A Blazing Little Christmas(48)

As soon as she formed the thought she remembered a time in her life after another breakup when her mother had told her that you couldn’t keep score in a relationship. Was Heather still doing that? It had seemed like a rare piece of practical Loralei advice and Heather had meant to put the wisdom into practice.

“I didn’t know what to say. My life at that point seemed a far cry from yours and I didn’t think it would be fair to ask anything of you since we’d only just met.”

“We did more than just meet.” At least in her book, that constituted more than casual flirting.

“Which is why I couldn’t get you out of my head.”

He massaged her shoulder and her whole body hummed in sensual response. She’d been with him for less than twenty-four hours and already she was attuned to the possibilities of his touches. This particular touch had a decidedly provocative meaning.

In the back of her mind, she knew she should probably hang on to this thread of conversation. Hunt through the layers of meaning in what little bit he’d said to understand his motives for having her here.

But oh, sweet temptation, it was hard to maintain a conversation with his fingers sliding down her collarbone to trace the curve of her breast. Her eyelids fell to half-mast, her nipples tightening into hard points at the promise of his touch.

“I’ve thought about you a lot since then.” One hand found her ankle beneath the covers and he cinched it, tugging her down until she lay on her back. “I’ve thought about doing this a lot, too.”

His lips found one taut peak and rolled it between his tongue and teeth. The liquid heat sent shock waves of pleasure rippling over her, concentrating in her belly and sinking lower in her hips.

She’d never been with someone who held so much sexual sway over her. He made her hot and needy, out of control. That put him in a position of power she didn’t want on a mental level. But oh, sweet stars in heaven, she loved it on the physical plane.

Love.

She shut down her thoughts, squelched a word she didn’t want to think about. Instead she let his mouth ravish her and welcomed his hands roaming all over her body. He stroked her belly and drifted lower. Lower.

He cupped her sex in one palm, his fingers playing in the wetness. How could she be so ready for him all over again?

“How many times will you come for me tonight?” He did something magical with his finger, plucking at the most tender of places. “At least once more?”

Her body answered him in a way her words no longer could, her hips rising off the bed to meet his touch. Pleasure wound up inside her, concentrating wherever he stroked her. She made pleading sounds in a mindless hum of want.

He stroked and circled, his fingers closing in on what she needed and then backing off again until her skin flamed with hot desire. She reached for his arm, guiding his fingers near what she wanted, but he stopped her with his other hand.

Pinning her wrists above her head, he held her where he wanted her.

Something about the helplessness of the moment stirred her. She lay in front of him, exposed and at his mercy, and the situation stroked something inside her that went deeper than any physical caress. She gave herself over completely.

Her orgasm shattered over her, tightening every muscle as the spasms clinched her again and again. His name wrenched free from her lips and he caught the cry in his mouth.

And while she lay there beneath him, bucking with aftershocks and murmuring his name, she knew she wouldn’t just be hurting him when she walked away this weekend. Leaving Jared Murphy would require superhuman strength and there wasn’t a chance she’d go back to Savannah any happier than when she’d left.

Because whether or not Jared ever admitted it, Heather knew they shared something special.





Chapter 6


Something had gone wrong the night before.

Jared didn’t know how he knew that, but he understood it on a gut level. The sex had blown his mind. Heather had fallen asleep in his arms as though she belonged there. He should have been walking on clouds today, except that he hadn’t really confessed why he wanted her here.

Would she run if she knew how tangibly he’d pinned his hopes on her? But if she was only returning to Savannah on Sunday night anyway, what did it matter if he sent her sprinting back?

Heather was still drying her hair so they could go for a walk in the newly fallen snow. They’d had breakfast in the cabin and even though he’d been tempted to keep her hostage in the bed all day, he thought he had better get to the point of why he’d asked her here soon.

Maybe the walk would present an opportunity. Now, while he listened to the blow dryer whirr away in the bathroom, he watched the family next door out the window as they trooped into the snow.