Private Pleasures

'And lonely,' she added softly.

'Yeah,' he agreed, the word lonely summing up his entire childhood. 'Did you two get along?'

'Not always,' she admitted, amusement and sisterly affection in her voice.

He trailed a finger up her leg and beneath her knee, tickling the sensitive flesh there. She shivered and sighed. 'Sibling rivalry?' he guessed.

'No, we never really competed. We fought and argued over stupid stuff, like who got the bathroom first and whose turn it was to do the dishes. And Jade was forever borrowing my clothes and not returning them.' She gave a growl of frustration that lacked any real annoyance. 'She'd swear she never took them, and I'd find whatever it was that was missing in her closet months later. She's one of the most disorganized persons I know.'

'And I'm sure you never did anything wrong.'

'I was a complete angel,' she replied primly.

'Till I got hold of you.' His voice dropped to a low, sexy rumble.

'Hmm.' Her mild response told him that she'd willingly let him corrupt her. 'No matter what, though, Jade was always there for me when I needed her. She still is. I wouldn't trade her friendship for anything, even though she does tend to get on my nerves from time to time.' She propped her chin on his shoulder. 'There's nothing like a sibling's love and friendship. You missed out on something special, Grey.'

'And a brother or sister missed out on a lot of hurt and dejection.' His voice was harsher than he'd intended.

His edge of anger didn't stop her from pursuing the sensitive subject of his childhood. 'You didn't have much fun as a kid, did you?'

'Like I told you the other night, my parents weren't exactly the type to interact with children, or to have 'fun.' We never went anywhere as a family, and I didn't have many friends because my father always scared them off.'

'It doesn't have to be that way. Not with your own children. Look at how much fun siblings can have together.' She waved a hand toward the dock and the boys playing there. 'Wouldn't you just love to watch children of your own grow up, have fun-be a part of their lives? And give them wonderful memories to share with their own children one day?'

He didn't answer, just kept watching the boys. How could he give children memories when he didn't have the first clue how to make them?

'I want that, Grey,' she went on, her arms tightening around his waist. 'I want kids, and I want to give them fun, laughter and even the lessons that come with the right kind of discipline. I'm sorry you never had the playful times, the laughter, the closeness.'

Grey squeezed his eyes shut, trying just as hard to shut out the emotions swirling within him. He wanted to tell her not to pity him. And that he'd never chance subjecting a child to the kind of verbal and mental abuse he'd suffered.

A tall blond man strolled down the path the boys had taken earlier. He glanced toward the rock where he and Mariah sat, gave them a neighborly grin and waved, then headed toward the dock, yelling, 'Come on, boys, your mother has lunch ready.'

'Aw, Dad,' one complained, 'we haven't been in the water that long!'

'Do we have to?' another said.

'We're not done playing yet!' said the third, then pushed his brothers into the lake and dive-bombed after them. Grey clearly expected their father to get upset, but instead he laughed and let them play a few minutes longer. One of the boys climbed up the ladder onto the dock while his father was talking to one of his brothers. The youngster whooped, ran full force into the bigger man, and they both went tumbling into the water. From there, an all-out water war ensued.

The fun they were having was infectious, and Grey found himself chuckling, too, which eased the lingering tension from his conversation with Mariah. Finally their father insisted they get out and head back to the cabin, before their mother strung every one of them up.

After more grousing and a promise from their dad to return to the lake once they ate lunch and rested, the foursome disappeared up the path.

Wanting to experience some of that spontaneous fun, Grey pulled off Mariah's leather sandals and let them fall to the ground. Then he wrapped his forearms around and beneath her thighs and stood. The abrupt move made her squeal in alarm. She looped her arms around his neck to keep from falling, and hooked her legs tight around his waist. He toed off his own shoes, and proceeded to carry Mariah toward the dock, piggyback-style.

'Grey?' she asked uneasily. 'What are you doing?'

Anticipation filled him with every step he took closer to the water. 'I thought we might play a little.'

She laughed happily, the sound warming Grey's heart. 'I have to warn you,' she said, her tone light and mischievous. 'I've had more experience at this than you, and you might come out the loser.'

Grey didn't know how he could possibly lose, not when he was already having a great time. 'I'll take my chances,' he said, and jumped off the dock and into the summer-warmed lake. The last thing he heard before they went under was Mariah's name on his lips, and his own wicked chuckles.

They came up laughing and absolutely drenched. As Grey took a great gulp of air, he got shot in the face with a spray of water from Mariah. He coughed, and she giggled, saying, 'I told you so.'

He dove after her, dunking them both beneath the water. From there, time lost meaning as Mariah showed him how to have fun, how to laugh and how to make memories.

Chapter Eight

Mariah took a bite of the raspberry creme brulee Grey fed to her and moaned in appreciation as the sinfully rich dessert filled her mouth. She sat next to Grey in a cozy, intimate booth at the back of an elegant, expensive restaurant overlooking Lake Arrowhead. A taper candle burned in the center of their table, casting a warm, golden hue around them. They were surrounded by dining couples, but catching the wicked, I-want-to-eat-yow-up-for- dessert look in Grey's eyes, she wished they were back at the cabin alone.

'This wasn't necessary, you know. Dinner at an exclusive restaurant, a new dress, the roses,' she said, still reeling from his very spontaneous suggestion to eat out, and the mini shopping spree he'd taken her on to dress for the occasion. But then again, since their escapade down at the dock two days ago, he'd been full of wonderful surprises.

'Trust me,' he said, a lopsided grin canting his mouth as he watched her take another spoonful of brulee. 'It was very necessary. I'm tired of frozen meals and deli food. Roses make you smile. And you look better than a dream in that dress.' His gaze roved over the garment in question, a form-fitting, pink cashmere sheath that dipped low in the back and ended midthigh. 'What I'd like to know is, what are you wearing underneath that dress? Or rather, what aren't you wearing?' Boldly, he skimmed a hand over her hip, up the side of her ribs until his fingers brushed the curve of her breast.

She sucked in a breath, shocked that he'd be so brazen, though they sat at such an angle the other nearby patrons couldn't see what he'd just done. Her breasts instantly swelled, and her nipples peaked and pushed against the soft material.

'You're not wearing a bra, are you?' His voice was a soft, accusing murmur that slid down her spine like a languid caress.

Feeling reckless enough to join in the game of seduction he'd been playing all week, she dipped her finger in the dessert and brought it to his mouth. 'The dress is made to be worn without one,' she said, painting his bottom lip with the decadent dessert. 'Are you curious about what else I might not be wearing underneath the dress?'

His gaze darkened, and he grasped her wrist before she could pull her hand away. Slowly sucking her finger into his mouth, he swirled his tongue over the tip. She nearly jumped out of her skin when his free hand flattened on her knee and began a leisurely journey upward, disappearing beneath the hem of her dress.

His fingers grazed the lace band of the stockings she'd bought for herself at the boutique in town, then brushed