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He dipped his head toward his kitchen table. Ive been keeping some flowers for you, if you want to check them out.
Glancing that way, she saw a bouquet there. She realized the profuse number of blooms were paper flowers, made from what looked like magazine and news papers.
Oh. A s she slid off the counter, he offered a steadying hand, his palm managing to slide along her bare ass, revealed when the shirt hiked up.
When he flashed an unrepentant grin at her, she swatted his solid abdomen, got a kiss on her abused knuckles for her trouble, but then extricated herself with a sniff to wander over to the table.
The flower shapes were held in careful wraps of green floral tape for the stems. There were a full two dozen, more than could have been done this morning, unless hed been up awhile.
Ive been collecting them for you, he said. You can pull each one off, open it to see what the picture or text is.
She touched one crinkled paper, slid it free of the tubular stem and unfolded it. The slick, heavy magazine paper showed a photo cut from a National Geographic article on an archaeological dig. Two sets of bones had been unearthed, skeletons who had apparently been buried in one anothers embrace.
Brendan came to see, glancing over her shoulder. She smelled the scent of strawberries on him. That was found at a Neolithic dig in Italy. The skeletons are somewhere between five and six thousand years old. I thought youd probably consider that one for your happiness book. Thentheres this one.
Peering over her head, he slid his arm around her waist, pressing his body close to reach around her and pluck another picture. This one was probably from a perfume ad. Chloe saw a womans slender back, bare down to the flare of her hips, her long hair held up in one hand to show the nape. A tattoo, shaped like a rope of autumn-colored maple leaves, twisted down her spine and then flared out into a free fall of the same leaves, as if theyd been scattered out toward the rolling landscape of her smooth buttocks. A butterfly rode on one spinning leaf, jewel blue wings catching the eye among all the earth tones.
Im sure thats airbrushed, not a real tattoo, but I thought youd like it. You dont have to use any of them. Just throw away the ones that wont work. If
Picking up the hand on her waist, she brought it to her face, and inhaled strawberries. Pressed her face fully into his palm, her mouth against the callused heel.
She turned, standing so close to him they could be one person, her feet inside the span of his. She put her lips against the base of his throat by laying her hands on his arms and stretching onto her toes.
Im going to wake up and find you were the nicest, most incredible dream Ive ever had, she mumbled against his flesh. Damn it. Those sneaky tears were threatening again, and they werent supposed to do that. Hadnt she let some of it out last night? Couldnt it be over, and she go back to being the Chloe shed been? Why couldnt all the fairy tale enchantment of last night have lifted the curse of her rollercoaster emotions?
Before she could get upset about what felt like a giant step backward, he eased her down into a chair by the bouquet and dropped to one knee, framing her face as he kissed the corner of each eye, catching the tears before they happened.
Strawberries, heat and Brendan. A s he moved his lips to hers, she let herself get swept away by him again, her hands naturally creeping up to hold onto his biceps. His body insinuated between her knees so they bumped against his hips, his upper thighs. When he lifted his head, she wasnt ready for what she saw in his face. She squeezed one unyielding arm muscle instead.
Dont. Lets pretend I didnt get all weepy and weird. M says youre a swimmer. That you usually get up at some ungodly hour and go do a thousand laps.
She held her breath, waiting to see if he could respect her wishes, as well as blow off the top of her head with unrelenting lust.
Todays a day off. I have something better to do.
A s his gaze flickered, and he leaned in to take her mouth again, desperate humor fluttered in her chest, so she spoke right before his mouth closed the distance.
Was that a double entendre?
I think it was a blatant suggestion, if youre willing. Instead of a thousand laps, I like the idea of bringing you to climax a thousand times. He kissed her mouth, her cheekbones, under each ear and then her collarbone, punctuating each word.
I didnt open your closet. Hed been so generous, she felt obligated to mention it, though the expectations she might find there gave her gut a nervous twist.
Thats your choice, Chloe. Its not something I need or expect you to do.
Her brow furrowed. Do you expect anything of me? Putting her hands on his chest, she managed to hold him off, though the bulk of her mind was happy drifting in a fog of desire and tactile pleasure, no thought or accountability required.
When he didnt immediately answer, she made sure he met her gaze. Brendan?
Yeah, I do. There was a trace of impatience in his eyes, but before she could determine whether shed pushed into a vulnerable area, he brought it back to her. I expect you to give yourself a break, and let me do whatever you want and need to make you happy this weekend. A brow quirked.
A fter all, you did pay for the privilege.
Maybe he meant it as a joke, but there was something beneath it, a dark quagmire that tripped off an alarm. Chloe tightened her grip on him, this time with a bite of nails. Brendan, youre not a whore. If you think I believe that, just because I bought you at some auction Hey. He closed his hands on her wrists, his expression suddenly a lot more direct and forceful than shed yet seen. I didnt mean it that way, Chloe. I was teasing. A t her look, he shrugged. Yeah, it was a crappy joke. I was frustrated, because I dont want you to be worrying about things you dont need to worry about. Is there anything about last night that suggests I dont want to be with you, a hundred and twenty percent?
Nothing except her own mind, telling her there was no way anybody could want to be with her. Not now, pitiful, weepy, dirty That word, the way it kept springing on her like a monster out of a closet, took her out of the chair and away from him, though she practically tripped over him. She moved quickly to the open window, drawing in deep breaths. No. Im done with this. Please stop.
She focused on the pond that formed a center point for the townhouse development and tried to imagine herself in that boat again. When he laid his hands on her shoulders, she shuddered. Im sorry.
