Spontaneous by Brenda Jackson

slowly walked toward her and the hot tub. “Sure you are. You wouldn’t be the daughter that you are if you weren’t. Your mother has always meant a lot to you.”
    And yours meant a lot to you until you learned to stop caring, to shield the pain, Kim wanted to say. But she didn’t. Instead, when he reached the edge of the tub and opened the huge velour towel, she unashamedly stood up and he wrapped the towel around her before effortlessly lifting her out.
    He placed her on her feet and began toweling her dry, patting her wet skin. Never had she felt so taken care of. She could get used to this kind of attention.
    A part of her wanted to tell him that she could do it herself, but she didn’t. She liked the feel of his touch. And she especially liked his tender ministrations as hegently stroked every inch of her flesh. So she stood there while he took his time drying her wet shoulders, all around her breasts and down to her stomach.
    He bent down in front of her to dry her hips and thighs before gently patting dry the curls between them. She watched him and saw how long his lashes were, then noted that his breathing had changed. Without warning he grabbed one of his T-shirts and pulled it over her head, working her arms through the sleeves. It was then that he swept her off her feet and into his arms.
    “Where are you taking me?” she asked, looking up at him, studying the jaw that she found so fascinating.
    He looked down at her from beneath those long lashes. “The living room. I want to hold you for a while.”
    A part of her wanted to protest and say she didn’t need to be held. And that she didn’t want any man to assume she was a weakling that needed his attention. When he lowered his body on the sofa and cuddled her into his arms, for a moment she stared up at him, and he stared back. Then she snuggled closer to him, her head coming to rest against the warmth of his broad chest, and she could actually feel the beating of his heart beneath her cheek.
    She closed her eyes thinking that yes, she liked being held by him.
     
    D UAN THOUGHT THERE was something just plain sensual about a woman who was comfortable within her own skin. A woman who knew what she wanted and didn’t mind going after it, no matter what it was.
    He stood by the bed glancing down at Kim. She was a woman who embraced her sexuality like she had every right to do so, a woman so damn beautiful that his eyes were feeling sore just looking at her.
    She had fallen asleep in his arms and he figured she would rest better in the bed. But for a while he had simply enjoyed holding her, listening to her even breathing. It was a peaceful slumber, one he had helped make possible, and he was pleased with that.
    Over the years he’d had affairs with many women, but he could now say, quite truthfully, he’d never been involved with one as bold, brazen and gorgeous as this one. But then tonight, she had surrendered to his care and he had enjoyed pampering her, trying to ease her stress and tension. In a way, he wanted her to know that with him she could lighten whatever load she was carrying.
    She was worried about her mother and he knew that. And he was well aware that if she could do so, she would pack up and go stay at Wynona’s home for the rest of the trip. But he knew that wouldn’t be a smart move since they needed to convey as much normalcy in their relationship as possible so Villarosas wouldn’t suspect anything. Like he’d told Kim, they were now a team.
    A team.
    For some reason he liked the sound of that. While on the police force he’d had a female partner once. A very competent woman who was good at what she did, and he’d always felt secure that she was covering hisback. But he and Kim were a different kind of team. He felt a bond with her that he couldn’t explain but knew existed.
    She shifted position in bed and the ring she wore drew his attention. The ring he’d placed there earlier that day. He felt a sudden tightness in his