Page 40 of Gift-Wrapped in a Kilt

Resistance seemed like the Mount Everest of willpower. Why should she fight this? She wanted him, he wanted her, and she could go back to her plan in the morning. It wasn't caving in if she made sure he understood the parameters.

"I'll stay," she said, "but nothing changes. Tomorrow, it's sex only or nothing."

"We'll see about that."

"Gavin."

He abandoned her breast to lay his palm on her cheek and rotate her face toward him. For a long moment, they simply drank each other in. Her heart sped up, though the acceleration had nothing to do with sex. She loved him, so much.

Gently, he tipped her head back and lowered his mouth to hers. He kissed her softly at first, exploring her lips with slow sweeps of his own, darting his tongue out to taste her skin, and she dissolved into him, surrendering all her self-control.

For now. For one night.

His tongue forged into her mouth, hot and demanding, teasing the roof of her mouth with light licks only to delve deep and rob her of breath. He cradled her head with his big hand, and his fingers on her sex worked her into a frenzy of need. She whimpered into his mouth, desperate for what he'd promised, what she craved with a reckless hunger.

She clutched at his thighs, the only anchor she could find.

With a rough groan, he broke the kiss. "Don't think I'll let you off this easy."

He pulled his hand away from her wetness, wiping his damp fingers on his jeans.

"What?" she said, sounding as dazed as she felt.

"You're not coming yet, not until I'm ready to let you. Got it?"

A traitorous thrill shimmered through her. "Yes."

"That's my girl."

He sprang up, taking her with him, then spun around and dropped her onto the bed on her back. In one smooth movement, he grabbed the hem of his shirt and whipped it off over his head. A second later, he'd doffed the rest of his clothes.

Lying there nude, flat on her back, she took her time admiring his body. Those broad, muscled shoulders. That sculpted chest. Defined abs that narrowed down to his waist. Powerful thighs made for driving into a woman and driving her insane with pleasure. And oh, she couldn't forget the erection curving up toward his belly, waving as if that engorged length couldn't wait to perform its duty.

Suddenly, she couldn't catch her breath. Wanting him stole all the oxygen from the room, eradicated her thoughts, demolished her self-control. She would do anything to feel him inside her again.

He placed a knee on the bed, keeping his other foot on the floor. Poised there, motionless and breathing heavily, he hovered a foot from her body while his gaze roved over the entirety of her nakedness.

"Ah, Jamie," he purred, swiping a hand over his mouth, "you are so beautiful. I love the way your skin gets flushed on your chest and your cheeks turn that perfect shade of pink." He swung his leg up and over to straddle her calves. His hand closed around his shaft and slid up and down it in languorous strokes, but his gaze stayed squarely on her. "You make me crazy, the way you move, the way you feel, the way you gasp my name when I'm —"

"Stop talking." She bit her upper lip, almost frantic from the opposing needs to surrender fully and to reassert her control. How could she have sex with him when she still didn't trust him not to hurt her again? He would never harm her physically, but emotionally… He'd done a fantastic job of that.

But every time he spoke in that silky voice and told her she was beautiful and perfect…

No, no, no, no. She refused to become a slave to her lust for him, to her love for him.

While he stroked himself with one hand, he reached down with the other palm to caress her inner thigh.

Heat scorched through her from head to toe, threatening to obliterate reason. Again. Just when she'd regained an iota of it. Maybe she could slake her needs without surrendering all her control. Yes, that was a good plan.

She flipped onto her stomach and bent her knees, leaning back to lift her bottom.

"Jamie," he growled, splaying both hands on her behind, "sweet Jamie, you have the finest ass in the world. I'd love to nibble on it." He shoved one hand between her cheeks to palm her sex. "Like an hors d'oeuvre to whet my appetite before the main course."

The obstinate man was still trying to control this.

And his stubbornness made her wetter, hotter, achier.

Not so strong and in command, are ye?

---