I went with the blue plus strategic waxing.”
“Interesting.” The way he said this told her he meant much more. She’d intrigued him with this unexpected revelation.
He stripped off his clothes and drew back the covers, giving her a quick glimpse of his physique. Hard muscles and sinewy strength. A tattoo of a snarling leopard decorated his right pectoral muscle. Instantly, she wanted to wander her fingers over the masculine territory.
“Don’t get a chill.”
No chance of that. Not with the way his lazy gaze stroked her from head to toe and back, caressing each part of her. Heat stabbed her body. Her nipples had pebbled, due to the cold, she told herself. Sugar, who was she kidding? One look from him had her pulse beating like a wild thing, desire flaring to flash point. Aroused. Yep, she couldn’t deny it.
London climbed into the bed, not with the same easy grace as him since she got her toes tangled in the covers. Her cheeks burned anew. “Stop laughing.”
“I’m not laughing at you, London. You amuse me, true, but it’s so much more. You intrigue me. Fascinate me. You turn me on with each of your shy, uncertain glances. I’m laughing at myself, English. You’re turning me inside out. I want to pounce but I don’t want to scare you.”
His words rang with truth, and she liked the way he expressed himself. Yet no one could call him a chatty girl. This man was all alpha male.
“You’re a deft hand at settling my nerves. I don’t jump into relationships. I’ve told you that. With you it’s different.”
“Come here,” he whispered, his green eyes full of challenge.
She slid across the mattress toward him, feeling sexy and desirable. He made her feel that way, like she could fly. Her breasts settled against the wall of his chest and her breath hissed out in a satisfied sigh. His muscles were hard and as she inched her lower half closer, she discovered he was hard all over. His erection pressed against her belly. Desire kicked up its heels, not taking her unawares but surprising her with the intensity. Royce hadn’t affected her this way, and the two guys she’d slept with since had disappointed her, not doing a thing except leave her empty and unfulfilled.
Residual concerns floated away as she let herself drift in the moment. They hadn’t been doing things the right way. This knowledge made her even more certain, and she tossed aside her prudish qualms for the last time.
She made herself a promise. Each time she let doubts flare, she’d do one thing on the list Jenny had made during the airplane journey to Australia. Each of the items scared her, but if she let doubts guide her, Royce would win. She loathed the man for the way he’d treated her and her sister and for the way he’d torn her family apart.
Facing Jenny’s challenges, if she faltered, might keep her on the right path. Sugar, maybe she’d do some of the things anyway. She’d managed the bungee jump, hadn’t she? The bike ride. Most of the zombie run.
She lifted her head to glance at Gerard and let her smile sink into sultry. This was London Allbright, take two, the confident woman who faced every challenge head-on. “Are you going to kiss me?”
“I didn’t want to interrupt that heavy-duty thinking.”
“That obvious, huh?” She added observant to his list of traits. His army training, no doubt.
“You finished? I want you to concentrate on me. On us.”
“I can do that.”
“Promise? I don’t want to make love to a woman who isn’t focused on me. You’ve had lots to deal with today. If you’re not ready, we can wait.” His lips curled. “Don’t get me wrong. I want you, but I can wait.”
She nodded, understanding from his tone and expression he meant every word. Integrity. She added it to her mental chart—the good traits making the pile lopsided. “I am here one hundred percent in the moment. Lying in bed with a hunky man. I’m naked. He’s naked. But something is wrong with this picture
“Interesting.” The way he said this told her he meant much more. She’d intrigued him with this unexpected revelation.
He stripped off his clothes and drew back the covers, giving her a quick glimpse of his physique. Hard muscles and sinewy strength. A tattoo of a snarling leopard decorated his right pectoral muscle. Instantly, she wanted to wander her fingers over the masculine territory.
“Don’t get a chill.”
No chance of that. Not with the way his lazy gaze stroked her from head to toe and back, caressing each part of her. Heat stabbed her body. Her nipples had pebbled, due to the cold, she told herself. Sugar, who was she kidding? One look from him had her pulse beating like a wild thing, desire flaring to flash point. Aroused. Yep, she couldn’t deny it.
London climbed into the bed, not with the same easy grace as him since she got her toes tangled in the covers. Her cheeks burned anew. “Stop laughing.”
“I’m not laughing at you, London. You amuse me, true, but it’s so much more. You intrigue me. Fascinate me. You turn me on with each of your shy, uncertain glances. I’m laughing at myself, English. You’re turning me inside out. I want to pounce but I don’t want to scare you.”
His words rang with truth, and she liked the way he expressed himself. Yet no one could call him a chatty girl. This man was all alpha male.
“You’re a deft hand at settling my nerves. I don’t jump into relationships. I’ve told you that. With you it’s different.”
“Come here,” he whispered, his green eyes full of challenge.
She slid across the mattress toward him, feeling sexy and desirable. He made her feel that way, like she could fly. Her breasts settled against the wall of his chest and her breath hissed out in a satisfied sigh. His muscles were hard and as she inched her lower half closer, she discovered he was hard all over. His erection pressed against her belly. Desire kicked up its heels, not taking her unawares but surprising her with the intensity. Royce hadn’t affected her this way, and the two guys she’d slept with since had disappointed her, not doing a thing except leave her empty and unfulfilled.
Residual concerns floated away as she let herself drift in the moment. They hadn’t been doing things the right way. This knowledge made her even more certain, and she tossed aside her prudish qualms for the last time.
She made herself a promise. Each time she let doubts flare, she’d do one thing on the list Jenny had made during the airplane journey to Australia. Each of the items scared her, but if she let doubts guide her, Royce would win. She loathed the man for the way he’d treated her and her sister and for the way he’d torn her family apart.
Facing Jenny’s challenges, if she faltered, might keep her on the right path. Sugar, maybe she’d do some of the things anyway. She’d managed the bungee jump, hadn’t she? The bike ride. Most of the zombie run.
She lifted her head to glance at Gerard and let her smile sink into sultry. This was London Allbright, take two, the confident woman who faced every challenge head-on. “Are you going to kiss me?”
“I didn’t want to interrupt that heavy-duty thinking.”
“That obvious, huh?” She added observant to his list of traits. His army training, no doubt.
“You finished? I want you to concentrate on me. On us.”
“I can do that.”
“Promise? I don’t want to make love to a woman who isn’t focused on me. You’ve had lots to deal with today. If you’re not ready, we can wait.” His lips curled. “Don’t get me wrong. I want you, but I can wait.”
She nodded, understanding from his tone and expression he meant every word. Integrity. She added it to her mental chart—the good traits making the pile lopsided. “I am here one hundred percent in the moment. Lying in bed with a hunky man. I’m naked. He’s naked. But something is wrong with this picture
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