“So if it’s not here…?”
Hank studied the way she was biting into her lower lip. “It’ll be somewhere.”
“That’s all very interesting.” She ripped off the stubborn piece of wallpaper with more force than necessary and dropped it into the trash can. Then she whirled around and chided, “But it doesn’t explain why you just acted so protectively toward me.”
He’d been wondering when she would bring that up.
Hank refused to apologize for giving Graham Penderson the old heave-ho. “I wouldn’t think I’d have to explain that,” he answered drily.
She lifted a blond brow. “Apparently,” she said, perfectly mimicking his deadpan tone, “you do.”
Was it possible? Was he really that hard to read that Ally had no clue how he was beginning to feel about her?
“Then how about this for an explanation?” Hank said, leaning in for a kiss.
Chapter Seven
His move wasn’t all that unexpected. The woman in Ally had known Hank was going to kiss her again. She just hadn’t known when-or where.
The question was, Ally mused, as his arms wrapped around her and drew her close, what was she going to do? Was she going to acknowledge the rapid thudding of her heart and the weakening of her knees, and give in to the ever so slow and deliberate descent of his lips to hers? When the professional businesswoman in her knew she should not-at least until the matter of the sale of Mesquite Ridge was settled? Or would she go with her feminine side, and the instinct that told her to grab this opportunity to see if their chemistry was as good as she’d suspected?
Unable to keep herself from slowing things down a little and speaking her piece, Ally planted a palm in the center of Hank’s chest. She drew in a quick, bolstering breath and looked him square in the eye. “This won’t change anything, you know.”
Grinning, Hank threaded a hand through the hair at her nape. “I know you think so,” he murmured, just as confidently.
And then all heaven broke loose as his lips finally took command of hers…
My goodness, did this man ever know how to kiss! With finesse and depth and stark male assurance. He kissed her as if kissing was an end in itself, and there was no one but the two of them in the entire universe. He kissed her as if he meant it-and always would. He kissed her as if she was the most incredible woman he’d ever been privileged to know.
And darn it all, Ally thought, as she threw caution to the wind and rose up on tiptoe to meet him with every ounce of womanly passion she had. She felt the same!
She never wanted this moment to end.
She wanted to stay just like this, with his arms wrapped around her, his strong body pressed ardently against hers.
She wanted to savor the peppermint taste of his mouth, and the incredible heat that exuded from every sexy inch of him.
And she wanted more. Much more than she had ever wanted in her life…
Right now. Right here.
And since it was Christmastime, and she had no other gifts headed her way, why not present herself with the most thrilling experience of all?
Ally broke off the caress to murmur, “I want you.”
Hank looked down at her with a mixture of affection and longing. He threaded both his hands through her hair and tenderly cupped her face between his palms. “I want you, too, but only,” he said soberly, “if you’re sure.”
Ally had never been impulsive. Until now. And darned if she wasn’t enjoying the experience. “I’m sure,” she said, just as earnestly.
He nodded and swung her up in his arms. “Then we’re going up to my bedroom and doing this the way it should be done.”
“And how is that?” Ally asked, her recklessness soaring with every step he took, until at last Hank set her down next to his neatly made bed.
“Slowly.” He paused to kiss her again, even more deeply this time again. “And with great attention to detail.”
She liked his approach. It kept her from thinking too much about her feelings. Emotions could be her undoing. Better to think about the task at hand…
“Detail’s good.” Ally let her head fall back as he nibbled his way down her neck, lingering over her collarbone. She shivered when he eased her old college T-shirt over her head, letting it fall to the floor. His eyes darkened as he took in the curves of her breasts, spilling out of the lace of her bra.
“Very good,” Hank murmured thickly, as he eased the fabric from her arms and reached behind her to undo the clasp.
The lace slid away. He bent her backward over his arm. Cool air assaulted her nipples and her breasts tingled in anticipation. Unable to bear the excitement, Ally let her eyes flutter shut. She felt the warmth of his mouth, the caress of his tongue, the nip of his teeth, while his hands conducted a very thorough exploration of their own. Despite her efforts to keep this a purely physical experience, feelings welled up inside her, mixing with the sensations. The combination of the two was overwhelming and incredibly enticing…
Ally’s heart slammed against her ribs and her breathing grew short. It was suddenly imperative, she decided, that they both get out of their clothes.
Hank seemed to have the same thought, because he was guiding her upright again so he could use both hands to unbutton and unzip, and help ease off her boots and jeans.
“You, too,” she said, jerking the shirt hem free of his jeans, working at the fastenings, spreading the fabric wide. His chest was every bit as sleek and hard and masculine as she had imagined it would be. Swirls of dark hair covered his flat male nipples and arrowed down past his navel.
Anxious to discover more, she let her hands move to his belt buckle.
Hank kissed his way from the shell of her ear down her neck. “I thought we were taking this slow.”
Ally eased both her hands inside the waistband of his jeans. He was throbbing, ready, full. Heat poured through her, curling her toes and she rose up to meet him. With her heart slamming against her ribs, she kissed him full and hard on the mouth. Given the way she felt… “We are.”
He grabbed her close and kissed her back, just as ardently. The hot skin of his muscular chest pressed against her bare breasts. She felt his urgency. And still he kissed her thoroughly. As if she was the most beautiful, wonderful woman on earth, and he was the only man for her. It felt as if they were meant to be together, meant to celebrate the upcoming holiday in just this way. And though Ally had never liked Christmas, never let herself want presents, she did want this.
What did it matter if it wasn’t destined to be anything but a fling? she told herself practically. Something that felt so good had to be right.
Hank must have felt so, too. Otherwise he wouldn’t be letting go of her long enough to step out of his boots, jeans and briefs, wouldn’t be ripping back the covers on his bed and lowering her to the warm flannel sheets.
Slipping both hands beneath her, he urged her knees apart and eased his weight between her thighs. More kisses came, slower and more sultry than before, and only when she was trembling and arching and gasping for breath did he release her lips and kiss his way down her body. Lingering over her breasts, moving past her ribs, to patiently explore her navel…
Seeming more content than she had ever imagined he could be, he explored the hottest, wettest part of her, through the lace of her panties. Holding her hips, he made her wiggle and moan. And then his hands were inside the elastic, steadily easing that last bit of cloth from her. The intensity of his exploration left them both shaking.
At some point the tables were turned and her hands were on him, causing him to inhale sharply and bury his head against her throat.
“Enough playing,” Hank murmured. Turning her onto her back, he stretched out overtop, his hot breath scorching her neck.