Page 59 of For the Birds

I looked up into his eyes and the way he watched menow . . .

I knew he would tell me the meaning of each and every tattoo if he had time. But time wasn’t on our side. It was after one in the morning. We only had hours.

I placed a kiss on the daisy, because the story behind it was what had convinced me James was a good man beneath it all. It was a symbol of his shame for failing to save Jed’s little sister from drowning when they were kids—a shame James would carry to his grave.

James carried so much regret and shame, more than anyone knew. It was a secret I would guard with all my heart.

He sucked in a breath as my lips caressed his skin, his hands digging into my hips. He leaned down and kissed me again, more urgent now. Feeling that same urgency, I fumbled with his belt and then the button on his jeans. He released a groan of frustration and grabbed my hands, moving them to his chest so he could dispense with his zipper.

As he worked off his shoes and jeans, I slid my hands over his hard pecs, up to his shoulders and then down his arms. How many times had I imagined touching him likethis?

I looked down and realized he was fully naked, having removed his underwear with his jeans. I wrapped my hand around him, but he covered my fingers with his and made me stop. “No. I’m tryin’ not to just throw you on the bed and take you. Don’t make it more difficult than it alreadyis.”

“I’m ready,” I said, freeing my hand and guiding his under the edge of my panties. “See?”

His eyes widened in surprise at both my boldness and the proof.

“Take me right now,” I said. “We’ll do this slower nexttime.”

“Next time,” he grunted.

“There better be a next time tonight. If you think you can get away with onlyone—”

He kissed me into silence as he slid his thumb under the edge of the top of my panties and slid them over my hips—being gentle with my leg as he let them drop to myfeet.

“How tired are you?” he asked, leaning into my ear as he reached around and unhooked my bra and tossed it aside. “Because I assure you that we can do this all night.”

“Promises, promises,” I teased.

His eyes darkened as they scanned my now-naked body. “Lady, you have noidea.”

A shiver of desire washed over me. He noticed, and his grin turned predatory. He kissed me again, a kiss so consuming I lost myself inhim.

His hands found my breasts, and then one moved lower. I moaned into his mouth as desperation filled me. I needed this man. I had no idea how I would walk away from him, but at least we had this. At least we had tonight.

I wasn’t going to waste a single minute.

And as if sensing my need, he pushed me down on the bed, scooting me up so my head was on his pillows. He knelt between my spread legs as he watched me with a gaze so intense I wondered how I didn’t combust. Naked and spread open to him, I was the most vulnerable I’d ever been with James, but I’d never felt more connected with him either.

He leaned over me, his mouth covering mine, and I hooked a leg around his lower back, rising up to meet him as he entered me. He released a guttural sound as he filled me, and I gasped—some tiny part of me reveled in how right it felt, but I already neededmore.

His mouth lowered, kissing and nipping a trail down my neck and chest to my breast. A jolt shot through me when he found my nipple.

“James,” I moaned as I climbed higher, tightly wound.

I could tell his restraint was tenuous. I wanted him uninhibited. I wanted to make James Malcolm come undone. I lifted my pelvis and, grasping his butt cheeks, invited him to go deeper.

“I’m not fragile,” I said, my chest rising and falling. “Don’t hold back. I want all ofyou.”

He grabbed my wrists and pinned them over my head with one hand. He stared down at me, his eyes burning with lust and desire. “I’ve wanted you for solong.”

“Then claimme.”

My words unleashed him. Grunting, he kissed me again, losing control and leaving me at his mercy. I reveled in it as I climbed higher and higher until I shattered into pieces, crying out as wave after wave of pleasure washed overme.

He let go of my hands and grabbed my hips, pumping as though he couldn’t get deep enough. “Oh, God, Rose.” After one last drive, he released a groan and collapsed on top ofme.

This was so perfect it broke my heart.

Rolling to his side, he gathered me in his arms and kissed me slowly and leisurely, and then with growing hunger as his hand roamed over my cheek, through my hair, and down myneck.

He leaned back and looked down at me with a mixture of awe and sorrow. “I have a feeling you’ll be my ruin, Rose Gardner.”

And I was certain he would bemine.

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