He leaned down until her feet touched the floor and pulled back. Both of them were panting hard and a lock of her hair was stuck to her cheek. He brushed it away, tenderly tucking it behind her ear.

He wanted to turn on the light, but was afraid she might balk. Thankfully, the drapes were open and there was more than enough light from the city shining in through her window to allow him to see her.

“Take off your clothes.” He sensed her surprise and her slight hesitation. He held his breath and almost roared with pleasure when she toed off her shoes and her hands went to the fastening of her jeans.

Jake took a step back, wanting a better view of her. His cock throbbed like a toothache as he watched her peel away layer after layer of clothing until she was down to her plain cotton bra and panties. He’d never seen anything sexier in his life.

“All of it.” He tensed, wondering if she would obey him. Jake wasn’t into bondage or pain, didn’t really understand why anyone would be, but he did like to be in control in the bedroom. It was as necessary to him as breathing.

Her hands slowly went behind her back and she unhooked her bra. Leaning forward, she let the garment slide down her arms and onto the floor. When she straightened, he sucked in a breath. Damn, he’d always known she had superior breasts, but they were even better then he’d imagined.

The mounds were firm and large, tipped with tight pink nipples. He reached out and thumbed one hard point. Sapphire moaned and leaned into his touch. He reluctantly pulled his hand away, knowing his control was tenuous.

“The panties.” His voice was hoarse and deep.

Sapphire hooked her fingers in the band and slowly shoved her panties over her hips and down her thighs. When they were around her ankles, she stepped out of them.

“Turn around. Slowly.” He almost came on the spot when she made a slow circle, letting him see every inch of her. “Lovely.”

She offered him a shy smile. “Like what you see?”

“Very much.” He crooked his finger toward her. “Come undress me.”

There was no hesitation as she came forward and splayed her hands over his long-sleeved waffle-weave shirt. “With pleasure.” She pushed it up and he helped her remove it. She gave a small murmur of pleasure and leaned forward to nuzzle his chest.

He groaned and stepped back. “Finish it.”

Her clever fingers had the snap open and the zipper open on his jeans before he could blink. She pushed them down but they got stuck around his ankles. She knelt before him, unlaced his boots and then lifted one foot and began to tug. When the boot was gone, she removed his sock and the jeans. Then she did the same on the other side.

Jake thought his body might implode at the sight of her kneeling naked at his feet. It didn’t get any sweeter than this. She was giving him everything he wanted without question. The amount of trust that took was staggering. After all, he was eight inches taller than she and outweighed her by at least sixty pounds.

She looked up at him, a mischievous expression on her face. Like she’d done with her own panties, she hooked her fingers into the band and tugged his boxer briefs down his thighs and off. His cock jerked toward her, more than happy to be free from confinement. She gave a low murmur of approval and captured his dick in her hands.

The feel of her soft palms wrapped around him made his balls unbearably tight. She slowly stroked up to the tip of his cock before sliding down to the base. “You’re so big and hard.”

He swallowed and called on every ounce of restraint he possessed to keep from coming. “Take me in your mouth,” he commanded. It couldn’t be for more than a few seconds or he’d lose it and come in her mouth. And while he’d love to fulfill that particular fantasy, he wanted to taste her sweet pussy, to come inside her hot, slick channel this first time.

Sapphire leaned forward, opened her mouth and closed it over the broad head of his penis. She flicked her tongue over the slit in the tip, taking delicate licks.

“Suck me.” He needed more than she was giving him. Wanted her to take all of him into the hot depths of her sweet mouth.

Several more inches disappeared past her lush lips and she hollowed her cheeks and sucked.

“Fuck.” Jake caught her head between his hands and showed her how he wanted her to move. “Take more of me. You can do it.” She had to. He was caught between heaven and hell with about half his dick in her mouth.

She sucked in a breath and moved down his hard length until he felt the head of his cock touch the back of her throat. She gagged slightly but didn’t back down.

It was fucking amazing. He eased out of her mouth until only the tip remained inside and then slowly pushed in again, going as far as he could. She was so close to taking all of him. His fingers tangled in her long, curly locks, anchoring her to him, moving her how he wanted.

He stared down at her naked form, watching his dick slip past her lips until he couldn’t take the torture any longer. He withdrew, leaned down and lifted her into his arms. Before she could speak, he had her flat on her back on the bed. He knew he should turn down the covers, but he was in too much of a hurry to bother.

Her lips were moist and her eyes slightly glazed as he knelt between her thighs, her legs on either side of him. The position opened her legs wide, giving him unrestricted access to her pussy. She was pink and swollen and wet.

“Now it’s my turn.” He cupped her hips in his hands and lifted her to his waiting mouth, feasting on her essence. There was no part of her he left untouched, unexplored. Her clit was hard and pushed out of its protective hood. He flicked his tongue over it and she moaned his name, so he did it again.

“Jake, it’s too much.” She gasped for air and tried to pull away from him.

He shook his head, his hands tightening around her to keep her where he wanted her. “It’s not enough.” He slid one thick finger into her tight channel, groaning as it closed around him. “That’s it, baby. Come for me.” He eased a second finger in to join the first one, slowly separating them.

“Oh God. Jake.” Her fingers gripped the quilt that covered the bed and she tugged on it, her entire body arching.

He closed his lips over her clit and sucked hard. She came apart in his arms, crying out his name as her climax swept her away. He reveled in her surrender, drinking in every sound, every taste, the way her thighs gripped his head and the quiver of her body as she gave herself over to her passion.

But he wasn’t done. Not by a long shot. He stroked and licked and aroused every inch of her amazing body, taking particular time on her fabulous breasts. Sapphire climaxed three more times, screaming his name each time, before he grabbed a condom out of his jeans pocket, slid it on and forged his way into her hot pussy. It wasn’t easy for him to get inside her. The delicate tissue was swollen from her multiple orgasms and she was tight to begin with.

She cried out and a single tear seeped from the corner of her eye. He leaned down and licked the salty drop, unsure if she was crying because of pleasure or pain. He hesitated, but she hooked her legs around his flanks in silent encouragement. He forged ahead and when his cock was locked deep inside her, he stopped and simply enjoyed the sensation of her wet sheath clinging to him.

He began to move, but he was too on edge to last long. Three strokes later, he came. Reaching between her thighs, he stroked her clit and she came again, joining him as he went over the edge. He yelled his release and buried his face between her breasts.

He rested there until he felt Sapphire shiver beneath him. Jake carefully eased out of her, but she winced. He frowned as he looked at her. She was pale and her eyes were unfocused. He was ready to go again and she was utterly wrecked.

Swearing under his breath, he lifted her into his arms and shifted her so he could yank down the covers and tuck her into bed. She was practically lifeless as she lay there, totally spent.

He turned on the bedside lamp and swore under his breath. There were already bruises coming out on her hips where he’d held her so tight and his five o’clock shadow had left a rash on her magnificent breasts.

“Sapphire?” When she didn’t answer him, his concern grew. “Baby, talk to me.” He patted her cheeks and her eyes gained some focus.

“Jake?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

He swallowed hard and nodded. “Yeah, baby, it’s me.”

“I’m sore.” She winced and moved, obviously trying to find a more comfortable spot to rest.

He thought about running her a bath for her to soak in. “I know, baby. I’m sorry.”

She nodded and closed her eyes. “Okay.” She drifted off to sleep seconds later.

He stared down at her for the longest time, noting the fatigue on her face and the dark circles beneath her eyes. There was another slight bruise on the inside of her inner right thigh. He couldn’t even remember what he could have done to put it there.

Swallowing hard, he turned off the bedside lamp so he wouldn’t see the marks he’d left on her. Jake pulled on his clothes, sat in the chair in the corner of her room and kept an eye on her all through the long night. He examined what had happened between them over and over as the dark of night turned into the dim light of dawn.

There was no way Sapphire could handle the sexual demands he would make of her. Not many women could. She was so sweet, so innocent. She deserved a gentle lover, one who would go slow and careful. Not a rutting bull who wanted to fuck her hard all night long and left her with bruises.

What they’d done tonight was barely the tip of the iceberg of what he wanted to do to her and with her, and she’d ended up sore and completely exhausted. And the last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt her.

No matter how he looked at the situation, it seemed he had little choice. He had to walk away from Sapphire before he hurt her worse than he had tonight. He was obviously too rough, too demanding for her.

He cursed the universe for showing him a glimpse of heaven only to tear it from him. It was obvious to him that while Sapphire was enthusiastic, she wasn’t experienced enough to handle his needs in the bedroom. He couldn’t bear to think what would happen if he really took control and did all he wanted to.

He couldn’t risk harming her again. Better a quick break now than to hurt her continuously. No matter how he played it out in his head, there was no way for either of them to win. He was too controlling, too dark for her to handle.

For fuck’s sake his intense brand of lovemaking had left bruises on her soft skin. What kind of animal did that make him?

And there was no way he wanted her to lose the sweet innocence she had. That’s part of why he’d fallen for her in the first place. She’d shown him all sides of herself, but he’d held his darker side in check, keeping it hidden until tonight.

She moaned in her sleep, as she’d been doing for the past few hours, and it hardened his resolve. It might kill him to lose her, but better to set her free than to see her come to dislike him, or worse, fear him.

It was well past eight in the morning when her eyelids fluttered open. She seemed disoriented and winced when she rolled over. Jake felt like kicking his own ass. He was too much beast for this innocent beauty.

“How do you feel?” He kept his voice level, letting no emotion show. What he really wanted to do was fall on his knees and beg her forgiveness, promising her he’d change. But he knew he couldn’t change who or what he was. He was forty years old and knew himself too well to lie.

“Jake?” She tried to push herself up, but didn’t quite make it. She licked her lips. “That was…intense.”

Jake nodded. “It was too much. I know and I’m sorry for that.” He pushed out of the chair and went to the end of the bed, looking down at her body huddled beneath the covers, wishing he could see her naked one more time. “It’s best for us both if we don’t see one another again.” Each word was ripped from his soul, leaving him bare and bleeding inside.

“What?” She blinked up at him and frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“I’m too much for you, demand too much in the bedroom.” He raked his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. “I know you’re sore from last night, but even now I want to roll you onto your stomach and fuck you. What the hell does that say about me? I don’t want to hurt you any more than I already have, so it’s better if I just leave.” He turned and walked to the door, reaching it far too quickly. Each step away from her was agony.