The Ties That Bind

he would have pulled Shannon down on the floor and made love to her then.
    But now she was here, lying beneath him, opening herself fully and completely. Garth was fascinated with the honesty of Shannon's own reactions. He drew his palm over her small breast and felt the nipple flower at his touch. Her fingers trailed through his hair and then sank into his shoulders when he touched the silky skin of her inner thigh. Her responsiveness nearly drove him out of his mind.
    "That's it, honey," he breathed as she lifted herself against his hand. "Come to me, let me have you. I'll give you what you want. You won't need anyone else."
    "Only you." The words were a small, sweet cry from far back in her throat as she clung to him.
    He'd wanted to take this slowly, Garth reminded himself. But he knew now that he wasn't going to be able to have that luxury, at least not this first time.
    "You're so ready for me," he whispered, sucking in his breath very deeply as he touched the throbbing core of her desire with trembling fingers. "Do you really want me so much?"
    "Please, Garth. I've never wanted anything this much."
    He believed her and the knowledge made his head spin. Carefully he pushed her legs farther apart, and she willingly allowed him more intimate access. He knew that right now she would deny him nothing. The hunger was a raging fire in him, and Garth could wait no longer. He slid between her legs, glorying in the feel of her smooth thighs on his own rough-textured skin. The contrast heightened his awareness of her essential femininity to the point that he could barely control himself.
    Shannon's arms went around him as she felt him surge against her. She pulled him to her, murmuring her need. His hard body pushed against the damp, dark, velvet of her, making her gasp and then he was inside, burying himself to the hilt in a single, powerful thrust. Her body went suddenly taut, as if reacting to an invasion. The startling change from insistent need to a feeling of fullness and tension took Shannon by surprise.
    "Oh, Garth!"
    "It's all right, sweetheart. It's all right." He stroked the tangled hair back from her face, his eyes meeting hers. "I'll give you time. You're so small and tight. I didn't realize..."
    She wanted to laugh but her emotions were too precariously balanced on the knife-edge of passion to allow the humorous release. "It's not me, it's you. You're too big!"
    He groaned, covering her mouth with his own. "No. We're both just right," he said against her lips, and then his tongue was sliding between her teeth to establish a rhythm he soon began imitating with his lower body.
    Shannon's own body quickly accepted the dominating cadence. She clung to him, her hips rising to meet his, her muscles stretching and contracting deliciously with each thrust. She closed her eyes, giving herself up to the moment and the man. There had never been another night such as this, and she would take all it had to offer.
    Time seemed to compress itself, locking out everything except the shimmering passion that gripped Shannon and the man who held her. She felt her senses leaping toward a final precipice of sensation that contained a mystery she'd never fully explored. Eagerly she gave herself to Garth, knowing he could show her the wonders that awaited.
    When the sensual ripples of bursting tension finally stormed through her, Shannon cried out and the name that was on her lips as she gasped in astonished release was Garth's.
    He heard it, and it was all that was needed to pull him after her into the shuddering finale. His body went rigid, and Shannon heard her own name sounding like torn silk in her ears. Then Garth was collapsing heavily along her body, his weight crushing her into the sheets. A piercingly sweet lethargy enveloped them both.
    Several minutes later Shannon became aware of Garth's hand moving idly on the curve of her hip. She opened her eyes and found him looking at her. Tremulously she smiled.
    Garth eased himself reluctantly to the side, cradling her in one arm. "You and I," he said very calmly, "have a few things to discuss."
    She blinked, mildly confused. "Such as?" He seemed to have returned to full awareness much more quickly than she had.
    "Such as making this a habit. I think I'm already an addict."
    Shannon relaxed against him. "I'm glad."
    Garth yawned. "I've got to go back to San Jose in a couple of days."
    Shannon felt herself tensing. "I'd rather not talk about your leaving, Garth. Not