Her hips arched upward against his hand and she let out a moan. "I wouldn't have taken you for a tease."

"It's not teasing, it's foreplay." His voice sounded richly decadent and she swallowed a sigh at the sexy rumble.

Dare merely chuckled and returned to his task. He hooked his fingers into the sides of her panties and pulled them down and off, revealing her to his heated gaze.

"Nice," he murmured, his eyes darkening.

She knew what he saw, having been to her favorite spa last week. She wasn't bare, but she was cleanly waxed, and he clearly approved, she observed, as he lowered his head and set about tasting her.

His warm mouth touched her damp heat and set her entire body on fire. He'd promised slow and steady and damn him, the man kept his promise. Long strokes of his tongue along her almost bare outer lips were merely a prelude and she raised her hips, pushing herself into his mouth, silently begging for what he wasn't yet ready to give.

His low chuckle sent hot air circling over her sex. "You want more, baby?"

She loved when he called her that. "Yes," she said on a hiss. "More. Please, more."

"Since you asked so nicely." Without warning, he parted her opening with his fingers and thrust his tongue deep inside.

She cried out, shocked that he'd elicited such a guttural sound. Liza liked sex, but this? Wow, the man had talent. He alternated between unexpected nips that at once stung and heightened her pleasure followed by soothing, loving sweeps that had her squirming beneath him, shifting then arching her hips as he drove her higher and higher still.

Could she come from this? She never had before.

Without warning, she had her answer, the building waves reaching a crescendo and crashing over her, taking her out of her body and mind. The incredible sensation went on and on and Dare didn't let it end quickly either. He stayed right where he was, nuzzling at her until the peak receded and she came back to earth, her body still shaking, her mind a puddle of mush.

"Good?" he asked.

A lazy grin edged her lips. "Amazing," she admitted, surprised she could speak. "Yet I feel strangely empty." As if to make her point, her hips rotated in needy circles, her body begging to be filled.

Before she could react in embarrassment for being so brutally honest, he pushed himself up and met her gaze, his brown eyes nearly black and full of need. "Then we definitely need to rectify that."

He didn't ask her if she was prepared. Instead, he pulled a single condom from his jeans' pocket. Though she might wonder later that he kept one on hand, as if the need arose often, right now she was simply grateful to avoid any lengthy discussions of their sexual past, and besides, she never had sex without protection.

She'd had enough taking. She needed to give as he'd given to her. She wanted to participate, to touch him. She held out her hand, silently asking him to place the wrapper in her palm.

Dare raised an eyebrow and complied.

She wasn't usually bold, but he made it easy, and the next thing Liza knew, she was opening the packet while Dare quickly stripped off his clothes and rejoined her, sliding beside her on the mattress.

His body heat wrapped around her as he brought his mouth down on hers. She moaned and opened for him, amazed at how right it felt to be with him this way. She still held the condom in one hand but used the other to work her way down his body, feeling the differences between his skin and the taut muscles beneath.

When her fingers reached his rigid flesh, she encircled his impressive erection, and he groaned low and deep, releasing another surge of moisture between her thighs.

"We'd better get on with it or it's going to be over too damned fast," he muttered.

Liza bit the inside of her cheek. "What happened to slow and steady?" she asked laughing, pleased she could work him into the same frenzy he caused in her.

He grasped her other wrist in his hand. "Put it on now."

"Yes, sir." She sat up and got the first real look at him naked. It was all she could do not to whistle in appreciation. He was tanned, hard, and strong. A damned good-looking man, she thought.

And while he was here, in her bed, he was all hers. On that notion, she sheathed him with the condom, rolling the latex slowly over his rigid shaft. His entire body shook and he seemed to grow harder and thicker beneath her touch.

She wanted him just as much and the thought made her smile.

"What's the grin for?" Dare asked, his entire body on edge as she finished her task.

She blinked once before she finally answered. "I do this to you," she said, sounding completely in awe.

"Yeah, you do." And it floored him too, the depth of his yearning. He wanted nothing more than to flip her onto her back and take her as hard and demanding as his body desired.

Unfortunately, he still had to worry about her concussion. "Your choice, baby. Top or bottom?" he asked. "Whichever will hurt your head less."

She jerked in surprise, but then her eyes softened in appreciation. Every time he did something for her, she seemed taken off guard. She'd had too little caring in her life and he hoped she'd come to realize that she deserved more because he certainly planned to give it to her.

Finally she lay back against the pillows and beckoned him with a crook of her finger.

So she wanted him on top. "This puts me in control and I don't want to hurt you." He had to be sure.

"Actually, this puts my head against soft pillows and you couldn't hurt me if you tried," she said, parting her legs and opening herself to him.

He took one look at her, hair spread wildly over the pillow, her soft body offered to him, and he smiled, easing himself up and over her. He breathed in the luscious scent he'd come to think of as unique to her.

He paused to kiss her, to let her know she mattered. Then he nudged his cock at her entrance, finding her slick and wet, eager and ready for him. He shook with the strength it took to hold back, needing to fill her as much as he was afraid to hurt her.

"You won't hurt me," she promised.

Had he spoken out loud? He had no time to find out. She reached between them and cupped his shaft in her hand, causing him to lose all semblance of restraint and control. He thrust inside, filling her, taking her, like she wanted.

Like he needed.

Finding her so damned hot and tight and perfect, he wished he could feel more, take her without barriers between them, but that was something he never did. Had never even considered before.

"Oh, you feel good," she said, her words a whisper in his ear.

"Yes." He slid out and back in, repeating the motion, easing his passage, letting her get used to him, his fullness, their friction.

Had he ever taken such care with a woman before?

"Dare?" she asked.

"Hmm." He met her gaze and brushed a strand of hair off her forehead.

"I changed my mind. I want to be on top," she said, hooking her leg around his.

He laughed, liking her honesty and her enthusiasm. The flip was easy enough to accomplish and soon he had her over him. She met his gaze, an aroused look in her eyes he'd never seen before and damned if it didn't make him harder.

She bent her knees on either side of him and pivoted her hips in a slow circle, groaning each time his pubic bone hit just the right spot. He gritted his teeth as she contracted around him. She'd wanted control and now she had it. He'd given it willingly and found it was even better with her on top, taking her pleasure, grinding herself into him as her breaths came in shallower gasps, her moans became deeper and sexier.

She took him along with her, milking him as her tight inner muscles brought him closer and closer to climax. He was too close too fast and he needed her with him when he fell over. Reaching out, he cupped her breasts in his hands, kneading the plump flesh before he focused on her already hard nipples, pinching them between his thumb and forefingers, rolling the tight buds until she cried out.

Pleasure? Pain? He wasn't sure and immediately released his grip, but she shook her head wildly.

"Don't stop, please don't stop," she urged him, and he grabbed for her breasts once more. She rocked her hips against him harder, her moans turning into cries of pure pleasure and he couldn't hold on another second, was going to explode.

"Come for me, baby," he urged her, tightening his hold on her breasts, thrusting his hips up, his cock higher, deeper, reaching for everything.

Then, as if he'd released the floodgates, she came apart, her soft cries melding with his, her body grinding against him as he pumped into her over and over again, coming along with her, lost to thought and reason. All he could do was feel, everything shattering inside him, then slowly, slowly rebuilding as he became aware of his surroundings again.

Liza had collapsed on top of him, her body pressed tight against his, and he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. Slick with sweat, they lay together, her breathing harsh in his ears. He could barely catch his own breath. Seconds turned into minutes as neither of them moved.

He threaded his fingers through her hair and rolled them over, keeping her tight against him as he wondered.

What the hell had just happened? Because he'd sure never felt anything like it before.

Liza slept like a baby, she realized as dawn came, beams of sunlight streaming through her bedroom window. She'd slept curled into Dare and she awakened the same way, at peace. Except now she was aware and her mind couldn't stop spinning. Not with regrets.

Never those. Not after the most explosive sex of her life with a man who'd been so aware of her needs she'd had a lump in her throat more than once. And Liza didn't cry during sex. She didn't. The act had never moved her emotions to such an extent, but last night had been different.

Everything about Dare and being with him was different. Unique. And scary.

"You're up," he said, sounding too confident for a man who held her, her back to his stomach.

"How did you know?"

"Your breath is coming in shallow pants. Ready to bolt?" he asked tightly.

Caught, she expelled a long breath. "Would you let me if I tried?"

"Hell, no." His arms squeezed around her more tightly. "Then again, I won't force you to stay." He eased his grip giving her wiggle room if she wanted to roll away.

She stayed put. "I knew what I was doing last night. I'm not going to run away from you now." She'd fight her fears. She could handle a morning after, she told herself.

His tension seemed to ease and he turned her over for a long, leisurely kiss. One she eagerly returned.

"Morning," he murmured when he was through.

She smiled. "It is. Which means I'm going to be late if I don't shower," she said, truly disappointed.

She had to be in Connecticut early or she'd definitely want to spend the morning getting reacquainted with Dare and his amazing body. Once had been all he'd allowed last night. He was insistent on watching out for her head. Which, she realized, didn't hurt all that much this morning.

"I'd join you, but you'd never get out of here on time."

"I know." But visions of them together in her shower, warm water licking over his tanned skin, had her trembling.

"Go." He lightly pushed against her. "I'll make breakfast and shower when you're finished," he said, and headed for the kitchen, leaving her alone and sexually frustrated.

No doubt about it, she'd be thinking of him for the rest of the day, which had her wondering if that had been his intention all along.

Twenty minutes later, Liza had showered and dressed. Her head didn't hurt nearly as much as it had the day before. Dare Barron was more potent than any medication a doctor could prescribe. She'd enjoyed last night and was unwilling to let any stray thoughts get in the way this morning. She met him in the kitchen where he was finishing a bowl of cereal.

He wore his jeans, unbuttoned and slung low on his hips and no shirt, revealing the ripple and pull of muscle. Liza swallowed hard. She was suddenly hungry and it wasn't for food.

She looked him over, her gaze settling on the tattoo on his left arm. She'd been too busy focusing on his other body parts to pay much attention to it last night. Curious, she walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey." She settled in the seat next to him where he'd laid out a similar breakfast for her.

He looked her over, his hot gaze devouring her, and he whistled. "Nice outfit."

She couldn't withhold a smile. She'd chosen her favorite sexy beige suit and killer pumps just for him, not that she'd admit it. The man's ego was big enough.

"I thought you said you were making breakfast," she asked, glancing at the cold cereal on the table.

She did like teasing him.

"This is as good as it gets," he said with an easy shrug. "Might as well get used to it."

She wasn't about to touch the last part of that statement, she thought. "At least you make a mean toast and jelly."

"Glad you think so." He tilted his head in acknowledgment. "How's the head?" he asked.

"Much better, actually."

"Great." He smiled, obviously pleased she was feeling better.

She had no doubt he'd helped her speedy recovery. She glanced at him and once again her gaze found his tattoo. "Dare?"

"Yeah?"

She pulled her chair closer to him and lightly traced the tattooed band around his arm. He stiffened at her touch but didn't stop her from studying or touching the intricate design. At a glance it appeared to be a basic tribal band, but there was also what looked like a symbol woven into it that she couldn't see well, let alone decipher.

The one thing she did know was that she found the inking extremely sexy. "What does the tattoo mean?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"It's nothing," he said in a sharp voice that took her by surprise.

She jerked her hand back, hurt by his cold tone. She narrowed her gaze and studied his suddenly closed expression.

In an instant, the relaxed man she'd come to know over the last couple of days had vanished. The happy, easy-to-laugh, easier-to-smile guy had disappeared.

Shut her out was more like it and that hurt more than it should.

"It was just a question." She rubbed her arms, annoyed with herself for being bothered by the sudden chill.

He didn't reply.

This was why she didn't do relationships. Relationships involved emotion, and emotion led to disappointment. She looked at the cereal in front of her and decided she was no longer hungry.

She reached for the bowl, intending to put it in the sink, when Dare placed a hand on her arm. "Wait," he said.