“Sometimes, like this one time I went to a wedding and I just knew the marriage wasn’t going to last.” Her voice was coming out too high. That was weird. She tried to pitch it lower. “And it didn’t. Well, it did for a year, and then pthhhhhpt.”
“Yeah?” He was definitely amused now, but just as she was about to ask him what was so funny, he lunged forward and picked her up, swung her around and around again, and kissed her the way she’d always dreamed about being kissed, which come to think about it, was pretty much the way he always kissed her.
Really, he was perfect.
“I could happily suck face with you forever, Captain Bates.”
“That’s a pretty long time.” His eyes were warm, his smile wide.
“It is, isn’t it.” She kissed him again, then pressed her body against him and turned the kisses slow and suggestive. “You know what?”
“Mmm, what?” He slid his big warm hands over her bottom and pulled her roughly closer, grinning down at her.
“We’ve never had sex in a bed.”
“You’re right.” He quirked an eyebrow. “Though I would have been happy to the first night when you shamelessly crawled into mine.”
“Mistakenly. Only it didn’t turn out to be a mistake.” Addie smiled up at him. She hoped that night would never seem like one. Or any of the time she’d spent with him.
“I think deep down you knew it was me.”
“Very possible.” She batted her eyelashes and slid her hands under his jacket, savoring the firm curves of his pectorals. “So I’m thinking we really need to make love in a bed.”
“That sounds—”
“Now!” She broke away and ran back toward the hotel, giggling madly. She felt so free tonight! So wild! She couldn’t remember when she’d had this much energy, this much savage adrenaline. This much joy. Her life was about to change in a huge way, a significant way, and so was she! Gone was the drudge, gone the creature of habit, gone the slave to routines and predictable safety. She was...Neo-Addie!
It felt so damn wonderful.
Thudding steps sounded behind her. She picked up her pace, knowing he could catch her easily if he wanted to, but why not make him work harder?
He let her reach the door of their room half a second before he did, though she didn’t have a key, so what good had the sprint done her except give her a chance to enjoy the joyful rush of air into her lungs, the pull of her muscles working hard, the fabulous feeling of being an alive and mobile and feeling woman who was madly in love with a wonderful man and about to declare she’d spend the next year carefree and pampered aboard a luxury yacht. A yacht! Captained by the sexiest man alive, ever.
While Derek opened the door, she assisted by wrapping her leg around his and helping herself to the enticing muscular feel of his back under his jacket, hungry to get him alone and naked. Did she mention naked?
Inside, she threw herself into his arms and kissed him, backed him up toward the bed, conveniently located as the centerpiece of the room. She couldn’t wait. The wedding had been so lovely, so very lovely, and while she’d loved every second of watching Paul and Ellen seal their happiness, the evil selfish part of Addie had just been craving this.
He tumbled her back on the bed, held her wrists over her head and covered her body with his. Oh, yes. He wanted the same thing she did. Bodies joined and writhing in—
“Addie.”
“Mmm?” She moved her hips in a circle under him, smiling, glorying in the feeling of being pinned down by a strong man. “Can I help you, sir?”
“We need a time-out here.”
“A what? Why? What are you talking about?” Her voice crept back up too high, and became strangely brittle.
“Shh. Just lie there for a minute. Take deep breaths.”
“What? What!” She laughed at him. “I don’t need to calm down. I’m in a great mood, that’s all.”
“Shh.” He brushed his lips across hers. “Breathe.”
Addie rolled her eyes, and obediently tried to slow her breathing.
It didn’t work. Her lungs stuttered and fought. She started to feel a bit light-headed, a bit panicky. What was the matter with her? How did he know?