Relentless Seduction by Jillian Burns Page B

and let go.’” She used two fingers on each hand as air quotation marks.
    With his hands on his hips, he stood there blinking, staring at her as if she’d just told him she was from another planet. She wished she could disperse into millions of molecules and go to another planet. “I’m sorry. I’ll go.”
    She started to stand, but he caught her shoulders. “Hold on.” He took her chin and tenderly turned her face to him. “Look at me, cher. ”
    She raised her gaze to his. His gray eyes were filled with determination.
    “You’re a beautiful woman.”
    Her instinct was to object, but his eyes bore into her, refusing to allow her to doubt his words.
    His hand slid up to cup her breast, his fingers lightly touching her nipple.
    She shuddered and felt both nipples tighten.
    “Take off your glasses.”
    “But, I—”
    He put a finger to her lips. “Shh. Do you trust me?”
    Did she? It seemed kind of ridiculous to willingly expose herself to him this way if she didn’t. But then again—
    He chuckled. “You’re thinking too much again, Claire. What does your gut say? Do you trust me? Yes or no?”
    “Yes.” She breathed the word.
    He smiled and something inside her melted. Rafe brooding was sexy enough. But Rafe flashing a smile sent him into the handsome-as-sin category.
    “Good.” He brushed his knuckles across first one nipple, then the other.
    She closed her eyes and arched into his hand. Before she opened her eyes again, he removed her glasses. “Keep your eyes closed,” he said softly. He gently ran his fingers through her hair, brushing it away from her face until she felt her muscles relax.
    “Scoot back and lie down.” He lay on the bed beside her as she obeyed. He palmed her stomach, slowly stroking her skin. His hand glided up between her breasts then down to her stomach again, and then farther down, caressing her thighs.
    He was being so patient. What if she couldn’t— “Rafe?”
    “Uh-uh-uh. No talking.” He sighed. “Turn over.” He pushed her hip and she rolled to her stomach and rested her head on her folded arms.
    “Keep your eyes closed.” He began massaging her back, her shoulders. “Picture the mighty Mississippi, the water flows, lazily making its way down to the gulf.”
    She saw it.
    “And there’s a boat, just driftin’ along.” He gripped her behind one knee and bent her leg. At the same time he swept the hair off her nape and she felt his lips kissing there, and then down her spine. “The sun is warm.” A soft kiss. “Birds are chirpin’.” Another soft kiss. “You put your hand out and let your fingers dip into the cool water as you slowly drift down the river.” Warm, sensuous kisses down the rest of her spine.
    His breathy Cajun drawl lulled her into a languid state. She let out a sigh.
    “Bon,” he whispered. His hand traveled up from her knee to her thigh and slipped between them.
    She moaned and raised her knee, giving him more access. His hand accepted the invitation and played with her, rubbing softly at first, then gradually using more pressure.
    The pleasurable ache, the throbbing... Mmm, felt so good, and was building up to something more, and then more still. It felt as if she might burst, but she didn’t want it to stop. She wanted even more, harder, faster, deeper, yes, deeper—and then an explosion of sensation unlike anything she’d ever felt before overtook her. She screamed, and her body tensed for what seemed like forever. She gasped for breath.
    The throbbing eventually faded. Lazily she opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings. Remembering where she was.
    She was on her back, with no memory of getting there. The muscles inside her still contracted like the aftershocks of an earthquake.
    And that’s what it had felt like. An earthquake inside her, erupting fiery lava, transforming her world. Transforming her.
    And there was Rafe, a blurry shadow, but the white of his teeth flashed. “What does Gregory know, huh?”
    Her face