The kiss broke but only because Cole was reaching for the hem of my camisole. “We need to be careful with your tattoo,” he panted as he lifted my top up. I raised my arms to assist him, the cool air prickling over my skin and turning my already tight nipples harder. Cole threw my top somewhere over my shoulder and spanned my waist with his hands. “My thumbs almost touch,” he said quietly, almost as if to himself. “You’re tiny.”

“Or you just have big hands,” I murmured saucily.

“I do but you’re still tiny.” His eyes lifted to my breasts and I was suddenly glad I’d had the forethought before leaving the flat to put on my best bra—a satin and lace balconette in a pretty peach color. “These . . . not so much.” He gave me a hungry smile and somehow I managed to melt even more. He met my hot gaze. “You really are perfect.” His tongue wet his lower lip before he said gruffly, “The fantasy doesn’t live up to reality, Shortcake.”

Then I jumped him. His signature version of sweet and hot was pushing me to the combustion point. Cole met my aggressive kiss with his own fever, his hands carefully dodging my tattoo as they slid up my back, under my hair, to my bra clasp. I felt it loosen within seconds and Cole gently pushed me back so he could look at me as he removed it.

He sucked in a breath as the straps fell down my arms, his eyes fixated on my naked breasts even as he threw the bra aside. I swelled at the need in his eyes, my nipples puckering up under his focus, begging for his mouth.

Cole’s fingers went to the button on my jeans. “Get these off,” he commanded, and I felt the demand in my core. Trembling, I slid off the bed and began to undo my jeans.

“Undress,” I demanded right back.

I stopped to watch as he removed his sweater and the T-shirt underneath it, my eyes drinking in his beautiful tan body. Sculpted and tawny and inked. The deep cut in his obliques made my throat suddenly dry. I wanted to lick the sexy definition in his muscles before moving on to his six-pack.

I’d known he was muscular, but I’d had no idea just how tightly roped he was. He was honed and toned and fighting fit and I almost climaxed just looking at him.

“Shannon,” he urged as he stood up to unbutton his jeans.

I nodded and pushed my jeans down, stepping out of them and my underwear. “I get to lick your tattoos at some point.”

His soft laughter filled the room. “Deal.” He reached one of those tattooed arms out, grabbed my hand, and hauled me up against him. I’d gotten a glimpse of the rather huge erection that was standing to attention before I felt it hot against my naked stomach.

“Cole,” I said, breathless.

He lowered himself back to the bed and pulled me onto his lap so I was straddling him again. I dropped my gaze to his cock as it pushed insistently against my belly. If anything it seemed to swell under my attention. Nick had been big, the biggest I’d seen, and Cole was definitely giving him a run for his money. I was at once turned on and a little apprehensive.

I felt his fingers graze the curves of my breasts and I turned my focus to his face.

“You’re sure about this?” he said.

“You’re asking me now?”

“If you wanted to stop ten minutes ago, we would have stopped. If you want to stop now, we’ll stop. If you suddenly want to stop when I’m inside you, we’ll stop.” He cupped my cheek, casting his tender eyes on me. “I will never do anything you don’t want to do. You’re safe with me, Shannon.”

“Fuck,” I said, choking on the word and all the emotion that had formed a lump in my throat.

Cole blinked. “That’s the first time I’ve heard you swear.”

“Gran always said ladies don’t swear, so I rarely do. But this seemed like a ‘fuck’ moment.”

Humor glittered in his eyes. “Why? Aside from the obvious, of course.”

I laughed as I slid my hands behind his ears, stroking his jawline with my thumbs. “Because I’m scared of you, Cole Walker. I’m scared you’ll hurt me or I’ll hurt you . . . yet I have no intention of turning back. I’m throwing myself off this cliff, consequences be damned.”

His arms tightened around me and I pressed my lips to his, our kiss quickly turning from sweet and sensual to charged and erotic. My fingers tightened in his hair as I pushed against his hard cock. Cole’s fingertips glided down the curve of my waist, across my belly, and down between my legs. I moaned into his mouth as he pushed two fingers inside me, the moan turning to whimpers as he pumped them in and out. He left my mouth, his lips trailing down my chin, my throat, my chest before they danced across my left breast and closed around my nipple. I threw my head back on a startled cry of pleasure as the pull of his mouth shot streaks of heat from my breasts to my sex.

I clasped his head to my chest as he sucked and licked my nipples. While he paid my breasts such glorious attention, my hips flexed against the thrust of his fingers between my legs.

I was panting loudly now, his name falling in pleading whimpers from my lips as the tension inside me increased. It tightened and tightened and tightened until I froze, breathless. Cole scraped his teeth against my nipple and quickened his fingers, and the tension snapped.

My eyes fluttered as bliss came to me. “Cole!” I cried out, the word ending abruptly in a gasp as my climax rolled through me, my inner muscles squeezing around his fingers as I jerked against them.

The orgasm was long and beautiful and I could barely catch my breath as it finally drew to a stop. I sagged against Cole, my limbs all warm and jellylike.

Cole lifted my head off his shoulder, taking my chin in his hand to bring my lips to his. He pressed a sweet kiss on them. “Are you on the pill?”

I nodded.

“I’m clean.” He kissed me again before he pulled back to growl, “Take me inside you.”

Uncertainty caused me to press my hand firmly against his chest. “Condom, Cole,” I insisted.

He stared into my eyes, something working behind his as he realized that when I said I didn’t fully trust him I had meant it. No matter how much I wanted him, or how much I needed him to be as great as he seemed to be, I couldn’t let go of my past. I would not be fucked over by another man, and that included catching an STD.

Tense, I waited as Cole came to a decision. He kissed me again and then held me tight so I wouldn’t fall off his lap as he leaned down to his bedside table drawer. I relaxed as he pulled out a condom packet.