Anna wrapped her arms about him and let the feeling wash over her. She was intensely aware of everything—of his warm scent, of the feel of his hard muscled arms about her, of the rough feel of his breeches against her bare legs…every inch of her skin tingled with awareness. Her stomach tightened as heat built inside her and she linked a leg over his and pulled him to her. “Anthony, give me…”

It was both a plea and a cry. A shaky laugh escaped him and he raised on one elbow to look down at her. “I shall give, my love, until you can take no more.” Within seconds, his breeches were gone and he lay atop her. “Anna, I want to be gentle, but you have to—”

She placed her fingers to his lips. “No talking.” She moved her hips against his, feeling the strength of his arousal. “I want this,” she whispered, opening her legs to him and running her hands over his arms, his shoulders, to his back and lower.

Anthony buried his face in her neck and groaned. She had no idea what she was doing to him, and he was helpless to resist her. Teeth gritted, he rose over her and positioned himself between her thighs. She waited, her hands curled about his arms, her head tilted back, the lovely line of her throat exposed. God, but she was beautiful. He’d imagined her there, her glorious red hair spread over his pillows, her naked skin gleaming in the late afternoon sun, but the reality was so much sweeter, so much more that it overwhelmed his senses.

But he could not take her without readying her, making sure she received the full enjoyment of the moment. He placed his hand on the plane of her stomach, kissing her neck as he touched her softly, gently, stroking her nether curls with a feather-soft touch. She gasped when his fingers brushed the inside of her thigh and then found the delicate folds. Moist heat dampened his fingers and he gritted his teeth with the urge to bury himself inside her.

She was so beautiful. He stroked her gently, then more firmly, watching as she tossed her head and arched toward him, her breasts rising toward him. Anthony bent and tasted her, taking a nipple in his mouth. He laved it mercilessly, moving his fingers faster, deeper. Within seconds she stiffened, lifting her hips from the bed as the passion took her.

Anthony didn’t wait for her to regain her breath. He lifted himself over her, and then slowly, ever so slowly he held himself against her, each movement taking him further into the heat. Beneath him, Anna moaned softly, wrapping a leg about him as she held him to her. She held nothing back, offering all, and Anthony marveled at her openness.

Suddenly he was moving, rising and falling into the sweetness of her. After a first astonished gasp, Anna quivered, then rose to meet him, enveloping him in a heat that shook him to the core. As he’d expected, she was not a pliant partner, but wild, untamed, nipping at his shoulder, her hands never still as she touched and stroked, her long legs locked about him, as if she would hold him there forever.