Her tongue played over his, as aggressively stroking his mouth as his stroked hers. Her hips moved against him and her soft moans made him shake. He slid his hand along her slender throat, down over her T-shirt, feeling her full breast, the taut bud. He slipped his hand beneath the shirt, listen- ing to her gasp. The moment he cupped the soft weight of her breast in his hand, she arched against him, crying with need, her fingers biting into his shoulder.
His hard length was between them and every shift of her hips against him made him ache with need for release. He pushed up the T-shirt and shoved aside the scrap of lace, cupping her breast and taking her nipple into his mouth to flick his tongue over the rosy peak.
Juliana cried softly as pleasure streaked through her. She remembered her resolutions about him, finally wriggling away, pushing against his chest and sitting up on his lap while she gasped for breath. She turned to look at him, framing his face with her hands. “I can’t take an affair. I was hurt badly before and I don’t want to go through that again. When the year is up, you’ll leave us.” She stopped, waiting to see if he would deny it. Seconds ticked past and she knew his answer. “I can’t do this,” she whispered and started to move away.
His arms tightened around her, holding her on his lap. “What are we hurting? A few kisses won’t do anything,” Cal said and she stared at him.
“A few of your kisses can do plenty,” she answered breathlessly and saw his eyes narrow. “No. I won’t be drawn into an affair. If you’re leaving us at the end of the year, then we have to keep distance between us until the moment we part. I have to!”
Cal suspected that if he wrapped his arms around her and ignored her arguments for one full minute, he could get her to toss them aside. But she was right and he knew it. He wanted her, but only temporarily. He didn’t want a lasting marriage with an instant family. And when she learned the truth about him, she might not want to be married, either. Andrea had broken their engagement the moment he con- fessed the truth to her and he always said he would never make himself vulnerable to that kind of hurt again.
So a future together was hopelessly impossible, but why not take what joy they could?
“Okay,” he said quietly, trailing his fingers over her nape and hearing her intake of breath. “No affair, but kisses and a few caresses won’t hurt. Surely you don’t want—” he leaned forward to pull her to him to kiss her throat “—to go a whole year without being kissed, do you?”
Juliana felt besieged as he trailed kisses along her throat and pulled her down against his shoulder. “Kisses lead to affairs,” she whispered.
“Ours won’t,” he answered as his mouth covered hers and prevented her from replying.
Anger flared that he was riding roughshod over her ar- guments. Then her resistance melted in his hot kisses that she couldn’t, and didn’t, want to stop.
In minutes, she pushed away and stood. “You’re a per- sistent, enticing threat to my well-being. I’m going up to bed.”
He got to his feet and placed his hand on her hip, his touch so light, yet it held her and kept her from going in- side. “It’s only kisses. Relax and enjoy life, the way you do out there playing ball.”
He draped his arm across her shoulders and they headed for the kitchen. He locked the door and they moved through the house in silence.
Juliana was aware of him at her side, her nerves taut, need burning fiercely in her, a need that she wanted to bank and smother. His kisses were waking her, storming her senses and warping her judgment. They paused in front of her bedroom door.
“I’m not inviting you inside. Good night, Cal.”
He tilted up her face and brushed her mouth lightly with a kiss and then walked away down the darkened hall.
She watched him, her lips still tingling, her body aching with longing, and she knew that all the reminders for cau- tion probably were futile. She was in close daily contact with him, living under the same roof; there was no way to stop Cal from becoming important in her life. And maybe he wasn’t quite as invincible and solitary as he imagined.
She entered her room and closed the door, realizing that not only was she going to be unable to avoid falling in love with him, she might have already started losing her heart.
Eight
Juliana stopped back at the house during work the next day to pick up a briefcase she had forgotten that morning. Mimi was at Green Oaks for the day to visit with the boys, and Juliana stood talking to her in the doorway of the family room.
“The boys seem happier than anytime since they lost their parents, Juliana,” she said. “Even little Quinton is a bit more communicative.”
“I hear him talking to Snookums often. He hasn’t warmed up to Cal yet, but Josh and Chris have. Cal’s a wonderful influence on them.”
“And on you. You’re glowing.”
Juliana felt her face flush. “I don’t think it’s because of Cal. There are other reasons to glow now.”
“I know he’s good for you,” Mimi said. “You be good to him, Juliana.”
Juliana laughed. “I don’t think you need to worry about Cal Duncan’s welfare.”
“Gladys told me how Elnora worried about him being so alone. Elnora was the perfect matchmaker. This is a match made in heaven.”
“It’s hardly that. It was made in a lawyer’s office with a bundle of money.”
Just then, Gladys appeared, bringing a tray with hot tea. Mimi smiled at Gladys. “Thank you. Isn’t this a marriage
