“Who says I am?” she asked in amusement. “Maybe this is my coping mechanism. Maybe I'm drinking this wine to settle my nerves.”
“I somehow doubt that,” he said dryly as he sipped. “You're as solid as a rock and I'm”
“Shaking inside?” she teased him.
“Yeah.” He finished the wine. “I don’t think I can swallow another sip.”
“That’s fine, we can indulge after.”
“You mean after we finish—” He gestured with one hand.
Amy laughed, the sound like tinkling glass. “I never pegged you for a shy guy.”
“I'm not usually,” he muttered as he put his glass away. “You're very intimidating.”
“Me?” she stared at him in surprise. “Dude, you've known me since I was a chubby girl with bad hair and bruised knees. Not to mention that time I tore the seat of my jeans while climbing that apple tree in Mrs. Nellie’s backyard.”
“And you weren't in the least embarrassed,” he pointed out.
“True, because back then I saw you as just a guy I was forced to put up with.”
“Forced?” His thick black brows lifted.
“Well, force is a strong word. More like felt sorry for,” she told him with a grin.
“Is that so?” His green eyes glinted dangerously. “You felt sorry for me?”
“Kind of. You looked so much like a lonely rich guy who didn't have any friends.”
“You didn't have many friends either,” he pointed out dryly. He couldn't believe the conversation they were having. Here they were on the verge of entering another unexpected phase of their lives and she was doing her best to make him comfortable.
“That’s because I chose not to have lots of friends,” she argued as she topped up his glass.
“Are you trying to get me drunk?”
“If you can get drunk on this wine then I'm telling you now that I'll be extremely disappointed in you. I drank a bottle of this all by myself once when I was editing this very badly written book and it did nothing for me.”
“An entire bottle?” he stared at her dubiously.
“An entire bottle,” she told him with a grin. “So, drink up and then let’s get started. How do you feel now?”
“Like I'm in a surreal world. Here I am sitting with you, a beautiful woman, and we're about to get naked and do things to each other and we're having a conversation.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“I've never done that before.”
“You just get naked and go for it and then what?”
“We talk a little and then sleep and I head out.”
“That’s sad.” She shook her head, her hair following her movements. “I'm a talker as you must realize and I do believe that a conversation is required for everything, including sex.”
He shook his head with a smile. “I've never met anyone like you before.”
“There has never been anyone like me,” she said sagely. “Now drink up honey and let’s get started. Music or no?”
“What?”
“Would you like to set the tone with music or not?”
“No music,” he told her faintly. His palms were becoming sweaty and he was already aroused and wondering if he would be able to do what he was required to do.
“My take exactly.” She got to her feet and put her glass down and reached for his. He finished the rest of it in one swallow and handed it to her. She put it down on the table and reached for his hand. He placed it in hers and she pulled him up, standing in front of him, his heart hammering inside his chest. He wondered if she could hear it!
“What now?” he asked, his throat dry.
“Now I undress you,” she told him softly as she reached for the edge of his shirt and started lifting it. He'd showered before he came over and smelled like something elusive; like pine and wood. He lifted his arms and she went on her toes to pull it off, dropping it to the floor. She spread her hands over his chest, feeling the muscles flexed. “I remember you being scrawny,” she murmured as she admired the play of muscles and the hairs lying against the tanned skin. “Now you could do a center spread for sports weekly.” He clenched his teeth as her nails grazed his flesh, following the column of hairs that disappeared in the waistband of his jeans. He toed off his boots and still she only came to his chest. She unbuttoned his jeans and pulled the zipper down slowly.
“Take it off,” she whispered.
He did so without hesitation.
“Everything.”
“Now?” His breath hitched in his chest as he stared at her.
“Hmm.” She untied the sash of her robe and it slid off her shoulders, leaving her completely naked. “Yes, now.”
He didn't move immediately as he stood there staring at her. Her skin was flawless, but he already knew that. What he hadn't known was that her breasts were on the small size, the nipples large. Her stomach was flat—his eyes veered up to her face, not daring to go further. He was so hard that he could hardly fathom it! “It’s okay to look. I want to see you.” She reached for the waist of his underwear and he just stood there immobilized while she peeled the boxers off him. He managed to step out of them and stood before her, managing to endure it while she ran her fingers down the length of him. She finally stepped back and went towards the bed, climbing onto it and turning to watch as he made his way to her. Her heartbeat was suffocating her, and she couldn't take her eyes off him. He was lean and tanned and the muscles rippled when he walked... and he was so hairy! He climbed in next to her and turned onto his side, looking at her.
“What now?”
Her tapered brows lifted. “If you need me to tell you that, then I'm afraid I've made the wrong decision.”
“I know what to do.” He brushed back the tangle of hairs from her face.
“That’s a relief.”
“I just thought you would want something specific.” He trailed a finger over her cheekbone and the side of her lips. “Anything special you like?”
She opened her mouth and captured his wandering finger. “I like what you're doing and I like the look of you.” She put a hand on his chest and felt the thudding of his heart.
“I like the look of you too.” He bent his head and brushed his lips against hers, feeling the punch of desire as she opened her lips and he captured her breath. He touched his tongue to hers tentatively, his hand framing her face as he went in to deepen the kiss. Amy moved her hands and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him in closer so that she could savor the kiss. The absolutely potent kiss that was tying her up in knots and pulling at her. She curled her fingers into his hair and moved her body against his hard, muscled one, feeling the brush of hairs against her aching nipples. He passed his hand over her generous hip, pulling her closer to him so that she could feel his erection, the hardness of his thighs. He pulled away from her, his breathing ragged, his eyes bright with passion as he stared at her.
“I don’t want to disappoint,” he told her hoarsely.
“I have a feeling that we're past that.” She dragged her fingers through his hair and onto his shoulder. “I'm not disappointed so far.”