Her hands stilled. "Did I hurt you?"

You're bloody killing me. "No, angel. Don't stop."

Clearly emboldened by his response, she ran her hands over him again and again. Stephen endured the sweet torture, knowing that any agony he suffered was well worth the bloom and wonder of sensual discovery lighting her eyes. When she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his chest, he sucked in a sharp breath and clenched his hands into fists.

"Do you like that?"

"God. Yes."

A feminine smile curved her lips. She kissed her way slowly across his chest, igniting his skin until it seemed an inferno burned inside him. When she flicked her tongue over his nipple, he couldn't stand the delicious torment any longer.

Scooping her up in his arms, he carried her to the bed and laid her gently on the counterpane. He was about to lie beside her when he stilled, transfixed by her expression. Sensual awareness, mixed with curiosity and newfound feminine power, all shimmered in her eyes. She rose to her knees, her gaze wandering slowly over him, head to foot, then riveting on his manhood.

On her knees, she moved to the edge of the bed, her eyes fastened on that part of him that was close to bursting with need.

Aroused beyond bearing by her ardent gaze, he took her hand and guided it to himself. "Touch me, Hayley. Don't be afraid."

Kneeling before him, hesitant and so beautiful he could barely stand it, she gently touched the tip of his arousal with her index finger. His moan echoed in the quiet room. Never in his life had he been reduced to such a state by a mere whisper of a touch. He would die if she continued. He would die if she stopped.

"Touch me again," he commanded in a raw voice. "Don't stop."

She brushed her fingers over the length of him, and he gritted his teeth against the incredible sensation. When she wrapped her fingers around him and gently squeezed, his heart stalled. She rubbed her hand over him several more times, until he caught her wrist. If he didn't stop her, he stood in danger of spilling himself into her palm. And that was not what he wanted. It wasn't what either of them wanted. He couldn't wait much longer.

Pushing her gently back, he lay half over her, gazing down into her luminous eyes. "This will probably hurt-"

"You could never hurt me, Stephen." Leaning up, she kissed his mouth, and hot need replaced all thoughts of conversation. Settling himself between her thighs, he entered her gently, a bit at a time, until he reached the barrier. He tried to gently probe past it, but that proved futile. His only two choices were to retreat or press on.

Retreating was not an option.

He grabbed her by the hips. "I don't want to hurt you," he gritted out.

"I don't care," she breathed.

She pushed herself up just as Stephen bore himself down, and together they broke the slim barrier that separated the girl from the woman.

Stephen rested his forehead against Hayley's and held himself perfectly still. Or as still as his ragged breathing and pounding heart would allow. Jesus. She was so warm and so tight. Like a velvet glove squeezing him in a pulsing fist.

Sweat broke out on his forehead in his effort to remain still and allow her to become accustomed to the feel of him. "Are you all right?" he rasped.

"I've never been better. Is there more, or is this it?"

Stephen raised his head and looked down into her eyes. He could not stop the half-grin that quirked his lips.

"There's more."

She wound her arms around his neck and squirmed beneath him. "Show me. I want to know everything."

Hesitating no longer, he began moving slowly within her, withdrawing nearly all the way, only to sink fully inside her once again. He kept his gaze locked on her, mesmerized by the play of emotions flitting across her expressive face. He quickened his thrusts, his arms trembling under his weight, determined to bring her to pleasure before he found his own release.

He watched the pressure build in her. She clutched at his shoulders, meeting his thrusts, her breathing choppy. When her climax claimed her, she threw her head back and dug her fingers into his skin.

"Stephen. Oh my …Stephen…"

She moaned his name over and over. Stephen watched her pleasure overtake her, his eyes and ears devouring her uninhibited response. Her contractions squeezed at him, driving him over the edge. Thrusting into her again, he spilled his seed deep inside her, losing a piece of himself, of his soul, to her.

When his spasms finally receded, he gathered her in his arms and rolled their bodies onto their sides, still intimately joined. He buried his face in her tousled curls and breathed deeply, filling his head with the soft scent of roses, and the musky scent of their lovemaking.

She snuggled against him and pressed a gentle kiss on his neck.

Stephen felt her kiss and drew his head back until their eyes met. Her gaze was filled with languorous warmth. She looked like a woman who had just been well loved.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked quietly.

"Only for a moment. After that, it was…"Her voice trailed off into a rapturous sigh.

He ran a single finger down the bridge of her nose. "It was what?"

"Indescribable. Incredible." A teasing gleam lit her eyes. "Are you looking for praise, Stephen?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "No. I know how wonderful it was. I was right there with you."

"Yes, you were." A frown puckered her brow. "I'm not trying to pry, but I assume this was not the first time you've done …this. Am I correct?"

Wariness filled him. The last thing he wanted was to discuss his debauched past with Hayley. "Why do you want to know?"

"I was just wondering if it was always so wonderful. So magical. Since I've never done this before and have nothing to compare it to, I was hoping you would know."

Stephen thought briefly of his past experiences, the parade of beautiful women who had shared his bed. He couldn't recall half their names, and at the moment he couldn't picture the face of even one of them. They were all like him-selfish, pleasure-seeking nobles in search of nothing more than physical gratification.

"No, Hayley. It is not always this wonderful or magical. I've never known it to be this way."

"Then you have made love before," she said in a small voice. "I knew you must have. You undressed me with an ease that bespoke of great experience."

A vise squeezed his chest. To compare what he'd just shared with Hayley to his experiences with the women who'd preceded her disgusted him. There was no comparison, and he knew why. Neither his nor his partner's emotions, beyond physical attraction, had ever before been engaged.

"You're wrong, Hayley. Yes, I've bedded other women. But I have never made love to one." He cupped her face in his palm, and ran his thumb over her full bottom lip. "I've never made love before. Until now. Until you," he said, his voice filled with wonder, as if he could not believe the truth of his own words. But they were indeed true.

A tremulous smile curved her lips. "I love you, Stephen."

He closed his eyes and swallowed. "I know."

"Make love to me again."

Stephen opened his eyes and stared at her. "Again? Now?" Even as he thought it impossible, his manhood stirred to life.

A teasing sparkle twinkled in her gaze. "Can you think of a better time? I have a great deal to learn." She pursed her lips. "I thought you were a tutor. Perhaps I need another teacher?"

The thought of another man being with her like this, the image of Hayley lying beneath someone else, looking up at him with love-filled eyes, of her laughing and teasing with someone else, filled Stephen with such violent jealousy, he nearly choked on it. She was his, damn it. His angel. The rational part of him knew he had no right to feel that way, but he felt that way all the same. As if he would kill anyone who touched her.

Unable to reconcile his warring emotions, he dropped a hard kiss onto her mouth. "No. You don't need another teacher," he growled. Angry at himself, and unreasonably angry with her for making him feel so unsettled and unsure of himself, he flipped her over onto her back and plunged into her with one strong stroke.

"Stephen!"

"God, I'm sorry." What the hell was wrong with him? He'd just plunged into her with all the finesse of a randy schoolboy with his first woman. Christ. He'd probably split her in two. "Did I hurt you?"

A slow smile lit her face. "Have you noticed that we keep asking each other 'did I hurt you?'"

Stephen's frown eased. "Yes, I guess we do, but I suppose that's not unusual for new lovers, especially when one is a virgin."

"Was a virgin," she corrected with a wicked grin. Her face suddenly sobered. "I suppose I shouldn't be quite so happy about that. I should probably be appalled by my shocking behavior and kick you out of my bed. I seem to recall a lecture you gave me regarding my lack of propriety."

"Indeed?" He withdrew himself nearly all the way from her body, then plunged back into her silky warmth. "I cannot imagine what I was thinking."

"Oooh…" she breathed. "Luckily I am not in the least bit appalled and I have no intention of kicking you out of my bed."

"Thank God." He again withdrew, then buried himself to the hilt.

"I quite like what you said before," she whispered, her body moving beneath his.

Withdraw and plunge. "What did I say?"

"You said we were lovers. I like the sound of that."

He withdrew and plunged again.

"And the feel of that."

He bent his head and drew her taut nipple into his mouth, eliciting a long moan of pleasure from her. He sucked on her gently at first, increasing the pressure, stopping just before it became pain. Hayley thrashed beneath him, raising her hips to meet every one of his thrusts.