Page 42 of Zane

"What?"

"How much I wanted my hands on you." He used those hands to stroke her neck and then followed up by trailing kisses there. "Here." He kissed her lobe, fingers toying with the tiny knob glinting there. "This is new."

"Yes," she whispered.

"Part of the new you."

"Yes." Her fingers curled into the sweater. "You're still dressed."

"Hmm." He toyed with the earring, tugging at the lobe before teasing it with his teeth. "I'll get to it eventually. I just want to concentrate on you."

"I want to feel you." She arched her body, fingers digging into his thick, dense hair.

"Words like that will certainly speed up the process." His voice was hoarse with emotion. Easing back, he tugged the sweater over his head.

"You didn't like my tattoos."

"They're starting to grow on me." She traced the one on his neck before going to the one on his arm. "Why?"

"Rebellion." He came back to her cheek. "I wanted to buck authority as well." He kissed the sides of her lips and had her sighing. "I wanted to be a rebel."

He used his tongue to slide along the crease of her lips and felt faint when he tasted her breath. "Be different." When her hands slid around his neck, he parted her lips. "I want to taste every inch of your body. I've been dreaming about it ever since I met you."

"I want you to."

"Good."

She felt her body bracing for the touch of his mouth on her nipples and wondered if she was going to survive the intensity. He was already trailing a fiery path with his mouth, leaving her breathless and aching.

"You're so beautiful." His voice was rough, a direct contrast to the gentleness of his hands.

"I don't want you to be careful with me."

"Am I being careful?" He cupped her breasts and felt humbled by her. She was giving herself to him, giving her innocence to him, and it was overwhelming.

"I just-"

Bending his head, he blew on the nipple and had her crying out in shock.

"I want to give you the ultimate experience." His mouth closed over the nipple. At the first tug, Kara swore she felt her stomach dropping. Pleasure burst inside her at a pace that had her gasping and gripping his hair. She wanted to keep him there.

When he used his teeth to scrape the sensitive bud, she dissolved. Her entire body felt as if she had been shoved headlong into shooting flames. Nothing had ever felt so good. Not even in her wildest dreams.

Zane knew he was moving way past the point of no return.

Her skin was like silk, her scent filling his nostrils and making him yearn like he never had before.

Skimming a hand down the quivering flatness of her stomach, he ventured further down, lifting his head to witness her reaction. Desire, full-blown and powerful, swept through his body like a tidal wave. Her lips were swollen and parted, her eyes heavy with that sleepy, sultry look that passion had brought to them. When his hand cupped the core of her, her eyes widened, her body arching.

"Zane." The whispered yearning of his name maddened him. Easing a finger in, just the tip to test the waters and to make sure she was ready for him, he found her silky and wet. When he introduced another finger, going in deeper, the groan was ripped from his throat as she erupted.

With a low growl, he reared up and staggered off the bed to remove his clothing. It was only then that he realized he had been wearing his boots all this time.

Swearing profusely, he sat down to take them off, his fingers awkward, making the simple task take even longer. When it was done, he practically tore off his denims and underwear before covering her body with his.

Kara, still in the throes of the devastating climax, reached for him blindly, her fingers tangling in the hair streaming past his shoulders.

Zane wanted to distract her from the pain he knew was coming, and he chose the only way he could.