But instead of kissing her mouth, Connor bent his head and kissed her shoulder. Then he moved an inch and kissed the small patch of skin at the base of her neck.
She was gasping by the time he reached her jaw line. “What are you doing to me?”
He nibbled and kissed her ear, then whispered, “We’re not sleeping together, no matter how much you beg me.”
“Beg you?” She stretched her neck to give him more access to the pale smoothness of her skin. “This is crazy.”
“I know,” he murmured. “I wish you’d stop it.”
“I’m not…”
But she couldn’t seem to finish as he began licking each inviting corner of her mouth. When she moaned aloud, he pressed his lips to hers in an openmouthed kiss more erotic than anything he’d ever experienced. She was sweeter than chocolate and more intoxicating than the cognac they’d shared earlier.
He realized his mistake immediately, tried to keep the kiss light, but it was no use. He wanted her with the intensity of a red-hot sun, wanted to pull her down on the couch and touch her everywhere, from the tips of her sexy pink toenails to the top of her gorgeous red mane. And each place in between, too. He could do it, he knew. She was willing and wanted the same thing he did. And damn, he needed her now, needed to be inside her, to spread her shapely legs and press into her, sheathing himself in her dusky depths.
Damn it. He’d set up this whole evening to be a romantic interlude leading directly to sex. But despite her body pressed tightly against his, he knew she needed time to get used to being with him again. So why didn’t he stop? He knew with every kiss that he was making things worse for himself. He’d go insane before much longer if he didn’t put an end to this right now.
But then she moaned and he reconsidered, and somehow his hand moved to cup the soft swell of her breast. And a part of him felt as though he’d come home after being away a long time. He recognized the sweet roundness and wanted nothing more than to get lost in her, nothing more than to touch his tongue to her beaded nipples and hear the familiar sound of her little gasps and whispers of bliss.
And if he didn’t stop now, he never would. With unearthly strength of will, he forced himself to end the kiss and pull away from her soft curves. And immediately missed the warmth.
He ran his hands up and down her toned arms, then squeezed them lightly, before taking another step back. The only reward for his good behavior was her look of dazed wonder. He wasn’t sure it was worth his sacrifice, but it was too late to change his mind.
“Time for bed, Mary Margaret.” He wrapped his arm lightly around her shoulder and led her into the bedroom, where he gathered up a blanket and pillow.
She dropped onto the bed and watched him.
He smiled tightly and held up his hand in a sign of farewell, as though he were a soldier heading for battle. “Good night. Sweet dreams.”
“G-good night, Connor. Thank you.”
He walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.
* * *
So much for tactical retreats, Connor thought the next morning, after he tried to roll over in bed and slid off the couch onto the floor instead.
“Damn it,” he grumbled, rubbing his elbow where it smacked against the coffee table. “Where the hell…oh yeah.”