Taking another deep breath, she poised her hand up to knock, but before she could, the door flew open and she was caught by the wrist in an iron grasp then pulled into the room and thrust against the back of the door that slammed shut behind her. The cold barrel of a gun pressed into the tender flesh under her jaw, and she heard the hammer click.
Her frightened cry reverberated through the room, then Marcus cursed foully as he uncocked the gun, tossing it onto a nearby table.
“What are you doing, woman? Trying to get yourself killed?” He hadn’t let her go from her position against the door.
It was dark in his room except for one candle that burned on a small shelf near the bed. She gasped at her first sight of him when she realized he was wearing nothing but his jeans. His bare chest was only inches away from her, and she could feel his warmth. Light brown hair sprinkled across the skin of his chest and disappeared in a line down his belly. His muscles bulged under his bronzed skin as he held her against the door.
He was beautiful.
“Marcus…”
“You better have a damn good reason for coming here, Lissa,” he snarled.
“I… um, I…” She lost her nerve looking into those amazing eyes. “I shouldn’t be in your room.”
“No you shouldn’t, but now you’re here, and you’re going to tell me why.”
He leaned in closer, and she could see water droplets in his hair. Had he been washing up? The clean scent of him assaulted her senses, making her groan as she closed her eyes.
“Lissa?” There was a warning note in his voice, and his eyes looked as hard as granite.
Melissa’s breaths came in shallow gasps as she trembled violently. “I came because… because…” She couldn’t think with him standing so close, and she decided to just blurt it out. “I came to ask you to make love to me!”
A long, uncomfortable silence stretched out between them.
“I… you see,” she stammered, “you’ve said you’re not the marrying kind, and I’ve only just realized that… that I’m not either. So I figured, who exactly am I saving myself for? I… I’d much rather have my first time be with you than--”
“Melissa, get the hell out of my room!”
“But--”
“Leave before I take you up on your insane offer!”
“No.”
“Damn it, woman--”
“No!”
Marcus let her go and took a step away. “You have ten seconds to leave, or I’m locking that door and you won’t be leaving until morning. I told you I’m not a nice man, sugar. I can only take so much. If you’re willing to give yourself to me, then I’ll take you gladly.”
Biting her lower lip, Melissa looked from his golden eyes to the closed door, knowing that now was her last chance to flee from him--to flee her ridiculous plea.
“You have five seconds now.”
Turning to the door, she pressed her forehead to the cool wood. Lifting a trembling hand, she locked it herself.
“I’m not leaving, Marcus.”
“Time’s up, sugar,” he whispered into her hair.
She felt the heat of him against her back. Grabbing her shoulders roughly, he spun her around to face him once again. He framed her face with his large hands and kissed her hard. His tongue invaded her mouth, and she moaned with pleasure. His hands were suddenly everywhere, roving up her hips and chest, circling her breasts with his searching fingers. Even beneath the fabric of her dress, her nipples puckered for him.
“Do you care for this dress?” he asked against her lips.
“What?” she said, her head swimming.
“To hell with it!”
Melissa heard the sound of ripping fabric and buttons falling to the floor, then Marcus was biting and sucking on her neck, making her gasp as she threw back her head. Circling his shoulders with her hands, she reveled in the feeling of his soft, bare skin.
He pushed her ruined dress down her shoulders, forcing her arms off him as he peeled away her sleeves. The green dress fell in a heap on the floor. Standing before him in her corset and petticoats, Melissa decided to untie her own laces lest they join her dress, ruined on the floor.
His eyes appeared on fire as he watched her, and Melissa’s mouth went dry just looking at him. He was definitely more man than she could ever hope to handle. How was she going to get through the night? Fear lit in her eyes, but excitement also shot through her at the same time. Nothing would stop Marcus now, and she didn’t want him to stop. The hungry look on his face made her disrobe faster than she usually did, and before long she stood in front of him trembling with uncertainty in nothing but her chemise.
“Take that off too, Lissa,” he commanded.
“I’m afraid.”
“I won’t hurt you, sugar.” His voice was a little gentler as he caressed her arms with his large hands.
“I know, but--”
“It’s too late for second thoughts.”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what?”
“I’m afraid that you’ll…”
“That I’ll what?”
“That you won’t like what you see.”
“There’s no chance of that--no chance in hell, sugar. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid my eyes on.”
“Really?”
Taking her hand in his, he brought it up to the crotch of his jeans, rubbing the hardened flesh underneath. “Do you feel that?”
“Yes.” She gasped at the arc of electricity pulsing through her.
“You do that to me. You make me so hard for you that I can’t stand it anymore, Lissa. Do you think that would happen to me if I didn’t think you were anything less than beautiful? Gorgeous? Stunning?” Pulling her into his arms again, he kissed her. “Take it off, baby. Let me see all of you.”
With a shaking hand, Melissa lifted the chemise up and over her head, feeling her skin pebble under his scrutiny. Marcus looked her up and down before stepping close and ravaging her mouth once again. His hands palmed her bare breasts, making her cry out at the shock of it.
His coarse chest hair against her sent a wave of heat spiraling through her body, settling between her legs. She could feel that familiar ache once again as he rolled her nipples between his fingers. Moaning, she arched toward him, plunging her own tongue into his mouth voraciously.
Wrapping her arms firmly around his neck, she held on tight, trying her hardest to press against him. She wanted to feel his bare skin on hers, to feel the friction of his body in order to ease her throbbing need.
“Marcus, I want… I want…”
“What, sugar? What do you want?”
“I… I don’t know. I want… you!”
She felt him smiling against the skin of her neck.
“Oh, sweetheart. You’re reading my mind.” Dropping to his knees before her, he took one of her rosy nipples into his mouth and suckled hard.
Melissa almost collapsed right then and there. The sensation of his hot mouth upon her, of his tongue swirling around her breast made her gasp as she shuddered in his arms. Marcus was ruthless in his plunder, nibbling with his teeth and teasing her with his lips before giving her other breast the same attention.
“Marcus, oh my God!” She moaned with her head bent over his. She couldn’t do much more than rain kisses on the top of his head, but finally, her legs gave out just as he stood once more.
Grabbing her around the waist, he lifted her against him as he turned toward the bed. With his neck exposed to her, Melissa began licking and sucking his skin, giggling inwardly at the growls he gave her. Now that her skirts no longer hindered him, Marcus took advantage of her bare backside, cupping her and grinding her hips against his. The sensation was intense.
Melissa clutched onto him almost painfully, grabbing fistfuls of his hair as he carried her across the room. Raising her face back up to his, she kissed him fervently.
“Take off your pants,” she demanded. “Marcus, please. I want to feel all of you.”
“Patience, sugar.” He chuckled as he laid her down on the sheets. He leaned over her on his strong arms and smiled as she grabbed for the buttons of his jeans.
Pulling away just enough to be out of reach of her fingers, he laved her breasts once more. “We have all night, Lissa, and I mean
all
night. You won’t get any sleep, honey.”
Melissa felt his hand between them, gliding lower and lower down her belly until it rested against her moist curls. She arched against him, silently asking him for more. He did not deny her.
As his fingers delved along her wet heat, she cried out with ecstasy at the foreign but delicious feeling. Ever so gently, his fingers slid inside her, making her clutch at the pillows around her head. Arching again and again into his hand, Melissa finally plunged over the edge of rapture, pulling his head back up to kiss him.
“That’s my girl,” he groaned against her lips. “Your mouth tastes like honey. Did you know that?”
Melissa could only thread her fingers through his hair as her body shuddered. She’d just gone to the highest heights with him, how could she possibly put two thoughts together?
“I wonder if you taste the same down there?” he murmured as he began a downward path.
Her brain was in a fog as she lay underneath him still clutching onto the pillows, then suddenly she felt his mouth between her legs, his tongue dipping into her slick folds and dancing on her sensitive flesh.
“Good Lord!” she exclaimed, gasping and crying out in bliss.
“Easy, sugar,” Marcus cooed, his deep voice filling her as he slid a finger inside. “This isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”
Slowly, agonizingly, he made her gasp at every entry. His tongue swirled right where she ached, and Melissa found her hands in his hair, pushing him even closer.
“Marcus… Marcus…” she canted.
“You like this, honey?”
“Yes!” she cried. “So good…”
“Then we’ll have to do it more often.” His words were too much for her to take as his hot breath fanned her wet skin. When his tongue touched her, she once again exploded, writhing in pure ecstasy.
Breathing seemed so hard to do as Melissa lay there, her arms above her head. Marcus pulled away for a moment but joined her once again, crawling between her legs on the bed, kissing her belly and laving her navel, licking his way up her breasts to her neck. Once there, he nipped and sucked as his arms pulled her closer.
“Your whole body tastes like honey,” he whispered, moving his mouth to her ear where he drew her lobe into his mouth. “Lissa, sugar, I’ll never tire of you. Never.”
She smiled but not for long as Marcus returned his lips to hers. His tongue played with hers almost forcefully as he settled his weight on top of her. As her legs stroked his, she felt only skin, no jeans. When had he shed his pants?
Her thoughts on the matter were soon forgotten as she suddenly felt his hard body pressing against hers. Gasping again, she threw back her head, looking deeply into his golden eyes. She knew he could see her fear as he caressed her cheeks.
“Lissa, honey, this will hurt. I want you to hold on to me and don’t let go. Can you do that for me, sugar?”
“Yes,” she whispered as she nodded.
“Don’t be afraid. Don’t ever fear me.”
“Even when you’re in a foul mood?” she teased.