Page 43 of Holding Out For A Holiday Hero

He smiled at her. “Don’t you look horrified?” The smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Having regrets already?”

Her lips parted in surprise.

“Figured it would happen.” A nod of his head. “I’m hardly the type for you to?—”

“You don’t regret the best sex of your life.” Her voice was low. Husky. She cleared her throat. “You savor it. You cherish it.”

His eyes widened.

She probably shouldn’t have said that stuff. At least she’d stopped herself from saying the rest. And you never, ever forget it.

Even though the sex had been incredible for her, Jake might have felt differently. But would he have, uh, gone so many times with me if he hadn’t been enjoying himself?

“If it was the best…” Jake leaned toward her. “Then why the hell do you suddenly look so scared?”

She wasn’t scared. Not of Jake. Never of him. But… “I’ve never had a one-night stand before.”

His expression hardened.

“Not exactly sure how this should work. I think I’m probably supposed to be a whole lot more casual and relaxed.” But casual and relaxed didn’t cover any of the feelings ricocheting through her.

His hand lifted. Sank into the thickness of her hair as he lowered his head toward her. “That wasn’t a one-night stand.”

Her heart slammed hard into her chest. “It wasn’t?”

“Not even close.”

Her heartbeat just raced faster.

“You think once was gonna be enough for me?” Jake rumbled.

“Um, technically, it was a lot more than once.”

His eyes gleamed at her. “I went easy on you.”

What? If that had been easy, just how did the man describe hard?

“Since it had been a while for you and I knew you needed your sleep, I held back.”

Held back? He was joking, wasn’t he? Only it didn’t look like he was.

Jake’s lips brushed over hers. “If I’d had my way, my cock would have been in you all night long.”

Her sex seemed to clench.

“Are you sore, sweets?”

“A little.”

“I’m sorry.” Another brush of his lips. He eased away from her. “Want me to promise to keep my hands off you for today?”

“Don’t you dare.”

He smiled. The grin reached his eyes. Lightened the darkness. “And that’s why it’s not a one-night stand. I want you too much. And you—you still want me, don’t you?”

She managed a nod. She also kept clutching the covers to her body.

His grin widened. “You know I’ve seen every inch of you, right?”

---