delivered
what they suggested. His kiss was warm and sweet
and earnest. He applied the perfect amount of pressure,
leaving no question that she was being soundly
kissed, but without making her feel overpowered or
threatened. It was such a perfect kiss that her lips
parted naturally. When his tongue touched hers, her
heart expanded and her arms encircled his waist.
He lowered his hands, so that one arm was free to
go around her shoulders while the other curved to fit
the small of her back and to draw her against him
full-length. He angled his head. Hers made a countermove.
The kiss deepened, his tongue probing. The
longer they kissed, the more ardent it became.
Then suddenly he broke away. He was breathing
hard. His hands resumed their previous position on
either side of her face. "That's what I had to know. It
wasn't just me."
She shook her head as much as his hands would
allow it to move. "No," she said, surprised by the
huskiness of her own voice. "It wasn't just you."
"Follow me?"
Protests died on her lips before she could even
speak them.
"I have a cabin not far from here. Two, three
miles."
44T ??
"Don't say no." His whispered voice was ragged,
impassioned. His hands pressed tighter. "Don't say
no."
Her eyes searched his, then she made a small, assenting
motion with her head. He released her immediately,
turned, and strode back to his car. She
dropped the gas cap in her haste to screw it back in.
Finally getting it secured, she rounded her car and got in. She started her motor; his car pulled up beside
hers.
He looked at her as though to make certain that she
was as resolute as he, that she wasn't going to bolt
and disappear the first chance she got.
Which she knew was what she should do. But she
knew with just as much certainty that she wouldn't.
Not now.
Hammond didn't take an easy breath until her car
came to a full stop beside his. He got out and went to
open her door for her. "Watch your step, it's dark."
Taking her hand, he led her up a crushed-shell path
toward the cabin. A small porch fixture provided just
enough light for him to see to open the lock with the
key he had brought with him from Charleston.
He pushed the door open and ushered her inside. A
local lady cleaned the place whenever needed. He
had scheduled her to come earlier that day. Rather
than smelling musty, like an empty, infrequently used
dwelling, the cabin smelled clean, like freshly laundered
linens. Per Hammond's request, the air conditioner
had also been left on, so it was pleasantly cool.
He closed the front door, separating them from the
porch light and plunging them into complete darkness.
He had every intention of being a good host and
gentleman, of showing her around the cabin, of offering
her something to drink, of telling her more
about himself and giving her time to adjust to being
alone with him only hours after their meeting. Instead,
he reached for her.
She came willingly into his arms, seemingly as
eager for his kiss as he was for hers. Her mouth responded
warmly to the thrusts of his tongue that
stroked and tested and tasted her until he had to pause
to catch his breath. Lowering his head, he pressed his
face into her neck, while her hands closed around the
back of his head and her fingers combed through his
hair.
He kissed his way up to her ear. "This is crazy," he
whispered.
"Very."
"Are you afraid?"
"Yes."
"Of me?"
"No."
"You should be."
"I know, but I'm not."
His lips rubbed against hers in a not-quite kiss.
"Afraid of the situation?"
"Terrified," she said as her mouth dissolved
against his.
Finally ending the kiss, he said, "This is rash and
reckless and--"
"Totally irresponsible."
"But I can't help it."
"Neither can I."
"I want so much to--"
"I want you to," she sighed as his hands slipped
beneath her top and covered her breasts.
Any misgivings he had that the desire was onesided
vanished when her head fell back, offering
what they suggested. His kiss was warm and sweet
and earnest. He applied the perfect amount of pressure,
leaving no question that she was being soundly
kissed, but without making her feel overpowered or
threatened. It was such a perfect kiss that her lips
parted naturally. When his tongue touched hers, her
heart expanded and her arms encircled his waist.
He lowered his hands, so that one arm was free to
go around her shoulders while the other curved to fit
the small of her back and to draw her against him
full-length. He angled his head. Hers made a countermove.
The kiss deepened, his tongue probing. The
longer they kissed, the more ardent it became.
Then suddenly he broke away. He was breathing
hard. His hands resumed their previous position on
either side of her face. "That's what I had to know. It
wasn't just me."
She shook her head as much as his hands would
allow it to move. "No," she said, surprised by the
huskiness of her own voice. "It wasn't just you."
"Follow me?"
Protests died on her lips before she could even
speak them.
"I have a cabin not far from here. Two, three
miles."
44T ??
"Don't say no." His whispered voice was ragged,
impassioned. His hands pressed tighter. "Don't say
no."
Her eyes searched his, then she made a small, assenting
motion with her head. He released her immediately,
turned, and strode back to his car. She
dropped the gas cap in her haste to screw it back in.
Finally getting it secured, she rounded her car and got in. She started her motor; his car pulled up beside
hers.
He looked at her as though to make certain that she
was as resolute as he, that she wasn't going to bolt
and disappear the first chance she got.
Which she knew was what she should do. But she
knew with just as much certainty that she wouldn't.
Not now.
Hammond didn't take an easy breath until her car
came to a full stop beside his. He got out and went to
open her door for her. "Watch your step, it's dark."
Taking her hand, he led her up a crushed-shell path
toward the cabin. A small porch fixture provided just
enough light for him to see to open the lock with the
key he had brought with him from Charleston.
He pushed the door open and ushered her inside. A
local lady cleaned the place whenever needed. He
had scheduled her to come earlier that day. Rather
than smelling musty, like an empty, infrequently used
dwelling, the cabin smelled clean, like freshly laundered
linens. Per Hammond's request, the air conditioner
had also been left on, so it was pleasantly cool.
He closed the front door, separating them from the
porch light and plunging them into complete darkness.
He had every intention of being a good host and
gentleman, of showing her around the cabin, of offering
her something to drink, of telling her more
about himself and giving her time to adjust to being
alone with him only hours after their meeting. Instead,
he reached for her.
She came willingly into his arms, seemingly as
eager for his kiss as he was for hers. Her mouth responded
warmly to the thrusts of his tongue that
stroked and tested and tasted her until he had to pause
to catch his breath. Lowering his head, he pressed his
face into her neck, while her hands closed around the
back of his head and her fingers combed through his
hair.
He kissed his way up to her ear. "This is crazy," he
whispered.
"Very."
"Are you afraid?"
"Yes."
"Of me?"
"No."
"You should be."
"I know, but I'm not."
His lips rubbed against hers in a not-quite kiss.
"Afraid of the situation?"
"Terrified," she said as her mouth dissolved
against his.
Finally ending the kiss, he said, "This is rash and
reckless and--"
"Totally irresponsible."
"But I can't help it."
"Neither can I."
"I want so much to--"
"I want you to," she sighed as his hands slipped
beneath her top and covered her breasts.
Any misgivings he had that the desire was onesided
vanished when her head fell back, offering
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