Taking her head in both hands, he steadied her face to look him directly in the eye. "I think it's about time we gave in to this chemistry between us, don't you?"

She couldn't form any words. She just nodded as his lips came down on hers.

She wasn't sure how much time had pa.s.sed when they finally returned to the table. Liv felt the redness in her cheeks when she approached and saw the grins of her friends. Jake sauntered up to the table beside her, a devious smirk on his face.

Austin gave her a knowing glance. "What do you say the three of us head home?"

"Sounds like a plan." Patti stood, pushing in her chair.

"I think we're leaving Liv in capable hands," Brett said as he followed the two toward the front door.

Watching her friends leave the bar, Liv was conflicted. She wanted desperately for them to force her to go home alone. It would be the easy way out. But the closer they got to the front door, the more her insides burned with desire at the thought of Jake in her home, on her bed, whispering for her to fall over the edge. She locked eyes with him and he motioned to the door with a tilt of his head.

Tonight was the night. She was finally getting what she wanted.

Chapter Ten.

Tonight was the night.

The click of the lock on Liv's front door echoed in the hallway, like a prison door opening for the first time in decades. This was the first time she'd ever had a man in her condo, besides Brett and Austin.

She stepped through the doorway, tossing her keys onto the hallway table. Her breath hitched when the door closed behind them, locking them in, solidifying the events that were about to take place.

He grabbed her waist from behind and nuzzled her neck, his hot breath sending a shiver down her spine. This man-the one that made her want to throw out all of her rules-made her heart flutter, her pulse race, her blood boil.

He tested her control. Pushed her, edged her across her own line of comfort. And here he was, in her condo, about to be allowed entry into her bed.

Turning her slowly in his arms, Jake melded their bodies together. His hands were strong against her, but he took care, knowing all the right spots to caress.

His moist lips invited her to taste, and the overwhelming need was too great. She grabbed his shoulders, pulling him down until his mouth was inches from hers.

Jake's finger found the underside of her chin and lifted, forcing her to look him in the eye. His smile warmed her. And not in the heated, needy, s.e.xual way she expected. It warmed her heart. With every minute they spent together, this man was breaking down every barrier she had ever built.

He leaned in, and Liv expected him to invade her mouth. Her stomach tightened at the thought of his lips finally on hers. She opened wide, but instead of the intense pressure she expected, he was tender. The intensity was still there but this time, instead of being fueled by animalistic desire, emotion took over.

His every thought, his every feeling, singed her lips and she gave herself over to him.

"You want me?" he whispered in her ear.

"Yes." At this moment, she'd never wanted anything more.

"Right here? Right now?"

"I want you."

He slid his hands down the side of her body until he found the hem of her skirt. He eased it up her thighs until it gathered just under her bottom. She opened her legs for him, triggering a smile on his face. She felt the pull of his cheek against hers.

He lifted her hands above her head, locking them into position, and rested his free hand gently on her neck. After stroking her collarbone, he slid his fingertips down her side, stopping to circle one of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, her belly b.u.t.ton, the inside of her thigh...his final resting place.

He traced one finger across her creamy flesh. He was strategic. Still gripping her hands above her head, his finger caressed between her legs, never resting for too long in one spot.

"That's not fair." Liv let her head fall back against the wall.

"All's fair in love and war." His hand released her wrists and it ran down the length of her arms to her neck. She shivered. It wasn't the first time his touch elicited such a reaction, but she was pretty sure this time, her shiver had everything to do with the mention of love.

He undid the b.u.t.tons of her shirt, revealing her black lace bra, then slid it from her body, letting it flutter to the floor. He cupped her b.r.e.a.s.t.s with both hands and pulled down the lace. Easing his body down, he pushed her b.r.e.a.s.t.s together, raising her nipples, capturing one of them with his hot, moist mouth.

He laved his tongue across the stiff peak, swirling until he had her body arching as waves of heat pulsed from her core. When he came up for air, Liv attacked his belt buckle, trying to rip his shirt from the confines of his waistband. This was the only way she knew-in control, confident, quick, and meaningless.

Before she could undo his pants, he grabbed her and pinned her against the wall, trapping her hands above her head. "All in good time."

The deep rasp of his voice turned her legs into liquid jelly. He teased and controlled. Trying to see how far she would go before she begged. She recognized her own tactics.

He used his tongue to search out her mouth, leaving no inch unclaimed. With one kiss, she melted. With one kiss, she was ready to let him lead her.

Lead her in the bedroom. Lead her anywhere.

He teased and tortured her for what seemed like a lifetime. The sharp tugs and nips on her nipples had her primed and ready to go. She groaned when he straightened and brushed his lips over hers.

This time, Jake's kiss was powerful, nothing less than she had remembered.

She opened her eyes as his mouth explored hers. She liked the thought of stealing a peek without him knowing. But he pulled away and their eyes locked. She gasped. There was an intense pleasure, coupled with the intense heat radiating from his hard length that pressed into her stomach.

He must have given this look to hundreds of women before her, but for some reason, Liv felt as if this look was meant for her, only her. His actions didn't feel rehea.r.s.ed or distant. He was enjoying this just as much as she was, and at that moment, they belonged together.

Standing there together, eyes locked, bodies entwined, this wasn't just about the s.e.x.

Moving her hands around his back, she felt his muscles flexing as she pulled him closer. She would let him in and, hopefully, she wouldn't regret it too much.

Jake grabbed her hair at the nape of her neck and lifted her head toward him, his hot breath heating her blood. "I want you to let me in."

"I want you inside me, too." Liv ground her pelvis against him. He didn't need to worry about her backing out. She was on board with a first cla.s.s ticket. She needed him inside her, his thickness stretching and filling her, sending her into a tear-inducing climax.

He shook his head, denying her another kiss. "No." His eyes locked with hers. "I want you to let me inside you, your mind." His fingertips traced the edge of her forehead. "Not just your body."

No, no, no, no. This was not on the agenda. But no matter how hard she tried to make this about s.e.x, emotions seemed to cloud that determination.

Finally his lips touched her as he kissed his way up and down her neck. "Do you trust me?"

"This isn't about trust, Jake." She didn't trust any man. It was nothing personal. "This is about you and me, and that big, comfortable bed I have in the other room that is dying for some attention."

He wanted that bed, too. His body was humming with desire just the same as hers. She needed his hands on her...now. But Liv tensed when she realized he had no intention of speeding up their encounter.

His head gently moved from side to side, his dark hair tickling her neck. "There's something between us," he whispered. Then he looked in her eyes. "I've been trying to deny it...but it's not just s.e.x."

"This is s.e.x. Say it." The demanding note in her voice surprised even her. It definitely surprised Jake by the way his eyebrow lifted, but he didn't appear angry. She had laid down her gauntlet. How he was going to play out her challenge would remain to be seen.

He chuckled and kissed the top of her nose. "This is not just s.e.x." His lips moved down the slope of her neck. "You say it."

She shivered. The man certainly knew how to drive her wild with kisses, and with the way his lips connected with her skin, she didn't care what words were said.

"Admit that you think about me as much as I think about you."

She let out a hard breath and dropped her head. "I think about you," she whispered. That was no lie. This man had whittled his way into her thoughts, her brain, her life, since the first day they met. An uncommon occurrence. "Even though I don't want to. I think about you. I want you."

There was something different about him. She didn't want to admit it. Too many implications. Too much fall-out. But maybe he was right.

"Do you trust me, Liv?" He played dirty. His hands returned to the s.p.a.ce between her thighs, his knuckles caressing along the lace.

But she didn't answer. If she wanted him, she was going to have to give herself over completely. Was it something she could do?

"Let yourself go. Let me in. No more games."

No more games? This had always been a game. At least that was what she'd thought.

"I want you more than I've wanted any other woman, but I need you to trust me. I need you to let me behind that wall."

He had already pushed past her armor too much. Liv didn't know if she could let him in any further. Was she willing to submit?

"After tonight, gorgeous, you'll be mine. There'll be no turning back."

She let a deep moan escape. G.o.d, she wanted this. Yes. She wanted to submit.

With every word he spoke, her heart raced. Her thoughts were unsteady. He had turned her inside out, questioning, losing control. And she was loving every minute of it.

"Yes!" The word flew out of her mouth, the key that unlocked her suit of armor. The key that unlocked her heart.

"Yes what?" He nuzzled her ear.

"Yes, I trust you."

A smirk curved at the side of his lips. "Don't worry, gorgeous. This won't hurt one bit."

Their eyes met and something inside her snapped. Whether it was her willpower, her desire, or the fortress she kept around her heart, she didn't know. But whatever it was welcomed Jake with open arms.

For the love of all cupcakes, please don't let this man take my heart.

He slid down her body and removed her black stiletto boots, the slow release of the zipper building her need for release. Then he worked at removing her skirt and thong, leaving her body clad only in black thigh-high stockings and bra.

Kissing up her legs, he took his time at the inside of her thighs. "You smell sweet, like vanilla." The whisper of his hot breath teasing the short patch of hair covering her mound and the torturous touch of his tongue sent tremors through her body. His proximity threw all rational thought out the window. But she needed his touch. She needed his warmth.

He looked up from between her legs. A shiver raced up her spine at his laser-like stare.

There was something about being completely naked while a man was still fully dressed. And even though it meant the relinquishing of her total control, Liv had never been more turned on.

His mouth inched closer to the most deprived part of her body, but he never made contact. She fisted her hands against the wall, pushing out her pelvis, inviting him to touch, to taste. To do anything to sate her.

"Jake, please." She lifted one leg and wrapped it around his shoulder, hoping the closer proximity would egg him on.

His lips grazed her slit, the slight pressure causing a flutter in her stomach. And when his tongue slipped out to taste her, she nearly melted into a puddle on the floor. Somehow, he knew just what she liked, the right pressure, her secret spots. It was like he'd studied a map of her body. He stroked up and down, in and out, working magic with his tongue.

But even more remarkable was the way he looked at her, as if wanting to ensure that she was comfortable, at ease. As if he could tell that she was somehow losing control. She was losing control, but G.o.d, did it feel good.

Her fingers ached to run through his hair. Instead, they tightened around his shoulders as he moaned into her center. The vibrations caused her to tip, careening over the edge of an explosive o.r.g.a.s.m. She plunged into darkness as searing waves of pleasure burned white under her eyelids.

The friction of Jake's clothing rubbed against her naked body as he stood and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his body as he walked them to the bedroom. Their tongues tangled, desperate for each other, until he dropped her on the bed and she bobbed up and down on the mattress.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered. Jake leaned over the bed and reached to brush a now damp strand of hair that had fallen over her eyes. She turned to nuzzle into his palm. "I want you. I want everything."

Instead of a verbal response, Liv shuddered. The man was beautiful clothed. It was time for her to find out just how beautiful he was naked.

She popped up on her hands and knees and crawled to the edge of the bed. Her hands found his waistband. "You certainly are quite clothed."

He started with the top b.u.t.ton of his shirt. At least he tried to unb.u.t.ton his shirt. He fumbled, the excitement seeming too much for him as he struggled to push the b.u.t.tons through the slits.

"Do you need some help with that?" Liv slowly undid the shirt while kissing her way down his smooth, chiseled chest. The beat of his heart pulsed against her lips, steady and fast. She pushed it off his shoulders, revealing his strong chest. His pants hung low on his hips, which allowed her imagination to run wild as she traced the coa.r.s.e black hair that disappeared below his waistband, revealing too much upper body for her to concentrate.

She released his belt buckle, letting his pants fall around his ankles, and at the same time, he slid off his shoes and kicked them away.

She felt the pull of desire again as she took in the sight of his body. A trail of coa.r.s.e dark hair led her eyes to his bulge, but not before she noticed the small beauty mark just above his pelvis. White boxer briefs complemented his smooth, flawless skin, the color of well-creamed coffee. "Let's get rid of these, shall we?"

Sliding her hands into the waistband of his briefs, she tugged them down, exposing his long, pink length.

She positioned herself on her knees, kissing his mouth, his neck, making sure to lick and kiss every inch of skin along the way. She circled his beauty mark then lapped around his belly b.u.t.ton. She was just about to take his nipple into her mouth when impatience got the best of him and he pulled her up, locking their gazes. He kissed her slow, hard, and deep. Despite her best efforts, Liv weakened. She could lose herself in his kiss, completely abandon all her senses, and let him hold her like this forever.

He grabbed her waist and twisted her body, positioning her on all fours away from him. Despite wanting this man desperately, she was thankful for the tiny reprieve she'd been given by not having to look in his eyes. She was too afraid of what her own might reveal.

She glanced over her shoulder and heard the crinkle of a condom wrapper, then watched as he slid the sheath down his length.

He positioned himself at her backside. The smell of latex and sweat was overpowered by the pungent scent of s.e.x and desire that hung low in the air around them. He clasped onto her hips and slowly pushed his way inside. They both moaned at the blissful feel of their bodies uniting. Jake rested his chest flush against her back, his hot breath panting at her ear when he whispered, "Mine."

He'd just raised the stakes to a level she had no intention of ever reaching. Possession. That was a strong word for Liv to swallow, but with the strength of his body on top of hers, she wanted him to take her. Take her mind, her body, her soul. He would brand her. And she would let him.

Jake cupped her b.r.e.a.s.t.s while his hips pulled back, then forward again.

"You feel so good." His heavy words were hard against her neck. His nipples tickled her back as their bodies slid against each other with each thrust.

He was in command of her body, of the situation. Every touch, every move he made, elicited a primal reaction she couldn't control. She was his.

Liv c.o.c.ked her head and met his hungry stare. "Jake?"