Night Maneuvers - By Jillian Burns Page 0,42

away. He dragged his gaze away from her breasts and looked up into her golden-brown eyes. “Baby, you amaze me.”

“Oh, Mitch.” Her hands gripped his head and she straddled him right there on the floor.

With a groan he palmed her breasts and kissed the soft mounds, sliding the straps down as far as he could.

He wasn’t sure who undressed who or even how they both fit in the tiny bathroom, he just closed his eyes and held on as she took his pulsing erection inside her tight warmth. He heard her ragged breathing, and his. Heard her cry of pleasure and his. Then he held her tight as she lowered her chest to his. Her flesh was soft and sweet and damp and he wanted to hold her like this forever.

The warmth that had started in his chest the other day had grown into a heat blast of emotion he could barely contain behind prickling eyes. He knew now why he’d felt so funny when he walked in tonight. She’d said, “Glad you’re home.” And he was home. Here. Inside her. With her.

“Mitch?”

“Yeah?”

She lifted her head and stared into his eyes. Her lips parted and then closed again. There was something in her eyes, some yearning, something she needed… “Never mind.” She laid her head back on his chest.

Aw, Hughes. He squeezed his eyes closed. “Don’t do that. Tell me.”

Her soft breath warmed his cooling chest and he rubbed his chin on the top of her head.

With a sigh, she pushed off him and sat up. “I’m starving. Let’s finish fixing this after dinner.” She started to get to her feet, but, unwilling to let the moment pass, he sat up and wrapped his arms around her back. After a surprised second she slid her hands around his waist and caressed his back.

“Is it about this weekend?”

“This weekend?”

“You’re worried about what we tell the gang?”

“Oh. Helping Jackson and Jordan move?”

“Yeah, I assumed you got asked, too.”

She nodded. “So…what do you want to do?”

When he’d talked to Jackson the other night, he’d shaved every inch off the truth without actually lying to hide his affair with Alex. That way, if the whole thing went south, it wouldn’t affect their friends. “Maybe we should keep…us a secret for now.”

She tugged on her lower lip. “Sure. Just buddies. No problem.” She met his gaze and smiled, but the smile misfired. Before he could stop her she lifted off him and started dressing.

What? Did she really want to announce to the world that they were lovers? Hadn’t he just been thinking Hughes was the one person who came right out and said what was on her mind? With a sigh, he washed up and followed her into the kitchen.

Dinner was amazing. Tender roast. Buttery potatoes. Steamed vegetables and hot rolls. Mitch hadn’t eaten a home-cooked meal like this in…he couldn’t remember when. While they ate, they discussed football, their favorite college teams, the NFL teams, who was winning, who was losing, who they thought was going to the Super Bowl.

Feeling full and relaxed, Mitch leaned back, rubbing his stomach. “I didn’t know you had this in your repertoire, Hughes.”

“I told you that night in the officers’ club.” She leaned forward and propped her elbows on the table, one brow raised. “There’s a lot about me you don’t know.”

He gave her a slow, seductive smile. “I’m enjoying what I’ve learned so far.” He got up and stacked the dishes, then started rinsing and loading the dishwasher. The hairs on his neck rose as he felt Alex’s eyes on him. He turned to find her staring at him. “What?”

“I’ve never seen you wash dishes before.”

He grinned. “I’m not a complete caveman.” He reached for a dish. “When I was a kid, if I hadn’t clea—” He froze.

“If you hadn’t cleaned?” she prompted.

Mitch swallowed and made himself resume scrubbing a saucepan. “Let’s just say my mom wasn’t the best housekeeper.” Hell, if that had been her only shortcoming, life might have been bearable. He felt Alex come up behind him and touch his back softly.

“Is that why your apartment and clothes are always spotless? Even your Jeep is immaculate.”

He shrugged. “I guess.”

She moved away, picking up a box of cereal he assumed had been left out from this morning. “And I’m such a slob.” She rolled up the plastic bag inside and closed the lid before sticking it in the pantry.

“Hey.” He stepped over and caught her around the waist, spinning her to face him. “Don’t ever