Page 102 of Texas Honor

He laughed, as if he could read her mind. “Unbutton it,” he whispered, moving his hands down to her waist. “It’s more exciting if you let me watch you take if off.”

It was. She trembled at the impact of his eyes when she let the silky fabric fall from her shoulders. She wasn’t wearing anything under it, and he had a delicious view of firm, pink-tipped breasts that were just slightly swollen with passion.

“Like...this?” she whispered, needing reassurance. She felt inadequate; she always had since Dennis’s cruel needling. But Gabe wasn’t laughing. He reached up, lightly touching one perfect breast, and found it cool and soft and wonderfully responsive.

“I don’t know why,” he said absently, watching her with a rapt expression that was totally male, “but I’ve always liked women who were small, like you. Not that you’re all that small. But my God, how perfect!”

She felt herself swelling, as much with pride as desire. Her back arched just a little, a helpless response to his voice, his touch.

“I’m going to lift you against me,” he said, taking her waist with both hands. “Feel you. Absorb you.”

He brushed her against him, watching where they touched, his eyes on the pink flesh that buried itself in the thick dark hairs of his muscular chest.

“How does it feel?” he whispered.

“Exquisite,” she whispered back. She arched her spine, letting her head fall back so that she pushed against him.

His hands contracted. “Is this what you want?” he whispered, and bent his head to her shoulders.

“Yes,” she sighed, holding his head. “Only...lower.”

“Where?” he teased softly. “Tell me.”

“You know.”

“Tell me, or I won’t do it.”

“Yes, you will.” She laughed, feeling him laugh, too; feeling his mouth go warm and moist down her bare arm, over to her ribs, her waist, and then back up to tease around the very edges of her breasts.

Her breath came in tiny gasps. She was burning up, on fire for him. She moaned.

“Lie down so that I can do it properly,” he breathed, easing her onto her back. He knelt beside her, one hand lifting her back, the other cradling her head. And his mouth worked on her, explorative, deliciously thorough. He did things to her with his lips that she’d read about and heard about but had never really experienced. He made her shiver and burn, his mouth fierce and demanding on her warm body, his breath coming as fast as hers.

“Maggie,” he whispered. He moved, rising, holding her eyes as his body lowered slowly over hers.

She shivered a little as he approached, because he was fully aroused. “Are we...going to?” she asked helplessly, because if he said so, she would. She couldn’t help herself; she already wanted him.

“No,” he said softly. “Not until we’re married. I just want to feel you.”

“You want me,” she whispered recklessly. “I know.”

“It would be hard to miss,” he agreed with pained humor. His mouth explored her nose, her chin. “Open your mouth....”

She did, meeting the probing kiss with headlong delight. She reached up and held him, twisting her mouth under his with blind pleasure. He was all man. He was hers. He was the whole world, and everything in it.

“This,” he whispered at her mouth, “is stupid.”

“Yes.”

“Stop agreeing with me.”

She moved under him. “I want to make love with you.”

“I want it, too. That’s why I’ve kept my distance,” he groaned. “You little fool, it wasn’t lack of desire keeping me away, it was just the opposite. I haven’t slept all week. I’ve worked myself half to death to keep my body from aching all the time.”

“Oh, my goodness,” she said unsteadily, looking into his narrowed blue eyes. “I never realized... Well, Dennis never wanted me, you see. Not really. He had to force it, and because of that, he was cruel.”

“I can’t imagine a man not wanting you, Margaret,” he said gently, looking down at the soft breast cupped in his palm. His thumb caressed it, and she jumped. He glanced up again. “Pleasure?” he whispered.

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