Joan Hohl - A Man Apart

He could have this effect on her with one kiss? Hannah marveled, in an obscure corner of her disintegrating mind. What would making love with him do to her?

On the spot, without having to give it a moment’s thought-which was good, since she couldn’t think anyway-Hannah knew she had to find out, possess him while she experienced his possession of her.

“Hannah, sweet Hannah,” Justin groaned into her mouth, lifting his head to stare into her pleasure-clouded eyes. “You can’t kiss me like that then tell me you must leave, that we’re not beginning an affair.”

“I know,” she admitted in a raw whisper.

Justin drew back another inch to study her expression. “You want me, don’t you, sweet Hannah?”

She didn’t answer at once, but stood staring back at him. Able to breathe a little, and almost think, Hannah was struck by the realization of having lost count of the times he had called her “sweet Hannah.” She had been called many things in her life, from “squirt” by her older brother, to “the cool one” by her friends, to “beautiful,” even “stunning” by hopeful lovers but never “sweet.” If anybody had said she was sweet, she’d have bristled, been annoyed. Babies were sweet, not mature, adult women.

So, then, why did she melt at the endearment murmured through Justin’s so-tempting lips?

“Hannah?” The thin, sharp edge on his voice yanked her from her muddled reverie.

She blinked. “What?” Then she remembered his question. “Oh…yes,” she answered with complete honesty. “I do want you, Justin,” she confessed, spearing her fingers into his thick dark hair.

His soft laughter had a joyous ring. Releasing her bottom, Justin flung his arms out to his sides. “Then take me, sweet Hannah. I’m all yours.”

Hannah accepted his invitation by pressing her mouth to his.

Without breaking contact, Justin moved Hannah away from the wall, through the small dining room and in the direction of the bedroom.

Drowning in multiple sensations, Hannah was only vaguely aware of his arms curling around her waist, holding her entire body tightly to his. But she was fully aware of heat rising inside her at the feel of his hard muscles against her softer flesh.

Entering the bedroom, Justin shut the door with a backward tap of his bare foot. Still without breaking the kiss, he carried her to the side of the bed. Setting her on her feet, he released her, stepped back and brought his hands to the hem of her sweater.

Trembling with need, Hannah raised her hands and the sweater swished over her head, landing who knew, or cared, where. She was fumbling with the buttons on his shirt when an errant but important realization stilled her fingers.

“You need to know that I’m not on any kind of birth control. I haven’t used anything for over two years now.”

He frowned at her statement. “That’s pretty risky, isn’t it?”

“Not at all.” She shook her head, a bittersweet smile shadowing her lips. “I…haven’t…er…indulged-” She broke off to shake her head once more. “You know.”

“You haven’t had sex in two years?” His voice, his startled expression, hovered somewhere between amazement and disbelief. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.” She sighed.

His expression turned pained. “You don’t like sex?”

She had to smile. “Well, I don’t dislike it.” She sighed again. “It’s just that,” she lifted her shoulders in a hapless shrug when his frown deepened to a near scowl. “I haven’t felt attracted…that way…to a man, any man, since I ended a relationship a little more than two years ago.”

“Why did you end the relationship?” he asked, in a tone that said he wasn’t sure he really wanted to know.

“It was mutual,” she answered. “It simply wasn’t working for either of us.”

“What wasn’t working?” His gaze probed intently into hers. “The sex?”

“Well…yes,” Hannah confessed, lowering her eyes to the allure of his half-naked chest, suddenly aware of her own near nakedness. “I owe it to you to admit that I fear I may be, uh…unresponsive.” She drew a deep breath before rushing on, “I’ve never had an orgasm.”

“You’re kidding.”

Tired of feeling like a feminine failure, Hannah lifted her head and boldly stared straight into his shocked eyes. “No, I am not kidding. Dammit, do you think any sane woman would kid about something so serious?”

“No, I suppose not,” he agreed. Then he asked, “You said you wanted me. Did you mean it, or were you just experimenting with me?”

“I meant it.” Hannah’s tone was filled with conviction. “I do want you.”

“Good,” Justin purred, the flame of desire flaring again in his eyes. Lowering his head, he brushed a taunting kiss over her mouth. “Then let’s get on with it, see if we can’t give you that orgasm.”

The mere brush of his mouth robbed her of breath, sent her senses whirling.

“What about…um,” she said between quick breaths, “protection?”

Justin smiled. “Luckily for us,” he said, shoving his hand in a jeans pocket and retrieving a foil-wrapped package, “I do practice safe sex.”

Hannah lay where Justin had placed her, right in the center of the queen-size bed and watched as he stretched his long length next to her.

“Hannah, Hannah,” he murmured. “What am I gonna do with you?”

She gasped and opened her eyes in wide innocence. “You need instructions?”

Justin laughed gently. “That does it, sweetheart. Now you are really gonna get it.”

“Really, really?” Hannah curled her arms around his neck to bring his mouth back to hers. She was thoroughly enjoying herself, never before had she teased and laughed while making love. “Will I like it?”

“Let’s find out,” he whispered, taking command of her mouth with his.

Deepening his kiss, he slid a hand over her shoulder, down her chest to the rounded slope of her breast. Gasping, Hannah arched her back, seeking more of his exciting touch. Growling into her mouth, he cupped her breast, found the hardening peak with his fingers.

Heat flowed like molten lava from the rigid peak to the core of her femininity. Hannah was on fire. She couldn’t breathe but she didn’t care. She wanted more and more.

Squirming to get closer to him, she lowered her arms and pulled him tightly against her straining body. Her hands made a tactile exploration of his broad back, his narrow waist, his slim hips, his long well-muscled thighs.

She needed something…something.

“Slowly, sweetheart,” he softly said, his lips following the trail laid out by his hand. “We have all day.” His tongue darted out, electrifying her as it flicked that aching peak. “There’s plenty of time.”

That was easy for him to say, Hannah mused, moaning deep in her throat at the exquisite sensations his tongue sent quaking through her. She was on fire, every inch of her burning for…that elusive something.

Grasping his hips, she urged him to her, arching in an attempt to align their bodies. Resisting, holding himself back a few inches from her he slid his hand down the center of her quivering body.

“Justin.” Hannah cried out as his stroking hand found, delved through her mat of tight blond curls and into the very core of her.

“Justin!” she cried out again, her voice now a near sob, as he parted the delicate folds to explore the moist heat within. “I…I…please!”

“Please what, sweet Hannah?” He delved deeper as he raised his head to her mouth, spearing his tongue between her parted lips, capturing her gasping breaths.

She arched her hips into his tormenting hand, and slid her mouth from his. “I need…need…” she paused to pull some air into her lungs.