anxious to get inside her.
“Yeah. Nice.” Then she giggled.
Smiling, Axel lifted his head. “It’s funny?”
“Astounding.” She drew a deep breath and let it out, dropping her head back with a groan. “Man, I had no idea. You make it seem so easy.”
Somewhat lost, Axel said, “It?”
She sat up a little and smiled, touched his face. “The whole sex thing. Especially the satisfaction part.”
More confused by the second, he tilted his head. “I’m not following you.”
She grinned, gave him a smooching kiss, and said, “That was my first. Orgasm, I mean.”
Oh. Well…Pride swelled his chest. “You must have been out with some bozos, then.”
Shaking her head, she said, “No, actually, I meant…well, I shouldn’t admit this. It’s sort of embarrassing.”
No way in hell would he let her get away with not telling him now. “It’s dark. It’s just us.” He smoothed back her hair, cradled her cheek. “No secrets.”
She hesitated, then finally said, “I’ve never been with a guy.”
Oh shit.
His stomach bottomed out and his heartbeat went into double time. Like every guy everywhere, some really awesome woman-on-woman sex scenes crowded his already turned-on brain. “You mean you’re a…?”
“No!” She laughed, swatted at him. “I’m not gay. I meant that I’m a virgin.”
His blood ran cold. No, hell no. He pulled back, appalled. “Tell me you’re making that up.”
“Of course I’m not.” Then, with a chilling frown and a stiffened spine: “Is that a problem?”
“Uh…” Hell yes, it was a problem. He avoided virgins almost as much as he avoided associates. Rather than answer, he asked another question. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-one.”
Dear God, he was robbing the cradle. He had sweatshirts older than her. Hell, he might even have underwear older than her.
As if she’d turned red-hot, he jerked his hands back and held them up. “I didn’t realize. That is, you look older.”
“What difference does it make?” She sat straight, perched on his lap, her breasts still bare, her pants still around her knees.
Oh God, oh God. “Could you, maybe…” Talk about awkward. “Get up?” He groaned. “And get dressed.”
Clearly affronted, her chin tucked in. “You’re kidding, right?”
“I wish.” He couldn’t believe that he, Axel Dean, sexual addict, known hedonist, had given such an order. Especially with his boner still prodding her sweet behind. His brother would laugh his ass off. Cary, his best friend, would faint from shock. But he absolutely could not do this.
The little darling on his lap didn’t budge. “If this is because I’m a virgin—”
“And a baby.”
“I am not a baby.”
Proof positive right there. “You’re defensive as only the young can be.” He bodily lifted her from his lap and hastened to stand. His legs shook. Damn, he was horny. She’d given him a fantasy, then ripped it away with a cold dash of reality.
Women could be so cruel.
“Look,” he said, starting to worry. “Let’s forget this, okay? No need to tell anyone—”
“And you called me a baby?” She yanked her pants up so hard, she almost lifted herself off her feet. “You can relax, you…you…tease.”
“Tease!”
She zipped and buttoned with undivided fury. “I have no intention of telling anyone that I was stupid enough, gullible enough, ridiculous enough to let you touch me.”
Now he started to feel offended. “Gullible?”
“Exactly. I thought you had other intentions. You misled me.”
Axel leaned close. “You ungrateful brat. I made you come.”
“Ha! You pulled up short, that’s what you did.”
Oh, now she insulted his ability. Eyes narrowed, Axel accused, “You liked it.”
Nose to nose with him, she said, “Prove it.” Then she sneered, “Oh wait, you’re afraid to. Virgins terrify you.”
Heat and embarrassment reddened his face. Voice wooden, he snarled, “They don’t terrify me. They just complicate things.”
“If I hadn’t told you, you wouldn’t even have known.”
“Bullshit. I knew.” Sorta. He had noticed how tight she was, and that awe in her face when the orgasm took her spoke volumes, but…
“You had no idea until I stupidly spilled my guts. And here I’d figured you for an experienced man. I thought I could have a little fun, learn a few things, then never have to see you again.”
Of all the outlandish plans. “You were going to use me?”
“Mutual use.” She sniffed as she stabbed her shirt back into the waistband of her pants. “But you had to go and ruin everything.”
“Not everything,” Axel told her in a haze of anger. “You still don’t ever have to see me again.”
“Thank God for small favors.” She turned her back and bent over.
Staring at that sexy, upturned rump, Axel sucked in his breath, caught between taking her after all, and giving her a swift swat for her rudeness.
She felt around on the ground until she located the matches, then straightened. “With any luck,” she yelled, starting along the path again, “you’ll be long gone before I return from lighting the torches.”
“You can bet I will be,” Axel hollered right back. Then he realized he had yelled and drew himself up. Shit, he shouldn’t be making so much noise. He glanced up at the house, but luckily he didn’t see faces pressed to the glass, trying to determine the cause of the commotion.
He turned, stomping back toward the house, praying his erection would be gone before he reached it. But it was so dark out. And that stubborn little female was so small…
Guided by a conscience he hadn’t known existed, he hung back, lingering in the shadows, watching her. He told himself he’d make sure she got back to the house safe. Yeah, it was gentlemanly concern that kept him watching her. That’s all.
He sure as hell wasn’t interested in a virginal post-teen.
He
