Shades of Twilight by Linda Howard Page B

that, subconsciously he had always thought of her as still being a child in need of his protection, and maybe she did still need it. But even if she wasn’t quite an adult, physically she was no longer a child either.
    He could see the curve of her cheek, her long, dark lashes, the translucence of her temple where the fragile blue veins lay just beneath the surface. The texture of her skin was smooth, silky, and carried the sweet warm scent of womanhood. Her breasts were very small but very firm, and he could feel the nipple, as small and hard as a pencil eraser, of the breast that was nestled against him in her half-turned position. The twinge of awareness intensified into a sudden, definite throb in his loins, and he was abruptly conscious of how round her buttocks were and how they nestled so sweetly on his thighs.
    He barely bit back a growl as he shifted her a little, just enough that the side of her hip wasn’t rubbing against his hardening penis. Roanna was remarkably innocent for her age, having never dated; he doubted she had ever even been kissed. She had no idea what she was doing to him, and he didn’t want to embarrass her. It was his fault for taking her on his lap as if she were still a kid. He’d just have to be more careful from now on, though this was probably a fluke. It had been over four months since he’d had sex with Jessie, because he’d gotten so damn sick and tired of her trying to manipulate him with her body. Their encounters weren’t about making love; they were a contest of domination. Hell, he doubted Jessie even understood the concept of making love, of the mutual giving of pleasure. But he was young and healthy, and four months of denial had left him extremely edgy, so much so that even Roanna’s skinny body could arouse him.
    He jerked his mind back to the issue at hand. “Let’s make a deal,” he said. “I promise that no one else will say anything to you about how you eat, and if anyone does, youtell me and I’ll take care of it. And you, sugar, will start eating regular meals. Just for me. Promise.”
    She looked up at him, and her whiskey brown eyes held that soft, adoring glow she reserved for him. “All right,” she whispered. “For you.” Before he had any inkling what she was going to do, she curved her arm around his neck and pressed her sweet, soft, innocent mouth against his.
    From the moment he’d scooped her onto his lap, Roanna had been almost breathless with longing and intense excitement. Her love for him flooded her, making her want to moan with pleasure at his touch, at the way he was holding her so close. She rubbed her cheek against his shirt, and felt the heat and resilience of his flesh beneath the fabric. Her nipples throbbed, and blindly she pressed hard against his chest. The resulting sensation was so acute that it shot straight down between her legs, and she had to clench her thighs against the heat.
    Then she felt it, that sudden hardness against her hip, and with a thrill she realized what it was. She had seen a naked man for the first time that afternoon, and the shock of the act she’d witnessed had left her weak and nauseated, but this was different. This was Webb. And this meant he wanted her.
    The realization shattered her with delight. She stopped thinking. He moved her so that she couldn’t feel him against her hip anymore, and he was talking. She watched him, her gaze fastened on his beautiful mouth, barely absorbing his words. He wanted her to eat, just for him.
    â€œAll right,” she whispered. “For you.” She would do anything for him. Then the longing grew so intense she couldn’t hold it back any longer, and she did what she had wanted to do for so long that it seemed like her entire life had been spent craving this. She put her arm around his neck and kissed him.
    His lips were firm and warm, and hinted of a tantalizing taste that made her quiver with