His frown didn’t work when accompanied by a slow, sexy smile that notched up the heat between them in a second.
‘Safety in numbers, I guess.’
Leaning towards her, he crooked his finger. ‘Looks to me like numbers are dwindling, and you know what that means?’
‘What?’
He sent her an exaggerated wink. ‘It means we’ll have to spike the band’s drinks so we get rid of the rest of the revellers pronto.’
She laughed while her heart stopped its jumping around and settled with a resounding thud.
For at that moment, she knew.
His promised ‘soon’had arrived and with his bow tie askew, his dark hair rumpled and light brown eyes blazing with an emotion she daredn’t analyse, she had as much chance of not falling in love with Nick again as flying solo back to London.
And the knowledge he still held that kind of power over her scared her beyond belief.
‘How much longer?’
She needed him to hold her, to erase her thoughts, to banish the yearning to be with him for ever. Surely they would make love tonight, would assuage the tension strumming between them? ‘Soon’ couldn’t come quick enough as far as she was concerned.
Sensing her eagerness, he slid an arm around her waist and cuddled her close.
‘I’ll get the band to announce this is the final number. How’s that?’
‘Perfect.’
‘Don’t move. I’ll be right back.’
Feathering a kiss across her lips, he strode away, leaving her to deal with her newly awakened feelings and how much they terrified her.
The time would come shortly for her to sort them out and she wasn’t looking forward to the wake-up call she knew was inevitable when she had to leave, not one bit.
BRITTANY paced the kitchen, waiting for Nick to see the last reveller off the property.
She shouldn’t be this nervous.
It wasn’t as if she’d never made love to him before.
Though as she watched him stride towards the house, broad shoulders squared, long legs eating up the distance, a full moon casting shadows across his face and glinting in his dark hair, she knew the man he was today was a far cry from the boy he’d been ten years earlier.
If she’d loved that Nick unreservedly, unashamedly and unabashedly, what hope did she have of holding back her emotions this time around?
As he neared the door she quickly dropped into the nearest chair and picked up a magazine from a messy stack in the corner, pretending to flip through it without a care in the world.
When he entered, she took a peek over the top of the magazine, confused by his wide grin.
‘Everyone gone?’
So much for casual. Her voice came out a high-pitched squeak and she cleared her throat, rustling the magazine, ready to duck behind it.
‘Uh-huh.’
He stalked towards her and she gulped, wanting to be in his arms so much it hurt, yet petrified once she was there she’d never want to leave.
‘A bit of light reading?’
‘Mmm.’
His muffled guffaw said he hadn’t bought her ruse for a second. ‘That’s interesting. I’d never have pegged you for a girl interested in cattle mating seasons.’
Heat swept her cheeks as she slapped the pages shut, flung the magazine back on the pile and folded her arms.
‘Because if you are, you can have those magazines. They were Papa’s and I’m in the process of doing a major cleanout before the sale, so be my guest.’
Seeing the funny side of it, she shook her head. ‘Thanks, but I’ll pass. Leave the cows and bulls to it.’
The twinkle in his eyes intensified as he held out a hand to her and gently pulled her to her feet. ‘You know, you don’t have to be nervous around me.’
‘I’m not.’
A quick rebuttal easily belied by her tumbling belly and wobbly knees and hands that shook ever so slightly.
He sent a pointed glance at the magazine and raised an eyebrow. ‘Really?’
She sighed, placed her palms on his chest to anchor her before she wobbled any more and embarrassed herself further.
‘Okay, okay, I’m a tad nervous. Aren’t you?’
‘No.’
He slid his arms around her waist, creating a welcoming cocoon she could quite happily snuggle in for ever.
‘We’re not strangers. This is you and me, Red.’
‘But—’
‘No buts. Unless it involves this one.’
He gave her backside a playful pinch and she laughed, her nerves dissipating as he’d intended.
‘Tonight is about you and me. No second guessing. No overanalysing. No regrets. Okay?’
It all sounded very logical when he put it like that, but she knew come morning she’d be analysing every single second.
She’d always been this way around him, off course and off kilter, and now the moment she’d been anticipating had arrived she couldn’t quell the bundle of nerves knotting her resolve.
She wanted him. It should be simple, right?
But nothing was simple about her relationship with this dynamic, enigmatic man and the moment she started underestimating the power of his hold over her was the moment she’d lose control.
Not a bad thing entirely, but she was scared, terrified in fact, by the depth of emotion for a bad-boy rebel who still cradled her heart in his powerful hands.
‘You’re thinking too much.’
She nodded, her mouth kicking up in a wry grin. He knew her so well, knew she’d be analysing every angle of this momentous step.
‘Well, I’m done thinking.’
Before she could blink he covered her mouth with his, his commanding kiss obliterating every doubt, every thought, she’d just had.
As his tongue duelled with hers she lost herself in the mindless passion instantly ignited between them, the frantic flurry of eager hands and low moans and hot, bare skin.
‘I didn’t want it to be like this, not here—’
‘Don’t stop,’ she panted, arching into him, her pelvis melding to his, so hard and ready. ‘Please, Nick, now.’
His low, guttural groan raised goose bumps along her skin as his hands bunched her skirt up around her thighs while he plundered her mouth again.
Sensation after sensation bombarded her, from his mouth ravaging hers with fierce intent to his hands stroking her thighs and brushing against her mound.
Endless, mindless pleasure, which built and receded and built again until she could barely stand any more and when his fingers finally delved beneath the elastic of her thong and circled her clitoris she came apart on a long, drawn-out cry.
‘Nick, that was—’
‘Just the beginning.’
His wicked grin sent a tremor of excitement through her sated body and she