better he didn't know about the way she and Marsha had helped their father's courtship along. But Josh seemed to take the remark at face value.
When they reached the outside stairs to the second-floor balcony-hall where her room was located, he let his arm slide to her waist, giving each of them more freedom to climb the steps. They passed the corner suite occupied by her parents. The curtains were pulled and no light could be seen.
Before they reached the door to her room, Annette realized, “I forgot my key. I'll have to wake Marsha up to let me in."
“Either she's still awake or she left a light on for you,” Josh said, drawing her attention to the glimmer of light behind the window draperies.
“She's probably reading,” Annette guessed.
With silent mutual agreement, they stopped in front of her door and Annette turned, his hand sliding from the back of her waist to a rounded hipbone. There was a velvet quality to his look, warm and sensual. It had its effect on her senses, disturbing them in an inwardly thrilling way.
His hand increased its pressure on her hip to draw her close, while the other tunneled under her hair to cup the back of her head. She raised her lips to his descending mouth and slid her arms inside his jacket to circle his middle. His male length was as hard and warm as his kiss—and as evocative. There was the instant leaping of desire, but Annette was prepared for it this time so its force didn't alarm her. Of her own accord she invited him to deepen the kiss. His hand shifted to her lower back and arched her firmly against him.
When he pulled his male lips from hers, there was a shaken edge to his rough breathing. His dark gaze blazed into her smoky eyes, black pupils dilated and ringed by a narrow gray iris.
“No more beginners’ lessons for you,” he stated huskily. “You're ready for the advanced courses."
“Think so?” she murmured, unconsciously provocative.
A bemused line turned in the corners of his mouth as Josh took his hand from her spine and knocked on the hotel-room door behind Annette. Getting the message, she loosened her encircling arms to stand free of him.
“Who is it?” Marsha's voice was partially muffled by the separating door.
“It's me—Annette,” she answered reluctantly. “I forgot my key."
“Just a minute.” The request was followed by the rattle of the safety chain and the turn of the dead bolt.
Before the door opened, Josh trailed a caressing hand across her cheek and let it pause to press his thumb to her lips and stroke them lightly. Then he was drawing it away.
“Good night, Annette,” he murmured.
“Good night,” she replied with equal softness.
He was walking away when the door swung in to admit Annette, but Marsha had a glimpse of his back before he disappeared. Her glance was sharp with curious interest when her older sister entered. She closed the door.
“You look positively mellow, Annette,” she observed with some surprise. Her eyes widened as Annette made a waltzing circle across the floor and stopped, hugging her arms tightly around her.
“I'm in love,” she laughed. “If I had any doubts, they vanished tonight!"
“I take it the lucky man is Josh,” Marsha guessed. “What happened?"
“Nothing. Everything,” Annette declared, apparently unaware of the extremes of her two answers. With a graceful turn she sank onto the bed and lay back on the pillows, fully dressed.
“Well, where did you go?” She wondered if her sister was capable of an answer that made sense. “What did you do?"
There wasn't an immediate reply, then Annette propped herself up on one elbow. Marsha didn't like the mischief dancing in her eyes.
“Josh invited me to his suite,” Annette announced.
“Annette, you didn't go?” Even as she doubted, Marsha was prepared to believe almost anything. Sometimes she swore her sister delighted in shocking her with outrageous statements.
“No, I didn't go.” She lay back on the pillows with that
When they reached the outside stairs to the second-floor balcony-hall where her room was located, he let his arm slide to her waist, giving each of them more freedom to climb the steps. They passed the corner suite occupied by her parents. The curtains were pulled and no light could be seen.
Before they reached the door to her room, Annette realized, “I forgot my key. I'll have to wake Marsha up to let me in."
“Either she's still awake or she left a light on for you,” Josh said, drawing her attention to the glimmer of light behind the window draperies.
“She's probably reading,” Annette guessed.
With silent mutual agreement, they stopped in front of her door and Annette turned, his hand sliding from the back of her waist to a rounded hipbone. There was a velvet quality to his look, warm and sensual. It had its effect on her senses, disturbing them in an inwardly thrilling way.
His hand increased its pressure on her hip to draw her close, while the other tunneled under her hair to cup the back of her head. She raised her lips to his descending mouth and slid her arms inside his jacket to circle his middle. His male length was as hard and warm as his kiss—and as evocative. There was the instant leaping of desire, but Annette was prepared for it this time so its force didn't alarm her. Of her own accord she invited him to deepen the kiss. His hand shifted to her lower back and arched her firmly against him.
When he pulled his male lips from hers, there was a shaken edge to his rough breathing. His dark gaze blazed into her smoky eyes, black pupils dilated and ringed by a narrow gray iris.
“No more beginners’ lessons for you,” he stated huskily. “You're ready for the advanced courses."
“Think so?” she murmured, unconsciously provocative.
A bemused line turned in the corners of his mouth as Josh took his hand from her spine and knocked on the hotel-room door behind Annette. Getting the message, she loosened her encircling arms to stand free of him.
“Who is it?” Marsha's voice was partially muffled by the separating door.
“It's me—Annette,” she answered reluctantly. “I forgot my key."
“Just a minute.” The request was followed by the rattle of the safety chain and the turn of the dead bolt.
Before the door opened, Josh trailed a caressing hand across her cheek and let it pause to press his thumb to her lips and stroke them lightly. Then he was drawing it away.
“Good night, Annette,” he murmured.
“Good night,” she replied with equal softness.
He was walking away when the door swung in to admit Annette, but Marsha had a glimpse of his back before he disappeared. Her glance was sharp with curious interest when her older sister entered. She closed the door.
“You look positively mellow, Annette,” she observed with some surprise. Her eyes widened as Annette made a waltzing circle across the floor and stopped, hugging her arms tightly around her.
“I'm in love,” she laughed. “If I had any doubts, they vanished tonight!"
“I take it the lucky man is Josh,” Marsha guessed. “What happened?"
“Nothing. Everything,” Annette declared, apparently unaware of the extremes of her two answers. With a graceful turn she sank onto the bed and lay back on the pillows, fully dressed.
“Well, where did you go?” She wondered if her sister was capable of an answer that made sense. “What did you do?"
There wasn't an immediate reply, then Annette propped herself up on one elbow. Marsha didn't like the mischief dancing in her eyes.
“Josh invited me to his suite,” Annette announced.
“Annette, you didn't go?” Even as she doubted, Marsha was prepared to believe almost anything. Sometimes she swore her sister delighted in shocking her with outrageous statements.
“No, I didn't go.” She lay back on the pillows with that
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