in his arms.
Oh, the things she wanted!
Lacy’s lips parted, but before she could whisper a word, his mouth covered hers in a spectacular kiss.
His hands spanned her waist, holding her steady. His breathing was raspy, ragged. His tongue teased and coaxed. His eyes shone feverish with desire.
Lacy turned into his arms, and he lifted her to his chest. Without uttering a sound, he took her to the hay and arranged her gently on the floor.
He ripped the bathrobe from his body and tossed the garment aside, baring his muscular chest. He stood in nothing but his boxer shorts, and the you’re-the-most-sexy-thing-I’ve-ever-laid-eyes-on expression on his face told her that he wanted exactly the same thing she wanted.
Their bodies joined together. Here. In the barn. On the hay. All emotional consequences be damned.
She spread her knees and reached out her hands to him. He lowered himself between her legs, careful to avoid jostling her injured foot, and gently began to kiss her again.
Finally, at long last, she would know what it was like to be a woman.
And if the thunderbolt was real, then he would be hers forever. If it wasn’t real, then at least she’d have this one moment of exquisite pleasure to treasure of her first time with a handsome, virile man.
Making love to Lacy seemed the most natural thing in the world.
Never mind the annoying voice in the back of his brain telling him that he was getting in over his head. Never mind that his breath quickened with fear half as much as with excitement. Never mind that he was leaving Texas in less than a week.
His hands were unerring. His lips sure. More than anything, he wanted to give and receive pleasure with this woman.
And Lacy seemed as eager as he to consummate their union. The tension that had smoldered between them from the moment he had sauntered into the operating room at Saint Madeleine’s burst into a full-fledged forest fire.
She was the picture of his every adolescent fantasy sprung to life and more wonderful than he had ever dreamed. She was lush and fresh and eager. His hands shook with need. His heart pounded with passion.
Her warm, moist lips clung to his tighter than any embrace. Sensuous lips that were an odd combination of wildness and innocence.
What an intriguing paradox she was. Sweet and naughty.
At times she seemed almost virginal, and then in the next moment she would turn into the most tempting of temptresses. His eyes never left hers as his fingers slowly unbuttoned her jumper. She wriggled free from the clothing, and when he saw her body wrapped only in that pink satin teddy, he sucked in his breath with admiration.
“You’re so beautiful.”
She blushed prettily and ducked her head.
“I mean it.”
“I’m not used to hearing men talk to me like this,” she said softly.
“Well, you should be. You’re a spectacular woman, and any man would be lucky to have you. I’m damned lucky to be here with you right now.”
“Really?” She raised her head and blinked at him. The tender expression on her face slugged him in the solar plexus.
“Are you sure this is what you want, Lacy?” he whispered. “You know I can’t promise you any more than this moment. I can’t promise you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow will take care of itself,” she said. “Make love to me, Bennett. I want you; I need you...”
Was it his imagination or did the words “I love you” hang unspoken in the air?
Did she love him?
Bennett pulled back and searched her face, and he saw something suspect in her eyes. The last thing he wanted was to break her tender heart. He couldn’t stand the thought of knowing that he’d hurt her.
“Lacy...”
But before he could question her further, she raised up on her elbows and flicked the tip of her hot pink tongue and licked his nipple.
Bennett inhaled as sharply as if he’d been scalded. Such heat. Such intensity. Such indescribable delight.
Sheer ecstasy.
Moaning softly, he kissed her again, his arms cocooning her.
“Bennett.” She murmured his name. “Oh, Bennett.”
“I’m here, cupcake, right here.”
He lowered his head, then nipped and kissed and tickled her skin with his tongue. He visited her neck, her cheek, her eyelids, her earlobes until she was writhing restlessly beneath him.
“Every time I avoided your eyes in surgery it was because I was secretly longing to do this,” he said.
“No kidding?” she breathed.
“From the moment you fell off your stool at my feet.”
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I imagined you thought I was the world’s biggest