Only 04 - Only Love

pleasure was possible. Can I truly make you feel like that?”
    “Yes,” Whip said simply.
    “How?”
    Closing his eyes, Whip took a deep breath…and a tighter rein on his own driving hunger.
    “We’ll start with a kiss,” he said. “Would you like that?”
    “Oh, yes. Would you?”
    “It’s a start,” Whip said tightly, lowering his head.
    An instant later Shannon felt the velvet penetration of his tongue. The heat and textures of Whip’s kiss rushed through her, making her dizzy.
    With a soft whimper, she turned her face up and parted her lips even more, wanting to get as close as she could to Whip. Her arms slid around his neck and her fingers searched through his hair, holding him hard against her mouth while she tasted him as deeply as she could.
    With a rough, throttled sound, Whip kissed Shannon in return, pressing into her mouth, thrusting against her tongue, devouring her as thoroughly as he could with just a kiss. Finally, shuddering, he pulled free.
    “Whip?” she asked huskily. “Is something wrong? Why did you stop?”
    “You make me too damned hot.”
    Shannon looked around the gently steaming pool. “Maybe we should get out of the water.”
    He laughed despite the agony of his unruly, unfulfilled desire.
    “It’s not the water,” Whip said. “It’s you. I feel like I’ve wanted you forever. You burn me even in my dreams.”
    The look in Whip’s eyes made Shannon forget to breathe.
    “Does that mean you’ll let me pet you?” she whispered.
    “Anytime. Anywhere. Any way you want.”
    And I’m a fool to even suggest it, Whip said silently to himself.
    But he didn’t say the words aloud. He wanted Shannon’s hands on him too much to be wise.
    Watching Whip’s face, Shannon ran her hands over his shoulders and chest, luxuriating in the strength and resilience of his flesh. Slender fingers kneaded, discovered, and enjoyed every difference in texture from hair-roughened chest to the flat, surprisingly smooth male nipples.
    Whip’s eyelids lowered as waves of pleasure visibly swept through him.
    Smiling, Shannon petted and stroked Whip from his forehead to his powerful thighs, loving the heightened color of his skin and the burning silver of his half-opened eyes. After a time she turned her head and touched the base of his neck with her tongue. The caress had a catlike delicacy and curiosity.
    Whip’s whole body shuddered, raked by passion. Shannon murmured and ran the tip of hertongue over the steely tendons in his neck. Then she gave in to an urge she didn’t understand and tasted him thoroughly, savoring his skin with the sensitive surfaces of her tongue and lips.
    “You’re salty,” Shannon said against Whip’s skin. “I like that. It makes me want to lick more of you. Is that all right?”
    Breath came from Whip in a harsh rush. One of his hands went to Shannon’s head, caressing and pressing, encouraging her to more forceful explorations.
    “Whip?”
    “Your teeth,” he said huskily. “Let me feel their sharp little edges.”
    A few minutes earlier Shannon would have hesitated, but not now. Now she wanted to give the primitive caress as much as Whip wanted to receive it. She lowered her head until her chin was barely above the steamy water. Slowly she opened her lips. Her teeth tested the pad of muscle that surrounded a nipple.
    A thick, hungry sound was dragged from deep within Whip’s chest.
    “Whip?”
    “Do it again, honey girl. Harder.”
    “Are you sure?”
    Whip laughed, bent his head swiftly, and lifted Shannon up at the same time. With no warning he fitted his mouth to the base of her neck. Then his teeth tested her resilient flesh with a force just short of pain while his mouth tugged at her silky skin.
    Fire burst in Shannon. Her eyes closed and she lifted herself against Whip’s mouth. She twisted slowly, increasing the power of the fierce caress. Whip laughed low in his throat and gave her whatshe was asking for, branding her with his mouth until she cried out.
    Instantly he released her.
    “I’m sorry,” Whip said. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
    Shannon’s eyes opened, luminous with fire.
    “Hurt me?” She shook her head and laughed. “Oh, no.”
    Her mouth went to Whip’s chest and returned the fierce love play, tasting and biting and branding Whip with her heat until he groaned. Slowly she lifted her head.
    “Am I hurting you?” Shannon asked.
    But her eyes said she already knew the answer.
    “You’re killing me,” Whip