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Eric’s gaze was intense on her eyes. His movements grew urgent, as if he knew she was on the edge. He reached between her legs and stroked her.
The hot, jagged climax forked through her. Eric thrust a final time. Her mind tumbled into a kaleidoscope of colors and sensations and she reached the pinnacle. The pleasure burned through her. She heard Eric shout out his release before she tumbled down and into the void.
* * *
A FEW HOURS LATER JULIE curled up next to Eric and watched him sleep. He lay sprawled on the bed. His arms were bent above his head. One leg dangled off the mattress as the other pinned her ankles down.
She had never seen him so unguarded. He looked younger and relaxed. Julie sighed with contentment. She splayed her hand against his chest and felt his solid heartbeat.
Julie leaned her head on his shoulder. What they had was supposed to be a fling. A sexual escapade. She wasn’t supposed to have fallen in love with him.
She squeezed her eyes shut as the truth punched at her. She wasn’t even sure when it happened. It had snuck up on her. One moment she was lusting at the sight of him, then infatuated by his skills and training. The next thing she knew, her heart was full with adoration as she watched him struggle with his code of honor.
He was supposed to be her fantasy. The secret one-night stand. But behind the scars and lean muscle she discovered a man who took care of his tribe.
Eric had immediately taken charge at Gunthrie S&I so he could lift the burden from Perry’s shoulders. Every day he had given his time to her colleagues and shared his knowledge so they could improve their skills. He took care of this tribe without expecting anything in return.
Falling in love with Eric Ranger was probably the most reckless move she could have made. He was a special agent who never stayed in one place. She was a woman who daydreamed about spies and villains to escape her boring job.
He was leaving in just over a week. She didn’t want to think about it. They were mismatched and any relationship was doomed from the start. She knew it all along, but it didn’t stop her from giving her heart to Eric.
But she had no expectations that this vacation fling was meant to last. She would treat this as a brief affair, hide her pain under a sophisticated veneer and accept the inevitable end with grace and dignity.
And that started now. She wouldn’t cling or smother him with attention. That meant she shouldn’t stay the night, no matter how much she wanted to.
Julie quietly sat up and dragged her feet to the floor. She wasn’t sure where she had flung her platform heels. She peered over the edge of the bed when Eric startled her by clamping his hand over her wrist.
“Leaving so soon?” His voice was rough with sleep.
“I should go home.”
“Why?” He tugged at her hand. “Do you have a plant to water? A goldfish that suffers from separation anxiety?”
She laughed. “No.”
“Stay,” he whispered.
That was all she needed to hear for her to tumble back into bed. “I don’t know if this is a good idea.”
“I disagree.” He rolled on top of her and settled between her legs. “I refuse to walk you back to your car when we could be here.”
She stiffened. “Oh, my car! I forgot all about it. The parking fee is going to be astronomical.”
His eyebrow rose in disbelief. “I’m lying on top of you—naked, I might add—and you’re thinking about parking? You are hard on the ego.”
“Think you can make me forget about my car?” she challenged. “Not a chance.”
There was an unholy gleam in his eyes as he boldly cupped her sex with his hand. No warning, no seduction, and yet she found it incredibly arousing.
