more than to demonstrate. Keep that
thought. It’s a little chilly in here for what I have in mind.”
He knelt by the woodstove and added wood to the fire.
*****
After the fire was blazing, Rick rolled up his
shirtsleeves and joined Juliana in the kitchen. She chopped onions and peppers
while he prepared the chicken pieces. When the chicken and vegetables were
bubbling, he started the rice.
She set their places on a low pine table near the
fire.
The Franklin stove’s doors stood open to display the
flames, still bright behind its screen. She’d left her hair loose, and the
red-gold curls seemed alive with the dancing flames. A faint smile curved her
mobile mouth, drawing him to stare at her lower lip and the arched bow of the
upper. This view of her gilded with firelight stirred him to rampant life.
No matter how crazy he was for her, it was still a
casual relationship. And he meant to keep it that way. But casual didn’t mean
hands off.
He turned off the flame beneath the rice. He edged
closer to her and hooked an arm around her, kissing the skin beneath her ear.
Her jaw and velvety cheek lured his lips like magnets. “I could get used to
this place. And the company.”
She turned in his arms to flash a smile. For a change,
not cautious with him, her gaze held desire. “Some families spend the entire
summer here. And drive long distances to work.”
“Must be nice to get away totally.” He glided the back
of one hand along her cheek and down her neck.
The lushness of her breasts pressed against him as she
snuggled nearer. He held her, acutely aware of the length of their bodies
touching—thighs and knees, hips and torsos. He sensed a similar awareness in
her. This dynamo who was never still stood quietly in his arms. He nuzzled her
hair and inhaled her scent.
She felt so perfect he didn’t want to move. Except
lust shot through him with a furnace blast. He burned for her, ached for this
intriguing woman made of stubbornness and loyalty, vulnerability and humor,
reserve and sensuality.
“Juliana?” Shit, you’d think he was a horny kid, a
desperate one.
She gazed up at him with dreamy eyes. “Mmm? Are you
hungry? You’re the chef.”
“I’m hungry, yes, starving—but for you.” He covered
her hand where it lay on his chest and laced his fingers with hers. Soft and
delicate.
Her breath hitched. “Dinner will keep?”
“It’ll taste even better later. Since we met I’ve
longed to make love to you.”
She sighed. “I want you too.”
“And you understand—”
She placed a finger on his lips to silence him. “Shh,
don’t chill this evening with cold lake water. I know what I’m doing.” Her
smooth finger trailed across his lips.
“You won’t be sorry.” He captured her hand and kissed
each finger. Her eyelashes drifted lower as he pushed up her sleeve and kissed
his way up her arm.
Almost moaning with relief, he kissed the unbearably
tender spot inside her elbow. He wanted her so much he trembled. “Tell me,
Juliana, tell me what you want.”
Her chin lifted, and her lashes. Desire burned with
green fire in the depths of her eyes, as if alight from within. A mischievous
smile tilted her mouth. “You’re so romantic and poetic, but you’re forcing me
to be clear, so I have a list.”
“A list. I can’t wait.”
“First, I want to be naked with you.”
Flames ignited in his veins. “Juliana—”
Her cool finger on his lips silenced him. “Two, I want
you to kiss me all over.”
He ached at the image.
That cool finger swept sparks across his forehead and
his temple. “Three, I want to explore your body as well.”
“Is there a four?” I’ll die if there isn’t.
“Four, most of all, I want you inside me for what I
suspect will be incredible, mind-blowing sex.” She trailed a sizzling fuse down
his chest to his navel.
His heart raced, and he had to clasp her shoulders to
stop his hands from shaking. “I want to take it slowly with you. I want
thought. It’s a little chilly in here for what I have in mind.”
He knelt by the woodstove and added wood to the fire.
*****
After the fire was blazing, Rick rolled up his
shirtsleeves and joined Juliana in the kitchen. She chopped onions and peppers
while he prepared the chicken pieces. When the chicken and vegetables were
bubbling, he started the rice.
She set their places on a low pine table near the
fire.
The Franklin stove’s doors stood open to display the
flames, still bright behind its screen. She’d left her hair loose, and the
red-gold curls seemed alive with the dancing flames. A faint smile curved her
mobile mouth, drawing him to stare at her lower lip and the arched bow of the
upper. This view of her gilded with firelight stirred him to rampant life.
No matter how crazy he was for her, it was still a
casual relationship. And he meant to keep it that way. But casual didn’t mean
hands off.
He turned off the flame beneath the rice. He edged
closer to her and hooked an arm around her, kissing the skin beneath her ear.
Her jaw and velvety cheek lured his lips like magnets. “I could get used to
this place. And the company.”
She turned in his arms to flash a smile. For a change,
not cautious with him, her gaze held desire. “Some families spend the entire
summer here. And drive long distances to work.”
“Must be nice to get away totally.” He glided the back
of one hand along her cheek and down her neck.
The lushness of her breasts pressed against him as she
snuggled nearer. He held her, acutely aware of the length of their bodies
touching—thighs and knees, hips and torsos. He sensed a similar awareness in
her. This dynamo who was never still stood quietly in his arms. He nuzzled her
hair and inhaled her scent.
She felt so perfect he didn’t want to move. Except
lust shot through him with a furnace blast. He burned for her, ached for this
intriguing woman made of stubbornness and loyalty, vulnerability and humor,
reserve and sensuality.
“Juliana?” Shit, you’d think he was a horny kid, a
desperate one.
She gazed up at him with dreamy eyes. “Mmm? Are you
hungry? You’re the chef.”
“I’m hungry, yes, starving—but for you.” He covered
her hand where it lay on his chest and laced his fingers with hers. Soft and
delicate.
Her breath hitched. “Dinner will keep?”
“It’ll taste even better later. Since we met I’ve
longed to make love to you.”
She sighed. “I want you too.”
“And you understand—”
She placed a finger on his lips to silence him. “Shh,
don’t chill this evening with cold lake water. I know what I’m doing.” Her
smooth finger trailed across his lips.
“You won’t be sorry.” He captured her hand and kissed
each finger. Her eyelashes drifted lower as he pushed up her sleeve and kissed
his way up her arm.
Almost moaning with relief, he kissed the unbearably
tender spot inside her elbow. He wanted her so much he trembled. “Tell me,
Juliana, tell me what you want.”
Her chin lifted, and her lashes. Desire burned with
green fire in the depths of her eyes, as if alight from within. A mischievous
smile tilted her mouth. “You’re so romantic and poetic, but you’re forcing me
to be clear, so I have a list.”
“A list. I can’t wait.”
“First, I want to be naked with you.”
Flames ignited in his veins. “Juliana—”
Her cool finger on his lips silenced him. “Two, I want
you to kiss me all over.”
He ached at the image.
That cool finger swept sparks across his forehead and
his temple. “Three, I want to explore your body as well.”
“Is there a four?” I’ll die if there isn’t.
“Four, most of all, I want you inside me for what I
suspect will be incredible, mind-blowing sex.” She trailed a sizzling fuse down
his chest to his navel.
His heart raced, and he had to clasp her shoulders to
stop his hands from shaking. “I want to take it slowly with you. I want
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