She didn’t join him. Instead she undid her belt, undid the button of her jeans and lowered the zipper. She slid them down over her hips slowly, feeling Ned’s gaze burning over her skin. When she hooked a finger under the waistband of her panties, Ned’s breath hitched. With a twitch of her hands they fell to the floor.
Ned reached for her again and this time she went to him, climbing under the sheet he held up for her, carefully snuggling in next to him as he lay down so as not to hurt his leg. His hands slid over her bare skin and she tingled all over, wanting more. He pulled her close until her nipples grazed his chest and they both moaned. Fila found herself pressing kisses under his chin, down his neck, onto his chest, his coarse hair tickling her face. She ran her fingers over his bicep, tracing his muscles and then circled his shoulder, feeling the strength coiled within him.
“God, Fila—you feel—”
She cut off his words with a kiss on his mouth and an instant later he’d swept her closer and was kissing her back. He cut off after a few short moments with a curse. “Damn cast. I want to roll all around this bed with you.” He kissed her gently. “We’ll have to take it easy tonight.”
She was okay with that, although the desire burning through her body made her want to throw herself at him—made her want him to touch every part of her at once.
As if hearing her unspoken wish, Ned dipped his head and traced a kiss slowly over the mound of one breast. She sighed, arching her back to meet him, loving the feel of his lips on her skin. He did it again, then trailed his mouth down to take in one nipple. Fila gasped at this new sensation, closing her eyes when his tongue began to do delicious, wicked things.
“You are so beautiful,” he breathed a moment later when he pulled back, before leaning down again. Fila didn’t know how long the sweet torture went on. Ned’s kisses, tugs and nips heating her body until she thought she’d catch fire.
She wanted him closer. She pressed along his entire length, wanting more, but not knowing what more it was that she wanted. Ned lay back against the pillows and pulled her with him until she lay half across him, unsure what to do next. He still played with her breasts, reaching up to take first one and then the other into his mouth, until she couldn’t wait anymore. “Ned.”
He gazed at her—read her desire in her face. “Climb up on top of me.”
“Won’t I hurt you?”
“No.” He helped her into position, straddling his waist, and when he tugged her down on top of him, she discovered exactly what she wanted.
Ned’s hardness lay between her legs and pressed against her core in a way that set her on fire all over again. She moaned at the sensation, still wanting more—still wanting to be even closer.
“Fila—are you sure?” Ned gazed up at her, waiting for her answer. She knew whatever she said would be right. Whatever she did with Ned would be right. She nodded.
“We have to use protection. Otherwise you could get pregnant.”
“I don’t care.” The words flew out before she could even register what she’d said.
Ned’s face softened in a way she had never imagined he could look. He reached up to cup her face. “I love you, you know that?”
She nodded. “I love you too.”
He closed his eyes. “Fila.” Opened them again. “Will you marry me?”
Would she marry him? She bent down and covered him with kisses. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
“Ow!”
They both stilled, then Ned laughed raggedly. “You’re going to be my wife?”
She nodded vigorously.
“Forever.”
“Yes.”
“Come here.” He pulled her down into a kiss that seared her all the way to her toes. She reached down hungrily to tug at the waistband of his pajamas.
“We don’t have to,” he said, breaking away from the kiss for a moment. “We can take it slow.”
“We. Have. To.” Fila nearly growled the words. “I want to. Now.” Was he really going to deny her?
“I’ve got protection upstairs. It’s in—”
Fila growled again. “Are you going to marry me or not?”
He chuckled. “Yes.”
“I want you. All of you. Right now,” she begged him. “I want to know we’re alive. Together.”
After a long moment he said, “Okay.”
Ned knew he should slow down. He knew he should be taking his time to tease and stir Fila’s desire into a bright hot flame. He knew he should take things one step at a time. Introduce her to each stage of lovemaking carefully.
But Fila was having none of that. She frantically tugged the waist of his flannel pants down, until he took over for her and managed it himself. As it was, he was able to get his uninjured leg free from the garment, but the pants still lay wrapped around the cast on his other leg when Fila reached down tentatively and took the length of him in her hand.
Ned groaned and clutched the bedclothes, wondering how much torture he could sustain. It had been a long time since he’d been with a woman—a really long time. And he’d wanted Fila for months.
He slid his hands up her thighs to her hips, taking in the lush beauty of her. He still couldn’t believe she was perched on top of him, ready to love him—ready to give him everything.
She leaned forward and braced her hands to either side of him, shifting her hips until she slid along his hardness again. Her breath was coming fast and light, and she kept moving, kept sliding over him—the tips of her nipples tracing lines of fire against his chest again and again.
His hands moved to cup her bottom and nudge her into place. He shifted until he pressed against her. He wanted to ask her again if she was ready, and at the same time didn’t want to. Could he stop now? He wasn’t sure.
Fila took matters into her own hands. She lifted her hips and settled down on top of him, letting out a breath in a silent, “Oh,” as he slid inside a little bit and then a little more. With an expression of intense concentration, she lifted up and settled down on him again. Ned held back with every fiber of his being, not wanting to hurt her—wanting to let her call the shots.
Slowly, carefully, with movements so seductive he could barely hold himself together, Fila let him in. There was a moment of surprised pain which made Ned stop altogether, but it was only a moment before Fila began to move again. Stronger this time, more sure of herself, until he slid all the way inside her with a groan that expressed his feelings better than words ever could.