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‘You want me to be silent?’ he huffed furiously. ‘Suppress everything the way you do?’

‘Silence doesn’t necessarily mean suppression. Actions are always more telling than words.’

He froze. So did she. But then—

She had no idea who moved—whether it was simultaneous or his response to her was instant. But the second their lips connected it didn’t matter. Literally nothing else mattered but that his arms were steel at her back, flattening her against him. Which still wasn’t close enough. Her legs emptied, unable to hold her up. He too stumbled and dropped to his knees, dragging her down with him in a tangled heap of limbs and lust.

Kissing her. Endless, hungry kisses that did nothing to ease the burning ache burgeoning within her. He worsened it. She welcomed it. There was no going slow. There was no hesitation. Her blood fizzed—electricity seeking immediate escape. She moved about and beneath him. Everything came at her intensely. This was what she wanted. This. Here and now with the scent of crushed summer dreams and broken straw and fiery, wild Alex. The more he kissed her, the more urgent she became. Everything else was lost, touching him was all that mattered—sliding her palms across his back, scoping his hot strength. She pulled him closer, desperate to ease the unfulfilled longing inside her. His hands swept up her thighs, beneath her dress. Sliding into that secret hot, wet space. She arched up against him.

‘You really want me,’ he growled.

‘Yes,’ she chanted mindlessly. ‘Yes, yes, yes.’

He whipped off his tee, then frantically lifted her dress up and over her head. With shaking hands he fumbled her bra out of the way and dragged her panties down. For less than a heartbeat he gazed down at her naked body and swore. All control lost. Utterly unleashed, he snapped his jeans, shoving them barely below his hips. His rigid cock sprang free and in a blink he was back and bracing over her. She grabbed him closer, kissing him as furiously as he crushed her with his huge, lean body.

‘Yes!’ she cried.

He surged forward with a fierce thrust. She flinched. Froze.

‘Tilly?’ He locked every muscle, his eyes glittering down at her with a wild expression. ‘I thought you… I wouldn’t have…’ He roughly, repeatedly gasped. ‘Tilly.’

‘Don’t spoil it,’ she whispered.

His body shook under the immense strain of remaining still—when all she wanted was for him to move more—move closer. As his lips parted again she slammed her palm to his mouth. ‘Don’t say anything.’

Above her hand his eyes flared.

‘Can’t you let me just have this?’

He gripped her wrist.

‘Please,’ she whispered.

He stared at her for an endless second, then pressed her hand even closer. She felt the kiss of his lips and the tickling swirl of his tongue in the centre of her palm.

‘Oh, God.’ She gasped in relief, in a flood of desire, and felt him slide deeper inside her so easily. So hot.

He peeled her palm from his mouth and pressed her hand high above her head. She bit on her lip as he stared down at her.

‘Tilly.’ Not a growl but a curse that she was sure was so full of regret.

She closed her eyes. She’d ruined this.

‘No, look at me,’ he muttered urgently. ‘Don’t hide from me right now. Not from this.’

This. Him with her. Him rocking gently, his other hand stroking all over her sensitive skin until she shivered with heightened need. More. She wanted more of this exquisite friction.

‘Tilly…’

He really wanted to have a conversation right now? She blinked at him. ‘Sometimes I really don’t like you.’

But it wasn’t true. Her heated body slickened even more.

‘Right back at you,’ he growled. ‘But here we are with me inside you.’

Yes, and she didn’t want to discuss it. Not when it was feeling more delicious by the second. She slid her hand around his throat, then cupped the back of his neck to pull him closer, shuddering as excitement rippled through her. This was what she needed—to touch him, to move with him. He rocked into her that bit harder and she shuddered again.

‘You should have told me.’ He kissed her. ‘I would have gone slower, been more gentle—’