Maybe he'd swim in lieu of his usual run. Or maybe he'd check out paths along the upper bank. It was always good to have an escape route, however safe and isolated the location.
When the coffee was ready, he filled a cup and turned toward the narrow hallway. Rianna materialized in the doorway and they collided with a soft thud . She fell against him like a limp rag, her face buried against his shoulder. Kyle clutched her close with his left arm while he set down his cup. Then he tentatively rested his right hand at the small of her back.
Instead of moving out of his grasp, she burrowed closer, like a sleepy child. Her arms encircled his waist, a ring of fire that seared him The feminine warmth and scent of her made his pulse leap wildly, and his body come to full sexual alert.
"Coffee. I smell coffee," she mumbled innocently against his shirt.
The feel of her mouth moving against him, even through the cloth, made his muscles clench with excitement. Her breasts pressed into his chest, branding him with erotic fire.
He closed his eyes, savoring the sensual pull, then took a deep breath. He wanted to lock her tightly in his arms, ravage her mouth with his own until he'd forced her to wake up and accept the consequences of her actions.
Desire raged through him as Rianna drifted back to sleep in his arms. She obviously wasn't a morning person. Kyle clenched his jaws in frustration. He considered carrying her back to bed and having his way with her. As much as the idea appealed, he wasn't the sort of man who took advantage of women, especially vulnerable ones.
That didn't mean he couldn't enjoy having her close, he thought.
He tightened his grip, pulling her body snug against his own. A moan escaped him at the exquisite feel. Rianna moaned, too, then suddenly went rigid in his arms. Kyle grinned as her head jerked backward, and she stared at him in sleepy confusion.
He slowly loosened his hold on her. She eased her grip on his midsection, allowing her enough room to splay her hands on his chest. More heat.
"What?" she muttered huskily.
"You came in search of coffee and ran into me."
"You're—" she began, then cleared the huskiness from her throat and licked her lips.
Kyle wanted to suck each glistening lip between his own and then devour her whole mouth. The need was so strong that he had to fight for control. How the hell had he gotten so needy?
"You're very hard," she finally managed to say.
And getting harder with each breath he took. "It's a morning thing," he supplied.
Her brows puckered, lashes sweeping upward as the drowsiness cleared from her eyes. As she came more fully awake, she began to withdraw.
"A guy thing," she clarified for them both, then stepped out of his reach.
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry if I made it harder."
Kyle watched a rosy blush steal up her neck and over her cheeks as she realized what she'd just suggested. The flustered color made her all the more alluring.
"I'll survive," he teased, then decided to give them both a break from the escalating tension. "I just need some coffee."
"Coffee , " Rianna parroted .
He reached for his cup, sipped it to see if it was still warm, and then downed the whole thing. Maybe the caffeine would knock some strength back into his knees.
After she filled her own cup, she refilled his.
"Thanks," he said. "I was just heading outside to welcome the morning. Care to join me?"
"Sure," she said, then preceded him through the narrow hallway between their sleeping compartments.
Kyle reached around her to unlock the door, held it open while she passed through, and closed it behind them.
"I want to go up on the deck," she said, turning toward the ladder.
The roof of the houseboat doubled as a sundeck with chairs, tables and an attached sliding board for swimmers. Kyle took another sweeping glance around the area, noting that all was still quiet. He followed Rianna up the ladder, feeling his body respond to the sight of her shapely bottom, clad only in gym shorts
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