He pressed against her sex, and she released him, settling back with her head on the pillow. She swallowed at the pressure. “Relax,” he murmured, balancing on his elbows and dipping his head to kiss her, his lips firm and his tongue teasing.

She softened against the bed, breathing him in, widening her thighs to make more room.

“There you go,” he whispered, licking along the shell of her ear. “We have all night, Grace. No hurry.” He pushed in another inch, stretching her and shooting sparks of painful need throughout her body. He waited, kissing her nose, her eyelids, and her chin before easing in another inch.

Her body protested the invasion, even as she wanted more of him. Confusion filtered through her, and she grasped his hips.

He lifted up. “We can stop if you want.”

“No,” she exploded, lifting her knees to trap him and then wincing at the ensuing pain. “If you stop, I’ll kill you. For real.” She meant it, damn it. They had to fit somehow, right? They were meant to fit. “Maybe you should just go for it.” So far, her body had accommodated his.

“I’m not gonna hurt you if I don’t need to.” He lowered his forehead to hers, his arms visibly pulsating as he held himself back.

The protectiveness in the statement, spoken in his garbled and pained voice, eased her as nothing else could have. She took a deep breath and relaxed her body, going soft, letting him take over. He’d asked for trust before, but she hadn’t completely understood how all-encompassing that might be. Now she gave it to him. “I’m all right.” She reached up and drew his head down, kissing him and licking along his firm lips.

He kissed her back, taking over, diving them both so deep she forgot about the pain and the pressure. Slowly, he took her, kissing, nipping, and licking her neck and ears and mouth until finally, he was fully embedded inside her.

She caressed his chest, her legs wide, her body overtaken by his. “Wow,” she whispered.

His chuckle against her neck was pained.

She bit the top of his ear. “I’m ready, Adare,” she whispered, scraping her nails down his back and nipping them at the small of his waist. Indulging herself and challenging him, she reached lower and drilled her nails into his tight butt, making her own marks.

He lifted up, his gaze soft, his body impossibly hard. Then he started to move.

Finally.

He went slowly at first, his gaze intense, watching her reactions, trying his best not to hurt her. The pain was delicious, melding with pleasure, his restraint driving her need even higher than it had been before. He increased his speed and his thrusts, and the thrill took her, pinning her in this one moment in time that felt too good to ever leave.