She saw where he was going with this. “Okay. All right. I get what you’re saying, but objectively speaking, some women are a lot more beautiful thanothers.”
Joaquin shook his head. “Yes, Elena is pretty. She’s curvy and sexy and has that sweet little face. But you’re beautiful,too.”
She shook her head. “Pretty maybe,but…”
“Your features are delicate and every bit as feminine as anything Elena has going on. These cheekbones.” He reached over, ran his thumb over her cheek, leaving a trail of fire where he’d touched her. “That adorable nose. Those big blue eyes. Those fulllips.
Mia didn’t know what to say, this kind of intimate perusal unlike anything she’d experienced before, in part because she didn’t feel threatened byhim.
He went on. “If I had to describe the two of you in plantterms—”
“Plants?” Shelaughed.
“Plants are your special language, right? If I had to describe the two of you as plants, I’d say Elena is a rose, but you’re like that columbine on my wall. Delicate. Graceful.Beautiful.”
Mia couldn’t look at the photo. She could only stare atJoaquin.
Did he mean what he wassaying?
He leaned in until his face was inches from hers. “I don’t want to rush you, Mia. I don’t want to push you into doing something you don’t want to do. But right now, all I want to do is kissyou.”
Mia’s pulse spiked. “Yes.”
Before she could blink, he’d drawn her into his arms, one hand sliding into her hair to angle her head. He looked into her eyes, suddenly serious. “Mia.”
Some part of Mia couldn’t believe this was reallyhappening.
Then he ducked down, brushed his lips over hers, once, twice, three times. It was the softest caress, like the touch of petals, but the heat of it burned through her, made her heart pound. Then his mouth closed overhers.
Mia forgot to breathe, stunned by the intensity of it. This is how she’d always wanted to be kissed, how she’d dreamed of being kissed. She pressed herself against him, one strong arm drawing her closer, his body hard againsthers.
Where had he learned to kiss likethis?
He chuckled. “You gotta breathe,hermosa, or you’re going to passout.”
She exhaled, drew in a deep breath. “I might pass outanyway.”
“Did you likethat?”
Was he seriously asking her thatquestion?
“God, yes. Kiss meagain.”
Once more he started slowly, feather-light kisses that made her lips tingle. He drew her lower lip into his mouth, kissed the indentation above her upper lip, traced the outline of her mouth with his tongue. Then, with a moan, he took her mouth with his once more, crushing her against the hardness of hischest.
She yielded to him, parting her lips for him as his tongue sought hers. She’d never been kissed like this, and at first all she could do was savor it. But at that first, velvet touch—his tongue to hers—something ignited inside her. She began to kiss him back, challenging him for control, her fingers curling in his hair. He took up the challenge, the heat of his response making her only too glad to yield once more. She arched against him, her head falling back to offer him herthroat.
He took what she offered, pressing his lips against her pulse, nipping the sensitive skin beneath her ear with his teeth, teasing her with flicks of his tongue. She felt herself sliding down the cushions, his weight coming with her, until he lay on top of her, his lips tracing fire over her skin, his erection pressing against herhip.
His mouth found her clavicle and followed it until he was pressing kisses against the base of her throat. Then he raised his head up and pressed his forehead to hers, his heart thrumming against hers. His pupils were so dilated that his irises seemed almost black, the lust on his face mirroring what shefelt.
“I don’t want tostop.”
“Yeah, me neither.” He kissed her forehead. “I don’t want to risk whatever this is between us by having sex too soon. When we cross that line, I want us both to be ready for it, to want it. I want it to meansomething.”
His answer left her speechless. No man had ever talked to her about sex like that before. Not that she’d had many partners, butstill…
“I hope that settles that question,” he said after a moment’ssilence.