"No biting. None," he promised. "Nothing that you don't want."

She stared at him, so disappointed in herself. So angry at the vampire who'd made her the mess she was now. He'd taken her life. He wasn't going to take this. He wasn't going to ruin this moment.

She nodded, and before she thought about it anymore, she reached forward, tugging at Sebastian's shirt. Even though she could see he was confused, he allowed her to pull it over his head.

She stood back admiring the muscles of his chest and stomach. Then she noticed two marks on the golden skin. Two small red imprints, the size of hands. Her hands.

He'd mentioned that in her other moments of panic she'd hurt him. And she had again. And he'd never reacted except to make sure she was all right.

He wouldn't hurt her, ever. She had to believe that. She did believe it. She moved forward, pressing her mouth tenderly to the redness, marring his perfect skin.

Gently, he caught her. "Mina. You are running way too hot and cold for me. What is going on?"

"Please just give me one more chance. Please."

He studied her, then nodded. "Okay. Of course."

She leaned up and kissed him with all the desire she had for him, and all the fear too. Sebastian responded, his arms coming up around her.

She waited for the fear to fill her again, but it didn't. This was Sebastian; she wanted him to touch her like this. She ached for him.

She gripped his shoulders, feeling his smooth skin and rock-hard muscles under her hands. Her fingers wandered over his arms. Sebastian's arms. Then his chest, more sinew, more perfection.

He groaned low in his throat, then he stepped back from her.

"What-what's wrong?" she asked, unsure why he pulled away.

"We need to go a little slower," he said.

She smiled slightly. "That's my line."

He smiled back, then his smiled faded. He touched her mouth with his fingertips. "God, I love your smile."

Her chest swelled at his words. Her gaze dropped to his lips. She loved his smile too. He was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. She closed the small space between them, capturing his mouth, mimicking the possessiveness of the kiss he'd given her earlier.

His arms came around her back and she was pulled tightly to him. Her chest crushed to his, her dress the only thing keeping her chest from melding with his-becoming one.

Again, she waited for fear, but she couldn't feel anything but longing.

He stepped back, pulling in a deep, steadying breath.

"I want to please you," he said.

"You are," she assured him, leaning back in to kiss him.

He stopped her, placing his hands on her bare shoulders.

"No," he clarified, "I want you to tell me exactly what you like and what you don't. This is about you. I want to touch and kiss you."

His gaze slid down her body, and she felt the look like a slow, sizzling caress.

She swallowed at the yearning crackling in her veins. "Isn't that what we were doing?"

He smiled, the curve of his lips indulgent. "I want this to be only about you. About your pleasure. I want you to know what it should feel like to have a man love you."

Her breath caught at his words.To have a man love you. She imagined being the focus of his love. The idea made her light-headed. Giddy. She knew it wasn't love, not really, but she still wanted what he was offering her, here, tonight. Even if it was only for tonight.

She wanted Sebastian to be the one to erase the horrible memories of the past. She wanted him to replace it with him. Only memories of him.

She took a deep breath, steadying her quivering body.

"I want that too."

He smiled as if she had granted him the greatest gift. His hands slid unhurriedly down her arms. She pulled in a quick breath at the sizzling need left in the wake of that slow caress. She had no idea that such a simple touch could be so arousing.

"I like this dress," he said, his gaze slowly gliding down her body. "Very pretty."

She gasped as his hands left her arms and moved to her waist. His eyes snapped back up to her face, reading her reaction, making sure she wasn't scared. His concern was almost as much of a turn-on as his touch. Almost.

She smiled at him to reassure him that she was fine.

His large hands splayed over her, running a path up her ribcage, his thumbs brushing over her belly, stopping just under the curve of her breasts. His hands burned her, even through the silky material of her dress.

He pulled in a breath, the sound uneven and shaky. "Mina, I want to touch your skin."

She met his eyes. They glittered golden and hot.

She nodded.

"You have the most beautiful skin I've ever seen," he told her, brushing his fingers over the beadwork at the neckline of her dress, then they moved to the tiny buttons that ran the length of her dress.

"Too pale," she whispered, watching as his strong fingers worked open the button at the neckline.

"No. Perfect like pearls."

She looked up at him, for a moment thinking he must be teasing her. But there was no mocking in his eyes, only desire as he slowly unfastened one button, then the next. He bent his head to press a kiss to her chest, the valley between her breasts, the spot just below the center of her bra. Soon he knelt at her feet, and she stood before him, her dress undone and parted.

"Will you take it off?" he asked.

Unable to do otherwise, she nodded. She pushed the dress down her arms, letting it pool around her feet, leaving her bare except for her white panties and bra and sandals. She'd never been one to wear anything lacy, but she suddenly wished her plain underwear had even just a little lace, although Sebastian didn't seem to notice the lack of ornamentation.

He rose up on his knees and pressed his mouth to her stomach, just below her belly button. She jerked at the sudden rush of need that crackled through her body. Her breasts ached, as did her sex. All the feelings were so new to her, so overwhelming.

"Are you okay?"

She shook her head. "No. My skin feels like it's on fire." And that was just the beginning of what she was feeling, but she was too embarrassed to tell him what other parts of her were blazing with need, too.

He kissed her belly again, then rose to his feet. "I think I can help with that."

He kissed her lips again. Then he lifted her in his arms, his mouth never leaving hers, and he placed her on the bed. She sank down into the mattress. Instead of following her down, he sat beside her.

Lightly he ran his fingers over her, over her shoulders, down her arms, across her stomach. His fingers grazed down her thighs, over the curve of her knee to her feet. Deftly, he untied the sandals, even his hands on her ankles making her body feel like it was about to engulf in flame.

"Very sexy shoes," he said with that sinful smile of his. He tossed them to the floor. Then he leaned back up to kiss her lips lingering, thoroughly. His mouth left hers to press small kisses across her chest, over her breasts where they swelled slightly over the top of her bra.

"Can I take this off?" he asked, then he flicked his tongue over the protrusion of her nipple as if to demonstrate what he wanted to do without the barrier of plain cotton.

She nodded and struggled upright to unfasten the hooks, but her body felt weak and rubbery. Sebastian caught her hands, stilling them, then he unhooked the bra, sliding the straps down her arms. He gently nudged her back against the pillows.

His eyes moved to her breasts, studying her until she nearly covered herself in embarrassment. Then his hand came out to cup one of the aching swells.

"Beautiful," he murmured, his voice low and reverent. Desire tore through her at his expression and at his worshipping touch.

He leaned forward and captured one of the swollen nipples, sucking and licking, until she was caught somewhere between ecstasy and hints of glorious pain. Pain. She had no idea pain could make her yearn, make her need. He squeezed the other nipple between his thumb and forefinger, more of that exquisite, exciting pain shot through her.

She writhed, gasping at the need swelling inside her.

He lifted his head. "Are you okay?"

She responded by hooking a hand around the back of his head and forcing his lips back to her throbbing nipple. He chuckled, the vibration of the laugh against her skin snaking downward to between her thighs.

She wriggled again, wanting his touch everywhere. Her breasts, her skin, inside her. She startled at the idea, then realized that was what she wanted more than anything. To feel his power, his strength, his passion inside her. Making her whole.

"Sebastian," she pleaded, not sure how to ask for what she wanted. She pushed upright, wanting to touch him too. But he stopped her, kissing her until she fell back against the mattress.

"I need you," she whispered, when he lifted his head to gaze down at her.

"You'll have me," he assured her, his hand stroking down her body, molding over her breasts, skimming over the swell of her stomach, stopping at the top of her panties. He toyed with the elastic at the waistband as he leaned over her, raining fluttery, barely-there kisses over her. Moving downward, slowly, slowly. All the while, his fingers playing with her panties, until she was squirming, panting, barely able to contain her need.

His mouth stopped its leisurely wandering at the waistband. He licked along the edge of it, his tongue searing hot, thrilling.

"You taste so good." He licked her again.

She gasped, her hips rising off the bed. His words should have frightened her. Being tasted was the last thing she wanted. She only knew that phrase as a lead-up to pain. But not here. Not now. Those words from Sebastian's lips only made her ache to be tasted more-by him-only him. She wanted more of his hot tongue on her skin.

Her fingers tangled in his hair as he hooked his thumbs under the waistband and peeled the panties down, tossing them to the floor. Mina realized that she lay absolutely naked in front of him. This beautiful, perfect man. She waited for embarrassment to fill her. It didn't.

All she could think about was the fact that she wanted him to keep touching her. Keep looking at her with those smoldering, golden eyes.

He shifted then, the mattress rising and falling as he situated himself between her legs. She rose up slightly on her elbows, startled by this new position. A position that left her spread wide for him to peruse. She started to tell him maybe she wasn't so comfortable with what they were doing. Then he touched her.

His finger brushed the dark curls at the apex of her thighs, another of his barely-there touches that left her gasping for air and her body tensing with powerful yearning.

"Are you okay?" he asked, watching her intently.

Okay? No, that wasn't the word for what she was. She was dying and this time it was in pure desire, pure ecstasy.

She nodded. Then he parted her, his finger flicking over the small point at the top of her sex that ached for his touch.

Her hips shot upward, instinctively demanding a firmer touch. Sebastian grinned and gave her what she wanted. The pad of his finger stroked her, swirling, teasing. Each brush lifting her toward something that she didn't truly understand, but she knew she wanted.

She closed her eyes, panting, her hands knotted in the covers of the bed.

Suddenly, his hand was gone, and she whimpered at the loss. But before she could beg for him to keep touching her,please keep touching her, pure fire shot through her body.

She cried out, and Sebastian froze, his tongue pressed to the ultrasensitive nub of her sex. He seemed to brace himself, as her hands flew to his head. But she only pulled him closer to her, pushing that needy little nub against his tongue.

"Oh, Sebastian," she pleaded. "Don't stop. Please don't stop."

She felt his smile against her. Against her sex, the gesture overwhelmingly, thrillingly personal. More need zoomed through her.

Then he lapped her. His tongue scorching, raspy, heaven. He swirled, then sucked gently with his pouty, wonderful lips to the point, just like with her nipples, it was almost painful, marvelously painful. Then as if he knew just when she was about to shatter, he'd again tease her with more fleeting whirls of his tongue. Her fangs extended as her passion grew and for the first time she could recall, she didn't care. All she cared about was Sebastian and what he was doing to her.

He continued his lovely torture until she was panting, squirming, calling his name over and over in dazed repetition. She cried out as he slowly sank one of his fingers into her damp heat. Then he eased in another. When she felt stretched and full, he suckled her clitoris hard, this time not pulling back as she neared the point of explosion. And with one final flick of his tongue, the whole world splintered around her.

Chapter 20.

Sebastian moved up against the pillows, studying Mina. Her eyes were closed, her thick lashes inky against her cheeks, her red lips swollen, parted. Her pale, pale skin was actually flushed.

And never had he felt so rewarded by a woman's orgasm.

His first thought was he wanted to do it again. Make her scream his name over and over. But he remained by her side holding her. This was a huge step for Mina. And he didn't want to ruin her tenuous trust by being overzealous.

Oh, he wanted to bury himself deep inside her tight little body, but he could wait. He could wait as long as she needed, until she totally believed he didn't want to do anything but share pleasure with her. He wanted her trust as much as he wanted her passion. He wanted her to feel safe with him.

Mina pulled in a deep breath that made her creamy rose-tipped breasts rise, then fall. His fingers twitched, wanting to touch those perfect nipples, but he kept his hand at her narrow waist. Patience. He'd never had it, but he would with her.

Mina opened her eyes, turning to look at him. Her midnight gaze was bemused as if she still didn't know what to think of what just happened.

"Wow," she finally murmured, then smiled. He couldn't help kissing that adorable, pleased grin.

"Good?" he asked against her lips.

She nodded. "I had no idea."

"Baby, our existence is not supposed to be about pain."

Her eyes locked with his, and he saw hope there. God, he never wanted this woman to know another moment of pain. He wanted to protect her. He wanted to... He just wanted her, here, with him. She snuggled against him, her hands shaping over his arms, then moving to his back. Her caresses made it difficult to maintain his decision to go slowly. The insistent organ shoving against the unforgiving material of his jeans wasn't helping either. "Do you do-that to all the women you bring up here?" she asked suddenly. He lifted his head, surprised by the question. "I don't want to talk about other women," he said. He didn't want to think about anyone but Mina. "Me neither," she agreed readily. He smiled and leaned in to kiss her leisurely. "But you-you know-do other stuff with them, don't you?" she asked before his lips made contact. "Other stuff?" He frowned. She shrugged, her cheeks actually coloring a little more. "You know. Intercourse." Sebastian gaped at her, then laughed. "Here I thought I was doing a good deed by going slow and you're feeling shortchanged." Mina blushed more. "No. No, that's not it." She looked away from him. He laughed. "Oh, baby, come here." He pulled her against him and rolled until she was on top of him.

She peered down at him, watching him with unsure eyes.

"I'll happily give you anything you want. We can make love all night. I just don't want to overwhelm you." She wiggled on top of him, situating herself more securely on his chest, her movements rubbing her lush breasts against his chest. Her eyes left his, instead focusing on the pillow behind his head. Or maybe his left ear, he wasn't sure.