Sweat beaded his brow. His eyes were narrow slits, and he never took his gaze from hers. He urged her closer so he could cup her breasts. They filled both palms and he rubbed the pad of his thumb over the painfully erect nubs.

'I can't hold on," she whispered.


'Then let's go together," he urged.

His hands left her breasts and he gripped her hips, lifting her and pulling her down in time with his upward thrusts. The burn spread. Tension mounted. She wound tighter and tighter until it was all she could do to hang on.

She threw her head back, her mouth open in an endless cry of agony. The sweetest, most breathtaking agony of her life.


His hands left her hips to tangle in her hair. He rose up, pulling her harshly to meet his kiss. Frantically, his hands moved up and down her back, into her hair, through her hair, over her face as if he couldn't get enough and wanted to memorize every feature.

And then it was as if the world went silent. The wave rolled, crashed and then broke into a million tiny ripples, each feeding the other.


She was no longer cognizant of holding on to him. She was riding high and fast.

She had no idea how long she lay sprawled over Evan, her heart beating so frantically that she literally felt each thud. His arms were wrapped around her, and their legs were all tangled up. He was still buried inside her, and she could feel the remnants of his orgasm. Each little pulse sent a tiny shock of aftermath flooding through her body.

Slowly she became aware that he was stroking her back and her hair. He murmured little sweet words in her ear but nothing seemed to make sense. She was completely befuddled by this man, by her reaction to him.

'I think I blew it again."

She smiled and snuggled a little closer, tucking her head under his chin and nuzzling his chest.

'You blew, all right. But I think I blew first."

His chest heaved as he chuckled. 'You're such a naughty girl."

Summoning energy she sorely lacked, she raised her head and propped up on his chest so she could stare down into his eyes. What she saw sent a pang of longing straight through her heart.

He looked content. Sated, but not just in a sexual way. He looked at home, like they'd been together forever. Oh, she had an overactive imagination. She was sure of that. But when he looked at her like that, with the world in his eyes, a world where only she existed, it was hard not to get caught up in the fantasy they'd created between them. He ran a gentle finger over her mouth. 'What are you thinking?"

'I'm fairly certain a man should never ask a woman what she's thinking right after sex," she said lightly.

'I'm fairly certain all women like to talk after sex. Well, talk and cuddle, or some girly thing like that."

She grinned and leaned down to kiss him. 'I like the cuddle part."

He gathered her in his arms and rolled until they lay on their sides. 'Not a talker, huh?"

She reached down and carefully rolled the condom off him. He put his hand down to stop her.

'No, I'll do that. You don't have to mess with it."

But she already had it off. She kissed him again then scooted off the bed to discard it. When she looked back, he was propped on one hand, watching her intently.

His naked body was a gorgeous sight. Even in a relaxed state, his proportions were generous to say the least.

'If you keep looking at me like that, it's not going to stay down," he growled.

'You only have one condom?" she asked in mock horror.

He reached over, grabbed her arm and yanked her back down beside him. 'I'll have you know, I had a case delivered."

She snorted with laughter. 'A case? Are you planning an orgy?"

'I may have exaggerated…..slightly. But only slightly," he said with a sly grin.

'That's good to know. I'd hate to think I was under that kind of pressure."

He tweaked her nose then followed up with a kiss. 'Somehow I think you could hold up quite well."

She cuddled deeper into his embrace. She hadn't lied about the cuddling part or the talking part. Well, maybe about the talking part. In truth, she'd love to bare her soul, learn all his secrets, tell him all hers. Tell him how much she loved…..

She froze. For a moment she simply couldn't breathe. It wasn't as if she'd just

fallen in love with the man. No, it had probably been coming for a while now. But she hadn't admitted it. Hadn't even thought it much less said it aloud.

Yeah, it was there in the background just waiting for the time when she let it slip in. She'd been so good—or so she thought—about keeping her emotional distance.

She loved this man. Her heart seized. It was a painful admission. Wasn't figuring out you were in love supposed to be accompanied by fireworks, a fanfare, a giddy thrill?

Wasn't it supposed to be the most wonderful thing in the world?

Why then did she have the sudden urge to run to the bathroom and throw up?

'We have options," Evan said.

She blinked and focused her attention back on the here and now and the fact she was in bed after hot, sweaty sex with the man she…..loved.

It was all she could do not to groan.

'What options?" she asked huskily.

'I can feed you. I can make mad, passionate love to you again. Or we can take a short nap and then do either option one or two. Or both. See? I'm easy."

She smiled and squeezed him. She did love him. It scared her to death just how much she loved him, and now that she'd admitted it, she was flooded by so much emotion. It was all she could do not to blurt it out like some teenage girl with her first crush.

'Am I staying over?" she asked. She hadn't wanted to assume, but she needed to know before she started choosing options.

He leaned up and cradled her so he looked down at her. 'Of course. That is, if you want to. If you didn't bring clothes to go to work in, I can have my driver take you home."

She swallowed. 'I did bring clothes. But if he takes me to work, I'm without a car. It would probably be best if he did take me home early enough for me to get my car.

I can dress here."

He looked for a moment like he'd say something but then evidently he thought better of it and didn't push. She wondered what he'd wanted to say, but like him, she didn't push.

'All right. I'll make sure we get an early enough wake-up call for you to shower and get ready here before he takes you home to get your car."

Unable to resist, she kissed him. It wasn't a playful little peck this time, but a warm, deep kiss that showed without words the depth of her feelings.

When she finally drew away, his eyes were glazed with passion, but there was also contentment that she didn't want to speculate about.

'In that case, I vote we go with eat, mad passionate love and then sleep," she murmured.

'Sold."

A half hour later, they sat cross-legged on the bed, devouring the room service

Evan had ordered. She was swallowed up by one of his robes, and he was wearing a pair of boxer shorts.

She ate indelicately, with her fingers, foregoing the utensils. It was finger food anyway, and it was too scrumptious to be all highbrow about eating it.

They were nearly done when it hit her that she still hadn't broached the subject of the baseball game. Where before she'd felt a little awkward about bringing it up during what was obviously an illicit rendezvous, here with Evan, she was completely at ease.

'Tell me your plans for the rest of the week. Are you returning to Seattle until our presentation on Friday?"

He cocked his head and studied her intently. 'That depends, I suppose."

'On what?"

'On whether I have a reason to stay."

Her cheeks warmed. His meaning couldn't have been more clear. Her mouth suddenly went dry and she gulped a mouthful of water.

'I meant to invite you to the Tide season opener. I have tickets. Good tickets. Are you interested?"

He looked a little surprised, and for a moment she wondered if she'd overstepped her boundries. But then he smiled. A genuine, warm smile that told her he was pleased with her invitation.

'I'd love to go. It's Thursday night, isn't it?"

She nodded. 'I could pick you up and drive us over."

His eyes gleamed, and for a moment she could swear he looked victorious. Over what, she hadn't a clue.

'Just tell me what time, and I'll be waiting with bells on."

'It starts at seven, so I'll be here around five-thirty."

'I'm looking forward to it already."

She relaxed. Things were shaping up perfectly. She'd take him to the game and introduce him to Noah afterward. Then she'd wow him the next morning with a kick-ass presentation. The deal was hers. In the bag. She couldn't contemplate any other outcome.

Golden Gate and Athos Koteas might be coming on strong, but they didn't have Noah Hart, and they damn sure didn't have her ideas. Ideas she knew were perfect for Evan and his company.

This was hers.

Evan reached out to wipe a smudge from the corner of her mouth. She glanced down to see his food gone and most of hers, as well. And the way he was looking at her, she had a good idea what was for dessert.

'Give me two seconds to clear this away and roll the cart out into the hall and we'll get on with option two, although I'm thinking that option three should be significantly delayed."

She raised an eyebrow and her heart started tripping double time.

'Oh? How delayed?"

'Very delayed," he said silkily. 'I'm thinking option two could be divided into options three, four, five….."

In response, she untied her robe and tugged it away until she sat naked on the bed.