Page 19 of Fairy Tale Husband

“Do you want to hurt me?” she asked curiously. “Does it give you pleasure to hurt people?”

A muscle jerked in his cheek. “No.”

“Then don’t.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Isn’t it?” Her other hand settled on his hip, gliding upward, tracing the contoured muscles from abdomen to chest.

His breathing grew strained and he caught her hand, stilling its insidious exploration. “I can’t... Idon’t... Damn, but you’re pushing your luck.”

“I guess I am. But tell me something. If I said you were hurting me, would you stop?”

His throat worked for a moment as though answering were a struggle. Finally he nodded. “Yeah. I’d stop.”

She smiled, her expression so radiant, it blinded him to everything else. “Then I’ll make a deal with you. The minute you do something that hurts me, I’ll ask you to stop. And if I do anything that hurts you, just say the word. All right?”

A harsh, disbelieving laugh burst from him. “You can’t be serious—”

“I’m very serious.” She gazed at him, her eyes clear and direct. It was a probing look, one that threatened to pierce straight to his very soul—assuming he still had anything worthy of such a name. And then she said something that knocked him over the edge. “I trust you, Jake.”

So simple. So absolute. So innocent and trusting. And so devastating. It broke him, splintering the rock-solid shell he’d spent his entire life erecting.

From the first moment he’d seen her, he’d wanted her. Of course, it had been sheer desire, aphysical need, savage and elemental and basic. He hadn’t tried to fool himself about that, had never held with the sort of man who wrapped lust in pretty lies. No, he’d always been blunt and honest, both with himself and with his women. He took what he wanted without concern for the consequences before walking away, heart-whole and fancy-free. It had been his credo as long as he could remember.

But with Wynne...

He couldn’t. He couldn’t take her with the same thoughtless disregard. She wasn’t like the other women he’d had. They’d all known the score. If they’d secretly hoped to change his mind, he’d been quick to disabuse them of the notion.

“Jake?”

He fought for strength, fought harder than he ever had before. If he never committed another noble or honorable act again in his life, so help him, he’d get this one moment right. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“If you want me to stop, say the word and I’ll stop.” He hoped. With infinite care, he gathered her close. “Just do me one favor.”

“What?”

“Don’t wait too long. My off switch isn’t all that trustworthy.”

Her soft laugh stroked across him, as arousing as a caress. “You won’t need it. Ipromise.”

“I hope you take your promises seriously,” he muttered and lowered his head, kissing her with unchecked passion.

He’d finished talking. If he frightened her, it would be best to know now while he still had the self-possession to leave her untouched. Instead of pulling back, she wrapped her arms around him and gave him kiss forkiss.

Wynne was lost. Lost in a sensuous haze of mouths and tongues and tender caresses. She lay on her back, the hem of her nightgown drifting ever upward, the neckline falling further open while Jake explored at will, touching, caressing. His mouth and tongue skating over her bared skin, nudging aside the thin cotton until he found her breast. He captured her nipple between his teeth and tugged gently.

“Yes!” The small cry escaped unbidden, filled with eager passion.

“Too many clothes,” he muttered, the warmth of his breath spreading across her breast.

The next instant there weren’t any clothes.

“Jake...” His name came out half-strangled. “Please.”

“I want to please you. Tell me it’s what you want, too.” He surged upward, lifting half off her. Cool air swirled into the breach, abiting foil to the explosive heat simmering between them. “What’s your final answer, wife?”

---