Hiring Cupid by Jane Beckenham Page A

in a sensory world, Carly's mind went blank. Only Marco touching her, urging her with his fingers as they flickered over her slickness was important. She gloried in the sensations whirling through her veins, the rhythm of his heightened touch. Finally, as she reached for some intangible goal, allowing her body to surrender completely, the night was pierced by her cry of pleasure as Marco brought her to heart-wrenching, joyous fulfillment.
    Nothing had prepared Carly for this. Nothing. She lay dazed in utter contentment, savoring the spine-tingling moment, too happy to breathe, too fulfilled to think.
    As every wonderful sensation washed over her in a gentle ebbing caress, she let out a shuddering sigh of total release and contentment. “That was beautiful."
    "Beauty for the beautiful, amore .” Marco grinned and trailed a finger down the side of her cheek. “Lesson number three, cara . A man makes sure his woman is pleased,” he whispered into the soft fall of her hair and again began dotting butterfly soft kisses down the curve of her throat. It sent goosebumps shimmying up and down her spine, an instant heat pulsing between her thighs.
    Breathless, Carly felt the combined erratic thump of their hearts. As if joined together, they beat as one. “You have pleased me. I've never...” Her voice trailed off and an embarrassed heat rushed to her cheeks.
    But Marco pulled back and the tip of his finger lifted her chin up. Her gaze met his.
    "Pleasure, Marco. That was the pinnacle of pleasure. I feel complete.” And she was. It echoed through her body in a continuous salve of pure joy and made her heart sing. “You've made me come alive. I don't want to even breathe in case it disappears,” she giggled. “I never want to lose this feeling. To lose..."
    "Shush. That is impossible. We have all night.” Dark, teasing glints flickered in Marco's passion-filled eyes.
    "All night. Sounds perfect.” Reaching up, Carly trailed a path over the rough sandpaper stubble of his chin. “Everything I touch is so heightened, so erogenous, and arousing,” she whispered. “Are our lessons finished?"
    One dark eyebrow arched humorously. “Life is one long lesson, cara mia ."
    Carly curved a hand round his still blatantly aroused penis, stroking the thick shaft. She arched back, her legs parting. “Then hadn't we better get on with the lesson,” she said with a wicked smile.
    "The final lesson is about to begin. Kiss me. Now,” Marco instructed and with a beautiful gentleness that surprised and warmed her, he edged himself to her moist center, tentative and teasing as he nudged at her slick folds.
    "Now, Marco. Please?” Carly voiced her need.
    He smiled down at her. “Patience, cara . A man needs to know his journey, before he starts."
    Inch by delicious inch Marco entered her. Carly reveled in the feel of him, wanting him to fill her. Faster. Harder.
    "At last,” Marco sighed and captured her lips. “I've waited a long time for this."
    A lilting laughter slid from Carly. “A few days."
    "It seems a lifetime."
    Carly silently agreed. It did. For some unknown reason, she felt as if the past had dissolved; only now mattered. Only being with him, holding him to her. She felt cherished ... even thinking the word took her by surprise. It was not something she had felt before. Ever.
    Marco was holding back, when what she wanted was him to bury himself in her, deeply, over and over, but at the same time, taking it slow so she could savor every single glorious second.
    "You are Aphrodite, the temptress,” he said. “And I am definitely tempted. Your skin is silk and satin.” His voice was hoarse with need, and Carly witnessed unmasked desire etched across his face. His hands caressed her in ever-increasing circles, from her breasts, down the flat plane of her stomach, lower and lower, till he came to the junction of her thighs. He lathed a path from one aroused nipple to the other with the tip of his tongue. “You taste of the