good-looking, gentle, responsible. He appeared to be every woman’s dream come true. Even hers if she’d had the time to dream during the last four years.
But how could she possibly trust him? Especially after that report from the P.I. She would always feel like she needed to be on guard with him.
She wondered if he had truly been in love with her sister, or just infatuated. If he was who he seemed, how could Tabitha, even with her shallow nature, leave that kind of man behind? It didn’t make sense to her. Although Tabitha had always talked about marrying a man both wealthy and famous, perhaps even royalty, Nicole had assumed it wasn’t a serious plan.
After Tabitha had delivered Joel, she’d begun a strict exercise regimen to lose the baby weight, telling Nicole she had to get in shape for her prince. She’d partied frantically in New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta, refusing to slow down even when the doctor had insisted.
Nicole took a deep breath and sent up a silent wish of peace for her sister. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the rhythmic rocking motion and allowed herself to drift to sleep.
Minutes later, he was in bed beside her. His wide shoulders blocked the bulk of the morning sun just beginning to rise. His rock-hard chest was inches from her. His dark, gold skin stretched over his well-developed muscles.
His physical strength fascinated her at the same time it frightened her. How could a man with such strength possess such gentleness?
His eyelids fluttered open and his dark gaze immediately latched on to her. “You’re supposed to be sleeping,” he said, sliding his hand under the covers to her bare hip. “I thought I took care of any nervous energy you had last night.”
He lifted his index finger to her lips.
“I guess you haven’t been kissed enough,” he said and pulled her flush against his body.
Heat rushed through her and she couldn’t stop a smile at the easy, sexy way he handled her. “I didn’t say that. I was just looking at you.”
“Why look when you can touch?” he asked and lifted one of her hands to his chest at the same time he lowered his mouth to hers.
His mouth sent fireworks through her. He seemed to devour her as if he couldn’t get enough of her. He skimmed his mouth down over her shoulder, sending ripples of sensation in his wake.
He touched the sides of her breasts, teasing her until she couldn’t remain still, pushing her nipples against his palm.
He swore under his breath, but it was a sound of pleasure. “I love the way you move.”
Sliding one of his hands between her legs, he found her wet and swollen. “Ready already?”
A twinge of self-consciousness rushed through her. Did he really not know that he kept her in a state of readiness for him all the time? “Is that bad?” she asked, her voice sounding breathless to her own ears.
“If it’s bad, then we’re both bad,” he said, and guided her hand over his erection.
She slid her hand over him, moving in long strokes.
He let out a hiss of breath, his eyes fixed on her. “I need you again.”
It amazed her how powerful he could make her feel even when she was in such a vulnerable position. Suddenly, touching and needing weren’t nearly enough. “I need you, too.”
He rolled on to his back, pulling her on top of him, sending her equilibrium spinning. “You set the pace. If I do, it will all be over in sixty seconds.”
She laughed despite her own mind-blowing arousal. Pushing herself up and propping her hands on either side of his head, she stared into his eyes as he wrapped his hands around her hips and guided her just over him.
“Take it slow,” he told her. “You do wicked things to my self-control.”
Sliding down him inch by delicious inch, she felt his groan vibrate inside her. She’d never imagined she could feel this free with a man, this desirable, this passionate, this…in love…
Nicole awakened so slowly she almost felt as if she were still dreaming. She heard the sound of laughter. Joel, she realized with a smile. She would know that sound anywhere. A second later, she heard a deeper, masculine chuckle. She blinked, immediately identifying Rafe’s voice.
Disoriented, she sat up in bed, trying to make sense of the hot visual she’d had. Had Rafe been in her bed? Her body felt odd, swollen with arousal. She ran her hands over her night clothes and embarrassment washed over her.
What was the matter with her? How could she be having erotic dreams about a man she didn’t trust? Or was it possible that her feelings for him were more complex than she’d realized? She shook her head, unable to believe it.
“Shhh. Don’t wake your mother,” Rafe said just outside her door.
“She likes me to wake her up,” Joel said. “She likes it when I jump on the bed. It makes her laugh. You can come, too.”
Still horrified by her dreams, Nicole gasped, scrambling out of bed and rushing to open the door. “I hear someone laughing,” she managed, focusing on Joel, who was still dressed in his dinosaur jammies.
“It was me and him,” he said, pointing at Rafe.
Dressed in shorts and a black T-shirt that stretched tight over his shoulders, Rafe stepped forward and leaned against the doorjamb in the hallway, stealing her attention and her breath.
“Somebody’s a pistol in the morning,” he said, giving her a swift, but thorough onceover before he met her gaze.
“He wakes up happy,” she said, feeling self-conscious. “Don’t you, Joel?”
He rushed into her arms and she hugged his sweet little body and gave him a good tickle. His belly laugh made her smile.
“If we could bottle that sound,” Rafe said.
She nodded in agreement and hugged him again.
“Mom, we’re gonna have pancakes. With strawberries and chocolate chips.”
“Not in the same pancakes,” Rafe corrected and rubbed his hand over Joel’s head. “Tell her what else we’re going to do.”
“Fish,” Joel said. “We’re gonna catch fish.”
His enthusiasm was contagious. “What are you going to do with them after you catch them?”
Joel looked at her then up at Rafe. “What do we do after we catch them?”
“We throw them back so someone else can take a turn catching them?”
Joel’s face crinkled in confusion. “Can’t I keep just one?”
“We’ll
