at her senses.
„Adena!“
Instantly she-softened, her taunting, teasing recklessness giving way at once to the need to comfort Running her
fingers lightly through his hair, she looked up at him with deep emotion.
„I said there was nothing you could give me that would make me say the words, Holt, and I meant it But I will say
them for free: I want you. I have never wanted a man as badly as I want you tonight“
The heat of his gaze was scorching. For an instant she thought he would speak but then, as if he were at a loss for
words, Holt lowered himself to her once more, inhaling the fragrance of her hair. She felt the tense need in him and
gently, lovingly stroked his back.
Lovingly, Adena thought silently, turning the word over in her mind. It seemed to fit very nicely. Was she falling in
love with Holt Sinclair? Was that why her common sense and her normally controllable emotions had deserted her
tonight?
The thought frightened her as nothing else could have at that moment It jolted her back to reality, making her
horribly conscious of her nudity, and of the intimacy of the situation.
„Adena, what’s wrong? Don’t freeze up on me! Not now, not tonight! I want to make you mine completely. I must!“
That pleading command was almost her undoing. Only the fear of being on the brink of a very dangerous emotion
kept Adena from slipping over the edge and into the depths of the sea. She needed time. She had to think. And it was
all happening so fast…!
„Please, Holt,“ she begged. „Please, you said you wouldn’t rush me. I need time….“
„Adena, I want you and you want me. You’ve admitted that much. Can’t you trust me tonight?“
„It’s too soon…“ She breathed the words almost sadly, knowing they were true but wishing they weren’t He lay
heavily along the length of her, holding her immobile and letting her feel the strength in him. He didn’t need to point
out the obvious. They both knew he could take her and in the end she would give herself willingly. Their eyes met in
mutual recognition of that salient fact and Adena waited for Holt’s decision.
For a moment the electric tension flowing between them was so thick Adena thought she could see it Then, with a
growling exclamation of resignation that said more clearly than words how reluctant Holt was to accede to her wishes,
he sat up beside her on the sofa.
She lay there, feeling bereft, and watched the play of emotions across his rugged face.
„Thank you, Holt,“ she said gently.
„For acting the gentleman tonight? Don’t thank me. I feel like a world-class fool!“
He surged to his feet, his eyes raking her nudity until she shivered again. He had a way of making her feel so
incredibly vulnerable! Hastily Adena reached for the froth of ebony and gold and stepped into the dress as Holt
buttoned his shirt His brooding gaze never left her figure, and it sent the blood rushing into her cheeks as she dressed.
They stood looking at each other in silence as they finished adjusting their clothing. Finally Holt stepped forward
with a swift, convulsive movement, pulling her tightly into his arms.
„Tomorrow night,“ he gritted tightly. „Be ready around six, all right?“
„Okay.“ Adena knew she couldn’t have refused.
His hold on her tightened and he kissed the heaviness of her hair. „Adena, I don’t want to go home tonight.“
„I know,“ she whispered achingly.
„But you’re going to send me home, anyway?“ he concluded with wry humor that broke the tension a little. „Why
is Max looking at me like that?“ he added a little aggressively.
Adena turned her head to follow his gaze. Max was peeking around the edge of the sofa, his chin resting on his
paws. „He’s waiting to escort you politely to the door.“
„I know when I’m licked,“ Holt groaned, dropping a last, hard kiss on her upturned mouth before reaching down to
scoop up his jacket At the door he stopped, his hand on the knob.
„Adena!“
Instantly she-softened, her taunting, teasing recklessness giving way at once to the need to comfort Running her
fingers lightly through his hair, she looked up at him with deep emotion.
„I said there was nothing you could give me that would make me say the words, Holt, and I meant it But I will say
them for free: I want you. I have never wanted a man as badly as I want you tonight“
The heat of his gaze was scorching. For an instant she thought he would speak but then, as if he were at a loss for
words, Holt lowered himself to her once more, inhaling the fragrance of her hair. She felt the tense need in him and
gently, lovingly stroked his back.
Lovingly, Adena thought silently, turning the word over in her mind. It seemed to fit very nicely. Was she falling in
love with Holt Sinclair? Was that why her common sense and her normally controllable emotions had deserted her
tonight?
The thought frightened her as nothing else could have at that moment It jolted her back to reality, making her
horribly conscious of her nudity, and of the intimacy of the situation.
„Adena, what’s wrong? Don’t freeze up on me! Not now, not tonight! I want to make you mine completely. I must!“
That pleading command was almost her undoing. Only the fear of being on the brink of a very dangerous emotion
kept Adena from slipping over the edge and into the depths of the sea. She needed time. She had to think. And it was
all happening so fast…!
„Please, Holt,“ she begged. „Please, you said you wouldn’t rush me. I need time….“
„Adena, I want you and you want me. You’ve admitted that much. Can’t you trust me tonight?“
„It’s too soon…“ She breathed the words almost sadly, knowing they were true but wishing they weren’t He lay
heavily along the length of her, holding her immobile and letting her feel the strength in him. He didn’t need to point
out the obvious. They both knew he could take her and in the end she would give herself willingly. Their eyes met in
mutual recognition of that salient fact and Adena waited for Holt’s decision.
For a moment the electric tension flowing between them was so thick Adena thought she could see it Then, with a
growling exclamation of resignation that said more clearly than words how reluctant Holt was to accede to her wishes,
he sat up beside her on the sofa.
She lay there, feeling bereft, and watched the play of emotions across his rugged face.
„Thank you, Holt,“ she said gently.
„For acting the gentleman tonight? Don’t thank me. I feel like a world-class fool!“
He surged to his feet, his eyes raking her nudity until she shivered again. He had a way of making her feel so
incredibly vulnerable! Hastily Adena reached for the froth of ebony and gold and stepped into the dress as Holt
buttoned his shirt His brooding gaze never left her figure, and it sent the blood rushing into her cheeks as she dressed.
They stood looking at each other in silence as they finished adjusting their clothing. Finally Holt stepped forward
with a swift, convulsive movement, pulling her tightly into his arms.
„Tomorrow night,“ he gritted tightly. „Be ready around six, all right?“
„Okay.“ Adena knew she couldn’t have refused.
His hold on her tightened and he kissed the heaviness of her hair. „Adena, I don’t want to go home tonight.“
„I know,“ she whispered achingly.
„But you’re going to send me home, anyway?“ he concluded with wry humor that broke the tension a little. „Why
is Max looking at me like that?“ he added a little aggressively.
Adena turned her head to follow his gaze. Max was peeking around the edge of the sofa, his chin resting on his
paws. „He’s waiting to escort you politely to the door.“
„I know when I’m licked,“ Holt groaned, dropping a last, hard kiss on her upturned mouth before reaching down to
scoop up his jacket At the door he stopped, his hand on the knob.
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