“And every time we’re together we fight.”
“Makes life interesting and keeps me on my toes.”
“You’ll always hold it against me that I tricked you.”
“But I admire your craftiness.”
“In my mind you’ll always be a mercenary even though you wield a camera instead of a gun. And—”
“And in spite of all that, we’re physically attracted. Granted?” She stared into his tanned, lean face. Her stubborn will capitulated to the urging of her body. It was awakening, as a morning glory does with the sun. Unfolding itself. Seeking the warmth. Flowering open.
Kerry tried to remember all the reasons why this was untenable and unworkable, and a downright bad idea. But her body had a memory of its own. Her senses recalled each touch, sound, and taste of his lovemaking and wanted to experience them again. Thread by thread her resistance became unwoven.
She laid her hands on his chest. “Granted.”
“Then for tonight, can’t we set aside all our differences and concentrate strictly on that?”
“Isn’t that a rather irresponsible approach to going to bed together?”
“Don’t you think we deserve to be a little irresponsible?” His gaze was moving over her face and hair. “After all we’ve been through?”
“I suppose so.” Because his shirt was open, she could feel part of his bare chest against her palms. His skin was hot. The hair that matted it was crinkly and soft. She wanted to feel it against her face, her mouth.
“Don’t think about all the reasons we shouldn’t, Kerry,” he said in a stirring voice. “Think about this.”
Cupping her chin in one hand, he tilted her head back and pressed his lips against hers, nudging them apart, and breaching them with his tongue. Kerry’s world careened. She did as he suggested and focused all her attention on the kiss, the heat and passion and hunger behind it. His lips were firm, but not forceful. His tongue was bold, but not abusive. Linc used it to make love to her mouth.
When he raised his head, she slumped against him and laid her cheek on his chest. Beneath her ear she could hear his heart pounding. Their kiss had affected him as much as it had her.
“You’re good,” he whispered to the crown of her head.
“You just haven’t had anyone else lately.”
“No. You’re good.”
“I am?”
“Yes, ma’am. Very good. Damn good.”
Before she could prepare herself, he tilted her head back again, just in time to meet his descending mouth. He pulled her against him tightly, wedged her thighs apart and tucked the lower part of his body between them. It was a thrilling contact and one that would have made her gasp, had his mouth not held such mastery over hers. His lips ground against hers with a need close to desperation. She recognized the same kind of clamoring need within herself.
Working her hands from between their bodies, she linked them around his neck. When her breasts flattened against his chest, each of them uttered a gratified sound. She laced her fingers through his hair and stretched up on tiptoe. His moan originated in the bottom of his soul. He slid his hands down to her derriere, pressing her higher and harder against the front of his body.
They couldn’t continue for long without incinerating. Gradually Linc ended the kiss. His lips, moist and soft, rubbed against hers and his hands moved to the more neutral territory of her waist. It was incredibly narrow and his hands kept gently squeezing it as though marveling over that. Kerry eased down to stand flatfooted again between his widespread feet. Her hands glided down to his shoulders, touching his ears, his jaw, along the way. She toyed with the buttons on the epaulets of his shirt.
When she lifted her shy gaze up to his, he did something she’d rarely seen him do. He smiled. She remarked on it, telling him that he had a nice smile.
He laughed softly at the innocent compliment. “I do?”
“Yes. I haven’t seen you smile very often. You were usually frowning at me.”
“Because I wanted to be on top of you so damn bad.”
His emotion-packed words had a profound effect on Kerry’s insides. They absorbed them like a blow from a velvet-wrapped fist. To put things back on an even keel, she said inanely, “Your teeth are straight. Did you wear braces?”
“Hell no.”
“I did.”