Simon & Rose by V.A. Dold Page A

lips. “Can I take your hair down? I want to see it flowing over your shoulders.”
    “You can do anything you want,” she breathed back.
    Mark slid both hands into her hair, worked the pins free, and combed it out with his fingers, kissing her as he alternated between stroking and bunching her hair in his fist.
    “I’ve never felt anything so silky.”
    Sharon’s moans were sweet music to his ears. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her.
    He kissed the corner of her mouth, across her jaw, to lavish attention to her neck. When he kissed the crook of her neck, he heard her make a strange rumbling sound. He lifted his head in question and she opened her eyes.
    “I need you, Mark.” Before he could respond, she stood and held out her hand. “Let’s take this to my bedroom.”
    He took her hand and followed her up the sweeping staircase. With every step, trepidation threatened to overtake him. He was going to have to get naked. He wanted her more than air, but as they crossed the threshold of her massive suite he froze. Rizzo pushed her head under his hand to get his attention and pull him out of the emotional spiral.
    She turned, a questioning frown creasing her brow. “Is something wrong?”
    He sucked in a shaky breath and raked his fingers through his hair. His mind scrambled, searching for a response that wouldn’t utterly humiliate him. He had nothing to offer her, but the truth. “I haven’t been with a woman since I lost my leg. Hell, even my doctors were men. I don’t know if I can do this.”
    He expected pity or disgust. To his shock her expression soften and held only love and reassurance.
    She stepped to him and gently touched his chest. “I don’t care about your leg, Mark. I want you, the man that you are. Your leg doesn’t factor into that at all.”
    He stepped back, shaking his head. “I don’t think I can live with the memory of horror and disgust on your face when you see the stump where my leg should be.”
    Sharon sighed. “Before I took over as the lady of the manor, I spent years as a healer. I’ve seen more severed limbs and maiming injuries than you can imagine. Your leg is nothing I haven’t seen before.”
    That got his attention. “You have?”
    She nodded and reached for his hand. “I have. When you lost part of your leg, you lost a bit of flesh and bone. The man you are inside, the man I’m falling in love with, wasn’t lost. He remains alive and well, standing in the threshold of my bedroom wearing much more clothing than I was hoping for.”

Chapter 6
     
     
    Mark felt warmth creep up his neck to his face. Arousal heated his blood. He didn’t want to wait any longer to take his awakened body for a test drive. He commanded Rizzo to lie in the hallway outside Sharon’s door, took a cleansing breath and said, “Tell me you want to do this. I need to hear the words.” His voice was steady, but inside, self-doubt and vulnerability reigned supreme.
    She never looked away from him, never showed any sign she’d changed her mind. If anything, she looked like she wanted him even more.
    “I’ve never wanted anything or anyone more in my life.” As if to prove her point, she pulled the hidden zipper of her dress and dropped the bodice to her waist. Then popped the clasp of her bra and tossed it to the floor.
    Mark was unable to speak or breathe. He’d swallowed his tongue. Damn. Numb from the neck up, he stared at the most incredible woman he’d ever seen.
    Sharon laughed softly, and stepped into him again. “Let me help you out of that monkey suit.” She placed her palms on his chest and searched his eyes. “Do you trust me, Mark?”
    Still unable to speak with her bared breasts mere inches away, he nodded.
    She reached for his belt, and as she pulled the leather free of the buckle, she began to speak again. “Past experience has taught me the best way to alleviate a patient’s fear is to rip the Band-Aid off, so to speak. In the moment, the fear may be