Page 74 of The Love Shack

Turning her head, she murmured, “I meant the material you used.”

He gave a soft growl and said, “I don’t want to talk about the furniture or my house anymore.” Taking her mouth in a deep, hungry kiss, he showed her his priorities of the moment.

And actually, when it came to Berkley, the priorities of his future. In so many ways, they were intrinsically tied—by a past location, a difficult history, understanding and drive. Yes, he had his hands full with a new business and the work on his house and property.

Didn’t matter. He would always make time for her.

Lowering her to her back on the cushions, he settled his weight half over her. Thankfully, the custom-built couch ran the length of the wall, offering room for guests—or one reclining woman with sex on her mind. “This dress...” Sliding his hand over the material, he explored along her waist, down her hip, her thigh and to her knee. The fabric was no barrier at all, and in fact served as more of a tease, giving hints of her warmth, her softness, as he explored her curves.

“My dress?” She opened her mouth on his neck, tasting his skin with an innocent greed that threatened to incinerate him.

“I like it.” More than liked it, he thought, as he brought his hand back up, this time under the material. He felt her wiggling and lifted his head.

Flushing, she said, “Just kicking off my sandals. Proceed.”

How had he never realized her sense of humor? Earlier, stating flat out that she wanted sex? And now telling him, more or less, to get on with it?

He’d worried about rushing her, but clearly Berkley didn’t mind making herself clear. “Yes, ma’am.” Taking her mouth in another deep kiss, he did some exploring of his own.

Her hands went around his neck, into his hair, then down to his chest, where she plucked at his shirt. Freeing her mouth, and taking a few deep breaths, she said, “Not to be shallow, but could you remove this? It’s the truth you look better than most men and I enjoy seeing you. A lot.”

At this point, everything she said reeled him in even more. After levering up to a sitting position, he reached back for a handful of the shirt, stripped it off and tossed it to the side of the couch.

Her gaze devoured him, followed by her hands, fingers spread, feeling all over his chest. Keeping her attention on his body, she said, “Until I saw you without a shirt, I had no idea that chest hair was so sexy.”

Since she was in a teasing mood, he replied, “Mostly on men.”

“Ha! Yeah, no chest hair on me.”

Grinning at that, he lifted the hem of her dress. “Why don’t you show me? Pretty as the dress is, I’d like to get it out of the way.”

As if in confession, she whispered, “I’m not wearing a bra.”

A fact he’d already noted. Not sure a bra would have worked under that wispy material anyway. “Not a problem for me.”

That got him another huffed laugh. “Because you’re not the one getting naked in front of someone for the first time.”

The admission brought out his tenderness. Bold as she might be, he had to remember that this was new for Berkley. She’d been badly burned once, and needed this experience to be different for her. With that thought in mind, he stretched out alongside her, then trailed a fingertip over her collarbone. “I’m not just anyone, right?”

Her tension ebbed away. “No, you’re not.”

Slowly, he pulled one strap off her shoulder, down her arm and lower...until he exposed a breast.

“Say something.”

Leaning down, he whispered into her ear, “I want you so much, I’m holding on by a thread.”

“Me, too.” In a new rush, she slid off the couch to her feet, struggled to get the dress up and over her head, and she tossed it toward his shirt.

Okay, that was a shocker. Slowly he sat up, but he couldn’t take his gaze off her pale breasts, her narrow rib cage and slim waist that flared out to rounded hips. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Surprise.”

Joking was no longer possible for him. Not with Berkley standing there, naked except for tiny panties. “I hope you know you’re perfect.”

“I’m not, but I don’t even care.” With that said, she pushed down her panties and stepped free, then gestured at him. “Jeans off.”

The sudden rush threw him. When he got his attention off her body and onto her face, he saw the heat there. “Berkley...”

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