LITMIR.BIZ

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maybe not.

      A knock sounded at the door. Instinctively Jaiven checked his watch. Twenty minutes exactly. And he had a feeling that was on purpose. A smile curving his lips, he went to open the door.

      She stood there tall, straight and proud, her chin lifted, her gray-green gaze clashing with his.

      “Exactly twenty minutes,” he said and she shook her head, her mouth curving in a knowing smile that he liked.

      “Twenty-one from the moment you left me.”

      He laughed, realizing she was right. He hadn’t checked his watch until he’d stopped at a traffic light.

      “So, was there traffic?” he asked as he took her by the hand and drew her inside. Her skin was soft and cool; her fingers felt slender and fragile in his.

      “No, none.”

      “So what took you so long?”

      “I wanted to see if you’d wait.” She spoke airily enough, but as Jaiven gazed at her he thought he saw something in her eyes, something hidden and shadowy that both intrigued and alarmed him. He was not going to be soft about a woman. And he couldn’t have her turn needy.

      “I was just about to leave.”

      She eyed his half-drunk whiskey on the side table, the tuxedo jacket he’d shed on a chair, and arched an eyebrow. “Is that right?”

      He laughed again, liking her attitude, and because he didn’t want to wait anymore he drew her to him, sliding his hands up to cradle her face. Her cheeks were as cold as her hands. “Good thing I’m a patient man,” he murmured, and then he kissed her.

      * * *

      That first kiss felt like an electric shock, or maybe being doused in ice water. Everything in her jolted with sensation; it had been so long since she’d been kissed she’d forgotten she had lips, and how good it felt to have someone else’s on them.

      She opened her mouth, wrapped her hands around his lapels as she pulled him closer. She needed this. Needed to be reminded she was alive and desirable.

      As she kissed him she pushed off his jacket, fumbled with the studs of his tuxedo shirt. Damn those fiddly things. Why couldn’t tuxedo shirts have regular buttons?

      “Whoa.” Jaiven eased back, wrapping his hands around her own so they remained trapped and stilled against his chest. She could feel the steady thud of his heart, beating at a far slower rate than her own. “No need to rush.”

      Yes, there was every need. Because if she didn’t rush she’d start to think and then she’d start to fear and regret. He’d told her no cold feet and no regrets when she walked through that door, and so here she was holding up her end of the bargain. He needed to hold up his and get his game on. “No need to wait, either,” she said. She leaned forward to kiss him—and missed.

      His mouth quirked slightly as he leaned back out of range. “Forgive me if I like to take my time.”

      And then he kissed her again, his hands still wrapped around hers, forcing her to be still. To be slow.

      And God help her, but the man could kiss. His tongue traced the seam of her lips before delving inside, sweeping the contours of her mouth, teasing a response from her even as he held on to her hands, kept her still.

      Louise whimpered. She heard the sound she made and couldn’t even care. It had been so long since anyone had kissed her like this.

      Had anyone ever kissed her like this? Jack certainly hadn’t. Jack had—her brain screeched to a halt, but it was too late. Now she was thinking about Jack and panic was taking the place of desire.

      Jaiven must have felt the change in her, because even as he deepened the kiss he released her hands. Freed her, and the panic receded as desire washed over her again.

      She was not going to let her history ruin this.

      She kissed him back, eager again, and yes, rushing, because she really didn’t want to let her brain take over. Jaiven laughed softly against her mouth as he slid one hand down her body, palming her breast before he tugged at the tie of her wrap dress and it fell open, revealing her in all her control-topped glory.

      Instinctively Louise broke the kiss, pulling her dress together as humiliation scorched her. So she clearly hadn’t thought this through and considered that Jaiven would see her decidedly unsexy underwear.

      “Some low lighting might be good right about now,” she muttered, trying for a laugh, and Jaiven chuckled and shook his head.

      “Not a chance. I like a woman with curves.”

      Curves she had. Jaiven slipped his hands under her dress, his palms warm against her skin as he pulled her to him. He smoothed a hand down her hip, shaking his head in mock wonder. “They should sell these to the US Army. They must be bulletproof.”

      Louise let out a surprised laugh. “Just about.” Still she tried to pull away again. “Let me just go to the bathroom—” And take off her underwear, find something sexy to put on instead. Like a bathrobe, or a towel. Anything but granny pants and a matching bra. She so had not been planning to get lucky tonight.

      “I can never resist a challenge,” Jaiven answered, his voice a lazy murmur as he pulled her forward and unhooked her bra with a single twist of his fingers. The pants proved slightly more of a challenge, but with a couple of quick tugs he’d got rid of them and she kicked them off in relief. Realized she was completely naked in front of this man and felt a blush rise over her entire body. The underwear served a purpose, after all.

      “Beautiful,” he said softly and cupped her breast in his hand. “Naked except for your glasses. Just about the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

      Astounded, her jaw dropped. ‘My glasses?”

      “The whole package, but yes, I find your glasses a huge turn-on. However—” he slid them from her nose and put them on a side table “—for strenuous activity, they have to go.”

      “If you say so,” she muttered, and then her breath hitched as he ran a thumb over the tautened peak of her breast. She gestured to his clothes. She’d abandoned trying to get his shirt off after one difficult stud but she still wanted him naked. “What about you?”

      Jaiven smiled wickedly. “What about me?”

      “Your clothes.”

      “Aren’t you going to do the honors?”

      Was she? Louise hesitated, frozen in sudden, unspeakable shyness even as she reminded herself she needed to be bold. She wanted to be bold. Wasn’t that what this evening was about? Taking what she wanted, enjoying herself for the first time in ten years? Finding the sexual confidence she’d lost so long ago, if she’d ever had it at all?

      “All right, then.” She stepped closer to him, her breasts brushing against the starched crispness of his tuxedo shirt. She gave him a small smile as she attempted to undo the studs, but one of them snagged on the buttonhole. Again.

      “Damn but these things are tricky,” she said, and Jaiven laughed softly and with his hand warm and strong over hers, he undid it and all the others.

      With his shirt undone Louise had the intense pleasure of pulling it back over his shoulders, letting her fingers trail down the length of his chest. His skin was as warm and smooth and perfect as she’d imagined; his chest hair was crisp and dark. The muscles of his lower belly contracted as she dipped her fingers lower and undid his cummerbund, tossed it aside.

      Trousers next and those went easily, whispering down his legs before he kicked them off. The only thing he wore now was black silk boxers and a pair of socks. She went for the boxers first, her hand brushing against the very impressive length of his erection as she got rid of the underwear.

      Her body blazed at the sight of him; it had been a long time since she’d seen a man like this. Wanted a man like this.

      And

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