Page 42 of A Baby to Make Her His Bride

“But it just occurred to me that it doesn’t matter if she says you’re allowed to have sex. The question is whether you want to. I understand if you have reservations, given how delicate—”

“Jasper,” Vienna cut in with absolute astonishment. “Did you seriously bring me all this way believing we might not have sex?” Her cheeks began to sting. “I mean, I presumed we would, but...” She cleared her throat. “I mean, I didn’t come all this waynotto have sex.”

“No?” He sauntered toward her. More like stalked.

Her pulse began to race and her body screamed an enthusiasticYes. The rest of her was searching his features for signs this was more than sex for him.

Which wasn’t realistic. She knew it wasn’t. In reality, they’d only spent a few days in each other’s company, but he had filled her thoughts for the month they’d been apart. She was starting to feel as though she knew him well enough to know that deeper feelings were only a short stumble away—for her, anyway.

She really wanted to believe he was coming right along with her, though.

“Don’t worry, Vi.” He misread her expression and gathered her close, smoothing her hair behind her ear. “I can go slow and gentle.” He ran his tongue over his teeth. “Previous performance notwithstanding.”

“I don’t know if you noticed, but I didn’t submit any complaints. In fact, I left you five stars.”

“Was that you? I wasn’t sure if TofinoBabe was you or—Ouch.” He caught the hand pinching his stomach and the corner of his mouth kicked up in a very sexy grin, one that had her catching her breath at how handsome he was. “I don’t kiss and tell, but ofcourseyou get all the stars. There aren’t enough stars for how great sex with you feels.”

Just sex, then. She grabbed at the heart that was tipping forward into the abyss, but it remained right on the edge as she stared into the banked hunger of his eyes.

“We can take our time, you know. We have lots.” His finger was still tracing her ear, making fine hairs stand up at the back of her neck. “Tell me what you need.”

She opened her mouth, but words wouldn’t form. He was barely touching her and she wanted to melt right into him.

She set her hand on his chest, unable to resist trailing light fingers across the hard muscle of his pec, then finding the nipple that puckered beneath the crisp fabric.

His chest swelled and his head dipped, but his lips only went into her neck. At first, all she felt was his breath. A hot swirl against sensitized skin, then the lightest nuzzle of his lip.

She whimpered, knees softening.

His arms around her tightened. “I haven’t even kissed you yet.”

She knew. The effect he had on her was magnificent in its devastation. It was terrifying. A loss of self every time, but she succumbed all the same.

He was determined to conquer her in his own time, though. It was a small frustration when she wanted the heat and the blindness. She wanted to know he was as affected by her as she was by him, but he refused to be rushed. He slid his hands in slow circles all over her back and hips, brushing his lips in those kisses that made her hurt inside because they were so tender.

“Jasper,” she whispered in a small plea.

“Let me learn,” he chided, his voice just as soft while his hands skimmed the satin of her jacket, rubbing it against her skin. He released the button at her navel and pressed the lapels open.

“This has been driving me crazy,” he growled, bracketing her waist with his palms and sliding his thumb along the scalloped band beneath her breasts. “Is this a bra? Are you wearing one under it? No,” he answered himself as his thumbs climbed higher, discovering her nipples.

“Careful.” She sucked in a breath. “They’re sensitive.”

He made a crooning noise and his touch gentled. His mouth skimmed her brow and the point of her cheek before his teeth caught her earlobe.

“Every night, I think about touching you again,” he confessed. “I think about the stairs and our kiss in the woods when I wanted to have you against that tree. It wasn’t enough. None of it. I wanted this. More time. More.”

A strangled noise broke from her throat. Her hands were sliding over him, pulling his shirt from his trousers, seeking hot skin, but even though he groaned and his whole body flexed, he kept to the slow slide of his hands and the unhurried brush of his lips along her jaw toward her mouth.

With a noise of frustration, she cupped his head and caught at his lips with her own, pressing her tongue past the seam of his lips.

He grunted, but dragged his hands up to her hair and threaded his fingers into the length. The weight of his hands pulled her head back so her mouth was tilted up for his and he lifted away so he was fully in control, barely touching her with the teasing graze of his lips against hers.

“Kiss me,” she demanded.

“I am,” he assured her, pressing soft, soft kisses against her upper lip, then her chin, her throat. Sensual lips found their way down her breastbone before his teeth opened over the cup of her bra.

She didn’t know how to process this many sensations, this much attention and care. She ran her fingers through his hair and shaped the base of his skull, sliding her touch beneath his collar before seeking the line where his shaved throat met the stubble of his thickening beard.

---