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She broke the kiss and whispered against his lips. “Come inside with me.”
He went rigid against her.
“Isabel ... ”
She covered his lips with her index finger. “I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to think. Unless you don’t want me ... ?”
“Does itfeellike I don’t want you?” He cupped her hip and moved against her and then he had to catch her smothered cry with his lips. “I’ve wanted you every fucking day since we met. Do you think that’s changed?”
Tears burned her eyes at the anguish in his voice.
“Then come inside.”
He was off her in the next instant, moving with a strength and fluidity that belied the injury he’d taken recently. She accepted his outstretched hand and then she tugged him along behind her, leading him to the short flight of stairs at the far end of the multi-level deck that led to the private balcony outside her bedroom. Her room, and the nursery, were the only rooms on the first floor, allowing her some modicum of privacy. She unlatched the gate that prevented little Mariah from trying to crawl up the steps and waited until he’d latched it back, then they walked silently up those few steps to the deck, and into her room.
The door was unlocked and they slid inside, silent as thieves. They didn’t turn on any lights but she lingered by the fan she kept by her bed and flipped it on, then went to the door and slipped outside after a quick glance at Travis.
He was still waiting by the bed when she returned.
“I had to make sure the front door was locked,” she murmured. Her gaze moved to the one behind him.
“It’s locked. The back door?”
“Aaron took care of it when he saw me locking up the front.” She smiled even as a flush swept over her cheeks. “I feel likeI’mthe teenager, the way he was grinning at me. He knows damn good and well I’m in here with you.”
“We’re not teenagers,” Travis said softly, moving to stand in front of her.
“You make me feel like one again ... like that first day I bumped into you, all hot and nervous and flustered.”
“You didn’t show it.” He cupped her cheek and rubbed his lips over hers. “You played it all cool and easy like butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth.”
“Ha. Shows what you know.Iwas melting. Turning to putty, right there, and you didn’t even notice.”
“That takes brain power, Bella-mine. And you’d already destroyed my brain.” He nuzzled her neck. “You sure about this?”
“If I wasn’t, you wouldn’t be here.” She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the open neck of his shirt, breathing in the warm, clean scent of him. His soap smelled sexy as hell. Sandalwood and something else, a musky, masculine scent that threatened to drive her crazy. “I’ve got protection here ... in the nightstand.”
“Good thing. Because I sure as hell wasn’t expecting this.” He tangled his fist in her hair and nibbled on her neck.
She shivered. “Damn, you’re good at that.”
“If I do anything that bothers you ... ”
“Don’t.” She pulled back and met his eyes. “That was a long time ago. I’ve had lovers, Travis. I’ve known pleasure.” Pleasure, she thought. It sounded simple and easy. It was, compared to what she felt for this man. Those encounters had been fleeting and short, about companionship more than anything else. Travis was ...everything; he always had been. “He stopped haunting me a long time ago and I won’tlethim come between us—not here. Not ever again.” Still, Travis hesitated and she cupped his face, willed him to understand her. “Noteveragain. He’snothingto me.”
“Understood, Bella-mine.” His mouth took hers and she quivered as the force of him washed over her again.
He nudged her backward, slow-stepping his way as he moved them toward the bed. She felt it hit the back of her thighs and when he ended the kiss with a slow, sweet suckling of her lower lip, she started to sink down. He stopped her by curling his hands around her waist and nuzzling her neck, moving lower and lower.
“This dress has driven me crazy all night,” he murmured against her skin, breath feathering over her collarbone. He caught the tie that held the gathered bustline closed and pulled. She shivered as he buried his face between her breasts, a ragged breath escaping him as he breathed her in.
“You smell amazing ... honeysuckle ... something else. I want to eat you up.”
She caught hold of his arms and squeezed, clinging to him for balance as he traced a hot, teasing path along the lacy edge where her bra framed her breast.
“Can I, Bella-mine?”
She was drowning. They’d barely gotten started, weren’t even undressed and she was already drowning.
