‘No rush,’ he whispered in her ear. ‘I want to enjoy every little inch of you.’
Kate felt as though every bone in her body was slowly melting as Jack kissed her and caressed her with a languorous lack of haste that made her impatient at last for the heat and hunger she’d seen in his eyes before she dived into bed. But at last his caresses grew more urgent, his lips and tongue and grazing teeth sending fiery sensation from the tips of her breasts to the part which melted in hot liquid response deep down inside her. She thrust her hips against him and felt a surge of triumph as his breath caught and his muscles grew taught under the hands she dug into his shoulders. She gave a husky little moan as his caressing fingers slid between her thighs to find the small, hidden bud that rose, tumescent, to the caresses which sent her wild with almost unbearable pleasure, and in answer to her gasped, broken pleading he nudged her thighs apart with his knee. He raised his head and their eyes met and held as he took slow, sure possession of her at last. They stayed as still as their rapid breathing allowed for a moment, then began to move together, savouring every last nuance of sensation as he slid home and withdrew, then repeated the process a little faster and harder each time, their mutual fire stoked higher and higher with every stroke until the rhythm of their loving rose to frenzy and at last the climax engulfed them in heart-stopping release.
‘We never achieved that in the past,’ Kate whispered a long time later.
Jack raised the face he’d buried in her hair and lifted an eyebrow. ‘That?’ he inquired. ‘A small word for a mind altering experience.’
She chuckled. ‘I meant the timing. We were sometimes out of step back then.’
‘You mean I was so hot for you I sometimes lost control,’ he said wryly. ‘I felt the same this time. It took every scrap of will-power I possessed to keep from ravishing you the moment I laid you on the bed.’
‘Ravishing is good,’ she assured him. ‘A woman likes to know she’s desirable.’ Kate’s eyes clouded. ‘It was a long time before I felt even passably attractive after you left me for Dawn.’
He winced, and moved away a fraction. ‘I suppose this banker of yours helped with that.’
‘Yes, he did. But it was never like this with David.’ Kate looked at him steadily. ‘Nor with anyone else, Jack.’
He pulled her back into his arms and kissed her. ‘God, I’ve missed you, Katie.’
They lay in each other’s arms for a long, quiet interval, but at last Jack kissed her again and slid out of bed.
‘Let’s eat,’ he said, getting dressed.
‘You go on down. I’ll follow you in a minute.’
He grinned as he collected her clothes. ‘I’ve watched you dress before.’
‘But not lately and not today.’ Kate pulled the quilt up to her chin.
Jack gave her a threatening look as he strolled to the door. ‘Ten minutes or I come and get you.’
Once the door closed behind him Kate slid out of bed, picked up her clothes and raced into the bathroom. Ten minutes later she met Jack in the hall.
‘I was just coming to look for you.’
Kate patted her midriff. ‘I’m hungry. I didn’t think I would be after that huge breakfast, but I am.’
Jack grinned. ‘Making love always did give you an appetite. You were so skinny in those days it always amazed me that you ate as much as I did—more sometimes.’
‘Lucky metabolism.’
Bran came wagging in joyful greeting as they went into the kitchen. Kate made a big fuss of him, then inspected the kitchen table with approval. Jack had put out the remains of the ham with a bowl of ripe red tomatoes, a loaf of Molly’s wholemeal bread and the platter of cheese from the night before.
‘I gave Bran one of his treats to celebrate,’ said Jack as he began to carve the ham.
‘Celebrate what?’ said Kate innocently.
He gave her a look which curled her toes. ‘You know damn well!’
Kate enjoyed the meal far more than the dinner of the evening before. They brought each other up to date on their taste in books, Jack reported on the progress of his current project and Kate talked about her clients and the trip she was making the following weekend to see Joanna.
When her phone rang Kate touched a finger to her lips and showed Jack the identity of her caller as she went out into the hall. ‘Hi, Anna.’
‘Did Jack drive you home last night?’
‘No. I stayed the night in his guest room.’
‘Thank goodness for that. I was worried sick. Look, I must apologise for Lucy. She was an absolute cow to you last night.’