she closed her eyes, fought back the tears, opened them again and stared down at his features. But even with that debate still raging, she knew, deep in her heart, that he was the one. The love of her life. The happily-ever-after she’d never have. It didn’t matter what he’d done or who he’d been before they’d been together. When he’d been hers, he’d been everything she’d ever wanted.
She held her breath as she leaned close to brush her lips softly over his. Just a whisper of a touch. Just one last kiss.
Through wet eyes she moved to climb off the bed.
And gasped.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“I don’t think so.”
Kat’s pulse jumped against her skin where Pete gripped her wrist. In the dark, he could see the whites of her eyes glow like halos all around her dark irises.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
She opened her mouth to answer. Stared at him. Closed it quickly.
She hadn’t thought he was awake, he realized. And granted, he hadn’t been. Not until she’d laid her lips on his.
Then he’d come immediately awake. Had grown instantly aware.
She trembled beneath his touch. He sat up slowly, let his eyes adjust to the dark, raked in the sight of her there in front of him. Hair tousled from sleep, dirt-streaked, white T-shirt she hadn’t rinsed out in the bathroom creased from where she’d slept on it. Eyes sultry and filled with a yearning he’d recognize anywhere.
His blood rushed hot in response even though he knew it was a bad idea.
She drew in shallow breaths, but she didn’t once look away from him, didn’t ease back, didn’t try to get out of his hold. And he saw then the same thing he’d seen in the diner earlier. A decision that flashed in her eyes and sucked him in.
He knew that look.
Bad idea. Really fucking bad idea.
He let go of her wrist. Made a move to slide away from her. But didn’t make it more than a fraction of an inch.
Her body sank into him. Her lips brushed his. Once. Twice. As soft as before but with an urgency he’d missed in his groggy state.
He tensed. Thought about pushing her away. Knew he couldn’t.
Oh, sweet Jesus.
That heart he was sure had cracked and shattered years ago swelled inside his chest with the first taste. And shoving away the thousand reasons this was wrong, he let her draw him into her warm, wet mouth. Deep, deeper. Until he felt her body quiver, felt her firm breasts press against his bare chest, felt her muscles tighten and loosen and her heart jump beneath her ribs.
He didn’t think. Just savored her in his mouth. Ran his hands over her back and around to her waist. Pulled her closer. The position was awkward, so he gripped her hips, lifted her easily, guided her to straddle his lap so he could kiss her deeper yet. Then nearly came when she settled herself on her knees over him and lowered until she was sitting on his throbbing erection.
And ah, hell, being with her like this was like coming home. Like leaving the dark and coming into the light. Like finding where you were meant to be.
Neither of them spoke. The heater hummed in the background. Every now and then a car passed on the freeway outside. But all he could focus on was the roar in his head that screamed, now, now, now, followed by a tightness in his chest that warned, take it easy.
He listened, though it nearly killed him. Moved slowly. His hands slid to the edge of her tee, up under to the bare skin of her abdomen, higher until his knuckles brushed her bra. All the while he kissed her, licked into her mouth and bathed himself in the sweet taste of her on his tongue again.
She was hot, and he was burning. She was soft where he was hard as stone. He broke the kiss long enough to pull the T-shirt over her head and drop it on the floor, nearly groaned at the sight of her practical cotton bra. No bells and whistles, no lace or see-through cups. Sturdy. Practical. Like her.
Her heavy-lidded eyes stayed on his as he worked the bra free. The back hook gave with a soft pop. She drew in a breath, then helped him by wriggling out of the straps. It fell into his hands, landed next to her T-shirt on the floor. He licked his lips in anticipation as he cupped her perfect breasts, flicked