“I guess we’re alike.” They’d both run from men they didn’t love, only to fall smack-dab into it with men who didn’t love them back. “My mom and dad have been married almost twenty years now, so it worked out for them, I guess. I got a little sister and brother whom I love very much.” Now. She waited for him to judge her or her mother and father. Some people did. Instead he put his hands on her shoulders and smiled down into her face.
“I finally have a brother,” he said. “But I think my mother is more fond of Buddy than she ever was of me.”
He hadn’t judged her and she fell even more in love with him.
“I’m sure that’s not true.” She thought a moment, then added, “Although I wouldn’t bet a lot of money on it. Buddy is very cute and better groomed than you.” Placing bets reminded her of the Chinooks fund-raiser. “Do you want to meet me at the Biscuit in the Basket?” she asked as if they were a regular couple on a regular date. “You have a game against Anaheim that afternoon. It might be easier.”
“I’ll pick you up.” He pulled her close and rested his forehead against hers. “You think my brother is better groomed?” Obviously he wasn’t through with the Buddy topic.
“Are you fishing for a compliment?”
“Maybe.” His silent laughter touched her face. “I’ve never been compared to a three-legged dog.”
“You’re cute and fairly well groomed.”
“Thank you.”
She smiled. “But Buddy is better behaved.”
“I behave when I want to behave.” He lifted her chin and said against her lips, “And right now, I don’t want to behave.”
She opened her mouth for his kiss. It warmed her all over and made her heart beat hard in her chest. She loved him, and there wasn’t anything she could do about it except hope that maybe he’d love her, too.
She followed him to his bedroom and poured her heart into every kiss from her mouth and touch of her hand. Her love spread like fire through her, burning up her chest and pooling in the pit of her stomach.
“I’m going to make love to you,” he said as he stripped her naked and pushed her down on his bed. All she heard was the word “love” and her heart answered, Yes.
“You’re all I’ve thought about all day.” He slid his tongue across her tight nipple, then raised his head and looked into her eyes. “I think I’m addicted.”
He slid into her, hard and massive, and she closed her eyes. Her pulse beat so hard she couldn’t hear above her pounding heart. She kissed him and touched him and made love to him with her body. This time was different than the times before. This time her heart and soul were involved, consuming her, overriding every thought in her head but him. “Sean,” she gasped as the first flush of orgasm gathered between her legs and burned her inside and out. “Sean.”
“Talk to me, Lexie.” He pushed her further, harder, and a hell of a lot hotter. “Talk to me, princess.”
“Oh God!” She arched her back as a second orgasm scorched the first. “Don’t stop.” Her eyes popped open and she thought she might die from pleasure. “I love you, Sean.”
Only after their breathing calmed and the sweat on their skin chilled did she realize what she’d said.
“Sex with you gets better every time,” he said, and rolled to lie next to her. “You’re amazing.”
That wasn’t the response she expected to her blurting that she loved him. She was quiet for a moment, then asked, “Did you hear me?”
He closed his eyes. “Hmm,” he sighed with content.
“Did you hear me say I love you?”
“Yeah. That’s just your orgasm talking. It happens sometimes during good sex.”
Not to her. “Has it happened to you?”
“Hmm.”
He sounded like he was about to fall asleep, and she elbowed him. “Has it happened to you?”
“No, but orgasms don’t make me emotional.”
She sat up and looked down into his closed eyes. “Really?”
“Don’t worry about it. Women just get caught up in the glow