tongue trailed along her inner thigh, hot, wet, another deeper feeling that stirred more need. When his fingers touched her intimately, she gasped with pleasure.
“Will, come here,” she said, starting to sit up again only to have him push gently once more.
“Wait, love. Let me pleasure you the way I want. Wait—”
His hand slipped between her thighs. “There, that’s what you want, isn’t it?” he whispered, coming down beside her, turning on his side to kiss her. His leg was between hers, opening hers and giving him access to her, his fingers still driving her wild with building tension.
“Will—” she gasped again. Her words ended as his mouth covered hers to kiss her passionately while his fingers built a raging fire.
“Let me kiss you,” she whispered, pushing him on his back and moving over him, leaning down to circle his nipple with her tongue, excited by the hard peak that made her tingle with awareness of her own.
She moved lower, her tongue flicking over the muscles of his stomach. He quivered beneath her kisses and groaned, his hands winding in her hair.
Caressing him, her fingers stroked sculpted muscles. She closed her hand around his rod to take a lick and tease, rubbing against him.
With a groan, he sat up in a rush, turning her so he was over her. He moved between her legs.
“Will, wait—I’m not protected.”
Climbing off the bed, he retrieved a packet from the bedside table. Dim light highlighted his sculpted muscles. Just watching him, tingling, she stayed aroused.
His manhood was hard, ready. He returned to kiss her, pulling her up into his arms, wrapping her in his embrace. “You’re special, Ava. You’ve changed my life,” he whispered.
Her heart slammed against her ribs with his words. If only he meant what he said. She clung to him tightly, her eyes squeezed closed as if she could shut herself away from hurt and disaster. She loved him; Will was sexy, handsome, but his caring ways, his gentleness captured her heart so much more. She wanted to kiss him, love him and pour out expressions of her feelings for him, but she couldn’t. Declarations of love had to stay locked away because he didn’t want them. He wouldn’t be able to return them. If he could, it would change the future when they would part to each pursue their goals and dreams.
Instead of speaking, she poured her feelings into her kisses, touching his strong body, wanting him.
“Will,” she whispered, biting off the words that were almost spoken. He put on the condom and moved between her legs.
She wrapped her long legs around him and held him tightly as he lowered himself and eased into her. The man she loved she held against her heart. That was another miracle. She had never expected to love again.
Thrusting her hips to meet him, she gasped as she held him, closing her eyes while he slowly entered and filled her.
“Will,” she whispered his name again, always stopping before she voiced her feelings aloud. She was afraid if she said even the slightest hint of loving him, all the pent-up longing would tumble out. Her admiration, her desire for Will had become constant in her life.
Desire heightened. They moved together, united and she was one with him. A moment shared in total intimacy that she could remember as long as she lived.
He was beaded with sweat, slowing to pleasure her, taking his time. She cried out, clutching him tightly.
As his control slipped, they became frenzied, driven, hungry for each other. Stars exploded behind her closed eyes and her pulse roared, drowning out all other sounds. Her faint moans seemed to come from a distance.
She climaxed, rapture carrying her away, losing all sense of reality, as if Will was her entire world. She soared in ecstasy, feeling him shudder while he held her tightly, pumping with his release. “Ava, my love!” he cried.
The endearment was from passion. Words she shouldn’t count on to hold meaning, yet joy poured over her. If only the relationship between them could have a future.
Holding each other, they slowed. She still felt wrapped in intimacy with him, clinging to him as he rolled them on their sides. He stroked long, damp strands of her hair from her face while he showered her with light kisses. Encompassed in euphoria, she treasured the moment, so briefly feeling her love returned by him.
“My love, you’re perfection. I want make love to you now more than ever. You fulfill dreams and desire. You can’t know what you do to me or how exciting you are. You’re special in so many ways,” he said.
With their hot bodies pressed tightly together, their touching, kisses and endearments, she felt cherished. Her sentiments for him were reflected in his outpourings and caresses for her.
“Will, this is paradise, but it’s also a dream that will disappear,” she whispered.
“Not for a time. I’m not letting you go anytime soon, so forget that, Ava,” he whispered, his tongue following the curve of her ear.
His body was hot, damp, covered with a sheen of sweat, yet she relished the feel of him, the hard planes, the smooth bulge of muscles, the crisp short hairs on his chest and legs. Stubble was beginning to grow slightly on his jaw. Everything about him was a marvel to her, unique, unforgettable.
She had been in love with him before. Now after passion and sex, she was rapturous, sinking deeper into love, finding him all the more appealing after making love. Will had her heart now—she had given it to him along with her body. This is what she had worried about, but it was too late to turn back.
His dark brown eyes conveyed a warmth that imbued more pleasure. They smiled at each other, the moment of happiness shared.
“I want to hold you close to my heart.”
She bit back the words she wanted to say, knowing she couldn’t. Instead, she held him quietly, caressing him, kissing him lightly.
He stood and picked her up to shower together. As soon as they dried, they loved again. Afterward, she rose up on one elbow to look down at him while her fingers played lightly across his chest.
“Will, we have to get back to Dallas tonight.”
“We could call and fly in tomorrow.”
His tempting suggestion hung in the air.
Nine
She shook her head. “No. We said we’d be back and I have to be. This has been a moment, something that happened tonight only. I have to get back and you should, too. We need to return and be there for Caroline.”
Smiling at her, he pulled her down to kiss her. Her heart drummed. She longed to wrap her arms around him and forget everything else, but she couldn’t. She had had her moment and it was over. It had to be. To prolong what they’d shared would only make her want things she couldn’t have.
She sat back to look at him and swung her legs out of bed, pulling a cover up over herself. “I need to get dressed.”
He drew her close to look into her eyes and smile. “We
