She smirked. "You'll get over it."

"Unzip my pants and see if I'm up to it." He released her wrists.

Now that she was free, she tried to move away from him, but he grasped her shoulders and kept her pinned to the door.

"Go ahead, lass. I dare you."

Her cheeks burned with heat. "Fine. Let's see what you're made of." Pure titanium alloy, most probably. Damn him.

She fumbled with the button at the waistband of his jeans. "I should remind you that I'm thoroughly trained in martial arts." She jerked the zipper down. "My hands are lethal weapons."

He chuckled. "And I should remind you that whatever ye do to me, I'm doing to you."

"Damn. There goes my plan for the kitchen knife."

He growled deep in his throat, and it sent a quivering sensation through her belly. When she lifted her hand to find the waistband of his underwear, she accidentally brushed against a huge protuberance.

He closed his eyes and moaned.

She hooked a finger in the waistband of his black cotton briefs, close to his hip. "I can't seem to find it. It must be awfully small."

He snorted and slid her hand to the center. Her finger bumped into a rock solid column of...pure titanium alloy.

Her breath caught. He was so swollen, he was spilling out. He yanked his underwear down, and his penis slammed against her hand.

She gulped. It was definitely up. And big. Too big. Good Lord, it was a battering ram. She winced. "This is going to hurt."

His mouth twitched. "Ye'll get over it."

"Oh, really?" She wrapped her hand around him and squeezed.

"Easy with that." He tried to pull her hand away, but she held tight. The jerking motion made him gasp. "Lord Almighty, woman, do ye want me to embarrass myself?"

"You'll get over it."

He arched a brow at her, and she gasped, releasing her hold on him.

"Your eyes are red!"

He muttered a curse. "'Tis a medical condition." He swooped her up into his arms and strode toward the bedroom.

She studied him, frowning. "I've never heard of a medical condition like that."

"Doona fash."

"Fash?"

"Upset yerself." He grimaced as he entered her bedroom. "Bugger."

"What? Are your eyes hurting?"

"Nay. My pants are falling off."

She laughed.

He stopped by the side of the bed and smiled at her. "Does this mean ye're no longer angry at me?"

She gave him a sly look. "My final judgment will be based purely on job performance."

He snorted. "Ye're a virgin. How would ye know a good job from a bad one?"

"If you're done in five minutes, then roll over and start snoring, I'll be very angry."

His eyes twinkled. "Ye'll get over it."

She punched him in the shoulder.

He chuckled and dropped her on the bed. She propped herself up on her elbows, opening her mouth to complain when she noticed his pants had indeed fallen to his ankles and his erection was still...erect.

Her jaw dropped farther when Robby pulled his black T-shirt over his head, displaying a lean six-pack and broad, muscular chest. The curly brown hair narrowed into a thin line that ended in a thick thatch around the...battering ram.

"If ye open yer mouth a wee bit wider, I could fit it inside." Her jaw snapped shut, and he winced. "Ouch."

She looked down, embarrassed by her reaction. He was kicking off his shoes. Good idea. She slipped her shoes off and dropped them on the floor.

Her gaze landed on his calf and she gasped. He had a knife strapped to his leg. He'd slung his jeans and underwear to the side, so he was standing by the bed, completely naked except for the knife.

"You're certainly well-equipped."

"Thank you. I've wanted you a long time."

Her gaze flitted to his erection. "I wasn't referring to...although it is rather imp - " She halted when he slipped the knife from its sheath. "What are you - " She gasped when he pointed the knife at her throat.

"Doona fash." He nicked the neck of her T-shirt, then dropped the knife to the floor. He grasped the cut edges of her T-shirt in his fists and ripped the shirt in two.

Her jaw dropped open. "What are you - "

He pushed her back onto the bed. "I told you I wanted to throw you on the bed and rip yer clothes off. I believe ye called it chemistry."

She glanced down at her ripped T-shirt. "I liked this shirt."

"Ye'll get over it." With a gleam in his red eyes, he yanked her jeans and panties down her legs and threw them on the floor.

He stretched out on the bed beside her, and she moved to the center to make more room for him. Her heart pounded in her ears. This was it. Maybe she should get under the comforter. She felt so exposed lying here with only a ripped T-shirt. Maybe she should go to the bathroom to freshen up. Maybe she should shave her legs really fast. Maybe she should turn off the light in the living room. It was filtering into the bedroom, making it possible to see.

Maybe she was overanalyzing again. She glanced at him. He was propped up on one arm, looking at her. "Is something wrong?"

He smiled. "It seems right to me."

Her heart expanded in her chest. It was right. The man she loved was going to make love to her. "I'm so lucky I found you."

"I'm the lucky one. I had lost my way till ye found me."

She touched his face. He had shaved, and his cheeks were smooth. "I love you, Robby MacKay."

He kissed her brow. "I will love you forever."

Tears gathered in her eyes. She believed him. Even without her lie detecting skills, she believed him.

When his mouth met hers, she opened for him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sank into a slow, languid world of sweet sensation. She loved the gentle movement of his lips, the soft stroking of his tongue, and the way his fingers caressed her face and neck. She smoothed her hands down his back, enjoying the feel of his skin and the ripple of muscles.

The kiss continued in a leisurely fashion until she felt wonderfully relaxed. Her fears melted away. She knew he would take it slow and easy. He was such a gentleman.

He kissed a path to her neck. She shivered when he tickled her with his tongue. Suddenly, she became intensely aware of her private parts. The more he tickled her neck, the more she tingled.

She gasped when his tongue dragged up her neck. Good God, she'd felt a delicious throb in her vagina. "Robby?"

He licked her again, and she jolted. Her fingers dug into his back. Her thighs squeezed together.

Suddenly she didn't want a gentleman anymore. "Robby?"

He made a low growling sound in his throat that sent a shiver down her arms, prickling her skin with goose bumps. Without warning, he cupped her between the legs. She gasped. He pressed against her as he licked her neck again.

She cried out.

He applied pressure again. "Ye're already wet."

She whimpered. She didn't know how he'd made her so desperate so fast.

He moved down to her feet. "Open yer legs."

She let her knees sag open a bit, then gasped when he spread her feet wide. "What are you...?" She bit her lip. She'd never been so exposed before. He was actually sitting between her legs, studying her.

As embarrassed as she was, she still felt strangely turned on. Her skin itched, desperate for him to touch her.

"Ye're glistening," he whispered. "Ye're like a pink rose covered with dew."

She felt more moisture seeping from her core. "Robby, if you don't touch me, I'm going to scream."

He smiled. "Ye're going to scream anyway."

"I'll get over it." She jerked when his fingers traced the wet folds.

He slowly inserted a finger inside her. "Ye're verra tight. I'll try to loosen you up a wee bit."

"Oh, oh my..." She gripped the comforter in her fists. She was never going to last. It felt too damned good.

He slipped two fingers inside and waggled them about. "Ye're dripping now. Growing more red and swollen. I can smell yer scent, and it makes me want to taste you."

"Then do it! I'm dying here. I - " She squeaked when he pinched her clitoris.

He stroked the inner walls of her vagina while he fondled the highly sensitive nub. Tension sharpened inside her, ready to snap. Suddenly, his fingers were moving incredibly fast, and she was spiraling out of control. Her whole body jolted. She screamed. Her vagina squeezed his fingers with powerful spasms that made her shudder all over.

Moments later when she was still trying to catch her breath, she realized he'd shifted his position. He was now poised over her. He lowered himself onto his elbows.

"Are ye all right?"

She nodded, still breathless. His eyes were redder than ever, actually glowing. It was wrong, but she couldn't seem to make herself care.

"Wrap yer legs around me."

She did. She shuddered when she felt his thick shaft nudging her.

"I'll try to make it as painless as possible." He nuzzled her neck. When he kissed her and tickled her with his tongue, she felt a tingle in her core.

"How do you do that?" she whispered. Even though she was inexperienced, she knew that couldn't be normal.

He didn't answer, just suckled on her neck. It made her throb and ache for him. He pushed into her, stretching her tight until he bumped into her hymen. She felt a twinge of discomfort, then he licked her again, and a frisson of pleasure vibrated through her core.

"Ready?" He lifted his head from her neck. Beads of perspiration dotted his brow, and he grimaced as if in great pain.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"Hard...to control," he grated out between clenched teeth. He seized one of her decorative pillows and jammed it up against her neck.

"What - ack!" She stiffened with pain as he ripped through her barrier.

He shouted, too, and buried his head in the pillow at her neck.

She froze. He was inside her. She was no longer a virgin. The pain seeped away, leaving her with the pleasant sensation of being stuffed to the gills. She giggled.

He grunted, and she giggled again. A seed of joy burst in her chest and brought tears to her eyes. She was so glad she had waited, that it was Robby who was inside her.

She patted him on the back. "Thank you. I'll always remember this. It was just perfect."

"Are ye going somewhere?" he mumbled into the pillow.

"No. I live here."

"Good." He lifted his head from the pillow. His face seemed pale and strained. "Because we're just getting started."

"Really?" She sucked in a breath when he dragged his erection out.

"Really." He thrust back in. "I'm no' hurting you, am I?"

"No, it's - " She moaned when he rubbed himself against her clitoris.

"Ye're so beautiful, so tight." He withdrew and pushed into her again. "And ye're mine."

"Yes." She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his face all over. He quickened the pace, and once again she felt the delicious coiling sensation, driving her up and up toward a breaking point. She raised her hips to meet him, wanting him deeper and deeper inside her.

He reared back onto his knees and lifted her hips to meet his. She gasped at the strength of his thrusts. The coil shattered inside her, and she screamed. He ground himself against her, then with a hoarse shout, he collapsed on the bed beside her.

She pressed a hand to her chest as her breathing and heart rate finally slowed. "Oh God, that was so good."

He moaned.

She turned onto her side to face him. "Are you all right?"

He moaned.

"You're not going to roll over and snore, are you?"

He opened his eyes. "I don't snore."

She smiled. "Your eyes look much better. The redness is gone."

He snorted. "Not for long."

"It's a recurring problem?"

"When I'm with you, yes."

She frowned. She was causing the problem with his eyes? She knew eyes could get red and irritated, but not the way his were doing. "Are you allergic to me?"

"I'm in love with you." He sat up. "Are ye all right, sweetheart? Are ye sore?"

She moved her legs. "A little. I think I'll take a hot bath. Would you like to join me?"

"Maybe later." He climbed out of bed and put on his clothes. "I'm going to do a perimeter check of the area to make sure I'm guarding you properly." He kissed her brow and smiled. "Don't go away. We still have round two."

Round two? She winced with soreness as she sat up. "I'm not sure I can take any more."

He chuckled as he strode from the room. "Ye'll get over it."

She snorted. "If you're going outside, take my keys with you."

"I'll lock you in. And I'll be right back."

"Okay." She heard the front door open and shut, and the sound of a key turning in the lock.

She glanced at the wet spot on her comforter. There was some blood mixed in. Proof her virginity was gone. Her gaze landed on the decorative pillow Robby had pressed up against her neck.

How odd. She picked it up. There were two puncture holes in the blue satin material.

She tossed it back onto the bed. She shouldn't have washed it last week. The cheap material was falling apart.

She padded into the bathroom and turned on the water. She wasn't going to let anything detract from the most glorious night in her life. No thoughts about apples or red eyes or ruined pillows. She'd just been bedded by a wonderful lover. Robby MacKay loved her.