Thorn's Challenge Part 12

"Thorn asked me to make sure you got back to the hotel, Tara," Dare Westmoreland said, smiling cheerfully. It was evident that he and his brothers were proud of Thorn.

"All right."

From the number of reporters crowding around Thorn, Tara knew it would be a while before he would be free. In a way that was good. She needed time to think. A proud smile touched her lips as she watched from a distance as Thorn was presented the winning trophy. He was happy and she was happy for him. She was glad she'd been able to share this special moment with him.

As she began walking away with Dare and Sh.e.l.ly, she couldn't help but think that her moment of reckoning had arrived.

Tara nervously paced her hotel room waiting for Thorn. The race had been over more than two hours. Because she had felt hot and sticky, she had showered and changed into a floral sundress with spaghetti straps.

The air conditioning in the room was set at a reasonable temperature, but still she felt hot and was about to step outside on the balcony when she heard the sound of the door opening.

She turned and met Thorn's gaze the moment he stepped into the room. He had also showered and changed clothes. Gone was the leather outfit he had competed in. He was wearing a pair of jeans, a blue denim s.h.i.+rt and his biker boots.

Tara stood rooted in place and watched him watch her. A part of her wanted to go to him and kiss him and tell him just how proud she was of him, but another part of her held back. There was a possibility that Thorn wouldn't want to have anything to do with her after what she had to say. But still, she had to let him know of her pride in him.

"Congratulations, Thorn. I was so proud of you today."

He leaned against the closed door and continued to stare at her. His hands were pushed deep into his denim pockets and from the look on his face, winning the race, although a major accomplishment, was not at the moment what his thoughts were on.

His full attention was focused on her.

His next statement proved she was right. "You still have clothes on."

His words caught her off guard and for a moment she didn't know what to say. "Oh, boy," she finally whispered on an uneven sigh. "Did you really expect to find me here naked waiting for you?"

A slow, c.o.c.ky smile curved his lips. "Yes, that would have been nice."

Tara couldn't help but return his smile. She guessed after a two-year abstinence, for him that would would have been nice. "We need to talk, Thorn," she said, deciding not to beat around the bush. have been nice. "We need to talk, Thorn," she said, deciding not to beat around the bush.

She swallowed when he moved away from the door and walked toward her, like a hawk eyeing its prey. When he came to a stop less than a foot away, she inhaled his scent. He smelled of soap and shampoo as well as the manly fragrance that was so much a part of him.

He reached out and touched her chin with his finger. "We'll talk tomorrow."

Tara raised a brow. Tomorrow? Tomorrow? Did he think he would be keeping her so busy this afternoon and tonight that she would have neither the time nor the strength to get a word out? She couldn't help it when the thought of that sent a tremor throughout her body. Did he think he would be keeping her so busy this afternoon and tonight that she would have neither the time nor the strength to get a word out? She couldn't help it when the thought of that sent a tremor throughout her body.

She was suddenly swamped with memories of all the dreams she'd ever had of him, her need for him as well as her love for him. But still, none of that mattered if there was not complete honestly between them. He was ent.i.tled to know the truth about her.

"What I have to tell you can't wait until tomorrow." After what I have to say there might not be a tomorrow for us, After what I have to say there might not be a tomorrow for us, she thought. she thought.

"Okay, you talk," he said huskily. And if he needed to touch her as much as he needed to breathe, he reached out and placed his hand at her waist, then slowly began caressing her side, flooding her sensitive flesh with sensations through the material of her dress. She didn't bother to resist him since she wanted his touch as much as it seemed that he wanted hers.

She cleared her throat and covered his hand with hers to stop the movement so she could think straight. "There's something I think you ought to know about me, Thorn. Something that will determine whether you want to take this any further."

While she held fast to his one hand, before she realized what he was about to do, his free hand reached out and pushed the straps of her dress completely off her shoulders, exposing her black lace bra.

He stood quietly for a moment, not saying anything but just looking at her. "I don't think there's anything you can say that would make me think of not taking this any further, Tara," he said huskily, not taking his eyes off her.

Tara wasn't so sure of that. Thorn was an experienced man and more than likely he wouldn't want a novice in his bed.

Moving with the speed he'd displayed on the speedway, he flicked the front closure of her bra and bared her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Just as quickly he moved his hand to her naked flesh, cupped her breast in his hand and muttered the word, "Nice."

Tara's breathing escalated and she felt her body go limp at his touch. Her entire being was becoming a feverish heat. She leaned back and tipped her head, suddenly realizing that at some point Thorn had backed her against a wall. Literally. It was a solid wall that prevented her from going any further, neatly trapping her. She was caught, it seemed, between a rock and a hard place.

And when he leaned down and clamped his damp open mouth to a nipple and began caressing it gently with the tip of his tongue, she lost her train of thought.

Almost, but not quite. She had to have her say.

"Thorn?"

"Umm?"

She swallowed hard and drew in a deep breath. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see his expression when she said the words. "I'm a virgin."

She braced, waited for his fury and when minutes pa.s.sed and he didn't say anything, she opened her eyes. He seemed not to have heard her since he had left one nipple and was now concentrating on the other. She inhaled a long, fortifying breath at the way his mouth was nibbling her as though she was a treat he had gone without for too long.

"Thorn? Did you hear what I said?" She finally decided to ask, fighting against the astounding sensations that were running through her body.

He lifted his head and met her gaze. "Yes, I heard you."

Tara lifted a brow, thinking that if he had heard her, he was taking her news rather well. Too well. She frowned as things became obvious to her. "You knew, didn't you?" The question was a scant whisper in the room.

He gazed at her for a long moment before saying. "Yes, I knew."

Tara's eyebrows bunched. How had he known? She hadn't told another soul other than Delaney, and she knew his sister would not have shared that information with him. "But-but how...?" she asked, barely able to speak.

He shrugged. "I touched you there, several times, and on that first night I found you extremely tight and when my fingers couldn't go any farther, I suspected as much. But the next time when I touched you, I knew for sure."

She blinked. You asked Thorn a question and he would definitely give you a straight answer. She then felt a spark of anger that he'd known all this time and she had worried for nothing. But her anger was replaced by curiosity when she wondered why he wasn't upset. "But aren't you mad?"

He quirked a brow. "No, I'm not mad, Tara...I'm h.o.r.n.y," he said with a sly chuckle.

"Yes, but I thought most men preferred experienced women in their beds."

He let out a frustrated sigh. "I want you you in my bed, Tara, experienced or not. And as far as you being a virgin, I guess there's a good reason you waited this long, and I guess there's a good reason why it was meant for me to do the honor." in my bed, Tara, experienced or not. And as far as you being a virgin, I guess there's a good reason you waited this long, and I guess there's a good reason why it was meant for me to do the honor."

She looked up at him. "And you're sure about this? Are you sure this is what you want?"

He breathed in deeply. "Baby, this is what I want," he said, before exhibiting another quick move by placing his hand beneath her dress and gently clutching her feminine mound through the silky material of her panties. "This is what I need."

He leaned down and their lips touched and Tara knew at that very moment that she loved him more than she thought was humanly possible.

"I promise to be gentle the first time," he whispered against her moist lips. "And I promise to be gentle the second time. But all the times after that, I plan to ride you hard."

"Oh," she said in a soft and tremulous voice, moments before being swept effortlessly up into his arms.

Thorn placed Tara on the bed and his gaze swept down the full length of her half-clad body. She was still wearing her sundress, but barely. The straps were off her arms and the dress was bunched up to her waist showing her panties and her hips and thighs.

He began removing his s.h.i.+rt. When that was done, he met her gaze again and simply said, "I want you."

She swallowed and decided to be honest with him. "And I want you, too."

He smiled, seemingly pleased with what she had said and slowly unbuckled his belt. She blinked. She hadn't expected him to be this bold, to take off his clothes in front of her, but should not have been surprised. He was Thorn Westmoreland, a man who took risks, a man who lived on the edge, the man she loved.

Tara continued watching as he removed his boots then eased his jeans down his hips. She was enjoying this striptease show he had started. When he kicked his jeans aside and stood before her in a pair of black low-rise briefs that were contoured for a snug fit and supported his overaroused erection, she almost lost her breath.

He was perfect in every way.

His body exemplified everything she had come to expect of him: power, endurance and strength. Lifting slowly, she eased toward the end of the bed where he was standing, wanting to touch his firm stomach. She knew his scent was masculine and robust, but she needed to know the texture of his skin under her fingers and her mouth.

Making a move before she lost her nerve, she felt her own cheeks become heated as she reached out and touched his belly, marveling at how his skin felt, solid and hard. She heard his sharp intake of breath and glanced up and met his gaze.

Potent desire pooled in his eyes and she felt her body become completely hot. Wanting to taste the texture of his skin she leaned forward and with the tip of her tongue traced a path around his navel.

"Oh, man," he uttered, tangling his hand in her hair as she continued laving her tongue across his stomach.

She knew what she was doing was torture, but he hadn't seen anything yet. She might be new at this, but those romance novels Delaney had given her to read had educated as well as entertained her. And tonight she felt bold enough to go for it, to show Thorn just what he meant to her.

Thorn was losing control and he knew had to slow down. When he felt Tara's tongue inch lower and she scooted her hand inside his briefs and touched him, he knew he had to take control.

Aroused beyond belief, he pulled her up to him and claimed her mouth, kissing her with the urgency of a starving man as their mouths mated intensely, on the edge of total madness. It was the taste of forbidden fruit, the sweetest temptation and the ultimate fulfillment.

He pulled back from the kiss, his gaze full of desire. He was driven with the need to remove her clothes and gently tumbled her back on the bed while pulling the dress from her body, and carelessly tossing it aside. Next he reached for the waistband of her panties, nearly ripping them from her in the process.

Before she could react to what he'd done, he quickly maneuvered his body on the bed with her and, like a starving man, grabbed her hips and pulled her to his mouth as if the need to taste her was paramount to the preservation of his sanity.

"Thorn!"

He wanted to make this time different from the times before and went about tasting her with an intensity that made her buck under the demand of his mouth, crying out and thras.h.i.+ng about as he absorbed himself in her womanly flavor. And when he felt her body come apart in a climax that sent shudders even through him, he intensified the intimate kiss and sampled each and every s.h.i.+ver that rocked her body.

Moments later, still dazed as fragments of ecstasy raced through her, Tara watched as Thorn stood and removed his briefs. Her breath caught upon seeing his naked body. She blinked, wondering how they would fit together and said a silent prayer that they would.

He reached down and picked up his jeans, then fumbled in the back pocket to retrieve his wallet. He withdrew a condom packet. He was about to tear it open when she stopped him.

"That's not necessary, Thorn."

He glanced up and met her gaze. "It isn't?"

She shook her head. "No."

He stared at her for a long moment before asking. "Why not?"

A long silence stretched between them before she finally gave him an answer. "I'm on birth control. The pill."

He lifted a brow. "But I thought you said that you couldn't take the pill for medical reasons."

Tara shook her head. "No, I asked you what would you do if I couldn't take the pill for medical reasons. I had to know that you cared enough to do the responsible thing."

He nodded. "Is the pill in your system real good?"

She certainly hoped so, otherwise there was a good chance that with all their heat, combustion and raging hormones they would be making a baby tonight. But the thought of him getting her pregnant didn't bother her one bit. "Yes, I've been on it long enough."

Thorn stared at her, thinking just how much he loved her. Because he had expressed a desire not to use a condom, she had unselfishly taken the necessary precautions.

He would show his love and appreciation in the only way he knew-by loving her totally and completely with his heart, body and soul. He eased onto the bed with her, over her, knowing he had to take things slow and be gentle, no matter how driven he was to do otherwise. His need for her was strong, desperate.

He touched the dampness at the juncture of her legs. She was sufficiently wet for him, primed, ripe and ready. But even so, their first joining would be painful for her. There was no way for it not to be.

When he had placed his body over hers, he gazed down at her, saw desire and trust s.h.i.+ning in the depths of her eyes and knew he would keep his word, even if it killed him. A part of him wanted her to know just how affected he was with what they were about to do.

"I think I've wanted you, I've wanted this, this, from the first time I saw you that night, Tara," he admitted honestly. "I've dreamed about this moment, fantasized about it and desired it with a vengeance, and I want you to know I won't take what you're about to give me and what we're about to do lightly." from the first time I saw you that night, Tara," he admitted honestly. "I've dreamed about this moment, fantasized about it and desired it with a vengeance, and I want you to know I won't take what you're about to give me and what we're about to do lightly."

And since he knew that being on the pill wasn't a hundred-percent full proof, he said, "And although you're on the pill, if you get pregnant anyway, I take full responsibility for any child we make together."

Before Tara could say anything, Thorn began placing kisses all over her mouth, and her heart pounded, full of love. Ever since they had started seeing each other, he had made her feel feminine and desired and she was ready for any sensual journey he wanted to take her on.

And then she felt him, the tip of him, touching her womanly folds, and their gazes locked. He bore down slowly as he began easing into her gently, and although it was tight, she felt her body automatically stretch for him, open to receive him.

Sweat beaded Thorn's forehead. Tara was tight and damp. Entering her body sent a ripple of pleasure through him, from the tip of his toes to the top of his head. He held her hips firmly in his hands as he went deeper, feeling the muscles of her body clamp down on him as he slowly eased inside her and felt her opening her legs wider to smooth the progress of his entry.

He saw that quick moment of pain that flashed across her features when he broke through the barrier overwhelmed by what was taking place. He was her first lover, the first man to venture into her body like this and a part of him was deeply touched by the magnitude of what that meant.

He had never been the first with a woman before, and in the past that fact hadn't mattered. But with Tara it did matter. She didn't know it yet, but she was the woman he planned to marry. The woman who would have his children. The woman who would always be there for him. The woman he planned to grow old with and love until the last breath was exhaled from his body.

Moments later he was deeply embedded inside her as far as it was humanly possible for him to go. It was tight, a snug fit, and the thought that he was joined to her this way sent a shudder racing up his spine. For a long moment he didn't move; he just wanted to savor their joining. Their union. Neither of them spoke, but each recognized this as a very profound and meaningful moment.

"You okay?" he whispered just seconds before dipping his head and kissing her gently on the lips.

She nodded. "Yeah, what about you?"

He smiled. "I'm fine. I wish I could stay locked to you, stay inside you, forever." He removed his hands from her hips, clasped their hands together and whispered. "Now, I take things slow."

And he did.