G
ino glanced down at Zara’s face as he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the edge of the pool where he’d put the cushion for her to sit on. “You want to go in, you let me take you in. Don’t just drop down. The floor of the pool is hard rock.”
She was so beautiful, she took his breath away. He didn’t understand how she could be looking at a man like him, not when she was intelligent, gorgeous, sweet beyond imagining and so perfect, but he wasn’t about to throw away his one chance at happiness.
“Will do. It’s stunning out here.” A slight breeze had kicked up, just enough to fan her face when the humidity threatened to keep her from breathing.
“Listen to it,” Gino said and dragged off his boots and then his jeans. “The swamp has its own sound. Its own rhythm.” He was going to let her see what she did to him, get used to the idea of his naked body. He’d seen hers a hundred times, tempting him. Looking at her now, he had no idea how he managed to resist her.
He wasn’t wearing a stitch by the time she stopped looking around at the scenery. She nearly squeaked but managed to suppress the sound before it got loose. Her eyes dropped to his cock and went wide with shock. Then her mouth opened. He very casually tossed a towel beside her on the rock and after throwing his shirt to one side, sank down beside her.
He threaded his fingers in her hair. “Haven’t you ever seen a man’s body before?”
She swallowed and nodded. Kept staring. “You’re absolutely beautiful. Your body.” Her tone was almost reverent.
It was the last thing he expected her to say. He had scars. More than a few. Muscles. Clothes hid his strength, but he knew his body could be intimidating.
“I grew up in Whitney’s compound. He didn’t believe in a woman being modest. We were put on earth to serve a man. We were used for experiments. Emotions didn’t matter to him, in fact, they only got in the way.”
“Women serving men. Don’t know about that. I got myself a beautiful princess. If anyone is serving anyone, it would be the other way around.” He massaged her scalp, loving the feel of all that hair, like silk. It gleamed red in the sun. The gold was there, like the sun’s rays. His heart threatened to beat out of his chest, which shocked the holy hell out of him. He was a man always in control and yet, with Zara, that control seemed to go right out the window.
“Gino.” She took a deep breath. “I really want this. I do, but you’re never going to fit.”
He couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll fit, baby. You’ll be ready for me by the time we get there, I promise. Keep breathing. Listen to the music around us. I want you to relax, not be afraid of anything. We don’t have to do a single thing until you’re ready. If that means a month from now, or two months from now, I’m okay with that.”
“You are?”
“I’m not going to lie, Zara. I want you with every cell in my body, and I think you can see that.” His cock was harder than he ever remembered it and he hadn’t touched her yet. Just looking at her in that sheer top, her breasts teasing the hell out of him was enough to make his blood thunder in his ears.
He circled his shaft with his fist, wishing it was her hand, but knowing he had to take it slow with her. Sweat dotted his forehead. More trickled down his chest. His gaze jumped to her breasts where a small bead ran down that intriguing valley. Her nipples were taut, not flat. She was aroused, he could tell by the change in her breathing. The last thing he wanted was for her to be scared of his body.
Gino cupped the side of her face, turned her toward him and took her mouth. He forced himself to be gentle, coaxing her response, not taking it. One hand slipped over her breast, over her heart to feel it flutter. Her lips were cool, her mouth hot. She leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck to bring him closer. He didn’t move into her, controlling her body the way he controlled the kiss.
Heat rushed through his veins, a silken fire that moved through every cell, infusing him with her, so much hotter and stronger than he expected with his gentle, very tender kiss. He fought himself, as need pulsed through him and hunger coiled deep. Her mouth was addicting, her taste elusive, like some fine wine he couldn’t quite catch all the various subtle flavors of. He needed more. So much more.
She dug her fingers into his shoulders, kissing him back, her mouth soft, chasing his, wanting more. Frantic for more. He liked that. He even needed it from her. Forcing himself to stop, he lifted his head and smiled at her. “You’re not going to get your way yet, princess.” Because God help them, if she pressed her body against his right now, his control would go up in flames.
Little beads of sweat dotted her skin and he wanted to lick every one of them off. Trace the ones running between her breasts and find the tight buds that pushed against the sheer material. He was torturing himself by getting her that cover-up.
She looked up at him, those long lashes fluttering, sending little flames burning through his belly. “Why?”
He slipped off the rock into the pool and reached for her. Hands around her waist, he pulled her into the cooler water. He needed it more than she did. It didn’t help. Nothing was going to help. He’d been obsessed with her from the moment he’d read the file they had on her. The moment someone had said her name.
Living with her these weeks, lying on the floor beside the bed, or in it with her, inhaling her scent, feeling her soft skin, looking at all those curves, had made that obsession grow until he could barely stand being away from her. He wanted to know where she was and what she was doing, if she was happy, if she was upset. He told himself it was insanity, but it didn’t matter, intellect didn’t take way the intense emotion he was feeling for her.
The water felt good on his hot skin. Even better, it soaked through the thin material of her sarong and blouse until it was so transparent, she might as well not have been wearing a stitch. He didn’t let her feet take all her weight, but allowed her to stand, the water and his hands holding her.
“Why?” she repeated, a little more demanding.
He laughed softly. “You’re going to be a handful.”
“You’re not answering me,” she pointed out.
He took her hand and guided it to his cock. She closed her fingers around the hard shaft and looked up at him shyly. Expectantly. Lust swept through him. His cock felt like a steel spike, and in her hand, it grew even more, hardened even more until she looked intimidated, but excited all the same. He could see desire growing in her eyes. Her breasts moved temptingly with every ragged breath she took.
“That’s why, Zara. I’m not having your first time with me be out here, and I’m not nearly as in control as I thought I could be. Playing is one thing, but we’re going to have to be careful.”
Zara scowled up at him and turned her face against his bare chest and tasted his skin. He tasted the way she expected—amazing. Perfect. All Gino. She had read countless books on sex. She’d read the Kama Sutra, and just about everything else she could get her hands on. She was, after all, very good at research. Nothing prepared her for the real thing. The way she would feel with her body so close to his. With his cock, thick and hard, in her fist.