Alex was almost mad with desire, and yet in the back of it all he felt ecstatic. This was it—heaven, the closest he’d been to heaven since he made love to his girl-in-the-garden. And this time was so much better than the garden, because it was his Charlotte who lay under him, her head thrown back, sweat glimmering on her throat, her red lips opening in shattered moan after moan. God, he knew she would be a fiery lover.

Then rational thought deserted him. Charlotte’s hands fluttered from their snug circle around his neck and slowly found their way down his naked back to the curve of his waist where his muscled buttocks flared. Alex groaned as her hands curiously swept down as far as they could go, finally sliding to the side and coming back up. He grabbed her hands and held them over her head, rubbing his lips across hers.

She opened her eyes. “I want to touch you too,” she whispered. Alex almost lost his control on the spot.

“No,” he said huskily. “You’re driving me mad, Charlotte. Next time.” He caught up both of her wrists in one of his huge hands and dropped his other hand down to her waist. Then he began slowly to haul up her nightdress, watching her eyes for signs of fear. All he saw was dazed, innocent longing. In fact, Charlotte didn’t even notice what he was doing. Her body felt as if it weren’t hers anymore. Her breasts felt heavier, prickly, alive. Her legs had become a pool of liquid fire. The only thing she could think about was pulling Alex on top of her … feeling him rub his heavy weight against her again. Her stomach twisted with longing. She whimpered, and opened her eyes.

“Alex,” she whispered, “please!”

Her nightdress was at her waist. Alex’s hand dipped into the sweet enclosure between her thighs and a shudder of sweat broke out over his body. She was ready … she was more than ready. On her part, Charlotte let out a half shriek as his finger sank into her warm depths. She sobbed out loud, her breathing labored.

Alex positioned himself over her, rubbing himself against her. Charlotte’s eyes were fastened desperately on his, her body taken over by a throbbing, aching need. Alex slid slowly inside her, rigidly controlling every movement. He was planning the slowest, most gentle first time that any woman ever experienced. He went about a third of the way in and then began to withdraw. But Charlotte whimpered and clutched his shoulders with a heartfelt “No….”

Alex looked down at her. Charlotte’s face was wild with desire, transformed. He leaned down to kiss her and her mouth opened vulnerably to his invasion. She arched against him again, and he burst free. For the first time in his adult life Alexander Foakes completely lost control.