This time, her tongue took the lead, sliding slow and uncertain along the edge of his. He fought back a groan of pure longing. As soon as she moved, he missed her touch. His hands curled around the warm sides of her waist, holding her steady on the wobbly edge of the mattress.

She felt so good everywhere that at first he didn’t notice the slight tugs at his collar were her fingers, unbuttoning his shirt. As soon as her fingertips took their first, soft taste of his skin, he stalled.

She was undressing him. Andra was in his bed and she wasn’t afraid. She wanted him naked, and she maybe even wanted him to touch her, and just . . . him. She’d chosen him.

He gasped raggedly. “Wait.”

He caught her hand and held on to it so she couldn’t think he was rejecting her. This had to be the first time in years she’d put that hand under a man’s shirt.

“I need a minute.” His cock swelled with every one of his heartbeats. The head was so sensitive, he was afraid if he even adjusted himself, he’d explode.

“LJ?” Her voice shook.

He kissed her knuckles without opening his eyes. “Ah, sweet girl . . . The things you make me feel, I—” Earlier, her eyes had widened at even the words “make love,” but that’s the only thing he could think to do right now. He was bursting with it, emotion exploding out of every pore in his skin. He wanted to surround her in pleasure, kissing her with his entire body. But Andra wasn’t ready, and he knew it. Especially not with him half out of his mind with longing.

He was so damned afraid he wasn’t good for her, and that her daddy knew it and would fire his ass. That his mama would get sick and he’d have to go back home. He didn’t want to go back, and he was afraid to leave Andra. He was even more afraid that he should.

He cupped her face in his trembling hands, sliding them down her neck, her shoulders. “Listen, Andie-girl. I need to—I want to—”

She bit her lip, and in her hazy green eyes was all the desire and trepidation that told him he was absolutely right.

“Let me show you,” he whispered.

He shot off the bed, and even the change in position was enough to make his dick throb. He adjusted himself gingerly as he crossed to his saxophone case, opened it, and popped the reed into his mouth. He rolled the reed around, wishing he could taste her instead. He wanted to listen to her gasp as his lips explored her skin. Even if it wasn’t today, they would get there eventually. She had to know there was no one who would cherish her body more carefully than he would.