"Carter?"

"Hmm?" I ask, my fingers digging into her skin, my tongue racing around her nipple.

"Why am I naked and you're fully clothed?"

"Because." I bite down on her nipple, her chest rising from the nibble. "I told you I was going to make it up to you. That means I need you naked."

"I'm feeling a little self-conscious."

"No need to. You're fucking gorgeous."

"Not just about being naked." Her voice wavers with nerves so I sit up, begrudgingly giving her nipple a rest.

"What's going on?"

Looking away, she mumbles something I can't quite hear.

"You're going to have to speak up, Snowflake. Didn't quite catch that."

Still avoiding eye contact, this time her hands going over her eyes, she talks past her palms. "I was hoping to go all the way with you." Even with her hands blocking her face, I can tell she's embarrassed.

Her request knocks me back a few pegs. Go all the way with her. That's a giant responsibility, and I'm not sure I'm the right man for it. I know the difference between us; I'm not blind in thinking she's on the same playing field as me. She's not. She's on an entirely different level of potential.

I know there is someone better out there for her, someone who isn't doomed to be a line cook the rest of his life. Someone who has a future, who doesn't carry around a bottle of rage with him, who is one step up from living in the gutter.

But hell, I don't want her to be with anyone else. And I sure as shit don't want anyone else touching her, being the one to take her virginity. The notion of that happening gives me blind rage. I wasn't fucking around when I said she was my girlfriend.

"You have to say something. I'm dying inside right now."

Those eyes, those lips, that heart. Fuck, I have to have it all.

Own you. I'm going to do that. I'm a selfish prick wanting to fulfill my own agenda. I own up to that, and I'm taking what I want. Daisy. I want all of her.

Sitting up, I keep my eyes fixed on her as I reach behind me and grab my shirt, pulling it over my head and tossing it to the side. Daisy's reaction is priceless as she takes me in, from my multiple tattoos that mean nothing more than the trials and tribulations I've gone through, to my well-defined chest that I work hard to obtain, especially given my profession of having to taste food constantly.

"That better?"

She swallows hard, her throat constricting and releasing. "Uh, you still have your jeans on."

I settle between her legs. "Yeah, we'll get to that, but first, I need to taste you." I lower my head only for her legs to clamp my head in a viselike lock. With my index finger I tap her on the stomach, as if I'm knocking for entrance. "You've got to unclench there, sweet cheeks."

"I'm nervous," she responds, her voice shaky, knocking me back on my knees.

Fuck, this is going to be hard. I want to devour her but I need to also take my time. Her body deserves to be worshipped.

"No need to be nervous, Snowflake. It's me. I'm not going to hurt you."

She nods, tears welling in her eyes.

"Hey." Lining up our bodies, I move so I'm hovering just above her, my face next to hers. "Don't cry. We don't have to do this. I'm happy with just making out with you. Maybe a little boob grab." I smirk, trying to lighten the mood.

"I want to do this. I'm just nervous."

"That's normal. I really don't mind waiting, Daisy. I don't want you to think we have to do this. Like I said, your lips on mine make me one happy man."

She shakes her head. "Thank you, but I want to move to the next step. Do you want to have sex with me?"

She's so vulnerable right now, so unsure. How could that be possible? I thought I'd made a pretty good point in showing her how much I want her. Guess I need to try harder.

"Do I want to have sex with you?" My hand slides down her ribcage and back up again where it circles her nipple. Her breath hitches from the light touch of my finger pads. "Do I want to own this body as my own?" One circle, two, three, and then a pinch. Her chest rises. "Do I want to know what it feels like to have you connect with me in the most intimate way possible?" My lips trail kisses down her neck to her breasts where I run my tongue along her hardened nubs, squeezing her with every lap. "More than fucking anything. I want you more than anything. I crave you, like a piece of me is missing that only you can fill."

Pulling all my focus to her chest, I try to get her to relax, and with every kiss, every suck, every squeeze, she does just that. Her head rests into the pillow, her legs spread wide, her center casually riding against my jean-clad leg, and her hands find my head where her fingers tangle with my hair.

I continue to pay attention to her nipples because, fuck, she has amazing tits. You would've never known in those quilted vests and turtlenecks.

Feeling her body start to relax, I work my way back down her stomach, my hands still working her breasts to keep her distracted, my lips tasting her sweet skin. It's so soft, so velvety.

I get lost in the way she moves under me with each touch of my lips, the little faint sounds coming from her sweet mouth, and the way her hands rifle through my hair, as if she's unsure how else to handle the thoughts and feelings rushing through her.

There is no pause in my actions. I flow from her stomach, past her pubic bone, straight to her slick center. This woman-so perfect in my hands, so beautiful. I can't keep myself from diving in. With my fingers, I spread her lips and dip my tongue. I catch her off guard because she leaps in place, her hands no longer in my hair. I don't give her much time to think, though, because with my spare hand, I press down on her stomach, giving her no wiggle room while I lap her up and down. God, she tastes so sweet on my tongue.

Yes, I knew she would taste so fucking good. I could tell she would have the sweetest damn pussy. Her taste spurs me on, along with her cries. I trade between long leisurely strokes to short quick flicks across her nub, that tight bundle of nerves.

"Oh my gosh. Oh God." Her hips undulate. "Oh God!" She gets louder.

Yes. Hearing her makes me so damn hard. Tasting her makes me want to come right here, pants on. I try not to think about what lies ahead because I will lose it.

"Carter, oh my God. It feels so good. I . . . I, oh God." Her scream echoes through my empty apartment. Her legs try to clamp around me again, and she squirms beneath me, her orgasm racing through her.

Watching her fall apart-her mouth open, her eyes closed tight, her hands in fists-fuck, it's unbelievable. An image I'll never be able to erase from my mind.

I don't give her much time to recuperate, because I want her to feel as relaxed as possible for this next part.

Standing from the bed, I undo my belt, my eyes intent on hers, and then shuck off my jeans, my erection stretching the crotch of my boxer briefs. Shock registers across Daisy's face in the most adorable way. Fuck, it makes me want to forget about my underwear and kiss her some more. But there will be time for that; we are running on borrowed time.

"You sure about this, Snowflake?"

She nods slowly, staring at my erection. I'm going to take that as a hell yes.

Giving her a show, I remove my boxer briefs and start stroking myself, only a few pulls though because I'm already on edge from feeling Daisy come on my tongue. In a box on the side of my bed, I find a condom that I quickly put on and then kneel on the bed in front of Daisy. Her skin is burned from my five-o'clock shadow, her lips swollen from my kisses, and her eyes wide with anticipation.

Taking the head of my cock, wanting to relax her a little bit more, I run it along her already wet slit, making sure to skim her nub. Like expected, her head melts once again into the mattress, her legs relax apart, giving me more access. I take advantage, using my cock as a tease against her sensitive clit.

Even though I know this feels good for her, and it's doing exactly what I want it to, it's fucking torture. So close, but never quite hitting the mark. My dick wants to punch itself from the torture. Just a few more passes. That's all. Just a few more until . . .

The tip slides past her hole and I squeeze my eyes shut. Fuck, so close. Deep breaths. Take it slow.

Controlled, I ask, "Are you ready, Snowflake? It's probably going to hurt at first. If it does too much, let me know and we'll stop, okay?"

"Okay," she says, her voice growing nervous again.

"Promise you will tell me to stop if you want me to."

"I promise."

I lean down and kiss her, moving my tongue against hers before saying, "Good girl. Now relax, I got you."

She takes a deep breath and nods, giving me permission. Gritting down on my teeth, knowing this is going to be torturously good, I draw a few circles around her with the tip of my cock until I enter, one small inch at a time.

"Oh." She shifts on the bed.

"Deep breaths, Snowflake," I say tensely, her pussy already squeezing the head of my cock.

Slowly, I move inside her, a wince with each press forward. "Are you okay?"

With her lips pressed tightly together, she nods. Yeah, she doesn't seem okay. She needs to relax a little bit more, especially if I'm going to go any deeper.

Knowing how to get her to calm down, I press my lips against hers seductively, leisurely, opening my mouth and allowing my tongue to do most of the work, never letting her come up for breath. I get lost in her kiss, in the way she isn't shy about matching the movements of my tongue. I could make out with this woman all day long. All night long. It's so damn contradicting, knowing her innocent little smile belongs to these sinful lips. And fuck if I don't feel like the luckiest bastard on earth right now. She's mine.

Her tension eases, allowing me more access, my cock slipping farther into her. With one last push, wanting to get it over with, I enter her fully. A gasp pops out of her mouth followed by a wince. Her eyes water and I instantly regret my move.

"Shit, are you okay?"

"Yes." She breathes heavily. "It hurt for a second. I just," she pauses, "I feel so full."

Damn if that doesn't make me beam with pride.

"The best kind of full, Snowflake. I'm going to take this slow, okay?"

She nods. With all the fucking willpower in the world, I move my hips slowly in and out. It's unbearable, she's so damn tight, so fucking sexy, and I'm going to come much faster than I want.

"Oh my gosh, Carter," she moans.

Yup, just that little moan has my balls tightening. Not fucking yet. Christ, man.

I stop moving my hips, my cock throbbing inside her, so I can kiss her some more, which seemed like a good idea until her tongue seeks out mine, tangling and mating like tomorrow's the end of the world.

Fuck me.

Involuntarily, my hips start moving again, the pace slightly faster than before. Shit, I try to slow myself down, but my dick has taken over, my brain losing the battle of wills.

"Yes, this feels so good."

Okay, I've got to kick her up to speed with me because in about twenty seconds, I will be coming so fucking hard.

I move my hand between us and start massaging that perfect little clit of hers, her orgasm from before providing lubrication.

"What? Oh my God!" Her upper body shoots up off the bed in surprise, only to fall back down. The pillow behind her covers her face, pleasure ripping through her as she screams, my finger doing most of the work, my cock going along for the ride. I know when she comes because her walls clench me so damn tight, I feel like I can't move in and out of her anymore.

That's it. My balls leap up inside me, pure euphoria races through me, causing all limbs to go numb, my sole focus on the pleasure ripping through my cock.

Blackness encompasses me, the silent moans of Daisy barely registering as I continue to pump over and over again, coming so damn hard I think my dick is going to break off. I don't moan or scream or really say anything vocal during sex, but with Daisy, I find her name rolling off my tongue as if it's the most natural thing.

Still connected, I press my bare chest against hers and cup her face, concerned that in my moment of obscurity, I lost control and hurt her.

"Are you okay?" I kiss her nose, really hoping I didn't hurt her.

Her heady, lustful smile stretches across her beautiful face. "I'm perfect."

"You sure?"

She nods, easing my heart. And then she says, "Um, can we do that tongue thing again?" Her face burns red. So endearing.

I chuckle and kiss her again, my thumbs rubbing her cheeks. "We can do that tongue thing anytime you want. Do you know why?"

She shakes her head, her eyes bright, waiting for an answer.

"Because, you taste like sweet honey, Snowflake, and I'm fucking addicted." So. Fucking. Addicted.

HOLLYN.

Shots were not a good idea.

Thankfully I didn't do them, but Amanda, yikes! It took me an hour to get her up to her bedroom and changed, only to have her puke on her clothes. I changed her again, gave her lots of water, made her pee, and then tucked her in bed.

The only reason I feel comfortable leaving her alone right now and going back to my place is because we ran into her friend Lindsay at the bar who joined us in celebration. The plan was for Daisy to stay with her, but that idea was nixed when Carter swept in out of nowhere and stole her away. Amanda is a hopeless romantic like Daisy, so she didn't care. I also think Amanda had no idea what was going on, because when we were at the bar she kept talking about how Daisy was in the bathroom for so long and maybe we should check on her intestines. Somehow she got in her head that Daisy was having some intestinal issue. I let it ride. I was too tired to correct her.

Either way, I'm dragging my dead body up the stairs of my apartment, digging through my purse for my keys.

"Hey."

"Jesus." I jump from the sound of a familiar male voice. Gripping my heart, I take in Jace, who's sitting on the steps in front of my apartment. "What are you doing here?"

Not saying a word, he stands and pulls me up to the landing where he cups the back of my neck and pulls me in for a searing, mind-blowing kiss, a kiss so powerful, I drop the keys from my hand and mold my body into his.

Just as I'm getting settled into this new comfort, forgetting everything I previously said to him, he steps back from me, leaving me feeling empty, lost.

Touching my lips, I look up at his strong features hidden under his baseball hat. By the determination in his eyes, I can tell he isn't going to make it easy on me to keep denying him.

"I needed that," he huffs, lifting his hat quickly to run his hand through his hair. When his hat is settled again, he says, "Mind telling me what's going on?"

"I was at a bachelorette party."

"Hollyn, I swear to God, do not fucking lie to me right now. I'm not in the mood." He lifts his hat again and that's when I catch a glimpse of the bruising under his eye.

"Do you have a black eye?" I step closer to examine his face.

"Yeah, doesn't matter. I want to know what's running through that pretty, yet frustrating head of yours."