But not this time.
He only had to touch her and his desire would begin to return. Kissing her was an instant remedy for any temporary tiredness. Her kissing him fired him up with enough power to rocket to the moon.
After an hour and a half’s increasingly impatient waiting, Hugh had run a deep bubble bath, ignoring Kathryn’s protests when he’d scooped her sleepy, naked body up off the bed and carried her into the bathroom.
She hadn’t protested for long.
Now, as he sat in the bath, watching her with hungry eyes, Hugh wondered if this was the type of lust which had consistently tricked his father into thinking he was in love. Hugh had to admit that it was pretty powerful stuff.
But being forewarned was forearmed. As much as he admired and desired Kathryn, Hugh knew that his mad passion for her would eventually wane. It was just a matter of time.
That time, however, had not come yet.
‘Why don’t you stay another night?’ he suggested.
Kathryn groaned as she struggled with instant temptation. She wanted to stay. Of course she did. Hugh was a brilliant lover. Imaginative, skilful and amazingly virile.
The trouble lay with her.
‘I can’t, Hugh,’ she said, doing her best to sound firm.
‘Why not?’
Kathryn shook her head. ‘I just can’t.’
His face showed frustration. ‘I thought we’d got past that kind of answer, Kathryn. We promised each other total honesty this weekend, remember?’
‘You won’t like my answer.’
‘How do you know?’
She laughed. ‘I know.’
‘Try me.’
Kathryn realised then that brutal honesty might just work for her. Once Hugh heard what she had to say, he might cool things a bit.
‘All right,’ she said. ‘The thing is, Hugh, I’ve realised over the last few days that I have this problem when it comes to sex.’
‘Really? I didn’t notice that you had any problems at all. You’re the most uninhibited girl that I’ve ever been with.’
Kathryn sighed an exasperated sigh. ‘I’m not talking about the physical side of sex. I’m talking about the way sex makes me feel.’
‘Which is?’
‘It seems that when I’m sexually attracted to a man, soon or later I begin to think I’m in love with them. Especially after I’ve been to bed with them. The better the sex, the stronger my emotional involvement. Daryl was good in bed, you see. That’s why I thought I loved him. But you, Hugh, you’re the best lover I’ve ever had, by far.’
She watched his expression change from a smug satisfaction to a dawning apprehension. ‘Hell, Kathryn, are you saying you think you’re in love with me?’
‘No,’ she said. ‘Not yet. But I’m only human, Hugh. And rather vulnerable right now. I really don’t want to start thinking I’m in love with you.’
‘I don’t want you to start thinking you’re in love with me, either,’ he said, sounding horrified at the thought.
‘I do realise that,’ came her tart reply. ‘That’s why I think we should cool things a bit.’
He looked at her for a long time with eyes that were far from cool.
‘Would it help if I became a more selfish lover?’ he suggested. ‘No foreplay, no pillow talk, no pillows at all, actually. I’ll take you up against walls and on desks and in lifts. Make sure you don’t enjoy it too much.’
Heat flamed in her cheeks as he mentioned the very places and ways in which she’d already fantasised his having his way with her. She glanced away for fear of his seeing the excitement in her eyes.
‘I take it that suggestion won’t exactly cool things down for you?’ he said, his voice tinged with humour.
When her eyes turned back to his, she saw the knowing glitter in them.
‘Would there be any point in my denying it?’ She shook her head from side to side as the reality of the situation swamped her. ‘You’ve totally corrupted me, Hugh.’
‘I haven’t corrupted you, sweetheart. You’re a perfectly normal woman with a strong libido. That’s nothing to be ashamed of. Far too many girls think they should be in love to enjoy being made love to. That’s total rubbish. So just relax now and enjoy what I have to offer you,’ he said as he pried her legs apart with his foot. ‘It feels good, doesn’t it?’
Kathryn stiffened when she felt his foot sliding up her inner leg, her hands gripping the sides of the bath once his toes made intimate contact at the apex of her thighs.