The Hero's Redemption

She might not have been able to stop—she was already so close to climaxing—but he flipped them again, his voice harsh when he said, “Enough.”

“What?” Dazed, she stared up at him.

“I can’t play. I’ll lose it. I want to be inside you when I come.”

“Please.”

Cole growled something and lifted himself off her. On his knees beside her, he unzipped her jeans and peeled them off, taking her panties with them. She should have felt exposed beneath his burning gaze, but instead reveled in the way he looked at her naked body.

Her canvas tennis shoes must have gotten lost. One sock came off with her jeans; the other, he pulled off more slowly. As if he hadn’t been desperate a moment ago, he squeezed her feet, seemingly as captivated by them as he’d been by her breasts. Since her feet were a bony size nine, she couldn’t imagine why, but she discovered that the feel of his thumb kneading the sensitive ball of her foot sent electric shots of pleasure straight up her legs.

When he wrapped his fingers around her ankle and began caressing his way upward, she protested. “I thought you couldn’t play.”

He lifted his head. “I don’t want to miss anything.”

Oh, no. He was going to torture her.

I’ll get my chance.

She waited until he was within reach, when she laid her hands back on his chest, teasing his nipples, sliding lower.

Cole groaned.

Just a little farther… Yes!

She squeezed his erection through the canvas fabric of his work pants.

He levitated and swore. Abruptly losing interest in taking his time, he jumped off the bed and stripped. Erin quit breathing as she watched. For an instant, her gaze caught on a scar low on his back, on the right side, then strayed lower. His butt was as muscular as the rest of his body, and the dragon writhed as the muscles in his back flexed. Of course it was breathing fire. Erin felt as if she was, too.

Then he yanked a wallet that must be new out of his pocket and extracted a thin package. Her breath rushed out, causing him to turn and look at her.

“I never thought—I’m not on anything. There’s been no reason—”

“I…picked these up a little while ago.”

These? Yes, he was tossing another one on her bedside table.

Wait. Had he been thinking about her when he bought condoms? Or—Forget it, she told herself. She’d been the one to suggest they could make love without any implied commitment. Which meant no jealousy, either.

Or, at least, hiding her jealousy.

And then she focused on his erect penis and forgot everything else. Cole backed away when she reached for the condom. “Not this time. I’m on the edge. I can’t let you touch me.”

So she only watched while he rolled it on with hands that shook. Seeing that vulnerability squeezed her heart, but she didn’t have a chance to dwell on the intensity of what she felt. He had her on her back too fast, him on top of her, separating her thighs.

And then he was there, pushing inside her, filling her. Erin arched off the bed, a cry escaping. Her mind slammed shut. When he paused, she shook her head frantically and tried to pull him deeper.

There was nothing smooth about their joining. If they ever found a rhythm, she didn’t notice. As if his control had snapped, he thrust hard, one hand urging her thighs wider. The skin over his cheekbones seemed to be pulled tight, his eyes blazing. She’d never felt anything like this madness. When release hit, it was searing, pleasure that sent liquid fire all the way to the tips of her fingers and her toes. She cried out, “Cole!”

His body stiffened when he followed, his head thrown back and his teeth bared. For a long moment, he hung above her, a raw sound escaping between clenched teeth. Then he sagged down beside her, most of his weight on one shoulder.

All Erin could think was, I shouldn’t have done this. If I’d known…

But how could she have, when she’d never felt anything like this before?

* * *

IN THE STUNNED AFTERMATH, Cole couldn’t seem to move. He knew he should; he must be crushing her. His heart battered his rib cage, and he had to gasp for breath.

At last he found the strength to turn onto his back and stare up at the ceiling. That wasn’t sex like any sex he’d ever had.