Free Fall

out.

Lily stared at the lotion, then lifted her gaze to his.

'I'll start with that kink in your neck,' he said.

The pulse at the base of her throat leaped. 'And finish with…?'

He looked right into her eyes. 'Whatever you want.'

Yum, said Lily's body. Whoa, said her mind, but only for a moment, and even then she chose to shove it to the background. Whatever she wanted? He'd better be prepared because suddenly she wanted a whole hell of a lot, especially if he kept looking at her like that.

'You work so hard,' he said. 'And tonight-'cupping her face, he tilted it up, running his thumb over her lower lip, making it tremble '-you seemed sad.'

'I wasn't.' But she had been. Damn it, she had been sad and restless and lonely for reasons she couldn't put her finger on, and it scared her that he'd seen it.

'You put so much of yourself into this place. Don't let anyone take that from you, Lily. Not your sisters, not anyone.'

After only a few days, he'd seen. He'd understood. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but she couldn't so she stepped back and turned away because this wasn't going to be the easy, wild, forgettable evening she'd wanted. 'This is a mistake.'

'Really? Then we'll have to make it count.' He tugged her around, and then his mouth was on hers, devouring, sending her into frenzy-mode with one stroke of his greedy tongue.

Long before she was done, he pulled back and, still facing her, began kneading her shoulders, not even needing the lotion, showing the same talent with which he'd just kissed her stupid. By the time he dug in with his thumbs, she was putty in his hands, but she locked her knees. 'Let's spell this out.'

'Spell what out?'

'Exactly what we're doing.'

'Which is…?'

'I thought it'd be sex.'

He let out a low, husky laugh. 'Okay.'

She tilted her head up to see him. 'That's all this is? Nothing else?'

His eyes told her the truth. He wanted more. 'Lily-'

'Look, that's all I've got.' And though she'd told him she was fearless, that was one big, fat lie. This scared her. He scared her. 'You're only here for a few more nights so just be straight with me. No strings attached is what I'm offering. Simple. Now you say yes or no.'

'That sounds-'

'Honest.' She unzipped her hoodie sweater and tossed it to the couch, leaving her clad only in a snug, thin tank. She heard his abrupt intake of breath and figured the pale silk had snagged his attention. Maybe he'd say yes.

'Lily-'

'Yes or no, Logan.'

'I have no doubt we can make it count,' he assured her in a voice that had her every sensual nerve ending doing a twitchy dance.

'Yes or no?'

'Yes.'

She nearly staggered at the heat in his eyes. Maybe she had been sad earlier, stinging from the pressure she put on herself, including constantly proving that she was worthy of the responsibility she shouldered. Damn it, she deserved this, and knowing it, she took a step toward him.

Her pager went off yet again, but before she could react, Logan walked into the kitchen and picked it up from the counter. He opened her freezer and set it on the top shelf, next to a tray of ice cubes. Next he took the telephone off the hook. Then he looked at her, all tough and edgy and just enough of a stranger to boost her heart rate. 'How's that?'

'Good.' She loved the take-charge, dare-me expression on his face, and a shiver raced down her spine-one that had nothing to do with the cold, dark night and everything to do with the man standing in front of her.

When he opened his arms, she walked right into them. Kissing him was like waking up from a long sleep, slow and gentle at first, which lasted exactly until he slid his hand up and down her back, then beneath her tank top to touch bare skin. It was electrifying, and letting out a low moan, she leaned into him as the heat rose inside her.

It pumped off him, as well, and then it went wild and just a little rough, which was perfect for her because she didn't want to think, she just wanted to feel. And feeling Logan, tough and hard against her, his muscles taut and quivering, went a long way toward ensuring that she wouldn't have to think at all.

His arm hooked around her, lifted her right off the ground, giving her a foolish little thrill at the easy strength of him. His mouth was hot, his tongue insistent, the shock of it sending licks of flame throughout her entire body so that she vibrated. He wanted her. Not the resort owner, or even the wild woman she had a rep for, he just wanted… .her.

My God, she thought with a low moan, that was so damn arousing. 'Bedroom.'

But he held her there, high against him. He kept kissing her jaw, her throat, her shoulders, then her mouth again, and frustrated, she tried to drag him off to her bed to devour him back.

'Slow down,' he murmured, his hands sliding up her spine, beneath her shirt, then back down, cupping her bottom in his hands, squeezing. 'What's your hurry?'

What was her hurry? She needed him, damn it. Needed the oblivion she knew he could give her, now, now, now. Impatient, she yanked his shirt free of his jeans, then ran her hands inside, up his belly, over his pecs.

He shivered. 'God, Lily.'

'I know. More.' To show him, she nibbled her way to his ear, bit down on the lobe hard enough to make him hiss, then soothed the nip with her tongue, all while trying to tug off his long-sleeved T- shirt.

He lifted his arms to oblige her, smiling roughly against her skin when she found another T-shirt beneath and groaned.

'Why are you wearing so many clothes?' she demanded.

'I don't know, I won't next time.'

When she got him down to bare skin, she couldn't take her eyes or hands off his perfectly formed torso. 'You're so beautiful.'

He grabbed her face, holding her still for a hot, long kiss that made her yearn and burn all the more. Hell, she'd really thought to keep this light, easy, but. there was nothing light or easy about how he drew her in and held her there, quivering, hungry, desperate. Entwining her arms around his neck, she kissed him back and felt herself slide into him, and then even a little deeper. She could feel him taut and hard against her, just as hungry and desperate as she, and it nearly made her pull back so that she could get her bearings and make sure he remembered this was supposed to be just scratching an itch.

But his eyes were dark, so dark, and his mouth was wet from hers. His breathing was uneven. Harsh. But with a tenderness she hadn't imagined such a big, tough guy could possess, he stroked his thumb over her still-damp lower lip and let out a shuddery sigh.

And her heart sighed, too.

Their eyes met, held, and the silence spoke volumes.

This was it. Tonight. Now.