She propped her chin on one hand. 'Only since I met you.' She paused in thought. 'Actually only since Carter got me drunk, then you kidnapped me to a remote island off the coast of Florida.'
'I tried to talk you out of the strip joint,' he reminded her.
'That brings me to another point I thought you were a fun guy.'
'I am a fun guy.'
'You're going to have to prove it,' she teased and his groin tightened with immediate need.
'Dinner,' Rosa said, arriving with two plates, heaping with delicious food.
He'd hoped Rosa and dinner would break the tension, but as they began to eat, Damian realized they were just inching closer to the end of the meal and time alone-when he'd have to decide whether or not he wanted to meet Micki's challenge.
'Rosa, this is delicious,' Micki said.
The older woman blushed. 'Thank you. Steak, potatoes and green beans. All Mr. Fuller's favorites.'
'So he ate his vegetables as a boy, did he?' Micki asked.
Rosa shook her head and laughed. 'No but we've been piling them on his plate anyway. If we call them his favorites, we figure one day he'll forget and believe it'
'His mother's idea,' Tino said, striding into the room with a wine bottle in his hand. 'Wine anyone?'
Damian placed his hand over his glass. 'No, thank you.'
'Me neither.'
Without warning, Micki ran her foot up and down his leg once more, blatantly teasing him. His gut twisted and he broke into a sweat. No way could he withstand a serious post-dinner assault.
'While you were having your wine, our daughter Sara called,' Rosa said.
'The one who's getting married in a few months.' Though he'd never been close with their children, Damian knew all their life stories and the depth of Rosa and Tino's love and pride in their brood.
'Well, not according to her. She had an argument with her fiance and just like that, she called off the engagement.' Rosa snapped her fingers.
'As if a promise means nothing,' Tino said, his disappointment and concern clear in his tone.
'I'm sure she didn't break the engagement lightly,' Damian said.
'That's what we need to find out.' Rosa glared at her husband. She obviously wanted him to withhold judgment. 'So we need to leave early, but I promise to come back and clean in the morning.'
'That's not necessary.' Micki waved a hand, calling attention her way. 'You help your daughter. I'm happy to clean up.'
'Are you sure?' Rosa asked.
Damian had every intention of letting them go to their daughter. 'We can handle it,' he assured her.
“Thank you ' Tino said.
'Both of you,' Rosa added. She untied her apron as she quickly walked back to the kitchen. A few minutes later, the door slammed shut behind the couple, leaving Micki and Damian alone.
Using caution, Damian turned to Micki. 'I thought you wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.' He hoped his reminder would get her to think about leaving again before he did something stupid. Like sleep with her.
'I changed my mind. I’m not so sure leaving is best for me after all. I like it here. It's relaxing, it's away from the press…and you're here.'
Damian glanced toward the ceiling. How much could a normal guy take? She was sending out blatant signals and he couldn't deny his interest. Hell, he'd been interested for too long and now she was all but offering herself to him.
He'd never denied that he'd been spoiled, the baby brother of sisters who catered to his every whim and the athlete whose money assured him that any woman would do the same. Until now, he'd always known when to draw the line and respected the need to do so.
Micki deserved that same respect, but she so obviously didn't want it, and damned if he could stop himself from acting on what they both desired.
'You're serious?' he asked because he had to be sure.
'About you?”
He nodded.
'I can spell it put for you if you'd like,' she said,leaning closer, her fresh scent enticing him. 'I’m deadly serious about wanting you. About understanding your rules and not expecting anything beyond this. In fact, I'm so busy at home, I wouldn't have time even if you came crawling on your hands and knees.'
He raised an eyebrow, wondering if he'd read her wrong in the past and she really was into short flings, or if she was telling him what he wanted to hear.
Either way, she'd given him a green light. He pushed his chair back and stood. Towering over her, he slid her chair back, too, then braced his hands on the armrests and leaned close, his lips inches from hers.
She swallowed hard and he sensed her nervousness, reminding him that despite the show of bravado, she wasn't the experienced, easy kind of woman he was used to. Somehow it made him desire her more.
He clenched his fingers around the hard wood. 'I want you, too.'
Her eyes grew wide, the blue pools deepening with pleasure. 'So what's holding you back?'
'Not a damn thing.' Without hesitating, he sealed his lips over hers and gave into the temptation he'd been fighting.
She sighed, the sound soft and full of complete relief as her lips parted and she took him inside. She tasted of pure woman. He slanted his mouth for better access and thrust his tongue deep and hard.
A part of him realized he was testing her, seeing if his unleashed need would scare her off, because he knew if he took this woman to bed there would be no holding back. He even wondered if a part of him hoped she'd retreat before it was too late.
But she wasn't running away. Instead she pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck so he could continue his assault. And as he circled the warm, moist recesses of her mouth, their tongues tangling, their teeth grazing, he realized they shared an equally overwhelming desire. One that had to be sated immediately.
He reached back, untangled her hands and brought them down to her sides, while breaking the kiss slowly. Gently. In a way that let him savor every movement. The brush of his lips over hers, the soft licks of his tongue across the moisture they'd created, and the light nip of his teeth on her flesh.
She moaned and tried to entice him back into a soul-searching kiss, but he couldn't take another minute of kissing and teasing like they were horny teenagers who couldn't complete the act. Because they most certainly could.
'Let's go upstairs,' he said, his voice hoarse with desire.
She nodded. 'I think the dining room would be awkward.'
'Not to mention, hard on my back.'
Micki grinned. 'Not as young as you used to be, are you, Fuller?'
He laughed despite how true that statement was. With Micki, he didn't feel the need to hide the painful truth. 'Just keep that little secret to yourself.'
She met his gaze, the moment suddenly too serious.
'I'm not too old for this.' He bent down, lifted her into his arms, favoring his good hand, and carried her straight to his bed.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR,
His bedroom was large with oversize shuttered windows, dark wood furniture, and a navy-and-cream color scheme, all dominated by a California king-size bed. When he laid her back against the pillows, butterflies filled her stomach, but no second thoughts raced through her mind. Apparently he had none either. He straddled her lower body with his thighs and his gaze never left hers as he pulled his shirt up and over his head.
Micki swallowed hard. For a woman who'd spent a lifetime in male locker rooms, she would have thought she was immune to a muscled body. No such luck. The man was sculpted and gorgeous, from his stubbled beard, sexy chest, down to the sprinkle of hair disappearing into the waistband of his jeans.
She'd examine what lay beneath that denim in a little while. For now she wanted to focus on his exposed upper
