Page 24 of Leather and Lace

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“Like Bigfoot,” Mia said, biting her lip as she willed her clenched thigh muscles to relax. “Or the guy with the hook who kills teenagers making out at Lover’s Leap.”

“A hymen isn’t a creature from a horror movie,” he said gently. “It’s biology.”

“Well…yeah, guess I know that now,” she mumbled, cheeks heating. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I’m sorry that I hurt you.” Sawyer smoothed her hair away from her face again, with that gentle, assured touch that had made her feel safe with him from the moment she’d unexpectedly ended up in his arms.

Last Saturday, when she’d knocked Sawyer off his feet, she would never have dreamed she’d be losing her ancient virginity to the man five days later. But she felt safe with him, and she didn’t underestimate how important that was. Something inside of her had been searching for a safe harbor since the day she left Los Angeles. She hadn’t found it in her parents’ house, or on Bubba’s futon while she was hunting for a place to live. She hadn’t even found it in her cozy apartment above her shop.

There were still nights when she worried that the locks on the windows weren’t strong enough, nights when she lay awake in bed, ears straining and heart racing, certain she heard footsteps on the stairs. The first place she had felt completely at peace since that night last June was in this man’s arms. That—and a few shots of tequila, combined with Sawyer’s intoxicating kisses—had been enough to convince Mia to let go of her inhibitions.

But now, the pain had interrupted her happy, thoughtless haze, and she didn’t know what to do, or how to answer the unspoken question she read in Sawyer’s eyes.

“It’s really not a big deal.” She focused on his chin, too embarrassed to meet his gaze while he was still buried inside of her. “I know I’m old, but—”

“You’re not old.”

This time, Mia managed to shrug without wincing. The pain was subsiding, but she still felt very…full, and her body hadn’t decided if that was a good thing or a bad thing. She’d only seen two men naked in her life thus far, but she knew enough about male anatomy to realize that Sawyer wasverywell-endowed. It could be that he was simply too big to fit comfortably, and that their summer fling was doomed before it got started.

Now wouldn’t that be just her luck?

“I’m old to be a virgin,” Mia continued, when Sawyer continued to study her with an intensity that made her pulse flutter in her throat and the rest of her acutely aware of all the intimate places they touched. “I was a tomboy forever, and then Tulsi and Clementine moved in with me during college. I was so busy helping with the baby, I didn’t have much time to date.”

Mia’s tongue swept out to dampen her lips. “And honestly, I wasn’t so hot on men after watching Tulsi struggle to raise a baby on her own, while the man who’d knocked her up walked away without paying a dime in child support, let alone offering to lend a hand with Clem.”

“Asshole,” Sawyer said.

The edges of Mia’s mouth twitched, but she was still too nervous to smile. “Amen.”

“What about your ex?” Sawyer asked, running his fingers through her curls in a way that was surprisingly soothing. The man had magic hands, capable of inspiring mind-blowing lust and heartbreaking comfort, all within the space of a few minutes. “Why didn’t you two…”

“We were going to, but it never felt right.” Mia let her hands trail across Sawyer’s muscled shoulders, amazed that talking about Paul didn’t bother her. “By the time he started pushing for it to happen, I was beginning to realize how ‘not right’ our entire relationship was. I told him I wanted to wait until marriage, just to put the decision off until I knew if we could work through our problems. Obviously, we didn’t, so…we didn’t. And then I came home and I’ve been…”

“Hiding,” Sawyer supplied.

Mia’s first instinct was to deny it, to say she’d been busy building her business and reconnecting with friends. But lying here beneath him, with nothing between them but skin and heat and his body still buried inside of hers, it felt wrong to lie.

She forced herself to meet his gaze. “I guess I’ve been scared to get too close.”

“But you’re not scared with me.”

His words were a statement, not a question, but Mia still shook her head. “No. Should I be?”

“Never,” he said, with an assuredness that made her chest flutter. “And I’m going to make this good for you. I promise.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and the flutters transformed to hopeful wings that beat against her ribcage.

“I haven’t killed the mood?” she asked, skin buzzing as the rough pad of Sawyer’s finger traced a path down her neck and across her shoulder.

“Of course not. We’re just getting started.” He dropped his head, kissing her throat before whispering his next words into her ear. “I need to hear you call my name at least one more time tonight. Your voice is sexy as hell when you’re coming.”

Mia’s breath rushed out, but before she could think about how to respond, Sawyer’s mouth covered hers. His kiss was gentle, but relentless; generous, but demanding. His tongue stroked through her mouth as his hands smoothed down her rib cage, making her tremble even before he cupped the backs of her thighs in his palms and spread her wide.

At first there was pain, and Mia tensed against it, but then Sawyer sucked her bottom lip between his teeth and bit down, sending a fresh wave of arousal rushing between her legs, and the tightness slowly seeped away. She relaxed into the heat they generated together, tangling her tongue with Sawyer’s, sighing into his mouth as his hands cupped her breasts, relishing the heavy, achy sensation building low in her body as he teased her nipples between his calloused fingertips.

After a few moments, Mia’s body grew hotter, wetter, adjusting to the way Sawyer’s cock stretched her inner walls. And as his touch grew more demanding—his hands pinching and rolling her nipples until her womb throbbed—Mia slowly lost awareness of everything but how much she wanted this man. Her skin caught fire and her heart slammed against her ribs, while her channel pulsed around Sawyer’s thickness, demanding more.

More friction, more heat, more Sawyer.

“Please,” she whispered against his lips as she shifted her hips, trying to thrust against him, but only managing to move the slightest bit. He had her pinned to the mattress, but what had felt like a solid, reassuring weight a moment ago was swiftly becoming a barrier to what she needed, what she craved.


Tags: Lili Valente Romance