Hallie's gaze slid to the bed.

How on earth was she going to do this?

By the time he'd finished in the bathroom and Hallie had had her turn and slipped into her Mickey Mouse singlet and boxers-for-girls she had it figured. Fortunately, Nick wasn't in bed yet. He was standing at the window, a dark silhouette against the night sky, and if she thought he looked good in a suit it was nothing compared to what he looked like in tight black boxers.

aI'll take the floor,' he said.

aYou can't take the floor. The floor is too hard. Anyway, I have a plan.' Hallie strode over to the bed and began stacking cushions straight down the middle of it.

aThis is your plan?' he asked, somewhat sceptically.

aThis,' she said, busily stacking cushions, ais the Great Wall of China. You are the Mongol horde and I am the Emperor's finest troops.'

He looked as if he wanted to laugh, caught her glare, and must have decided against it.

aWell, that hardly seems fair,' he said finally. aWhy can't I be the Emperor's finest and you be the barbarians?'

aFine. Just stay on your side of the wall, okay?'

aI will defend this wall with my very life.'

aWhatever.' That'd teach her to mix metaphors with a computer games master. She slipped beneath the covers and lay down. Moments later Nick approached the bed and the mattress dipped as he lay down. Her plan was working. And then Nick's head and torso appeared above the cushions, his elbow skewing them haphazardly.

aThe Emperor's troops are allowed on the wall, right? I feel like I should be patrolling it.'

aTrust me, you don't have to patrol the wall. There is nothing happening on your northern border tonight. Get some sleep.'

He disappeared behind the wall of pillows only to return again almost immediately.

aNo raiding party?'

aNo. There is nothing on your side of the wall that the barbarians want.' This was a lie. She knew for a fact that there were enormous treasures to be found just a cushion's length away.

aHere's the problem,' said Nick. aI've never slept in the same bed with a woman and not slept with her, if you get my meaning. I feel like I should be doing something.'

aGo to sleep. Think of the wall.' She, however, would be spending the rest of the night fantasizing about what it was he thought he should be doing.

aHave you ever slept with a man and not slept with him?' he asked.

aYes.' Did sharing tent s.p.a.ce on a camping trip with a nine-year-old brother count? aIt's not hard.'

aWrong,' he said. aIt's extremely hard. A raiding party would know this already.'

Hallie's stomach clenched and her toes curled as she tried not to picture in vivid detail exactly which part of Nick was hard. aSending a raiding party over that wall would be suicide,' she countered.

aWhat if I invited you over for peace negotiations?'

aHah! I'm not falling for that old trap.'

aI can't believe you ever thought this plan was going to work,' he said as the bottom-most pillow tumbled from the bed.

aFine then. I'll sleep on the floor.'

aYou can't sleep on the floor. The floor is too hard.'

aThen go to sleep before I strangle you,' she yelled. And after a moment's reflection, aYou're deliberately inciting the Mongol horde, aren't you?'

aIs it working?'

aNo.' She punched the pillow at her head until it was shaped to her liking and deliberately turned her back to him. aThe Mongol horde is wise to your tricks.'

She heard his low, s.e.xy chuckle followed by the rustle of sheets.

aGoodnight, Mrs Cooper.'

And much, much later, when the regular, even rhythm of his breathing told her he'd fallen asleep, aGoodnight, Nicholas.'

CHAPTER FOUR.

NICK woke before the dawn with a sleeping Hallie snuggled tightly into his side. Her head was on his shoulder, her arm was resting on his chest, her legs were entwined with his, and there wasn't a pillow in sight. What was more, he noted with no little satisfaction, she was on his side of the bed, his, which meant that, technically, she was the one doing all the invading. Her body was relaxed, her breathing slow and even. The Mongol horde was vulnerable. Question was: what was he going to do about it?

A gentleman would slide on out of bed without waking her and head for the shower. A rogue would wake her with kisses, slide on into her, pleasure her until she was sated, then carry her to the shower. Tough choice.

He was still debating tactics when he felt her stir. Her long, smooth legs tangled even more closely with his and her hand traced a leisurely path from his chest to his stomach sending a shiver of pleasure straight through him. Even in sleep she knew just what to do to get his undivided attention. And then she stopped.

Nick felt her body stiffen, heard her sharply indrawn breath. She was awake.

aMorning,' he said huskily, although at this hour, with silvery darkness still enveloping them, that was debatable. She jerked up on one elbow, looked around wildly, and her knee connected with his crotch. aOomf!' His eyes crossed. His breath left his body. So much for his wake-up s.e.x fantasy.

aSorry,' she muttered, removing her knee and patting him better abstractedly. aWhat happened to the pillows?'

aTry the floor,' he wheezed as the patting continued. Was this heaven or h.e.l.l? He couldn't decide. He levered himself up on his elbow and looked over the side of the bed. aYep. There they are.'

aOh.' She stared at him and all of a sudden the hand on his crotch stilled.

aYou're leaning on your elbows,' she said.

aSo?'

aSo if your arms are there, my hand is-'

He watched her eyes grow round and her cheeks grow rosy with no little satisfaction.

aThat's not your arm I'm patting, is it?'

aNope.' Nick settled back against the headboard, amused, aroused and altogether curious as to what she'd do next. aIt's not.'

The colour in her cheeks had spread to her chest, her nipples had pebbled against the thin cotton of her singlet. Her eyes were downcast, hiding her expression. But it was her hand that held his attention. Because it hadn't moved.

aI didn't think ones this size were real,' she said finally. aI thought they were an urban myth.'

aThis one's real,' he said, almost groaning as her hand crept along his shaft towards the tip.

aHave you measured it?'

He was male. Of course he'd measured it. aIt's not that big,' he said rea.s.suringly. aDon't let it frighten you.'

aHa! Easy for you to say.' She reached the tip, curled her hand around him and started slowly back down. aIt's got to be at least nine inches long,' she said accusingly.

aNot quite,' he corrected, unable to stop himself from arching up into her hand with a groan of pure pleasure. He was still playing the gentleman, heaven help him he was, but a man could only take so much. She was driving him mad. He couldn't see her eyes, couldn't figure what she wanted. He, however, was absolutely certain about what he wanted. He put his hand beneath her chin-that determined little chin-and brought her gaze up to meet his. Her eyes widened. There was uncertainty in her eyes and curiosity too-he was used to both from the women who shared his bed, but it was desire he looked for. Desire he found.

His gaze fastened on her mouth as he drew her closer, close enough to bend his head and set his lips to hers, every whisper of a touch, every leisurely rub, maddeningly erotic and not nearly enough. He wanted more, demanded it with a nip to her bottom lip so she'd open for him and d.a.m.n near lost control when she did. He couldn't get enough of her taste and her texture, couldn't get enough of that soft, lush mouth against his own. He broke the kiss with a groan, craving more, much more, and needing to know he could take it. aI want to be inside you, Hallie. All the way inside,' he murmured huskily. aIs that what you want?'

aI'm not sure. I think so,' she whispered, and Nick groaned.

a"I think so" is not good enough,' he muttered, even as he slid his hands around her waist and urged her slim body closer, a shiver of response rippling through him as her legs tangled with his and her b.r.e.a.s.t.s pressed against his chest. aYou have to say "yes".'

aYes.'

Lord but she was sweet as her hands slid to his shoulders as she rolled with him to the middle of the bed, wanting him above her, over her, straining against him with incoherent little mutterings that lit his blood. Beautifully wanton as she lifted her arms above her head, helping him to remove her top, and then her hands were on him again as she wrapped her arms around his neck and dragged him down for another of those soul-stealing kisses. He felt her shudder, felt her arch up into him, her urgency igniting his own.

He wanted to make sure she was prepared for him-he always made sure a woman was ready for him-but with Hallie what he wanted and what he needed were two completely different things. He wanted to pleasure her. But he needed to be inside her, buried in her up to the hilt, taking him all...dammit, she drove him to madness. His hands were fast and urgent as he slid her tight little boxers from her body, and then shed his own, his need for her clawing at him as he spread her thighs wide and positioned himself between them. He found her with the head of his p.e.n.i.s, found her wet and warm and tight.

And she froze.

No! His soundless roar of protest came from somewhere deep and primitive within. No! He wouldn't let her stop now. Couldn't. So he rolled with her until she was on top of him, nestled against him. It was the best he could do. aWe can go slow,' he muttered, knowing even before he heard himself speak that his voice would be harsh and strained.

She pushed herself into a sitting position, her face flushed and her breath coming fast. aI don't think I can do this.'

aReally slow,' he said. And turned his considerable will towards proving that he could.

Gentle, as he cupped her hips and positioned them so that she dragged against him. Slow, as he rocked back and forth, watching, always watching, to see that what he was doing pleased her. And, heaven help them both, she was easy to please.

aNick, I-Oh...'

He licked at her nipple, flickered his tongue back and forth across that hard little bud. So easy to please as he grazed her with his teeth and soothed her with his tongue before taking her breast more fully into his mouth and suckling hard. She arched back at that, whimpering her approval before demanding he pay attention to her other breast. He could do that. Did exactly that as his hands skittered down her spine and then she was wresting that breast from him and devouring his lips with her own, each nip, each slide of that clever, honeyed mouth dragging him deeper.

aWork with me here,' he muttered. aI'm pretty sure I can go slower. You just have to stop kissing me like that.'

aOh, my G.o.d!' she said.

He nipped at her jaw, the slender curve of her neck, the sweep of her shoulder, and everywhere he touched she responded with a shudder, a purr, a gasp. He was dizzy with the feel of her, wild with need for her. He slid his fingers between her legs, found her soft and damp as he parted her protective folds to expose her tiny bud and position himself against her more fully. Against but not in, always rocking, always intensifying the sweet slide of skin against skin until her breath came in short, sharp gasps and her eyes turned molten. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, her mound slick and swollen against his hardness as her movements grew more frantic. He sucked in his breath as she trailed her hands down his chest to his nipples and stroked them to hardness, carefully pa.s.sive, and aching with the control it took to stay that way as she moved her hands lower, positioned herself above him and guided him in, a fraction at a time.

That was when he felt it. A barrier in his way.

No! Surely not. It couldn't possibly be what he thought it was. Could it? Her eyelashes were shielding her eyes, her brow was furrowed as she focussed intently on the task at hand and, dammit, she was chewing on her bottom lip. Oh, no. Please, no. aYou're not a virgin, are you?' he asked with an impending sense of doom.

aDoes it matter?' she said, still trying-unsuccessfully-to accommodate him.

What did she mean, did it matter? aOf course it matters!' he roared. aOh, h.e.l.l. You are a virgin!'

aWell, technically, yes,' she admitted. aBut I'm not that inexperienced. I've had s.e.xual relations before.'

aDon't you dare bring politics into this conversation,' he snapped, s.n.a.t.c.hing his hands from her body and pressing them against the bed as he struggled for control. aYou! A virgin! What next?'

Her eyes narrowed, her chin came up. He loved that look. His body loved that look. His body, he thought with increasing alarm, was almost past the point of stopping.

aGet off,' he ordered.

aYou've got to be kidding me.' She bit her bottom lip, pressed down hard, and suddenly, suddenly, he was in.

Her eyes watered, her breath seemed to catch in her throat.

Oh, G.o.d! His control was moments away from shattering. She was so hot, so tight, so wet. aDon't panic!' he muttered. aWe can fix this.'

How on earth were they going to fix this?

Hallie started to giggle.

aDon't laugh,' he ordered. aDon't move!' If she moved, he was history.

She moved, and so did he, rolling with her, rolling her onto her back and moving over her, into her, his movements carefully restrained as he tried, G.o.d help him, to be gentle with her.

She looked up at him then, her eyes dark and slumberous and her lips curved, and he felt her melt into him, felt her body grow accustomed to him as his strokes grew longer until at last he was sheathed inside her completely. He managed a smile, shuddering with the effort it took to rein himself in. aYou okay?' he muttered.

aAbsolutely.'

And then she was threading her hands through his hair and dragging his lips down to hers and he was surging into her, his control a thing of the past. Trying to be gentle with her and not at all sure he was succeeding as he rode out his need for her, his fascination with her, each stroke destroying him, what was left of him, and all around them was the rich scent of s.e.x and the slide of sweat-slicked bodies. His need for her was outrageous, his satisfaction darkly overwhelming as she gave herself over to him, came for him, convulsing around him with a soft, s.e.xy cry that screamed through his senses.

Now. As she cried out again, wrapped her legs around him and urged him deeper.

Now.

Later, much later, he carried her to the bathroom, turned the shower on hot and hard and stood her under the spray, one arm wrapped around her waist to support her. Gentleman or rogue-he figured he had his answer. Figured he was going to have to live with it. aCan you stand?' he asked gruffly.

aOf course I can stand.' She pushed his arm away and took a couple of wobbly steps towards the soap. aWalking's the challenge.'

aHere...' He adjusted the showerheads so that the water cascaded over them both and handed her the soap. He'd never in his wildest dreams imagined that sa.s.sy Hallie Bennett was a virgin. She was twenty-four. What woman in this day and age reached her mid-twenties still a virgin? And why? aI, ah, hope you weren't saving yourself for your future husband,' he said awkwardly.

aI wasn't.' Hallie's lips twitched as she started soaping herself down. aDon't panic, Nick. I was a virgin, yes, but I was ready for that to change. I'm not out to trap you.'