His arm wrapped around the small of her back, tugging her body against his own. Her lips automatically parted, and his kiss seemed achingly familiar. In the dim recesses of her mind, she knew she had to bring this to a halt. But reason quickly disappeared, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, surrendering to passion.
His hand slipped beneath the hem of her tank top, trailing up her side, his palm surrounding her breast. Her nipple peaked beneath his touch, and her body reflexively arched against him.
He stripped her shirt over her head and feasted his eyes on her white bra. His gaze was searing, taking in every inch of her body, while his hand went to the button on his dress shirt.
After a moment’s fumbling, he swore beneath his breath and ripped off the buttons, tugging off his shirt. Her bra went next, and they were skin-to-skin, kissing their way to another plane of desire.
She found her hands going to his belt, releasing the buckle, popping the button, pulling down the zipper, even while his kisses roamed from her mouth to her neck and down to the peaks of her breasts. He stripped off her shorts in a heartbeat, then dispatched the rest of his clothes.
Again, they were skin-to-skin, with nothing between them. The world outside his bedroom, his bed, his hands and his lips ceased to exist. Devin longed to get closer, to press harder, to wrap herself around his magnificent body and travel to paradise all over again.
“You amaze me,” he rasped, both hands cradling her face as he planted long, wet kisses on her swollen mouth.
She shifted her body, moving beneath him, kissing him hard and deep in return. She lifted her knees, wrapping herself around his hips, gasping his name as primal urges swept through her, robbing her breath and curling her toes.
His hand slid down her body, over the curve of her waist, across her hip, cupping her buttocks, and tugging her to him. He thrust, and she gasped, groaning in relief at the exquisite sensation of becoming one. A buzzing started in her ears, obliterating everything but Lucas’s voice.
He told her she was beautiful, that she was amazing, that he’d never felt this way before, and that he never wanted to let her go.
The buzzing moved through her body, from her abdomen, to her breasts, to her thighs and to her toes.
His rhythm increased, and she arched her back. His hand found her breast, and sensation nearly blinded her.
She felt his muscles clench to steel, and she curled her body around him, hanging on tight and letting wave upon wave of pure released wash over her.
It was long minutes before her breathing slowed down.
Lucas was a hot weight on top of her, and she felt cocooned between him and the pillow-topped bed.
His hand stroked her face, and he gently kissed her temple, her cheekbone and the corner of her eye.
“I’m late,” he told her, the regret in his tone convincing enough to take the sting out of his words.
“I know,” she said and gave him a nod.
She’d let it happen. She’d actually taken her bluff to its final conclusion. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. But it was probably better if he left right away. Both her brain and her emotions were a jumble of confusion.
“I have time for a shower,” he said, and the next thing she knew, he was lifting her from the bed, setting her gently on her feet and guiding her to a huge marble bathroom.
The shower was magnificent, and so were Lucas’s hands.
Feeling warm and fresh, and preposterously euphoric wrapped in a fluffy, white terry-cloth robe, it wasn’t until Lucas left her in her own room to change that she realized they hadn’t used birth control.
She gripped the nearest bedpost, did a quick calculation on her fingers and realized the risk was minimal.
With a sigh of intense relief, she slumped down on the bed, wrapping her arms around her body and hugging tight. What on earth was happening to her here?
Lucas awoke in his bed the next morning thinking about Devin. His business dinner had run late. He’d briefly considered knocking on her bedroom door after he’d come home, and climbing into her bed to hold her in his arms. But he wasn’t sure if he’d be welcome. He wasn’t at all sure what to make of yesterday.
Talk about a complete one-eighty.
When he’d caught her snooping around Konrad’s room, he’d got the impression their physical relationship was going to be a one-time thing. He wasn’t happy about that. Who would be happy about discovering such an amazingly passionate woman, only to have her snatched away?
But he was prepared to accept her decision. With everything going on around them, it wasn’t fair to push her. He hoped they’d at least agreed to a postponement of the court battle, although Devin hadn’t exactly said that out loud yet. But the court battle would one day come. And they’d be on opposite sides, and it would be bloody complicated if they were also lovers.
Lovers.
Lucas tossed back his quilt.
Was that what they were now? Did Devin intend for them to make love again? She must. It wasn’t like they’d accidentally fallen into each other’s arms yesterday. She’d obviously make a deliberate decision to seek him out.
In his bed.
He grinned at the memory, folding his hands behind his head and staring at the ornate ceiling above him. So, was the next move his? Maybe she’d expected him to show up in her room last night.
How would she feel about sleeping together with Amelia right next door? Silly question. Amelia was only nine months old. And the mansion staff was nothing if not professional and discrete.
He glanced at his clock and decided he had a couple of hours to spare. He’d shower, find Devin and see if he could get a sense of where this thing between them was going.
He vaulted out of bed, a spring in his step as he moved through the motions of his shower and shave, wondering as he did if he’d find her at the pool, or maybe they’d taken a walk to the gardens. Or maybe, if he was lucky, Amelia was with Teresa and Devin would be free for the next little while.
It was Wednesday, so Lucas selected his usual white dress shirt, buttoned the front and the cuffs and twisted his tie into place with practiced ease. Shrugging into his jacket, he passed the computer and hit a key to bring up his calendar. Maybe he could get away with spending the entire morning here at the mansion. He grinned to himself for the hundredth time. Maybe he was premature in putting on his suit.
His email program came up, and he reached for the mouse to shrink it out of the way. But then his gaze caught Konrad’s name in the list of recently-viewed emails.
What on earth? Who would-
But then the date registered, and he recognized the text. He dropped down into the chair, noting three of Konrad’s other emails had been recently opened.
Reality hit him like a ton of bricks.
He twisted his head to stare at the messy bed.
She hadn’t been here to proposition him yesterday. She’d hadn’t heard him come home early and been overcome with passion and desire. The woman had been caught red-handed, and she’d slept with him to cover it up!
And she had the gall to question
Lucas continued to stare at the emails, bitter disappointment fueling his anger. He told himself that at least he knew where he stood. Unfortunately, it didn’t make him feel any better.
He pushed back the chair and rose to his feet. Then he straightened his cuffs and collar and paced deliberately for the door.
Her room was empty as he passed it, and so was the nursery. There wasn’t a soul in the foyer or the great room. He caught a glimpse of Teresa down the hall, but she took one look at his face and veered off into the library. She was alone, and that fact told Lucas that Amelia was with Devin.
It wasn’t until he made it to the kitchen that he heard voices. They were coming from the breakfast alcove that overlooked the pool. Lexi’s laughter. Good. Devin couldn’t be far away.
But then Byron’s voice responded. “It wouldn’t have been so bad.” His tone was laced with a deep chuckle. “But the bull’s name was Clementine.”
