Oh God, Tara thought as her knees went weak.

She could scarcely breathe, let alone move. His dark knowing eyes shimmered with desire. Lazy seductive lips moved over her pulse. Unable to do anything but whimper and watch, Tara let every ounce of fear leave her body. Duncan stepped closer, filling the empty space surrounding her. Hot breath fanned her cheek. He waited for her response.

This is what she wanted, what she desired.

Tara fanned her hands over his chest. He drew in one unsteady breath after another, but still he waited. Unable to hold back for even one more desperate moment, Tara pulled his head down to meet her lips. The air sizzled, his lips burned, promising to leave their mark.

Each caress of his tongue over hers felt like a homecoming, felt like completion. She knew he wanted her, but her need was just as combustible, just as hungry.

She had waited twenty-five years for this man to enter her life. She was desperate, more desperate than even he was, to feel the smooth texture of his tongue sliding over hers.

Without boundaries, she let her years of pent up passion and fantasies take over. His taste intoxicated her more than the vision he placed in her head. More than the taste of him she remembered from California. She sucked in a ragged breath, then eased back slightly.

“Ahh, love.” He skirted his lips along her jaw, drew her head back exposing the long expanse of her neck. “Don’t deny me. I could die with wanting you.”

“To deny you would be to deny myself. I never wanted anyone, ever, until you.” Her moan, when his teeth nibbled on her shoulder, broke off her words.

His hands trailed down her sides. She arched toward them, wanting his touch.

“You kept me up at night. Visions of you, of this,” he confessed. His hands filled with the weight of her breast. Her lips parted in anticipation.

Hearing her silent pleas only added to his need.

Her chemise was merely a thin layer between them, one he wasn’t going to tolerate. He pushed it off her shoulder wanting her flesh against his. He expected a virgin’s shyness, and was elated when she showed none as he lowered her clothing and caught her nipple between his fingers.

She all but collapsed from the chair. Her mind whimpered to his, Yes. Please yes. He saw her eyes close and her body go weak with wanting.

He picked her up, carried her to the bed, and pressed her back against the mattress, hardly believing she was about to grant him his every dream.

His hands were quick to resume the exploration of her body. Hers clenched into his hair slowly at first, stroking it until he lowered his mouth to her taut nipple, begging to be claimed. His mouth closed over the tip and then her hands balled into fists, crushing him closer while she moaned.

Her frantic fingers suddenly started pulling at his clothing. He laughed at her struggle to remove his tunic.

“I want to feel you,” she said, her lips trembling.

He helped her with his shirt and tossed it off the bed. His eyes closed when her delicate hands swept over the expanse of his chest.

You like that, he heard her say in her head.

“I crave your touch.”

She took his nipple in her mouth, the sensation piercing them both with need and want. Their thoughts mingled in their minds. He couldn’t tell if it was his pleasure or hers making their movements more desperate.

His body reacted to her slow quest. His need to disrobe and plunge into her warm folds overwhelmed his sense of right. She took away his control when he wanted to savor every moment, desperate to bring her complete pleasure in this first mating. He captured her head and brought it up to his, devouring her lips once again.

Tara felt his arousal strain against her. A gnawing urge formed in her stomach and its fingers reached lower bringing with it a need she had never experienced. She arched against him, instinct guiding her.

Her clothing dropped away from her body, as his hands passed over her, leaving her naked to his gaze. His lips and hands distracted her from her sudden and complete exposure to him for the first time. He held her hands away from her body and took a long awaited look.

He whispered, “Lovely. You are so beautiful.”

She felt his eyes travel down her body, lower and lower. Embarrassed, she felt heat reach her face when his look stopped at the triangle of hair covering her core. “You are lovelier than I ever dreamt.”

His eyes lifted, never leaving hers as his fingers drew a trail of fire from her lips down her neck. He stopped briefly at her breast, bringing another gasp from her as he squeezed her nipple.

She went pliant in his arms, while his hand dipped lower. Pressing his palm flat on her hip, kneading her flesh, he sent another wave of pleasure through her.

When he hesitated at her hip, she lifted herself to him, wanting more, knowing he could give her more. His hand moved slowly to her core. Once there, he cupped her fullness, rendering his name from her lips.

He demanded, “Open for me, my love.”

She did, a little, her virginity showing.

He smiled at her sudden shyness. He ran his tongue along the expanse of her neck nibbling at her ear. Her body arched.

She felt heat searing her, melting her from the inside out. Her need beckoned him, she felt his hand, and still he made no move to possess. “Please...” she begged.

He whispered words to her in Gaelic. She heard them in her head in English. Open, my love, I will not force you. Show me your trust.

Her knees fell to the side giving him what he asked. His fingers found her heat, slipped inside.

She turned her head away as the shock of his probing fingers thrilled her body, threatening to consume her with the cresting waves of pleasure.

Need built inside her at his gentle touch. Her breath mixed with his as he prepared her for him.

One finger became two, stretching, filling. She arched further, faster. Her breathing ceased as he brought her over the first crest. Spasms shook her body, tightening around his fingers.

He crushed her mouth to his, refusing to allow her passion to ebb, for even a moment.

Her arms and hands ran down his broad muscular back, lower over his narrow waist and gripped his bu**ocks. His complete nakedness thrilled her. When had he removed his clothes?

She’d been too enthralled to noticed.

She felt his full desire for her pressing against her entrance. He let her get used to his body, the weight and feel of him. She knew he was doing everything in his power to make her comfortable, wanting to ease the pain of her first time. Knowing this, had tears threatening, tears of joy for his compassion and tenderness.

Instead of weeping, her hands grew bolder, exploring his body with little of the shyness she held before. One hand slipped around his back and more thoroughly traced his hips. Slowly, she brought them to the front and found the long, thick, hard length of him. His body stiffened to hold control as he enjoyed her touch. Her eyes widened when she felt his size, his girth. She was sure she blushed. A little frightened, she traced his length. His head fell forward as her hands explored his body.