He pushed a little deeper and found himself swearing softly, his teeth coming together as her hot, sweet channel closed around the first inch of him like a vise. “Fucking tight, baby,” he whispered, and sank another inch so that his entire crown was totally surrounded by a tight fist of scorching flames. She took his breath away, pushed every ounce of air right out of his lungs.

He forced his body to stay slow, not wanting to be rough with her, but she was killing him. Killing him with some kind of rapture that threatened to take the top of his head off.

She was tense, her muscles taut, and he gently slipped his hands to her thighs. “Open for me, Kitten. Relax and open for me. Let me have you.”

She nodded but it took a moment for her to take a breath and consciously open her knees wider for him. He rubbed the inside of her thighs with a gentle circular motion, waiting for her inner muscles to ease just a little for him. It didn’t happen. She’d given herself to him, but letting him take her was another matter altogether.

Eli withdrew and she gasped, disappointment flaring in her eyes. “I’m trying, Eli,” she whispered. “I really am.”

“I know, baby. I just want this to be good for you. Tell me what’s going on inside that beautiful head of yours. You always talk to me.”

He pushed two fingers into her, stretching gently, finding her clit to stroke with the same gentleness.

“I’m so scared of this. If you’re rough . . .” She trailed off when he shook his head.

“I want to make love to you, just like this. I want to feel every inch of you with my body, and I want you to feel me. This is about giving ourselves to each other, not taking the pleasure as high as it can go. This is about me worshipping your body. Because, Kitten, that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

“I know.” Tears glittered in her eyes. “I can feel it, and it scares me, Eli. Giving myself to you scares me so bad.”

“I know it does,” he said, watching her face as his fingers continued stroking and working her. He watched the helpless pleasure begin to push away the tension in her face. “But you aren’t paying attention, baby. I’m giving myself to you. I’ve never given myself to a woman before. I’ve never taken the time to love her. To be like this with her. This is me, giving myself to you.”

The last of the tension drained from her face and she blinked rapidly to push the tears back. “Then, Eli, you need to be inside of me where you belong,” she whispered softly. “Because I feel empty without you.”