How could she have lived for so long without this divine experience?
She reached for his hips, adding her own strength to his forceful possession. He clenched his teeth and took her harder, their joining growing frantic. She met his gaze before she tipped into an abyss of pleasure.
“You’re mine.” His proclamation was simple, powerful…surreal.
Pleasure wracked her in waves. She felt him succumb at the very core of her being. His growl of release sounded primal…thrilling. She held him against her, feeling his shudders mingling with her own.
“Absolutely amazing,” he murmured as he stroked her belly. Morning sunlight glowed behind the creamy draperies and streamed around the edges. They’d made love for a better part of the night, pausing to touch, talk and laugh in the interludes. Despite the fact that he probably had only slept a total of two hours, Eric felt energized and fantastic—better than he ever remembered feeling in his life.
He couldn’t seem to keep his hands off Colleen. As a physician, the human body was his specialty. He’d learned a measure of objectivity when it came to his assessment of physical beauty. But there was something about Colleen’s nudity that brought out the opposite of logic in him. She was like poetry set to flesh, all feminine curves and long, graceful limbs and beguiling stretches of smooth, silky skin. It pleased him beyond belief to find new spots where his hand fit perfectly, to seek out new patches of skin that made her breath catch and her eyes glaze with desire.
“What’s absolutely amazing?” she asked after a stretched few seconds. He’d found yet another sweet spot on her side between two ribs, fracturing her attention for a moment. He leaned down to add a kiss to his tribute, and she shivered beneath his mouth. He smiled and raised his head.
“That. You’re entire body is like a live wire.”
Two spots of vivid color bloomed in her cheeks. “I…I’m sorry. I can’t seem to help it…the shivering, I mean.”
His smile faded. “Why are you apologizing? It’s incredible.” When she just stared at him, her blush deepening, he shook his head in disbelief. “I’m serious. What man wouldn’t be thrilled having such a responsive woman in his bed? You make me feel like some kind of a god when I’m just touching you.”
A small smile shaped her mouth. “You are so full of it.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t entirely believe him about how intensely sexy he found her, but at least she’d relaxed enough to smile. He leaned down and kissed her, taking his time, relishing every nuance of her soft, fragrant mouth. He felt himself stir with arousal, even though they’d just finished making love minutes ago.
Her effect on him was unprecedented.
“Nicest surprise…of my life to see you standing?
?at my front doorstep last night,” he told her between kisses a moment later. “What made you come?”
She cradled his head in her hands and sunk her fingers into his hair. His eyelids grew heavy as she massaged his scalp. Eric couldn’t decide what made him happier: Colleen’s magical touch or the fact that it was magic touching her. He blinked a moment later when he realized she hadn’t answered his question. She was chewing on her lower lip.
Why did she look so hesitant?
“My mother said something,” she began distractedly. “Something about how I was so confident in expressing my emotions…how I wasn’t afraid to be honest about what I was feeling.” She met his stare and gave a sheepish grin. “I realized then that not only had I not been entirely honest about how I felt about you, I had been full-out lying to myself.”
He shrugged and landed another kiss on her mouth, not liking to see her looking so hesitant. “We talked about this. It isn’t like there weren’t barriers galore between us. Colleen?”
“Yes?” she asked, her blue-green eyes wide. She wasn’t wearing a smudge of makeup and her hair was wild and uncombed. He’d discovered there were seven tiny freckles sprinkled across her nose.
She looked delectable.
“Did you make a decision to spend the night with me because you believe we can overcome those barriers?”
“I hope we can,” she whispered. Her solemn expression cut at him a little. He leaned down and seized her mouth in a hot kiss. He’d rather see her beautiful face glowing with desire. She responded wholly, sweetly, melting at his touch. For a sublime moment, he made himself forget the shadow of doubt he’d seen in Colleen’s expressive eyes.
Their desire spent yet again, they finally slept. Colleen awoke with her head on Eric’s chest, her body wrapped in his arms. For a minute or two she lay there fully awake, soaking in the sensation of his chest rising and falling as he slept, wondering at how safe and warm she felt in his embrace.
Making love with him had been a truly eye-opening experience. Colleen had always considered herself open-minded and comfortable with the topic of sex, but Eric had taught her last night she’d never really fully explored her sexuality. Thanks to him, she’d just begun to tap into the depths of her sensual nature, and for that she’d be forever thankful. She couldn’t recall ever feeling so alive, so feminine…so wonderful.
When she finally focused on the clock on the bedside table, her eyes widened in disbelief. She hadn’t slept until noon since she was a carefree teenager. Of course, then she hadn’t possessed the adult excuse of being kept awake all night by a virile, demanding man. She eased out of Eric’s arms, trying not to wake him. He roused slightly, his forehead crinkling and his mouth flattening, like he was dissatisfied with something and was about to take someone to task in his dreams. Colleen smiled, recalling how at one time, she would have interpreted that exact expression as arrogance.
Today, she decided that expression was entirely endearing.
She wasn’t thrilled about putting on her clothes from last night, but what other choice did she have? She detangled her hair with effort. Eric still slept as she crept downstairs, eager to call her children. Brendan and Jenny were having too good of a time, however, to spend much time on the phone with her. After she hung up, Colleen found herself longing for clean clothes. Could she run to her house and retrieve some before Eric woke? She didn’t want to disturb his sleep if she didn’t have to.
She was putting on her coat in the foyer when something caught her attention. Eric strode down the hallway. Her eyes went wide. He wore a pair of jeans and a scowl.
“Where are you going?” he demanded. “You’re not leaving.”