That's Amore! - Janelle Denison [92]
Nibbling her lip, knowing she might offend him but having to know the truth, anyway, she said, "Because I'm handy and available?"
His jaw tensed, and his brow creased in anger. He ate up the few feet between them with two giant steps, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her close. "Don't you ever say that again. Don't you even think it."
She stared, waiting.
"I want you, Rachel Grant." He began running his hands up and down her arms, lightly, then harder, testing the softness and texture of her skin.
She couldn't deny the truth, not when it was this blatant, this strong. "I want you, too, Luke."
He kept touching her, stroking her, twining one hand through her hair and sifting its strands through his fingers. The other remained on her arm, sliding lower until he caught her hand in his.
Oh, it was rapturous. Just as she'd known being touched by him would be.
"Do you know how much I've wanted to do this? How often I've fantasized about having you in my arms this week?"
She nodded. "About as much as I fantasized the same thing."
"But I couldn't," he said thickly, continuing to play with her hair, and now, the nape of her neck. "I didn't want you to think I was one of those grooms, looking for a last fling, trying to notch my belt one last time. Because this is nothing like that."
"I know."
Rachel had suspected the way it would feel to be touched by this man, judging by the way he'd touched the silk. The reality far outweighed her fantasies until her whole body was a mass of nerve endings, anticipating each slide of his fingers across her arm, or the scrape of his hand on her throat.
But even his touch couldn't have prepared her for his kiss. He drew out the tension until she thought she'd explode then, finally, leaned down to kiss her. He lowered his mouth to hers and their breaths met and mingled for a second before their lips did. One second of anticipation.
It seemed like an eternity.
Then he kissed her, hot and sweet and hungry, until she sagged against him. Tilting her head, she urged him deeper, meeting every delicious, lazy thrust of his tongue, wanting to be as close to him as humanly possible.
His hands dropped to cup her waist and Rachel couldn't resist an age-old instinct that made her curve her hips closer. He hissed against her mouth, but she wouldn't let him pull away. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kept kissing him, wanting more and more.
"I want you, Luke," she whimpered against his mouth as the pressure built to an unbearable level.
She didn't even have to think about it. She wanted this. Here. Now.
He didn't say a word. He simply moved back far enough to catch hold of her shoulders, and gently turned her around.
She was facing the mirrors. All those mirrors in which she was reflected over and over again, with the same heavy-lidded look of sensual desire on her face.
He stepped behind her, lowering the zipper of her dress inch by agonizing inch, when what she wanted was to rip the damn thing off and be done with it. His sultry grin told her he knew exactly what he was doing to her with his slowness and restraint. Driving her crazy.
Well, two could play at that game. She met his eyes in the mirror. Shrugging one shoulder, then the next, she allowed the dress to fall to the floor, giving him a smile just as sultry and inviting.
"God, you're glorious," he muttered. The desire in his stare was something she could dine on for months. It was heady, powerful, having a man so filled with hunger for her.
But the upper hand shifted yet again when he reached around her to stroke her stomach. Her legs felt quivery and she had to gasp for breath, both at the sensations caused by his touch, and the image of his dark hands on her pale skin, reflected endlessly in the mirrors. He pressed his hot mouth on the side of her neck, and she arched in delight.
Those amazing, strong hands of his teased and taunted and built the pressure. He'd slid his fingertips across the elastic top of her bikini panties, but no lower. Then he moved them to the lacy bottom of her bra, brushing featherlight caresses