lights hanging above. Through an open door off to one side, she saw a cast-iron tub reflected in their soft yellow light. There was no other furniture or even art as she’d seen in the other room. Only white linens and white walls, all of which added to the stark austerity and monastic feel.
She glanced over her shoulder toward Santos to make a comment, then fell silent as his gaze swept over the bed and came back to her. The intensity in his black eyes was anything but monk-like, and the heated look ignited her buried need, the flames jumping higher than she expected.
The attraction between them had been building ever since he’d appeared at her side, despite the fact that she’d told herself over and over that what they’d shared was behind them. It was over, ancient history, old memories, and nothing more. But she’d been dishonest, and suddenly Silas’s voice whispered in her head… There’s no worse lie than the one you tell yourself. The relationship between herself and Santos, and all the emotions it entailed, wasn’t going to go away, no matter how much she denied it.
They moved at the very same time, a single step bringing them together. Without a word, he crushed her to his chest and pressed his lips to hers. He wanted her as much as she wanted him, and a stab of pure need pierced the wall she’d tried to erect between them. No one but Santos could fill that need, and she knew it was useless to fight it. There was more to her need than lust, though. She was desperate to erase the bloody, tortured image lingering inside her head. She needed to connect with him and be reassured that life carried on, no matter how deep the evil they fought.
His obvious sense of urgency washed over her and took control. Had she known all along this was how the night would end? The question didn’t matter as a haze of recklessness descended over her. She didn’t care. All she wanted right now was Santos inside of her. If he filled her up, there would be no room for anything else.
…
Santos kissed Rose with a hunger he’d staved off for years. His fingers swept down her back and over her hips, the memories he had carried with him for so long paling in comparison to the reality. The barrier of her blouse fell under his demands, his hands reaching greedily for the buttons. One popped and rolled to the floor. Her leather jacket and the rest of her clothing quickly joined it. Naked in his arms, she clearly felt the same hunger he did, a hunger that could only be satisfied with the feel of their bodies skin to skin. She reached for his belt and fumbled with the heavy buckle. Thrusting his hands between them, he helped her, unzipping his pants then reaching for the nightstand for his wallet and the condom he kept there. His shirt and his vest followed, the pile of clothing at their feet growing until nothing was left to remove.
Stumbling toward the big white bed, locked in each other’s arms, he finally admitted to himself he’d been a fool to leave Rose. Especially the way he had. He should have tried harder…and been more honest. He should have made her understand how much she meant to him. He should have loved her better, and worked harder to save their relationship. They landed with him above her, but before he could draw her closer, Rose crawled on top of him, her touch darting over his body as she straddled him. Her fingertips burned a trail across his chest. As her hand drifted lower, she felt his stomach tense. He wanted to roll over and be the one of top, but she wouldn’t let him. Cradling his face in her hands, she stared into his eyes. Tightening her fingers in his hair where it curled, she tugged until his chin was lifted and his throat exposed.
Her eyes were dark and strange as they stared into his. He had warned her that he was a different man when he was on this side of the border, but looking at her right now, he realized he wasn’t the only one who had changed. This was a Rose he didn’t recognize. When had this happened?
She jerked her head toward their slick bodies, the heat of their passion trapping them in a place with no escape. “This doesn’t mean anything,”