style="font-size:15px;"> Winding her arms around his neck, she tilted her face up as he leaned down. His mouth covered hers, opening her lips to kiss her deeply. His arms tightened. She pressed against him and kissed him in return.
Her pounding pulse drowned out all other sounds and her heart raced while she clung to him, knowing she would never forget this night, never forget knowing him. She wanted so much more than kisses, wanted to caress him and love him.
She might as well be tumbling downward in a spiral she couldn’t stop. Yet they were on a terrace with people nearby.
“Let’s go home,” he whispered with his breath warm on her ear.
“Yes,” she replied, sinking deeper into involvement, breaking promises to herself, deciding to worry about it later.
He took her arm and they walked inside to get her purse. The moment the elevator doors closed to leave them secluded and alone, Will drew her into his embrace and kissed her. She returned his kiss, but then stepped away.
“Will, we’ll be in public when the doors open and you’re rather well-known. I don’t recall seeing a picture of you kissing someone in an elevator. I don’t want to be the first.”
He smiled. “There will not be a photographer waiting, I promise.”
“Anyone with a cell phone will do, and can sell the pic.”
“I’m not that big in the news. I don’t think they could get a dollar.”
“We won’t argue that point. We’re on the ground level,” she remarked and stepped off the elevator.
During the drive home, she tried to bank desire and get to impersonal topics. She chatted about Caroline, moving on to everyday events and began to cool, become composed and regain a bit of control over herself. By the time they entered his quiet house, she had overcome the wanton feelings that had run rampant at the club.
“Will,” she said, “it’s been a great evening. I had the most wonderful time and enjoyed the opera enormously. Thank you for a memorable time.”
“I had a great time, too,” he said, turning for the stairs.
Relieved that he was willing to call it a night, she walked beside him as they headed to her suite. At her open door, she paused to face him.
He placed his hand over her head on the doorjamb and leaned closer, placing his other hand on her waist. Her pounding heart was loud in her ears while his hand was as hot as a brand.
“Will, it’s been a wonderful evening. It ends now,” she said, wishing her voice were firm instead of breathless.
“This night can’t possibly end now,” he whispered, moving closer, his arm tightening on her waist as he walked her backwards into her suite and closed the door.
“Will—” His mouth ended her words and his arm pulled her hard against him as he leaned over her and kissed her deeply.
She intended to stop him, wanted to for the first seconds, but then succumbed to her own desires and his. The battle she waged with herself was lost before it begun, even when it flashed through her mind that she was getting more entangled with him each time they kissed.
Her head spun and heat pooled low in her, desire igniting and burning hotly. All the desire she had felt when she had danced with him returned swiftly. She ran her fingers through his thick hair. His neck was warm. His arousal pressed hard against her.
Clinging to him, she kissed him as passionately as he kissed her. Her other hand pushed his coat off his shoulders and then he wriggled slightly so that his coat tumbled to the floor.
His hand drifted down over the curve of her back, over her bottom to pull her up tightly against him.
Wanting him, she shifted her hips, barely aware of his fingers combing through her hair and pins flying. Locks fell over her back and shoulders and he trailed kisses down to her throat. She twisted free the top buttons of his shirt to run her fingers over his warm skin. His hand lightly slipped along her throat and then he caressed her breast, and she moaned as she clung to him.
“Will, we have to stop.”
“You don’t want to,” he whispered in return, showering kisses on her face and throat. He caressed her nape, sending tingles spiraling from his touch, and then she felt cool air. Will pulled the zipper at the back of her dress, slowly opening it and letting his warm fingers trail over her skin.
She stepped free of his embrace, gulping for air, trying for some semblance of control before she succumbed completely to his loving.
“This wasn’t in my plans and it could wreak havoc with all of them. It’s good night now, Will,” she said, stepping back again to keep distance between them. Her heart pounded.
He stood still, his shirt open, his hair tangled on his forehead and his mouth red from kisses. He was aroused, ready for love. She wanted to step back into his arms, kiss and love him. He was sexy, appealing, almost irresistible except common sense was surfacing. She had already crossed lines and let him destroy barriers she could never put in place again with him.
“You don’t really want to say good-night. Our kisses and lovemaking won’t wreak havoc with any job, yours or mine. This is something aside from jobs. Stop fighting your feelings. This isn’t going to hurt you in any manner.”
“I have my year mapped out. Any relationship I have has to have commitment and meaning. An affair could really wreck all that, and I have no intention of arguing about it. Good night, Will. And thanks for a wonderful evening.”
She could imagine he debated the next move with himself as he stood immobile.
“Good night, Ava. It’s been a wonderful night. Especially the last little bit. I’ll see you in the morning at breakfast. I’ll dream about you tonight.”
“I’ll forget I heard that,” she snapped and got a mocking smile that brought heat to her cheeks.
He caressed her throat. “Dream about you, want you, toss and turn because of you—”
“You’re not helping.”
“Just telling you how I feel. Darlin’, it’s been a great evening and I hate to see it end.” He held up his hands before she could speak. “I’ll do what you want.” Picking up his jacket, he left the room and closed the door behind.
She let out her breath. “I hate to see it end, too,” she whispered. Now he was larger-than-life, more handsome, sexier than ever. How was she going to cope with over six feet of irresistible male? She was wanted and in some ways, she loved his attention. Her own reaction to him shocked her daily.
When she was ready for bed, she curled up in the rocker to relive the night, minute by minute and kiss by kiss.
At noon Monday Will stood when his brother came striding across the restaurant where they had agreed to meet. Occasionally, Will thought about Zach’s looks, so different from the rest of the family except their grandfather Marcus Delaney. With a mass of dark brown curly hair and vivid blue eyes, Zach had a more narrow face. The only Delaney similarity was his coloring, like their grandfather’s, which no one else had inherited. Fortunately, he hadn’t
