It’s just you.”
“What? I haven’t done anything.” She wasn’t a mind reader, was she? Because in his mind, he frequently had her naked and begging, and that might make a woman gasp.
“No, it’s just that you changed your plans after I made a suggestion.”
“Smart-ass.” He threw the car in gear and started down the drive, peering over the wheel to see out into the near-total darkness. Once they got near enough, he’d cut the lights.
“Anyway, why wouldn’t I change my plan? You’re right. It’s safer to be in a car than on foot.”
“I’m not used to guys listening. I mean, I wouldn’t expect it from a guy like you.”
“Yeah? Like me?”
Lights off. He slowed even more. The brush on the side of the path blocked any moonlight. “If I get out of this, I’m going to eat more carrots. They help night vision, right?”
“If? You think there’s a chance you might not?”
Mistake. He could hear her uncertainty and fear. “Just kidding,” he reassured her. “Tell me what you mean about guys like me.”
“You’re kind of dangerous. I mean, you seem that way. A little macho and swaggering.”
“Huh.” He wasn’t sure he liked the swaggering bit. Macho and dangerous might be okay.
“Guys like that are usually unwilling to shift their plans, especially if they’re challenged by a woman.”
He shook his head in amazement. “I think maybe you know some major assholes.”
The windows were open, so they heard the soft cry of an owl, even over the car engine. The house lay in the dark, with no sign of life.
He parked the car up against the barn, hidden from the road but close enough to the house that they could get to it in seconds if they had to.
“No lights,” he said as they walked through the back door.
She gasped again, and he realized she’d thumped against the edge of the kitchen counter hard. “Ow,” she muttered, and her body swayed in the dark as she rubbed her hip. “Crap. Ow.”
He moved to her and put his hands on her arms. “Are you all right?”
She stopped moving. A moment later, she moved closer. “Yeah. I’m fine.” She sounded out of breath and gave a soft sighing moan—and suddenly he understood. His breath went ragged too.
He let his arms slide under her arms around her body and urgently tugged her closer. His mouth touched her cheek, and he found his way to her mouth. She stayed stiff but only for a moment. Within a couple of heartbeats she wrapped her arms around his torso and melted against him.
Yes.
They didn’t have time for this now, he reminded himself, and then silently argued that they might not have time for it later. They needed this. Carpe diem, dammit.
She groaned and slipped her hand under his shirt. Her fingers chilled his back but only for a moment. He interpreted her eager hands on his skin as an invitation to touch her anywhere he wanted. Too impatient to mess with the uniform dress’s zipper, he reached under it and let the cloth bunch on his wrists as he ran his palms over the curves of her hips, around to the small of her back. He cupped his other hand over her mound and felt the heat and moisture through the slippery warm material. Yes. The slick fabric felt good, but he wanted her body’s silk directly against his palm.
Tucking his fingers into the elastic of her panties, he pushed down the scrap of cloth, making a note to himself to check out her underwear when they had light again.
She struggled in his arms, and he almost pulled back and apologized until he understood she was pushing off her shoes and then that wisp of panties.
“Hell, yes,” he said against her mouth and hauled her against him.
“What if someone from New York shows up?” she whispered as she wiggled closer to him.
“They’ll have to wait.”
His eyes had adjusted to the dark of the house. Hands on her shoulders, he turned her around and got to work on the zipper. Moments later, she stood naked, her curves silvered by moonlight.
“You too,” she protested, so he took care of his clothes, quickly—but he made sure to fish the condom from his wallet before tossing away the jeans.
“Fast,” she said, but the word turned into a groan as he moved to her and their bare skin touched for the first time.
He kissed her neck, nibbled her ear, then moved to her mouth again. “Are you that hot for me or worried