Page 129 of The Making of Marnie Jones

And that was why she loved him. He’d give her everything she needed and forgone his own desires.

Don’t chicken out.

“Make love to me, Jake. Show me what it's like to make love.”

“You're sure?”

She writhed against him, taking pleasure from his erection instead of fear. “Fewer words, Jake, more action.”

“Yes, ma'am.”With lightning speed, he shucked his underwear and rolled on the condom.

Although curious, she wasn't ready to explore him yet.One step at a time.

When he levered himself over her, her thighs opened to welcome him. She wiped the sweat from his brow as he pressed into her. It felt strange, this invasion. But this was how it was meant to be—two people in perfect sync sharing this most intimate of moments.

Keeping his eyes on hers, he whispered. “Breathe, Marnie. Relax. “

Slowly, inch by inch, her body acclimated to him. When he shifted for the first time, her breath hitched.

His brow furrowed in concern, so she whispered, “More. Do it again.”

Levered on his elbows, he withdrew and pressed himself into her again. And he did it again. And again.

As each thrust brought her closer to ecstasy, she pulled him down for another kiss, this time she was the one demanding. She was the one showing ardor.

Appreciating pleasure was as much in the mind as much as in the body, she gave herself up to the sensations he elicited. Pressure again built within her, and instead of fighting it, she gave herself up to it. As she contracted around him, she hazily hoped his pleasure was as great as hers.

Chapter thirty-nine

Jake'sfirstthought,ashe returned to reality, was of sheer bliss. Marnie’d been incredibly responsive, and he’d barely been able to hold back. As soon as he’d been sure she was climaxing, he’d given in and gone over the edge himself.

“I'm crushing you.”

She pulled him even closer. “It's a good crushing. I like it.”

Still, he was aware of the difference in their sizes. He rolled onto his side and pulled her close, encouraging her to lay her head on his chest.

She did, even hooking her leg over his.

This was almost as intimate as when he’d been inside her. He felt humbled. Yes, there’d been the tangible goal of actually making love, but there’d also been the intangible goal of earning her trust. He’d succeeded at both and was really fucking proud. Not a boastful pride, but a humble pride.

Condom.

With great regret, he eased away from her and rolled into a sitting position on the side of the bed. Her hand on the small of his back assured him she understood what he was doing. He stood and leaned over to place a chaste kiss on her lips. “I need to have a quick shower. Why don't you have a long bath while I make you breakfast?”

“I like the sound of that.” Her eyes were shiny and bright, no hint of regret.

Unabashedly, he donned his underwear and jeans. He pulled on his shirt but didn't bother to do it up. “For propriety's sake.”

“Oh, no.” Her expression sobered. “Olivia. I never thought about Olivia. I didn't wait up for her.”

“My niece is a pretty capable woman. I heard her come in and then take the dog out. I was trying to sneak back to my room when she caught me.” He arched an eyebrow. “She told me to hightail it back to your bed and mused about why it’d taken so long.”

“I’ll have to share this with her.” She pulled her lower lip through her teeth. “I hope that's okay.”

“Normally I like to keep my love life private, but I respect your bond with my niece. You do what's best for both of you.” He understood. Maybe through Marnie’s healing, Olivia might progress as well. Not that he wanted his niece having sex, but eventually it’d happen. If there was an open line of communication between the women, that might facilitate a dialogue between his niece and himself.

Her eyes shone. “Thank you.”

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