That wasn’t totally true. He also wanted to protect her and avenge her. He wanted to love her, own her, and dominate her, too. God, she’d look beautiful in nothing but sheer lace and his collar. But he was getting way ahead of himself…
“Then I want you inside me now,” she whispered.
Laila was unexpectedly blunt, and his aching cock didn’t mind at all. “I’m happy to oblige.”
Beneath him, she smiled and spread her legs.
Then something damn inconvenient occurred to him. “I don’t have any condoms.”
“The doctor in Florida tested me. I do not have any disease.”
Her indignation was cute. “I don’t, either. But you could get pregnant.”
The image of her swelling and ripe with their baby made his desire claw at the door of its cage, determined to be set free. He didn’t dare.
She shook her head. “My sister and I have had shots.”
“For birth control?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” If Laila was no longer being held hostage by her rapists and she had never taken a lover voluntarily, it didn’t make sense.
“Valeria thought it was a good idea to maintain such things in case Emilo ever found us.”
And they got dragged back to be abused again. Fuck.
“Your sister was thinking ahead.”
“Yes.” But now that they’d agreed to have sex and put the business end of the details to rest, she looked nervous again.
“Laila?”
She blinked. “I-I have never done this because I wanted to, only because a man demanded it.”
And she didn’t know how to act or what to do. He hurt like hell for her. She’d endured so much. Trees vowed to give her nothing but the utmost pleasure.
“We don’t have to rush. I’ll kiss you for a while and if you still want this and you feel ready—”
“No. I do not want to wait.”
Because she had worked up the courage to have sex with him? Trees would like this loads better if she wanted it because she wanted him. But if he made her feel good, that would hopefully come. Maybe her feelings would, too.
He’d never expected to fall for a client, and the bosses were going to have his ass. But he didn’t give a shit. Yeah, he might lose his job, but his sweet Laila had been through so much adversity, fighting for survival alone. She needed someone willing to fight for her, to take care of her, no matter what.
She needed him.
He cupped her face. “You’re sure?”
“Yes.” She surprised him by raising her head, slanting her lips under his, opening to him softly, and inviting him inside.
The kiss jolted him. Their connection kicked him. The rightness of it nearly bowled him over.
He didn’t feel this way just because she was beautiful. He’d known beautiful women all over the world. It wasn’t just because he ached to protect her. He’d protected the vulnerable for half his life. It was Laila herself. Her will was so strong, but her fragility underneath kindled every one of his protective instincts. Tonight, she had finally begun letting go of her wariness and suspicion and opening herself to him. He knew that because when he’d set his mouth on her, when she had been moments from orgasm, he’d felt her total and utter surrender.
Coaxing Laila, winning her trust slowly but inexorably… That fucking did something to him. So did knowing he’d been the first man to kiss her, the first man to make her come. Now he ached to give her first consensual sexual experience and make damn sure she enjoyed it enough to come back for seconds. For thirds. For more. Forever. So he would be the first—and last—man to win her heart.
Stop getting ahead of yourself, buddy…
Reluctantly, he ended the kiss. “Am I crushing you?”
“No.”
“Would you feel more comfortable on top?”
“Of you?” She frowned. “I have never done that. How would that make me more comfortable?”
By Laila’s own admission, she was no virgin, but in some ways she was sweetly naive. “Would you feel more if you were in control?”
Understanding dawned on her face, but she shrugged. “I do not know. What do you prefer?”
Obviously, she hadn’t caught on to the fact he liked to be in charge, but he could pause that until Laila relaxed. “My goal is to give you what you need, little one. What would make you happy?”
“I have never met a man who asked questions before sex.”
She’d also never been in bed with one who hadn’t raped her. But they could talk in circles for hours. The truth was, Laila didn’t know what she wanted in a lover because she’d never had one. He was accustomed to being in control, and it was his responsibility to give her what she needed. The anxiety plaguing her since he’d picked her up in Florida had only quieted when he’d inundated her with pleasure. So as far as he could tell, she needed more orgasms.