that her unpracticed touch was more erotic than anything he’d felt in years. Of course, Lissa had been a skilled lover. But knowing she’d got her skills from sleeping with dozens of men was something he’d done his best to blot out of his mind.
Anny’s touch was nothing like Lissa’s. As her fingers skimmed over his body, he felt as if she were learning him and reawakening him at the same time.
It was almost like being reborn.
After the drama and trauma of his life with Lissa, he’d deliberately and determinedly shut off that part of himself. He’d refused to touch. Refused to feel.
Until tonight. Now, tonight, with her warm smiles, her gentle demeanor and soft touch, not to mention a certain artless allure that he doubted she was even aware of, Anny had unwittingly opened that door.
She made him feel again. Need again. Ache with desire in a way he hadn’t since he was barely more than a boy. Both of them were connecting with their youthful selves tonight, Demetrios thought as he ran his hands over the line of her ribs, the slight swell of her hip, her long, lovely thigh to her knee, then slowly traced a line up the inside of that same thigh.
She quivered. So did he.
She lifted a hand and drew her fingers lightly down his chest. Lower. And as she did, the heel of her hand brushed against his erection, a simple unintentional touch nearly sending him over the edge.
His breath hissed between his teeth. “Careful,” he said, his voice shaky. “I’m a little overeager tonight. It’s been a long time.”
Her eyes widened. She looked stricken. “Oh! Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, putting the meaning he hadn’t said into the words he had. She started to sit up, to pull away. “I didn’t mean—I should never have—”
But he caught her and held her right where she was. “It’s fine,” he assured her. “More than fine,” he added truthfully. “I’m…looking forward to it.”
And there was an understatement for you.
But Anny didn’t look convinced. “I never thought—”
He shook his head. “Now’s not the time to think.”
He tugged her panties down her endless legs, then stripped his boxers off as well. Her gaze went at once to his erection. She swallowed, then reached out a hand to stroke him.
“Wait. Hang on.” He was gritting his teeth as he reached down to snag his jeans and pull a condom packet from his wallet. With clumsy fingers he sheathed himself quickly, then settled between her thighs.
He wanted to simply dive in, to lose himself in her heat and her softness. But he knew better, knew that as much as he wanted this, really it was for her. And so he forced himself to slow down, to draw a line from her navel south, dipping his fingers between her thighs, watching as her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat.
She was damp, ready. Her body moved restlessly as his fingers probed her. She bit her lip and her fingers knotted in the bed clothes. Her breaths were quick and shallow. His were, too. He was dying with need, but still he waited, touched. Stroked.
And then suddenly Anny ground her teeth and reached for him. “Yes! Now. I need—” The words caught in her throat. She tossed her head.
“What do you need?” Demetrios could barely get his own words past his lips. His voice was as strained an desperate as his body felt.
“Need…you!”
No more than he needed her. He’d reached the end of his endurance, and now he drove into her, felt her stiffen, heard her gasp.
His whole body froze. She couldn’t be! Surely she wasn’t a virgin! For God’s sake! Why on earth would she have thrown her virginity away on one night with him?
It didn’t make sense. He couldn’t think. He could only feel. And want. Still. Then she shifted her body, accommodated him, settled against the mattress and dug her heels into his buttocks, driving him deeper.
He groaned. He had to be wrong. Of course he was wrong. But he tried to move slowly, carefully, to control his desperation.
But Anny’s fingers gripped his shoulders. “It’s all right,” Anny said fiercely through her teeth. “It’s all right,” she said again when he still didn’t move.
“You’re sure? You’re not—I thought you were—” But then she moved beneath him, her body seducing him, driving him insane, shattering the last of his control.
His world splintered as he buried himself inside her. He knew he had left her behind. He had failed.
“Oh!” There was a sudden delighted breathlessness in her voice that made Demetrios lift his head to stare at her.
“Oh?” he echoed warily.
Her face seemed to light up. “It was…wonderful.” She was smiling at him. Even in the dim glow of the streetlamp beyond the window he could see her beaming. He didn’t understand it at all.
“It wasn’t wonderful,” he told her abruptly.
Her smile vanished. “I’m sorry. I thought you…”
“I did. Obviously. And it was amazing for me,” he assured her. “Absolutely.” Mind-blowing in fact. “But that doesn’t excuse my lack of control.”
She smiled and touched a hand to his arm. “I…liked your…lack of control.”
He stared at her. She liked it? He gave a quick disbelieving shake of his head. “I don’t see why,” he muttered.
“Because…because…” But she couldn’t explain it. It was simply enough to know that he’d wanted her, had lost himself in her. “You made me happy,” she told him.
“Yeah?” He still couldn’t quite fathom that. “I’ll make you happier,” he vowed.
And he set about doing just that.
If their first lovemaking had been short and, for him, desperate, this time Demetrios had considerably more finesse. More control. He kissed her thoroughly, taking his time, enjoying the soft sounds she made as he roused her desire. He let her slip the condom on him this time, and tried not to shudder with the desire her soft hands provoked.
She was perfect, fresh, beautiful, and responsive. And Demetrios was determined to give her the memories she’d asked him for.
As he made love to her he thought about the young woman she must have been then, and found himself wishing that he’d known her. At the same time he didn’t imagine she’d changed much. There was an innocent sweetness about her even now. He didn’t let himself think about the future she had predicted for herself. That was her choice—her life—not anything to do with him.
What he could do for her was what she’d asked—give her a night to remember.
He loved her completely, thoroughly, made her need his touch so that finally she clutched at his hips and drew him in.
“Yes.” The word hissed through her teeth
