Chapter 44

He splashed her in punishment. She giggled and dove under, feeling as if she were starring in one of those falling-in-love montages from a chick flick. Couple in a romantic French bistro, couple taking pictures along the beach, couple laughing and splashing naked in a lake. Later, couple in bed, making love.

Falling in love.

It could happen for her, too. It might have already. Right now, dripping wet and high on life, she cared less and less about stopping it anymore.

They swam for a while longer until hunger drove them back inside and into the shower. Scrubbed and shampooed and refreshed, she dragged on one of his T-shirts over clean panties and left her wardrobe change at that on his request, feeling sexy and comfortable and as if bliss was her new inseparable best friend.

They sat on the screened-in porch outdoors in cushioned chairs, enjoying the breeze, protected from mosquitoes, drinking beer, eating the picnic Nolan had packed: cold chicken flavored with soy sauce, ginger and garlic, Asian slaw, peanut noodles, watermelon and butterscotch brownies, then more beer, sitting with their feet up on the low table, sharing stories of their childhoods, enjoying the view of the setting sun turning the calm lake pink. Utter contentment.

“So…Candace.”

“Mmm?”

“Just wanted to warn you, I’m planning to get you naked again very soon.” He gestured toward her with his beer bottle. “Because looking at you in that T-shirt and panties has been pure pleasure, but it has also been pure torture.”

“I see.” His low, husky voice made her shift on her seat, nipples hardening under the soft cotton, which he immediately noticed and appreciated, which made her shift again.

“What do you think?”

“I think…” She sent him a smoldering come-hither look. “I need to powder my nose first.”

He chuckled. “Second door on the right. The bedroom is the door on the left past it. I’ll meet you.”

“Deal.” She kissed him and went into the bathroom, simply designed but top-quality like the rest of the house, from the enormous claw-foot tub to the stone vessel sink, to the toilet that barely made a sound when she flushed. A look in the mirror showed a very, very relaxed and happy woman. Today had been so perfect, from breakfast in bed to the museum, to lunch, to the, ahem, basement, then beach and now lake house.

Had she mentioned she could get used to this? Three more days, give or take. Three more days to fall harder for this amazing man, and then she’d get to rip out her heart and leave it with him when she left.

Rosehill. Most people thought of it as paradise. Right now it felt like jail. She emerged from the bathroom into the dimly lit hallway and followed his directions toward the room with the glow of light spilling from under the nearly closed door which she lost no time in pushing open.

Candles. She stood and took in the scene. A dozen at least, at various locations behind and to the sides of the beautiful iron bed. On the polished wood mantel, on the bedside table, on the bookcase at the far wall, arranged on the low window seat. Her delighted laughter died the instant she looked at Nolan.

He’d stripped to his boxers and stood by the bed, feet planted, hands loosely on his hips, chest and muscled arms lit to a golden glow. Shadows played on his cheekbones and strong jaw, his hair was carelessly tousled after his shower, but his gaze stopped her…from moving, from breathing.

He watched her quietly, no grand gesture, but in his eyes she saw everything she’d ever wanted to see in a man’s heart.

Come here. He didn’t say it aloud, but held out his hand. She moved forward, feeling as if she were starring in one of her most perfect fantasies, except this was real. Even understanding that, part of her kept wanting to know for sure she wouldn’t wake up and find out she’d been dreaming.

She stood opposite him. He put his hands to her waist and pulled her close, laid his cheek against her hair while she slid her fingers up the hard landscape of his arms. They stood like that she didn’t know how long. His skin was warm on her temple, rough where his beard had emerged. Her breath was audible, catching occasionally, his deep and regular.

Then his lips touched her hair…her cheek…the corner of her mouth.

Candace turned her face toward him and up; his lips brushed hers, drew back, brushed them again, making them tingle. She closed her eyes, trying to capture every sensation—his male scent, the hard heat of his muscles under her fingers, the warmth of his body so close, the soft tenderness of his lips, the acceleration in his breathing. His tongue drew a slow path across her mouth; he caught her lower lip between his, pulled gently, grazed it with his teeth. A shiver caught her, not from cold but from a necessary release of the building tension.

He pulled away; she opened her eyes and suddenly understood how it felt to drown in someone’s gaze. Emotion swelled to the familiar point where she’d have to look away or be lost. A second before she gave in, he bent and kissed her, gently, then lingeringly, then harder, then with possessive passion that made her whimper and push close, feeling his erection bulging through the thin cotton of his boxers.

She loved the silence, loved the communication only through their bodies, loved the way she could immerse herself in sensing instead of speaking. He turned her toward the bed, arms locked around her, and supported her slow fall back onto the soft sheets, still kissing her, body wide and secure on top of hers. He lifted to help her out of the T-shirt; her breasts reacted to the cooler air in the room, which made his warm mouth warmer on them; her hands traveled the expanse of his back, solid under smooth masculine skin.

This man. This man. Everything about their time together was so much more. More romantic, more fun, more intense and so much more meaningful.

He slid her panties down her hips, helped their leisurely long journey off her legs by encouraging every few inches with gentle kisses, down her thighs, knees, calves, the soles of her feet. On the way back up, he stopped to explore with his tongue, slipping his finger inside her, bringing her to helpless gasps of pleasure while she alternately stroked and gripped his hair.