She kissed his chest and let her hand drift to his hip bone. He hissed.
“Laurel,” Tariq snapped. “Yes or no?”
Her finger dipped into his belly button and she looked into his eyes. “I used to wonder if I would ever be able to know what you felt.”
Tariq turned on his side and brought her firmly against him, making her intimately aware of his hard desire for her. “Can you tell what I’m feeling now?”
She wiggled against him. “It’s certainly clearer.”
“And how do you feel?”
“Like a princess for the first time in my life.”
That was all the encouragement Tariq apparently needed. His mouth found hers. His kisses were deep, hot and needy. He seemed unable to get enough of her. His hand fondled her breasts while he kissed her neck.
Laurel’s body leaned into his of its own volition, as if it knew who and what it had been looking for. Her fingers ran through Tariq’s hair as his mouth claimed a nipple through her gown. He sucked and teased until she groaned with delight and her center throbbed.
He pulled away and tugged at her clothing. “This has to go.” She raised her arms and he removed it. “No wonder you were cold. There is nothing to this.”
“It’s the only nightclothes I own.”
“I am going to contemplate that in depth later.” Tariq pulled her to him and the blankets over them again.
He returned to lavishing her with attention. The unknown and unusual sensations shooting through her made her squirm. She was on sensory overload. Laurel could do little more that run her hands over his back and hang on. When he nudged her legs open and teased her center with his finger she jerked.
He whispered low against her ear, “Easy, habibti. I wish to touch all of you. Love all of you.”
Slowly his finger entered her. Her breath came in gasps. Tariq removed it and she flexed her hips, wanting the sensation to return. He didn’t disappoint. With a push and pull movement he had her going to a place she had never been before.
His lips found hers. He urged her to open for him. Their tongues met and mated. Laurel held his face as she returned his kisses. She wanted all of Tariq he would give.
Just as she started to believe she could take no more, he removed his finger. She moaned her complaint and disappointment. Her eyes widened as he kissed her thigh before settling between her legs.
Tariq looked at her briefly. “I must taste you.” His mouth found her heated center and slurped before his tongue teased her most sensitive spot.
Laurel’s back bowed, her hands fisted the blanket beneath her as she keened her delight. It rolled upon itself. Growing tighter, sweeter and more painful with every thrust of Tariq’s tongue. She wasn’t sure what was happening, but she loved every second. With eyes squeezed tight she focused on Tariq and his ministrations. Like a hot test tube bursting under pressure, she exploded into a thousand brilliant pieces.
Her hips rose and her head fell back as she floated in bliss. Slowly, she returned to reality.
Tariq, in all his beautiful glory, looked down at her. Her gaze met his as she laid a hand on his chest. She could read his feelings clearly in his eyes. He had opened himself completely to her. “Thank you.”
“It was my pleasure. Habibti, I must be in you.” He sounded as if he were in pain.
She opened her arms. “That’s where I want you to be.”
Tariq left her and went to his bag. He shoved his pants off and returned with his sheathed manhood standing tall. Her heart swelled. Tariq was all gorgeous male and he wanted her. As he came down over her, Laurel pulled the covers up over him, cocooning them in a world of their own.
“I can wait no longer.” The tip of Tariq’s manhood nudged her center. He came up on his palms, flexed his hips and pushed into her. Her breath caught. He pulled out, then entered again. Moving back, he thrust again, finding home. They waited. Laurel adjusted to the thickness of him.
Tariq made small plunges and eased back, going deeper and faster with each movement. His eyes remained locked with hers. His movements soon became thrusts. Shock registered in Laurel’s foggy mind. The amazing sensation Tariq had created earlier built in her again. She gripped his forearms and held on for dear life as she tumbled over into oblivion. The last thing she remembered was the slight smile on Tariq’s lips as he made one final plunge, then groaned his release.
* * *
Laurel woke from her dozing to Tariq gently cleaning her. He still wore nothing but she didn’t mind. She started out of the bed. “You don’t have to do that, I can get up.”
He stopped her with a hand to her shoulder. “I would rather have you here warm and waiting for me.” Tariq dropped the rag and climbed back into bed, tucking her close. “I did not hurt you, did I?”
“No.” She looked at him in wonder. “It was perfect.” Every minute had been.
“You were perfect.”
“I don’t believe that. I just hope I didn’t ruin it for you.”
He rose up on an elbow so that he was looking down at her. Cold air blew across her skin, making her shiver. He settled in again. “You have to be joking. You were everything I dreamed of.”
“I was?”
“Why would you think differently?”
“The only other time I’ve been to bed with a man he announced afterwards, as he was dressing as fast as he could, that I was as cold a fish in bed as I was dull out of it.”
Tariq’s body tensed and his hands fisted. He used an expressive word she didn’t understand but didn’t think was nice. His body eased finally and he cupped her face in his hands. “Let me make this clear. You are neither dull out of bed nor in it. In fact, what we shared was the most amazing experience of my life.” He kissed her sweetly, making her believe in the sincerity of his statement.
Laurel’s heart swelled. If she hadn’t been crazy about Tariq already she would be now. She moved so she lay along his body and he pulled the blankets over her shoulders. Shifting down until his manhood rested against her entrance, she smiled at him. “I bet I can do better the second time.”
Tariq’s hands came to her waist, lifted her and he slid into her. His voice was husky as he said, “Habibti, I am more than willing to let you try. But I doubt you can.”
* * *
The next morning was the best of Tariq’s life. He woke to a warm and compliant Laurel beside him, her head resting on his chest. He had the pleasure of watching her eyelids slowly flutter open. Knew the second she registered she was with him. There was wonder there, and something he did not wish to put a name to but felt as well. After a night with Laurel he had never been a more satisfied man.
She had given to him like no other woman ever had. Her responses to his actions had been affirming and exhilarating. All he could think about was having her again. What would it be like to have this sense of well-being every day of his life? But that was impossible. Laurel did not fit into his life plan. He would not question beyond what they had right now.
“Hi,” Laurel said softly.
“Hello.” He gave her a little squeeze and her smile broadened. “We had better get out of bed or someone is going to come in here to check on us. I do not mind being found in bed with you but you might not like it.”
Laurel pushed away from him. He had a magnificent view of her beautiful, full breasts as she moved. He cupped one. “Perfect. So absolutely perfect.”
She kissed him. “I’m not perfect. You just make me feel that way. For that I will forever be grateful.”
This much emotion after only one night together disturbed him. They were headed down an uncertain road. “We should get started.”
She rose from the bed, pulling a blanket with her.
Tariq wanted to see all of her. He wanted the bold Laurel in daylight he had experienced in the dark. “Let go of the blanket.”
She gave
him a timid look over her shoulder. “Aren’t we in a hurry?”
“Not if it means you are going to try to hide from me.” His gaze held hers.
“I’m not hiding.”
“Yes, you are. Please let it go.” He rose and started toward her. “I have touched all of you. Now I would like to see all of you. There should be nothing between us.”
She slowly let the blanket go. It pooled at her feet.
He brought her into his arms and kissed her. “Thank you for trusting me. You should never hide yourself away. You have a light in you that should be allowed to shine.”
Laurel clung to him. “Thank you.”
He set her away. “We had better get dressed now.”
“Okay. Will you see if there is food for us? I’m starving.” She went to the basin.
He chuckled. Now she was the one giving the orders.
“What’s so funny?”