“1m on the pill, Jake, for other reasons, so you don’t have to worry, and I've. She blew out hot air. “I haven't been with anyone since...” The hump in her throat was so thick she couldn't speak, and she glanced away “Hey,” Jake said softly as he kissed the comer of her mouth. “I'm clean, so there's no worries there, but you have to be sure about this, Raine.” He blew out a long jagged breath. “Are you sure?” Raine’s answer was to slide down his body, her hands seeking his skin, desperate to touch him. Nimble fingers tugged on the edge of his shirt, yet she couldn’t seem to get it past his abs. With a groan Jake pushed her back, ripping it off and tossing it to the ground. Holy hell Her eyes slid over ripped abs, defined pecs, and—Lord have merey—the indent above his jeans, the one that made any woman weak with want. Jake had a few tattoos: one that was identical to Jesse’s, a Gemini—the sign of the twins, and another down his right side. It was new; she'd never seen it before, and it added an air of danger to his already-badass physique “You're beautiful,” she said. Her hands greedily covered every bit of flesh she could reach, and when she felt him tremble beneath her fingertips, she smiled and glanced up at him.Jake’s mouth was open slightly, his even, white teeth barely visible. Several inches taller than her, he stared down at her with hooded eyes and an almost painful expression on his face She licked her lips and he groaned, and when she opened her mouth and then closed it over a turgid nipple, he swore. “Jesus.” His hands, however, held her in place so she couldn’t leave even if she’d wanted to. She twirled her tongue over him, loving the taste of his skin, loving the feel of a large, strong man in her grasp. He bent lower and she surged upward, meeting his mouth and deepening their kiss as her hands fell to the waistband of his jeans. And when her fingers tugged on the snap, when she yanked on the zipper and slid her hand just inside and felt his flat skin there, he froze for a moment and then pushed her away, a ragged breath exhaled as he ran his hands through his messy hair. Jake’s chest heaved and a chill ran over her as she stared up into his pained eyes Eyes that were also dark with desire—desire for her—desire that she wanted to wrap herself in, Slowly her eyes ran down his wide chest, past the rock-hard abs and past the low- slung, and now-open, jeans, Hello, the man was commando. She licked her lips at the sight of the bulge that was barely hidden, and her fingers crept to her swollen mouth as she tried to hide the whimper of need in her throat. The heat from the fire enveloped her already-hot skin and she held Jake's gaze,watching as his eyes widened when she reached for the edge of her shirt and yanked it up past her rib cage and then over her head. With a toss, she sent it flying to the ground beside his. “Raine, I don’t,..1 don’t know if...” His words ended on a strangled gasp as she cupped her breasts, slowly rubbing her aching nipples through the soft material of her bra. And then she undid the snap and it joined her top on the floor. His teeth were bared like an animal’s as his gaze rested on her exposed breasts. Her fingers lingered, teasing the nipples, and she swelled beneath his hunger, smiling wantonly as he took a step toward her. “Touch me, Jake.” Oh, God, did I just say that? And yet, as his hungry gaze was riveted to her aching, swollen breasts, she grew more bold. Raine cupped her breasts and offered them up like offerings to a god. “Touch me,” she breathed, her thumbs caressing her nipples. “Since when did you become such a fucking tease,” Jake growled, taking a step toward her. “Since | decided 1 was going to take what | wanted, and to hell with everything else.” A slow grin tugged the corners of his mouth, “And when was that exactly?” He was now inches from her. “About ten minutes ago,” she whispered. Before she could say another word, Jake’s large palms covered her breasts and held them as he bent low and took one turgid nipple deep into his mouth. Everything fell away except Jake. And his hands. And his mouth. And his incredible body. Raine’s senses filled until she was dizzy with the heaviness of it, her head spinning at each pass of his tongue across her nipple. When he tugged and gently began to suck, she yelped and ground her hips against him, frantic to feel him everywhere. Her hands reached for his jeans again, and for one split second she froze, wondering if she was in fact doing something she would regret. But then he blew on her wet, aching nipples, and all thought flew out of her head except one. Jake.Jake had a moment, one pristine and clear moment, where he could have put the brakes on and stopped things cold. Halfway between the taste of her in his mouth and the low moan that hung in her throat—right in that sweet spot—he could have taken a step back But he didn’t. How could he? The one thing he’d wanted his entire life was right here, right in front of him, and she was his for the taking. He wasn’t going to think about it as a temporary thing. He wasn’t going to go there. Because there, back where all the pain and shit was—that was a place that had no room in here Not in here, in this warm haven that Raine had created—a cocoon that existed only for them. And for once in his sory-ass life, he was not going to do the right thing. He was sick and tired of the right thing. He wasn’t going to step aside and consider the big picture. He held Raine prisoner, his lips worshipping her mouth, his tongue staking a claim as he tasted her forever, it seemed. When she groaned into him, the sound fired him up and left him weak in the knees. The thought that she wanted him as badly as he wanted her did crazy things to his head. And this wasn’t the alcohol talking. Or the anger. It fueled all sorts of fantasies, which he pushed away, because the only fantasy he wanted to deal with at the moment was getting her the hell out of the rest of her clothes. Impatiently he scooped her into his arms, striding toward the fireplace, and grabbed the bubblegum-colored blanket off the sofa along the way. He tossed it on the floor and broke their kiss, aware that her fingers were still tangled in his open fly. Raine stared up at him, her mouth wet and swollen from his, and such a wave of desire and—he had to be honest—possession rolled over him that for a moment, he could do nothing but breathe hard and stare right back at her. He wondered if she knew how close he was to losing it completely. If she knew how many nights he’d thought of her and how many nights he’d gone to sleep, aching with the need to have her. His eyes dropped to her small, perfect breasts—to their pebbled, rosy nipples—and his hand clamped over them. His cock swelled even more at the sound of her breathhitching in the back of her throat, and he gently rotated his palm, first over one and then over the other, excited at the sight of her pink tongue flicking out over her bottom lip. She was wrong and he knew it. None of this was right, but he didn’t care Tonight was about the two of them, and the rest of the world could go to hell. Tonight there was nothing but Raine. Gently he put her down and took a step back. She wavered slightly, her hair a crazy, sexy mess in her eyes, and her mouth—that plump, delicious mouth—parted as she struggled to breathe. He had done this to her. Jake was no choirboy, and in the past he’d made many a woman hot and bothered, which for a guy was as much of an ego kick as anything else. But none of those women had ever made him feel the way he did right now, as if he'd just climbed Mount Fucking Everest. As the guy on the Titanic had said, he felt as if he were the king of the world. Raine dragged in another long breath and pushed her hair away, licking her lips as her eyes zeroed in on his jeans. Right there, where his erection strained so painfully full that it was all he could do to not relieve the pressure immediately. But that would be wrong. He arched an eyebrow and smiled. Totally wrong, because tonight it was ladies first, “Come here,” he said, his voice low yet controlled.Raine didn’t hesitate. She took two steps until she was so close to him that he could count her eyelashes. He bent low and took her breast into his mouth, his tongue circling her nipple. But it was a quick, gentle tug and he smiled when she moaned her displeasure as he let it go. “Jake, P'm dying here,” she said throatily “Really,” he murmured against her skin, his mouth now between her breasts and moving downward. He sank to his knees and slipped his hands into her jeans as he did so, yanking on her zipper and loosening her snap. He tugged the material dowa over her hips while she lifted first one leg and then the other sa that he could take them off completely. Another piece of clothing to add to their growing pile. Jake leaned back on his haunches. He winced at the exquisite pain between his legs. And he took a few moments to drink in the sight of her half-naked body. She stood there, legs parted, her butt barely covered by the sexiest pair of black undies he’d ever seen. They rode her hips low and left half of her ass cheeks hanging out, And though Raine had lost some weight lately, she still had curves where curves should be. “Jake,” she said again, He leaned forward and kissed her bellybutton, his tongue swirling around it in a gentle motion. Her skin trembled beneath his lips and his fingers hooked into herimmediately he jerked into her. “Ah, fuck.” He stared down, his insides twisting almost painfully at the Raine between his legs, her wet, plump lips wrapped around his cock. Her tongue slid along the length of him in slow, precise movements He closed his eyes, trying his best to wipe out the erotic picture, because he knew if he didn’t keep it together, he would ruin things. He would come way too fucking early, and there was no way he was going to allow that to happen. She suckled him hard, and for a moment he saw nothing but blackness and stars He felt nothing but the heat of her mouth and the agility of her tongue. She stroked him with her hand and licked and suckled until he was so close to the edge, he couldn’t see straight. “Jesus Christ, Raine, you gotta stop.” His hands were in her hair, and gently he pulled her away from him, his control thin at best. Their bodies were covered in sweat, a thin sheen of desire that coated them and made the flickering light from the fire dance across their skin. Jake pushed her back until she was on that god-awful pink blanket. Until she lay back, with her legs spread, with the most vulnerable part of her exposed to him. He stood over her and stared down at the woman who would break him. Because that’s exactly what was going to happen, and Jake was no more able to stop that from happening than he’d been able to stop everything else that had happened to him over the last few years.Including the last time he’d been with Raine. But he wouldn’t think about that now. He fell to his knees, his hands on her stomach. He’d been heading here—he positioned himself between her legs—right here, forever, it seemed, and right now in this moment, he didn’t want to think about the consequences. Jake bent over and gently kissed her, his tongue tasting her mouth, his lips cajoling a response. Her hips jerked up toward him and she pleaded into his mouth, “Please, Jake.” He leaned close to her, one hand on her hip to hold her steady as the head of his cock slid into her wet sheath. “There’s no going back now, Raine.” He was at the edge, poised and ready, when her hands slid into his hair and she yanked him so that she was able to look into her eyes. “[ want this, Jake.” Moisture glimmered in the corners. “I want you,” she whispered. And then her mouth was on him and he was buried deep inside. For a second he stilled. He let her body adjust to his size and length, and he reveled in the tight, hot wetness that surrounded him Slowly he began to move, smiling when she would have hurried things along,“Not so fast, Delgotto.” She made a noise in the back of her throat. “Edwards,” she gasped as he thrust into her again, “I can’t take this much longer.” He rested most of his weight on his elbows so that he could look down as he rocked into her. So that he could watch the play of emotion across her face and anticipate her reaction as he carefully controlled their pace. “Jake,” she cried out, her eyes dark and wet and so hauntingly beautiful, he was sure he'd see this in his dreams. He captured her mouth as he increased his rhythm, his large body sliding in and out of hers, his tongue doing the same. When he knew she was there on the edge with him, when her body began to shudder and the walls of her vagina clenched so tight around him that he couldn’t hold back, he groaned into her. He worshipped her with his mouth, with his tongue and his hands, and with one last hard, intense thrust, he came. Jake had no idea how long they stayed that way, with him buried deep inside her. All he knew was that he didn’t want to lose this connection. He was afraid that if he withdrew, it would be gone forever. He caressed her face and stared down into eyes that he would never forget. Ever. Not as long as he lived And eventually, when he couldn't stay that way any longer, he rolled to the side, grabbing the pink blanket and Raine in one motion. He carried her over to the sofa and tucked her into his arms. There were no words. There was only the cocoon they had built around themselves, and Jake didn’t want to think about the aftermath of their actions. For the moment he was content to hold and cherish the woman he loved. He held her, listened to her breathing and her heartbeat. He gazed into the fire as outside the storm continued to rage, and eventually his eyes closed, and Jake Edwards fell into a dreamless sleop. And that was something he hadn’t done in years.When they reached the hotel, he paid the driver and escorted Mari back to her room. “Come in,” she coaxed. “1 don't think “You can get to your room through mine” Wary of spending any more time near her, yet unable to deny her anything, Charles allowed her to lead him inside the privacy of her room She fingered his lapels and gazed up into his eyes. “Thank you, Charles. This has been the most wonderful night of my lif “And mine,” Charles whispered, not trusting himself to say more Heer hands slid up to caress the back of his neck and she raised her face to his, Charles groaned, but didn't give into temptation. He must subdue the rogue “Kiss me, Charis.” “I shouldn't,” he ground out “It’s all right,” she assured him, nestling her hips against his. “I'm asking you to.” “But Jordan—" “Jordan isn’t here, You are” He felt his resolve weaken as she dropped small kisses on his jaw. "We shouldn't,” he protested “There's no future in it “L know,” Mari whispered. “But you make me feel as no man ever has before. As no man will again. Ina week or so, you'll be gone and all Iwill have are memories...and Jordan. Help me make beautiful memories,” she pleaded. Unable to resist her logic or her seduction, Charles gave in and covered her mouth with his, plunging his tongue deep within her willing mouth, Mari met him thrust for thrust and his desire escalated until he ‘was almost panting with the agony of the unfulfilled He raised his head to try and control his ragged breathing and Mari, her face flushed with passion, gazed back at him. He tried to compose himself. Inanely he said, “We're crushing your corsage. Here, let me remove it for you." With shaking hands, he struggled to remove the flower, but the simple act baffled him. He finally succeeded in extricating the small pin from her dress, and his knuckles grazed an out-thrust breast Mari inhaled sharply and Charles tossed the corsage onto a nearby table, then experimentally ran the back of his fingers over the taut bud visible through the fabric of her dress, “Yes,” Mari breathed. "Don't stop." He didn't want to, couldn't. Shakily he unfastened the buttons on the front of her dress until he was able to peel back the fabric and expose one perfect breast to his view. He flicked his tongue over the rosy bud of her nipple and Mari moaned in response, clutching him to her ‘That was all the encouragement he needed as Charles ran his tongue around the aureole, then took her fully into his mouth, As he suckled her breast, Mari’s hands roamed his body, coming to rest on the hard length between his legs Ather touch, he almost exploded then and there, and the shock rocked him back to the present ‘Though his mind was muzzy with desire, he still knew this was wrong, He could go no further twas the hardest thing he'd ever done in his life, but Charles raised his head from her breast and pulled her hand away from his loins. With passion-swollen lips, Mari said, “What's the matter? Tenderly replacing the fabric over her breast, Charles said, “We mustn't” Sofily he added, “This isnot a memory you want to make—not when you plan to marry Jordan someday.” “But—" Mari broke off, sighing. “I guess you're right.” “I know I am.” He gave her one last kiss, a chaste one upon her brow. Mari stood there, seductively rumpled by their love play, making him ache with longing, Before he could lose his newfound resolve, he hheaded toward his own room He knew he was right—but why did being right have to be so painful?