She looked at him with a wrinkled brow. “Why would you suggest that?”

He bent close to her ear again. “So I can’t feel anything. I’ll last a lot longer.”

“No,” she said. “I told you that’s not important to me.”

He sighed. “You say that now.” He put the condoms back in a display on the counter.

“And I want you to feel everything,” she whispered.

Her words punched him in the gut and left him breathless.

Well, if she insisted.

“Did you find everything you needed?” the cashier asked.

Rebekah chuckled. “I think so.”

“Wait,” Eric said. “Do you have any camouflaged condoms?”

“Camouflaged?” The cashier’s forehead crinkled in concentration. “I don’t think so. We have every flavor and color imaginable, but I don’t think we have any camouflaged.”

“Why would you need a camouflaged condom?” Rebekah asked.

“So you won’t see me coming.”

Rebekah snorted and then burst into delighted laughter. The cashier rolled her eyes and shook her head as she stuffed a large dildo into a sack.

Eric kissed Rebekah’s temple, his heart thrumming with adulation. “I love that you laugh at my corny jokes.”

“They’re funny.”

Well, if she insisted.

When Rebekah and Eric finally got out of the adult store, they had multiple bags overflowing with their purchases.

“I think we’ll need to check into a hotel for a week to try all this stuff,” Rebekah said as they loaded the trunk.

“I don’t have a problem with that. Do you have a problem with that?”

“We sorta have a job to do. What time does the bus leave tomorrow?”

“Sed mentioned something about hiring a driver so he could get some fucking sleep. That should give us a little more time. We need to be in Austin in two days.”

She held a hand out. “Keys.”

“You’re not going to let me drive? For real?”

“For real.”

There was one good thing about letting Rebekah drive. Eric could watch her the entire time and dream up things they could do once they reached the hotel. Also, there was something undeniably hot about a woman who could handle a stick shift.

The desk clerk leered at Rebekah as Eric tucked his credit card back into his wallet. Rebekah didn’t care that the world knew exactly why she was checking into a hotel room with a rock star and five bulging sacks of sex toys and kinky costumes. She couldn’t wait to continue what she and Eric had started back in the locker room. He was exactly what she needed. She was ready to forget the hurt Isaac had caused and move forward. Besides, they had all that stuff they’d bought at the store to keep them entertained for hours. The night clerk’s opinion of her would be the furthest thing from her mind in no time.

Their suite was spectacular, and while she’d been hoping that Eric would pounce on her the moment they stepped over the threshold, he didn’t. He set several bags of their purchases on the bed and retrieved his flask of tequila from the inside of his leather vest. He took a swig, glanced at her, and took another. The easy passion that had existed back at the stadium was lacking now. The fun camaraderie at the store had also vanished. She set her bags next to the bed and moved closer.

She still wanted him, but was starting to suspect that he’d changed his mind. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

She approached him. When she tried to wrap her arms around him, he stepped away. “Something’s wrong. You haven’t lied to me since we met. Why would you start now?”

They stared at each other for a long moment. He finally broke the silence. “I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you. You think I come fast when you suck me, wait until I’m inside you.”

“It’s okay, Eric.”

He shook his head vehemently. “No, it’s not.”

“I still want to be with you. I don’t care how long you last.”

This time when she hugged him, he didn’t move away.

“Kiss me,” she urged. He obeyed. She worked at removing his clothes, separating their mouths only long enough to pull his T-shirt over his head. She unfastened his pants and pushed them and his underwear to his knees. He kicked off his Converse tennis shoes and helped her complete the task. When he was naked, she kept right on kissing him and waited for him to take the initiative in removing her clothes. It took him awhile to oblige. She let her hands wander over his back, his firm butt, and the backs of his thighs.

Eric’s hands trembled as he slowly undressed her. They kissed long after they were both naked. It seemed they were both a bit reluctant to get started.

Rebekah eventually got up the nerve to ease over to the bed.

She tossed the covers back with one hand and held Eric with the other so he’d follow her onto the mattress. They tumbled to the bed together. Settling between her open thighs, Eric held his weight off her by propping himself on his elbows. He stroked her hair gently and stared into her eyes.

“I know we haven’t known each other long,” he murmured, “but I already care about you, Rebekah. Deeply.”

He kissed her before she could respond. She cared about him too. Maybe even loved him. She wasn’t sure yet. Whatever words applied to her feelings for this man, she knew for certain that those feelings were substantial and amazing and true. If they hadn’t been, she never would have trusted him with her body.

Even knowing what was about to happen, she wasn’t nearly as nervous as she’d thought she’d be. She knew he would be honest.

She needed that.

Eric’s kiss moved from her mouth, to her jaw, to her neck, just beneath her ear. She shuddered.

“I’m so afraid that I’ll mess this up for you,” he said. “Maybe you should pleasure yourself, and I’ll just watch.”

“No,” she said firmly. “You’re going to make love to me, Eric.

And I’m going to thoroughly enjoy it. I’m more worried that it will be weird for you.”

“I know it won’t be. It will be too wonderful for words.” He kissed her gently and stroked her hair soothingly.

“So let’s stop talking about how great it’s going to be and start experiencing it for real.”

“Right,” he agreed breathlessly.

He took his time with her, using those magnificent hands of his to bring every inch of her body to life. When she was sure she couldn’t take more of his touch, he massaged both breasts, then sucked one hard nipple into his mouth. He then sucked her other nipple before kissing a trail of fire down the center of her belly. His mouth found her clit. His fingers found her pussy. He sucked and licked her clit while slowly driving two fingers deep into her body.

He quickly brought her to the brink of orgasm. Just before she went crashing over the edge, he pulled away abruptly. He slid up her body and looked her in the eyes.

“Are you ready?”

“Yeah,” she said breathlessly.

He rose up slightly and reached between their bodies. She felt the head of his cock against her as he sought her throbbing passage.

She forced herself not to jerk away, but she was far from relaxed.

When he found her, he sank into her slightly and then grabbed her hip to steady himself. They stared at each other.

“You okay?” he whispered. “You’re tense.”

She nodded and allowed her taut muscles to relax.

His head tilted back as he slid a few inches deeper. His body twitched, and his face contorted in ecstasy.

“Does it feel weird?” she asked, her voice wavering with emotion.

He shook his head, gulping air. “Oh God, Rebekah. This is the best pussy I’ve ever had in my life.”

She giggled. “Do you mean that?”

“Fuck yeah, I mean it. It feels so good, I don’t think I can move.”

She wriggled her hips and he slid several inches deeper. They gasped in unison.

“You still okay?” he asked breathlessly. “Does it hurt?”