He expelled his breath in a half chuckle, one corner of his mouth kicking up. “We are going to be good together,” he declared.
“I know.” She twisted a handful of his warm shirt around her knuckles and tugged. “Kiss me.”
He obliged, but not in the way she’d hoped. She needed him to claim her mouth and stir her soul. Instead he tormented her by drifting gentle, sweet kisses over her cheeks, eyes, nose and forehead.
“The things I want to do to you,” he murmured near her ear.
Relief flooded London even as her breasts ached for his touch. “Like what?”
“Take you into the bedroom.” His hand cruised up her side, thumb gliding beneath her breasts, inciting her to arch into his caress with a wordless plea.
If only he’d sweep that thumb over her nipples. Instead he shifted his palm to her back.
“And then?” she prompted, frustration apparent in her voice.
“Strip off your clothes.”
Oh...hell...yes. Now they were getting somewhere.
“And...then...?”
“Lay you on the bed and spread your gorgeous legs wide open for me.”
“Oh...”
His erotic words made her quake. And she suspected that what this man could do to her with his words wouldn’t begin to compare to what would happen when his hands and lips met her skin.
“How does that sound?” he asked.
She nodded, excitement momentarily taking away her voice. “What else?” she asked in barely a whisper.
But he’d heard her and smiled. “I’d kiss you everywhere until you were writhing in pleasure.”
“Yes, please.”
“I’m going to warn you right now,” Harrison said. “I’m going to talk during sex.”
“What?” Heart thumping madly, London stared at him in helpless delight. “What sort of things are you likely to say?”
“I’ll definitely be discussing how beautiful you are and how much you turn me on.”
“Do you expect me to answer?” At this point in their relationship London wasn’t sure she was ready to crack open her heart and divulge all her thoughts and feelings.
“No expectations. Just relax and listen.”
“Relax?” Was he kidding? Already her muscles were tense and nerves twisted in agonized anticipation of his touch. “I feel as if I’ll shatter the second you touch me.”
“That’s not going to happen,” he assured her, easing his lips onto hers.
The contact made her sigh. With the release of her breath came a shift in her emotions. Anxiety diminished, replaced by eagerness and undulating waves of pleasure. Instinctively she knew Harrison wouldn’t do something that would break her heart. In fact, he might just heal it. If only she could let him.
Except she couldn’t.
A giant lie hung between them, casting a shadow over every beautiful emotion that swelled in her chest. Her subterfuge ate at her more and more each day. She longed to be with Harrison even as she recognized that one day her guilt would destroy everything good between them.
Butterflies whirled in her stomach as he grazed his palm up her arm and brushed the strap of her chemise off her shoulder. She pushed all thoughts of the future away as the silk dipped low on her breast. The slide of the soft material tickled her skin and turned up the volume on her eagerness. A tremor shook her as his mouth skated down her neck and into the hollow of her throat. She wanted him. Wanted this. It was simple and at the same time complicated. But mostly it was inevitable.
His fingertips grazed the lace-edged neckline, sweeping the fabric downward. The material momentarily snagged on her sensitized nipple, drawing a sharp gasp from her lips before it fell away, exposing her warm skin to the cool air.