Page 52 of Mr. Dangerous

"I mean it," he said. "There are these things now. Phones. And planes. Neither of us would have to give up our lives to have eachother."

"I don't think you'd want me part-time,"Isaid.

"I'd rather have you part-time than notatall."

The words hungbetweenus.

I gave him alonglook.

"What if I told you that I've never gotten over the way things went in high school. The mistake I made. The way I let you go without kissing you,notonce."

Reluctantly, I said, "I think you know I've never gotten over iteither."

He took the edge of my towel from where I held it up, twisted, in one hand. He tugged metowardshim.

"Naomi," he murmured. "Come here andkissme."

From this near him, I could feel the heat off his body. I rested my hand tentatively on his broad shoulder. Beneath my palm, his droplet-sprinkled skin radiated heat. The expanse of muscle under my hand was so distinctly masculine. He was so foreign and yet sofamiliar.

"I've always loved this little bow in your lips," Rob said, touching the top of my lip. The intimate touch sent a shiver down my spine. "It's perfect in profile, too. I used to love watching you, watching out the buswindow."

I smiled, felt my lips part under his fingers. "I used to catch youwatchingme."

"And every time," he said, "I wanted to kiss thislittledip."

"And yet here you are, still wasting time," Iteased.

He shook his head faintly, his eyes warm and intent. He slid a finger under the strap of my bathing suit, tugged me even nearer. My breasts and stomach pressed into his defined abs, the bottom of his pecs. I slipped my hand up his shoulder to his neck, let my fingers wrap around the back of his neck, just where his military-short black hairbegan.

"I love this, too," he said, tracing my jawline in a way that made me want to throw my head back and press my body into his even harder. "This stubborn little chin of yours. The perfect contrast to the sweetness of yourmouth."

"Hmm."

He lowered his head so his breath came out against my hair. "What are youthinking?"

"I don't mind this as much as I usually mind beingcomplimented."

"Well, then, let's continue the inventory.” He touched my cheek, his fingers tracing the edge of my forehead, down to the corner of my eye. "You know, thanks to the Navy, I've gotten to see the world. But I've never seen another set of eyes like yours. They give you away. You always try to be so tough, not to need anyone. But they're filled with honey and warmth. Just like youreallyare."

My lips quirked up. "I don't know that I'd betonthat."

"Well, I am,"hesaid.

His eyes on mine were so intense, so smoldering, that I couldn't take it anymore. But I didn't want to run away from him anymore,either.

So it was only for a few weeks. The heat between us couldn't be denied, and right now I didn’t care how much it inevitably hurt later. I couldn't stand to spend another minute nottouchinghim.

I bounced up onto my toes, tugging down on his neck, and he came easily with me. His gorgeous blue eyes drifted shut as he leaned in. I kept my eyes open, wanting to drink in every bit of him: the lashes that rested against his cheeks now, the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes, the soft pink lips above that hard jaw. I pressed my lips into his, and found them even softer and warmer than my teenagefantasies.

His lips parted under mine. Greedily, he scooped me up against his body with his good arm. I felt my toes lift off the ground and smiled into his kiss. How could he pick me up so easily, one armed, to the edge of thehottub?

His warm body pressed against mine, hard and muscular. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he leaned in. His kiss deepened, his mouth firm beneath the soft lips. His questing tongue found its way inside my mouth, and I moaned. Before Rob, I’d never felt anyone French-kiss me in a way that sparked a sudden ache betweenmylegs.

He rocked back slightly, grinning, and I pressed myself forwardintohim.

"Like I said," he whispered. "All warmth andhoney."

Then he was kissing me again. "Let's go inside so the neighbors don't end up with too much to talkabout."

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