Free Fall by Jill Shalvis Page B

siblings’ voices whenthey discussed her. “How often do you see each other?”
    â€œIf you’d asked me when I was still at home, I’d have said too damn much. My dad worked long hours and I had to be mom, dad, brother, enforcer.” He grinned. “I’m glad those days are over.”
    She ran her gaze over his fond smile and something within her softened. It was her guard, she discovered. She was losing it. “You’re a man who’s used to being needed. A man used to the weight of responsibility. So how come you’re not married? Or in a relationship?”
    â€œMy work isn’t really conducive to that. The hours alone would drain a relationship dry. And though most women claim they’re attracted to a man with a dangerous profession, the reality is they’re not. It’s a lot to ask of someone, and I just haven’t asked.”
    So he saw love as an obligation, something no one understood more than she. Love was an obligation, and it was also a pain in her ass.
    â€œSo what holds you back from being involved?” he asked. “Your own fierce independence? Or the wall you put up when someone gets too close?”
    â€œNothing holds me back from anything.”
    â€œThat’s right. You’re fearless.” His fingers were stroking her, lulling her, and she realized she’d settled back into the crook of his shoulder, against his side, as if she belonged there. Her hand had fallen low on his flat belly, rather shockingly possessively, as if she had the right. She stared at her hand on that vulnerable spot beneath his belly button, so flat and sinewy and male, and wriggled her fingers, thinkingthat it was his own fault her mind was wandering back to sex. He should have gone running when he had the chance. Instead, he’d stayed to talk, to cuddle, and he’d have to face the consequences…. She slid her fingers down.
    â€œMmm,” rumbled from deep in his chest. With the denim already unfastened, leaving his waistband loose, she reached the pot of gold with no trouble at all, laughing softly, triumphantly, when he turned out to be already hard. “Again, Lily?”
    â€œOh, yes.” She stood only to strip her jeans back off before she fell on top of him. “Again.”
    Â 
    L OGAN WOKE UP TO AN affectionate tap on his bare ass. He was sprawled facedown and sideways across Lily’s bed, with all the bedding wadded on the floor. Lifting his head, he squinted into her light brown eyes.
    Vague images of her beneath him, over him, panting, by turns demanding and whimpering, turned into vivid memories, and he grinned.
    â€œOh, no, ace.” Fully dressed, she backed up. “We’re done.”
    Normally he’d be chomping at the bit now that he was awake, needing to get to work, but he didn’t feel like chomping at anything but Lily’s gorgeous, curvy bod. “Come here.”
    â€œI’ve gotta run.”
    Hmm. Seemed Lily was doing all the chomping at the bit for the both of them. He pushed himself up, but she put a hand on his shoulder.
    â€œDon’t get up, I just wanted to say goodbye.” She blushed, which intrigued him given all they’d doneto and for each other in the long hours of the night. “I didn’t want to just leave you a note.”
    â€œI appreciate that.”
    She stood there in her loose black cargo ski pants and a snug red turtleneck, looking like winter personified. He sat up on the edge of the bed and pulled her between his spread legs, wrapping his arms around her middle, putting his head on her chest and hugging her.
    For a moment her hands fluttered at his shoulders, then she slid them around him and squeezed. “Last night was…”
    Tilting his head up, he smiled at her. “Was…?”
    â€œNice.”
    He laughed, watching her mouth curve—the same mouth that had been crying his name in a desperate mantra only a little while