Trevor unlocked his apartment front door and motioned Lara inside. “You didn’t say anything the whole way home. Is something wrong?”

From the strange looks his family shot him when Lara wasn’t looking, he could tell they were confused about some of her nonsensical responses. He wouldn’t be surprised if she sensed their unease.

She placed the leftover food on his dining room table and faced him. “You have a wonderful family. I was thinking about how lucky you are to have them so near.”

“I am lucky.” He stepped past the table. “You want to talk about it?”

“Talk about what?”

“My dad, maybe?” It didn’t help his father had to spew racial slurs in front of a guest. What had he been thinking?

“For the most part, I liked him. He reminded me of when granddad Romano would go on and on about the war.” She pushed a piece of escaped hair behind her ear. “I wanted to talk to everyone in your family and learn about them, but when they talked all at once, I couldn’t understand them.” She straightened her shoulders.

“Next time, I’ll make sure they speak one at a time and face you.”

She closed the gap between them and dug her fingers into his arms. “Please don’t mention anything to them. I don’t want your family to treat me like I’m different.” She took a deep breath. “It’s okay. Really.”

“It’ll be our secret then.”

Trevor stepped back and edged into the kitchen. In need of a pick-me-up, he snagged two cold beers from the fridge and handed her one. “Here.”

She took one sip and set the bottle on the dining room table next to the food his mom had insisted she take back. “Do you have room in the refrigerator for this casserole dish? She must think I have a huge stomach.”

“That’s my mom.” He carried the food to the fridge and stuffed the glass dish between the six-pack and the sandwich meat.

Her cell vibrated at her hip.

“Hello?”

She turned away and headed toward the pullout sofa. Halfway there, Lara stopped. Her body shook and her shoulders hunched as if someone had punched her in the stomach. Trevor rushed to her side.

“When? Where? How?... They can’t be.” Her knees collapsed. He caught her before she hit the floor and helped her over to the sofa. “The Hoffman Funeral Home is fine. Goodbye.”

Funeral home? Someone had died. Her phone slipped from her fingers and bounced on the sofa seat. Between her glassy stare and the tears streaming down her cheeks, this person must have been dear to her.

She brought her hands to her face and sobbed. Trevor wasn’t any good with grief, especially when he didn’t know the cause. All he could do was sit next to her and rub her back. She snuggled next to him, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, tilting her head against his chest. Something stirred inside him, but he wasn’t ready to address the implication.

Giant sobs erupted, and he handed her a tissue. “Lara, what happened?” He used his softest tone, though she’d said she couldn’t distinguish the inflection or tone of his comments.

She looked up. “That was my parents’ lawyer. They’re d-d-dead.”

A giant claw of despair yanked at his heart. “Your parents? Both of them?” She nodded. “How? When?” Why hadn’t the lawyer come to the door? Or the police? A mere phone call was cruel. Shit. They didn’t know he’d moved her to his place.

Lara hiccupped. “There was a lot of fog in Connecticut. They were at a b-b-banquet dinner at some donor’s house. On their way back to the city, a car lost control and slammed into their limousine, killing them both instantly.” She peered at him with watery, red eyes, but at the moment, she never looked more vulnerable, or more beautiful.

“I’m so sorry.” He pulled her closer.

“My lawyer said their rental car was hit. Maybe they have the wrong people. He didn’t mention anything about their driver.”

“Lara.”

She looked up with watery eyes. “Do you think it was them?”

He nodded. “We don’t contact the next of kin without being sure.” Big fat tears spilled out of her lashes, and he brushed the water from her cheeks. “When was the accident?”

“I think he said yesterday. Or maybe the day before. I can’t remember.”

“They had to be sure of the identification.”

She swiped a hand over her eyes. “What am I supposed to do now? My parents were all I had.”

An overwhelming urge to protect her from the hurt blasted him. He understood what losing someone did to a person. He squeezed Lara’s shoulders and rested his chin on her head as she cuddled closer. Her lustrous hair smelled of peaches.

Peaches? Where was his head? He needed to focus on Lara and how much pain she was in now, not on how good she felt in his arms.

Imagining such a call about the death of his parents made bile rise to his throat. The idea was unthinkable. Horrific. Frightening. “Is there anyone else to help you through this?”

She shook her head. “My father has a brother, but they haven’t spoken in years.”

After her sobs slowed, she looked up at him and moved inches from his face. Lara touched his lips with a finger. He nearly broke his resolve not to cross the line. She tucked a leg underneath her and sat up straighter. Before he could react, Lara reached up and pressed her lips to his.

Pull away. Don’t be stupid.

Only he didn’t. Couldn’t. Her plea made him want to make her hurt disappear. He studied her and could have sworn he could see right through her soulful brown eyes to her breaking heart.

She leaned back and took his face in her hands. “I want to forget. I want you to make love to me.”

What? She couldn’t mean it, but the desperation in her voice told him she was serious. He clasped her fingers in his hand and held them tight. He mentally repeated her words and evaluated their meaning. She wanted to lose control. She’d grab comfort from anyone right now, but could he make love to Lara even though she was using him as a distraction? Physically, yes. Hell, she was hot and he wanted her, but as a man of character, not to mention being a cop sworn to protect her, he didn’t want to take advantage of her. He dragged a hand down her cheek fighting for the right words.

Lara held her breath, waiting for Trevor’s reply. Why didn’t he answer? Would he say no? Would he make her go through the most traumatic night of her life alone? She couldn’t let that happen.

His mouth shut, and she tugged her hand from his grasp and stroked his bristled face. “Please don’t reject me.” The words caught in her throat.

He closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply. “Never.”

Keeping his gaze on her face, he lifted her off the sofa and carried her into the bedroom. After he pulled down the comforter with one hand, he placed her very gently on the bed. She clung to the growing bond between them, blocking out the reality of her parents’ death.

She concentrated on his strong hands as he slipped off her sandals, and then unwound her braided bun. The lack of restriction was freeing. He leaned over and fumbled with the tiny pearl buttons on her blouse.

“Are you sure?” he said. “I know how much you’re hurting.” From the speed with which he tried to undress her, he was willing.

She lifted her fingers to his lips. “Yes. I’m sure. I need you.”

Lara didn’t need him talking her out of it. Would their action bring back her parents? No, but...

Don’t second guess yourself. Don’t think. Do what you want. What you’ve wanted to do since you met him. Touch him, caress his body, have him.

Forget.

Shutting out the fateful call, her fingers shot to his buttoned jeans. Before she lost her courage, she popped open his fly and slipped the jeans over his hips, and she widened her eyes at his straining erection.

Trevor said nothing, and then moved back, shucked off his shoes, and stepped out of his pants. Her breath caught in her throat at his perfect body. He lifted his shirt over his head and stood before her naked except for red plaid boxers, the last color on earth she’d imagined he’d wear.

Her fingers itched to touch his rippled abs, and then chest, followed by his bulging biceps and his chiseled jaw.

She reached out and pinpricks danced from her fingers to her arms. She needed the mindless release, needed to live in denial a little longer.

Sucking up more courage, she ran a palm from his chest to his belly button, marveling at his muscled definition and reveling in the prickly sensation of his hairs on her hand. He swallowed, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as his blue eyes turned a dark greenish gray. With deliberation, Trevor finished the task of unbuttoning her blouse. She wanted to help, to hurry him along, but she enjoyed watching his mouth twist from the effort.

Before he finished, she arched her back and pressed her small breasts upward in the hopes his knuckle would graze her tender flesh. When his finger slipped along the underside of her breast, waves of excitement skittered over her. He had to know the affect his mere touch had on her, but his face remained in clenched concentration.

“There.” The last button undone, he slipped her blouse off her shoulders, and the cool room chilled her.

He arched a brow, and she was pleased she’d chosen her white lace bra with the pink roses, a birthday present from her mom. Lara swallowed her grief at the reminder.

He raked his gaze down her body. “You’re beautiful.”

Did he really mean it? “So are you.”

He smiled, but his dimples didn’t appear, and there was no joy around his eyes.

He lifted a knee onto the bed, gently laid her back, and straddled her. She’d never felt more special or more prized than at that moment.

Trevor rolled next to her and nuzzled her neck as he reached around her back to unhook her bra, but he couldn’t get the damn thing undone.

“Let me help.”

“No, I can do this.” He skewed his lips to the side. “God, I feel like a high school rookie.”

“I think it’s sweet you aren’t super experienced.” Or was he faking it?

She sat up and twisted her back toward him. With a quick pinch of the material, the bra toppled, and she turned back to face him.

“Christ.” He sucked in a breath.

Before she could figure out his exact meaning, he dipped his head to lick and suck each nipple, giving them his undivided attention. She’d never experienced such wonderful devotion in her life. His fingers tangled in the cord connecting her implant, and she tossed the device on the bed. Hearing was highly overrated at this moment, except that his words would help override her conscience.

He rolled onto his back and dragged her on top of him where her nipples met his wonderful cool chest. He kissed her, soft at first, then harder. She opened her mouth in invitation, and when their tongues touched, a hint of beer lingered in his mouth, tangy yet sweet.

While she kissed his wonderfully warm, pliant lips, she tried to pull down her shorts for more contact.

He took hold of her wrists. “We have all night to enjoy each other.” He spoke slowly enough for her to understand.

“All night? I need you now. No way am I waiting.” She couldn’t wait. Didn’t want time to think about anything.

Ignoring his request, she slipped off her shorts.

“Let me help you with the rest.” He slid her panties over her thighs and tossed them aside before removing his boxers, which he unceremoniously flung to the floor.

Both naked, she marveled at such a divinely masculine specimen. Her instincts took over, closing her mind to the deep ache. She trailed kisses across his chest and down to his waist. Her nerve disappeared as her mouth neared his erection, and her hands stilled.

He must have sensed her hesitation for he tilted her face toward him. “Let me make love to you,” he mouthed.

From his half-closed lids and relaxed jaw, she believed he wanted to, and his pulsating erection gave her confirmation. “You won’t get any complaint from me.” The smile she tried to give him failed to materialize, the deep pain surfacing once again. She prayed she wasn’t making a mistake.

No, Trevor was not like any other man. He cared.

He guided her face up to his lips, kissed her, and rolled her onto her back once more. They became tangled in the sheets, and then touched and kissed some more. Wouldn’t mom be proud now? She always wanted Lara to be happy. A throbbing in her chest deeper than a canyon nearly made her stop, until she heard her dad telling her to experience life to the fullest.

Trevor explored her body inch by wonderful inch, kissing, touching, and massaging every bit of her. While she couldn’t hear him breathe, his callused palms and skilled fingertips spoke to her, telling her more about him than any words ever could. She let his tenderness and care send joy through every fiber.

She ran her fingers over his muscled body, up his bristly face and through his lustrous hair. “I need you inside me. Now. Please.”

He dipped his head and said something she couldn’t understand. The moment he straddled her, supporting himself on his elbows, she forgot to ask him to repeat the words.

Her pulse rose as she took hold of him. “You’re really big.” Could he even fit inside her?

His hands stopped their exploration. “Is this your first time?”

Close at four. “No.” She warmed at his protectiveness and smiled.

Instead of plunging into her right away, his index finger found its target between her thighs, and she sucked in a breath. Her heart pounded as he dragged his thumb over her sensitive clit. Her eyes rolled back. She never knew making love could elicit such wonder, wanting this moment to last forever. “Please don’t stop.”

She didn’t open her eyes to see if he answered. Right now, she didn’t care. All she wanted was more of him—inside her. She moved her hips up and down, hoping he’d understand her need. He withdrew his teasing finger and eased open her thighs.

“Hurry, Trevor, hurry.” Maybe he could erase the past.

Blood racing inside, he slipped into her, her wetness making his entry easy and natural. She ground her hips in response, needing to experience all of him. She opened her eyes, dragged his head down and kissed him, unable to get enough of his taste, the smell of his wonderful skin, or his full, pliable lips.

His movements turned rapid and then frantic. His mouth opened and his eyes squeezed shut. Just as she was about to climax for the first time in her life, he withdrew and ejaculated. Her eyes flew open. As if a dark cloud covered the sun, a scowl slid across his face. “Why did you do that?” She wanted to feel him inside her.

“We didn’t use protection. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I never thought to bring a condom.”

She studied him. “I see.” Or did she?

Dissatisfied with the abrupt ending, she slipped off the bed and headed into the bathroom. A minute later, she came out with a small, wet towel. “Here.”

He used the cloth and tossed it aside. “Lara, don’t be mad. I should have thought ahead, but I never thought I’d need one.”

Truth was, their emotions had gotten the best of them. She picked up her clothes and pulled on her panties and shirt. “I’m not mad.” Just sad she didn’t get to have all of him.

“Trust me, the pleasure was all mine.” His face turned unreadable.

Regardless of how their lovemaking ended, she didn’t want to be alone. Not tonight. “Will you stay the night with me?”