“You’re doing everything perfectly,” she told him.
“Yeah?” His smile was boyish, half proud, half embarrassed. “Good. I want to.”
This was a side of Trevor she didn’t know. The physically perfect, always together man was gone and in his place was someone...normal. She could resist the paragon, but not the possibility of a real, nearly everyday kind of man.
She kissed him. First on the lips, then on his cheek and his nose. Stubble darkened his face and rasped against her tongue. She liked the taste of him. And his scent and everything else about him.
When he tugged at her jeans and panties, she raised her hips to help him. They still lay on their sides, with one of her legs bent and up against his hip. He completed a lazy pattern, tracing a circle from her shoulder, along her side to her hips, then crossing down her thigh, gently rubbing against that secret place between her legs, moving up her belly to her breasts, ending back at her shoulder.
They stared into each other’s eyes while he did this. She tried not to notice the journey was taking longer and longer as he spent more time exploring her feminine place. Finally, he slowly inserted one finger inside her. She felt herself convulse around him. They both sucked in their breath.
“You’re a little overdressed,” she told him as she tugged on the collar of his shirt. While she was naked, he was completely clothed.
“I know, but it’s better this way. I’m afraid if you even look at me, I’ll explode.”
She touched the tip of his nose. “I am looking at you.”
“I’m not worried about you staring at my face.”
“Why not? It’s a very nice face.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
“I do. Very much.”
His fingers slipped down her thigh, and once again it became difficult for her to talk. He found the core of her and circled that place. Her body rocked with the rhythm he created; her breathing increased; her eyes closed. Every part of her focused on that one sweet spot.
He moved slowly, carefully, occasionally dipping inside her. She found herself tensing, wanting to rush die process. She forced herself to hold back, to let him set the pace.
Trevor couldn’t believe what was happening—that Dana was in his bed, letting him make love with her. She was more beautiful than he remembered. Time had rounded her curves and added spice to her personality. Before, in high school, she’d showed promise. Now she was all that promise fulfilled and more. So much more.
Her body trembled against his. He moved slowly, wanting her to enjoy the journey as much as he. She was obviously ready for whatever they would do. He continued to circle around that tiny spot of pleasure, occasionally brushing over it, then moving lower and torturing himself by entering the place that would soon provide his own release. Assuming he didn’t lose it completely.
He grinned, knowing it was embarrassing as hell for a man his age to be worried about reacting like a seventeen-year-old. Her breath caught and he returned his attention to her. A flush started on her chest and moved up to her face. Her fingers clutched at the bedspread under them, her hips thrust forward and back in a rhythm as old as biology.
He wanted her to find her release. He wanted to be the one to provide it. As he started to move faster, her body strained toward his. She opened her eyes, but her gaze was unfocused. Her mouth parted. He leaned forward to kiss her. She drew him in, sucking hard on his tongue. At the same time, he brushed over that aroused spot.
She cried out and shuddered. Keeping his thumb circling around her, he dipped a finger inside and felt the rapid contractions signaling her release. He stroked her there, too, moving in and out in counterpoint.
The release went on for several seconds. Finally, when she relaxed, he lightened his touch, then drew his hand away. She broke the kiss and stared at him.
“Wow,” she murmured. “I mean...wow.”
Pride filled him. “I’m glad you liked it.”
“‘Like’ doesn’t exactly describe the experience.”
“Good.”
“No, it was better than good,” she teased.
He grinned. “Okay, how about extraordinary?”
“Hmm, closer. I’m not sure I can put it into words.” She pressed her face into his chest. “Hold me, Trevor.”
He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close. This was right, he told himself. Having Dana next to him, her body still warm and trembling from their lovemaking. He could do this for a long time and not grow tired of being with her.
After a few minutes she reached for the buttons on his shirt. “I assume it’s okay for me to look at you now,” she said.
His arousal flexed painfully. “I wouldn’t complain.”
“Good.”
“Oh, I think it’s going to be better than good.”
She chuckled. “How about extraordinary?”
“Undoubtedly.”
With his help, she removed his clothes. While she pulled back the bedspread and climbed between the sheets, he found a condom in the nightstand and slipped it on. Then he knelt between her thighs and looked at her.
Contentment added to her beauty. Blue eyes gazed at him; a smile tugged at her lips. Her short hair was tousled and unbelievably sexy. He could feel the pressure building.
“I’m afraid this isn’t going to take very long,” he told her.
“I left my stopwatch at home, so you’re safe.”
She placed her hand on the back of his neck and drew him down. With her lips nearly pressed against his she said, “I suspect this isn’t going to be your only performance of the night.”
He slid into her welcoming warmth and groaned in contentment. Nothing had ever felt so good...or so right.
“Want to bet on that?” he asked as he withdrew, only to thrust in again.
“Sure. Name your wager. I know I’m going to win.”
The pressure increased as he pulled out and slipped in again. “I believe this is what Shelly would call a win-win situation.”
Dana cupped his cheeks and smiled. “Just do it, Trevor. You can dazzle me with style later.”
“If you insist.”
“I do.”
As he buried himself in her, he reminded himself it was terribly rude to ignore a lady’s direct request. And then he couldn’t think of anything except how much he wanted her and needed her. And then he couldn’t think at all.
*
Dana opened her eyes to find sunlight streaming in through the window. She rolled over and realized she didn’t know where she was.
Something about the hotel room was familiar. She blinked and then it all came back. The rainstorm, Shelly giving birth, the celebration afterward, the lovemaking.
She sat upright and glanced around frantically. Lovemaking? She and Trevor had... “What was I thinking?” she muttered, then knew the answer to that question. She hadn’t been thinking at all. That was the point. And now she would pay the price.
She knew better. Trevor wasn’t the kind of man to be interested in anything but a short-term affair. He didn’t believe in happily ever after. Even if he did, even if a miracle occurred and he thought he wanted her, she couldn’t get involved with him. It wasn’t just because he was the object of desire for every woman on the planet. He was also a doctor and she knew better than to get serious about someone like that.
But telling herself all the logical reasons it would never work didn’t stop her from wanting the dream to be true. If only— How many times had she whispered that in her life? If only her mother had found someone. If only they hadn’t been so poor. If only Trevor hadn’t talked about their night together. If only it could have been different...then and now.
Sound intruded and she cocked her head, trying to figure out what it was and where it was coming from. The shower. He must be in the shower, which meant if she worked quickly, she might have time to escape.
Dana climbed out of bed and searched for her clothes, which were scattered on the floor. Despite her need to leave
his room before he realized she was awake, she had to stop and smile. Last night had been amazing. As she bent to pick up her bra she remembered how he’d fumbled with the hook and eye closure at the back. Images filled her mind of all the times they’d made love.
He’d told her he hadn’t been with anyone since he and his wife had split up. At first she hadn’t been sure she could believe him, but as the night wore on, she knew he’d told the truth. He’d been so tender and sensitive to her needs, but also very eager to be with her. And he’d certainly had the recovery time of a man who hadn’t—
She broke off the thought when she realized she was blushing. But it was impossible not to remember how he’d reached for her in the night, how he’d drawn her close, touching and stroking her until she was ready, until her body had welcomed him as he’d entered her and made her climax again and again.
The sound of water stopped suddenly. Dana sprang into action, first collecting her clothes, then starting to pull them on. But she was still minus her shirt when Trevor stepped out of the bathroom.
They’d been intimate many times the previous night, and for most of them the lights had been on. So she should be familiar with his body. Or at least immune. But the sight of him, naked except for the white towel wrapped around his waist, made her knees go weak. Broad shoulders; the pattern of hair on his chest; long, powerful arms and legs; tanned skin. How was she supposed to resist this?
“You’re awake,” he said as he walked toward her. “Gee, and I was hoping to climb in bed and cuddle some more.”
He pulled her close and hugged her. She told herself to resist, that this was all a mistake, but he was too tempting. He smelled of soap and himself. She could no more turn away than she could stop breathing. But she had to be strong. If she didn’t, she was going to get her heart broken again. This time there was a lot more on the line and she would find it harder to recover.
With that in mind, she stepped back. A lock of damp hair fell across his forehead. Dana had to physically turn her back on him to keep from smoothing it in place. This was going to be more difficult than she’d first thought.
She pulled on her shirt and fastened the buttons. Only when she was completely covered did she turn around to face him.
“Neither of us was thinking last night,” she said. “I understand that and I want you to know it won’t be a problem.” She tried to smile and had a feeling she failed pretty miserably. “What I’m trying to say is that I won’t be a problem. I know it didn’t mean anything, so don’t worry that I’ll get all weird and emotional on you.”
Trevor stared at her. She tried reading his expression, but his face was an impassive mask. He didn’t bother reaching for clothes or sitting down. His only physical act was to cross his arms over his chest.
“Go on,” he told her.
“Yes, well, like I said, it’s not a problem. I’m willing to admit the sex was terrific, so I won’t be able to pretend it never happened, but I don’t feel the need to talk about it. We can go back to the hospital and just be co-workers again. I think that’s probably for the best.” She reached for her shoes, then straightened. “Oh, I would prefer that you not discuss this with anyone. I don’t want to be the object of hospital gossip and I don’t imagine you want that, either.”
Dana finished her speech. She was pretty pleased with how it came out, especially considering she hadn’t had time to practice. As she waited for his response, she was less than pleased to realize a part of her hoped he would protest That instead of calmly agreeing her plan was sensible, he would sweep her into his arms and tell her he cared about her, maybe even loved her.
You’re a fool, she told herself silently. When are you going to get over him?
She didn’t have an answer for that. The trick with Trevor was never to be in a position where getting over him was necessary. Unfortunately, she might be too late for that.
He stared at her for a long time. She still couldn’t read his expression. Something flashed across his face. Something that, if he’d been another kind of man, she might have labeled as hurt But this was Trevor MacAllister and she knew better. She doubted he’d ever been in love even once in his life.
Chapter Ten
He was a doctor and he knew intellectually that words didn’t physically wound. Yet he felt as though she’d ripped open his chest and left him to bleed to death.
Trevor stood in the center of his hotel room and listened to Dana as she went on about how she appreciated his understanding in this matter and how important it was for them to maintain a professional relationship.
“I know your career is important to you,” he heard himself say, as if from a distance. “You’ve worked hard to be where you are.”
She flashed him a grateful smile. “Thanks for understanding.”
“Of course I understand. It’s not that difficult. You busted your butt in college, you work long hours, you’re very successful. Why wouldn’t I get it?”
Her blue eyes widened. “Trevor, what’s wrong? Are you angry? I would have thought you’d be pleased with what I was telling you. I know you don’t want me making things difficult.”
She had no clue what he wanted, but that was reasonable. He wasn’t so sure what he wanted, either. The one thing he knew was that he didn’t want to be having this conversation.
He walked to the edge of the bed and sat down. Her expression was wary, as if she wasn’t sure what he was going to do or say next. He glanced at his chest, but there was no open wound, no blood, no physical evidence that she was ripping out his heart.
“About last night,” he began, then had to stop to clear his throat. He was setting himself up to be slammed down, but he couldn’t stop the words. “Do you regret it?”
She smiled. “No. Of course not. How could I? The sex was amazing.”
She continued to talk, but he didn’t hear the rest of it. He supposed that in time he would be pleased she’d enjoyed his technique, such as it was. He didn’t fool himself. He hadn’t been with dozens of women and he wasn’t perfect in bed. Everything he’d done last night had been in an effort to please the woman he cared about. Not because of ego, but because of heart.
He shivered, then realized the temperature of the room was fine. His chill came from the inside. At least he hadn’t told her the truth. That was something. He could go back to the hospital, the rumors would continue and no one would know that he’d wanted more than a night of great sex.
It was the same as it had been all those years ago. In high school he’d loved Dana, but it hadn’t mattered. Once again, she’d captured his interest and his affections, and it still didn’t matter. As a young man, he’d adored her. As a grown man, he’d wanted to love her. She, however, wasn’t interested in that. At least not from him.
“Trevor,” she said, breaking into his thoughts. “You won’t say anything, will you?”
She looked so damned pretty standing there. All worried and earnest. It just didn’t occur to her that this was more than a one-night stand. She couldn’t comprehend that he had depth and feelings, that something might matter to him. She was still reacting to what had happened all those years ago.
The irony was, while he’d been in the shower he’d fantasized about telling her how he felt about her. Worse, he’d toyed with the idea of proposing. Thank God he’d come to his senses in time.
“No, I won’t say a word,” he told her. “About anything.”
*
The drive back to Honeygrove was awkward. Not only because he couldn’t think of anything to say to. her, but because of the contrast to the ride down to the seminar. He kept thinking about how much they’d talked and laughed. If he’d known becoming lovers would have changed everything, he would have tried harder to resist.
For once, even a sunny day and the open road weren’t enough to make him feel better. All he wanted was to get them back to the town-house complex so they could say goodbye and be done with it. Flashes of their week together kept drifting through his mind
. He had too many memories of Dana. Her laughing in the different classes. Her look of horror the first time she’d dropped her egg. The way she’d been so calm and competent while helping Shelly deliver her baby. The fire in her eyes while they’d made love.
And now he was supposed to return to his regular life, as if none of this had ever happened. No problem, he told himself. He’d buried himself in work before; he could do it again. It was probably for the best. After all, Dana still wasn’t willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
He wrestled with that, wondering if he was judging her too harshly. She’d been fine at the seminar, but then they’d been away from the hospital gossip and everything that went with it. Maybe if they had a chance to spend time together away from everyone else, it could work. He knew he was interested, but was she? Could he risk asking? Could he risk passing up this opportunity, knowing he might not have another chance with her?
He pulled into the town-house complex and stopped in front of her place. As she climbed out of the passenger seat, he leaned over, opened the glove compartment and popped the trunk. They met behind the car. He handed her the suitcase she’d brought.
“Thanks for driving me home,” she said. Her gaze was direct, but he read the questions in her eyes. She wasn’t sure what was going on. Great, that made two of them.
“No problem.” He wondered what else to say. Thanking her for a good time wasn’t right. He didn’t dare admit his feelings, because it was unlikely she would believe him. “Dana, I—”
He what?
She looked at him. “Yes, Trevor?”
“I’d like to see you again. Not at the hospital,” he added hastily. “I’m talking about us going out.”
She stared at him as if he’d started speaking a foreign language. “Why?”
So much for sweeping her off her feet. He didn’t doubt that she’d enjoyed their time together, especially last night, but it had obviously meant more to him than to her.
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