Why Not Tonight?

bottom. “A very serious condition commonly called lorny. Strikes down thousands of unsuspecting people every year. Luckily, I know just the cure.”

“How lucky for me.”

He gave her butt a playful squeeze. “Me, too. So let’s get started.”

“Started?”

“Well, hell, you don’t think I’m finished, do you?”

“No,” she said with a laugh. “But I think we’re past the starting point. What’s next?”

For an answer, he turned them so that the spray cascaded over their heads and between their bodies. “A quick rinse off.”

“Very quick-the water’s turning cold.”

Amid much laughing and kissing, they quickly soaped each other up then rinsed under the rapidly cooling water. After shutting off the taps, she’d barely squeezed the excess moisture from her hair and wrapped a towel around herself sarong style, when Adam grabbed the flashlight and her hand and led her across the hall into her bedroom.

“Now what?” she asked.

“Now you relax on the bed for a few minutes while I prepare the next step in the ‘lorny’ cure, which coincidentally, is nearly identical to the ‘reassure her she’s potently sexy’ cure.”

“I see. So in other words, you’re good for everything that’s ailing me.”

“Yeah. Which makes me one hell of a lucky guy.” He brushed his lips over hers then gave her a gentle nudge toward the bed. “Lie down. Relax. I’ll be back in five minutes.”

Since her knees still felt like mush and lying down sounded really nice, Mallory climbed onto the mattress. Heaving a feminine sigh of pleasure, she watched him leave the room, and decided that no man had ever looked so good wearing nothing except a towel.

Too bad you only have him for tonight, her inner voice whispered.

And in a heartbeat, her sigh of pleasure turned into another sort of sigh altogether.

Yes, too bad she only had him for tonight.

But with him jetting off to parts unknown and the up-in-the-air nature of his future in direct opposition to how she lived her life, tonight was all that the fickle nature of timing allowed them. It was better than nothing. And she had every intention of making the most of their remaining hours. Everything would be fine as long as she didn’t forget that she and Adam were, once again, traveling on paths that were heading in opposite directions.

ADAM ENTERED Mallory’s kitchen and flicked off the flashlight since the multitude of candles she’d lit provided enough light, as well as scenting the air with the musky, sweet fragrance of vanilla. Then he braced his palms on the cool granite counter, lowered his head and tried to assemble the tornado of emotions swirling through him into some kind of order.

He felt completely…unraveled. Like someone had yanked on a loose string hanging off his shirt and after he’d spun like a top had ended up with no shirt and an untidy mound of thread.

Something was happening here, something between him and Mallory. Something that was a hell of a lot more than just sex. At least it was to him.

He knew all too well what just sex felt like. It was fun, pleasant, lighthearted. Ultimately forgettable. While he supposed fun and pleasant could be used to describe his evening with Mallory-although both words were a little lukewarm-lighthearted and forgettable definitely didn’t apply.

And that was the problem. This felt…intense. In a way that threw him off balance. In a way he couldn’t recall ever experiencing with anyone else.

Except her.

He lifted his head and stared out the window toward the unbroken darkness, seeing nothing save his own dim reflection in the glass. He stared into his own eyes that appeared somewhat dazed. This entire scenario felt so damned familiar. Mallory inundating every corner of his mind. Filling him with laughter and happiness and excitement. And just like before, he found himself feeling too much too soon. And as it had in the past, it scared the hell out of him. He needed to remember this was just for one night. Their only night together. He was Mr. Rebound. A balm for her bruised ego. They each had their own lives that were, once again, veering off in opposite directions. In less than forty-eight hours he’d begin his dream trip. He’d waited a long time for this opportunity-freedom from the pressures and stress of his job, carefree traveling around Europe where he’d enjoy exotic locales, fabulous food, incredible wine, spectacular sights and gorgeous, sexy women.

How was it that a week ago, a day ago, hell-six hours ago, that all had sounded like Utopia and now it sounded like…not Utopia?

Must just be the incredible sex he’d shared with Mallory. Yeah, that’s all it was. Apparently she wasn’t the only one who’d been “lorny.” Not that he’d been lonely. Exactly. Still, all this unexpected and amazing sex had his cylinders out of whack. His hormones out of balance. His red-blood-count levels raised. Once this night was over, once he wasn’t being subjected to all this nonstop sexual stimulation, he’d put everything back into perspective.

He was just feeling…nostalgic. Being with Mallory was like being hit with a deluge of memories of the feelings and emotions he’d felt for her years ago. How much he’d enjoyed her company, in and out of bed. Yes, that’s all they were-memories.

Whew! See? All he needed was to put some physical space between them for a few minutes to get his head cleared and his thoughts back into alignment. ’Cause damn-how was a guy supposed to think straight when she was kissing him? Touching him? When he was buried deep inside her?

She was on the career track, and he’d just gotten off that treadmill. She needed structure, stability, and his plans for the foreseeable future were anything but. Still, he couldn’t shake this feeling that he’d been sucker punched. Right in the heart.

But surely that was just a result of all these memories. Remembering all the things he’d felt when he was with her. The heady excitement. The profound happiness. How much he’d admired and liked her. How deeply he’d loved her. After tonight, they’d go their separate ways, as they’d done in the past. And as it was in the past, it was what was best for both of them.

But before he left, he was going to make damn sure she was plenty reassured and no longer suffering from “lorniness.”

He shook his head. How was it that she’d felt unfulfilled for several months? The fact that her ex-boyfriend could manage to keep his hands off her for more than several minutes… unbelievable.

But hey, maybe he should send the guy a thank-you note. If not for him being an ass, Adam wouldn’t have this night with her. And for this night, she was his.

He spent a few minutes gathering what he wanted, then set up everything on a large acrylic platter with a palm-tree design he found in her cupboard. Just before heading back to the bedroom, he made a quick phone call- remembering to turn off his damn phone when he was finished. Then he picked up the laden platter and walked back to the bedroom.

When he entered, Mallory rolled onto her side and watched with obvious interest while he set the tray on the edge of the bed then removed the thick pillar candles, placing one on the night table and the other on her dresser, casting the room in a pale golden glow.

“What’s all this?” she asked, nodding toward the tray.

“Some romantic lighting. The wine. Chocolate candy kisses.”

She sat up. “Chocolate kisses? As in Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses?”

“Are there any other kind?”

“Not as far as I’m concerned. Raided my pantry, huh?”

“No. I brought them.” He held up the large cellophane bag. “Got the extra-large size.”

“Fabulous. You can never have too many kisses.”

He leaned over and brushed his lips against hers. “My thought exactly. I also brought the music.” Straightening, he set the radio on the night table and adjusted the volume.

“…Welcome back to Sensuous Songs and Decadent Dedications. Hope everyone is safe during the blackout, and that if you happen to be with someone sensuous and decadent, you’re making the