His Temptation, Her Secret

“You knew about this place?” she asked, gratefully taking the load off her feet.

Her shoes weren’t particularly fancy, but her feet had been busy all day.

“I’ve been here a few times before.” He sat down beside her on the cool, smooth rock.

The next round of fireworks shot up, three circular bursts, expanding with multicolors across the sky. Then shining streamers crisscrossed, white and purple.

They sat in silence while golden hues morphed into greens and blues.

She glanced at his profile, seeing the light reflected in his eyes. She could still feel his arms around her, the warmth of him, the strength of him. Out on the dance floor she’d been transported back ten years to another dance, another night in TJ’s arms.

He seemed to sense her gaze and turned.

He smiled, and her heart expanded, tightening against the walls of her chest.

Then his smile faded. His eyes darkened, the reflection of the fireworks growing sharper, more distinct.

The bangs and pops grew muffled, the crowd’s reaction fading.

TJ leaned toward her, gradually and in excruciating slow motion.

She held her breath. She closed her eyes. Her senses attuned to him.

Then his lips brushed hers and lights brighter than the fireworks flashed behind her eyes. She gasped, and his kiss deepened.

His hands drew her close. Then his arms went full around her, and he tipped his head, arching her backward with the strength of his kiss.

She hugged him tight, parting her lips, kissing him long and hard and deep. Gravity seemed to disappear, and she felt as if she was floating on the salt air, suspended in bliss.

His warm hand touched the small of her back, finding the strip of skin between her top and her slacks. She smoothed her hands up his chest, reveling in his sculpted muscles. She stroked over his shoulders, down to his bare arm, feathering her fingers beneath his T-shirt sleeve.

He broke the kiss, pulling back and staring, a look of astonishment in his eyes. She expected him to back off, but instead he reached for the hem of her top. He peeled it up slowly. She didn’t stop him. She had no desire to stop him.

He took it off and dropped it to the side, then he stared for long moments at her purple lacy bra. She reached for his shirt and pulled it off, taking in the breadth of his tanned chest.

Then she stripped off her bra and fell back into his arms, pressing her breasts against him, remembering their long-ago lovemaking, inhaling his musky scent and bringing her lips back to his for another searing kiss.

He reached under her thighs, lifting her, placing her straddled across his lap, her slacks taut against her skin, his jeans rough through the thin fabric. His fingers tunneled into her hair, and his kisses deepened.

Then he cupped her breast. She gasped with the intensity of the sensation, reflexively arching against him. Her thighs tightened around him, and her fingers dug into his bare back.

This was what had happened. This was why it had happened.

The fireworks going off behind her had nothing on what was happening between them.

“TJ,” she whispered. “Please.”

He groaned in response.

She reached for the snap of his jeans, releasing it.

But he covered her hand with his, stopping her.

She drew back. What was wrong? What could possibly be wrong?

His eyes were pitch-black. His face was flushed. And his lips were dark red with passion.

“What?” she asked.

He cocked his head sideways to the crowd.

The fireworks banged full volume behind her, and she jumped at the sound. The crowd was behind the boulders, but they weren’t very far away.

“Oh,” she managed to say, grateful and disappointed at the same time.

“And I’m sorry,” he said, handing her clothing back to her. “You didn’t sign up for this.”

She wasn’t a bit sorry. “No, but I—”

“We need to keep it simple.” He shifted from beneath her, then he pulled his shirt back on.

She felt suddenly exposed and dressed quickly.

He came to his feet. “We should go home.”

She agreed. The fireworks were still continuing, but she really didn’t feel like watching anymore.

As they walked, she wanted to ask what keeping it simple meant. From where she was standing, sleeping together would be the simplest thing in the world. They were married after all, and the chemistry between them was still explosive after all these years.

“TJ,” she tried as they came to the car.

“Let’s leave it,” he said, unlocking the doors. “Recriminations aren’t going to help anything.”

Recriminations were the last thing on her mind. She was thinking about what Melissa had said.

“This isn’t anybody’s fault.”

“It’s my fault.” He got into the driver’s seat.