She didn’t answer, but didn’t lower her gaze from his. Obviously, she was referring to more than his penis.
“Mia. I am very aware of my strengths and shortcomings. I’ve analyzed why and when I’ve succeeded and failed in business and personally. As you’ve noted, I control my public image fiercely and my personal life with equal aggression. I’m not ashamed or shy about either.”
“I wasn’t…”
He ran his fingers down her jaw, needing to touch her. “I know. I just want you to know that I’m aware of who I am. I know what I want and I usually get it. I would love to see you acquire some of the security I feel.”
She gestured to her body. “I am not self-conscious.”
“No, you’re not. It’s self-confidence—or maybe self-awareness—you lack. How many times have you said someone like me wouldn’t be interested in someone like you? Hell, you even called yourself a nobody.”
“I did?”
“You did.”
“I’m not.”
“You most certainly are not.”
“Well, I’m glad we have that all cleared up Mr. Serious. Back to your recent question,” she said, and his mind raced to figure out which one. Then she wrapped her fingers around him and explored, while he held his breath. “Yes, I like what I see.”
As she pumped her hand over his water-slicked flesh, it was all he could do to remain upright. “Well, good. I can add that back into my column of assets. I was a little worried for a moment.”
“No worries at all here. But I think I need to conduct a closer inspection.”
Michael braced himself on the tile walls when she dropped to her knees and then nearly lost his mind all together when she took him into her mouth, drawing him in, then pulling back until he was exposed to the warm water raining down on them both. Then, after circling the head with her tongue, she drew him in again. He hissed in a breath between his teeth. This was more than physical. Just like in the closet, it was as if he were discovering intimacy all over again. His balls tightened and he found himself perilously close to the edge.
“Stop.” Never in a million years would Michael Anderson ever have imagined the possibility of putting a stop to this particular scenario, yet he found himself repeating, “Stop, please.” She circled him with her tongue one last time, and released him, expression justifiably confused.
He helped her to her feet. “No more fast food tonight.” He soaped up his hands and ran them up her arms and down her back. “It’s about taking our time.” He lathered the washcloth and scrubbed himself down, then pulled her to him, sliding against her, loving the feel of her hardened nipples across his soap-slicked chest. “About learning each other’s bodies.” He handed her the washcloth and turned. She scrubbed his back, and then moved lower to his ass and he propped his hands on the tile as she lathered his inner thighs and balls. He’d regained his control now, and was simply enjoying the adrenaline and thrill of her exploration of his body.
After a thorough rinse, he turned the water off and pulled the towel from the towel bar. Determined to keep things focused on her, he dried her hair, then moved methodically down her body, drying and kissing as he went. By the time he reached her knees, they were trembling.
“We’re going to work on a two to one ratio tonight, which is why I stopped you.”
He dried his own body and stepped out. She followed. “Two to one?”
“Yes. I couldn’t get ahead.”
Taking her hand, he led her to the bed where Clancy was comfortably curled up on a pillow. “Sorry, sir. You’ll need to relocate.” He picked the dog up, pillow and all, and set him in the bathroom. After a couple of circles, he settled right in as if he were totally on board. Hell, he might grow to really like that dog.
Mia was still standing by the bed, naked and sexy as hell, when he returned. He paused for a moment, scanning her from the top of her dark, wet hair, down to her perfectly formed breasts, over her toned, flat abdomen, past the curls at the juncture of her thighs, and finally taking in her muscular legs all the way down to her pink toenails. Going slow was going to be difficult. “As I was saying…”
She grinned. “Two-to-one whats?”
He applied gentle pressure to her shoulders and she sat in front of him, her eyes immediately finding his cock, which caused it to pulse. “Two orgasms to my one, at a minimum.”
Her eyes met his. “I stand by my statement that you are very sure of yourself.”
As he pushed her back on the bed, he marveled again at how beautiful and perfect she was, then he started at her neck and kissed all the way down her body until he settled in between her legs, pushing her thighs apart and lazily running a finger over her until her breath caught, then replacing his finger with his tongue. “No, Mia. I am very sure of you.”
Chapter Eighteen