"Cannon."

"Tell me."

He felt the urgency of her deep breaths, the indecision that held her back, until she cupped a small hand around his neck and drew him forward, saying raggedly, "I want your mouth on me."

"Where?" Enjoying her like this, he licked her throat. "Here?" Down to her cleavage, where he dipped his tongue. "Like this?" Farther down, lightly touching his lips to her nipple. "Or right here?" And with that, he sucked her in.

She cried out, her hips pressing in to his abs, her runner's thighs squeezing him, her fingers so tight in his hair that it stung.

Taking advantage of her position up on her knees, her body taut, he locked her to him and drew on her until she was rhythmically riding against him.

Just like that, he thought, more convinced than ever that her only problem had been being with the wrong man.

Which meant any man other than him.

He switched to the other breast, kissing around her throbbing nipple, curling his tongue around her, pulling and licking before treating her to another long, leisurely suckle.

Her reaction was the hottest thing he'd ever experienced.

With her head tipped back, her long hair draped over his forearm and her b.r.e.a.s.t.s lifted higher. Open around his hips, her long, trim legs quivered. She gasped each breath, whimpering, moaning.

He loved seeing her like this, a little lost, a whole lot turned on.

She didn't have any problems, not with him.

Initially he'd thought to drag this out for hours, and then for days, until she was ready. But he'd never seen a woman more ready than Yvette was right now.

Even as he cautioned himself not to rush her, he opened the snap at the top of those itty-bitty cutoffs, then eased the zipper down so he could get his hand inside.

He cupped her over her panties and still felt the damp heat of her excitement.

Straightening, she went utterly motionless except for the bellowing of her deep breaths.

Ever so lightly, he touched her while still lazily drawing on her nipple.

Groaning, her nails bit into his shoulders and he looked up to see her head dropped forward, her eyes squeezed shut. Her dark hair fell around her face like a curtain.

She felt pressured, he realized, and was already worrying about "performing." He wanted her back to mindless pleasure, so he redirected her thoughts.

"Just touching," he whispered to her.

She gave a shaky nod, and said, "I don't know if I can stand this."

"I know it's difficult for you, but I love touching you, Yvette. Here," he said, licking her nipple. "And here." He pressed his fingers to her s.e.x, able to feel her swollen lips through the slinky material of her panties.

Her hips rocked once, then stilled.

"Okay?"

"I..." She trembled as he delved a little deeper, tracing her v.u.l.v.a.

"For me," he urged her, plucking at her nipple with his lips. "Tell me it's okay."

Rather than speak, she nodded.

He withdrew his hand from the front of her shorts and instead slipped it underneath from the back, moving over her perfect a.s.s.

She wore a thong.

Groaning, he drew her nipple deeper while exploring that smooth, firm flesh. As he'd told her, the high, loose legs of her cutoffs made it easy to get his hand inside. He eased her up and forward-and got his fingers on her slick, hot flesh.

Silky wet.

Swollen with need.

Leaving her nipples wet and tight, he took her mouth again, drugging them both with a devouring kiss while barely entering her with one finger. She tried pressing down against him, shifting, wanting more, but he outmaneuvered her each time. It wasn't easy to remember his purpose right now, not when he'd wanted her so long and she was so incredibly hot.

"Easy," he told her.

But she surprised him by kissing him again, then whispering, "You told me to tell you."

Curious how bold she'd be, he nodded. "Yes."

She stared into his eyes. "Then I want your fingers inside me. As deep as you can go."

f.u.c.k. Control shot, Cannon put his head back against the couch and drew her forward. "Brace your hands on my shoulders."

Urgently, she did-which brought her up to her knees.

Holding her gaze, he parted her, tested her gently, then slowly worked two fingers into her.

Gasping, she leaned in, rubbing her face against his throat and squirming her hips. "G.o.d, Cannon, that feels..."

"Good?"

"So good."

He knew what would feel better, but, d.a.m.n it, he was afraid of blowing the moment. Better to let her lead the way right now.

"Kiss me, honey."

She did, her fingers in his hair, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s rubbing against his chest, her body clamping down on his fingers, squeezing each time he withdrew, getting wetter each time he pressed them in again.

She was so tight, so hot.

He brushed his thumb up and found her little c.l.i.toris already distended, beaded tight. Teasing over her brought a funny little catch to her breathing. He felt the way she trembled, and he had to believe she was close.

He moved over and around that sensitive little bud again and again, slicking her own moisture over her, rasping, tormenting.

"Oh, G.o.d."

Now, he decided. It had to be now. "Will you trust me, Yvette?"

She kissed his shoulder, bit his chest. Her husky "Yes," followed by an urgent, "Please," rea.s.sured him that everything would be fine.

"Good." Taking his hand from between her legs, he turned her to her back on the couch. "Then how about we lose the shorts?"

Her hair tumbled around her. l.u.s.t left her eyes dark and heavy, her lips soft and swollen from so much kissing. As he watched, tears glistened in her eyes, but she nodded.

Wasting no time, he dragged the shorts down and off her legs, leaving her in nothing more than a minuscule black thong. He wanted that off her, too, but first...

"This is for me," he reminded her. "So just relax." Then he leaned down and pressed his open mouth to the damp material between her legs.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

s ensation so sharp should have been painful. Instead it was a nearly unbearable pleasure. Already with Cannon she'd felt things she'd never felt before. Amazing things.

Scorching promises that pushed her nearer to something she wanted very badly.

It hovered close, rolling over her in ever greater waves, only to recede again.

"I need to taste you."

His long fingers hooked in the waistband of her panties and peeled them away and she didn't care. She wanted him to see her.

And, G.o.d, yes, she wanted his mouth on her.

She was almost desperate for that.

For the longest time he just looked at her-and that was fairly indescribable, too. An incandescent heat lit his vivid blue eyes. Every muscle in his torso looked more defined, much in the way she'd noticed during his fights when his blood pumped harder from exertion. His expression was so focused, so possessive, that he made her feel s.e.xy when she'd always felt ruined instead.

Watching him, she whispered, "Cannon?"

He parted her legs so that he sat between them. His big, rough hands looked dark against her pale skin, feeling over her in a slow sweep that encompa.s.sed her shoulders, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s-where he lingered at her nipples-then her waist, down to her hips and to her inner thighs where he edged her legs wider still.

His nostrils flared. He breathed deeper.

Narrowing his eyes, he turned his hand against her, palm up. She felt him parting her, then the pressure of two thick fingers pushing in. That was enough, but then he did something, crooked his fingers a certain way and reached a spot- "Ooh." Automatically her hips lifted up to that sizzling sensation.

His gaze flicked up to hers, probing, interested, then back to where his fingers worked her.

She shifted her legs, stunned at the climbing pressure inside her, the ache that grew tighter but was so very sweet. It couldn't be this easy. Not after so much disappointment. Not after- "Stay with me, honey." And then, "You'll like this."

With building antic.i.p.ation Yvette watched him bend down until his dark head was between her thighs, his breath hot, his mouth hotter.

He inhaled her scent, and groaned.

She couldn't get enough air to make a single sound.

Using his thumbs to open her, he licked boldly over her-in her-with his rough tongue.

Incredibly moved, both physically and emotionally, Yvette put her hands in his satiny black hair, stroking, encouraging.

He hooked his arms under her legs, anchoring her with his hands at her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and continued to eat at her until she knew it would happen. Each thrust of his tongue told her so.

Especially since he followed each thrust with a flick up and over her c.l.i.toris. She caught herself antic.i.p.ating that elusive touch, reaching for it, trying to follow with her hips. And every time it happened, she tightened more until she thought she might shatter.

She wanted to. So very much.

Eyes closed in concentration, absorbing every sensation to the fullest, she whispered his name, begging for what she hoped he could give.

"This," he growled. "Tell me if you like this." Instead of just teasing with his tongue, he closed his mouth around her c.l.i.toris, sucking gently.

The overload of stimulation drew her body taut. She twisted in reaction, but with the way he held her she couldn't move much.

"Please," she whispered, afraid that somehow the building urgency would escape her. She held him closer, blind with need. "Please, Cannon, please-"

"Easy, honey," he murmured.

She felt his jaw against her inner thighs, his fingers on her nipples, the heat of his mouth sucking. "Don't stop." She knew tears tracked down her cheeks, but she didn't care. "Please don't."

"No, I won't." He shifted so that he held her still with one hand splayed flat on her stomach, and with the other he stroked his fingers back into her, reaching for that same magical spot.

"Ah -" Tighter and tighter, coiling, clenching... "Cannon."

He made a rumbling sound of deep satisfaction, and the o.r.g.a.s.m took her.

Aware only of the awesome release, she gave herself over to it, uncaring of how she moved or how loudly she cried out. Cannon stayed with her, relentless, taking from her until she had nothing left.

As the tension gradually uncoiled, it took her strength, leaving her limp on the couch.

When Cannon kissed her mouth, she got her eyes open. He was over her, between her legs, and with one look at him, she knew he hadn't come yet.

She wanted to touch him, but honestly, her limbs felt too heavy.

Appearing fascinated, he brushed the tears from her cheeks and smiled at her. "Hi."

Wow. She'd really done it. Or rather, he'd done it. A little bewildered, she stared at him. "I came."

Tenderness turned his smile up another hundred watts. "Yeah, I know." Teasing her, he said, "I heard."

In the moment, she didn't mind the teasing, not at all. She was too confused to care. "But...I don't understand."

"You're as perfect as I knew you'd be. And honest to G.o.d, babe, I feel like the best lover on earth now."