12

Dee’s breath caught in her throat. “You?”

“Yes. Me.”

Dee was shocked. When he’d first started talking about this guy he wanted her to meet, she’d felt disheartened. He was going to hand her off to someone else. She’d had no idea he’d been talking about himself. But now that he’d told her, it made perfect sense. At least, she knew it did to him.

She had wanted to drive him so crazy, he’d seduce her. But what he was suggesting was even better. A full-fledged affair for two weeks. At the end, he intended for her to walk away, her sexual urges satisfied. And there was no doubt in her mind that they would be. But then what? Would he be able to walk away as easily as he expected her to do? She hoped not. In fact, she intended to do everything in her power to make sure of it.

“So Dee, how do you feel about me and you getting together?”

She was elated, but there was no way she was telling him that. Nor would she give him the idea that she’d rush into anything with him. Being too eager would throw up red flags. “Truthfully, I’d prefer a stranger, Cohen. Someone I don’t know.”

“Why?”

“Because there’d be less talk and more action in the bedroom. A stranger would know to do that.”

“You think I wouldn’t?”

“Think about it, Cohen. We have a history. We know each other too well. You would feel the need to talk, to balance things out. I don’t want balance. I want great sex.”

“And that’s what you’ll get.”

She gave him a dubious look. “All the time?”

“Whenever you want.”

She took another sip of her tea. “Aren’t you afraid of what our families will think?”

“How will they know, unless you tell them? Stacey might suspect something, though I’m sure she already does, since Eli knows I’m here. Have you talked to her?”

“Not since I left Phoenix.” And that was the truth.

“Any other concerns?” he asked her.

No concerns, but she did have questions. “I loved you, before. Aren’t you worried I might fall back in love with you? That an affair with me, the kind you’re describing, might get emotionally messy?”

Cohen had considered that. However, finding out she no longer loved him eased his concern. He shook his head. “Are you worried?”

“No.”

“Then I’m not worried, either. You said you’ve moved on and I believe you. I don’t think we have to worry about you falling for me again.”

“Why?”

“Considering our past, I think I’d really have my work cut out getting you to forget everything I’ve done and fall for me again. I don’t intend to do that. I’m only in it for the sex, to give you what you want and need.”

“How generous of you.”

Her words seemed to have a biting edge to them. “Let’s not get anything twisted, Dee. I’m not doing you any favors. I have needs, myself. And unlike you, I prefer not getting it on with a stranger.”

“How long will this affair last?”

“The two weeks that we’re here. And it will be exclusive.”

She let that sink in for a moment. “Why are you doing this, Cohen? Honestly?”

He leaned over the table, moving closer to her, desperately needing her to hear his words. “Because I don’t want any other man touching you but me.”

He saw the widening of her eyes and decided he needed to clarify something. “At least, not until you realize that you made a mistake in coming here. This isn’t you, Dee. Once we’re back home, we’ll go about our lives in a more sensible way.”

He eased back in his chair, satisfied that he’d expressed his feelings. “So, what do you think?”

“Your proposal sounds enticing but…”

“But what?” he asked.

“But it also sounds controlling.”

He lifted a brow. “Controlling?”

“Yes. It’s like, I sleep with you or no one. Like you’re so sure I’d be making a mistake if I took up with anyone else.”

Of course he was sure of it. “And you don’t?”

“It depends.”

“On what?” he asked.

“How good you are in bed.”

He frowned. “You said you enjoyed making love with me,” he reminded her.

“Yes, but that’s when I was in love with you. It might be different now. I need to think about it.”

He honestly tried to keep a straight face. Her logic showed just how inexperienced she was. Love had nothing to do with the pleasure a man and a woman could share in the bedroom. “Then think about it. I definitely don’t want to rush you into doing anything. However, in the meantime, I think we need to agree on a few things.”

“Like what?” she asked.

“That you don’t flirt or try to catch any other man’s attention.”

She nodded. “That’s fair.”

“And that you dress decently. You don’t have to attract so much attention anymore.”

“That’s only if I agree to your proposition. But if it makes you feel better, I will consider your suggestion. I can’t make any promises, though.”

He started to argue but decided to leave the situation alone for now. He would give her time to think about it, but in the end, he would win. He’d make sure he was the only man in her bed, one way or another. “So what do you have planned today?”

“I had hoped to spend my day in a stranger’s bed or have him spend his day in mine.”

He leaned back in his chair. “That won’t happen. Unless, of course, you agree to my proposal. Then you can spend your day in mine.” Why did he like the sound of that?

She placed her fork down and held his gaze. “I haven’t agreed to anything yet. And until I do, I will not share my cookies.”

Cohen couldn’t help but smile. He liked this side of Dee. The say-whatever-I-want Dee. “Your girls, your cookies. Any other monikers I need to know about.”

“None for now.”

“Since sleeping together isn’t an option today, is there anything else you’d like to do?”

Her eyes lit up. “Yes. I’ve always wanted to go parasailing.”

He nodded. “Then parasailing it is.”

**

It was late afternoon when Dee and Cohen returned to the resort. They’d been gone most of the day. After breakfast, they had returned to their individual rooms and changed into something more suitable for parasailing.

Today had been a lot of fun. This had been her first time trying the sport , and she’d totally fallen in love with it. Cohen had admitted that he’d tried it once before, when he’d joined the Steele brothers on one of their yearly outings. Still, she had thoroughly enjoyed herself and believed Cohen had as well. What a great day!

She checked her watch as he walked her back to her room. He hadn’t mentioned anything about the proposition he’d made at breakfast, and she figured he was keeping his word about giving her time to decide.

“You want to take a nap before dinner?” he asked.

“That would be nice.”

“There’s a cook-out later on the beach. Do you want to go?” Cohen inquired.

“Why not? It will be fun.”

He leaned against her door. “Think you’ll be ready in an hour?”

She chuckled. “Let’s make it two. I do need that nap.”

“Okay.”

McSexy was staring at her mouth. She’d noticed he’d done that a lot today. Was it the color of her lipstick or the shape of her mouth that attracted him? “I’d better go. I suggest you get some rest, as well. It was a busy day.”

Dee pulled her passkey from the pocket of her shorts. “See you later.” She was about to unlock her door when he reached out and touched her arm. She turned back to him. “Yes?”

That was all she could say before he lowered his mouth to hers. Dee knew her sanity was about to take a beating the moment Cohen’s tongue touched hers. Then, as if taking ownership, he began sucking on hers with a hunger she felt all the way to her toes. He tasted like the strawberry candy she’d seen him pop into his mouth earlier. He wrapped his arms around her so tight, she could sense the hardness of her nipples pierce his chest. He didn’t seem to mind and deepened the kiss at the same time he shifted his stance, allowing her to feel the magnitude of his engorged sex nestling between the warmth of her thighs.

Somewhere, they heard the ding of the elevator and he broke off the kiss, slowly lifting his head and holding her gaze. The intensity in his dark eyes made her heart pound in her chest. “Go on inside, now,” he said in a deep throaty voice. “Enjoy your nap.”

Drawing in a much-needed breath, she quickly turned to unlock her door. She glanced over her shoulder and met his gaze. “I’ll see you at seven.”

At his nod, she went into the room and closed the door behind her. Before she could stop herself, she took a look through the peephole. He was still standing there, staring at the peephole as if he knew she was looking. And then, he slowly licked his lips with his tongue. Heat settled in the pit of her stomach. Was he deliberately reminding her of something else he could use that tongue for? She shivered. Cohen just smiled before walking away.

Dee turned and rested her back against the door, trying to draw in a deep breath. She was supposed to be driving him crazy, not the other way around. Yet he’d always been able to get her worked up, with little effort on his part. Now, that he was trying…God help her.

She hadn’t expected their desire for each other to still be so intense, and the realization gave her pause. When they’d made love before, it had been wild, overpowering. There was no doubt in her mind that when they made love again, it would be just as explosive.

She also realized, without a doubt, that she still loved him. Even though her plan was to play it cool, letting him believe that sex between them would mean nothing, she knew she’d be lying. Sex with him would mean everything. It always had.

Tossing her crossbody purse on a chair, she sat on the side of the bed to remove her sandals and rub the soles of her feet. They had done a lot of walking today and he’d held her hand most of the time. It was as if he’d wanted her to feel the sparks sizzling between them. And she had.

Although she’d known Cohen for years, they’d never really talked. Not like today. He’d shared information about his work, telling her about a new medical breakthrough in the field of neurosurgery that he was excited about. She knew he loved his work, but today, she could feel it.

At some point, the conversation shifted to her. She’d told him about her upcoming year as a third grade teacher, about how much she’d miss the kindergarten class she’d taught for six years. Then they’d discussed her brother Lawyer’s upcoming wedding, as well as the fact that her brother Justice was still out there, sowing his wild oats.

They’d talked about everything and anything. The economy. The upcoming elections. The chances of a war breaking out. The recent increase in gas prices. And underneath it all, the sexual chemistry between them had simmered, unrelenting.

She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. She would take a nap and be ready for Cohen at seven. But she wasn’t ready to give him her answer to his proposition just yet. She wanted them to spend more quality time together before that happened. Once she agreed to his proposal, she knew they’d never get out of bed. At that point, conversation would definitely take a back seat.

It was plain to see that Cohen had erected a number of walls around his heart. She intended to make sure she had what she needed to scale every one of them.

**

The moment Cohen entered his suite, he headed right for the mini-bar. Kissing Dee had shaken him to the core. Even just spending time with her had been something else, something simply fantastic. In all the years he’d known her, he doubted they’d ever shared a real conversation.

Today, he’d seen her as more than just Stacey’s best friend with the gorgeous legs who looked sexy as hell in stilettos. More than the woman who, on two occasions, had seduced the hell out of him. Today, she’d simply been Dee. Someone who enjoyed having fun, and wanted him to, as well. Someone who loved her job as a teacher as much as he loved being a neurosurgeon. Someone as dedicated to her students as he was to his patients.

Tomorrow, she’d decided, they would go snorkeling. Since neither of them had ever tried it before, they’d signed up for lessons. He couldn’t believe how much he was looking forward to it. It would be an adventure. He didn’t want to think about what would happen once they left this place.

He’d realized one thing today, though. While they’d been out having fun, the sexual chemistry between them hadn’t lessened. It was there, just waiting for them to do something about it. Now that he’d put his proposal out there, he felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. By acknowledging the desire that burned between them, he’d found some relief. She hadn’t given him her answer yet, but he was hoping she would soon. In the meantime, he would continue to enjoy her company. And he did enjoy it, more than he’d ever thought he could.

Whether she knew it or not, he’d learned quite a lot about Deidre Lewis today. He’d always known of her close relationship to her family, but had never known about the other people in her life, the people she cared about. Like the kids she mentored, who were caught up in the foster-care system. Nor had he known about the time she dedicated to teaching seniors to read. He had discovered so much about her today…and he liked what he’d learned.

He still wasn’t sure what had pushed him to remain standing outside her door for a minute, knowing she was probably watching him through the peephole, or why he’d sent her a message with his tongue. His only excuse was that he’d remembered what she’d said about her dreams, and his mouth’s part in them. He hoped she got the message--when she was ready, he would deliver. Hopefully, that would influence her decision.

A short while later, as he sat out on his balcony drinking a scotch, he realized that he could still sense Dee’s taste, even after the strong drink. It was there, on his lips, mouth and tongue. He closed his eyes for a minute and thought about how Dee had looked last night. The sexy lady in red. And then, how she’d looked today, wearing a pair of khaki shorts, a printed top and tennis shoes. Same woman. Same sex appeal. He was convinced that no matter what Dee wore, she would always grab his attention and draw him in.

And that was what worried him. He didn’t want any woman to have that ability. He’d become used to protecting his heart…and his mental state. He couldn’t risk falling into that black hole again.

Because the next time, he might not get out.

And that was what really scared him.

**

Dee looked at herself again in the full-length mirror. The outfit looked good but lacked daring. She was okay with that. The man whose attention she was trying to attract didn’t need her to be daring tonight. For some reason, a part of her felt he’d want her to be just Dee.

She heard the tap on her door at exactly seven. Snapping her purse closed, she moved across the room, glanced out the peephole and then opened the door. There stood Cohen, looking sexier than any man had a right to be. He’d tilted his head just a little and was smiling at her, something she hadn’t seen him do—at least, when it came to her--in a long time. He was wearing a pair of chocolate brown slacks and an off-white pullover shirt. Funny enough, she’d decided to wear a chocolate brown sundress with spaghetti straps. The border of the dress was trimmed in off-white.

“I guess you got the memo,” she said, smiling brightly.

He raised a brow. “The memo?”

“Yes. The one that suggested we color-coordinate our outfits tonight.”

He let his gaze roam over her, then he looked down at himself. He smiled even brighter. “Yes, I guess I did. The color looks good on us, don’t you think?”

“I definitely think so.” She would even go as far as to say they looked good together. She stepped out in the hall and pulled the door shut behind her. “Which restaurant are we eating at tonight?” The resort had several.

“What do you have a taste for?” he asked, as they walked toward the bank of elevators.

She was just able to resist answering “you”. “It doesn’t matter. I’m a big eater.”

He chuckled and the rich sound flowed over her. “Yes, I found that out today. How do you eat so much and stay in shape?”

“I walk a lot and try to squeeze in aerobics whenever I can. On the days I can’t make it to the gym, I work out at home with a program I found online.”

“Interesting.”

She glanced up and met his gaze, causing a sizzle of awareness to flow through her. At this moment, she was tempted to agree to his proposal and suggest they go back to her room and order room service. But only after they’d engaged in several rounds of mind-blowing sex.

But a part of Dee knew that there was more between them than just incredible chemistry and great sex. She knew it and more than anything, she wanted him to know it, as well. She wanted to be more than the woman he slept with, the one he thought needed him to fulfill her needs. She wanted to be the woman he trusted his heart to, the woman who would always be there for him and with him.

The sudden ding of the elevator door broke the sensuous spell. Drawing in a deep breath, she stepped inside. Somehow, she would have to find a way to control her overpowering desire for Cohen and fully concentrate on something else.

His heart.