Tangled by Temptation (Doms of Destiny, Colorado 7)

“It’s breathtaking.” She could see the whole town. “It looks so small from here.” She could make out O’Leary Global and TBK tower.

“This is my favorite spot in the world. Since I was a kid, I would come here and stare at the entire valley. It made me appreciate all that I had. My family. My friends. No matter how big my problems were, up here I knew they were small and that I could overcome them.”

Her heart began to break. “Not all problems are fixable, Shane.”

Belle felt too much for him. She wanted everything he was offering—a chance at moving things to the next level. If only she had a different body, one that wasn’t damaged, one that could bring life into the world. But she didn’t.

He pulled her in close. “I know you’ve been through so much, Belle. You and Amber were young when your parents died. That’s got to be hard on anyone no matter how old they are, but as teenagers it must?

?ve been devastating. You’ve never given up. Don’t start now.”

Belle realized that Shane must’ve sensed what she meant to do today. “There’s more about me than you know. It’s just—”

He placed his finger to her lips. “Look how big these mountains are. They’ve been here long before any of us and they will be here long after. They don’t worry. They just keep on. That’s what you do. I’ve seen how you are with those boys, especially Juan. You’re their angel, sweetheart, straight from heaven. The light that appears on those kids’ faces whenever you are near is something to behold. Can’t you see what you do to me? I’m a different man because of you, Belle. You know my story. Three years in the pen working undercover for the government. It changed me. I stopped believing in the goodness of most people. The only thing I clung to was my family, my town, my home. Everything else I pushed away. I didn’t want more. My work became my only purpose. But you came into my life and changed me. I want more. I want a future. I want you.”

“This is too fast, Shane.” I can’t do this. I just can’t.

“I care about you, Belle, and I can tell you feel something for me, too.” Shane pulled her in tight, locking his eyes on hers. “If you want to go slow, then I will go slow, but I just needed you to know how I feel.”

“I don’t want to go slow, Shane. I want to go fast. I want all of it, but—”

He silenced her with another kiss, this one deeper and more passionate. His tongue traced her lips and she sighed into him, loving the feel of his mouth on hers.

Shane tasted like the future, like hope, like the promise of something that could last. With every fiber of her being, she wanted that, wanted to remain by his and Corey’s sides, wanted to dream the impossible. She’d tried to lead with her head but her heart had taken over.

She molded her body into his and he continued kissing her into a state of warmth. She felt him cup her breasts, massaging them so gently through the fabric of her top.

Her lips throbbed and her heart began to race. Panting, she felt her need expand inside her.

“Oh, Belle, I won’t ever let you go.” He slipped his hands inside her sweater and unfastened her bra.

As his manly lips moved to her shoulder, she felt her temperature rise. The pressure inside her grew and grew.

“I want you, baby. I want all of you.”

God, help me, I’m leading with my heart.

She reached up, locking her hands around his neck. “I want you, too, Shane. More than anything, I want you.”

This was the first time she was going to be intimate with him. She’d been dreaming about it for some time, ever since their first date. But it also must be the last time. She couldn’t let herself fall even deeper than she already had.

One time. That’s all.

No matter what, it was going to hurt like hell. Shane had shared his feelings for her. She knew it was going to hurt him, too, but better now than later. He deserved a woman who could give him children. He was going to make a wonderful dad one day.

Continuing to ravage her mouth, Shane removed her sweater and bra. His hands moved over her breasts, raising her desires to a maddening level, quieting her mind. His flesh touching her exposed skin increased the pressure growing in her body.

“Baby, your breasts are so soft and beautiful.” He bent down and feathered his lips over her nipples, causing them to tingle and ache.

“Oh my God, I love your touches, Shane. You’re making me burn.” She unbuttoned his shirt and slid it off his shoulders. “You’ve got a beautiful chest, too, Mr. Blue.”

He laughed. “Want to touch it? Be my guest, baby.”

She grinned and ran her fingers over his muscled pecs, circling his nipples. Kissing, their hands roamed, discovering every inch of each other through touch. She felt a tingle spread from her belly throughout her body until her pussy began to dampen.

She panted, feeling lost to her thirst. “More.”

“You took the word right out of my mouth, angel.” Shane unfastened the button of her jeans. Slowly, he unzipped them. “God, your scent is so sweet.”