Arms around him, she smoothed her palms over his chest hair, down those rock-solid abs. He dropped the shirt and caught her wrists. "You don't know what you're doing."

"If I'm seducing you, then, yes, I do."

He laughed, the sound strained. "Yeah, you do." Still clasping her wrists, he drew in a deep breath and turned to her.

Though she wore only a pale pink thong, his attention remained stubbornly on her face.

She might have been humiliated over that, even hurt, except that she knew Cannon was trying to be n.o.ble for her benefit. Tonight had been rough, and he thought she needed time to recoup.

If she wanted Cannon to see her differently, she'd have to be different, too.

Bolder.

She needed to go after what she wanted. Him.

Determined to convince him, she snuggled in close.

Her nipples, now stiffened, brushed his abdomen. He groaned and tried to loosen her hold. "You're hurt."

"Only a little."

"You're upset, too."

"I am. And I know I'll feel better if we-"

"What?" With clear reservation, he cupped her face, lifted it so he could nip her bottom lip then soothe it with his tongue. "If I go nuts on you? Because that's where I'm at, baby. No finesse, no patience like I had last time."

"I like the idea of you going nuts." She didn't need patience; she just needed him.

His nostrils flared. His eyes closed. "I'm not a selfish p.r.i.c.k."

"No, you're not. You're sweet-"

He snorted.

"-and hot, and I need to be with you."

Resistance crumbling, he breathed harder. "I can't guarantee you'll come-"

Opening her mouth on his chest, she took a soft love bite.

He shuddered. "Because I can't guarantee I'll last long enough."

She cupped his t.e.s.t.i.c.l.es through the soft cotton of his boxers, then wrapped her fingers around his throbbing length. Stroking, squeezing. "So we'll skip sleeping and do it until we get it right."

His erection flexed-and a second later he lifted her hands away from his body. "You need to hold up a minute."

Stunned that he'd still deny her, Yvette pushed back to see his face. "I'm beginning to think you're the one with the problem!"

After running a hand over his face, he nodded. "Maybe my problem is with you."

The breath left her, the words hurting like a physical blow. Thinking only of getting away, she turned from him.

He pulled right back around again. His hands on her shoulders were tight but not hurtful. Looking as agonized as she felt, he put his forehead to hers. "You don't trust me, Yvette, and I want you to. I want that so G.o.dd.a.m.ned bad."

Trust him? "Of course I do."

"No, you wear this mask, hiding who you are and what you feel. How you react to things. You don't trust me not to judge you. You don't trust me to see the truth of things."

"What truths?"

"That you're strong and smart and independent. But s.h.i.t happens to everyone, and we all have to deal with it. The thing is, you don't have to deal alone. Not when I'm here." He gave her a small shake, followed quickly by a cradling hug. "Even now," he said, his voice raw, "I can tell something's wrong."

"My ex tried to kidnap me!"

"I know." He stroked her hair, his determination pouring over her. "You're p.i.s.sed, and a little rattled still. That's understandable. But that's not what's between us now."

No, he couldn't possibly read her that easily, know her that well. "I don't understand you." Suddenly she felt naked and reached for the shirt he'd dropped on the floor.

Cannon stood on it. She tugged, but he didn't move. She was eye level with his lap, him wearing only boxers, her in a thong.

They should be having s.e.x, not arguing. If it was any other man, anyone but Cannon, they would be.

But if it was any other man, she wouldn't want it.

The absurdity of it hit her, and with it a fresh rush of indignation.

Still kneeling before him, she breathed faster...and blurted, "Mindi said you only wanted to finish what we'd started so long ago."

"What are you talking about?"

"Tonight at the bar. Before she hooked up with Armie."

"Mindi and Armie?"

Yvette again yanked at the shirt; he again didn't move. "She said once it's over, you'll be done with me. I don't know how that can be if you refuse to ever start with me."

She gave up trying to get the shirt and straightened again, wrapping her arms around herself to shield her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Her gaze met his and stalled.

His killing expression gave her pause.

Cannon stepped close. Voice low and menacing, he said, "You discussed me with Mindi?"

He was offended? Full of accusation, she went on tiptoes and leaned into his anger. "You did! You told her my entire history!"

"Never happened, and you should know that."

The whispered words, said through his teeth, stole her anger. She dropped back to her heels. "But...then, how?"

"No way for me to know. But Heath was at the bar. There's a d.a.m.n good chance he talked to her."

All her most prevalent emotions-anger, umbrage, hurt-crashed in on her. "I never told it all to Heath."

"He's here. It's not a secret. If he did any digging-"

"You're probably right."

He took her shoulders again. "Instead of thinking it through, you automatically believed that I'd told her?"

"She led me to believe..." Yvette rubbed her temple. How many ways could she botch things in a twentyfour-hour period? "I'm sorry." When he didn't reply, she added, "For everything."

Hopefully after a few hours' sleep, things would look better, because at that moment, she couldn't imagine them getting any worse.

She stood there, unsure what to do next, dreading making another wrong move.

"You think I want a quick lay?" With heart-stopping tenderness, Cannon stroked over her hair, moved it behind her shoulders so he could better see her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "You think once I get inside you, I'll be done?"

The way he looked at her now... She shook her head. No, she hadn't thought that. Not until Mindi had spelled it out to her. Then it had seemed all too plausible. "Honestly, I don't know what to think anymore."

He lifted her chin. "Guess there's only one way to find out for sure."

The words, combined with that particular heated look, had her pulse leaping. "You won't quit on me this time?"

His mouth quirked at her wording. "I can't." He levered her away so he could look at every inch of her. While consuming her with his gaze, he murmured, "First time will be fast and hard. Second time might be better. I'm still up in the air on that one." He drew her close and playfully bit her lower lip. "The third time, though...for sure, that one will be all for you."

Oh, G.o.d, she could hardly wait.

Cannon tumbled her into the bed-and she knew she wouldn't have to.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE.

w arm softness, firm b.r.e.a.s.t.s, tantalizing dips and hollows and wet kisses-Cannon wanted everything, right now. With Yvette.

He kneed her legs apart and settled over her, his mouth at her throat, his hands frantic on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. The long day, time spent at the bar and then the turmoil afterward, left her skin rich with her intensified scent. He breathed her in and hurt with wanting her.

He enjoyed her gasping breaths, how she arched into him.

How could she think one time would be enough? He'd run the gamut of emotions today, ending with that mindnumbing rage that had thrown him off-kilter.

He'd still been coming down from that, adrenaline surging, doing his best to comfort her, when she'd decided to make everything s.e.xual.

Mouth open on her skin, he gently ate his way down to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, sucked in one tight nipple, nursed her while plucking at the other with his fingertips.

She moaned his name, her hands in his hair holding him closer.

It wasn't enough. Not even close.

Leaving her nipple wet and flushed, he made his way down her torso, teasing her flat belly, her hip bones, inner thigh, then pressing his face against the crotch of her minuscule panties.

Here, her musk was even stronger, drugging him.

His c.o.c.k throbbed, ached. He'd wanted her forever, denied himself too long. She was already damp, and he tasted her through the panties, pressing with his tongue, lightly biting.

She tried to twist away, but he held her hips steady. She'd been warned, and she wanted this anyway.

"Cannon," she said on a whimper.

Sitting up in a rush, he scooped up her legs with one arm, then stripped the panties down and off. Looking at her tormented him. He made himself hold back, savoring the sight of her completely bare. She shifted her feet, pressed her knees together.

"Cannon?"

Using both hands, he opened her thighs wide. Yvette turned her face into the pillow, her hands at either side of her hips.

Such a perfect offering.

His chest worked like a bellows, the pressure building until he oh-so-carefully parted her v.u.l.v.a to further expose her.

So pink and shiny wet. Her inner lips swollen. Her little c.l.i.toris ripe and ready.

Groaning, he leaned down and tasted her deeply, thrusting into her with his tongue. His nostrils filled with her excitement. He sucked and licked and taunted with his teeth.

He tried to fight it off, but with each small sound she made, the pressure built inside him.

Accepting that it was now or never, he twisted away to find a condom, then stood and stripped off his boxers.

Yvette didn't move except to squirm in need. He'd love to hear her come again, to see that unique mix of pain and pleasure on her face.

Doubtful.

With her rapt attention spurring him on, he rolled the condom down his shaft and lowered himself half over her, his hand going immediately between her thighs to stroke two fingers deep.

So ready.

He shifted over her, positioned himself and, teeth locked, began easing into her.

She tipped her head back, offering up her b.r.e.a.s.t.s again.

So f.u.c.king beautiful. Not quite there, but definitely cued up. Briefly he mouthed one puckered nipple, then the other, playing her with his tongue, leaving them each red and wet. He watched her through a haze of mounting l.u.s.t and razor-sharp need. Each broken breath she took, each shiver, the flush on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, the silkiness of her inner thighs.

The creamy clench of her body on his c.o.c.k.

Lowering himself to his forearms, he took her mouth in a deep, hungry kiss.

And pressed into her as deep as he could go.