Love Lessons

He didn’t seem to be in any hurry to move on, but Catherine was rapidly losing patience. Maybe that was his intention—letting her gain enough confidence to assert herself. If that had been his plan, it was definitely working.

She slipped her hands between them and unfastened his belt. He helped her by kicking his slacks aside when she loosened them.

She was still trembling, but it was more from anticipation now than nerves. One gentle push from her was all it took to send him tumbling to the bed; probably because he didn’t try at all to resist.

Their kisses turned hotter, deeper. Their hands moved more frantically. By the time their undergarments joined the other clothing on the carpet, Catherine had long since forgotten her earlier self-consciousness. As it happened, his hard, toned body fit very well against her softer one.

His skin was hot, warmed from the inside. She nestled more snugly against him, soaking up that delicious heat and letting it fuel her own.

No thinking tonight, she reminded herself. No analyzing or second-guessing. This had been building from the morning she had opened her door and found a drop-dead gorgeous man standing on the other side. She hadn’t imagined then that he would be attracted to her in return, or that they would be drawn together despite the odds against them. But she didn’t want to try to resist him any longer; not when this was something she wanted more than her next breath.

And speaking of breath…She was finding it very hard to catch her own as Mike nibbled his way from her earlobe to her shoulder to her collarbone and then lower. Her fingers tangled in his hair, and her legs wrapped themselves around his. If he found any imperfections in her body, he certainly didn’t give any indication. The words he murmured were all appreciative, and so was his expression when he looked at her.

He had brought protection—whether as a matter of habit or because he had anticipated this, she didn’t even want to know. No thinking, she reminded herself again. Better to just be grateful that he had been so well prepared.

He moved over her, bracing himself on his elbows, cupping her face between his hands. “Have I told you how pretty your eyes are?”

She smiled up at him. “They’re just ordinary brown eyes.”

“No. Not ordinary. They’re beautiful. That first day I met you? After I left here, all I could think about for the rest of the day was you.” He dropped a kiss at the corner of her right eye. “Your pretty eyes.”

He brushed his lips across hers. “Your beautiful smile.”

He moved against her, making her arch reflexively beneath him. “Your fantastic body. And that was before I got to know you, and found out how special you are,” he added, resting his forehead against hers.

She placed her hands on his hips, her fingers digging lightly into his flesh. “Mike?”

“Mmm?”

Her voice was a bit strangled. “As much as I appreciate the compliments—could you stop talking now?”

His low laugh had a husky edge to it. “Yes, ma’am,” he said, and then rendered them both speechless with a smooth thrust forward.

Catherine lay with her cheek on Mike’s shoulder, almost idly reflecting on how dramatically one’s life could change in just one evening. How much she had changed.

She would never think about lovemaking the same way, that was for certain. Before tonight, it had always been something she had considered usually pleasant, sometimes awkward, but not particularly important. Though her previous encounters had been few, she’d had no particularly traumatic sexual experiences. Nor had she had any particularly spectacular ones.

Until tonight. Making love with Mike could truly be considered spectacular. And maybe a little traumatic, as well, considering that she wasn’t sure she would ever be satisfied with less from now on.

She wasn’t ready to admit that she had fallen in love with him. After all, she’d known him for only a couple of months, and their time together hadn’t exactly been idyllic. But she was aware that her feelings for him were more than mere attraction, more than simple friendship. She was teetering on the edge, and it wouldn’t take much to push her over. A scary thought. Something told her the landing would be abrupt and ultimately painful.

She felt his lips on her forehead. “You’re being awfully quiet. Are you okay?”

“I’m better than okay,” she said, keeping her tone light. “I feel great, actually.”

“Me, too.” He snuggled her closer and rested his cheek on her hair. “I should probably go, but I’ve got to admit I don’t really want to.”

She should probably encourage him to leave, for several reasons. One of which was the gossip that could ensue if her neighbors realized that Mike had spent the night. And yet she heard herself saying, “I don’t want you to go.”

“I wouldn’t want to make things awkward for you if anyone saw me here.”

“We’re not worrying about anyone outside this apartment tonight, remember? But I’m not particularly worried about what the neighbors say about me. I hardly know them, anyway.” Who was she trying to convince—him or herself? Maybe she’d better not analyze that question too closely.

“I don’t make a habit of this, you know,” he said, sounding suddenly serious. “I haven’t been with any of the other tenants of the complex. You’re special to me, Catherine.”

She was glad to hear that, even though she hadn’t asked. She certainly didn’t want to think of herself as just another notch on his tool belt. Julia probably wouldn’t believe his assurance that Catherine was in any way special to him, but Catherine took him at his word. Julia would accuse her of being naive, of course, but—

She frowned in exasperation. What was she doing thinking about Julia? Hadn’t she just said that they weren’t supposed to worry about anyone else tonight?