Rory turned and twined herself around him. “You are such an idiot, Dalton McKay. You didn’t have to do this. I was a sure thing tonight.”
Dalton trapped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. “The only sure thing is that I’ve screwed it up every single time I’ve been nekkid—or partially nekkid—with you. Hell, that first time I don’t think I even took my jeans off all the way.”
“You didn’t. I had the imprint from your belt buckle on my left calf from where you’d pressed my leg into the back of the seat.”
He groaned and rested his forehead to hers, not even sure what to say.
“So are we gonna stand here all night? Or are you gonna give me a peek at your hairy balls on that big bed as we’re surrounded by candlelight?”
Was it any wonder he was so crazy about this woman? “Maybe later. Right now, I want you to let me undress you.”
Rory retreated to squint at him. “What do you mean let you undress me? Why don’t we just rip our clothes—”
“And that, right there, is what I meant.” He drew a line from the tip of her chin to the start of her cle**age. “My pace tonight, jungle girl. And I’ll warn you upfront. That pace is gonna be slow.”
She seemed torn for a minute before she smirked. “Guess we’ll see how long you’ll keep that slow mindset, won’t we?”
“I live for a challenge.” Dalton jerked her against his body and kissed her.
Her mouth opened fully but he denied her the immediate tangling of tongues in a hot soul kiss. Not for any reason besides he intended to take his time with her tonight—even kissing her. He rubbed his lips against hers as their breath mingled. He tracked the soft inside of her upper and lower lip with the inner rim of his, trying to memorize the shape of her mouth.
The strands of her hair slipped through his fingers like silk. He wanted to feel her hair trailing over every inch of his body. His c**k pulsed behind his zipper, totally onboard with the idea.
Rory’s head fell back when he moved his lips to plant soft kisses down her throat. He paused briefly at the base to feel the rapid beat of her pulse.
When his mouth connected with the fabric of her shirt, it needed to go. Dalton released her hair, smoothing his hands up her sides and over the curve of her br**sts, to the top of her blouse. Snap buttons, thank god. After he popped the first one, he placed a kiss on each new bit of exposed flesh as he undressed her. He pushed the shirt down her arms, letting it flutter to the floor.
She wore a girlie yellow bra covered in pink and turquoise polka dots. Lace edged the cups, highlighting her cle**age.
“I like this,” he murmured, bending down to run his tongue along the lace.
“I’d like it if you’d tear it off. Preferably with your teeth.”
“I’ll take it off.”
“Ah, now?”
“Nope.” Dalton dipped his tongue inside the cup.
Rory tried to pull him closer, her hands gripping his hair, mashing his face into her almost bare chest.
He stepped back. “Huh-uh. Hands by your sides.”
“But Dalton.”
“My pace,” he reminded her, pulling her arms down. “And believe it or not, I can go slower.”
Dalton captured her snappish response with his mouth and set his hands on her waist. For being so tall, there wasn’t a bulky thing about her. Rory’s torso was long and lean, flaring into curvy hips and thighs. His fingertips traced the skin above the waistband of her low-cut jeans.
She kissed him harder, her eagerness obvious.
He unhooked the button on her jeans and lowered the zipper. He moved his mouth to her ear. “Lose the jeans, Aurora.”
A delicate shiver rolled through her and she shimmied the denim down her legs.
“I can get it from here.” Dropping to his knees, he kissed her belly as his fingers tugged the denim to her feet.
She kicked them away impatiently.
Dalton stroked the outside of her legs from her anklebone to the lacy edge of her panties. He tipped his head back to look at her. “Damn, woman, you’ve got a set of legs on you.”
“It’s part of why I’m so tall,” she deadpanned.
“Get on the bed.”
He saw the wheels spinning, taking in the inequality situation. Him in jeans, her in a bra and panties.
But whatever had caused that frown line disappeared. She grinned and threw herself back on the bed. Then she spread her legs and crooked her finger at him. “Come and get me, cowboy.”
Chapter Twelve
Rory could get used to seeing that lustful glimmer in Dalton’s eyes.
But she’d really, really like to get his pants off.
“What are you waiting for?” she asked.
“Just soaking in the moment. Convincing myself that you’re really here and this isn’t another damn dream.”
Would he be soft and sweet and loving tonight? Instead of showing that dangerous edge she’d seen in him?
Then he crawled across the mattress toward her—all sinuous movement and animal hunger. Definitely dangerous.
Rory reached for the button on his jeans only to have him circle her wrists and pin her arms above her head.
“I don’t think you realize how serious I am about taking this slow,” he said softly.
“I don’t think you realize how serious I am about us getting naked first.”
“Are you gonna counter everything I say?”
“Are you willing to compromise on the pace?”
“Maybe.” Dalton lowered into a pushup position and slowly rolled his hips. The jean material rubbed the inside of her thighs as he dragged the hard bulge beneath his zipper across the rise of her mound. Over and over. With perfect precision.
She hadn’t realized he’d released her wrists until she arched up, wanting skin-on-skin contact.
He placed a kiss on the top of each breast. As his mouth followed the edge of her bra, Rory clamped her legs around his hips and propelled her body forward, forcing him to roll to his knees.
“Whoa. Neat trick.” Dalton grabbed her ass and hoisted her more securely onto his lap. “All right. Since it’s obvious you ain’t gonna do it entirely my way, lose the bra so I can put my mouth on you.”
Rory ditched her bra in two seconds flat.
“Put your hands on my shoulders and press your tits together so I can get to both those sweet ni**les.”
The instant she moved, his lips encircled one rigid tip. He suckled forcefully, then softly, switching back and forth between her ni**les. He tortured her with his sinfully talented mouth. Scoring her delicate skin with his teeth. Rubbing his cheek and his chin across the tips of her br**sts, nuzzling and then returning to tiny licks.