His fingers hooked onto her pajama bottoms. “Lift.”

“Say please.” Her voice didn’t wobble for which she was glad.

“Please.” He grinned and slowly dragged the soft cotton down her legs. Next thing she knew she was wearing nothing except a thong.

Thankfully the drapes were closed and the lights were dimmed because Yael was not nor had any desire to be an exhibitionist and the idea of stopping this terrified her. She was reserved and slow to trust but somehow, she trusted this guy. Enough to have sex with him anyway. She couldn’t imagine him wanting to stick around once the case was over. This might be her one chance to physically enjoy this man.

His gaze was so intense she bit her lip. He kissed her stomach. Then the tattoo of a raven on her hip and the other one of a snake on the inside of her wrist. “I like these.”

Of course, he did.

He traced his tongue lower, over her hip bone and she tensed knowing where he was going and wanting him there but being nervous too. She thought about her vibrator upstairs. It had plenty of plus points but had never gone down on her on the kitchen counter—which happened to be a fantasy she’d believed would remain mysterious and unfulfilled.

He draped her legs over his shoulders and dipped his tongue along the side of her barely there panties.

She shot up.

He laughed. “Relax. I want to make you feel good.”

What she was feeling wasn’t good. It was a mix of clawing desire and desperate want. It left good in the dust, along with dry white wine and potato chips. This felt like diamonds and fairy dust. Like castles and dreamscapes. It felt incredible.

His short hair gleamed and the stubble of his jaw scraped her skin in a way that made her toes curl. Her eyes closed and her mouth opened on a soft gasp. He licked and kissed until she lay prone against the cold marble feeling nothing except the slow drag of his tongue over her most sensitive flesh, wanting nothing except for it to last forever even as she wanted more of him. All of him.

His fingers sank inside her and the need built higher and higher, sensation coiling like a spring. She wrapped one leg around his neck knowing she was speeding toward climax faster than she’d ever gotten there before.

He ignored her not so subtle urging and took his time.

“Shane.” She didn’t beg. She didn’t remember ever wanting this desperately in the past. Sex was usually fast fumbles in the dark with people she planned to never see again. Right now, she wanted this man inside her more than she’d ever wanted anything in her entire adult life.