His Secret Temptation

But it wasn’t enough.

She wanted more. To be closer. To savor the fire of his skin against hers.

“Upstairs,” she pleaded. Her breasts felt full, but oh so neglected without his hands on them. “Please.”

* * *

Simon scarcely believed what he was hearing. Triumph roared through him, all consuming and unstoppable. Soft lips, sweet curves; what man wouldn’t get a little carried away? But just how carried away was he? His instincts warned him he was in deep trouble. How deep had yet to be determined.

Rallying his last vestiges of rationality, Simon eased his lips from hers. He framed her face with his hands. The warmth of her skin set flame to his willpower as he stared down into her beautiful face.

“Are you sure?”

She licked her lower lip and peeked at him from beneath her lashes. Tension quivered in her muscles. Between her frown and the firm thrust of her chin she appeared balanced between uncertainty and determination. Did she understand what was happening between them? She’d admitted to being inexperienced with men and dating. Wasn’t it up to him to protect her while she was here? Especially when she needed safeguarding from him.

Her lips parted, but before she could speak, Simon heard a commotion in the foyer.

“Look who I found at the airport.”

Dane’s announcement crushed any likelihood that this promising interlude would continue. Cursing his brother’s ill timing, Simon sat up and got to his feet. For a second, he couldn’t bring himself to look at Caroline. Would she be relieved that they’d been interrupted? Disappointed? Her reaction was a double-edged sword. Either way he was in hell.

He drew Caroline to her feet and lifted her hand to his lips. “Looks like Hannah and Sarah have arrived.”

She trembled as he dusted her knuckles with a kiss, but pulled free and turned aside. Her reaction kicked him in the gut.

“I’ve been looking forward to meeting them.”

Her polite retort seemed at odds with her impassioned plea a moment earlier. A quick glance her way confirmed her color was high, but she was pointedly not looking his direction.

His heart contracted with remorse. He had no business staking a claim where none existed. She was not his fiancée. Hadn’t she pointed that out to him often enough? When would he get it through his head?

“Then let me introduce you.”

Suppressing the urge to retake her hand, he headed toward the foyer. She walked at his side, a somber, silent shadow.

“You must be Caroline.” Hannah’s sky-blue eyes sparkled with delight as she threw her arms around Caroline and hugged hard. Blonde and petite, she was the spitting image of their mother, a big personality in a little package. “I can’t believe Simon’s getting married. What’s your secret?”

“I’m sorry?” Panic brimmed in the glance Caroline shot at him.

Hannah laughed. “Like you don’t know that every woman on the planet has struck out with my brother.”

“Not every woman.” Simon frowned at his sister. “Don’t make it sound like I’m some awful womanizer.”

“Right.” Hannah winked at Caroline. “He’s been living like a monk.” She turned to a tall, slender brunette and caught her hand to pull her close. “This is Sarah. We’re expecting a baby in March.” Hannah curved her free hand over her protruding belly and gave her partner a loving smile.

“Congratulations. Do you know what you’re having?”

“We’re pretty sure we’re having a girl,” Sarah answered, covering Hannah’s hand where it rested on her stomach. “The ultrasound wasn’t completely conclusive, so we’ve picked out a few boys’ names as well.”

Simon still couldn’t get over the idea that his baby sister was going to have a baby of her own. He remembered her in pigtails, terrorizing the boys on the playground and driving his friends crazy with her blunt questions and candid observations. The pool out back had been a popular hangout for all their friends. If his mother had any idea how much Hannah had learned about dating from talking to his high-school buddies, he wouldn’t have had any sort of social life whatsoever.

Simon picked up his share of the luggage and followed Dane upstairs. Below them, Hannah began her own interview of Caroline.

“Dane told me all about you on the way from the airport. He said you were graduating from law school this spring. We’ll have lots to talk about.”

Dane led the way into Hannah’s old room, where the girls would be staying. Simon dropped the suitcases at the foot of the bed and turned to his brother.

“How is she?”