Iris Johansen - Star-Spangled Bride

"You." She moved to stand before him and slowly let the veil fall open to reveal her breasts.

Her voice was uneven. "I lied. It has to be you, Gabe."

"You're damn right it does."

He picked her up and carried her to the bed.

She could feel the warmth of his skin through the thin veiling, the strength of his arms as he placed her on the bed and followed her down.

The veil was ripped away and thrown… somewhere.

He stared down at her, his breath coming harshly. "Damn, you're…" His hand reached out and closed around her breast. It instantly responded; her entire body was responding. Heat seemed to travel from his grasp to every part of her. "Lovely…" He watched the flush come to her cheeks, her nipples grow taut. "This is lovely."

His head slowly lowered and his mouth touched one hard nipple. Her chest was lifting and falling as his tongue followed, caressed and teased. Then his whole mouth enveloped her and he began sucking strongly as his other hand kneaded and plumped her other breast.

She bit her lip to keep from screaming at the incredible sensation.

He was making sounds himself, deep, groaning sounds of need that were as exciting as hismouth on her breast. He was over her, straddling her. He began rubbing against her, flesh on flesh, hair on hair, in a frantic sexual rhythm.

He lifted his head. "I can't-it's been too long." A shudder went through Gabe. "I'm sorry. It's got to be quick."

"That's all right." Her arms clutched him tightly. "It doesn't matter." Nothing mattered but that she was close to him, closer than she had ever been before, and would soon be even closer.

He drew a deep breath and said, "No, it's not fair. I'll try to…" He parted her thighs and began rubbing, petting her, tugging at the tight curls. "I wanted to spend more time here…" Two fingers moved down and entered.

She arched upward with a little cry.

"Tight," he murmured. "So tight." He began to stroke in and out slowly as he reached up with his other hand and searched for the nub. When he found it, she cried out again.

He began to rotate the nub while he stroked her, gradually increasing both tempos until she received a sensual jolt with every movement.

She could hear the animallike cries coming from her throat, but they seemed to have no connection with her. The only awareness she hadwas of that part of her his fingers were caressing, stimulating.

"You like it?" he asked fiercely. Another finger joined the others within her. "More?"

"More." Her head was thrashing back and forth on the pillow. "Gabe, it's-"

"Shh…" His hands were gone and he was nudging against her. "I have to be careful. You're so narrow."

She was agonizingly empty and he was too slow. Her hands grabbed his hips and tugged him forward. "To hell with careful," she said. "More."

He sat up, looking down at her. "Ronnie, I don't want to let go." He laughed desperately. "That's a lie, but I'm afraid-"

"More."

He plunged forward to the hilt.

Pain and then an exquisite fullness, a joining.

"Lord!" He went still, deep within her.

Fullness but still a hunger.

"Don't pay any attention," she gasped as her fingers dug into his hips. "It doesn't hurt. Get on with it."

"It's a difficult thing to ignore." An expression of desire so intense it was almost pain crossed his face. "Lord… it feels good."

He liked the tightness, she realized hazily. She instinctively tried to give him more.

A shudder went through him. "Don't do that yet. I'm too-" He looked down at her and his hands reached out to tangle in her hair. "Lord, you're completely… beautiful."

He meant it. She was beautiful to him at this moment. She knew she would look back on this moment with tenderness, but it wasn't tenderness she wanted now. "For heaven's sake, don't pay me compliments. This isn't the time."

His laughter again had an element of desperation in it. "I'm trying to keep from acting like a sex maniac and hurting you."

She said, "I want you. I want this. Don't make me ask again." She tried to smile jauntily. "Or I might just get up and walk away."

"The hell you will." He started moving, thrusting slow, fast, long, short.

His hands moved under her, lifting her to every thrust.

The tempo was feverish, primitive, almost animalistic. Gabe's lips were drawn back from his teeth, his cheeks hollowed with strain.

Ronnie could hear herself pleading mindlessly as she met thrust with thrust.

When the climax came, it was like being torn from darkness into brilliant sunlight. She was scarcely conscious of Gabe's low cry as he gained his own satisfaction and collapsed on top of her.

Pleasure. Madness. Closeness. Bonding.

Forever.

"Well, that was a surprise." Gabe drew her into the hollow of his shoulder. "In more ways than one. Would you care to tell me how it happens you were still a virgin?"

"You didn't seem to mind at the time." She raised herself on one elbow to frown at him. "Or did you? Were you pretending?"

"I assure you it's impossible to pretend under those circumstances."

Her frown cleared. "I thought so, but I had to be sure. I'll be better next time. I promise."

"Don't. I don't think I could stand it." He pulled her down again. "You were quite enough as it was. I was just curious. You've led a pretty rough life. It would have been natural for you to take comfort where you could."

"I could never see what all the shouting wasall about." She suddenly giggled. "Until I started shouting myself. I wasn't very dignified, was I?"

"No. You didn't shout; it was more like a seductive moan, but dignified isn't how I'd describe you," he said thickly. "Passionate, beautiful, moving."

"Well, I did plenty of moving."

"Stop being flip. I'm trying to tell you something."

"What?"

"This." He lowered his head and kissed her on the lips.

Sweetness. Dawn after the storm.

She closed her eyes. "Oh, I like that."

"Then open your eyes and look at me."

Her lids slowly opened and she dreamily looked up at him. "You've got wonderful cheekbones. They photograph like gangbusters."

"I'm glad I have one feature you like." His eyes twinkled. "No, two."

"Definitely two." Sweet heavens, she loved him so much. She suddenly hurled herself into his arms and held him tight. "It was good, wasn't it? It was good and real and-"

"Shh, it was all of those things." He gently stroked her back. "Why are you so panicky?"

"I want it to go on. I want it to last." Sheadded quickly, "Forget I said that. I didn't mean it. It's the stupid kind of thing a woman who had just had her first man would say. You mustn't feel any pressure. I don't really-"

He stopped her with his lips. "I've felt pressure since the moment you walked into my life. Why do you think I didn't drag you into bed last night? Because I've never felt like this before. I feel as responsible as hell. I want to guard you and take care of you and be everything to you that you want me to be." He kissed her gently on the nose. "Even Daddy Warbucks."

"I never meant to make you feel like that," she whispered.

"It goes with the territory when you love someone."

She looked at him in shock that was comprised of as much fear as joy.

"It surprised me too," he said ruefully. "I liked my life the way it was. No strings and the only responsibility strictly on the professional level. Then you appeared on the scene and suddenly everything changed."

"Yes, it did." Her voice was muffled.

He feathered a kiss on her temple. "I'd appreciate a similar declaration."

So he could feel even more pressure and moreresponsible for her. So that he would be bound to her no matter how much it cost him. Dammit, she should never have lost control and triggered this confession on his part. No, she was glad she had done it, she thought fiercely. It might be selfish, but it couldn't hurt anyone for her to know he loved her. She could fix the rest.