His smile was rich with amusement. “I suspect you know the feeling is mutual.”
“You think you’re gorgeous too?” She teased.
He laughed. “Of course.” He kissed the tip of her nose, and it was a gesture of such sweetness that her heart turned over painfully in her chest. “I think you are the most beautiful woman I have ever known.”
She squeezed her eyes shut. That cemented it. Olivia was fighting a losing battle. How could she not risk falling in love with Zamir? Especially when he was speaking so sweetly, and making her body feel as though it were buzzing with the power of a million light globes.
She sucked in a deep breath and put her hands on his chest. “I have to tell you something.”
He was instantly alert. Something in her manner betrayed the seriousness of what she was thinking. “Go on.”
Only Olivia felt him pull away, and it dawned on her quickly that he might not make love to her if she told him. That he might not want to rid her of her virginity. He was already concerned that she would not be happy by the limited relationship he could offer. If he knew that they were breaking new territory for her?
He would undoubtedly stop.
Olivia pushed a smile to her face and lifted her head; her lips chased his. Against his mouth, she whispered, “I really, really, really want this.”
He exhaled a breath of relief. “Me too.”
Her clothes were discarded swiftly. He felt like he’d been waiting a lifetime for
her. His hands ran across her body with wonderment. She felt so much better than he had imagined. He parted her thighs and held himself at her entrance. “You are sure?” He said, giving her one final opportunity.
And though there was an emotion he couldn’t comprehend in her face, he saw her nod, and he moved into her swiftly. He was large, and she was tiny, but she was so tight he had to slow himself down. “You are nervous?” He whispered, kissing her earlobe.
She nodded again, and he held her tight, thinking that she had a sweet vulnerability he had never encountered before. And then he felt a barrier. An unmistakable gate to his total possession of her. He lifted onto his arms so that he could see her face, and he saw pain there. He saw pain and he felt a slashing of anger and regret.
“Olivia,” he exhaled, but she had relaxed, and her hands were running over his back; she was arching her hips, pulling him in deeper, and he moved gently, carefully, slowly stoking her body to a passionate frenzy.
Only he wanted to own her, and he had to move with caution. He had to put her comfort ahead of his own needs. He dared not risk hurting her. He watched as she reached climax, and he spoke soothingly to her in his own language, for he knew she was being overwhelmed by the new sensations. But he didn’t stop. He watched her fall apart, and he didn’t let her relax. He kept moving, reigniting the flames until she cried out with the intensity of her feelings.
And then he allowed himself to possess her as he wanted. Hard and fast, he moved as though the devil was at his heels. He kissed her and he took her nipples into his mouth, sucking and rolling them with his tongue. She dragged her fingers through his hair, and when they exploded together, she was almost sobbing from the strength of the union.
Zamir held Olivia until reality began to intrude, and he felt her breathing returning to its normal rhythm. And then he pushed up from the bed, leaving her cold and alone.
“How could you not tell me?” He demanded, his expression thunderous.
Olivia stared at him, her emotions haywire. She knew only that she hadn’t wanted him to stop. Everything else had been a blur. She lifted herself onto her elbows, so that she could see him more clearly.
“I …”
“Damn it, Olivia.” His face had dark slashes of colour across his cheeks. “You should go now.”
CHAPTER FIVE
“Go?” She was awash with feelings. Pleasure, desire, fascination, wonder. Hurt, anger, confusion.
He pulled his boxers on without taking his eyes from her face. “How is this possible, habibi?”
“I …” Foolish tears pricked her eyes but she wouldn’t look away from him.
He saw her pain but his temper did not soften. “You would not, then, be on birth control?”
“God, no,” she murmured, lifting a hand to her lips.
“And you think I will believe this was an accident?”
Olivia drew her eyes together, her confusion obvious. “What? What was an accident? Not that. Believe me, that was very intentional.”