Treasuring Amber (The Temptation Saga 5)

“You’re not extolling the virtues of your gender, cowboy.”

“Baby, men are rarely virtuous. We all think with our dicks half the time.”

Amber couldn’t help but laugh. “You got that right.”

“You have a beautiful smile, baby, and a great laugh.” He wiped a stray tear from her cheek. “Let’s get those steaks ready.”

Amber shook her head. “The steaks can wait. I want to take you up on your previous offer. I’d like to go to bed.”

Chapter Six

A crackle of energy passed through the air—hot, raw, and carnal. Amber’s skin sizzled. Did Harper feel it too? A deep sexual hunger stirred to life in her gut.

Harper turned out to be a gentle lover. He removed her clothes with care, slowly and deliberately, to the point where she wished he’d hurry up a little. The spiral of need burst out of her belly and flowed like molten honey through her veins. Her arousal—unlike anything she’d ever known—sent sparks over her whole body.

Every touch tingled as though she were holding a blow torch. She looked down at his crotch, at the arousal apparent beneath his jeans. She gulped and dragged her gaze back up to his face. His dark eyes consumed her with raw need. Sensations of ice and fire raced up her spine. Her hunger for him gnawed at her, and the tickle between her legs intensified.

He’d discarded her shirt already, and he stroked up her ribs, to the edge of her bra. She leaned toward him, as though a magnet drew her. His finger reached underneath her bra and stroked the sensitive skin of her breast.

Her breath caught. Her nipples tightened against the satin of her bra. Slowly, slowly he caressed, until the need to shout at him to take the damn bra off almost overwhelmed her.

As though he read her mind, he deftly unhooked the offending garment and tossed it to the floor. Her ample breasts fell gently against her chest. The air hit her nipples and they tightened even further. He leaned down, and his firm wet mouth closed over one peak.

Such sweet suction, such gentl

eness. He drew on the nipple, sucking, tonguing, teasing. The ache between her legs heightened. With his other hand he cupped her other breast, and she leaned into him, letting his palm rub against her, hold her. Fingers clamped around the nipple and she sucked in a breath. Just a touch of pain, the right amount. It spiraled downward and intensified her need.

“Mmm. Beautiful.” His breath caressed her skin. “Gorgeous breasts, baby.”

Thank you, she said in her mind. It came out as a soft sigh, the air blowing wisps of his silky hair into further disarray.

His other hand wandered to her crotch. Through her jeans, he rubbed her most intimate place. “Are you getting wet, baby? Wet for me?”

Another sigh was her answer.

“I’m hard for you, Amber. So hard. God, I want you.”

Amber wasn’t sure she’d ever wanted a man this much, this intensely. How could this be happening? With Harper Bay? Brother to her best friend? They didn’t have chemistry did they? Couldn’t possibly.

Yet her body responded to his touch like it had to no other man’s. Not that she was overly experienced. In fact, she hadn’t ever had a serious relationship. A couple dates here and there, two one-night stands, one of which had been a drunken mistake. What did it feel like to have real chemistry? To fall in love?

She foisted the thought from her mind. This was not love. Harper certainly wasn’t in love with her. So he knew a few things about her past now and he didn’t hold them against her. That didn’t mean he was in love with her. To the contrary, it only meant he was a nice guy.

Was it too soon to fall in bed with him?

Yeah, it really was. She pulled away.

“Baby? You all right?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. I’m just not sure this is the right thing to do after all.”

“Oh?”

“I mean, we hardly know each other.”

He pushed a stray curl behind her ear. “I know I’m attracted to you. I know I’m hard for you. I want you. And I know you want me. If I reached into your panties right now I’d find you wet. I can tell by looking at you. Your cheeks are ruddy, your eyes smoky, your lips swollen and trembling. You want this, Amber.”

She couldn’t deny it. “It’s not a question of what I want. It’s a question of what is right.”