He moved lightning-fast, grabbing her waist, hauling her against him. ‘Damn it. You will show me some respect.’
‘I’ll do that when you behave in a manner that earns it,’ she snapped.
His eyes flashed. He was breathing hard. His whole body vibrated with anger.
‘Woman,’ he growled, ‘this time you go too far.’
And his mouth crashed down on hers.
Oh, no. He was not going to drag her about, accuse her of being a shameless flirt, and then expect to kiss her into submission.
She struggled against him and the onslaught of his lips. ‘No! You didn’t want me last night. Now I don’t want you.’
He lifted his head, shot a tormented glance at her bed. When he looked back his expression was one of raw need.
‘Lily...’ he groaned. ‘For the love of God. Kiss me.’
That plea was her undoing. That and the hunger in his eyes, practically eating her alive.
He wasn’t trying to punish her. He wanted her.
Everything soft and feminine in her responded. Her own need burst into life inside her. Her breasts ached. Her nipples peaked. Between her legs she was damp.
Realisation dawned. Last night he’d rejected her not because he didn’t want her, but because he wouldn’t allow himself to have her, to be happy.
Her hands lifted, ripping thethurgaland the whiteghutrahfrom his head. She plunged her fingers into his hair. His mouth covered hers again, then moved lower, along her throat, her collarbone. Licking, nipping, teasing, right to the swell of her breast.
In ecstasy, she arched against him. Her dress slipped to her waist. He’d lowered the zip. When? How? She’d felt nothing but the blazing delight of his mouth and fingers moving over her skin.
The stunning dress fell from her hips to pool at their feet. He lifted her clear, his mouth back on hers. Her naked breasts, belly, thighs...all were crushed against him.
A small, quiet voice urged caution, but it was too late. She was lost to reason. She let him carry her to the bed. Tumble them both onto it.
Desperate to touch him, she pushed the gauzy blackbishtoff his shoulders and began wrestling with the buttons of hisdishdasha. He simply dragged everything over his head, flinging it all to the floor in a wild tangle. He disposed of his shoes and underwear, then stretched out over her.
He was stunning. Golden-skinned, exquisitely muscled...
Lily blinked.
Big.
The glide of his hands distracted her, slipping beneath her behind, lifting her clear of the bed so he could ease her knickers down her legs. He tossed them aside.
Panting in little staccato breaths, she squirmed as his hot gaze roved her naked body.
‘Beautiful,’ he breathed, sliding a hand to her thigh, lifting it, opening her up to him.
With a flex of his hips he pushed into her.
Lily cried out.
It hurt.
She was shocked at how much.
Startled understanding flared in his eyes. He knew now that she had lied about her experience.
He began easing back.