His lips found hers and he groaned. His hand started to wander up under her negligee, caressing her supple thigh.
Over the past several weeks they hadn’t had much time to be intimate. Whenever they got the opportunity to have sex, it tended to be quick. Hot, dirty, and fast. Right now, he wanted to take his time with her. Make love to her slowly. Show her how much he had missed being with her.
Suddenly, she broke the kiss and pulled back. “Not tonight, Dane.” Her words were like cold water. A cold water that scared him badly enough to wonder if he was losing her. Because it was rare for her to not want sex. So rare in fact, he couldn’t remember it ever happening.
“I’m exhausted,” she continued. She rolled over. With her back to him, he couldn’t help wondering if the gulf growing between them was because of him.
Or because of another man.
Chapter 3
She woke up bright and early to say goodbye to Cameron. Allyson knew Dane wouldn’t like it, so she slipped out of their room while he was still asleep. After dashing down to Cameron’s room to say a quick goodbye, she headed back to their room.
Seeing he was still asleep made her exhale a sigh of relief. Guilt coursed through her. She hated going behind Dane’s back like this. Hated keeping a secret from him. When he had discovered her in Cameron’s arms yesterday, he had looked so upset.
Worse, she had rebuffed his advances last night. She really had been too exhausted for sex. But the truth was, she was also distracted. This business with Cameron riddled her with guilt.
Determined to get rid of her jitters, she went into the bathroom to take a warm shower. The hot blast of water soothed her. By the time she stepped back into the bedroom, her nerves had calmed somewhat.
“Good morning.” Dane’s deep voice, gruff from sleep, made her stomach do flips.
He lifted his head from the pillow, his wavy blond hair falling over his eyes. She always marveled at the fact that he managed to look gorgeous even in the morning.
“Morning.” She padded over the plush carpet to plant a kiss on his cheek.
Dane smiled against the pillow. There was something so dangerously masculine, yet vulnerable, about him in the early morning.
“Did you sleep well?” She caressed his stubbled jaw, desire taking hold.
“I’m so jet-lagged I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in weeks,” he murmured.
With a groan, her husband sat up suddenly. Then he sauntered past her and headed into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
“Figures,” she mumbled to herself. Of course, he would walk right by her when he looked so delicious. After she had rejected him last night, she supposed she was getting a little taste of what he had felt.
Body tingling all over, she tried her best to shove aside her desire and get dressed.
“I’m going to have a brief meeting with some of the town officials this morning.” He walked back into the bedroom, his shirt unbuttoned. “Then we can fly out early in the afternoon.”
One glimpse of his hard, muscular chest already had her salivating. “Do you have to meet the town officials right away?”
His eyebrow quirked up. “Why? Do you want me to stay for some reason?”
Beckoning him to her, she said, “Yes.”
A smile played on his lips as he approached her. “Is it a good reason?”
“You tell me.” Wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders, she brushed her lips against his. The contact made her tremble. Longing consumed her.
She knew she had only just put her clothes on, but having her body pinned to his made her want to take them off again. Now. Angling her head to deepen the kiss, Dane’s tongue pried her mouth open. A moan escaped her throat as she invited him in. Melted against him as his strong arms tightened around her waist.
All her doubts started to slip away. She hadn’t been held like this in ages. Hadn’t been kissed this fiercely. Usually their trysts were quick, with how hectic their lives had gotten. But Dane was kissing her like he had all the time in the world. Like he never wanted to leave the room.
With their lips still locked he guided her toward the edge of the bed, and they tumbled down together. Allyson landed on the soft, rumpled flannel sheets. It felt so good to be under the weight of his body.