Which was a problem. Because she’d already been with a man who’d unleashed himself on her—who hadn’t been able to control himself. And she was putting her trust in him. So yeah, they might finally be going all the way, but losing control was still not an option.

He still needed to keep himself in check.

Tumbling her gently over, he rolled her onto her back, tugging her underwear down her legs as she whisked off her bra and he settled himself between her thighs. He stifled a groan as her legs automatically came up around his hips, her ankles locking tight over his ass, her center perfectly aligned.

Tucker fought the wild urge to plunge straight into her depths, to push inside with a roar and pound them both to climax. His pulse raced as he raised himself up on the flats of his forearms on either side of her head, holding every muscle locked tight. His hands pushed the hair off her forehead as he gazed at her, searching her face for any uncertainty. The light picked up the different shades of blond and gold in her hair and made her nipples pink as cotton candy.

“Tucker.” She squirmed against him.

His breath hitched as her movements stoked his arousal even higher. “Tell me to stop at any time if you need me to,” he said, finding her eyes and locking his gaze. “Okay?”

“Tucker.”

“No.” He shook his head. “I mean it. Any time. It this gets too much—if you start to…remember things…I don’t care if I’m just about to come…I will stop. We can try again another night or not at all. Remember, we don’t have to do this at all.”

She gave him a steely glare. “Oh yes we damn well do.” Raising her head, she blasted Tucker with a kiss that rattled his bones. “I’m not going to break, Tuck,” she said when she finally relinquished his mouth. “I broke once. I’m not ever breaking again. If something’s wrong, I’ll tell you, otherwise don’t stop. Don’t you dare stop.”

Then she kissed him again, flushing pure, hot need straight to his groin, and there were no more reasons to hold back. Tucker forced himself to relax, forced his muscles to loosen, his erection finding the natural notch of her entrance, and, arching his back, he slowly, slowly sank inside her hot, slick channel, groaning into her neck as he seated himself high and hard, right to the hilt.

She gasped, and the air was heavy with their panting as they both absorbed the moment. Tucker recovered first, lifting onto his forearms again. “Okay?” He searched her eyes for any hint of fear or rejection.

Grabbing his face, she dragged his mouth to hers. “Yes,” she muttered against his lips. “Keep going.”