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“I did.” He closed the door. “But it wasn’t easy.” Taking both of her hands, he stepped closer. “About as hard as it had been to convince him to let me marry you.”
Her heart completely stopped, and then started up again, but it spit and sputtered like a pump going dry. “Marry you?”
“Yes. Marry me.”
He was grinning, and she struggled to hold back her own. Convincing him wasn’t going to be as difficult as she’d imagined, then again, since meeting him, nothing had been difficult. Especially the loving-him part. However, she couldn’t just give in that easily. Where would the fun be in that? Biting her bottom lip, she shook her head. “I never said I’d marry you.”
“That’s because I haven’t asked you yet.”
His smile was so brazen, yet secretive, she wasn’t sure if he was teasing or not. That brought forth the one thought she hadn’t been able to rationalize. “Federal agents do not marry bootleggers’ daughters.”
“Aw-w-w,” he said, drawing out the word. “So you do admit your father’s a bootlegger.”
He’d caught her on that one, and she grinned. “And you’re a federal agent.”
“Yes, I am.”
“I knew it all along,” she whispered.
“Yes, you did.” He leaned closer. “Now, kiss me. I know you want to.”
“How do you know that?”
He laughed. “Because we think alike, and I want to kiss you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in forever and a day.”
“Anything?” she asked, her breath mingling with his.
“Anything.”
Her heart swelled, filling her with tremendous warmth. She looped her arms around his neck and stepped closer. “We do think alike, don’t we?”
“Yes,” he answered, cupping her hips and tugging her closer yet. “We do.”
She stretched on her toes, initiating the kiss, a first for her. Ty seemed to enjoy it so much, she went back for seconds. And thirds.
Norma Rose was fully aware of what was going to happen next, and she wanted it with all the passion she’d poured into the resort over the past few years. When kisses left them too breathless to continue, she buried her face in his neck, inhaling the wonderful scent of him as they held onto one another.
“I missed you,” he said softly, sincerely.
“I missed you, too.” Tears stung her eyes. For no matter how wonderful he made her feel, how glorious he made life, a bootlegger’s daughter and a federal agent would not be a match made in heaven. But she could have this one night. This one beautiful night she’d dreamed of since the night of the dance-off.
She took his hand and led him through the kitchen, into the bedroom, where she’d left the candle burning and had pulled back the covers of the bed.
He looked at her tentatively. “What’s this?”
Nervous, especially considering all that was at stake, her smile shook. “A bed.”
“I see that.” He shrugged. “I expect you are tired, after being kidnapped and all.”
Her stomach fell, then she caught the slight grin on his lips. Stepping forward, she cupped the back of his neck. “You aren’t disappearing on me again. So don’t try.”
“I don’t want to,” he whispered before kissing her slowly, sweetly and completely.
Norma Rose’s last fear dissolved. There’d be nothing scary about this. Ty would see to that. He’d instilled a unique trust inside her from the very beginning. Perhaps that’s why, and how, she’d fallen in love with him so swiftly.
When the kiss ended, Norma Rose stepped out of her shoes, a signal he couldn’t miss. With a smile that could have stolen her heart if he hadn’t already done so, he kicked off his shoes and pulled her onto the bed as if it was the most natural thing in the world for her to lie down beside him.
It was.
They lay there, facing each other, not speaking, just looking at each other in the dim flickering candlelight. Her heart was pounding and her body tingled with anticipation, yet a sense of calmness filled her, too.
When he did lift a hand, it was to trail a finger along the side of her face. “You’re sure about this?”
“Very.”
“I told your father I’d keep you safe.”
“And you will.” She curled her hand around his wrist and leaned closer. “Ted and Janet won’t be back until morning,” she added, in case he was worried about that.
“We can’t be positive of that.”
“I am,” she answered, brushing her lips against his. “Ted was going—”
He interrupted her explanation with several soft kisses before his hand cupped the back of her head and the pressure of his lips increased. Norma Rose closed her eyes, cherishing the kiss. Physical, arousing sensations spread through her system, and a purring sound rumbled in her throat.
Ty chuckled softly and she opened her eyes. She wouldn’t beg, but heavens above she wanted him. His smile was so seductive, so real, she grinned in return.
His hand slid over her shoulder and down her side, resting briefly on her hip. “I’ve dreamed of you,” he said, kissing the tip of her nose and then her eyelids.
“I’ve dreamed of you, too,” she admitted.
“When?”
She couldn’t remember not dreaming about him. His hand had slipped onto her thigh and was now working its way under her skirt, over the garter holding up her stockings. Another little growl vibrated against the back of her throat.
“When did you dream of me, Norma Rose?”
Sucking in air, for his hand had passed over the garter and was caressing the bare skin of her upper thigh, then exhaling at the wondrous sensations that were just shy of crippling, she whispered, “Every night.” It was true, she had dreamed of him every night, and most likely would every night for the rest of her life.
Ty kissed her again, parting her lips with his tongue. Heady, uncontrollable needs grew stronger as his hand roamed higher up her thigh, under her silk tap pants.
Her breath was coming in snippets, and Norma Rose could no longer think, just feel. She scooted closer, wrapping her arms around his neck and arching against him, wanting every part of her touching him.
Ty turned her onto her back, leaning over her, kissing her, caressing her stomach beneath her dress. Following her own intuition, Norma Rose started to unbutton his shirt. She heard the soft, slow timbre of Ty’s voice talking to her, telling her how beautiful she was, how soft her skin was, how kissable her lips were, but was too involved in experiencing his touch to answer.
Her dress was soon pushed up to her shoulders, as was her cami top, exposing her breasts to the warm night air and the wonderful caress of his hands. Norma Rose would never have believed her body could respond so to a man’s touch, or how something could consume her so fully that there was no room for thoughts, but it was happening, and she was relishing the experience.
Ty kissed her breasts, making her gasp with pleasure. She ran her fingers through his hair, holding him against her as he suckled, sending phenomenal ripples throughout her system. Feverish heat swelled inside her, and focused particularly in one spot, a deep ache burned.
She’d always imagined sex was a male-dominated activity, but swiftly concluded that was not the case. At least not for her. She made sure of that, too, as she and Ty shed their clothes. There had been tugging and pulling and giggles from her, which he’d responded to with kisses, but once they were both naked, and lying side by side again, a completely new wave of excitement filled her. He was telling her again how beautiful she was, and this time she basked in his statements, feeling beautiful. How could she not when he looked at her like that? The flickering flame of the candle reflected in his eyes, and she’d never seen anything so spectacular.
Other parts of him were quite spectacular, too. His thick arms, his manly, sculpted chest and stomach, rather impressive thighs and a notably eye-catching part of him between his hips. Nibbling on her bottom lip, she tried not to stare, but found that impossible.
Ty let out a low chuckle.
Heat rushed to her cheeks, knowing he’d caught her staring, but still she laughed.
“Aw, Norma Rose,” he whispered, kissing her lips gently. “I do love you.”
If hearts could open and pour out love like a pitcher of milk, hers did at that moment. Her throat locked tight, too, and tears stung her eyes. Despite the way she felt, how she’d come to understand her love for him, she hadn’t been completely prepared for his declaration.
“Let me show you,” Ty whispered, once again kissing and caressing her lips, her neck, her breasts, her stomach.
When he parted her legs touching the very spot that burned uncontrollably, Norma Rose gasped and then sank into the mattress, overtaken with satisfaction, for that very spot had cried out for his attention above the rest.
The heat of his mouth between her legs nearly jolted her off the bed, but the unfathomable pleasure had nothing but her hips moving, arching into him. The commotion of that kiss sent her over some invisible edge. All her awareness was coming from inside her now. She gave in to it, a great unknown that was far more powerful than anything she’d ever experienced.
Ty continued to kiss her, leading her on a fascinating journey that escalated faster than she could comprehend. Her breathing was fast and labored, her body tingling from head to toe, and still a profound drawing need inside her, intense and commanding, kept climbing and climbing.
