Her pulse skidded to a halt. So he’d trusted her with the truth, when he’d never trusted anyone else. She dismissed the thought, tried not to make it mean too much.
‘Maybe it was just the shock of discovering you’re going to be a dad yourself that shook it loose?’ she said, trying to convince herself as much as him. ‘We’ve both been under a lot of pressure lately. Parenthood is a huge deal—and neither of us has had much time to adjust. I know I’ve done quite a lot of reevaluating myself.’
‘Yeah. Maybe.’
‘Have you thought about trying to talk to Zane about it?’ she asked, hoping that he would. ‘You’re both older now and at least a little wiser. It might help.’
He scuffed his foot against the polished tiles, as if he was considering the request, then shook his head. ‘Nah, some stuff’s better left alone.’
She didn’t agree, but she didn’t say so. It was really none of her business.
He cupped her chin in his palm, slid his thumb across her lips. And her thoughts scattered.
‘I get it that you don’t need any more emotional upheaval. Neither do I.’ His thumb pressed into her bottom lip and her pulse punched her neck. ‘But how do you feel about starting over, giving the friends thing another go?’
Her lips lifted, the husky tone making it clear the request was far from platonic. ‘Hmm.’ She cocked her head to one side, pretending to consider the suggestion. ‘I guess as long as I could rely on my new friend not to freak out again, I might consider it.’
‘Yeah?’ His eyes darkened as they fixed on hers, all traces of amusement gone. ‘And what if your new friend still wanted benefits?’
He drawled the last word, the rough emphasis raising the hairs on the back of her neck and making her scrambling pulse slow into a hot, heavy beat rippling under sensitised skin.
She propped herself against the door frame, to disguise the sudden weakness in her knees. Clasping her hands behind her back, she arched her back until her breasts strained against the buttons of her blouse.
‘I suppose I’d have to be persuaded,’ she teased as his gaze dropped to her cleavage, ‘that the benefits were worth having.’
His face lifted back to hers, and she could see the dazed sheen of desire darkening the irises to black. A muscle in his jaw tensed.
Then his arm wrapped around her waist, and he yanked her against him. His mouth came down on hers, hard, strong and persuasive and the ripple effect burst into flame.
She thrust her fingers into the short, silky strands of hair above his ears, held on as she opened her mouth to urge him in and gloried in the feel of his rough tongue exploring in sure, deliberate strokes.
He stopped abruptly, swinging her into his arms, and marched into the bedroom. She held onto him, a little giddy as the rush of blood plunged out of her head and pounded into her sex.
‘I think that can be arranged,’ he said, before dropping her onto the pile of cushions.
He climbed on top of her, pressing her backwards into the pillows and caging her in, his focus so intense it seared her skin. But she could feel the smile on his lips that echoed in her heart, when his mouth captured hers again.
* * *
They scrambled out of their clothes in seconds, the decadent pull of making love in the afternoon somehow liberating. He moulded her breasts, his teeth nipping, his tongue lathing, suckling until she exploded into a fast, spontaneous orgasm.
He grinned down at her as she drifted back to Earth.
‘That is so damn sexy,’ he murmured, his fingers still playing with the sensitised peaks. ‘Is it because of the pregnancy? Or are you always this responsive?’
‘My breasts are more sensitive,’ she said, feeling stupidly shy.
‘Good to know,’ he said, the playful grin making her laugh.
He lifted her onto his lap, the weighty press of his erection making excitement skitter back.
They had a bed, they had the whole afternoon and the bright, sultry glow of the sunshine on firm tanned flesh made her feel languid, made her want to take her time. She rocked, pushing him over until she could straddle him.
‘Hey, what the...?’ He jerked up, trying to flip her over again, take control, but she clutched broad shoulders, held him down.
‘No wrestling with the pregnant lady,’ she admonished, and he sank back onto the bed. Defeated, but only for a moment.
A wicked grin lit his face as his palm curved around her knee, then snuck up her thigh, making the muscles tremble and clench at her core. ‘Who said anything about wrestling?’
His fingers plunged into hot, wet, flesh and she gasped, the contact electrifying. She collapsed on top of him, trapping his hand, but as he grunted, frustrated, she dropped a kiss on his nose. ‘Stop it, Nate.’