She shook her head, frowning a little. “That’s you, or maybe her. That’s not me.”

He kissed her neck. Kissed the fluttery pulse right there on her throat. He couldn’t help himself, he had to feel it under his lips, the one little spot that confirmed she was alive, was his, lying there under him, looking up at him with her beautiful eyes.

“That’s all you, Catarina. Your body knows I’m here to stay. Let me back in, sweetheart. Take another chance on me.”

He kissed his way down the valley between her breasts, feeling her shiver again as the shadow on his face rasped against her sensitive skin.

“This isn’t okay, Eli.” Her hands curled around his shoulders and she pushed, without really exerting much effort.

“What, baby? What’s not okay?”

“This. You. This is different.” Fear crept into her voice.

He swept his hand down her body, his palm absorbing the warmth of her satin skin. Already there were dewdrops in the tight curls guarding treasure. He slipped his finger deep. She was tight. She was always tight. Sometimes, he thought he might not make it inside her she was so damn tight. But always, always, she was slick and hot and ready for him.

He nuzzled her breast gently, using the rough hairs along his jaw to stimulate her more. He loved the way her body was so responsive. He was the one drowning. He’d been so busy trying to convince her to fall for him, he hadn’t realized just how far he’d fallen. He couldn’t help himself.

He used both hands to shape her body, to slide over every lush curve and trace every rib along her narrow rib cage. She was his. All his. She might be afraid, and she might be on the verge of running, but when he had her under him, she belonged to him.

He should have taken her gently the first time. Like this. Like she feared he was doing. The rough, hard sex she could blame on their cats, but this, this was all them. The man. The woman. And it terrified her. He didn’t take his gaze from hers and her every emotion was there for him to see. Pain. Fear. Need. Even the beginnings of the love he’d seen before, there in the warehouse. That’s what scared her. That’s what had her hands pushing at his shoulders. She could take his orders. She could take his rough. She couldn’t handle sweet or gentle.

“Eli. This isn’t right,” she whispered again.

“This is exactly right, Cat. This is what you deserve. Slow and easy and loving.” He kissed his way back up to her mouth. A sweet, fantasy mouth that left him breathless and gave him one too many erotic images playing in his head all the time.