in panties and a strapless bra, watching Cruz. He hadn’t moved. His breathing hadn’t changed.
And she almost chickened out.
But she wanted him with a desperation that bordered on insanity.
She unsnapped her bra, took off her panties and stepped over her discarded clothes. She approached the bed and reached for the buckle on his belt.
Chapter Nine
Cruz grabbed her wrist and opened his eyes. Her face was pale, her eyes big and her sweet lips were pressed together in fierce concentration. “What the hell are you doing?” he snarled.
He’d been a wreck since he’d heard her stand up and unzip her dress. He’d waited, expecting her to go to her room. Had been prepared to spend another night thinking about her, dreaming about what it would be like to hold her again, to slip inside her.
Then he’d heard the soft sound of the material hitting the carpet and knew that she was almost naked.
It was a miracle his own zipper had held up.
She stared at him. “I want to have sex with you,” she said finally.
Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes. “You’ve had too much to drink, Meg. Go to bed.” He let go of her wrist and scooted farther up on the mattress, away from her.
“I’m not drunk, Cruz. I know what I’m doing.”
She straightened up and stood before him. And damn it, he looked. Like a condemned man staring at his last days of freedom, he drank in the sight.
Breasts, firm yet so soft with pale pink nipples. High ribs, slim waist, narrow hips. So feminine with her long legs and pale skin that had freckles in the most interesting places.
He felt hot and edgy and he clenched and unclenched his hand to release some of the tension. “This isn’t a game you’re playing, Meg.”
She put a knee on the bed.
“Look,” he said. “I appreciate the offer but—”
Other knee on the bed. Less than a foot separated them. She was killing him.
She reached out, letting her fingers dance across his thigh, then higher. Her fingers rested on the thin material of his tuxedo pants. Then she gently stroked the length of him.
He wanted to push himself into her hand, her mouth. He wanted to roll her underneath him and not stop until one of them passed out.
But he kept still. Somehow.
“Please?” she asked.
Damn. He’d never been able to refuse her anything. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to start tonight.
He sat up, cupped one hand around the back of her head and pulled her close. And he kissed her. Softly, at first. Then she opened her mouth and drew him in.
So familiar. So new.
He shifted, pulling her down next to him. Her skin was warm and he could smell the sweet scent of her wanting him. “Last chance to walk away,” he whispered, his tone deliberately light.
She shook her head. And when she reached for his belt this time, he didn’t stop her.
* * *
MEG WOKE UP when Cruz’s cell phone rang. She glanced at the clock next to the bed and was surprised to see that it was almost 9:00 a.m. She never slept that late, even on the weekends.
She hadn’t gotten all that much sleep. She and Cruz had made love three times. The first time had been frenzied, both of them so needy that it seemed as if they would inhale each other. The second and third times had been different. No less passion, no smaller fireworks, but still calmer, more soothing, more sensual.
There wasn’t a spot on her body that he hadn’t touched, kissed, loved. The man had always been an energetic lover but last night he’d seemed driven to take her to new heights.
And she’d been happy to go there. Had been delighted to see his response to her touch, had felt the desire tear through her when she’d known his release was near.
Now he had his big body curled around her, her back to his front. And by the feel of things, he was ready for round four.
“Are you going to answer that?” she asked.
He reached his arm out to the bedside table and picked up his cell phone to peer at the number. “It’s my sister,” he mumbled. “I’ll call her back.”
She scooted away. “Take it. I have to pee anyway.”
When she came back to the bed, he was still on the phone. He’d moved and was sitting up, a pen in his hand, a hotel notepad resting on the blanket that covered him. He was smiling, looking slightly amused.
“Congratulations,” he said.