Her Sexiest Mistake

her bare skin would be even warmer, and taste like heaven. 'Maybe we should set some ground rules first,' he said.

She blinked once, slow as an owl. The warm beat of desire pulsed between them along with the storm. 'Like?'

'Like…' God, she smelled amazing. Something exotic, sensual. And she looked good enough to eat right then and there. 'Like no-'

She slid past him, making sure to glide that glorious body of hers all over his as she did. 'No… what?' she murmured, spinning to face him in his own kitchen, a daring, tough, cocky, miserable light in her eyes he figured he knew all too well.

She'd had a rough day, she was hurting, and she needed oblivion.

Him.

Damn it. 'No-oomph-' was all he managed as she obliterated the rules by wrapping herself around him and kissing him-and not a hello-sweetheart kind of kiss, either, but a deep, wet, hot one-and only when air was required did she pull back. 'You were saying?'

'Yeah.' He cleared his throat. 'Um… no more of that, for one thing. And no touching, either. And especially no fu-'

She lifted a condom out of her pocket, brandishing it like a trophy as she shimmied out of her sundress, answering his question of what she wore beneath it.

Just a set of high-heeled sandals and bright pink toenail polish. He took in her taut, tan skin, smooth limbs, high, full breasts. Between her legs, she was freshly waxed.

Kevin heard the rough groan leave his throat, and he slammed shut his eyes. 'Put that dress back on.'

'Why?'

'Because we're not doing this. Damn it, we're not.'

'How about next time we don't.'

'Mia-'

'You want me.'

He supposed she was referring to the hard-on currently straining his jeans. 'I want a lot of things. To play for the Lakers, a Bahamas cruise, world peace-'

'Me,' she said. 'You want me.'

'Maybe I'd like to get to know you first.'

She put her hands on her hips as if this was the stupidest thing she'd ever heard. 'What?'

'You heard me. Favorite color, obnoxious siblings, high school… I'd like to hear it.'

Still naked, she stared at him. 'You have got to be joking.'

'Nope. Talk to me.'

'You want to talk? Right now?' She spread out her arms. 'While I'm naked?'

'I want to know you, Mia. You.'

She looked at him as if he'd grown a second head, and for some odd reason this got to him. Had no one ever said such a thing to her before? Had no one ever worked their way beneath her tough-as-shit exterior? And who was under there anyway? He knew she worked hard, that she'd let Hope stay to be kind, that she had a Southern accent when she was upset. But he wanted more.

'You really want me to talk to you,' she repeated, sounding stunned.

'Yes.'

'And if I talk, you'll get naked?'

'Talk, and we'll see.'

She narrowed her eyes but didn't get dressed. 'Okay. I'm… a Leo.'

'Big surprise,' he murmured, trying not to swallow his tongue at how magnificent she was, standing there.

She actually laughed, telling him she did have a sense of humor to go with all that sharp wit. 'Yeah. Um… what else?'

'You tell me.'

She shook her head, still baffled. 'Uh… I like big, open, clean spaces.'

'What don't you like?'

'Talking when I could be having sex.'

Now he laughed. 'Tell me something about your past.'

She looked down at her nude body and shook her head again, displaying disbelief that he wasn't ravishing her. 'I went to UCLA-'

'Before UCLA. Tell me about your parents. Your childhood.'

Her face closed up. 'I didn't come here for that.'

No kidding. He raced for something to say rather than reach for her. 'How do you even know we're alone?'

'Because your brother took out Tess. And I'll tell you right now, Ace.' She pointed a finger in his face, utterly unconcerned with her nudity. 'He'd better not mess with her head. She's sweet and warm and nice. Special. She falls easily and hard, and she's been hurt. There. Now I've talked.' She slapped the condom on the counter, slid a hand around the nape of his neck, and pulled him down for another brain-destroying kiss, which he returned. God, the feel of her bared body against his clothed one. Why was he wearing clothes? 'Mmm' rumbled helplessly from his chest as she spread hot open-mouthed kisses along his throat, across a pec, a nipple, which she licked, then bit.

God. He entangled his fingers in her hair. 'Wait,' he managed.

' 'Wait' isn't in my vocabulary.' She dropped to her knees and put her mouth low on his belly while tugging on the buttons of his Levi's.

'Mia-'

Pop, pop. 'Right here,' she said and yanked down his jeans, leaving him dangling in the wind, so to speak. Because his knees were wobbling, he sank to them, not easy with his jeans hampering his descent. She reached for his erection.

'Stop.'

'Damn it.'

'Yeah, you know that word,' he said grimly, and panting a little, he put his forehead to hers.

'I know you want me,' she said, the proof in her hands.

'Yeah- Jesus,' he choked out when she stroked him slow and long, exactly the way she'd already learned he liked it. 'I need you to listen.'

Obediently she tipped back her head and looked into his eyes.

He cupped her face. 'Really listen.'

'Go.'

'I don't want another quick tumble on the floor. I want a bed. I want you to stay afterward.'

'What, and cuddle?' Her laugh might have cut into him, but his brain wasn't functioning much with her hands working their magic.

'Nothing wrong with taking our time.'

'I don't have time.' Before he could so much as draw a trembly breath, she'd pulled them both upright, covered him with the condom, and hopped up to the counter.

'Come on home, big guy,' she murmured and pulled him in.

And as always, when he sank into her body and hugged her close, he did feel like he'd come home.

Only in the dim recesses of his mind, as he began to move within her, he knew he was the only one who felt