Page 45 of Two Hearts' Ploy

When she came closer, Jeff finally couldn’t resist when he pulled her into his arms, his mouth covering hers.

It felt every bit as good as he thought it would, having her in his arms. Her skin was soft, her body firm and supple as she pressed against his.

And her mouth…well. Their kiss went on and on until he felt like he was drawing strength, and yes, quite a bit of confidence from the urgency of her response.

There was definitely something more between them than the beginning of an uncomplicated affair.

Of course, despite the cold water, his body had reacted immediately in response. It didn’t help that it had been so long since he’d been with a woman.

He barely knew her, but yet he felt like he’d known her forever. Jeff didn’t merely want Wren – he needed her, he decided – more than he’d ever needed anyone before in his life.

He’d been lonely for years, even when he’d been dating Aimee, he realized. With Wren, it wasn’t just desire he felt for her – it was like she completed him, which was why he probably shouldn’t let this happen here and now. Even though he wouldn’t be able to have her for long, he needed to make the most of the time he’d have with her, so that he’d always have those memories to cling to.

“Let’s stop,” he whispered. “I want our first time to be more than just quick sex.”

Much to his surprise, she didn’t argue. Instead, she laid her head against his chest as he held her.

Now they were both shivering. It wasn’t just the coldness of the water, he decided. It was the sudden tenderness of the moment that almost had him in tears.

He picked her up in his arms, carrying her to the sandy beach alongside the pier, resting her feet on the ground when they reached the path, grabbing her hand.

“Come on. If I hadn’t been so shocked to see you naked, I would have remembered to bring some towels.”

She laughed, reaching for the shorts that were resting on the ground and handing them over as they headed toward the house.

Trying not to let his eyes linger too long on her breasts once they reached the deck, he gathered her clothes, pointing her to the door on the other side of the kitchen when they walked inside.

“Why don’t you go ahead. There’s a bathroom with a shower in the mudroom. It was one of the smartest improvements I made. I use it more than I do the shower upstairs.”

“Alright. I suppose I should be getting back to the Inn,” she said, looking not at all uncomfortable standing there naked.

Unlike Jeff.

He cleared his throat. “How about some coffee before I take you back?”

“Sure,” she said.

He laughed. “This has got to be one of the weirdest conversations I’ve ever had in the nude.”

“You probably won’t believe me, but I don’t normally act like this,” she said, heading through the kitchen.

Turning, she winked.

This time, Jeff laughed loudly, his eyes lingering on her rather perfect bare bottom as he pulled on his shorts once she disappeared through the doorway.

He definitely wanted to believe her.

Chapter Twenty-Six

She’d pretty much thrown herself at him.

But he’d wanted to wait, and surprisingly, it had been the most tender moment she’d ever experienced with a man. Wren wasn’t sure why, but those simple words had been so emotional, she’d begun to cry. At least they’d been in the water, so he probably hadn’t noticed.

She was still trying to figure things out. Wren couldn’t remember the last time she’d actually cried about anything, and here she was, having to admit that she’d cried not only tonight, but yesterday in the studio, after hearing Jeff’s rendition of the song that was closest to her heart.

They’d been pretty quiet since their time in the water, and Jeff was currently driving her back to the Inn.

Giving her another side glance, he was acting like he wasn’t quite sure what to say.

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