From This Moment On - By Debbi Rawlins Page 0,52

sad that at twenty-seven he’d resort to his high school make-out spot. Though no sense wasting a full moon.

He blasted the radio for a distraction. Then alternated between five and fifteen miles over the speed limit. By the time he turned off the highway and parked the truck, Nikki was pulling his shirt out of his jeans. She attacked the buttons, and man, he thought for sure she’d end up ripping the shirt open. But when he held her face in his hands and kissed her long and slow, her feverish pace settled to a sexy caress.

“You can wait here while I get the blanket and a flashlight from the back.” He’d meant to pull away and go do what he said he’d do, but her eagerness was contagious. Barely had he dragged his lips from hers when his craving for more pulled him back for another sweep of her mouth.

She clung to his right shoulder, the tips of her fingers digging into him, her mouth soft and yielding, her exotic scent seeking a permanent nook inside his head. Damned if he knew how he could make himself leave her even for a minute. He cupped a hand over her breast. She wasn’t wearing a bra and he felt her hard beaded nipple through the thin fabric.

Her fingers went back to the buttons and she continued where she’d left off, tugging with impatience, her breaths coming fast and hard in his mouth. Fear that he’d end up coming before he peeled off his jeans motivated him to make the break.

“Nikki, wait. Let me get us set up.”

“I can’t wait,” she whispered, pushing his shirt off one shoulder and pressing her lips against his skin.

“I’m in the same boat, honey,” he murmured, his body so tense he thought he might have to physically remove her to a safe distance. Her hand lowered to his fly. “Dammit, Nikki.”

“Okay.” She slumped back. “Hurry.”

Leaving on the headlights, he fumbled with the door handle, cussing while she laughed. He waited until he was outside the truck before he looked at her. Nikki stared back, her moist lips glistening, her face flushed with need. “Your dress...don’t take it off yet.” He couldn’t decide if he wanted to do the honors, or lie back and watch her strip down in the moonlight.

Her lips moved in a teasing smile. “You sure?”

“No.” Barely intelligible, the strangled sound seemed to come from his throat. “Just...just leave it on for now.”

He found the blanket, then remembered the flashlight was in his glove box. It didn’t matter. The moon was bright and the sky cloudless. He inspected the tall grass, kicked away a couple rocks, then shook out the blanket. Crouching, he ran his palm over the wool to make sure nothing hard lay underneath, wishing he were about to make love to her on a soft bed with silk sheets.

Maybe he should’ve insisted they return to Kalispell. He should’ve taken a minute to make sure it was his brain doing the thinking. He didn’t want to get this wrong. Nikki deserved to feel special. She’d nearly torn his heart out telling him about the prom incident and that prick Garrett.

He was straightening when he heard the car door. She stepped out and walked over to him. “I thought you’d started without me,” she said, grinning and kicking her strappy black high heels onto the blanket.

“I like those.” Nodding at the sandals, he loosened his buckle. “I like them a lot.”

“You would. They’re ridiculously high and pinch my feet.”

“So why wear ’em?”

Nikki wrinkled her nose. “I knew you’d like them,” she said, looking small and fragile in her bare feet. Her sudden burst of laughter had a nice sound to it, lusty and full of humor, and she wasn’t the least self-conscious.

So far that’s what he’d liked most about the night. Their relationship had reached a new level. Knowing she was comfortable enough with him to share a part of herself gave him a quiet pleasure he scarcely understood. It wasn’t easy for a woman like her to let her guard down and trust she wouldn’t be burned.

“What’s that expression for?” Her smile slipped. “I was loud, I know.” She shivered, her dark eyes sweeping a gaze toward the trees that flanked them on the right. “I hope I didn’t attract a bunch of critters.”

“Just one.” He reached for her and tugged her close.

A warm gentle breeze stirred her hair as she tipped her head back to look up at him. “I