Her Perfect Stranger

Well, it was her own fault, being so wrapped up in work that she no longer had a private life. She could go see her parents, who'd welcome her with open arms. But much as she loved them, that didn't appeal at the moment, either.

Going to the Hyatt to see what Mike wanted, now that appealed.

Only she knew what he wanted; yes, she knew exactly. It was the same thing she wanted.

But what then? Would this almost desperate need for him go away?

Telling herself it would, it had to, because she couldn't stand it otherwise, she ran into her condo to change, then ran right back out again and drove toward the hotel.

The knock at the door startled Mike. His heart began to race, and though he told himself it could be anyone, anyone at all, he hurried toward the door, holding his breath, wondering, hoping…

And then he was looking into Corrine's eyes and seeing everything he felt mirrored right back at him: need and wariness, and even fear.

'I don't know what's happening to my perfectly planned out life,' she said, clearly baffled. 'I can't concentrate, can't think, can't do anything except daydream about you, and-' she straightened and pointed at him '-it's all your fault.'

'That's funny.'

'There's nothing funny about this.'

'It's funny because I'm having the same problem,' he said. 'And I was pretty certain it was all your fault.'

She let out a little disbelieving laugh. 'Yeah, right. You're having the same problem.'

'Can't eat, can't sleep, yadda, yadda,' he said, narrowing his eyes when she laughed again. 'Now you're amused.'

'Yes, because you're having no trouble at all concentrating and thinking! I know because I've been watching you. You look cool, calm and collected, and I've got to tell you, Mike, it's really ticking me off.'

Now he laughed. And hauled her close, taking her mouth, her body and his own life into his hands, because he was going to have her again, he had to have her, and now. Given the hungry sound that ripped from her throat, she felt the same way.

He deepened the kiss and she met him more than halfway. It was a bigger thrill than what they'd accomplished today at work. Sinking his fingers into her hair, he freed it from the clip that held it captive. She dug her fingers into his scalp, too, holding his head prisoner to the kiss he didn't want to escape from, anyway. They were gravitating toward something hot and out of control, their bodies sliding and grinding against each another, their hands fighting for purchase, when Corrine pulled back to draw a breath. He pulled back, too, and she bit his lower lip. Heat spiraled through him and he reached for the zipper on her sweater.

But she put her hands over his.

Barely able to see through the sexual haze she'd created, he shook his head. 'We're stopping?'

Her breathing was as uneven as his strained voice, her eyes glazed, her mouth full and wet. She looked very uncommanderlike, and he thoroughly enjoyed that. 'We're right in the open doorway, Mike.'

Oh. Oh yeah. He'd forgotten. They could have been on the moon for all he remembered. 'See? Proof positive you make me lose my mind.' He pulled her in, stopping only to slam the door before leading her to the king-size bed.

She came to a grinding halt, staring at it. 'Are we making another mistake?'

Hell yes, but he wasn't about to admit that now, so he pulled her around and kissed her again, kissed her long and thoroughly, until he could barely recall his name and knew she couldn't either. Then and only then did he go for the prize once again-the zipper on the form-fitting sweater she wore. His knuckles brushed her skin as he worked it down, down, down, discovering halfway that his sexy commander wore nothing beneath. Bending, he put his mouth to her throat. Her eyes slid shut as he nipped and sucked his way down to the base of her neck.

'Mike…wait.'

He tasted her soft, creamy flesh.

She moaned.

'Now?' he asked hopefully, still tugging on the zipper.

'I don't know.' She pulled his T-shirt free of his waistband and over his head. Then stood blinking at his chest. 'How come you're so perfectly made?' she asked seriously, lifting her hand to run her fingers over the muscles that twitched with her every touch.

'God designed man this way so despite our stupidity, women couldn't resist us. Is it working?'

She nodded slowly. 'Undoubtedly.'

'I'm sorry I'm hurting you at work, Corrine. I don't mean to be.'

'I know.' She stared at his body with what looked like befuddled arousal.

'Now?' he asked in a voice very close to begging as he fingered the zipper between her breasts.

'Okay,' she whispered. 'Now.'

Ziiip. He spread the sweater open, pushing the material from her shoulders to hang from her elbows. Looking down at her, he found even his ragged breathing went still. Everything went still, except his heart, which chose this moment to ache like hell. 'You take my breath away, Corrine.'

She put a hand over the one he'd pressed to his heart. 'Mike-'

'No, I mean it. Look at you.' Reverently, he reached out and touched the tip of one beaded nipple. She let out a sexy, helpless little sound that nearly did him in. 'I want to drop to my knees and worship you for…' The rest of my life.

'Kiss me, Mike.'

'But…' He wanted to think about this, discuss it.

'Kiss.' As if she'd read his thoughts and had been equally terrified, she hauled him close. 'Just shut up and kiss me.' Making sure he complied, she glued her mouth to his, making love to it with her tongue, sliding in and out in a motion he didn't even try to resist, and within moments they were clinging to each other. He couldn't touch enough of her, and when he tried harder, she lifted a leg to his hip, pressing the heat of her to him, gliding over him until his eyes crossed.

'Okay, we've got to get horizontal,' he decided breathlessly. 'Before we kill each other.' Tipping her to the bed, he crawled up her body, spreading her legs to make a place for himself between them.

Corrine pushed her hips up, meeting his erection more than halfway. Somehow her skirt had gotten shoved up to her waist, leaving only the silky barrier of her panties between them, but the friction of that, along with the helpless but insistent thrust of her hips, nearly did him in.

Nearly. Because while she took his breath, she'd also somehow taken his heart. He wanted to talk, wanted to know what was happening, wanted to know why he suddenly felt as though maybe it was far more than simple, unquenchable heat they were generating right here on this bed. Only she grabbed his ears and pulled his mouth back to hers, keeping it busy while she pumped and rocked her hips against the biggest hard-on he'd ever sported.

'Now,' she demanded, panting. If she could have heard herself, she'd have been horrified, but she couldn't hear, couldn't do anything but feel. Sensation after sensation rocked through her, and she found herself holding on by a thread as his greedy, talented mouth ravaged hers. When they broke apart for air, he slid down her body, opening his lips wide around her nipple, using his tongue and his teeth to exact more dark, needy sounds from her. She watched helplessly as he drove her further toward the edge with just that tongue. Then his big, rough hand worked its way down her belly, beneath the edging of her panties. Lifting his head, he gauged her reaction closely as his finger unerringly located the exact spot designed to drive her to the brink.

She made some unintelligible sound, which turned into a moan when he lightly feathered it with the pad of his thumb. Her every nerve ending throbbed and pulsed and begged for more, but the fact was, she was out of her league. She had no clue, no road map and no guidance. She was parachuting without a damn parachute. 'Wait!'

'I don't think so, not now.' He touched and stroked and mastered her, whipping her into a desperate frenzy. Staring down at her, his eyes were dark with desire. 'You wanted this.' With the finger that had become the center of her universe, he circled her opening, once, twice, making her cry out and move convulsively against his hand. 'Didn't you?'

'Yes,' she gasped, thrashing on the bed. 'Yes, I wanted this!'