Worth the Risk_ A Contemporary - Megan Hart Page 0,117

Tom was staring at her like she’d grown two heads or something. She needed to do something to occupy her hands and lighting a fire was the first thing that had come to her mind.

She’d expected him to make some comment, but Tom sat silently. She only had to turn around to look at him, to see his handsome face. Then she’d know whether he was smiling or frowning, whether she’d offended or amused him. Lila wasn’t sure she wanted to find out.

The kiss on the porch had taken her breath away and weakened her knees. Clichéd, but true. The kiss on the couch had left her reeling.

As she dropped the matches into the nest of kindling she’d already prepared, Lila noticed her hands had stopped trembling. Good. She needed to have her head on straight, especially if she was going to do what she thought she was going to do.

"I’m not a prude." She kept her eyes focused on the flames. "I’ve had relationships before. Some have been long, others very short. One night even."

He did not respond. She’d finished the fire, and now could only sit back and watch the blaze fill the fireplace. With one last look to be sure she’d used enough wood, Lila brushed her hands carefully. Then she turned back toward the couch.

Tom had stretched out his long legs and linked his hands behind his head, but at her words, in went the long legs, down came the hands, until he sat straight-backed on the couch, his hands on his thighs.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No." She put her face on her knees for a moment before looking at him again. "Yes…I don’t know."

In one smooth motion, he slipped off the couch to sit by her on the floor. Then his mouth was on hers again, his arms around her, and all she could think of was how good it felt to have the heat of the fire against her back and Tom’s heat against her front. She was glad he’d made the move. She didn’t have the nerve. In Tom Caine’s presence she’d been catapulted back to high school, when the thought of kissing a boy had made her palms sweat.

She was sweating now and not only because the blaze had grown so high behind them. She pushed him gently, meaning to move him a little further toward the couch. At her touch, Tom slid backward onto the floor, taking her with him. She ended up on top of him, their legs tangled, so she became all too aware of the muscles in his thighs pressing against her.

His mouth opened beneath hers and urged her to respond. She did. His tongue swept her mouth, his lips nibbled and sucked at hers. Tom tangled his fingers into the length of her hair and tugged just gently. Lila moaned.

Mortified at the inadvertent noise, she broke the kiss but was unable to pull herself away. Tom’s hands clasped her too tightly for that. Her cheeks flushed hotly, matching the heat that had begun to flare in other parts of her body.

"What’s wrong?" He didn’t let go of her.

Lila managed to slide off his body so she was no longer in full contact. Not that moving away cleared her mind at all. The scent of him still clung to her, and his taste still tingled in her mouth.

"I don’t want you to stop."

Tom smiled. "I don’t want to stop."

She felt stupid and amorous all at once. Lila shook her head. "I am not in the habit of having casual sex."

But oh, boy, did she want to.

He nodded. "You may not believe me, but neither am I."

She wanted to believe him and searched his face carefully for any sign he might be lying. She saw none, not even the hint of a grin that might show he was being facetious.

"I want you to be sure you know what you’re doing."

He chuckled softly. "I’ll try my best."

That wasn’t what she meant, but she didn’t have the willpower to keep arguing. Not with him, and not with herself. She wanted to make love to him. Her desire was an uphill ride on a roller coaster. She wanted to squeeze her eyes shut until the ride was over, but knew she was going to ride the whole way with her hands in the air, screaming with delight.

Tom, thankfully, didn’t seem to be as bound into thought as Lila was. He tugged her down to him again, seeking her mouth with a