upon his shoulders, then clutch him there as he took the kiss deeper.
Logan speared his fingers through her heavy curls. Her lips moved firmly beneath his, and her tongue met his with a heady passion. Desire pulsed in his blood and instinct took over. Fitting his hard frame against her soft curves, he pressed her back.. .back.. .then he rolled them both until she lay full and flat against the mattress. At his mercy.
He settled in beside her and lifted his head just enough to breathe. "Caroline."
Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow and fast. Her lips, swollen from his kiss. Beautiful. So damned beautiful.
His hand tugged at the buttons lining the high neckline of her suit until he revealed the creamy skin he sought. Then he skimmed his mouth across her cheek to her neck where he nibbled and licked and sucked on her skin until she shuddered. Boldly, his fingers trailed down her bodice, exploring the luscious swell of her breast. Her breath caught and she squirmed beneath his touch, shaking her head back and forth as he cupped her fullness, kneaded her, teased her nipple to a turgid peak. Mentally, he cursed the layers of fabric separating his palm and her sweet skin.
He wanted her naked. He wanted to see her bounty revealed, to touch and taste and sample at his leisure. He wanted to free his aching erection and thrust inside her hot, slick passage, to take her and claim her and slake his lust and hers until they both collapsed in exhausted bliss.
And yet, the small part of him that retained possession of his wits recognized the danger in pursuing the pleasure his body so fervently demanded.
It was too soon. He and Caroline had too much left to settle. Indulging themselves here and now would only complicate an already complex situation.
Knowing this delightful interlude must end, he captured her mouth once more in a hard, deep kiss that communicated his need and frustration and desire. Then with a groan, he wrenched himself away from her and lay on his back beside her, gritting his teeth and breathing as if he'd run ten miles in five minutes.
Caroline lay without moving for a full half a minute, then abruptly levered herself to a sitting position. "Oh my God."
She scrambled off the bed and whirled on him, her eyes wide and wild. "Oh my God," she repeated.
With jerky fingers, she buttoned the neck of her blouse. Embarrassment bloomed on her cheeks like roses.
She went to the door and opened it. "You need to leave now."
He sighed and rolled to a seated position. "Caroline..."
"Just leave. Please, just leave." A shrill note entered her voice as she added, "You know how to do that. I know. I was there."
He stood and took a step toward her. "Honey..."
"Stop! Go! I've done this once. I'm not doing it again."
What was she talking about? Sex? "Have you not had sex again in all this time?" Hell, he'd been young, sure, but... "Was I that bad?"
"No. I haven't been with another man, but that's not what I mean. I've raised one child alone. I'm not going through that another time. Do you hear me? Not again. Never again. Get out of here now, Logan Grey, or I'll...I'll..."
"Wait a minute." Logan dragged his mind away from the fact that she'd remained virtuous all this time and thought about what she'd said. His own temper flared. "Wait just one minute. I'll take a lot from you—heaven knows I deserve it—but give me some credit here. I learn from my mistakes. Don't be talking like I'd walk out on you again if you turned up pregnant, because I wouldn't. I won't. Take that as a promise or a warning, however you wish."
He grabbed his hat and headed for the door, pausing at the threshold to say, "I don't know how things are going to settle between us, Caroline. I figure we both have some thinking to do. I know that I want you. It took every ounce of discipline I possess to roll away from you just now, but I did it. I want credit for that."
"This isn't a contest, Logan Grey."
"Right about now it feels like a war, to be
Logan speared his fingers through her heavy curls. Her lips moved firmly beneath his, and her tongue met his with a heady passion. Desire pulsed in his blood and instinct took over. Fitting his hard frame against her soft curves, he pressed her back.. .back.. .then he rolled them both until she lay full and flat against the mattress. At his mercy.
He settled in beside her and lifted his head just enough to breathe. "Caroline."
Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow and fast. Her lips, swollen from his kiss. Beautiful. So damned beautiful.
His hand tugged at the buttons lining the high neckline of her suit until he revealed the creamy skin he sought. Then he skimmed his mouth across her cheek to her neck where he nibbled and licked and sucked on her skin until she shuddered. Boldly, his fingers trailed down her bodice, exploring the luscious swell of her breast. Her breath caught and she squirmed beneath his touch, shaking her head back and forth as he cupped her fullness, kneaded her, teased her nipple to a turgid peak. Mentally, he cursed the layers of fabric separating his palm and her sweet skin.
He wanted her naked. He wanted to see her bounty revealed, to touch and taste and sample at his leisure. He wanted to free his aching erection and thrust inside her hot, slick passage, to take her and claim her and slake his lust and hers until they both collapsed in exhausted bliss.
And yet, the small part of him that retained possession of his wits recognized the danger in pursuing the pleasure his body so fervently demanded.
It was too soon. He and Caroline had too much left to settle. Indulging themselves here and now would only complicate an already complex situation.
Knowing this delightful interlude must end, he captured her mouth once more in a hard, deep kiss that communicated his need and frustration and desire. Then with a groan, he wrenched himself away from her and lay on his back beside her, gritting his teeth and breathing as if he'd run ten miles in five minutes.
Caroline lay without moving for a full half a minute, then abruptly levered herself to a sitting position. "Oh my God."
She scrambled off the bed and whirled on him, her eyes wide and wild. "Oh my God," she repeated.
With jerky fingers, she buttoned the neck of her blouse. Embarrassment bloomed on her cheeks like roses.
She went to the door and opened it. "You need to leave now."
He sighed and rolled to a seated position. "Caroline..."
"Just leave. Please, just leave." A shrill note entered her voice as she added, "You know how to do that. I know. I was there."
He stood and took a step toward her. "Honey..."
"Stop! Go! I've done this once. I'm not doing it again."
What was she talking about? Sex? "Have you not had sex again in all this time?" Hell, he'd been young, sure, but... "Was I that bad?"
"No. I haven't been with another man, but that's not what I mean. I've raised one child alone. I'm not going through that another time. Do you hear me? Not again. Never again. Get out of here now, Logan Grey, or I'll...I'll..."
"Wait a minute." Logan dragged his mind away from the fact that she'd remained virtuous all this time and thought about what she'd said. His own temper flared. "Wait just one minute. I'll take a lot from you—heaven knows I deserve it—but give me some credit here. I learn from my mistakes. Don't be talking like I'd walk out on you again if you turned up pregnant, because I wouldn't. I won't. Take that as a promise or a warning, however you wish."
He grabbed his hat and headed for the door, pausing at the threshold to say, "I don't know how things are going to settle between us, Caroline. I figure we both have some thinking to do. I know that I want you. It took every ounce of discipline I possess to roll away from you just now, but I did it. I want credit for that."
"This isn't a contest, Logan Grey."
"Right about now it feels like a war, to be
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