“Six months,” he said.

He’d had plenty of volunteers, but he’d rather jerk off in the shower than have another meaningless fuck. Most guys would give their left nut to have scores of women at their beck and call, or better yet, women who came right out and propositioned him on a regular basis. He was ready for something more, a relationship that meant something. They both knew this couldn’t last, but he wanted her anyway.

“It’s been a year for me.” She rolled onto her back and looked up into his face. “Bad breakup.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

She looked a little surprised. “I’m naked, you’re naked—isn’t this usually not a great time for a detailed conversation about previous relationships?”

He moved the bangs out of her eyes with one hand. He rolled onto his back and pulled her into his side, wrapping one big arm around her.

KENDALL RESTED AGAINST a chest that looked like it was carved from granite. Warm, clean-smelling, golden-toned granite with springy, coarse dark blond chest hair and light-brown, flat nipples. He reached one hand behind his head, twirled his long hair into a low coil of sorts to get it out of the way, and wrapped his other arm around her.

“Before we talk about the stupidest man in the universe, there’s a few things I’d like to say to you. I don’t have sex without using a condom. I’m tested for STDs yearly. I stopped screwing as a recreational pursuit when I was in college. In other words, I don’t have sex unless there’s feelings involved.”

She had to smile while her fingertips explored his chest. She wanted to trail her hands over every inch of him. She moved one thigh over his leg and brushed his erection; he must have been ready to explode, but he was waiting for her. Showing up at her front door with her lost cell phone and a bouquet of flowers had just been eclipsed as the most romantic thing any man had ever done for her.

He wanted to talk first. Most guys didn’t want to talk at all, before or after. She hauled in a breath.

“I get tested with my physical every year now for the team’s insurance policy. I don’t have sex without protection, either. I didn’t lose my virginity until I was in grad school, so my number’s relatively low,” Kendall said. “I prefer sex with feelings too.”

“But you’re nervous.”

“Please tell me you’re not secretly married and have two kids and a wife in Connecticut.”

“No, I’m not and no, I don’t. I’ve never been married. I’d like to marry just once.”

She was going to rock Drew’s world, as many times as he’d like her to, and then she was going to tell him about Tony.

Kendall took a deep breath, and the clean scents of soap and the outdoors filled her lungs. That distinctive scent would always mean Drew to her. Even though he’d mentioned a subject that usually left her feeling betrayed and sad, her body was ready for what they both knew was going to happen. She’d never wanted like this before, and the only thing she was afraid of right now is that one night wouldn’t be enough to lose herself in his big, strong body.

She grabbed his face with both hands and looked into the bluest eyes she’d ever seen.

“Drew McCoy, I’m going to make you the happiest man in Santa Clara right now.”

“Done,” he said. He covered her mouth with his seconds later.

She skimmed her hands over bulging biceps, an abdomen so cut she could grate cheese on it, the smoothness of his back. She wrapped her legs around his thighs, which didn’t quite fit, but seemed to make him happy. She couldn’t resist cupping his butt in both of her hands. She felt him hard against her abdomen, but he didn’t seem in any hurry to penetrate her. Mostly, she luxuriated in his long, slow, tender kisses that started a different kind of trembling. He was touching her with big, gentle hands, but she was hotter than the surface of the sun from his deep, unhurried exploration of her mouth. She wondered what was going to happen when he got around to the rest of her.

“Drew,” she finally murmured.

“Yes?” He’d moved down and taken one of her nipples in his mouth. She gasped. “I’m guessing you like that.”

“Uh huh. Oh, God. Please don’t stop.”

She heard a low chuckle. “Let’s see if I can figure out something else you might like.”

“You must be really into kissing. Oh!”

“I am, but I like this even more.” He took her nipple back into his mouth and reached between her legs. He stroked her, wetting his fingers with her moisture. She let out a moan and arched toward him. “Easy,” he said. “Let’s take our time.”

He suckled and stroked, moving his fingers agonizingly slowly over her, close to her clitoris but not enough direct stimulation that she’d come quickly. Her heart was pounding. Heat rolled over her in waves. She spread her legs more to encourage him; he’d get close, but not quite close enough.

He took his mouth off of her nipple long enough to murmur into her ear, “I’ll bet you want me to touch you there, don’t you?”

“God, yes. I want to come! Why aren’t you letting me?”

He captured her mouth with his again, plunging his tongue into hers, and finally sliding his fingers into her, stroking in and out. Maddeningly slowly. He bumped the palm of his hand against her clitoris, sending shocks of sensation throughout her body. She writhed beneath him, tore her mouth away from his, and cried out in desperate need when he finally picked up the pace. She wrapped her legs around him as best she could to offer even more access.

He stroked as quickly as possible as he rubbed and rotated the heel of his palm over the most sensitive nerves in her body. His voice was low and dark in her ear.

“I can’t wait to watch you come, Kendall.”

She felt the pull of sensation, the skittering prickling over her skin, the first contractions of a massive orgasm. She let out a shriek as stars burst behind her eyelids. Her heart was pounding, her body felt like fire, and she tried to catch her breath.

His fingers were still moving, but his touch now was tender, soothing. She could still feel the ripples of the orgasm throughout her body, and she heaved a sigh.

“That was unbelievable.”

His lips curved into a smile.

“Where did you learn that?” she said.

“What do you mean?”

“I . . . I . . . are you always . . . how did you DO that? I usually have to use a vibrator to get anywhere close, and . . . oh, God.”

His eyes locked onto hers. He looked happy. Even more, he looked a little bit proud of himself. “Did you enjoy that?”

“Other than the part in which you made me beg—”

“You’re not mad at me, are you?” He kissed the middle of her forehead. “Delayed gratification can be a good thing.”

“I thought my head was going to explode.” She grabbed his wrist and placed his hand flat on her abdomen so he could feel the continuing waves of sensation. “Feel that?”

He was quiet for a moment.

“I’ve never had a woman demonstrate what I did to her before,” he said. He gazed into her eyes. “It’s hot.”

She rolled onto her other side, scrabbled in the bedside table drawer, and pulled out a strip of condoms. She turned back to him, waving it teasingly in front of his eyes.

“I’ll show you some delayed gratification, Mr. McCoy.”

“Is that so? What did you have in mind?”

She pushed him onto his back, ripped one of the condoms off of the strip, opened it, and rolled it over his still-erect penis.

“Watch and learn,” she joked. She straddled him, balancing herself with flattened palms on his abdomen. He grabbed her hips. She bent over him, capturing his mouth with hers. She stroked his tongue with hers while grinding herself against his penis. She played with his nipples, and she was rewarded with a groan of pleasure.

She tore her mouth off of his for a few seconds. He sat up, gripping her upper arms in both hands. He tried to push her onto her back. She wasn’t having any of it. It was his turn to beg, and she was going to make it happen. His eyes were almost black with arousal. His breathing was ragged. His erection was inches from where they both wanted it. She wondered how much more he could take before his superior strength won out, he flipped her onto her back, and plunged inside.