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A Tricky Proposition(20)

By:Cat Schield


She put a hand on his arm. “Jason—”

He put a finger against her lips and silenced her. “Save it for later.”

The twinkle in his eye calmed some of the frenzy afflicting her hormones. She reminded herself that he was way more experienced in the art of seduction, having had vast numbers of willing women to practice on. He liked the chase. It was routine that turned him off. And right now, he was having a ball pursuing her. Maybe if she stopped resisting, he’d turn down the charisma.

So, she took half a dozen slow, deep breaths and forced herself to relax. Nibbling cheese, she stared at their view and kept her gaze off the handsome man with the dazzling blue eyes. But his deep voice worked its way inside her, its rumble shaking loose her defenses. She let him feed her grapes and crackers covered with pâté. His fingers skimmed her lips, dusted sensation over her cheeks and chin. By the time they were bumping hips in the small kitchen while transferring coq au vin and potatoes to plates, pouring more wine and assembling cutlery, Ming had gotten past her early nerves.

This was the Jason she adored. Funny, completely present, a tad bit naughty. The atmosphere between them was as easy as it had ever been. They’d discussed Terry’s offer to take over the practice. Her sister’s decision to buy a house in Portland. And stayed away from the worrisome topic of what was going to happen after dessert.

“This is delicious,” Ming murmured, closing her eyes in rapture as the first bite of coq au vin exploded on her taste buds. “My favorite.”

“I thought you’d appreciate it. Rosemary told me the restaurant was known for their French cuisine.” Jason had yet to sample the dinner.

She indicated his untouched plate. “Aren’t you hungry?” He sure looked half-starved.

“I’m having too much fun watching you eat.”

And just like that the sizzle was back in the room. Ming’s mouth went dry. She bypassed her wine and sipped water instead. After her first glass of the chardonnay, she’d barely touched her second. Making love to Jason for the first time demanded a clear head. She wanted to be completely in the moment, not lost in an alcoholic fog.

“How can watching me eat be fun?” She tried to make her tone light and amused, but it came out husky and broken.

“It’s the pleasure you take in each bite. The way you savor the flavors. You’re usually so matter-of-fact about things, I like knowing what turns you on.”

He wasn’t talking about food. Ming felt her skin heat. Her blood moved sluggishly through her veins. Even her heart seemed to slow. She could feel a sexy retort forming on her tongue. She bit down until she had it restrained. They were old friends who were about to have sex, not a man and a woman engaged in a romantic ritual that ended in passionate lovemaking. Ming had to be certain her emotions stayed out of the mix. She could count on Jason to do the same.

“The backs of my knees are very ticklish.” She focused on cutting another bite of chicken. “I’ve always loved having my neck kissed. And there’s a spot on my pelvis.” She paused, cocked her head and tried to think about the exact spot. “I guess I’ll have to show you when we get to that point.” She lifted her fork and speared him with a matter-of-fact gaze. “And you?”

His expression told her he was on to her game. “I’m a guy. Pretty much anywhere a beautiful woman touches me, I’m turned on.”

“But there has to be something you really like.”

His eyes narrowed. “My nipples are very sensitive.”

She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. “I’ll pay special attention to them,” she said when she trusted her voice.

If they could talk like this in the bedroom, Ming was confident she could emerge from the weekend without doing something remarkably stupid like mentioning how her feelings for him had been evolving over the last few months. She’d keep things casual. Focus on the physical act, not the intimacy. Use her hands, mouth and tongue to appreciate the perfection of Jason’s toned, muscular body and avoid thinking about all those tiresome longings she’d bottled up over the years.

Savor the moment and ignore the future.

While Jason cleared the dishes from the table, Ming went to unpack and get ready for what was to come. Her confidence had returned over dinner. She had her priorities all in a row. Her gaze set on the prize. The path to creating a baby involved being intimate with Jason. She would let her body enjoy making love with him. Emotion had no place in what she was about to do.

Buoyed by her determination, Ming stopped dead in the doorway between the living room and bedroom. The scene before her laid waste to all her good intentions. Here was the stuff of seduction.