But all his plans came to naught.
The rain started the moment they pulled up to the dock beside Peter’s houseboat on Thursday evening. It took them only twenty minutes to unpack and explore the craft.
They quickly discovered there was no television, which left them with nothing to do but gaze into each other’s eyes.
A bad, bad thing.
Because gazing into those incredible indigo depths made Gage ached to take her to bed on the spot.
Janet seemed as nervous as he felt, circling the houseboat repeatedly. She snapped on the staticky radio, then turned it right back off again. She drummed her fingernails on the kitchen cabinet, then inhaled deeply and glanced over at him.
“Well, here we are.”
“Yeah.”
She peered out the picture window that would have given a beautiful view of the lake if not for the downpour. “It’s raining harder.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s hope it lets up by tomorrow,” she said.
“I’m sure it will.”
He was so aware of her. The delicious scent of her cologne filled his nostrils. The way she threaded her fingers through her hair drove spikes of desire clean through him. The manner in which she kept slanting him furtive glances made him yearn to take her into his arms and satisfy the lurking question in her eyes.
He stepped across the kitchen toward her.
She hovered in the doorway, an uncertain expression on her face. “Gage, I...”
He was standing so close he could smell her shampoo. “Yes?” He hadn’t meant to growl in a low, sexy tone; it just came out that way.
The next thing he knew, she forcefully took his face in both her hands and kissed him.
Oh, how she kissed him. As if she wanted so much more than kisses.
After a moment, he pulled back, gasping raggedly and gaping at her in disbelief. “Janet, I don’t want you to think that just because we’re isolated here together for three days that this has to lead to anything.”
“Shut up,” she said, “and kiss me.”
So kiss her he did. He was not one to refuse a lady’s heartfelt request.
Janet was like a woman possessed. She wanted him. Had to have him. And she had no idea where this unbridled passion sprang come from.
Oh, this...this loss of control was what she’d feared from the moment she had learned they would share an office together.
Lust, lust, lust, lust, lust, impish voice cried. What a wonderful force of nature it is.
Her entire body tingled with shivery awareness. Her mind was numb as all blood supply was being used to support her sweating palms and her pounding heart and her heavy loins.
Is this smart? Is this prudent? rational voice protested.
Ignore her. Surrender to the moment.
Gage pulled back again. “Janet,” he croaked, “what are you doing?”
“What does it feel like I’m doing?”
“Are you sure?” He looked both startled and pleased.
“Gage, I want you and I think you want me. No big deal, right?”
“Honey, I do want you. So badly I can taste it, but this is an enormous deal for me.”
“Really?” She blinked. She was kind of surprised. She figured Gage had had lots of sexual encounters and she’d just supposed he took them rather lightly.
“Really.”
Lightning flashed. Thunder rolled. Now was the time to back out.
Helplessly, she traced a finger down his jaw. He had done so much for her. He’d helped her to lighten up, to take herself and life less seriously. She wanted to be near him. She wanted him to stroke her hair, to kiss her lips again.
Who was she kidding? She wanted him to do a lot more than that. Did such blatant desires make her weak?
Surreptitiously, she watched him. His face was tense, worried even. Not at all his usual confident, carefree self. She’d misjudged him from the start, thinking him superficial, but she’d discovered he was a man who cared deeply about people. And he cared enough about her to pretend to be her fiancé, even when he’d known the complications that would ensue.
Her heart swelled to bursting. No man had ever made such sacrifices for her.
Doubt clouded her thinking. Was he simply Dudley Do-Right, determined to untie Nell from the railroad tracks and thwart Snidely Whiplash? After they made love would he flash Nell a glistening white smile, climb aboard his trusty steed, and gallop away into the mountains? Was that why he wanted her to be sure? Or would he swing Nell into his arms and kiss her within an inch of her life and tell her just how special she was to him? Honestly, which scenario was the most frightening?
Frankly, happily ever after scared her much more than a three-night stand.
Stop thinking, impish voice said. Stop thinking and just go with the flow. Feel.
Feel. Ah, yes. Luxuriate in the sensation of Gage’s tongue strumming ribbons of pleasure throughout her body. Every touch was magical, sparking fires of awareness deep inside her soul.
“I’m so hungry for you,” she whimpered when he stopped kissing her for a moment to catch his breath. Her fingers fiddled with the buttons on his shirt.
“Babe, I’m starved for you. Famished, malnourished, underfed.” He threaded his fingers through her hair, cupping the back of her head in his palm. His brown eyes glistened with a searing heat so powerful, Janet gasped and placed a hand to her stomach.
“More,” she whimpered. “More.”
He eagerly complied.
Flesh fused with flesh. Tongues danced. Strong hands skimmed down the curve of her spine, setting her neuro sensors ablaze as his fingers burned a trail to her waist, then lower still to knead her buttocks gently.
She could feel his erection throbbing through the denim of his white shorts, straining hard against the zipper.
He groaned. She moaned.
They never made it to the bedroom.
When impish voice broke through and shouted right out loud, “Make love to me, Gage, right here,” he lowered her to the floor, and they clung together in a mad frenzy of need.
Clothing flew across the room. Shoes bounced off the wall. Thunder shook the houseboat, but they
