She drew nearer to him, hoping to absorb some of the pain he felt.
“Before mother died, I always hoped he'd come back. I thought things would be better if he did. At least mother would stop drinking. After she died, I searched until I found him. I went to his house to let him know what happened. He was married, had been the whole time he knew my mother. The bastard thought she sent me to extort money from him, called her names, said he was one of many and beat the hell out of me.'
Her throat closed. “I'm sorry,” Katherine said hoarsely. She hugged him tenderly.
He shrugged and coughed before moving away from her.
She shook her head. “I can't undo your past, darling, any more than you can undo mine, but we can't allow it to ruin the present or the future.'
He stood, walked to the end table and withdrew a wrapped present. “Here's another reason we can't make love. I wanted to give you this for Christmas, but I think I should level with you now. You always hate it when I act like a hero and jump in to save you. Well, I've done it again.'
She tore the package open and uncovered her father's coin collection. “You bought this back for me? How sweet.'
“Nothing I did was sweet. Your mother told me about the coins. I offered a hefty reward to coin collectors for notification if you called or stopped by. And I had a detective follow you. The truth is, they're worth fifty thousand. I paid the coin collector. I knew if that was your last chance to raise the money, you'd never make it.'
Her eyes filled with tears and she looked up, chin trembling. “You acted like Superman again and saved me?'
“I'm sorry,” he said bowing his head.
“I'm not.” She smiled at his shocked expression. “I feel like kissing your feet. I might not believe I
She placed the coin collection on the table, dipped a ripe strawberry into the chocolate and turned around. “Open for me.” Would he remember saying that to her when he had kissed her?
The desire in his eyes made her breath catch.
His mouth parted. She bent forward and touched her lips to his, teasing the corner and nibbling lightly.
“Sweeter than any strawberry,” he whispered.
She stifled a moan as he sampled the fruit and licked the chocolate from her fingers.
“I'm out of lists,” she said, her voice shaking. “Maybe I should ask you outright. Are there any other skeletons hiding up there in that warped conscience of yours that would keep us apart?'
He swallowed and his Adam's apple jumped. “Matt.'
She pulled back, surprised. “You love Matt.'
He squirmed on the couch. “Of course I do. I don't want you to think I'm dating you to please Matt.'
She shrugged. “You could think the same about me, but I wouldn't do that to him.'
Jared hesitated. “If I hurt you, I hurt me. Do you understand, sweetheart?'
“Yes.” She blew out the candles on the table and plunged the room in darkness. A soft moonlight shone through the window, casting the room in shadow and faint light. “I promise to respect you in the morning.'
“Woman, you're something else,” he growled as he pulled her to him. His warm breath heated her skin. He nuzzled her neck with his lips and his tongue. His teeth nipped their way up to her earlobe.
Goosebumps lined her arms. His tongue circled her ear and delved inside. She pulled him closer. “I won't regret this in the morning.'
“You better not.” He silenced her by brushing his lips against hers. She closed her eyes. His tongue stroked her lips, outlining them ever so slowly. Around and around. Her need to kiss and taste him grew.
A low moan escaped from him when she pressed her breasts against his chest. She clasped her hands around the back of his head, holding his face still while she kissed him. He returned her kiss and deepened it, his tongue entreating her to open. She did and he rewarded her. His tongue slipped into her mouth and explored hers, skimming over the roof of her mouth. He tasted of chocolate, strawberry and Jared. She couldn't get enough.
They drew apart, gasped for air and stared at each other. His hand stroked her cheek.
She rubbed her lips against his palm. “Take me to bed.'
His eyes smoldered with desire. “I've waited forever to make love to you.'
He bent, lifted her like she was a priceless treasure, held her against him and carried her into the bedroom.
He sat her down and faced her. His fingers stroked her lips. “We're in no hurry, sweetheart. You set the pace.'
“May I undress you?” she reached for his shirt.
A slow smile spread across his face, “You don't have to ask. My body is yours. Do anything you want.'
“Mine, too,” she offered.
He chuckled softly. “I sure hope so.'
They stood together and she undid each button of his shirt and peeled it down his muscular biceps. Her fingers eagerly slid over his chest, waist and back, learning each line, each curve. She marveled at the texture of the fine hair on his body. His breath caught as she brushed her lips against his skin, stopping to taste and nip his neck. “Jared, I could do this all night,” she whispered against his nipples, her breath causing them to pucker. “You're so perfect. So beautiful.'
“Not me, you are,” he said, running his hands up her sides and skimming beneath her breasts. “My turn,” he whispered. His hands reached and unbuttoned her dress. It fluttered to the floor, resting at her stocking feet. She stepped over it.
His gaze made her proud she was a woman. It devoured her body, coming to rest on the swell of her breasts. Heat lapped from his gaze as she stood before him wearing only a satin demi bra, thong and lace-topped thigh high stockings.
She held her breath.
“Red,” he said, fingering the lacy embroidered hearts stitched across her bra. Her nipples tingled and beaded at his touch. He lifted a brow. “My favorite color.'
His lips lifted at the corners into a slow smile. “Seems a shame to see you in it only a few seconds.” He felt her breasts through the sheer design. She moaned when he unclasped her bra. Tossing it aside, he bent and kissed each breast so tenderly that her breath caught in her throat. He seemed to be paying homage to them.
He glanced at her seductively. “Sweetheart, remove your hose.” He sat on the bed and studied her.
Jared took a deep breath that was meant to calm him, but there was no chance of that happening. He had expected her to snatch the hose off, but watched as his anticipation grew.
Katherine's hands rested on her hips, jutting her full breasts in front of her. She stood proudly. A low groan escaped him when she bent and touched the lacy-hose. Pushing the hose halfway down, she sat on the side of the bed to face him, lifted one leg and ran her fingers slowly along the silk. The moonlight silhouetted her shapely leg as he watched her sensuous movements. She slowly rolled the silk down her legs, revealing luscious bare skin. Desire charged through him. He clamped down on his jaw and reminded himself to move slowly.
She stood up, glancing down at her sexy red thong. At the moment, he wasn't sure he could walk across the room to remove the flimsy material.
Her jade eyes showed confusion. She shook her head.
He took another calming breath, studying the small piece of sheer red that covered paradise. He'd laugh, if it wouldn't be so painful right now. He couldn't seem to think straight enough to put two words together in a coherent sentence. His erection seemed in control of his thoughts and completely single-minded.
She stared at his crotch, her eyes widened and she blushed redder than her underpants. “Oh. I tried to excite you by putting on a little show.'
He cleared his throat. “It worked,” he croaked.
“I'm so sorry. I didn't think. I mean, I thought because I wasn't very experienced I might not appeal to you sexually so I tried to spice it up.” She could see his body tensed with restraint, his eyes darkened into indigo, and she laughed. His gaze lifted from her body in faint surprise. “You don't know how this makes me feel,” she said.
He grinned back. His dimples deepened in the shadowy moonlight. “Powerful?'
