see concern and the heat of anger in his gaze. But the kiss he placed on her lips was gentle.
****
Anger coursed through Drew. He wished Payne were alive for just a few minutes—Enough time to beat the shit out of the bastard. The way Julia had tensed told him more about their relationship than she’d ever said out loud. He’d known the asshole was cold and emotionally abusive, but now he suspected the abuse had been more than mental. “The more I’ve learned about Payne, the more I’ve disliked him, but I’ve never really hated the man until this moment.”
Did she really think he would treat her the same? His heart ached thinking she didn’t know him better. His arousal died in the face of her fear. “You don’t need to be sorry.”
He kissed away a tear that had slipped down her cheek and buried his head in the crook of her neck. Slowly, her arms came up and wrapped around his shoulders. Some of the tension drained from her limbs.
He leaned back, pulling her with him so she lay half on top of him. Her eyes widened as she looked down on him, but the fear he’d glimpsed seemed to have faded.
They needed to talk about this, but how? Should he come right out and ask? Would she tell him anything or be pissed at him for intruding? He sighed.
“I have disappointed you,” she whispered so quietly he had to strain to hear her.
Julia’s frown tore at his heart and made the urge to kick something stronger. “No.” He smiled to show he wasn’t upset with her.
“Then why did you stop?”
“I—” Just say it, dude. Quit stalling. He cleared his throat. “If I hadn’t stopped, you wouldn’t have liked it. You tensed up so much I probably would have hurt you. I’m guessing your husband wasn’t exactly gentle with you?”
She shook her head. A lock of hair fell across her eyes revealing a small scar he’d noticed before. She pushed the curl carefully back in place, smoothing it over the spot. Her hand shook.
“Did he give you that scar?” Please, no. He couldn’t stand the thought.
But she nodded. His hands curled into tight fists. He forced himself to relax. There was no one to take out his rage on, and he needed to be here for Julia.
“I’m sorry. I’ve said it before, but your husband was an asshole. I hate that he hurt you. I wish I could make everything better for you.”
She surprised him with a sweet kiss to his cheek. “You do make everything better. I have never been so happy as I have these past few weeks since your arrival. Never has anyone taken my wishes into such consideration as have you.” She traced her finger along his jaw, then outlined his lips. He caught her finger in his mouth and licked the tip, pleased when she gave a little gasp of pleasure. “I wish to be your wife in all ways. I’m afraid I don’t know how.”
“We’ll take it slow.” He gave her a wicked grin and swung them over so they lay side by side, but he propped himself on an elbow to lean over her. He began with a long, slow kiss that left them both breathless. He pulled back so their lips barely grazed. “We’ll take time to get to know each other better until you’re comfortable with me in your bed. And when you’re ready, I’ll be here.”
He trailed kisses along her jaw, down the elegant curve of her neck, to the pulse pounding at the base of her throat. She tasted sweet and salty all at once. Heaven.
She moaned when he sucked on the tip of her ear and nipped gently. “Yes.” Each breath, each moan, drove him wild. He wanted more. “I want to hear every little moan, every gasp you make as I bring you pleasure. I’m going to taste every inch of you, and you’re going to explore every inch of me.”
He wanted to be inside her with every fiber of his being, but he’d take it slow. He opened the neck of her nightgown and trailed kisses along the edges of the fabric, teasing them both as he skated around her nipples so clearly outlined by the thin fabric.
“And when you’re ready,
****
Anger coursed through Drew. He wished Payne were alive for just a few minutes—Enough time to beat the shit out of the bastard. The way Julia had tensed told him more about their relationship than she’d ever said out loud. He’d known the asshole was cold and emotionally abusive, but now he suspected the abuse had been more than mental. “The more I’ve learned about Payne, the more I’ve disliked him, but I’ve never really hated the man until this moment.”
Did she really think he would treat her the same? His heart ached thinking she didn’t know him better. His arousal died in the face of her fear. “You don’t need to be sorry.”
He kissed away a tear that had slipped down her cheek and buried his head in the crook of her neck. Slowly, her arms came up and wrapped around his shoulders. Some of the tension drained from her limbs.
He leaned back, pulling her with him so she lay half on top of him. Her eyes widened as she looked down on him, but the fear he’d glimpsed seemed to have faded.
They needed to talk about this, but how? Should he come right out and ask? Would she tell him anything or be pissed at him for intruding? He sighed.
“I have disappointed you,” she whispered so quietly he had to strain to hear her.
Julia’s frown tore at his heart and made the urge to kick something stronger. “No.” He smiled to show he wasn’t upset with her.
“Then why did you stop?”
“I—” Just say it, dude. Quit stalling. He cleared his throat. “If I hadn’t stopped, you wouldn’t have liked it. You tensed up so much I probably would have hurt you. I’m guessing your husband wasn’t exactly gentle with you?”
She shook her head. A lock of hair fell across her eyes revealing a small scar he’d noticed before. She pushed the curl carefully back in place, smoothing it over the spot. Her hand shook.
“Did he give you that scar?” Please, no. He couldn’t stand the thought.
But she nodded. His hands curled into tight fists. He forced himself to relax. There was no one to take out his rage on, and he needed to be here for Julia.
“I’m sorry. I’ve said it before, but your husband was an asshole. I hate that he hurt you. I wish I could make everything better for you.”
She surprised him with a sweet kiss to his cheek. “You do make everything better. I have never been so happy as I have these past few weeks since your arrival. Never has anyone taken my wishes into such consideration as have you.” She traced her finger along his jaw, then outlined his lips. He caught her finger in his mouth and licked the tip, pleased when she gave a little gasp of pleasure. “I wish to be your wife in all ways. I’m afraid I don’t know how.”
“We’ll take it slow.” He gave her a wicked grin and swung them over so they lay side by side, but he propped himself on an elbow to lean over her. He began with a long, slow kiss that left them both breathless. He pulled back so their lips barely grazed. “We’ll take time to get to know each other better until you’re comfortable with me in your bed. And when you’re ready, I’ll be here.”
He trailed kisses along her jaw, down the elegant curve of her neck, to the pulse pounding at the base of her throat. She tasted sweet and salty all at once. Heaven.
She moaned when he sucked on the tip of her ear and nipped gently. “Yes.” Each breath, each moan, drove him wild. He wanted more. “I want to hear every little moan, every gasp you make as I bring you pleasure. I’m going to taste every inch of you, and you’re going to explore every inch of me.”
He wanted to be inside her with every fiber of his being, but he’d take it slow. He opened the neck of her nightgown and trailed kisses along the edges of the fabric, teasing them both as he skated around her nipples so clearly outlined by the thin fabric.
“And when you’re ready,
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