“You don’t have to be afraid with me. I promise.” I kissed her, and she opened up to me in a way she’d never done before. Jesus, I wanted to ravish her right there on the dance floor. I held her close to me until the song finished, and then whispered, “Let’s go home, Val. I want to bury myself inside you.”

Her eyes widened, and her gaze fell to my lips. Then she licked her own and nodded. We were out in minutes.

The second we made it to her bedroom, I skimmed my thumb over her bare shoulder, then placed a kiss in the same spot. I wanted to map her body with my hands and my mouth, discover what made her wild with lust, and then I’d be the only one holding the key to her pleasure.

I captured her mouth at the same time I gathered the fabric of her dress in my hand, grabbing more and more until I felt the smooth skin of her legs under my fingers. I inched one hand upward between her thighs until my thumb reached her panties. She whimpered and then moaned when I pushed the fabric to one side, touching bare skin. She was so aroused that my control instantly slipped away. I almost took her against the door. I stopped kissing her only long enough to pull the dress over her head. Then I took care of my shirt while frantically unbuckling my belt. The rest of my clothes went away in minutes.

“Carter!”

“I want you so much.”

I took a step back to admire her, sweeping my gaze over her body slowly, taking in every curve, how luscious that black lace looked against her pale skin.

I wanted to touch and kiss and stroke, but where to begin? Taking her hand, I led her from the door to the bed.

“Lie down on the bed, Val.”

Her eyes widened as she first sat, then moved to the center of the bed, propping herself on her elbows. Her knees were pressed together, but when I climbed on the bed, I wrapped one hand around each ankle, moving them apart. I touched and kissed her legs, nipping at her inner thighs until Val gasped.

“Carter, please.”

I smiled against her skin, inching ever so slowly to her center.

When I reached the apex, I moved onto her belly, continuing my exploration upward to her breast. I drew circles with my tongue around her nipples, occasionally sucking each into my mouth. She shuddered every time I did.

Her hands were everywhere: on my chest, my arms, my back. And then Val wrapped her palm around my erection, pressing her thumb on the crown.

“Val, baby!”

I watched as we stroked each other. I slid one hand between her parted thighs, in her panties, stroking one finger inside her, and then another one.