But his body was a well-trained instrument of pleasure. He could use it to make Jenny shatter and then to make her so glad she was in pieces so that all she’d do was give him that sleepy smile.
Sex was how he’d found his own way out of pain. It wasn’t the best way, and it had never been about love, but he’d learned to embrace it.
For him sex had been first a monster but then he’d forced himself to face it, to wrap his hand around it and force it to submit. He’d mastered it and so he’d mastered himself.
It couldn’t be that way with her, he knew. It was too brutal for someone who was so sensitive. But still he had only his body to give to hers, to heal hers.
He wanted to turn up the heat.
Jenny floated, forced to pleasure by Taz’s hands, by the odd little bar between her legs. She burned constantly now, embarrassingly easy to ignite. She felt sexual for the first time in her life, her body heavy and pulsing, waiting to be sated again.
Taz made thunder vibrate through her body, explode out through her fingertips.
She’d never known such pleasure.
It was as though he took her and threw her into the sun, burning everything away but what his body gave to hers, forced upon hers.
When Taz carried her from the tub then almost clinically began to prepare her body for penetration, she squirmed. She couldn’t make sense of it to herself, but the way he handled her, as if he knew all of her secrets, was the sexiest thing she’d ever experienced.
Maybe this was why she’d woken up for months, hot and sweaty and hurting for Taz. She hadn’t known what he could do to her, but she’d known it was something she needed.
Now in the water it felt like the end of the story they’d been meant to share, almost from the beginning. He was fullness. A muffled grunt. The slide and retreat and he was… Oh. Too big? But she wanted him, wanted more of the achy pain of accommodating him.
He reached under her bikini top, tugged it away and revealed her breasts. She watched him play with the hard points of her nipples, his brown hand, her pale skin. She felt rooted and heavy like a tree, flowering at his touch.
“You have the sweetest little cunt,” he told her.
“Oh, my…God…”
“What?”
“Just… I never thought you’d say
that
.”
“Why not, little Jenny?” His hand slid into her folds with confident possession. “You feel so good here, takin’ me. I’m going to want it all the time. I’m going to make it good for you so you’ll let me do you.”
“I thought…” Her nails bit into his forearms, her head rising and falling with his thrusts. “You’d just show me the ropes.”
His hands on her hips tensed and relaxed. “Is that what you want, Jenny Ann?” He growled. “You want to get ridden hard and then try to forget me?
Try it.
”
“Oh… I…” How was she supposed to think? His body swept her away, the tidal rhythm, the feel of his penis when it lodged fully into her, the drag of the bulbous tip.
The grind of their bodies together was deliberate, leisurely, but sweat beaded his upper lip. The water intensified everything, making her lazy and open, both spent and hungered.
It had to end soon. She couldn’t bear it.
When he spread her with his fingers, it felt different with his penis buried inside her. She felt more vulnerable, sensitized.
He turned on the jet, thrusting hard at the same time. Bombarded, she tried desperately to close her legs at the agony of exposure, but the bar prevented it.
“Take it!”
“Taz, please, please…” She climaxed, long rolls of feeling until she was clinging to the side of the tub and finally to him.
He had to carry her from the water.
Jenny lay limp on the battered recliner. Taz wrapped her in a towel and made her drink a full glass of water.
His body was aching pleasantly from his intense release, but he rubbed his chest, wondering if he had heartburn or something. Had the sex been good enough for a virgin? He’d been rough and he’d said things he knew weren’t…romantic.
“What time are we picking up the puppy tomorrow?” he asked, trying to shove aside this fucking useless handwringing.
“Um.” She blinked. “Ten thirty. I’m just getting orientation before I take him. The shelter really needs space for new animals.”
“That’s okay, we’ll find you a dog trainer.”
“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.”
“I still have puppy stuff in the back of my truck. Remind me to get it out for you.”
A long stretch of time passed. Taz reached out and took Jenny’s hand and she said shyly, “It was good. Am I supposed to say?”
“Uh, no, you don’t—fuck,
yeah!
Tell me everything, like I’m one of your girlfriends. Be frank.”
Jenny laughed at his disgruntlement.
“Sexually you just took over.”
“And that was okay?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know anything else right now.”
He didn’t like that. “You won’t have anything to compare me with. Not any time soon, Jenny Ann.”
“Is it this good all the time? Do you feel this relaxed? This need to constantly smile?” She smiled, dazzling him, her face lit as bright as the sunlight dancing on the hot tub. “If this is how you feel, no wonder you’re always having sex.”
He frowned. “No, it’s
not
always like this.”
She looked at him, all big eyes. He wanted to see those eyes late at night, looking at him from his bed or her bed, he didn’t care—just so long as they shared one. Would she put up a fight if he pushed for it?
And what was he thinking? He’d never shared a bed with anyone.
Her forehead wrinkled. “Why do you sound annoyed? I thought sex made men lazy and sleepy.”
“I’m not annoyed. I’m just saying that it’s… Look, you don’t need to be like me, all right?”
She frowned. “Huh?”
“I mean, you’re a free lady, sure. But volume doesn’t equal quality.”
“Why would you think I want a lot of lovers?”
He swiped a hand through his hair. She was all glowy and smiling and finding the power of her womanhood and he was terrified. Didn’t it figure?
“Men look at you, don’t they?”
“I don’t know,” Jenny said. “I haven’t paid much attention.”
“
I
made you feel this way,” Taz stated. “I’m that good.”
Now Jenny sat up, studying him. She reached out and stroked his face. “Taz, you really are. I just figured… You’ve never been with the same lady more than once. Why would I be any different?”
“You just are, Jenny Ann. And I don’t want you looking for another boyfriend.” He put his hands on her hips. “We share a puppy and I built you a damn fence and made you breakfast. Don’t you forget it.”
“Taz…” she sighed. “If we don’t stop this now, I’m going to fall in love with you.”
He stared.
She smiled rather sadly. “Yeah, I know. Probably I shouldn’t just up and say it, right? None of your experienced lady friends would. But if it happens, and I fall for you, what are you going to do?”
“Take care of you,” he said, the words just there on his tongue. And that was all he knew about this love stuff, damn it. “Jenny, none of the women I’ve dated would take that risk. Didn’t Dharma tell you? I figured she’d warn you away from me.”
“She tried. FYI, the whole bad boy thing only makes women wild to tame you.”
“Is that what it is? I thought it was my cologne.” He tried to smile, but he was worried for her. How could she tell him these things? Now he’d be sweating over hurting her even more.
How did a man take care of a woman who might fall in love with him?
Chapter Nine
“Where are you taking me?” Jenny groused.
“To bed.”
“But—”
“Not one word, young lady.” He swatted her behind and then, because it had felt so good doing it, did it again. She had a lovely ass, round and full, which she no doubt thought was too big. Women could be ridiculous.
Jenny gave a muffled complaint but since she was currently cuddled in his arms as he carried her into his bedroom, she didn’t put up much of a fight. He could see he’d have to be the one disciplining their puppy. She’d be hopeless.
She yawned hugely as he pulled back the covers then proceeded to lie on her stomach in the middle of his bed, legs sprawled, arms askew. Was this how she
slept
? This sharing a bed business was more involved than he’d thought. He paused, trying to figure out how one small woman could take up so much room in a king bed.
Finally he gave in and slid in beside her, yanking her into him so he was partly covering her, their legs tangled. He wondered if she’d have trouble sleeping with him. He knew she slept alone, neighbors knew these things about each other.
Her answer was a less than delicate snore. Sex obviously had a sedative effect on Jenny Ann Green. He stroked her bare back, stroked her hair, loving touching her after all this time of looking and forcing himself to stay away from her.
In fact, he decided he wanted to look at her, really look at her, and not have to worry she’d be looking back and seeing…something in his eyes. He turned her onto her back. She gave a sleepy, unladylike grunt that made him grin. But then he lost the smile when he looked at her breasts. Round and strawberry tipped. He wondered if they’d taste like the berries he sometimes helped himself to in her garden. He closed his eyes and brushed one tip very gently with his lips. He didn’t want to wake her. Frankly he wasn’t sure he could, the way she was grunting and snoring, sounding like a drunken pig more than an enticing woman…but for some reason he liked the little pig sounds. It made her even more of an alluring woman.
Her little patch of hair was neat and a soft brown. He heated just looking at it.
Mine.
She thought she’d find pleasure like he’d given her with other men? He’d make sure she didn’t find out any time soon. She was his, the only woman after years of taking men and women home to play with that he’d let into his bed.
He sat back on his heels, looking around.
Not that his bedroom was anything to speak of. What did it look like to her? He’d bet hers was like her kitchen and living room, full of soft floral wallpaper and fresh flowers. And that dried stuff women were always putting in bowls and sachets.
He leaned down and sniffed her neck, getting a whiff of lilac.
Lilacs were old-fashioned. In this climate, they took a lot of watering. Jenny fussed over hers like they were her children.
She was lonely.
It hit him, all the time she spent in her garden, nurturing, digging, rearranging. She had to love it, but it was where she poured all her feeling. He knew because… Because he’d done the same in anonymous sex. In taking someone over for a night and seeing what he might uncover.
Although of course he wasn’t lonely like Jenny.
Jenny woke slowly. She was curled against something hot and snoring. Her new puppy? She blinked and came to wake in shock as she realized that for the first time in her life she’d fallen asleep in someone else’s bed, in their arms. A very male someone.
Taz.
He was unshaven, his hair looked flattened on one side. He was big and completely tanned—everywhere—and his erection was prodding her rear end.
Her eyes pricked and she reached out and cupped his cheek.
He shot up in bed like she’d fired a cannon. “What?”
“Um.” She gave an uneasy shrug.
“Are you all right?”
“Well, yeah…”
He cocked his head. His eyes were bloodshot. Why was that adorable? “You’re all right?”
“I just said so.”
“You woke me up.”
“Sorry.”
“You gave me a—” He shut his mouth.
“Were you about to say I gave you a scare?”
He scowled.
“Not used to sleeping with someone any more than I am, huh?” She gave a deliberate scan of the room. “I guess that’s where all the girlfriend touches come in.”
He looked like the idea was completely bizarre. “There are none.”
She quirked her lips. “I know. And I know you were probably…concerned about me, but I haven’t done any sleep gardening in the daytime. Uh, not that I remember, anyway.”
“I found you two weeks ago with the biggest, sharpest set of shears I’ve ever seen. You were trimming the hedge. In your sleep.”
She blinked. “Is that why my tool shed has that fancy new padlock? I was going to ask you—”
“Yes, and you can’t have the combination until the sleep gardening stops. I keep you safe, Jenny.”
Touched, she brushed her lips against his. “I know.”
“It’s good you know,” he grunted. “What time are we going to get that puppy?”
“Oh, my God.” She laughed and leaped out of bed, then looked at her naked body in horror. “How am I to run to my place and get showered and dressed?”
He got up, towering over her. She thought deliberately. He tapped her nose. “You will shower here. You can wear some of my shorts and a T-shirt.”
“Taz, I’ll be buried in your clothing.”
“I want you in my clothing,” he said, as if that ended all discussion.
She looked at the time again and dove into his en suite. Her heart was pounding for more reasons than merely running late. Taz was not acting at all like Taz.
Dharma had called him an out and out sexy bastard, the kind a lucky woman had for one night, fantasized about for years afterward but could never be a ‘keeper’. Jenny knew this. She’d watched Taz for months, heart aching, as he’d brought home beautiful women. Yet, he’d never shared his hot tub with them. He’d never bought a padlock for a garden shed to keep them safe or taken them shoe shopping at the mall when they were too afraid to go there on their own…
The door to the shower stall swung open and Jenny yelped.
“Jesus, woman, could you have it any hotter in here? I’ll be limp from the heat.”
He wasn’t anywhere near limp. Jenny’s eyes widened, taking in his size and the steady way he was regarding her. “Taz. We’re late,” she squeaked.
He lifted her against the tiled wall. “So we’ll just be later.”
He thrust inside her, eager, hard. She cried out, hands digging into his shoulders. His lips quirked and his eyes were intent on her bobbing breasts, on the place where their bodies joined, on her legs wrapped around his hips. “Some things you just make time for.”