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Her hand flew to her mouth, and she watched the carefully erected wall she’d built around herself fall, brick by brick.
* * *
The next thing Lily knew, she was in his arms and his lips were on hers. It started as a featherlight kiss and it made her heart pound and her brain fog as reason flew out the window.
It began easy and slow—a brush of lips and hints of tongue, testing the waters. So she slid her arms around his neck, her hands into his hair, and opened her mouth, inviting him in.
Cullen’s hands were on her back, and his mouth was on her lips, and all her girl parts sang, Oooh, yes, please, as every sense was heightened by his touch.
He deepened the kiss a few layers. Her whirling mind registered her pounding heart and the velvet feel of his lips on hers—skilled lips, capable hands… Losing herself in that kiss, in him, she enjoyed how he made her feel…so alive and…wanton…craving his touch…his lips on her temple, her earlobe, her neck—
The feel of him teased her senses, making her feel hot and sexy and just a little bit reckless—
She pulled back, gasping for air, more than a little bit disoriented. Fearing she was going to wake up from this lovely dream to find herself cold and alone—or worse yet, that they would look over and discover that they had an audience of four, or three, since sweet Bridget was sick. But even if one child caught them—
“Cullen, I’m there. I’m so there,” she said, but she hesitated. She wasn’t going to put up with this back-and-forth nonsense. “But maybe we need to talk about exactly where it is we’re going. You can see that it takes every ounce of everything I have to resist you.”
A low moan escaped his throat and he looked at her as if he didn’t plan on giving her any help in the abstinence department.
And that was fine. She didn’t want abstinence, but she did want to make sure they wanted the same things and went about them the right way.
“I can’t stay with you tonight,” she said. “Not with the kids in the house. How would we explain that? It would be too confusing, and God knows they don’t need any more confusion in their lives.”
He nodded. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right.”
She held up her hand, trying to ignore the way her lips felt swollen and wanting and her intimate parts were ready to mutiny and say to hell with propriety. So she bit down on her bottom lip to help her think straight. “I need to know that what happened yesterday isn’t going to happen again—”
“I swear to you. I just needed to sort out everything. And I did.”
“And I’m glad,” she said. “So, this week we’re going to take things slowly. We’ll know when the time is right.”
Possibly the Jingle Bell Ball next Saturday?
Chapter Twelve
Now, gazing at her across the crowded dance floor of the Grand Puerto Vallarta Hotel, she’d looked as if she’d stepped from a dream—his own recurring dream that had been playing on an endless loop since he came to his senses last week. Cullen felt a stir of desire as he returned to Lily with two flutes of champagne.
Her emerald-green gown hugged those perfect curves. She looked soft and sensual and so damn sexy that his groin tightened with appreciation. Since she’d come into his life three weeks ago—had it been only three weeks?—he couldn’t remember his life without her. It had been love at first sight, whether he wanted to believe it or not. But the truth of the matter remained. The moment he’d first set eyes on her something inside him had shifted; life as he knew it had ceased to exist once she had arrived. Life had gone from shades of gray and going-through-the-motions to days and nights filled with purpose and breathtaking possibility.
The orchestra transitioned into the beginning strains of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” When he reached the table, he set down the champagne and held out his hand. “Dance with me.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
On the dance floor, he swept her into his arms. She gazed up at him, her eyes dark green and full of emotion. Their lips were a breath apart as they swayed together—not in a formal dance that moved them around the room, but in a slow, private dance that moved through them, joining them, making them one.
