Jinxed!

“Oh, brother. You’re worse than I thought.”

He opened his eyes and looked at the wall behind her. “That’s not fair. My office was redone during the renovations.”

“Uh-huh. And when was it finished?”

“Three weeks ago.”

“Three weeks is a long time not to notice something that’s right under your nose, or in this case, hanging right over your head. I rest my case.”

“Give me another chance.”

She blew out a sigh and closed her eyes. “Fine. What color are my eyes?”

Without hesitation he said, “Golden-brown. Like caramel. With little flecks of gold. The irises are surrounded by a dark ring that looks like melted chocolate.”

Lacey’s lids popped open and she found him looking at her intently. “You seem surprised,” he said.

“I am. Stunned actually. I didn’t think-”

“I’d noticed? Believe me, I’ve noticed. Maybe I’m not the soulless clone you think I am.”

“Maybe not. But you’re still a rigid rule follower. And way too prim and proper for me.”

“You think I’m rigid? Prim? Proper?”

“Yes, I do.”

“You say that to a man with whom you shared wild sex against a coffee-house counter?”

“One bout of wild sex that we both agreed was the result of temporary insanity isn’t enough to change my opinion.”

“I see. So then you say that to a pirate who used a knife to cut off the dozens of tiny buttons running down the front of your gown?” He reached out and traced a single fingertip down the front of her shirt, slowly circling each button, halting her breath…and hardening her nipples. “A pirate who made love to you until you were too exhausted to move?”

She had to swallow twice to find her voice. “That was just a dream.”

“And a helluva good one.”

“Can’t argue with that.”

“Your assertion that I’m too proper…you realize it challenges me to prove you wrong.”

His words, spoken in that husky voice, the way he was looking at her, as if he wanted to devour her, ignited fire in her veins. She could feel her pulse throbbing everywhere. In her temples. At the base of her throat. Between her legs.

“Well, even if my assertion is incorrect, that still doesn’t mean us spending time together is a good idea. After all, you said I wasn’t your type.”

“I think it’s probably more accurate to say that based on the wrong way we’ve rubbed each other since almost the minute we met, I wouldn’t have believed us compatible in any way. But there was nothing wrong with the way we rubbed each other Saturday night.” As if to prove his point, he stepped forward and lightly brushed his pelvis against hers, shooting sparks to her every nerve ending.

“Uh, no,” she murmured. “There was nothing wrong with that.”

He studied her for several heartbeats, his blue eyes breathing fire. “Since we’ve both said we’re tired of games, I’ll throw out the unvarnished truth-I know you said we needed to forget what happened between us Saturday night. And believe me, I’ve tried. But I can’t. I’ve tried to stay away from you, but I simply don’t want to. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you, even when I managed to fall asleep. And there is nothing prim or proper about the things I want to do to you.”

A dark thrill she couldn’t name rippled through Lacey. And based on his honesty, she couldn’t give him anything other than the same consideration in return. “I could waste a lot of time repeating everything you just said or I could sum it up in five words: that makes two of us.” She slid her palms up his chest and over his shoulders to link her fingers at his nape. “And I’m tired of wasting time. Here’s my unvarnished truth-I’ve been dying to get my hands on you again.”

With a groan, he pulled her against him. “Me, too. My hands, my mouth…all of me on all of you.”

“That sounds perfect. And, um, now would be fine with me.” She settled herself more firmly against him and a combination of impatience and anticipation sizzled through her at the intimate press of his erection against her belly. “Right now.”

8

RIGHT NOW…

Lacey’s words reverberated through Evan’s mind, snapping the thin thread he’d managed to retain on his control. Desperate to taste her, his mouth came down on hers, demanding and insistent, and her lips parted, dragging a groan of relief from his throat. Finally…finally, she was in his arms again.

Clearly, whatever had gripped them Saturday night wasn’t a fluke. She was as impatient to touch him as he was to touch her because she yanked his T-shirt from his jeans and coasted her hands up his back. Pleasure shuddered through him, but it wasn’t enough. He needed them skin to skin.

“Hold on,” he ground out. Her arms tightened around him, and cupping his hands around her buttocks, he lifted her. “Wanna see if a desk works just as well as a counter?”

“God, yes.”

He stepped between her legs, spreading them wide, and rolled his hips against her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he leaned forward to press his lips against the base of her throat.

“You smell so damn good,” he muttered against her fragrant skin while his fingers made quick work of the buttons on her shirt. He ran his tongue down the side of her neck in a long, slow lick, absorbing the shudder that ran through her. “Taste so damn good. Like sugar and flowers.”

She tipped back her head, affording him better access to her soft skin. When he’d flicked the last shirt button free, he skimmed his hands inside the white cotton and filled his palms with her lace-covered breasts. He kissed his way down her chest and circled his tongue around her already hard nipple, then drew the peak into his mouth.

Gasping, she slapped her hands on the desk and arched her back, offering more of herself, an invitation he instantly accepted. The rational part of his mind commanded that he not rush this time, that he savor her, but between his own raging need and her impatience, his body wasn’t listening. He skimmed her shirt down her arms then dropped the garment to the floor. Seconds later her bra joined her shirt, baring her generous breasts to his avid gaze.

“Beautiful,” he said, his voice a husky rasp, watching her eyes darken with arousal as he rolled her tight nipples between his fingers.

“No fair,” she murmured, reaching for his shirt. “You have on more clothes than I do.” She tugged his shirt upward and seconds later, it topped the growing pile on the floor.

She ran her hands over his chest, then down his abdomen. His muscles jumped with jolts of pleasure everywhere she touched him, and with a groan he kissed her again, feeling like a starving man who’d just been given a feast.

Forcing himself not to rush, he flicked open the button on her black pants, then slowly lowered the zipper. When he slipped his hand inside her panties, they both groaned.

“You’re already wet.” His fingers glided over her slick flesh, and the musky scent of her arousal filled his head, tightening his groin. He circled her opening, then slipped two fingers inside her. “And so damn hot.”

She gasped and threw back her head. “I’ve been this way. Hot and aroused. Since Saturday night. All your fault.”

“Hot and aroused…glad to find out it wasn’t just me.”

“Really glad to find out it wasn’t just me.” She leaned farther back and pressed herself against his hand while his fingers slowly pumped in her wet heat. “I’m not going to last very long if you keep that up.”

He eased a third finger inside her and leaned forward to tease a plump nipple with the tip of his tongue. “Good. Let’s see how fast you can come.”