Part 16 (1/2)

”And I missed you, too,” she whispered, loving the feel of being in his arms.

Sterling lowered his mouth to hers and at the same time his arms drew her hard against him. There was very little gentleness in his kiss. It displayed the deep need he felt. It was a need that had nearly driven him out of his mind during the last three weeks.

Colby had felt his desire for her the moment he had pulled her against him and she'd come into contact with his thigh, and it had sent her over the edge. She couldn't help the moan of pa.s.sion that escaped her lips. He was making love to her mouth, just like he had described that day on the telephone.

He slowly lifted his head and slackened his hold on her. He smiled when he looked down at her mouth. ”I think you have now been properly kissed.”

Colby smiled back at him. ”I think so, too.” Suddenly feeling nervous, she stepped back out of his arms. ”You didn't eat much at the reception, and you didn't have anything on the plane. Are you hungry?”

”Yeah, I'm starving. Are you going to feed me?”

”Sure, what would you like? I noticed the refrigerator is stocked with all kinds of-”

Sterling laughed.

Colby frowned. ”What's so funny?”

An impish smile curved Sterling's lips. ”Food is not what I'm starving for, Colby.” He pulled her back closer into his arms. ”A man can be hungry for more than just food, baby. In my case, I'm starving for you. I want my body to feed off yours.”

Colby blushed. ”Oh.”

”Yes, oh. Do you have any idea of just how tempting you are?”

She lowered her head. She had never thought of herself as tempting. ”No.”

”Colby?”

Sterling's voice was soft as silk. Her name on his tongue felt like a warm, velvet caress. She looked up at him and met his gaze. He was staring at her. The look in his eyes was indeed hungry. It elicited a shudder of arousal in her. Swallowing slowly, she answered.

”Yes?”

”You are a very beautiful woman. In fact you're the most beautiful woman I know.”

His words surprised her. They also disappointed her because she knew he wasn't being completely honest. She lowered her eyes and grasped for composure before letting her eyes meet his again. She raised her chin a notch. ”Thanks for saying that, but it's really not necessary.”

”What isn't necessary?”

”For you to say I'm beautiful.”

Sterling lifted a brow and studied her, taking in the significance of her response. She evidently didn't think he was being truthful. ”You don't think you're a beautiful woman?”

She frowned. ”I think I look okay, but beautiful would be stretching it a bit. I know you told me that earlier today and I thanked you for it because all brides look beautiful on their wedding day. But saying I'm the most beautiful woman you know is really going overboard,” she said. ”Beautiful is women like Vanessa Williams, Tyra Banks and-” she nervously stroked the ring she now wore on the third finger of her left hand ”-someone like Diamond Swain.”

Sterling's dark eyes were hooded as he watched her face. He reached out and lifted her chin so their eyes could meet. ”Beautiful is also Colby Wingate Hamilton.”

She lifted a shoulder in a self-conscious little shrug. ”If you say so.”

Sterling shook his head. Other than Kimara Garwood and Diamond Swain, most of the women he knew were shallow and thought too much of themselves at times. Colby, he had discovered long ago, was just the opposite. Although she didn't lack any self-esteem, she didn't have a clue of just how beautiful he thought her to be. Feeling the need to kiss her again he leaned forward, opening his mouth over hers with drugging urgency. Although incredibly tender and painstakingly seductive, his tongue pledged promises of more things to come.

He gave up all control as her mouth moved under his with a pa.s.sion so ravenous he thought he would not survive its fire. And when she pressed her body deeper against his, he released a groan from low within his gut. He tuned out everything around him as he again explored and tasted her mouth. Cupping her bottom, he brought her even closer to him, pulling her hard against his hips, kneading her backside and grinding against her, letting her feel the hard length of his arousal. He felt her squirming against him, trying to get even closer to him. Without realizing it, her body was instinctively seeking out that part of him that was more than ready for her.

It was that part of him that was hungry for her. It was starving for her.

”Sterling.”

He heard his name escape her lips in a pa.s.sionate, agonizing plea. Slowly, he lifted his mouth from hers. His control shot to pieces.

She opened questioning eyes to him and the look of desire in them nearly took his breath away. For a moment, he wanted to believe they were the only two individuals on the island. He wanted to believe she was a temptation he could yield to, and that she could bring more joy to his life than pain. He regretted that tonight would be just a fantasy-an awesome fantasy the two of them would share.

Each time they came together would be for a purpose, but tonight, against his better judgment, he wanted more pleasure than purpose. Tonight he wanted their coming together to be one special moment. Just like she'd said it would be. And for her, tonight, he would make it so.

Unable to help himself, he slowly lowered his head to hers again at the same time he swept her off her feet and into his arms. He headed for the bedroom. Once there he placed her on her feet beside the bed.

”Tonight, Colby, we're not going to remember the purpose we're here together or the reason we got married in the first place. Tonight I need you in a way I've never needed any woman. I don't understand it, and I don't want to question it. At least not now. All I know is that you're an ache inside of me and have been from the moment I saw you on that video.”

Colby tipped her head to him. ”What video?”

”The one my investigator sent me of you. It was from watching that video that I made my decision to choose you as the mother of my child.”

A confused look touched Colby's features. She didn't understand. She had known nothing about a video, but tonight, like him, she didn't want to understand. She had a need, too. She needed him as much as he needed her.

Her body shuddered with desire when he reached out and began removing the clothes from her body. He enjoyed inhaling her soft scent, and when he had her naked before him, he began to remove his own clothes.

Colby looked at Sterling, his body intrigued her and challenged her to touch it. So she did, surprising herself more than surprising him. His body felt hot to her touch and it felt hard.

The more she touched him, the more fascinated she became with his body. She continued to let her hands gently move across his chest and shoulders, down his arms and around his midsection.

”You want it?” he asked, huskily. He felt his heart beat faster with her touch.

She looked up at him and saw desire in his eyes and knew it matched her own. ”Yes, I want it.”

”There will be pain,” he pointed out, at the same time sucking in a deep breath when he felt her hand move lower over his body.

”You know what they say, no pain, no gain.”

Her sensuous reply sent trickles of sensations racing over Sterling's body. His eyes narrowed at her playful challenge. ”For your sake, I hope you really believe that, baby. There's nothing we can do now that won't be proper.”

He then pulled her down on the bed with him. Pulling back the spread he placed her on the silk sheets. ”Feed me,” he growled in her ear. It was a guttural sound from deep within him. ”I'm starving for you. Feed me, Colby. Feed me, now.”

He laced her fingers with his and angled his body over hers. He kissed her again, hard and urgent at the same time the lower part of his body entered her in a long, explosive thrust that rocked his entire world. His body began trembling. He took one deep breath, never feeling so out of control with desire as he did at this very moment. He reined in his control to look down at her to make sure she was all right.

”How do you feel?” he asked in a voice he couldn't even recognize as his own.