cock inside her. From what she felt pressed against her belly, he was big. She wanted to stroke him, feel his length in her palm, to please him like he had pleased her.
She moved her hand to his belt buckle, and her fingers brushed his erection through the denim.
Dare's cock jerked against her touch. He sucked in his breath and caught her hand in his large grasp. "Not tonight."
Lyra looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "What do you mean?"
He released her hand and traced his fingers along her jawline to her ear, a sensual movement that made her shiver. "You've just had a hell of a day. You need rest."
"But—"
He silenced her with a hard kiss that caused mini spasms to go off in her core again.
She tasted herself upon his tongue, smelled her juices on his lips.
When he pulled away, he wiped the moisture away from her lower lip with his thumb.
"When I make love to you, I want you to be sure that's exactly what you want. After the last couple of days you've had, you need time to be sure."
Warmth crept through Lyra, a different kind of warmth that spread through her chest.
The kind of warmth that came from being able to trust someone. Someone who might actually care for her needs over his own. "Are you sure?" she whispered.
"No." He groaned and pushed himself up from beside her. "I'd better get my ass away from you and take a cold shower. My self-control is running on empty."
Lyra watched him as he eased off the bed. He was so sexy, so powerful looking. He studied her naked body beneath the glow of the lamplight and shook his head. "You get some sleep."
"You can sleep on the bed tonight," she said with a little smile. "I won't make you sleep on the floor."
Dare winked and turned away. She watched him stride to the bathroom door. He paused in the open doorway and looked back at her. "Go on now. Get some sleep, beautiful."
Lyra continued to stare at the door long after he closed it. She'd wanted him so bad, and she knew he'd wanted her. But he'd had the strength to step back when she would have charged forward.
He was right. She wasn't thinking clearly now and her life had been turned upside down and inside out.
Lyra groaned. The orgasm made her feel kind of floppy and relaxed. She barely had the energy to go to her backpack and jerk out a T-shirt. After she tugged it on, she climbed beneath the covers. The sheets felt cool against her skin, and Dare's unique scent surrounded her. She tucked a pillow under her head and breathed deep, as if drawing him inside her. She was so relaxed and so tired that in moments she faded off to sleep.
Dare gritted his teeth and rubbed the old wound on his shoulder as he stepped into the shower. The day's activities had caused a small flare-up of pain, but it wasn't much.
He started to switch the water to cold but instead let the warm water beat against his back. He closed his eyes and fisted his cock, picturing Lyra's lush body. Her breasts were perfect, her nipples large and raspberry red, and he loved her full curves.
It had been all he could do to walk away from her tonight.
He continued stroking his cock, imagining he was thrusting into her beautiful pussy. He pictured himself driving into her hard and fast. He'd loved the little whimpers and moans she'd made while he licked her clit.
A groan rose from his chest as he moved his fist faster, stroking his cock from balls to tip. He could hear the smack of flesh against flesh, the smell of their sex, the cries spilling from her lips.
Dare climaxed with another loud groan. He opened his eyes, braced his free hand against the shower wall, and watched his come spurt on the tile. He eased his hand up and down his cock until the last drop of semen spilled from him.
And even then he wasn't satisfied. He wanted Lyra with a passion that surpassed anything he'd ever felt for another woman. He braced his other hand against the tiled shower wall and let the warm spray flow over him.
At that moment, Dare knew he was in deep