“God, you’re beautiful.”

The words burst free—unplanned, unrehearsed—and she choked out a cry. It was somewhere between laughter and pain, and as he searched her face for the reason, she pivoted, twisting to expose the left side of her torso.

Ribbons of stark white showed against her skin, plastering her arm and shoulder, her breast. Her rib cage was covered, and the scars marked her all the way down to disappear under the edge of her soft cotton pants. The lower they dropped, the more extensive the damage, the single lines meshing into crosshatches and batches of uneven dips and valleys where the skin and muscle had been torn away prior to healing.

“Shit—that must have hurt.” He sat on the bed, patting the place beside him then reaching a hand to her. She joined him hesitantly, crawling over to bury her face in his neck, her body shaking against his.

“Sorry, I thought I could do this. I thought I was strong enough, but I’m still freaking out.” Her voice was a whisper, and he carefully wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

“Shh, it’s okay. Tell me what happened.”

“I slid. Thirty feet free fall down the wall, most of it jagged granite. The rocks were sharp enough they cut my clothing away, and shredded my harness. By the time I landed, I had broken four ribs and my left leg, dislocated my shoulder and had lacerations from wrist to ankle. A concussion that put me out for a couple of days. The rescue crew was amazed I hadn’t broken my neck. They figured my flexibility and muscle strength saved me.”

“You survived because you’re strong.”

Melanie shrugged, her ear resting on his chest. “My life changed.”

He smoothed her back with tiny circles, caught in an erotic torture as her bare breasts rubbed his chest. Damned if he’d move ahead until she was ready, but shit, he hadn’t lied. Just the smell of her skin made him hard, and now holding her half-naked body in his arms? Screw the scars, he wanted her badly.

So tell her.

“I understand why you’re afraid, but…” Maybe actions would speak louder than words. He caught her hand and pulled it between their bodies, pressing her palm against his cock where it rose between them. “Does it seem as if I’m turned off at the thought of being with you?”

Melanie laughed again, this time a short gasp. She’d been on the verge of tears, and that was not where he wanted this to go. He would wait as patiently as possible. Of course, while he waited, he could make it clear he had no objections to her body whatsoever. He lay back on the bed and took her with him, draping her over his chest and continuing to stroke her warm skin. She squirmed and her gorgeous tits pressed tight to him again. His cock jerked against his briefs. Her temple was within reach, so he kissed it. Then with a little roll they were side by side and her lips were once again accessible.

Kissing her breathless seemed the best way to get her mind off what wasn’t an issue. Not tonight. Not with him. And kissing his way down her body to her breasts was the next natural progression. He held her gently, thumb and forefingers creating a half cup to press the mound of her breast upward. A slow lick over one tip, the hard point wonderful against his tongue. When she moaned, he tore his gaze upward to make sure she was still on board. Melanie struggled up on her elbows, shaking her head slightly.

“What?” He moved his other hand to play with her nipple.

“It really doesn’t bother you?”

“Kissing you?”

She rolled her eyes. “Now you’re being deliberately obtuse. My scars.”

“They don’t bother me.” All he wanted was to touch her. To get back to what they were doing. He wasn’t ignoring her pain, or the damage the accident had done to her mind and soul, but wanted to show her the fears about her body at least were groundless. He leaned in and took her nipple into his mouth again, the one on the side where the scarring was. Working slowly, he skimmed his fingertips along the sides of her torso, touching and teasing her skin. Slipping his fingers under the waistband of her pants, he pulled them away.

He slid down the mattress to dip his tongue into her belly button and play with the tiny purple jewel nestled there. All his senses were heightened as he tasted her. The sweet scent of her soap clung to her skin and turned his exploration into an olfactory delight. He planted kisses along the top of her panty line, stroking the side of her body in long sweeps, cupping her ass. She rolled one hip upward, and he snagged the edge of her underwear and dragged it down, exposing her sex to his sight. Oh yes, this was what he’d been waiting for.

Nudging her legs apart with his shoulders, he settled between her thighs, swirling a fingertip between her curls to open her.

“Please.” Melanie lifted her hips higher, and he rewarded her with a slow swipe of his tongue.

He shuddered as her cream hit his system. Too good to stay slow, he covered her with his mouth and ate greedily. Tongue dipping in, then rising to torment the hard nub of her clitoris. Driving in hard until Melanie grabbed his head and called out her pleasure. It happened far too quickly, so he carried on feasting. He brought up one hand, slipping a finger into her core to enjoy the pulses of her orgasm that rocked on and on. Languid pumps followed as he continued to lap and suck her sensitive clit.

She dug in her heels and ground against him, and he willingly gave more. Two fingers now, stroking the front of her passage until she shook. Derrick pulled away and leaned on the bed, his fingers moving constantly as he looked into her face. Two bright red spots flushed her cheeks and her eyes were half-lidded. Pleasure streaked her face when he brought the heel of his hand in contact with the top of her mound. He moved to kiss her again.

Her fingers twisted in his hair, her tongue tangling with his. The taste of her pleasure passed between them, and she arched, rubbing against him like a cat.

She broke the seal between their lips. “I want you inside me.”

Oh, yeah. Derrick kissed her one last time then reached over her into his side table. Her warm hands were busy at the elastic of his briefs, stripping off the fabric and enveloping his cock with her tight grip. He rolled to his back and let her play, watching with delight as she explored his length, stroking and caressing with her fingertips.

“You okay?” he asked.

She shuffled closer, kneeling half over him as she turned her bright eyes in his direction. “I’m wonderful. I want more.”

“So do I.” Every firm stroke brought him that much closer to finishing, and he wasn’t ready yet. He grabbed her wrists in his hand and stilled her caress. “You’re driving me mad.”

Melanie smiled and leaned over to nab the condom. He took the opportunity to swipe at her breast as it came within reach, and she paused, moaning as he suckled. “That feels so good.”

He smiled around his mouthful, nipping the tight tip. She gasped and pulled away, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.

“I like your body, Melanie. All of you. You are one nice package.”

She raised a brow and sat back, the condom wrapper tossed to the floor as she held his cock in her hand again. Ball-breakingly slow, she rolled the latex down his shaft. “Speaking of nice packages.”

They laughed together before he tipped her chin up. “You want to be on top? It’s been a while.”

She answered by dropping to the mattress and tugging his shoulders. “You do all the work this time.”

He had no objections with that at all. He covered her with his body, the warmth of her skin teasing him. The expression in her eyes enticing him on. Then the tip of his cock slipped through her folds, and the raging heat of her body surrounded him. He squeezed his eyes closed, fighting to restrain his eagerness. One slight rock after another, he forced his way into her tight passage. Melanie drew her knees wider to the side, opening space for his hips as they meshed together. It felt so fucking good as pleasure slid down his spine and pulsed in his balls.

He hovered over her, allowing their bodies room to rub as he thrust in, slowly at first. Unhurried and deep, his cock slid into her passage as her cream spread over him. His ability to resist melted and he sped up, switching to hard and fast thrusts. Each plunge better than the last, each drive slamming their groins together. His balls slapped her body, her peaked nipples grazed his chest. When she dragged her fingers down his back, he swore and pounded in wildly. There was an inferno blazing between them, and he wasn’t going to stop until they went out together in a burst of pleasure.

Derrick leaned on one arm and slipped a hand between their torsos to find her clit, pinching in time with his thrusts, and Melanie screamed. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, her heels digging into his butt. She hauled him into her core, and as her orgasm squeezed him, he released all control and exploded into the condom. His balls pulled up, his cock jerking again and again until she’d drained him completely. The room spun, and there was a loud roar in his ears that blocked out all other sounds. Her panting breath hit his cheek, and he took in the scent of sex filling the room.

He could handle more of this. A lot more.

Derrick collapsed to the side, his arms quivering with reaction to the intensity of his release. “Holy shit, that was…” Words escaped him. His brain was mush. She cuddled in closer, his cock still buried in her body, and let out a contented sigh.

“Oh yeah, it was.”

They stared at each other, satisfied and sated. “Round one?”

Melanie raised her brows. “I’m game for more, once I can move.”