“West’s magic sleep remedy?”
He barked out a laugh. “Something like that.”
“Too bad you can’t bottle it, you’d be rich.” She blushed as his laugh deepened and she realized what she’d said. “I mean, I wasn’t implying that you—”
“That I should offer orgasms as a cure to insomnia.”
“Oh, crap. I know that’s what it sounded like, but that’s not what I meant.”
“Sh, baby girl. I know you didn’t.” He kissed her lightly. “And thank you for the offer, but you just got out of the hospital, you’re not up to anything more than what we just did.”
Well, that wasn’t true. She glared up at him. “I feel fine. And I want to do this. I need to. Please.”
She couldn’t leave without knowing the taste of him.
He studied her and his eyes narrowed.
“I won’t sleep, knowing you’re hurting.”
“Baby, contrary to what a man might try to tell you, a hard-on never caused any permanent harm. It will die down. I’ll sleep.”
“But I want to know what you taste like. Please?”
He sighed. “Don’t think you’re always going to get your way by being all cute and batting those eyelashes of yours.”
Good Lord, it was working? She’d never thought of herself as having any feminine wiles.
“But,” he said sternly, “any hint that it’s hurting you and we stop. The other day, when I threw you on the bed and hurt you . . .” A muscle ticked in his cheek. “That was unacceptable, and it won’t happen again. I won’t be the cause of any more pain to you.” He grinned. “Except when I spank you, of course. Understand?”
“I understand, Sir,” she whispered.
“I think you know I like to be in control. At all times. And I think you get why I like that. I don’t do anyone’s bidding anymore. My brother might be head of the family, I might yield to him on some things but nothing that I don’t believe in. I have a problem with anything he says, I tell him, we argue it out.”
He ran a thumb over the apple of her cheek.
“When it comes to you, I’m in charge. Especially in the bedroom. That might sound like I’m a complete prick, but I’m only ever going to have your safety, your happiness, and your pleasure in mind. Things I ask of you will never be to hurt or humiliate you. Get me? I have to know you do, because you have to be safe. That’s non-negotiable.”
Her heart raced at his words. “Okay.”
He smiled. “Okay. Fuck, what you do to me.” He moved off the bed and around to her side. “Easiest way to do this for you is to sit up.”
He helped her sit and then he stripped off his boxers. He grasped hold of his cock, running his hand up and down the shaft. Oh, God, she’d never seen a man touch his aroused cock before. But then, she’d only slept with one man, and that didn’t mean much.
“Jesus, you’re way bigger than Brian.”
He let out a bark of laughter. “I’m glad to hear that, baby girl.”
She blushed. “Sorry, I probably shouldn’t have said that.”
“Why not?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Um, I didn’t think you’d want to hear about another man while we’re in bed together.”
“Under normal circumstances, no. But I’m the one who brought him up. Besides, hearing old Brian had a pencil dick makes me happy.”
Well, she wasn’t sure she’d describe it as a pencil dick. She’d thought him average; it was just that West was rather big. She licked her lips as she contemplated him.
She looked down at the large scar running up his thigh. Even though it was years old, it still looked painful. Part of his leg looked like it had been carved out. Muscle loss. That was why he had a slight limp, although it didn’t seem to