Second-Time Lucky. Laurie Paige
bothering you?” he asked, his voice going deep and husky as the internal hunger increased.
“Zia.”
“Kids and parents often have differences.”
She nodded against his shoulder and sighed again. Her breath softly penetrated his shirt, bringing a flush to his skin and yearning throughout his body. He wanted to search that full, mobile mouth with his own, to find the sweetness he instinctively knew was there, waiting for him to taste.
Everything about her shouted woman to his starved senses. He shook his head slightly. Damn, but he must be on the verge of stark raving lunacy.
“Uh, Mrs. Peters…Caileen,” he began, then stopped, not knowing where to go from there.
She tilted her head back again to gaze at him.
The movement cut right through the tether he’d managed to rope around his personal needs over the past months. He grabbed at the fraying ends of his control, but it was no use. Without thinking further, he bent his head and kissed her…and kissed her…and kissed her…
The touch of their lips, the pressure of their bodies against each other and the sheer pleasure in the embrace hit him on several levels at once. Excitement buzzed through his head, making his mind hazy, yet an odd sense of contentment settled like a blanket around his shoulders, shutting out the wintry chill of loneliness he hadn’t known he had.
As he’d suspected—she was a tempting woman.
Caileen wasn’t sure why she wasn’t pulling back in shock and indignation at their mutual passion.
The feelings flooding through her combined bliss with anticipation, warmth with contentment and an excitement she hadn’t experienced in a long time, nothing even close to shock and indignation.
“Ages,” she murmured when his lips moved from her mouth to her ear, then down her jaw and to her throat. “It’s been ages since I’ve felt this.”
“Me, too,” he admitted in a low growly tone that sent ripples along every nerve.
He stroked her back with gentle, soothing caresses, his touch at once tender and passionate and masterful. His eyes were dark and sexy and inviting. She wanted to dive right into those exciting depths and never come up.
“This is so odd,” she told him. “It isn’t like me at all.” She sounded very uncertain. It occurred to her that maybe this moment was more closely linked to her true self than any other occurrence during the past few years.
Cupping her face in his hands, he peered into her eyes. “What are you like?” he asked.
“I’m very serious,” she explained. “I consider every aspect of a situation. I—I don’t go off the deep end like this. I’m not sure what we’re doing…”
His chuckle was wry, as if he laughed at all human foibles, not just theirs. “Comforting each other, I think.”
Put that way, it didn’t sound so awful. Everyone could use a little compassion at times.
She inhaled sharply when his lips sought hers again. She felt his tongue sweep over her lips and opened her mouth so they could explore each other more thoroughly.
It was the nicest sensation, a soft, moist coming together that seemed just right for this moment in time…a time out of time, really.
When she raised her arm to stroke his chest through the smooth cotton of his shirt, he shifted them so that he leaned into the corner of the sofa and she rested across his lap. The change in position gave them more intimate access to each other. She liked that.
As they kissed, she explored the breadth of his shoulders and the strength of his biceps. When she caressed along his torso, his muscles tensed so that she felt the ripple effect of his toned abs.
“You’re strong,” she said when they came up for breath, as if she’d just discovered this enchanting fact.
“It’s my work,” he murmured, placing tiny kisses all over her face. “And the sculptures. They’re heavy.”
“They’re lovely.” She kissed the heavily beating pulse in his throat. “I saw the statue of the maiden and the swan you made for the fountain in town. It was beautiful.”
“Leda and the Swan, from Greek mythology. Did you know the swan was Zeus in disguise?”
“No.”
“He changed form so he could seduce her.”
Caileen drew back enough to gaze into his eyes. “Is that what you’re doing to me?”
He shook his head, his gaze lambent, his smile oddly gentle. “I wouldn’t try to trick a woman.”
“Ah, an honest man.”
“I hope so.” His manner was rueful.
His voice dropped an octave, becoming deep and riveting with a rich sexual nuance. With something like shock, and yet she wasn’t altogether surprised, she responded to him with a need so strong she wondered why she hadn’t been aware of it in the past.
Because she hadn’t met this man before now?
A shaky sigh escaped her as she gave herself to the passion and the moment, knowing this was insane, knowing tomorrow would bring regret—knowing and not caring.
Jeff forced himself from the honey of her mouth and gazed into her eyes. The irises were huge, indicative of the passion that raged between them. He knew his were the same.
He also knew she wasn’t ready to follow the desire to its logical conclusion. He wasn’t sure he was, either. To get involved with the person who had ultimate control over his life with the children was just plain stupid.
Reluctantly he let the blood cool between them until they could both think clearly once more. When she sat up, her manner reflected the confusion and dismay she felt at their indiscretion.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m so very sorry…”
He forced a smile. “I think that’s where we were when this all started.”
She nodded, her eyes wide and serious, as if she were in shock that she could have acted so wantonly. For some reason, that made him angry.
“Don’t worry about it,” he advised. “Even the coolest head can become overheated in the right circumstances.”
“I’m not supposed to lose control,” she said. “I’m supposed to take charge.”
He rose, figuring he’d outstayed his welcome by a wide margin. “Look, this wasn’t a very good start to what promises to be a long relationship. Call it an aberration of the moment. Anyway, let’s put it behind us. Okay?”
She had to think this over for a long time, it seemed to him. “Yes. You’re right,” she said. “It was my fault. I’ve been worried…. But that isn’t your problem.” She shook her head slightly as if getting her mind on track once more. “Let me get those books.”
He was almost angry again at her evident relief at getting back to business. She hurried over to a tall bookcase and removed three volumes. “Has Krista read any of the Anne of Green Gables books?”
“I don’t know.”
“Oh. Well, try these. I’ll write down some titles next week. You can take her to the library and get her a card so she can check them out on her own. That would be a good thing—”
She stopped abruptly. Her eyes went to the sofa behind him. He wondered if she was thinking their kisses had been a good thing. As far as he was concerned, they had been.
Damn good. And damn stupid on his part.
It was obvious by the way she wouldn’t quite meet his eyes that she felt the same. He heaved a weary sigh and bid her good night.