“Don’t look so depressed. I’m not all that bad.” Defensiveness crept into my tone, sprinkled with how wounded I was feeling.

She tilted her head as she gazed into my eyes. “I know that,” she said softly with a voice as light as a spring breeze. Her lips parted, and she made a little sound between a sigh and a whimper. I stepped closer to her and placed my palms against her flushed cheeks.

“Why me?” she whispered.

“Why you?” My voice was gruff as my raw emotions escaped from their prison cell and threatened to overwhelm me. “Why you?” I repeated.

She nodded, her brown eyes locked on mine.

“Because I can’t stay away. You’re so fucking stunning, so unique, so you. Have pity on me, Geneva. I think about you all the time. I can’t get you out of my mind. No one else interests me. No matter how little they have on or what a great body they have. They don’t have your mind. Your experiences. That thing that makes you you. They wouldn’t take me on a Harley ride to a biker bar. They wouldn’t be able to discuss my games with me. They wouldn’t put my conceited self in my place when I need it. They aren’t you.”

“Do you really mean that?” She sounded breathless and amazed. Welcome to the club, honey.

“Yeah. I also mean this.” I leaned forward and caressed her lips with mine. She moaned against my mouth. Putting my arms around her, I slid her off the barstool and pinned her against the counter with my hips. Tilting my head, I kissed her again, not so gentle this time but more demanding, more needy.

Her tongue teased the tip of mine, and I didn’t resist for a moment. I dived in, exploring, reveling in the feel of her, deepening the kiss.

Geneva arched against me, rubbing against my erection. I lifted her onto the counter and stepped between her spread legs. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me back down for another kiss. Our kisses turned hotter, wilder, messier, as we both unleashed the passion we’d kept on a tight rein for too many weeks.

I slid my hands under the waistband of her jeans and cupped her ass, squeezing and kneading the soft, plump flesh. She felt every bit as good as she had in my numerous fantasies, only better.

“Are we going to do this?” Her voice was husky with lust, which I considered a definite turn-on.

“Yeah, aren’t we?” I moved my mouth from hers to trace little kisses along her jaw to her neck. She tilted her head, encouraging me to nibble on her exposed neck. I tasted and nibbled, but I wasn’t satisfied. I needed to mark her in some age-old claiming of my woman. I sucked the sensitive skin into my mouth, pinching it between my teeth and biting down. I don’t know what kind of reaction I expected, but she didn’t disappoint me. She ground her hips into my dick, causing my boy to twitch and beg for sweet mercy.