Yes, he’d seen her naked already, but this was different in so many ways! Her hands knotted in the coverlet and she bit her lip.

Drawing in a deep breath, Denver surveyed her body. Even though she knew how wretched she looked, she saw his appreciation, and so much more.

He definitely still wanted her.

Nervous chatter erupted. “You’ve already done so much for me—”

“You need a little help right now.” His attention lifted, locked on her eyes, and no matter how she tried she couldn’t look away. “When you’re well, I plan to see to you properly.”

The roughness in his tone teased her nerve endings like a warning, causing her heart to skip a beat, then lurch into double time. She tried a laugh that came off nervous and squeaky.

His intent expression didn’t change.

And that, too, rattled her. “I... What does that mean?”

Resting a hand on her belly, he narrowed his eyes. “It’s a lot to take in, I know, because I’ve been living with it since meeting you.”

“Living with...?”

Silently, he considered things, almost stewing before flashing his predator’s gaze to her face. “The overwhelming need to fuck you senseless, to make you come again and again until the only man you can see is me.”

Wow. He said that so calmly, all while watching her to gauge her reaction.

The words sounded both sexual and forceful. A hot combo—at least when coming from Denver.

Any other man and she’d—

“I want to see you sweat,” he added, interrupting her thoughts. “Hear you panting, maybe screaming.”

Screaming?

He visibly struggled with himself. “I need to hear you saying my name.”

Something dark and vulnerable shadowed his expression. “Denver?” she whispered in question.

The slightest of smiles curled his mouth. “Not like that, girl. I want you to want me so much you’re crazy with it. I want to hear it. I want to fucking feel it. And I will.” The fingertips of his right hand teased the inside of her thigh, and then fell away. “When you’re well.”

The seconds ticked by while Cherry struggled to get her thoughts ordered. Everything Denver had done to her she’d loved. A lot. But what he mentioned now, well, she just didn’t know. “That sounds...a little intimidating.”

With a casual shrug, he cupped his hand over her sex and looked into her eyes. “You’re going to love it, I promise.”

Somehow everything had gotten badly off track, leaving her tongue-tied when she hadn’t been for years.

His attention went to her breasts, then her panties. “You can consider our first time just a taste, okay?”

Wow. Okay, that might finish her off right there. To add to it, he shifted her around in the bed, tucked her under the covers, and kissed her forehead. So gentle and attentive. He was the strongest man she knew, and the sexiest.

Until now, she hadn’t realized he was also the sweetest.

“Before I let you sleep, I need to know something.”

“Okay.” True, she felt like crud, but she wasn’t as weak as he thought. Not anymore anyway.

“How close were you to that dude from the elevator? Leese something?”

“Phelps?”

He gave an impatient shake of his head. “Yeah. Whatever. How well do you know him?”

Never could she believe Denver was jealous. So why did he ask? He had to know that no other man measured up to him.

“Stop trying to analyze things, Cherry. It’s important, so just tell me.”

“I don’t like your tone.”

He tipped his head back, frustration showing. When he looked at her again, she saw the heat in his eyes but he sounded calm enough when he said, “I’d appreciate it if you could tell me about your relationship with Phelps.”

Much better. “He flirted a few times. We talked. But that’s it.”

“Does he have your number?”

She shook her head.

“You never told him where you live?”

“Not my house address or anything.”

“Shit.” He stood and took a few steps away. Keeping his back to her, he asked, “So he knows you live in Ohio? In Warfield?”

“Yes.” She didn’t understand this strange mood of his. “Casual conversation, Denver. That’s all it was.”

“Maybe. But I don’t trust him.” He turned back to her with new resolve showing in every line of his big, hard body. “Tell me about your family.”

The shift in conversation threw her, making her wary. “I already did.”