Finally, he pulled her up into his chest and wrapped his big arms around her. The b.u.t.tons on his shirt dug into her b.r.e.a.s.t.s as he kissed the curve of her shoulder before he slanted his mouth over hers and kissed her hard, his tongue stroking her lips as his hand ma.s.saged her sore throat.

"d.a.m.n, baby. No one's ever taken me like that.

Given me that."

He was shaking against her. Against her stomach, his c.o.c.k rose hard, undiminished. She touched his heaving chest. She'd done this to him. With nothing more than her mouth she'd taken his strength and given him pleasure.

She curled her fingers around his c.o.c.k."Would you like me to do it again?" Her voice was hoa.r.s.e from the strain and the words were awkward as her tired jaw muscles tried to shape syllables. To her surprise, he shook his head.

"Sounds like that mouth of yours could use a little rest." He touched the corner of her lips with his thumb.

He held it up for her inspection. It glistened with moisture. Very slowly, she stuck out her tongue and licked his finger clean. His nostrils flared and his eyelids twitched. "You are a hot little thing, aren't you?"

He sounded very happy with that conclusion. He pressed his thumb against her lips, rubbing it over the moist lining, his dark gaze holding hers while a strange shiver of sensation shot through her body. His eyes narrowed as he registered the tremble. His thumb pressed a little harder. She closed her lips around it and sucked, holding his gaze as she did so, watching the heat flare anew.

"s.h.i.t."

His c.o.c.k came fully erect. In a flash, he had their positions reversed-the p.r.i.c.kly hay bale was beneath her, the wall behind her, and before her stood Clint, looking totally pagan with his big c.o.c.k jutting out from the open fly of his pants and his long hair loose about his exotic face. She jerked as he seemed to fall forward, expecting to be crushed under his weight, but there wereonly a couple of thunks in rapid succession above her head, and then the steady push of his c.o.c.k against her mouth.

She looked up. His wide lips parted on a wickedly primitive smile.

"One more time to take the edge off, and then it will be my turn to make you scream."

Chapter Seven.

Clint opened the basket containing his wedding present. The cake was a little worse for wear, but a few dents weren't going to put him off. Not with the way Jenna could take simple ingredients and make a man's taste buds scream for mercy. Above his head, he listened to the small creaks that indicated Jenna's progress around the bedroom. He'd left her to get changed and ready for bed while he brought up their snack. His c.o.c.k throbbed in his denims, as eager as if he hadn't come twice so hard down Jenna's tight throat that he'd thought his head would explode.

He grabbed the knife off the table. d.a.m.n, she had a mouth that could make a man cry uncle. And that body.

That "drop a man to his knees" body... He placed the knife in the middle of the cake and cut a large slice. He was so hungry for her that he felt like a green boy going after his first woman. He just wanted to bury himself in all that lush heat over and over until she was so full of his seed it would pour out of her when she stood. He wanted to permanently mark her as his so no other man could trespa.s.s. That she was his wife didn't seem to beenough. In a demand he'd never known before, his body wanted to mark her physically, making it obvious beyond a shadow of doubt to whom she belonged. So much so that he'd lost his head and started his honeymoon in the barn.

He put a second piece of cake on another plate, hooked a couple of wine gla.s.ses on his finger and grabbed the bottle of wine. Hopefully, chocolate and wine would keep Jenna from dwelling on that less-than- romantic start to their life together. For a man with a reputation for having a way with the ladies, he wasn't putting his best foot forward with his wife.

Danny whined from where he lay in the center of the big kitchen floor. Clint didn't even need to look down to know what he wanted.

"Forget it, fella. This is my present." Danny c.o.c.ked his head at him and let the muscles in his face sag. Clint snorted. "I stopped falling for that hang-dog look about a year ago."

He stepped over the big dog and Danny rolled, presenting his stomach. Clint petted him with the toe of his boot before heading out. This time his snort was one of disgust as the big dog's jowls fell back and he wiggled like a puppy.

"You know, there used to be a time when you inspired fear in people." Danny gave a blissful moan andwagged his tail. Clint shook his head and popped the door open with his elbow. "d.a.m.ned shame you went and got yourself domesticated."

He was still shaking his head as he climbed the stairs to the bedroom. Sure enough, he was going to have to get another dog to guard the place. The good life had flat-out taken the mean out of a perfectly good dog. The scramble of feet behind him let him know that Danny wasn't letting that chocolate cake out of his sight. Clint tapped lightly at the bedroom door with the toe of his boot. He heard a sharp, "Oh" followed by a thump as something hit the floor. He was about to kick the door open, thinking Jenna had fallen, when he heard a string of curses. One corner of his mouth kicked up. Who would have known sweet little "wouldn't say boo to a ghost" Jenna could curse like a wrangler?

"Jenna?"

"What?" The disgruntled tone kicked the other side of his mouth up.

"Open the door."

"Just a minute."

Something nudged his elbow. Danny had meandered his way over and was looking expectantly at the door.

"No way, bub."

Danny moaned and slumped to the floor. The doork.n.o.b rattled. Danny perked up. Clint pushed himback down with his foot. He did not need Jenna falling for that hang-dog look and bringing an audience to their wedding night. The door cracked and he had a perfect view of the left side of her face.

"You going to let me in?"

"I'm not quite ready."

As nervous as she looked, he figured he could be staring down his ninetieth birthday and still be standing outside the door. "Sunshine, if you're trying to make yourself beautiful, I've never seen you less than gorgeous."

"Even that night?"

He knew what night she was talking about in that whisper. He'd never forget it or the panic he'd felt running into that inferno and knowing he was probably too late.

"Yes. Even that night." The one eye he could see blinked once, twice, but the door didn't open. He shifted the wine bottle into his hand with his knee. "Can you tell me what the problem is?"

Her mouth worked. He had a glimpse of white before her teeth sank into her lower lip. "I want to turn out the lamp."

It took him a second to remember he'd sent her upstairs with a comment about leaving the light on so he could see her lying on that big bed with that wonderfulmane of hair spread about her.

"Why?"

"Mara and Elizabeth bought me a nightgown as a wedding present."

That sounded promising. "I'm not following."

"It's too short."

Now there was a fact to perk up a man's c.o.c.k.

"How short?" His drawl was a little more intense than normal. More of her lower lip slipped out of sight.

"Short enough to be showing things better left covered."

"Somehow, I'm not seeing that as a problem."

"You will."

That agonized whisper pulled his sense of humor up short. He kept his tone as gentle as possible, considering he was more used to using his voice to intimidate than cajole.

"Jenna, open the door."

"Can I turn out the light first?"

"No." He wasn't starting this marriage off creating barriers between them.

With a deep breath, she stepped back, staying behind the wood panel as the gap widened. Clint stepped through the opening. The wine gla.s.ses clinkedtogether as his elbow b.u.mped the door.

Danny whined and scrambled to his feet. Clint put his shoulder to the door and pressed it closed, locking Danny out. He turned, to see Jenna in all her glorious splendor. And she was glorious. That thick, wavy mane of long hair tumbled past her shoulders, framing her softly rounded face and providing the perfect backdrop for the rosy pink glow of flesh left so enticingly exposed by the bodice that barely clung to her shoulders. He couldn't take his eyes off those shoulders and that filmy white fabric gracing them. Just one push with his finger and it would slide down those soft arms and waft away from those incredible b.r.e.a.s.t.s. He might have to nudge it again if it got hung up on the plump tips, but then it would float down to the wide flare of her hips, catching again before it slid down her thighs.

His gaze dropped to her thighs, which she was doing her best to keep tucked behind the flounced hem of the gown. Her scarred thighs.

"They must have taken my robe out of my valise."

If she could have disappeared through the door, he had no doubt that she would have. The flush on her cheeks begged the brush of his fingers. The agony of insecurity in her blue eyes offended him. She had nothing to be ashamed of. Because his hands were full, he bent. She ducked her head. His kiss landed on thepart in her hair. The faint scent of roses teased his nostrils.

"Ah Sunshine, did you think you had me beat in the scar department?" She wouldn't meet his gaze, just clung to that doork.n.o.b like it was her lifeline.

"It's different for a man."

"Guarantee you, collecting them hurts the same." She glanced up as if surprised that he could know pain.

d.a.m.ned if he could figure her out. "You're beautiful, Jenna."

He put the wine and cake on the dresser. Behind the door Danny moaned. Jenna reached for the k.n.o.b.

"Don't you dare." She jumped. He softened his tone.

"We'll never get him out of here if he gets in."

"What harm-"

He tucked the long fall of her hair behind her shoulder. "I'm not looking for an audience tonight." The flush rose from her chest and flooded her cheeks as she caught his meaning.

"But surely after the barn?" She looked so d.a.m.ned adorable, so innocent, though he knew she wasn't.

"Got to admit that warmed me right up." Impossibly, the blush deepened.

"But Jack..."

He didn't want to hear about her first husband.Especially not on his wedding night. He slid his hand around the nape of her neck.

"Do me a favor and don't mention him." She flinched from the anger in his tone. He bit back an "ever" and added a softer, "Not tonight at least."

"I'm sorry."

The little bit of confidence she'd displayed since the barn disappeared as if it had never existed. She seemed to shrink in on herself, hunching her shoulders, and as much as the move provided him with a clear view of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and accented the rich valley between, he hated the meekness she drew around herself like a shield.

"Don't be sorry, just don't mention him."

"I won't."

He sighed. So much for his legendary finesse. He pulled her away from the door. She lurched against him.

She caught his forearm in her hands. Her palms were damp. She was nervous. He wrapped his arm around her waist and took her weight against his chest. "You feel good in my arms."

"I do?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"And I'm an a.s.s."

"You are?""Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you were married and I have no right to begrudge you that."

She took a little shuddering breath. "I'm just trying to do what you want."

He took a handful of her hair and tipped her head back. "How about you just relax and let me fill you in on my preferences?" She blinked, but didn't argue. He couldn't read what was going on behind her eyes. d.a.m.n, her father and first husband had about crushed the life out of her. "That was an apology, Sunshine."

"Oh."

Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s pressed into his stomach. Her breath seared him through his shirt. How could she ever doubt that she pleased him? He stepped back from her, immediately missing her soft b.r.e.a.s.t.s and hot breath.

"Come here."

He didn't give her much choice but to follow. With his hand on the nape of her neck she was forced to tag along, a wary shadow. When he got to the bed, her eyes widened. The pulse in her throat picked up speed. He laid money it was nerves and not desire that set her heart to pounding.

He turned her and gave her a little push. She sat on the bed. He noticed she didn't bend her right knee."Is your leg bothering you?" He ran his hand over her thigh. There wasn't any tension in the muscle.

"No."

Desire replaced worry. He had her in his home, in his bed, and her thigh under his hand. There was only one thing that could make tonight better. "Would you like some cake?"

"Cake?"

"Yes." That decadently rich chocolate cake his wife had baked him. As a present. For her husband. It put the earrings he had purchased for her to shame.

"Uhm...no."

"Mind if I have some?" He wanted it all, his wife and her gift.

"Now?"

"Yes."

"Go right ahead."