He sealed their torrid kiss with a low growl of arousal. His hands on her waist, he urged her to follow him. She gave a little shriek of surprise when he fell back on her couch, bringing her with him until she partially sprawled on top of him. He shifted his hands beneath the fabric of her dress, relishing the sensation of long, silk-clad legs. He grabbed just above her knees and pulled, sliding her along his legs a
nd firmly into his lap. His jaw clamped tight at the sensation of her breasts crushed against his chest, their bellies pressed tight…the heat from their arousal mingling.
Her lips were still parted in surprise at their sudden transfer of position. He laced his fingers through her long hair and cradled her head, kissing her hard before she had a chance to speak. His other hand opened along the length of a silky thigh. She shifted subtly in his lap as she kissed him, making it harder and harder for him to control himself.
One hand trailed up her back and found the tab of her dress zipper. The sound of it lowering was like a hiss of arousal. Her skin was warm and satin-soft between the parting fabric. He poked his hand beneath the dress and spread his hand over the back of her ribs, greedy to absorb the sensation of her.
He groaned and broke their heated kiss. How was it that a small patch of skin on a woman’s back could make him so desperate?
“I’m taking you to bed,” he proclaimed gruffly.
“What?” she mumbled.
He paused in the action of preparing to shift her in his lap so he could lift her in his arms. He shouldn’t have paused, but he did. She hadn’t sounded uncertain, necessarily, just dazed.
“To bed,” he repeated. He gave a small smile when he saw how befuddled she looked…how gorgeous. Unable to refrain, he nipped at her bee-stung lower lip. “You do have one of those, don’t you?”
“Of course I do,” she mouthed, even though no sound came out of her mouth as she stared at his face as if she’d never seen him before.
“Mari told me earlier the kids were at your mother’s. We’re all alone, Colleen. It’s just you and me.”
Her beautiful, desire-glazed eyes went wide.
Abruptly, she pushed herself out of his arms. She stood clumsily. One moment, he held a sex-softened, eager female; the next, two feet of air separated them.
Two feet of air that felt very chilly in comparison to the heat that had just overtaken them.
He watched her narrowly as she touched her fingers to her face. She looked disoriented. She turned her back to him, and then belatedly realized her dress was gaping open all the way to the top of her buttocks. She hastily zipped it up as far as her reach allowed. He watched as the two sexy dimples on either side of the base of her spine and an expanse of golden, smooth, naked back disappeared behind fabric.
He sprawled back on the couch, disappointment and frustration slicing through him like a knife.
“Colleen—”
“Is that why you came over here? Because Mari told you the kids were at my mom’s? Because you knew I was alone?” she asked, refusing to look at him.
He gave a frustrated sigh and brushed the long bangs off his forehead. He had a feeling he knew where this line of questioning was going. “I came over here because I wanted to see you. I’m interested in you. It’s not a criminal offense that I’d like to have you to myself for once.”
“My children are usually with me. We’re kind of a package deal,” she snapped.
“Don’t try to make me into the bad guy again,” he stated bluntly, leaning forward. “I like your kids, too. That doesn’t mean being alone with you doesn’t have its unique appeal.” He studied her averted profile. His heart sunk a little when he realized the full extent of her vulnerability in that moment.
Damn.
He stood. She glanced back nervously. He held out his arms.
“Come here,” he encouraged.
“No,” she blurted out. “Don’t say anything else. I’m…I’m confused enough.” She took another step away from him. “I don’t know where that came from,” she said, gesturing to the location where they’d just been locked together in a fevered embrace.
“Yes, you do,” he said gently. “The same place it came from on Sunset Beach, or in my office the other day. I want you. It’s been driving me crazy spending all this time with you for the past week and not touching you. You want me, too.”
“I don’t—”
“Why can’t you admit it’s true?”
“Because I don’t want it to be true,” she returned, spinning to face him, her expression a little wild. For a few seconds, they just stared at one another.
“Is it because of Darin?” he asked. He glanced at the photo of the smiling man on the mantle. For the first time since he’d noticed the picture, he felt a sharp stab of jealousy.