TALL DARK AND HUNGRY Page 0,55

took longer than expected. It was well past noon before they were what Bastien approximated was halfway through the job. He was waiting patiently as Terri fussed over the positioning of yet another arrangement, when he noted the way she absently rubbed the back of her neck as she bent to shift the urn.

"Are you getting a sore neck?" he asked, setting the camera down and approaching her.

Terri straightened and glanced over her shoulder at him. He began to lightly massage the muscles of her upper back and neck.

"A little," she admitted, relaxing under his touch.

She gave a small sigh. "I think I must have slept in an awkward position last night. I've had a bit of a crick all morning, but it's really bothering me now."

"Hmmm." Bastien's gaze moved over the top of her head as he worked, noting that her hair wasn't just brown. There were blond and red highlights in among the chestnut-colored strands. She had lovely hair.

"Thank you," Terri murmured, and Bastien froze as he realized he had made the comment aloud. But he froze only briefly; then he caught her hair in one swathe and moved it over her shoulder so that it was out of the way, revealing her neck as he continued his massage.

"You have a lovely neck," he commented as he let his hands slide down her back, beginning to include her upper shoulders in his massage.

"I..." Terri paused on an indrawn breath as he leaned down to kiss the tender flesh that he'd re-vealed.

"Bastien," she whispered. He ran his tongue in a circle over the spot he'd just kissed, and there was such a wealth of longing in her voice that he closed his eyes to savor it. His hands stopped moving, but he made them slide down her sides and back up, then again, each upward stroke taking him farther around her side and tantalizingly closer to the curves of her breasts.

A low moan slid from her lips when Bastien finally slid his hands around far enough to brush the soft curves. And when he finally gave up trying to resist and cupped the full mounds in each hand, Terri leaned back into his chest with a murmur of pleasure.

"Oh, Bastien." Her voice was dreamy and sweet. He moved his mouth over her throat, then to her ear, and concentrated there as he caressed her soft breasts through her light, pink sweater.

Her hands came up to cover his, and he paused, until Terri's fingers tightened around his, urging him to hold her more firmly, to knead her flesh. Then Bastien slid his hands downward. He heard her moan with what sounded like disappointment. That moan died abruptly, and she seemed to hold her breath as he slid his fingers beneath the hem of her sweater and allowed them to ride up over her naked flesh under the top.

Terri was warm, her skin smooth and soft. There was no impediment to his caress until he reached the bottom of her bra. There Bastien paused with indeci¬sion, then crossed his hands over her chest, allowing his right hand to find the front edge of her bra and slip beneath.

"Oh," She rose up slightly on her toes and pushed back into his chest as his hand cupped her warm, naked flesh.

"Bastien?" Uncertainty and pleading were both in that one word, and Terri said his name with an ex-cited catch that did unbelievable things to him. He was having this effect on her. He was the reason her nipple was pebble hard beneath his fingers. He was why her breathing was suddenly coming in short, fast gasps.

"Terri." Bastien groaned, then withdrew his left hand to catch her under the chin and turn her head so that he could reach her mouth. Her response was gratifying if startling. This time it was she who slid her tongue out to run along his, and she who thrust her tongue into his mouth when his lips parted. She was kissing him with a passion that spoke eloquently of the effect he was having on her. Terri wanted him.

Slipping his other hand out from beneath her shirt, Bastien turned her to face him without breaking the kiss; then he took control, his own tongue lashing hers and thrusting with an answering passion. He had never wanted anyone as much in his life as he did Terri at that moment. He wanted to devour her. In fact, there was nothing else in the world that he thought he would