Indulgent Pleasures by Karen Erickson Page A

didn’t stick around for long, the longest relationship she’d had was with Steve and that lasted about a year.
    Almost two years ago Steve had dumped her, told her he didn’t feel a connection with her anymore. She hadn’t been in a serious relationship since.
    Stephanie gave a little sound of frustration and shook her head, resting her palm flat against the window. It was shockingly cold and she gasped. The sensation had brought her back to reality and that was exactly what she needed.
    To stay firmly seated in reality.
    “Hey.” Justin magically appeared behind her and she startled, pressing her other hand against her chest.
    “I didn’t even hear you.” Her tone was accusing and she immediately felt bad. She hadn’t meant to sound like a nagging girlfriend.
    “Sorry.” He slipped his arms around her, his big hands settling against her stomach and he nuzzled the side of her neck. “You seemed a million miles away just now.”
    “I was just—thinking.” Not that she would admit exactly what about. Time to change the subject. “I love your view.”
    “Thanks. I do, too. It was one of the reasons why I bought this place.” His arms tightened around her waist and his firm lips pressed against her throat. “The tub’s about halfway full.”
    She didn’t reply, just leaned into him, savoring his warmth, his strength. “How’s your knee?”
    He tensed. Clearly, he didn’t like talking about it. At all. “Fine. Don’t worry about me. Let’s get you undressed.”
    Stephanie wondered if he didn’t want her worrying about him because he wasn’t looking for emotion of any kind from her. Maybe he wanted to keep it emotionless.
    But she’d seen the fire in his eyes more than once, the unmistakable glimmer of passion always simmering just below the surface.
    Passion was passion, nothing more, nothing less. Don’t make it out to be something it isn’t.
    Damn conscious. It spoke logic to her at the most inopportune times.
    “Shouldn’t you be the one getting undressed since you need the soak?” Her hand strayed back, stroking down his hip, his thigh and she felt him shudder the slightest bit beneath her touch.
    “You need a soak, too. You’re still damp. And probably cold.” His fingers went to the top of her chest, slowly working the little pearl buttons undone one by one. “That hot bath will warm you right up.”
    She’d be hot as fire by the time he was done undressing her. Those long, sure fingers worked quick, unbuttoning all of the tiny buttons and then sliding the top of her dress down, over her shoulders, down her arms. She shrugged out of it, let it fall around her waist and he untied the belt, letting the Swiss dotted length of fabric drop to the floor.
    “Virginal white,” he murmured, easing the elasticized waist of her dress down over her hips. “And yet so sinful underneath.”
    She shivered, knew he referred to her lingerie. She’d always indulged in frivolous, expensive lingerie but now it was even more exciting to pull out all the stops and wear her best stuff.
    Now that she had a man who appreciated it so wholeheartedly.
    “Such a contradiction.” Once he got the dress past the top of her thighs, it dropped to her feet in a puddle and she stepped out of it, kicking it out of the way. Standing in just her underwear and red shoes, she saw their reflection in the glass and her breath stalled in her throat.
    Justin’s big strong arms, one slung around her stomach, his hand and fingers spread wide. The other hand slid from her waist, down her hips, sparks flying everywhere he touched. His head was bent, his mouth brushing against her neck. She arched into his embrace and her breasts thrust forward, her knee slightly bent. The look of arousal on her face was unmistakable.
    “So gorgeous,” he whispered in her ear just before he took a bite, his teeth tugging on the sensitive lobe. Another shiver moved through her, her panties dampened and her nipples tightened to the point of