Chapter Three

The door shut behind him.

Rick stepped back and let her gain her bearings. He’d booked a luxury suite for the evening, and the lush opulence stunned most newcomers. He watched with amusement as she tried not to let her eyes pop out of her head. Her gaze swept over the rich burgundy carpeting, expensive watercolors, and 14kt gold trim on the walls. The living area showcased a series of plush cream sofas with plump pillows, a large wet bar, and a private balcony that overlooked the entire skyline of Vegas. The tables were burnished mahogany and held endless vases of exotic blooms, their scent curling into the air in sensual abandon. Through the hallway, the bedroom beckoned. The oversized king bed made up of rich silvers and gold was set up so high Rick would need to lift her up. The image of her stretched naked on that bed teased him mercilessly. He imagined white skin and gorgeous strawberry blonde hair fanned out on the pillow, those blue eyes begging him to give her pleasure.

His opinion of FANTA C took a hard turn. Bored for months by an endless parade of women, Tara intrigued him within minutes of speaking. She was a mixture of prickle and heat, both shy and direct. Her discomfort about her body challenged him to change her mind.

Rick never backed down from a challenge.

Even now, those teeth reached for her lower lip and nibbled with worry. He watched the thoughts flicker over her face, obviously wondering if she'd gotten in over her head and how to get out of it. He tamped down a chuckle and made his way to the bar. “White wine?” he asked. “Pinot?”

She nodded gratefully, and he uncorked a fresh bottle and poured a glass. Her spiked heels sunk into the plush carpet as she took in the view from the balcony. Thousands of bright lights twinkled and flashed across the night sky, resembling exotic stars. The view of Vegas was nothing compared to Tara Denton's ass.

The lush curves made his fingers itch to touch and stroke. Sink his teeth into the sensitive flesh and take a bite. His cock hardened and he battled for control as he brought her the glass of wine, wondering if she'd notice.

Apparently, she didn't think she was worth an erection because she never bothered to check. He'd take care of that problem also.

She sipped her wine. Then took a deep breath. He waited.

“What do we do now?”

Damn, she was cute. He loved her natural fluster and how she barreled right through her own barriers. The woman had great courage, especially if her past was accurate. He lowered his voice to a sexy murmur. “What do you want to do now?”

Tara stepped back. Then caught herself. “Umm, well, I guess we get undressed now, right? Would you mind dimming the lights? Or do you just want me to wait underneath the covers for you?”

Rick realized she wasn't joking. Raw anger took hold, but he made sure he didn't reveal the emotion on his face. God, how deep did her scars really go? This asshole had not only hurt her, but also taught her that sex was dirty. That sex for a woman was getting naked under the sheets while a man got his rocks off. That this beautiful woman didn’t think she was worth all that sex could offer her mind, body and soul nearly broke him.

“Stay here a minute.”

He turned on his heel and marched into the bedroom. Yanked open the closet, and took out one of his white shirts. Then returned to the living room.

“Tara, can I ask you to do a few things for me?” He spoke with a tender tone. She nodded hesitantly. He reached out and touched her hair, still strangled in the tight bun. “Would you take your hair down for me?” He caressed her cheek. “Take off your make-up?” Then handed her the shirt. “And put this on?”

She stared at the fabric. “Why?”

He smiled at her confusion. “Because I want to see you underneath all of this stuff. And I want you comfortable.”

He waited patiently while she seemed to digest his request. “Now?” she asked.

“Yes, please.”

Tara nodded and walked to the bathroom. In a matter of minutes, she came out and stood in front of him. “Better?” she asked.

His heart stopped.

She was fucking gorgeous.

Heavy waves of strawberry blonde strands fell over her shoulders and tumbled in abandon. Her natural skin glowed, freshly scrubbed of all make-up, and showed off a generous smattering of freckles across her nose. Creamy white and smooth, he resisted the urge to taste her with his tongue and see if her flavor was as sweet. Her lips were pale pink and held a plump curve. But her body...

His shirt barely held in those lush breasts, even though she'd left on her bra. The hem fell right above her knees, and showed off muscled legs and pretty cotton candy painted toes.

“Oh, yeah, much better,” he growled. “Turn around?”

Her cheeks colored, but she turned slowly in a circle in an attempt to please him. Her natural manner to give struck him. She obviously liked to bestow pleasure, and probably had that gift exploited to such a manner she was now afraid, but did it anyway. As she pivoted, he saw the line of her purple colored panties show through the shirt, the full globes of her ass begging for his fingers. But not yet. He needed to relax her first.

“Do you know how beautiful you are?” he demanded.

Disbelief flickered in those blue eyes. “Thank you, but—”

He closed the distance between them. She gasped as he grabbed her hand and laid it on his straining erection. “This is what you do to me. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I wanted you. By the end of the night, you're going to believe it, sweetheart. Make no mistake.”

Her entire body shuddered, and power surged through him. He wanted to make her scream with pleasure, to cry his name as she orgasmed; until she couldn't remember the last time another man ever laid a hand on her. Possessiveness was not a natural part of him, but Rick didn't fight the urge. Instead, he embraced the basic male tendency to hunt. Conquer. Claim.

Her soft hand paused, and then gently stroked him. Rick groaned, and she seemed surprised that she had caused the pleasure. Bolder, she squeezed around the fabric of his pants and followed the ridge from base to tip. He held perfectly still and allowed her to explore. She took a step closer, until her breasts pressed against his chest. Immediately, her nipples hardened into perfect tight pebbles, and Rick fisted his hands to keep from touching her. Her arms came up to hold his shoulders, and her sweet breath rushed over his lips as she arched up on her tiptoes.

Then pressed her lips to his.

The tentative kiss rocked his world. Her lips were soft and sweet. He allowed her to explore the line of his mouth, gaining confidence, until the tip of her tongue slowly pushed into his mouth. With a low growl, he opened his mouth for her, desperately trying to hold back his instinct to throw her on the bed and spread her thighs. Her tongue swept in, thrust against his in a teasing battle.

Rick reached out and lifted her up against him. She made a little mewling noise, but he swallowed it as he claimed her mouth the way he craved. He drank deep, drowning in her taste as the scent of strawberries and flowers swam in his head. Within seconds, her body slumped against his and she surrendered, letting him drink his fill as her fingers thrust into his hair and held his head still for her own demands. Slowly, he eased back and looked down at her face.

Her lips were swollen and wet. Aqua eyes held a dazed sheen as she stared back at him. “Oh, my,” she whispered. “That was so...good.”

He laughed at her open response. “Believe me now? I want to throw you on that bed and get you naked. Touch and taste every part of your body. Then make you come so hard the only thing you can scream is my name. Get it?”

She nodded, obviously not able to speak.

“But I don't want to scare you. You specifically requested a man who's gentle and non threatening. I have dominant tendencies, but I would never hurt you, Tara. In fact, I'd tear apart the motherfucker who wrecked you for sex and caused you pain.”

He watched her face carefully. There. The glimmer of arousal and need. Tara definitely had submissive tendencies, which he enjoyed in the bedroom. She obviously responded to a commanding attitude, but had been seriously scared off those types of men. He didn't blame her. But he intended to show her what she'd been missing with the right partner.

And he had all night.

“I'm asking you to trust me. Let go of your body and your control, and let me take care of you. I want to show you everything you've been missing. And the moment you tell me to stop, I swear to God I'll take my hands off you. Stop is the word when you panic, Tara. Ok?”

Seconds passed. She chewed on her lip. Indecision flickered over her face, along with a deep need to follow the tempting path before her. Rick waited with all the patience and calm in the world, knowing she had to trust her gut.

“Yes.”

Excitement shimmered in blue depths. Triumph surged through him. He took her hand and led her into the bedroom.