Draco moved, allowing the sexy black bra to slide free of her body, revealing those tight, perky breasts he hadn’t been able to forget.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” he whispered against her skin, flicking his tongue out to tease the rounded bud. “Say no, and I’ll back off.”
“I’m sure. One night. Skin to skin. No commitment. No regrets. No guilt.” She cupped his face in her palms. “And it doesn’t have to mean anything.”
Her words made his heart ache. His actions had made her feel that way. Now she was so intent on a one-night stand that she’d use that premise to walk away.
“No,” he said and backed away.
Cate blinked. “No?”
“You’re wrong. This is wrong.” He shoved his hand through his hair. “What if I want more than one night?”
“How many do you want?” she asked. “One? Two?”
Draco puffed out his chest. “A hundred. No, a thousand.” He waved his hand. “Unlimited.” He palmed her cheek and brushed his thumb across her lip. “And it has to mean something, or no way.” He lifted her hand and pressed a kiss into her palm. “It has to mean everything because I can accept no less.”
Her eyes rounded, and her brow puckered. “What if I can’t do that?”
He stepped back, his hands falling to his sides. “Then I have more work to do to earn your trust. And, like you, I don’t give up easily. I also learn from my mistakes. I thought you didn’t mean enough to me, that I wasn’t the commitment type. I left Virginia sure you were better off without me. I was wrong. You meant more to me than I was able to admit to myself. I want more than one night. I want so much more. I’ll get you there, eventually.” He started to turn.
Cate reached out. “Okay.”
Draco frowned. “Okay? Okay what?”
“Okay.” Her fingers curled into his shirt sleeve. “I lied.”
She shook his head. “I want more than one night, too. I want it to mean something.” Tears welled in her eyes but didn’t spill over. “I just don’t want you to feel trapped.”
“Trapped?”
“When you left without saying goodbye, I thought I’d run you off. That I’d been too much too fast. Like I’d thrown myself at you.”
“Oh, babe.” He closed the distance to pull her off the counter and into his arms. “You were perfect. I don’t know what was wrong with me.”
“Make love to me now, Draco,” Cate said. “Then we can spend all the time we need to sort things out.”
He rested his cheek against her hair, his thoughts jumbled, his heart aching. With what?
Love?
Was that it? Was he afraid to tell her he loved her?
Her fingers moved between them and worked the buttons of his shirt one at a time.
He kissed her forehead. “I want you to trust me.” He brushed his lips across the tip of her nose. “I want you to respect me in the morning.”
“Anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?” She ripped open his shirt and shoved it over his shoulders and down his back. “Don’t I trust you with my life already?”
He reached for the button on her trousers and slipped it free. “It’s more than that, and you know it.”
“I promise to respect you in the morning.” She flicked the button on his trousers free and lowered his zipper. “As long as you give me two mind-blowing orgasms.”
“Mind-blowing, huh?” He slid her trousers and panties down her legs, dropping to his haunches to help her step out of her shoes and the remainder of her clothes.
When she did, he rose slowly, pressing kisses to her knees and the insides of her thighs. He cupped her sex and dipped a finger into her slick channel, loving how hot and wet she already was.
Cate gripped his arms and moaned softly as he stroked her entrance. She couldn’t deny that she wanted him. The evidence was coating his fingers.
