Simply Sinful (Simply 1)

He tangled his fingers in the long strands of her hair. “I should have known.”

She yawned. The vibration caused his body to come alive. “Why’s that?” she asked.

“Because, like that duckling, you turned into a beautiful swan.”

She shook her head.

“Yes.” He rolled onto his side so he could face her, then cupped her cheek in his hand. “You’re beautiful.”

“No, I’m…”

“Yes, you are. Now say, ‘Thank you, Kane.’”

Even in the muted light, he could see the blush stain her cheeks. “Thank you, Kane.”

He grinned. “Call that lesson number one on how to accept a compliment.”

“I didn’t know I needed lessons.”

She did. Desperately. She’d made progress since they’d met, but she wasn’t there yet. Maybe one day she’d stop fumbling over the subject of her looks or her body. But he wouldn’t be around to see it…which meant someone else would.

Was that what he was doing? Kane wondered. Priming her for the day when the right guy came along? That was a thought worth blocking out, and he knew just how to accomplish his goal.

Leaning over, he brushed a kiss over her lips. He wanted to tune out his thoughts and black out the future. He wanted a harsh, demanding kiss that wouldn’t let him think or feel. Unfortunately for him, Kayla wasn’t cooperating.

She was kissing him, but setting her own pace and speed. The control issue had returned and it was all hers. Light kisses on his mouth and delicate whispers of her tongue over his lips let her tease, play, and arouse. But worse, gave him time to think. About how much he wanted her, desired her, and how great his need for this woman always seemed to be.

Her hands splayed against his chest. The warmth of her fingertips penetrated his skin. Heat of a different kind pounded inside him, insistent, demanding release.

“Kane.” Her lips moved against his.

He traced the line of her jaw with his tongue, ending by tugging on her delicate earlobe with his teeth.

She moaned aloud and her fingertips curled into his chest. “Kane, no.”

“No?”

“No.”

Kayla lay back against her pillow, out of breath and obviously out of her mind. What other explanation could there be for stopping him, when she wanted him inside her more than she wanted her next breath?

She could deal with not sleeping with him because she couldn’t handle the regret he would feel afterward, once he’d given in to emotion and lost his focus once more.

He exhaled a groan and rolled over to lie beside her. His muscular leg straddled hers, and through the cotton briefs, his rock-hard arousal pressed hot and heavy against her thigh.

Her stomach muscles clenched with desire while the dampness between her legs begged her to reconsider. She couldn’t. She had too much respect for him to change her mind.

“You said you wanted to keep your distance.” She used his own words as a deliberate barrier between them. She hadn’t meant to p

lay the role of a tease; rather, she was gambling for her future.

“Guess I changed my mind.”

“Your hormones did. Your mind, your heart…” She tapped lightly against his chest. “Those things haven’t changed.”

He let out a harsh groan. “Can’t argue with reason,” he muttered.

“Guess not.”. Though she’d wanted him to do just that.