His hands worshiped her body, stroking up and down her arms and torso, tracing her subtle curves. She touched him wherever she could reach, his chest, his shoulders, his back. He was so warm, so alive, muscles rippling beneath the skin wherever she touched.

He tore his mouth from hers and left a trail of hot kisses down her throat. He paused at the sensitive spot where her neck met the curve of her shoulder and bit down carefully. Attention to that particular place was like lighting a match to gasoline and her hips jacked up, pressing hard against his erection. She thrashed her head back and forth on the pillow. She needed John inside her.

“Now, John.” She dug her fingers into his taut butt, trying to pull him farther into the cradle of her hips.

“Not yet.” He was panting hard, his skin growing slick with perspiration. “Need to taste you.”

The next half-hour was nothing more than a blur of erotic sensation for Topaz. John used his hands and mouth on her, missing not an inch of her skin. He stroked her shoulders and arms before ending at her hands, where he proceeded to suck on her fingers one by one. His tongue swirled between them, teasing the sensitive web of flesh at the base. She had never realized just what an erogenous zone her hands were until tonight.

He nibbled on the pads at the base of her thumbs and laved her speeding pulse in her wrist.

Her breasts were stroked and licked and petted until she thought she might go mad. But no matter how much she pleaded with John, he wouldn’t enter her.

His tongue dipped into her bellybutton before moving lower. Her breath caught in her throat when he spread her legs wide and stared down at her glistening pussy. “You are so fucking hot.” His voice was little more than a feral growl. She opened her legs wider, tempting him to take what he wanted.

He caught her hips in his hands and lifted her to meet his mouth. Heat flashed over her and through her. John found her clit and teased her mercilessly with his tongue and lips and teeth. She was on the edge now, almost ready to come.

She lifted her hips and dragged his head closer. He couldn’t stop now. She wouldn’t let him. She was so close, so close.

He pressed one thick finger into her sheath and everything around her exploded. She heard herself cry out, but it sounded as though it was coming from far away. She squeezed her thighs tight around his head to keep him from leaving her, not wanting to lose his magic touch. The room spun away, lost in darkness. Spasms racked her body and tremors shook her to her soul.

John never stopped loving her with his mouth and hands, helping her wring every last ounce of pleasure from her orgasm. When it was over, she managed to pry her eyes open to slits. Her muscles felt like jelly and she was floating on a cloud of pleasure.

He carefully released her and sat back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His blue eyes seemed to glitter from within and there was a feral set to his face, his features harsh.

He banded his arm beneath her back, lifted her slightly and entered her in one swift, firm stroke. What breath she’d managed to get was lost as he filled her. She gasped and then groaned as her slick channel stretched around his pulsing cock. It felt so good. Too good.

“John,” she managed to gasp. “Protection.”

“Fuck.” He pulled out and practically threw himself across the bed, yanked open the drawer of the nightstand and pulled out a box of condoms. It didn’t take him long to open one and put it on. Then he was back, his shaft forging into her, sweeping her away.

He took her hard and fast, both of them gasping for breath. Arousal caught fire within her once again, feeding off the flames of his passion. She met him stroke for stroke, grinding her pelvis against his, not able to get close enough. Their skin slapped together, mingling with their breathy groans in a symphony of seduction.

John gave a growl of frustration and hooked his arms beneath her legs, spreading them wider. His hips hammered her, driving his cock deep into her core. He stretched and filled her with each stroke until it was a blur of pleasure.

He suddenly threw back his head and yelled. His spine went rigid and she felt his cock jerking deep within her. She wished he wasn’t wearing a condom, wished she could feel the hot wash of his semen filling her.

“Come again. Come for me, babe.” There was a sense of desperation in his words and he ground his pelvis against hers, stroking her clit just right. Ripples of pleasure washed over her and her pussy spasmed, wrapping around his cock like a wet glove. She cried out as she came again, throwing her arms around his neck and holding on.

He collapsed facedown on the bed with a groan, angling his torso off hers just enough so she could breathe. Their bodies were still joined, and they both shook with aftershocks of pleasure.

The sheets were cool against her back, but Topaz didn’t mind. Her skin felt overheated, almost tender. Her pussy continued to have little spasms that caused John to groan. Finally, he raised his head and the look he gave her was filled with such tenderness it brought tears to her eyes.

He disengaged from her body and went to the bathroom to dispose of the condom. Without him beside her, she felt cold. She dragged down the covers and pulled them over her, shivering slightly in the bed.

His erection was only slightly diminished when he returned. He climbed into bed and took her into his arms, settling her head on his shoulder. He ran his fingers through her hair and down her back, making her feel cherished and content.

She didn’t know why she was waffling so much about their relationship. What could it hurt to give it a try? She loved John. That wasn’t going to change if she sent him away. Better to take a chance than to be a coward her whole life, afraid to take a chance on love for fear of being hurt. Maybe he didn’t love her yet, but he certainly wanted her. That was a start.

Men were different from women. Women started with emotions and worked up to the physical, while men did the reverse. Or at least that’s what all the women’s mags said in their advice columns. She could work with that.

Topaz had always been able to focus on a goal until she got what she wanted. She could do this. She’d never wanted anything more in her life than she wanted a permanent relationship with John.

His warm hand on her back and the aftermath of her explosive orgasms made her sleepy. She yawned and nestled closer to John, enjoying the feel of his heart beating against her cheek.

She needed to think about this a bit more, but in her heart, she knew what she was going to do.

John knew the minute Topaz drifted off to sleep. His cock was hard once again and ready for another round of lovemaking, but that wasn’t going to happen, at least not for a few hours. His lady was down for the count.

He loved the way Topaz responded to his touch. Christ almighty, he’d thought the top of his head might come off during his last orgasm. He’d felt it building deep in his balls before it exploded up his dick and out the top. He shouldn’t have been able to get it up again for at least an hour. But around Topaz that wasn’t a problem.

He smiled and continued to stroke her back. He could still taste her on his tongue, sweet and salty. There was no way he was going to lose her. If she thought that she could shake him when they got back to the city, she had another think coming. He was going to stick to her like white on rice until she understood that he wasn’t going anywhere, and that she could depend on him to be there for her.

It all came down to trust.

She might trust him with her life, but not her heart. Not yet. But their time here had moved him a step closer to his goal. He planned on marrying Topaz Jewel. He was smart enough to know a treasure when he found it and he’d cherish her forever.

* * * * *

The sound of the wheels on the pavement was hypnotic. Topaz put her hand over her mouth to stifle yet another yawn. She’d barely gotten any sleep last night. John had woken her several more times to make love to her. Once, he’d lifted her on top of him and she’d ridden them both to pleasure. Another time, he’d rolled her onto her belly, lifted her hips and taken her to paradise. This morning, she’d opened her eyes to find him spooned behind her, his cock already buried in her. She’d moaned her pleasure as he’d rocked them both to orgasm.

John had jumped out of bed, showered and packed while she’d lain in bed with a pillow over her head. He’d eventually bullied her out of bed and into a bath he’d drawn for her. He’d helped her wash, taking special care with her tender breasts. She was sore between her thighs but she wasn’t about to let him know that. He’d eventually left her with orders to hurry.

By the time she dressed in a pair of black slacks, a silk blouse in a dull gold color and topped it with a black blazer, he was back to collect her luggage. He’d poured coffee in two insulated cups, bundled her aboard the car and locked up the cabin.

Now they were headed back to the city and she had no idea where their relationship stood. She reached for her coffee and took a fortifying sip, it was sweet, just the way she liked it. Her body ached in some very intimate places, a very real reminder of what they’d done last night. She’d even found a small mark on her neck where John had nibbled on her not quite so gently. Her core spasmed at the memory and her hand went to the area hidden by the high collar of her blouse.

“You doing okay? Not too cold are you?” It was the first time John had spoken in a half-hour.

She let her hand fall back to her lap and took another sip of coffee. “I’m fine.” How inane. They were acting as if they were total strangers, not lovers who’d just spent an amazing time together at a secluded retreat.

“About our relationship,” she began.

John shook his head. “No need to talk about it now. There will be plenty of time when we get back to the city.”

Topaz frowned. Didn’t he want to discuss their future? She’d made up her mind what she wanted to do and now she wanted to talk about it. She opened her mouth to speak again, but he reached out and turned on the radio, cranking the volume up loud.

She had no idea what was wrong with John, but she decided to let it be for now. Maybe he was as exhausted as she was from their long night of lovemaking. It struck her that she didn’t automatically think he’d changed his mind. With any other man she might have jumped to the conclusion that he’d changed his mind now that he’d gotten a couple days of hot sex. But that never occurred to her. Not with John.

He wasn’t the type of man who would change his mind about such a thing. He’d stated he wanted a relationship with her and she believed him. Whatever was bothering him this morning, she’d give him the time and space to work it out. Sipping her coffee, she settled back against the seat and watched the scenery roll by, absently tapping her foot to the music.

John was sweating bullets as the radio played a bluesy song. He didn’t want Topaz talking about their relationship, not after last night. He’d been on her like a rutting bull all night long, barely giving her time to rest in between bouts of lovemaking. He hadn’t missed the way she gingerly walked this morning, or the way she flinched when he’d accidentally grazed her breasts when she was in the bathtub.

She had to be sore and exhausted. Not exactly the mood he wanted her in when she was making any kind of decision about their future together. He needed to make a strategic retreat. That meant getting her home before she got a chance to kick him out of her life.

He couldn’t believe he’d turned into such a primitive caveman last night, wanting to fuck her and mark her, claiming her as his. Yeah, as if that would work. Shit, could he get any more stupid when it came to Topaz? He’d wanted to romance her, make her relax and have a good time, not fuck her into a state of exhaustion.

He glanced her way and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw she’d fallen asleep. He plucked her coffee mug out of her hand and placed it back in the slot on the console. With any luck she’d sleep until they were back in the city. He’d take her home and make plans to take her to dinner, maybe a movie. He’d romance her in the way she deserved, even if it killed him.

That meant no more lovemaking for a while. He lost all control the minute her clothing came off, and there was too much at stake here for him to mess this up any further. His dick jerked in disagreement, but he ignored his smaller head. Time to think with the big brain. Besides, he’d had enough sex last night to hold him for a while.