Love's Taming (The Love's Series) by Maryann Jordan Page B

his head back, neck muscles straining as he powered through his release.
    He continued to pump slowly several more times before collapsing on the bed, rolling to the side taking her with him. He stayed inside of her with his arms wrapped tightly, pressing them full frontal together.
    Bodies slick with sweat, legs tangled, breathing ragged, they slowly pulled their lips away from each other. He smoothed his hand along her back, from her neck to her ass and back again. She cupped his face in her hand, running her fingers along the stubble on his jaw.
    “Do you want to stay the night?” she asked on a whisper. There was no reply, just his dark eyes staring into hers. Licking her lips nervously, she quickly amended, “You don’t have to. I just thought…well, maybe…um”
    “No, I want to,” he said. Leaning forward to touch his lips to hers, he repeated, “I. Want. To.”
    Smiling up at him, she simply nodded as she snuggled closer. She closed her eyes and felt his body settle around her. Arms around her, one leg slung over hers, as though he was afraid that she would slip away. Just a one-night stand. I got that. But I can pretend, can’t I? Just for now. Drifting off to sleep, well sated for the first time ever, she found herself feeling drawn in. Wishing it could be more. Wanting more.
    Stoney snagged the covers to pull over their bodies. Tucking her in closely, he wrapped his arms around her with her head pressed to his chest. He couldn’t remember the last time he spent the night with a woman. Certainly not within the last two years. But even before that, he didn’t spend the night. Sex was physical, for pleasure. He had dated before, but never found the right person. He liked control and it was hard to find a good woman who liked to give that control over. But the last two years? He shuttered thinking about some of the things he had done and some of the women he had been with.
    Smoothing his hand over her silky hair, he found a part of himself relaxing. Allowing Annie’s beauty and peace to sneak inside of him. Into the dark corners. Into the secret places. Trying to figure out how to make this work, he lay awake, listening to her steady breathing. She’s got to understand. She’s just got to. I’m not gonna let her walk away. Not without a fight.

Chapter 6
    “D oc Annie? Doc Annie?” Leon’s voice yelled up the stairway to her apartment. “Where are you? And whose dog is this down here?”
    Annie’s eyes flew open and she looked at the clock. Shit! “Oh my god, it’s after eight o’clock. I’m late,” she said scrambling over Stoney’s body, jolting him from his sleep.
    He couldn’t believe it. He hadn’t slept that sound or that late in several years. Looking over to the side of the room, Annie worked in a blur, throwing her scrubs on and pulling her hair up in a ponytail.
    “Leon, sorry!” she screamed down the hall. “I over-slept and will be down in a minute. Can you start the preps for me?”
    “Sure, doc. You need me to come up and help with anything?”
    “NO! I’m fine,” she yelled back down, eyes darting over to the bed where the gorgeous man smiling at her was lounging against the headboard.
    “You can’t come down,” she whispered. “At least not to the clinic. Or maybe in a little while. Or maybe I can let you know when the coast is clear. Or maybe…”
    Stoney threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood, comfortable with his nudity. Walking over to her, taking in her wide eyes and stammering, he just laughed. “Doc darlin’. It’s obvious you have no experience in slipping men in and out of your apartment.”
    She was pulled in for a hug, feeling his chuckle deep in his chest against her cheek. “Of course I’m not used to it. I’ve never done it before!”
    Stoney tightened his hold, feeling her words sink into his soul, knowing she let him in and that was something she didn’t do lightly. Let him into her apartment. Let him into her emotions. Let him