Second Chances: A Romance Writers of America Collection (Stark World 2.50)

"I know," I said, pulling back and sweeping overgrown bangs from her eyes. "I'm so glad I can help her."

Confusion etched her face. "Not just for her. For him. He's always here with us, but no one is there for him." I turned to where she nodded and saw Cairn watching me with an intensity that sent white-hot heat through my body.

We stayed up late that night talking and making plans, and by two a.m., Cairn still hadn't left.

"Sweetheart, why don't you stay over?" Eleanor asked.

He instantly agreed. The thought of sleeping under the same roof as him made my body burn.

Eleanor and Max lingered at my bedroom door. They studied me with eyes red and swollen from crying. "You," Eleanor said as she tucked my hair behind my ear, "Are the very best gift."

"Aye, and we love you," Max added. As he leaned in for a gentle hug, I saw Cairn behind him. The entire night, he hadn't said a word to me, but the expression on his face confirmed what he felt.

My heart stopped. I didn't expect to be loved again, but this family loved me. And I hadn't expected to fall in love again, but I had fallen in love with this family. And Cairn. He changed everything. I backed into my room.

Ten minutes later, I heard a knock. Without waiting for an answer, Cairn walked in and shut the door behind him.

"What are you doing?" I pulled the sheet up over my thin nightgown.

Cairn's gaze raked over me, and without a word, he sat on the bed, positioning his arms around my body. Still clutching the sheet, I scooted back as far as I could. "Cairn?"

With one hand, he pulled the sheet away. I gasped as he wrapped his other hand around the back of my neck and drew me closer so that our foreheads touched.

"Bea, why are you doing this?" His voice was firm, but not cold.

"What?"

"Why are you doing this? I need to know. Why are you doing this for us?" His gaze traveled from my face down to my negligee and back. His question pissed me off more than his roving eyes.

"Why do you think?" I said, pushing him away from me. He sucked in a breath. "I'm doing it for your family! For that little girl so she'll have a chance to live! For your mother so she doesn't have to bury a child! I'm doing it for your father so he can read her stories and give her away on her wedding day ..."

Something started to break in me, so I clutched at his shirt for strength.

"I'm doing it for your brother and sister so they can tell everyone what an awesome little sister they have." I pushed against his chest. "And I'm doing it for you because you are a good man who loves his family and has been kind and generous to a total fucking stranger who walked in off the street!"

At this, Cairn grabbed the back of my head and crashed his mouth to mine so fast I let out a cry. He wrapped his other hand around my waist and hauled me forward until I straddled him. And there, he held me in place and kissed me hard.

It was rough and needful. His lips worked mine until they parted, and he thrust his tongue into my mouth, sending a shock directly between my legs. He tasted of vanilla and the faintest scotch, and this combined with his scent made me whimper. Keeping his hand behind my head, he plundered my mouth, tasting my lips and my tongue, and swallowing my breath until I was dizzy.

Pinned against him, I could do nothing except explore his body with my hands. His chest felt like a solid plate of muscle, and I trailed my hands up and down his back as much as I had sense to. He shifted, pressing me to him, and I felt his firmness through his jeans.

"Oh--" I gasped.

Cairn broke our kiss and lazed his mouth along my jawline to my ear, sending tiny tremors through my charged body.

"I have wanted to do that since the first night I met you."

"Good." The word took immense effort because of my pounding heart.

He chuckled and pulled away, cupping my face in his hands, and rubbed one thumb along my cheek. "Fuck," he exhaled. "Do you know how beautiful you are?" His fingers drifted over my lips, and I closed my eyes.

Cairn pressed his lips to mine again, this time with less urgency. He savored my mouth, licking and lapping and pulling until a groan I didn't recognize escaped from somewhere deep inside me. Cairn groaned, too, and moved his hand between my legs.

I quivered at his light touch over the lace of my panties, and he sucked in a breath.

"You're wet."

An ache began to build, and Cairn glided his hands up my body to my breasts. He kissed me while he teased one nipple through the silk, grazing and stroking before moving to the other. God, I was getting so close. I arched my body into his hands until he suddenly broke our kiss and pushed me to my back. He inched his hands up my torso, taking my nightie with them.