Page 41 of A Convenient Ring to Claim Her

He ambled closer, exuding intensity and sexual tension. Gravity. His light touch on her jaw was almost electric, making her want to jolt away from a sting that wasn’t there. At the same time, she wanted to fold in closer to him. She wanted his arms around her, sheltering her.

“Do I need a condom?”

“Not on my...” She cleared her throat, staring at the ruffles of his shirt. “I haven’t been with anyone else.”

“That means something, you know.” His hand cupped the side of her neck, hot and heavy. He waited for her gaze to slowly climb to his. “We’ve seen each other nine times in four years and never slept with anyone else.”

“You keep count?” He could probably feel her carotid artery pounding with her elevated pulse against the heel of his palm.

“You don’t?”

Of course she did.

His thumb grazed her jaw. “I keep count of what counts, Quinn.”

It’s just sex, she wanted to argue, but she wasn’t capable of just sex. She was realizing that as he dipped his head and brushed a soft kiss across her lips, once.

“Come to my room,” he said in a low rumble.

“Why?”

“Because I want you in my bed.” He took her hand and drew her up the stairs.

Her eyes were stinging. So was her throat. This was silly. They’d done this before. She wanted to make love with him. There was no reason to feel nervous, but she was suddenly clinging tightly to his hand so she wouldn’t slip on the stairs. So she wouldn’t slip up and let her heart show.

His room was the top of the spaceship, the walls and ceiling made of angled windows. The space was enormous, accommodating a massive bed and full sitting area. Toward the back, the shower was a huge cubicle in the middle of the room. One side was tiled and plumbed, the other open to the sunlight that would soak down from the windows. A freestanding tub stood nearby, close to the doors to the private terrace. The double doors to a walk-in closet were open; the single closed door likely led to the toilet.

He touched something on the wall and panels inside all of the glass panes began to lower, enclosing them in privacy.

It’s an intriguing place to visit, but this is not your world, she reminded herself wistfully as she began to draw her stole free from its tuck against her sling.

Micah made a noise of protest. “Let me. I’ve been mentally undressing you all night.”

She gave him an admonishing look as he carefully tugged the silk, slithering it across her bare shoulders in a way that caused her skin to roughen with goose bumps and her nipples to rise against the cups of her strapless bra.

“Don’t worry. I admired other things about you.” He sent the swatch of silk drifting toward a chair and moved behind her.

“Such as?” she prompted, cringing slightly that she was reduced to fishing for compliments.

“How easily you make people laugh.” His fingers tickled her spine and her gown began to release. “I’ve always been envious of that.”

Envious? It was a defense mechanism she had developed to avoid being picked on. He didn’t need tricks like that because he had all of this.

He also had wide hands that slid into her open gown and caressed her waist and hips, making her stomach muscles quiver while her brain blanked.

Cool silk brushed her thighs as it fell, but he didn’t let her step out of it. He stayed behind her, roaming his light touch across her skin, finding the lace of her silver bra and matching cheekies. His touch seemed a random map until she realized each pause of his touch was extra sensitive because he was trying to erase her bruises with the brush of his fingertip.

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” he murmured.

“Yes.” She was already shaking with anticipation. Surely he could see that.

“I’ll be careful with you,” he promised in a voice that rasped across her senses. He set his mouth against her nape, hot enough to brand her skin.

She lifted her hand, wanting to touch him, but she could only sift her fingertips through his hair as he placed more of those tender kisses across her shoulders and spine.

She had missed him, missed touching him. Being naked and close and awash in the kind of pleasure that erased all the pain of living.

His mouth opened and he scraped his teeth on the taut tendon in her neck, making her gasp.

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