That was a dangerous thought.
She’d been important enough for him to come back here and try again, but he hadn’t understood how important until this very moment.
* * *
ALYSSE WASN’T SURPRISED when Jay followed her home from the beach. The evening had turned out differently than she’d anticipated. She’d thought that Jay wouldn’t be so comfortable so quickly even once she’d introduced him. But after the initial hesitancy on his part, Jay had really made an effort. It hadn’t been easy and luckily Paulo’s military experience had made Jay feel right at home. But that had only underscored to Alysse the difference in the two men. Despite his time in the military Paulo was open and gregarious. He was affectionate and doted on Frida and seeing them together made Alysse long for something that she suspected she’d never have with Jay.
She was honest enough to admit that she knew that inviting him into her house and her bed tonight would be a mistake. But it had been a long day, full of ups and downs, and she wasn’t ready to deny herself Jay. She had the feeling that he’d be gone soon enough. She wished she could be more like a movie heroine and just not worry about tomorrow, but she’d never been that way.
“You’re taking a really long time to get out of your car,” Jay said, walking over to her.
“I’m trying to decide if I should invite you in,” she said, speaking honestly. Tonight had made her realize that she still wanted all of those dreams that she’d shoved aside when Jay had left her.
The only problem now was she wasn’t sure if Jay was the man she wanted to have them with.
“I’d love that but I followed you because it’s late and I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t make sure you got in okay. Also, I wanted to know where you live,” he said.
“Is it what you thought?” she asked.
“No. I expected you to live closer to Sweet Dreams,” he said.
He seemed subdued and maybe a bit tired himself. He ran his hand through his hair, which had been flattened by his motorcycle helmet.
“It’s late,” he said.
“Yes, it is. I didn’t sleep at all last night and I had to get up early. You’d think I’d be tired, but I’m not.”
He opened the door of her car. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
“I haven’t decided if you’re coming in yet,” she said.
“What can I do to make you invite me?” he asked.
“I’m not sure,” she admitted.
“What if I said I’ll hold you until you go to sleep?”
“I’m not sleepy,” she said. “And you holding me will only make me long for things that I can’t have. We both know that.”
She exited her car and Jay closed the door behind her and stepped in front of her, so that she was trapped between his body and the vehicle.
“I don’t know that holding you is a bad thing, Aly. I think you aren’t sure either, otherwise you would have been out of your car and in the house like lightning. You want me.”
“I do. Too much, but tonight just proved that a real relationship—”
He kissed her, stopping the words that were on the tip of her tongue and she shivered as the one embrace she’d been longing for all day was finally here. She’d missed this—intimacy, but to be honest they’d never had it before. Though she didn’t want to admit it, she’d missed Jay. In Vegas, life had been a pretty dream.
Noticing his hand in hers, she laced their fingers together and for a moment simply enjoyed the fact that she was coming home with her man. Something shifted inside her and she knew that nothing would ever be the same again if she brought him into her bed.
He slid his hands up and down her arms before they settled on her waist. She tipped her head back and let the magic wash over her. She forgot about all that her mind knew about Jay and let her heart lead the way, for tonight at least. She tunneled her fingers through his silky close-cropped hair and held him to her as her tongue moved against his. He lightly sucked on her tongue and she felt an answering response in her breasts as her nipples tightened. And lower in her most feminine area.
She wanted him—there was no denying it. Or herself, she thought. She was single and she wanted this man. She could have him.
He shifted his hips against her and she felt the tip of his erection nudging at her as the heat and passion swelled inside her. This was Jay—wounded warrior, sexy lover and the only man she’d never been able to forget. She wrapped her arms around him to hold him close. She had tried to pretend the emotions she felt for him were only lust, but she knew better. She couldn’t lie to herself anymore. Jay’s hand on her made her feel cherished and special to him. He tore his mouth from hers.