refused to open those doors to the past. Slowly, she became aware of Nick’s proximity. She was sitting propped against her pillows. He sat next to her, so close their bodies touched. His arm wasn’t quite around her, but rested protectively over her shoulder.
Sara knew it was crazy to be thinking of how solid he felt against her when she should be focused on prying the memories from her head. But there was no way she could ignore the butterflies that had taken flight in her stomach or the hard pound of her heart against her ribs. She was honest enough to admit neither had anything to do with the nightmare—and everything to do with the man.
“Sometimes memories emerge in their own time frame,” he said after a moment. “You can’t rush them.”
The words were thick, his voice deep and rough. Sara knew better than to look at him. But then she’d always been drawn to danger. She risked a glance to find his eyes already on hers.
“I don’t know if these are memories, Nick. I don’t know if these dreams are something my subconscious has manufactured because I want so badly to exonerate my father.”
“The mind is a powerful thing,” he said slowly.
“Especially when you combine it with the heart.”
She knew he was going to kiss her. Just as she knew it would be smarter for her to turn away. To slide from the bed. Leave the room. Pretend nothing had happened. The timing was all wrong. Neither of them were looking for a relationship. She wasn’t sure she wanted to spoil the tentative friendship they’d formed in the last days.
But the pull to him was as powerful as the storm-driven waves that crashed incessantly against the beach. She made a half-hearted attempt to avert her face. But he caught her chin with his fingertips and turned her face to his.
His mouth brushed hers with the gentle touch of a feather. The contact was light, hesitant, but Sara felt it deep inside. She fought the slow wave of pleasure that engulfed her. She didn’t want Nick’s kiss to sweep her away. But her will was no match for the electric spark that burned low and hot in her belly.
The sound of protest died on her tongue. When she opened her mouth to stop the temporary madness, the only sound that emerged was a sigh. It reverberated through her entire body. And while her heart beat with a rapid-fire tempo, her muscles turned to jelly.
The next thing she knew, Nick’s hand was at her nape, tilting her head back. His kiss turned voracious, and he ravaged her mouth with his. Sara knew she should not let this continue. She should not let herself get sidetracked or give Nick the wrong impression.
But his kiss made the world tilt beneath her feet. It made her blood run hot, her body burn until she thought her skin would melt. She kissed him back with a ravenous hunger she’d never before experienced. It rampaged through her body, a crazed beast running out of control with its first heady taste of freedom.
Her every sense heightened to a fever pitch. She was keenly aware of his mouth against hers, his kiss firm and demanding. She could feel the scrape of his whiskers against her skin. The warm pressure of his fingertips at her throat. His other hand seemed superheated as it rested against her waist. She sensed the restlessness within him, and she knew if she didn’t put a stop to this, those restive hands would begin to roam. It frightened her to think she might not have the intellectual wherewithal to stop.
Sara had never considered herself impulsive or prone to making bad decisions. She’d had relationships in the past, but no man had ever made her ache. In the last two minutes, Nick Tyson had changed everything. If only her heart would stop pounding, she could think long enough to do the right thing and pull away.
Vaguely, she was aware of a crack of thunder outside. The wind rushing through the trees. She could hear Nick breathing hard. But all of it was nearly drowned out by the jackhammer rhythm of her
Sara knew it was crazy to be thinking of how solid he felt against her when she should be focused on prying the memories from her head. But there was no way she could ignore the butterflies that had taken flight in her stomach or the hard pound of her heart against her ribs. She was honest enough to admit neither had anything to do with the nightmare—and everything to do with the man.
“Sometimes memories emerge in their own time frame,” he said after a moment. “You can’t rush them.”
The words were thick, his voice deep and rough. Sara knew better than to look at him. But then she’d always been drawn to danger. She risked a glance to find his eyes already on hers.
“I don’t know if these are memories, Nick. I don’t know if these dreams are something my subconscious has manufactured because I want so badly to exonerate my father.”
“The mind is a powerful thing,” he said slowly.
“Especially when you combine it with the heart.”
She knew he was going to kiss her. Just as she knew it would be smarter for her to turn away. To slide from the bed. Leave the room. Pretend nothing had happened. The timing was all wrong. Neither of them were looking for a relationship. She wasn’t sure she wanted to spoil the tentative friendship they’d formed in the last days.
But the pull to him was as powerful as the storm-driven waves that crashed incessantly against the beach. She made a half-hearted attempt to avert her face. But he caught her chin with his fingertips and turned her face to his.
His mouth brushed hers with the gentle touch of a feather. The contact was light, hesitant, but Sara felt it deep inside. She fought the slow wave of pleasure that engulfed her. She didn’t want Nick’s kiss to sweep her away. But her will was no match for the electric spark that burned low and hot in her belly.
The sound of protest died on her tongue. When she opened her mouth to stop the temporary madness, the only sound that emerged was a sigh. It reverberated through her entire body. And while her heart beat with a rapid-fire tempo, her muscles turned to jelly.
The next thing she knew, Nick’s hand was at her nape, tilting her head back. His kiss turned voracious, and he ravaged her mouth with his. Sara knew she should not let this continue. She should not let herself get sidetracked or give Nick the wrong impression.
But his kiss made the world tilt beneath her feet. It made her blood run hot, her body burn until she thought her skin would melt. She kissed him back with a ravenous hunger she’d never before experienced. It rampaged through her body, a crazed beast running out of control with its first heady taste of freedom.
Her every sense heightened to a fever pitch. She was keenly aware of his mouth against hers, his kiss firm and demanding. She could feel the scrape of his whiskers against her skin. The warm pressure of his fingertips at her throat. His other hand seemed superheated as it rested against her waist. She sensed the restlessness within him, and she knew if she didn’t put a stop to this, those restive hands would begin to roam. It frightened her to think she might not have the intellectual wherewithal to stop.
Sara had never considered herself impulsive or prone to making bad decisions. She’d had relationships in the past, but no man had ever made her ache. In the last two minutes, Nick Tyson had changed everything. If only her heart would stop pounding, she could think long enough to do the right thing and pull away.
Vaguely, she was aware of a crack of thunder outside. The wind rushing through the trees. She could hear Nick breathing hard. But all of it was nearly drowned out by the jackhammer rhythm of her
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