care as he gathered her close. Her kisses grew bolder. Christine pushed his jacket off his broad shoulders and unbuttoned his shirt as he kicked off his shoes. She stripped him quickly before she lost her nerve. She felt the strength of his muscular chest and his hard arousal. She rocked her hips with anticipation, and Travis groaned against her mouth. She didn’t speak as he slowly peeled her clothes from her body. It was as if he was unwrapping a gift. By the time she was naked, she was trembling and craving his touch. She was desperate for his mouth. For him. Travis led her to the bed and lowered her gently as if she was a delicate treasure. Her spine sank into the soft mattress and she drew him down with her. Travis lay at her side, watching her intently as she explored his body with her hands and mouth. She learned what made him sigh with pleasure and what made him clench with barely leashed restraint. Most of all, she discovered Travis’s patience matched her insatiable curiosity. When Travis couldn’t take it anymore, he covered her body with his. Christine wrapped her hands around his penis and couldn’t suppress the ripple of excitement. She loved the feel of him, enjoyed the pulsating heat and strength under her fingertips. “Tell me what you want,” Christine said as she arched against him. She pressed her mouth against his throat and felt his fast pulse under her lips. “Show me how you feel,” Travis said huskily. “Don’t hold back.” Christine reached for his hands, which were flattened on the bed next to her head. She laced her fingers with his and held on tight. She tilted her head and sought his mouth. Christine gave him the sweetest kiss. She didn’t want to hold back but she was scared. The sensations swirling inside her felt stronger than her. The coiling desire held such promise but she fought it. She knew if she allowed it to take over, she would never be the same. Travis ended the kiss and looked into her eyes. His eyes glittered with an intensity that made her pause. He seemed mesmerized by the emotions chasing across her face. Christine didn’t want to be the same person she had been before this trip. She wanted to feel, to know. She knew he would guide her to the height of pleasure and hold her when she fell. Travis would take care of her and not let go. * * * T RAVIS WAS INSTANTLY aware of the moment she yielded. She whispered and sighed as he caressed her. She encouraged him with incomplete sentences when he explored her with his mouth. Soon she guided him with her hands. He knew what she wanted with the roll of her hips and the arch of her spine. His body strained for completion as he stared into Christine’s eyes. He couldn’t get enough of her untamed reactions. He wanted to capture this rare moment. Travis quickly slipped on protection and settled between her legs as the lust kicked hard. Victory and gratitude rushed through his veins, but when he held Christine’s gaze, he was humbled by her trust. He was going to do everything he could to be worthy of it. Worthy of her. Travis grasped her hips and sank into her welcoming body. He tilted his head back as the primitive instincts stormed through him. Christine’s eyes glimmered with stark need as she bucked beneath him. The fascination he felt for this woman almost scared him. He thrust into her and shuddered at the sound of her earthy groan. He knew once she submitted to him that she would reach a new level of pleasure. He thrust again and watched in awe as Christine climaxed in his arms. She hid nothing. He saw the reckless spirit in her eyes as she went wild beneath him. She was fire—primal, uninhibited beauty. He couldn’t hold on for much longer, but he wanted more. He needed more time to explore this connection and this woman. As the scorching pleasure ripped through him, Travis knew he had to convince Christine to stay. * * * T HE NEXT MORNING , Christine stared at the alarm clock on the bedside