture.
"I had this thing planned," he murmured, finger trailing over her cheek. "I was going to seduce you and take my time."
"I have wine," she whispered.
"Perfect for after." He moved in then and simply shrugged out of his outer jacket. "It will have to be after. Like I said, I had it all planned." His hands closed around her neck, thumbs pressing against her pressure points. He could feel the pulse hammering, like a wild thing.
"But that's not going to happen."
"It's not?"
"No." His hands descended on her shoulders, drifting down her arms. "It's not." Bending slightly, he swung her into his arms and headed up the stairs, unerringly going to her bedroom. Flicking a brief glance at the wine chilling in the bucket and the refreshments, he laid her on the pillows before stepping back to remove his clothing.
"There might be preliminaries," he told her, his voice unsteady. "But no promises."
"We have all night."
"That we do," he agreed as he joined her. He was fighting to slow things down, including his breathing. Being near to her like this was driving him insane.
Making an effort, he touched her cheek gently, trailing his fingers down her cheek. "You have such soft skin," he murmured. It was alarming the way his body was reacting to hers and he was only barely touching her.
"Flawless, beautiful." His finger found the pulse beating at her throat. "I want you so damned much," he added gruffly.
"You have me," she whispered.
Keeping his eyes on hers, he bent his head, lips brushing slowly against hers. "I want to take my time. I really do. I want to savor the taste and scent."
"Vincent." His words, the deep timbre of his voice, were doing wonderful things to her insides. She could feel the heat pouring through her body. She had seen the way his body looked, the defined muscles which told her that he worked out regularly. Lifting her hand, she combed her fingers through the matting of dark hairs on his chest and felt glorious when his skin leapt in response.
"Don't stop," he demanded raggedly.
Reacting to the urgency in his voice, she pushed him back on the pillows and started to use her mouth on his. He was tanned, a wonderful golden brown color. His muscles leaped when she touched her mouth to his chest. A harsh sigh escaped him, his breath hissing as she used her tongue to trace the shape of his small nipple.
When she pulled the bud into her mouth, he had to clench his fists to stop from dragging her on top of him. Heat was pouring through him like molten lava. He was hot and hard. Her hand brushed down his stomach, causing the muscles to quiver.
With a strangled laugh, he barely managed to clamp his hand over hers as she would have ventured further.
"My turn," he told her hoarsely. Flipping her onto her back, he captured her wrists, bringing them up and over her head. Using his free hand, he peeled the flimsy gown off her and tossed it on the ground.
Then he just lay there, sweeping his eyes over the banquet laid bare before him. She had exquisite features. Her breasts were round and full, the nipples wide. His eyes drifted to her flat stomach. She saw his eyes widen when he noticed the tattoo.
