“Is that right?”
She saw a flash of his white teeth, and with a rueful shake of his head he rubbed the back of his neck.
“I’m sure you’ll be able to get out and date and forget about the year of your life you lost,” she said lightly, an- noyed with him. “If you don’t succeed in seducing your wife-in-name-only to entertain yourself during the long months. But remember, when you touch, contact is made between two people, not just one. Love is binding.”
“I’ll remember,” he said quietly, and she felt caught in another one of his staring contests, a struggle of wills and silent promises. He reached out suddenly, his arm banding her waist and he pulled her up hard against him, bending his head to take a long, forceful kiss that made her feel on fire with need.
Cal tightened his arms around her, relishing her softness pressed against him, wanting to kiss her until she was moaning and clinging to him, wanting to demolish the re- serve she had, because he suspected she was capable of great passion. Any woman who could throw herself so fully into a game of ball with a bunch of young kids had a zest for life. He was alternately caught between wanting to keep his dis- tance and wanting her. And he felt sorry for her having to settle for a loveless wedding and a celibate wedding night. She was desirable—why hadn’t she dated? Three boys wouldn’t stop a lot of people.
Forgetting his questions, he leaned over her, holding her tightly against his body while he kissed her hard. He knew he was in the danger zone, but a few kisses were too tempt- ing to resist.
His left arm tightened and his right hand drifted around her middle, down over her hip and then up to her breast. Her softness had the opposite effect on him. He was rockhard with wanting her. He cupped her breast, feeling the soft contours, the taut peak that indicated her response.
As he stroked and held her, Juliana trembled and moaned. Going against what her body craved, she opened her eyes and pushed him away. “No. You may not care, but I do. I don’t want to risk my heart, and that could easily happen if I let you make love to me.” With a long, smol- dering look, he dropped his hands to his sides.
They walked up the stairs, and he followed her to her room where she paused at the door to look at him with arched eyebrows. “Your room is down the hall.”
“Just walking you home,” he answered lightly and leaned down to brush her lips with his. He turned and she watched him go down the hall. At the door to his bedroom, he paused to look at her.
Her pulse jumped simply from the eye contact. She hur- ried into her room and closed the door. The wedding dress hung across from her. She moved toward it, pausing in front of the mirror to look at her reflection. You’re a lethal threat to my bachelor life. His words echoed in her mind. How could she be so dangerous to him? Her lips were red from his kisses and she touched her mouth lightly, remembering how it felt being held in his arms. One year—would she be com- pletely, madly in love with him by the end of the time? Or a whole lot sooner?
The next morning as she brushed her hair, she heard a commotion in the hall. She hurried to open her door to find Quin holding Snookums and Josh trying to get the cat away from him. Juliana started toward them.
“Let me have him! You can’t keep him all the time!” Josh yelled.
“Hey, guys,” Cal said, emerging from his room that was at the far end of their bedrooms. He was wearing jeans and was barefoot and bare-chested, his jaw half-covered with shaving cream. “What’s the problem?” he said, reaching the boys first.
She stopped, momentarily forgetting the squabble, not hearing their arguments as she looked at the handsome man she had married. As he stood before her with shaving cream on his face, there was an intimacy to the moment that held her riveted.
“I get him now. Quin can’t have him all the time,” Josh yelled.
“Right now, he looks happy in Quin’s possession,” Cal answered easily. “Tell you what, you come with me while I shave and we’ll talk about who gets Snooks and when. Okay?” he asked, leaning down to look Josh in the eye.
Chewing his lip and appearing torn between wanting the cat and obeying Cal’s request, Josh shrugged. He looked up at Cal’s face and touched the shaving cream. “I remember Daddy shaving.”
“Do you? Well, you come watch me. Quin, you put Snooks where he’s comfortable.”
“Yes, sir,” Quin said and gave Cal a hint of a smile as he turned and dashed into his room, closing the door behind him. Cal glanced at Juliana and winked.
“Good morning.”
“Morning. Thanks,” she hoped she said, her gaze flicking over his broad, muscular chest, the mat of dark hair splashed across it. She didn’t know whether she was blessed or cursed that Elnora had picked for her such a fine speci- men of a male.
“Anytime. C’mon, Josh.” They disappeared into Cal’s room and Juliana returned to hers, thinking that for a man who wanted a solitary life, he was very good with the chil- dren. She stopped in her tracks. Careful. He could seduce her just as swiftly through the boys as with his sexy charm and hot kisses. Just because the man might be daddy ma- terial for a few months, it didn’t mean he would
