“We can’t do this.” She didn’t know how she found the strength to say the words, but she did. “I don’t do this kind of thing.”

“Of course, we can,” he murmured as he flicked his tongue over her ear. “And I never thought that you did.”

It took a moment for his words to make sense to her because she couldn’t even remember what she’d said to him. She had to get a hold of herself. Putting her hands on his chest, she pushed and was mildly surprised when he immediately stepped back. She ignored the small flare of disappointment that he’d given up so easily. God, how perverse was that? Shaking her head, she struggled to regain her composure.

But before she could speak, he did, seducing her with words alone. “We won’t do anything you don’t want to.” His eyes burned with desire as they drifted over her body. “I just want to taste you, to pleasure you.”

The way his voice lowered on the last of his words caused a fresh gush of cream to dampen her panties. She closed her eyes to shut out the potent sight of him, but they jerked open again when she felt his touch on her body. His hands slipped inside her suit jacket, sliding over the silk of her blouse and coming to rest just under her breasts. She sucked in a deep breath as her nipples strained against the cups of her bra, begging for his touch. But he kept his hands resting just below her breasts, obviously waiting for her consent.

What harm would there be? the voice in the back of her head whispered. She ruthlessly tried to block out that voice even as every bit of her attention was focused on the large male hands almost cupping her breasts.

“You’re not married or anything, are you?” She groaned as soon as the words left her mouth.

The appalled expression on his face actually reassured her. “No.” He pulled his hands away from her body and she instantly felt the loss, suddenly cold where only seconds before she’d been deliciously hot. “Are you?”

Now it was her turn to be appalled. “Of course not.” She bit her lip, realizing that she’d all but insulted the man. “I’m sorry. I’m just not any good at this.”

His massive arms came around her and he hugged her gently. She rested her face against his shoulder and sighed. “You’re doing just fine, sugar.” His erection poked her in the stomach, but he kept his grip on her shoulders light and undemanding.

She’d been called “sugar” many times in her life, but never before had she liked it. The way it rolled off his tongue, it was an endearment, not a taunt. The air was electric with the sexual desire that existed between them and, rightly or wrongly, Candy knew she wanted to sample it. She took a step back and he dropped his arms to his sides. Her eyes never left his face as she slipped her suit jacket off her shoulders and tossed it on top of her purse.

The heat in his eyes flared as he reached out and cupped her jaw in his large hand. “Only what you want.” The look in his eyes was deadly serious and she felt that he needed her to believe that he meant what he said. She gave him one nervous nod before reaching for the buttons on her blouse. “Let me.” His husky voice stroked her like a caress even as his hands pushed hers aside.

Candy watched as he tugged her blouse out of the waistband of her skirt. The slithering sound of the silk being drawn over the thicker fabric was incredibly arousing. She’d never had a man undress her before. Always with her other lovers, she’d undressed herself.

Starting from the bottom, he slowly slid each button from its hole. When it was open, he pushed it over her shoulders and let it drop to the floor behind her. His hands hovered over her lace-covered breasts for a moment before his thumbs brushed the turgid peaks pushing against the cups of her bra.

That one touch had her womb contracting tight and she couldn’t stifle the gasp that escaped her. He met her gaze and smiled. That simple action transformed him totally. In that moment, Candy was lost. He looked like some fallen angel— tempting her, needing her, wanting her. And she wanted to give him whatever he needed.

Reaching between her breasts, he deftly opened the front closure and pushed back her bra, letting the straps slide down her arms. Her breasts sprang free from their confinement, feeling heavy and aching with need. He cupped their weight in his hands as he lowered his head. She thought she heard him whisper the word “perfect” just before his tongue stroked over one of the swollen tips.

She sifted her hands though his hair, as she’d wanted to do since the moment she first saw him. The short, silky strands slipped through her fingers. He groaned as he took her nipple into his mouth and suckled hard. Her fingers tightened, her nails digging into his scalp as she pulled his face tighter to her breast.

He stroked her other breast with his fingers, plucking at the swollen nipple, carefully rolling it between his thumb and forefinger. Candy lost herself in the incredible sensations that engulfed her. This felt better than any sex she’d ever had and he was only touching her breasts. The pulsing between her thighs increased as he pleasured her.

Suddenly he pulled back, breathing hard as he sucked air into his lungs. His hands wrapped around her waist as he walked her backward until her back touched the door. Kneeling on the floor in front of her, he gripped her ankles with his fingers and eased her legs apart. The action was constricted somewhat by the confining fabric of her skirt. Scooting closer to her, he stroked his hands over her boots, past her knees and under her skirt.

Candy sucked in a breath as his warm hands paused. He had discovered she was wearing thigh-high stockings and not pantyhose. “Oh, yeah,” he growled as he continued to slide his hands upward, pushing the fabric of her skirt higher and higher until it was shoved around her waist. He tucked one end in the waistband to hold it out of his way. A stray beam of light from the outside streetlamp made his blond hair gleam as he moved his face closer to her panties. The sight of his dark hand touching the pale pink silk of her panties made her gasp.

His touch was so gentle, almost reverent, as he stroked the silky fabric, moving lower as he fingered the crotch of her panties. He raised his fingers to his nose and sniffed. “You smell hot, sugar.”

Candy could feel the heat of a blush creeping up her cheeks and was glad that the room was mostly in shadows so he wouldn’t see it. No man had ever said anything like that to her before and it was incredibly arousing, making her squirm.

He reached up, caught the delicate fabric in both his hands and yanked. The sound of silk rending was unusually loud. She could feel the cool air on her side and then her mound as he peeled the fabric aside. He slid the remains of her panties down her other leg and she automatically lifted her foot so he could pull it away. Raising the silky fabric to his face, he inhaled deeply before shoving it into his back pocket.

Candy was as appalled as she was aroused. He’d not only ripped her panties from her body, but it was obvious he wasn’t planning on giving them back. But all that was forgotten as his hands stroked the skin on the inside of her thigh, moving closer to her core. She sucked in a deep breath, willing him to touch her. Needing to feel his hands where she ached the most. Strung on the tight thread of desire, she closed her eyes and waited for his touch.

Lucas felt his hands tremble as they slid up the inside of her soft, milky-white thighs. The strain of holding himself in check was beginning to make itself felt. Part of him wanted to haul her down to the floor, mount her and fuck her until neither of them could walk. But another part of him wanted to touch her gently and savor every inch of her body. Most of all, he didn’t want to do anything to frighten her. He sensed his mystery lady was uncertain and could bolt at any second. He was determined to give her so much pleasure, she wouldn’t even think of leaving.

The sight of his large, rough hands moving across her pale skin was incredibly arousing. He only wished that there was more light, rather than the dim beam shining through the window. But he’d take what he could get. There was no way he was going to disrupt the mood, not when she was waiting expectantly for him to touch her.

The room was silent except for the occasional muted blast of a horn from the street traffic just outside the building. So far from the party, they could only hear the occasional murmur from the crowd. Nothing else existed at the moment but the two of them here together. He traced the crease at the tops of her thighs with his thumbs and she shuddered. Her breathing was getting louder as she got more aroused.

Her hands gripped the top of his head and he stilled, afraid she was going to push him away. “Take off your shirt. I want to see you.” Her hesitant request sent a shudder down his spine.

He sat back on his heels, reached his hands behind his shoulders, grabbed two handfuls of fabric and yanked his white T-shirt over his head, flinging it aside. She reached out and tentatively touched his shoulder. He gritted his teeth as his cock throbbed with need. Her small hand felt so damned good. He wanted to spend an entire night lying on his bed, having her run her exploring fingers over his body. But right now, she had to stop.

He captured her fingers as they slipped over the muscles in his arm. “Sugar, if you keep that up, I’m going to come in my pants.” His blunt words startled her. He could tell by the way her hand jerked in his grasp and the way her breath hitched slightly. Glancing up, he half expected to see disgust on her face. Instead, a half-smile formed on her lips.

“Really?”