CHAPTER 10
IT SEEMED TO BE Morgan’s day for chaos.
The rain was endless, coming down in sheets, and he was relieved and thankful when he saw that Misty’s car was already parked around back by the kitchen door, as was her habit. He’d worried endlessly about her driving home in the pouring rain. She’d worked all day and had to be exhausted. He’d hoped to follow her home, then immediately sweep her off to his house. But then he’d gotten held up and the storm had started. He put the truck in park, close to where she’d left her car. Normally he would have driven the Bronco into the garage, but he wanted to be as close to the back door as he could, so Misty wouldn’t have as far to run in the rain.
He sighed as he picked up his small bundle in the front seat beside him, wrapping his rain slicker around it to keep it dry, then dashed the few feet through the downpour.
The kitchen door opened before he reached it, so he figured someone had been watching for him. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Misty. No, she was engaged in what appeared to be a heated argument with Sawyer. It was Honey who had opened the door.
He kissed her cheek to thank her, then turned to see what the hell was going on.
Misty went on tiptoe and said to Sawyer’s chin, “If you don’t take the money, I can’t stay!”
Sawyer threw his arms into the air, spotted Morgan and let out a huge sigh of relief. “She’s worse than Honey, I swear.”
Rain dripped down the end of Morgan’s nose. His shirt stuck to his back. He glanced around the kitchen and asked, “Where’s Jordan?”
Sawyer looked surprised by his question, then said, “In his rooms, why?”
Slowly, so as not to startle the creature, he unwrapped his burden. A fat, furry, whimpering pup stared at them all, then squirmed to get closer to Morgan. He said to Honey, “Can you get me a towel? I found the damn thing under the front steps of the gym. He’s been abandoned awhile, judging by how tight his rope collar was.”
Morgan was still so angry he could barely breathe. Cruelty to an animal sickened him, and it was all he could do to hold in his temper, but he didn’t want to scare the poor pup more than it already was.
Sawyer picked up the phone and called Jordan while Misty inched closer. Her eyes were large, and she was looking at him in that soft, womanly way she had. He’d get her alone tonight if he had to carry her through the damn storm.
Honey skittered into the kitchen with a towel.
The back door opened, and both Gabe and Jordan came in. They wore rain slickers that did little enough to keep them dry. Jordan was all business, taking the pup without asking questions, ignoring his own damp hair and shirt collar. Gabe shook his head. “It looks pretty young. What kind of dog do you think it is?”
Jordan murmured to the frightened animal as he gently toweled it dry. “A mixed breed. Part shepherd by the looks of him, maybe with some Saint Bernard. He’ll be big when he’s full grown.” Jordan investigated the pup’s throat and scowled where the too small rope collar had rubbed off much of the fur. “I’ll need my bag.”
Gabe turned to the door. “I’ll get it.” He pulled the hood of his slicker over his head and stepped into the rain without hesitation.
Misty started unbuttoning Morgan’s shirt as if she did so every day. “You’ll catch a cold if you don’t get some dry things on.”
Sawyer nodded. “Go change, Morgan. And take Misty with you. Maybe you can talk some sense into her.”
Morgan stood still while Misty peeled off his wet shirt. “What have you been up to now, Malone?”
Sawyer didn’t give her a chance to answer. He waved a few bills under Morgan’s nose. “She wants to pay for staying here.”
Morgan scowled. “I thought we had all that resolved.”
Taking his hand, Misty tugged him from the room. “I won’t be a freeloader. If I stay I have to contribute. I’ve been eating here almost every day….”
Morgan allowed her to lead him away from the others, but the second they were out of sight he pulled her around and pinned her to the wall, then gave her a deep, hungry kiss. Against her lips, he whispered, “Damn, I missed you.”
She looped her arms around his neck and smiled. “I was starting to wonder. I thought you’d be home hours ago.”
“I had to do a class, and one of the women got hurt, and then I found the pup.” He groaned. “God, it’s been a hectic day.”
He knew his wet slacks were making her damp, too, but he couldn’t seem to let her go. He’d thought about her all day long.
“What kind of class?”
Oh, hell. He hadn’t meant to say that. He took her hand and now it was he leading—straight into his bedroom. He closed the door and turned the lock. “Let me change real quick and we’ll run up to the house. I’ll drive you straight into the garage so you won’t get wet.”
“Morgan.” She crossed her arms and leaned against his door while he hunted for a towel to dry himself. “What class?”
Trying to make light of it, he said, “I teach some of the women self-defense two Fridays of the month. Especially the women who work as park guides for the mountain trails. Sometimes they end up alone with a guy, so they need to know how to defend themselves.”
Eyes soft and wide again, Misty asked, “You said one of them got hurt?”
“Yeah, but not in the class. I’m careful with them, and the high school gym lets us use the mats. But she slipped on the front steps when she was leaving and twisted her ankle. She couldn’t drive, so I took her to the hospital and then had to go fetch her husband because they only have the one car and it was still at the high school. The only good part is that I found the pup when she fell. If I hadn’t bent down to lift her, I’d never have heard it whimpering.”
“So you bundled them both up and did what you could?”
“Don’t get dramatic, Malone. Anyone would have done the same.”
“Obviously not, or that poor little puppy wouldn’t have been there in the first place.” She sauntered over to him and touched his bare chest, smoothing her hands over his wet skin. “I don’t think you control things so much as you try to take care of everyone.”
Morgan kicked off his wet shoes even as he bent to kiss her again. Her hands on his flesh were about to make him nuts. “Let me change,” he growled, “so we can get out of here.”
She nodded and stepped away, then sat on the edge of his bed. If she had any idea what that did to him, seeing her there, she wouldn’t have dared test his control. Morgan opened a drawer and pulled out dry jeans and socks. He was just about to unzip his slacks when she asked, “Morgan, am I just another person you’re trying to take care of?”
He halted, unsure of her exact meaning, but angry anyway. “You want to explain that?”
She shrugged, then quickly looked away when he jerked his pants open. Hands clasped in her lap, she said, “You wanted me gone until you thought I needed to stay. And you not only try to coddle me, you said you’re trying to prove me innocent of stealing. I just wondered if I was…I don’t know. Another project of sorts. Like the scholarship at the school, the puppy you just brought home, that other woman you helped today.”
“What other woman?”
“Gabe told me about the woman with the flat. He said you do stuff like that all the time.”
She looked at him with deep admiration again, when what he wanted was something altogether different. “Gabe has a big mouth.”
His dry jeans in place, Morgan sat beside her on the bed. He bent to pull on socks and shoes, his thoughts dark. He could feel her looking at him as he hooked his cell phone to his belt and clipped his gun in place.
“You might as well save it, you know.”
Startled, Morgan glanced at her. “Save what?”
“The look. I’m immune to it. You’re not nearly as much of a badass as you let everyone believe. Ceily told me you haven’t even been in a fight in ages, and the last one was over too quick to count.”
Displeasure gnawed at his insides. “You were talking about me with Ceily?”
“Oh, quit trying to intimidate me.” She waved a hand at him. “You got a reputation when you were a hotheaded kid, but even then, you were never a bully. I’ve heard plenty, and any fights you got into were because you were defending someone else. The last fight was in a bar in the neighboring town. Ceily said some guy tried to drag his girlfriend out of there and you stopped him. Rather easily, as a matter of fact, which I suppose only added to your reputation, right?”
Morgan decided that when he got hold of Ceily he’d strangle her. “Did she also tell you how that woman was most…grateful?”
Misty snorted. “Yeah, she did. But that’s not why you did it, so don’t even bother running that by me. You’re the sheriff now because you hate injustice and abuse and you take a lot of satisfaction in setting things right and taking care of others. Admit it.”
The hell he would. His reputation had worked to his advantage for most of his life, and he’d damn well earned it. He pulled a loose black T-shirt over his head then twisted to face her. “You still going to the house with me?”
Her dark, silky hair swung forward and hid her profile as she stared at her hands. She looked a tiny bit nervous. “If you want me to.”
Morgan caught her chin and turned her face toward him. “What do you want?”
She bit her lip, took a deep breath, then smiled. “To be with you.”
His heart punched up against his breastbone and his vision blurred. He stood up before he decided to forget about the tour and took her right now. They needed privacy, not for what he wanted to do, but for all the things he wanted to say. “C’mon.”
Her hand caught securely in his, he led her out of the room. She looked cuddly in a soft, oversize sweatshirt and worn, faded jeans. Unfortunately, she wore sneakers, but he’d keep her feet dry. He looked forward to holding her close. When they got into the kitchen, everyone leaned over watching Jordan and the pup. Now that it was dry, the dog resembled a round matted fur ball with a snout and paws. A stubby tail managed to work back and forth, and it gave a squeaky bark at Morgan.
Morgan grinned. The dog was incredibly cute in an ugly, sort of bedraggled way. “Is it going to be okay?”
“It is a he, about three months old, I’d say, and yeah, he’ll be fine. He just needs to be cleaned up and loved a little.”
Morgan nodded. It was obvious the poor thing had been abandoned, and if he ever found out who’d done it, a very hefty fine would be presented. “I’ll keep him. I was thinking of getting a dog anyway, for when I move into the house. This one’ll do as well as any.” At his pronouncement, Misty squeezed his hand.
Honey predictably grumbled about him moving out. She protested any time he mentioned it, saying she wanted him to stay, then went on to tell him how wonderful his house was and offered to help him decorate. He adored her.
Jordan watched as Morgan pulled two raincoats off the hooks. “I can keep him with me tonight if you want, since you appear to have plans to brave the storm again.”
“Misty hasn’t seen my house yet.”
The brothers all grinned and cast knowing looks back and forth.
Sawyer handed Morgan the money Misty had tried to give him. “Make her take this back.”
Misty held up her hands, palms out. “I can’t continue to eat here if you won’t let me pay for my share of the food and stuff. That’s just tip money—I can afford it. Honest.”
Sawyer’s eyebrows shot up. “Tips? You made this much in tips already?”
“According to Ceily,” Morgan grumbled, “every male that came in wanted to show her his gratitude, even if she hadn’t done a damn thing for him. She said Misty kept the restaurant packed most of the night.”
Misty blinked at him. “You talked to Ceily? When?”
He flicked the end of her nose. “Before I came home. She felt the need to page me and let me know how…successful you were. She even suggested she might want to lure you away from the station so you could work more hours for the diner. She claims she wouldn’t even need to show up with you there drawing in customers and raking in the dough.”
Gabe laughed, Jordan bit his lip and Sawyer rolled his eyes. Morgan didn’t think it was the least bit amusing. “I told her you were going to continue working for me. That’s right, isn’t it, Misty?”
Her eyes narrowed. “As long as you all let me pay my way.”
She was the most cursed stubborn woman he’d ever met. He caught her chin on the edge of his fist. “Most of the time, the food is given to us.”
With a wholly skeptical look, she murmured, “Uh-huh.”
“It’s true, damn it. Sawyer barters with his less fortunate patients. Hell, he gets paid more often with food than with money. That’s why we’re always overloaded with desserts and casseroles.”
“You’re serious?” When he nodded, she said, “I had no idea.”
Sawyer looped one arm around Honey and added, “I have vitamins I can give her, too, so she won’t have to go to the pharmacy, but of course she refused them.”
And Honey piped in, saying, “I know for a fact she’s embarrassed about getting them in town. Everyone will know she’s pregnant if she does. Make her accept them, Morgan.”
Morgan took one look at Misty’s inflexible expression and laughed out loud. Were they all under the misguided notion that he had some control over the woman? Hell, she butted heads with him more than anyone else!
Knowing it would only prompt her stubbornness more, he said, “Yeah, sure, I’ll take care of it.”
Her brows snapped down, her mouth opened to blast him with invective, and Morgan kissed her—a quick, grinning smooch. She gave him a bemused look, and he dropped the coat over her head, then lifted her in his arms.
She fussed and wriggled, but he contained her with no effort at all and when she saw all the brothers watching intently, she made a face at them, but at least stopped struggling. “You have the worst habit of hauling me around.”
“I don’t want your feet to get wet going out.”
“Oh.”
Sawyer said, “Finally, he’s listening to me.”
Honey acted as if it was all par for the course. “Here, Misty, I packed a basket so you could both eat. I doubt if either of you have had dinner yet. Take your time. You’ll love Morgan’s house and maybe the rain will have stopped by the time you head back.”
Morgan watched Misty balance the large basket with one arm while looping the other around his neck. “Don’t wait up for us,” he said to the room at large.
He darted out the door and made his way cautiously to the Bronco. Misty opened the car door, and he slid her inside. The rain wasn’t coming down quite so fiercely now, and Morgan hoped Honey was right, that it would stop soon. Too many wrecks happened in weather like this, and he didn’t look forward to his evening getting interrupted. Already his anticipation was so keen he had to struggle for breath. He was semihard and so hot the windows started to steam the second he got behind the wheel.
“Will you accept the vitamins?” He drove from the driveway to the main road, hoping the conversation would work as a distraction. “Sawyer offered them because he wants to, you know.”
With her arms around the basket, she grumbled, “He offered because I’m Honey’s sister.”
“Bull. If you’d just stumbled into our lives the way Honey did, he’d do the same. Sawyer cares about people and likes doing what he can. It has nothing to do with you being related. Except that he takes it more personal when you refuse.”
She shook her head. “All right, fine. I’ll take the vitamins, but I insist on paying my own way. I won’t be swayed on that. Regardless of where the food comes from, I’m still staying there and taking up room.”
Morgan smiled at her. “Stubborn as a mule.” He pulled up in front of his garage and hopped out to open the door, then drove inside. “I’m going to have the driveway poured soon, and then we’ll install a garage door opener, but that’s stuff I can take care of after I move in.”
Misty didn’t wait for him to open her door after he’d turned off the engine. She hefted the heavy basket in her arms and climbed out. “I want to see the outside of the house, too. From down the hill, it looks gorgeous.”
Morgan felt like a stuffed turkey, he puffed up so proud. “Let’s go through the inside first and maybe the rain will let up.” He opened the door leading into the house and reached in for a light switch. The first-floor laundry looked tidy and neat, a replica of the one in the house where he’d grown up, with pegs on the wall for wet coats and hats, a boot-storage bench and plenty of shelving. “All the fixtures aren’t up yet, but there’s plenty of light.”
He turned to look at Misty and caught her wide-eyed expression of awe as she stared from the laundry room into the kitchen. “Oh, Morgan.”
Like a sleepwalker, she went through the doorway and turned a circle. “This is incredible.”
The kitchen had an abundance of light oak cabinets, high ceilings with track lighting and three skylights. Right now, the rain made it impossible to see anything but the blackness of the sky, but Morgan knew on a sunny day the entire kitchen would glow warmly, and in the evening, you’d feel like the stars were right on top of you.
“C’mon. I’ll show you around.” He took the basket from her and set it on the counter.
She kept staring at his cathedral ceilings. “I love the design. It’s like you’re in a house, but not, you know? Everything is so open.”
“I don’t like closed-in spaces.” He laced her fingers with his own and said casually, “I figure it’s easier to keep an eye on kids when they aren’t behind doors getting into mischief. Other than the four bedrooms and the two baths, all the doorways are arches.”
She stalled for a moment inside the dining room. He turned to look at her, and she shook her head. “How many kids do you plan on having?”
He held her gaze and said, “Three sounds about right. What do you think?”
Her fingers tightened on his and she said quietly, “I think I’ll worry about raising this one before I even contemplate adding any more.”
He wanted to tell her she didn’t have to worry, that she wouldn’t need to raise the baby on her own, but he had to bide his time. He didn’t want to scare her off. “I don’t have the dining-room furniture yet. I’m still working on that.”
She went to a window and looked out. “The view of the lake is gorgeous.”
“Yeah. Back here in the coves the lake is almost always calm, not like farther up where all the vacationers keep it churning with boats and swimming and skiing. It’s peaceful, nothing more disturbing than an occasional fishing boat.”
“I bet in the fall it’s really something to see.”
“Yeah. And in the winter, too, when everything is iced over. I figure I’ll need to hire someone to keep all the windows clear, but what’s the point of living on a hill with great scenery if you can’t see it? The view from the master bedroom is nice, too.” He slipped that in, then added, “The deck runs all the way around the house.”
The next room was the living room and he watched her inspect his choice of furniture, wondering if she’d like it.
“Everything looks so cozy, but elegant, too.”
Morgan rubbed the back of his neck. When he’d chosen the blue-gray sofa and two enormous cranberry-colored chairs, elegance hadn’t entered his mind. It was the saleslady who’d suggested the patterned throw pillows to “pull it all together.” He’d been going strictly for comfort. The softness and large dimensions of the furniture had appealed to him. “I’m glad you like it.”
“You could fill this place up with plants. You know, like you did around the fireplace at the station.”
Morgan watched her closely as he admitted, “One of the women I used to see on occasion brought in those plants. I’d never have thought of it. It’s the cleaning lady that keeps them watered and healthy.”
She sent him a narrow-eyed look over the mention of a girlfriend. “Well, I can just imagine a lot of plants really blending in here. With the stone fireplace and the light from the windows, it’d be great. What do you think?”
“I think maybe you should help me pick some out.”
She blinked at him in surprise, then smiled. “I’d love to.”
Satisfied on that score, he took her hand and continued on the tour. He opened the first door they came to. “This is the hall bath.”
Misty stuck her head in the door, and her mouth fell open. “It’s…decadent.”
Grinning, Morgan gently shoved her the rest of the way in. “Yeah. I kinda like it. Other than my bedroom, it’s my favorite room. It turned out just the way I wanted.”
Morgan watched her run her hand over the cream-colored tiled walls, the dual marble vanity. A large, raised tub took up one entire corner, looking much like a small pool. You could see the water jets inside the tub, and all the fixtures were brass. There was a skylight right above it and a shelf surrounding it for lotions and towels and candles—things he’d noticed Honey was partial to, so he assumed other women would be, too. In the adjacent corner was a shower with two showerheads, one on either side of the stall.
Honey was a hedonist when it came to her baths—the woman could linger for hours. He’d assumed most women were the same, but Misty tended to take quick showers, just as he did. He frowned with that thought, until he considered showering with her, and then his breath caught. He eyed the shower. It was plenty big enough to make love in….
“It’s beautiful, Morgan.”
He shifted his shoulders, trying to ease the sexual tension that had invaded his muscles. “I still have to get towels and stuff, but I figured there was no rush on that.”
Tentatively, without quite looking at him, she said, “I could help with that, too, if you want.”
Morgan stared at her, then swung her around and gave her a hard, quick kiss. “Thanks,” he said in a gruff tone, his throat raw with some unnamed emotion that he didn’t dare examine too closely. It was based on sexual need, but there was a lot of other more complicated stuff thrown in that he didn’t understand at all.
Misty looked at his mouth, drew a slow broken breath and then licked her lips. Morgan was a goner. Backing her into the cool tile wall, he took her mouth again, this time more thoroughly, then didn’t want to stop kissing her. She felt perfect, tasted perfect. She made him feel weak when that had never happened before, but she also made him feel almost brutal with driving need. He wanted to devour her, and he wanted to cherish her.
She arched against him and he cupped her rounded backside with a groan. “Damn, Malone.”
In a husky, laughing tone, she asked, “Are you ever going to use my first name?”
She sounded a bit breathless, and he forced himself to loosen his hold. Sawyer was right; she’d been through a lot, and even the strongest woman in the world needed time to adjust. “Malone suits you. It sounds gutsy and sexy and a little dangerous.”
She allowed him to lead her from the room, but she asked, “Dangerous? Me?”
With his arm around her shoulders, his heart still galloping wildly, he steered her to the first empty bedroom. “To my libido, yeah.”
The first three bedrooms were empty, but still Misty oohed over the tall windows and the ultrasoft carpet and the oak moldings. Morgan felt as if he might explode by the time he got her to his room. There were no curtains yet on the French doors that flanked the tall windows, almost filling an entire wall. The doors led to a wide, covered deck. The overhang wasn’t quite sufficient to shield them from the wind, and the rain blew gently against the glass. “Let me show you something.”
Without hesitation she came into the room and went to the wall of windows with him. “Look at the lights on the lake. Isn’t it beautiful?”
She stared into the darkness for long minutes, then finally nodded. “Yes.”
“I’ve always enjoyed the lake, the way sunlight glints on every tiny ripple, and how the evening lights along the shore turn into colored ribbons across the water. Even on stormy days, it’s great to watch. The waves lap up over the retaining wall and every so often the lake swells enough to cover my dock. The fish get frisky on those days and you can see them leaping up into the air and landing again with a splash. On my next day off I’ll take you boating and we can swim in the cove. Would you like that?”
She continued to gaze into the rainy night. “I’ve always loved being outdoors, and around water. When I was younger, we had a sailboat. My dad would take us out about twice a year, but mostly he used the yacht for entertaining his guests or business associates.”
Morgan hugged her from behind, knowing her relationship with her father had been far from ideal. “I don’t have a yacht, but I think you’ll like our boat. Or rather boats—we have three. An inboard for waterskiing, which Gabe uses more than anyone else. He’s as much fish as man. And a fishing boat with a trolling motor, which is so slow you could probably paddle faster. And a pontoon. My mother bought the pontoon and left it here, but whenever she visits she takes it out.”
Misty leaned her head back to look at him. “I didn’t know you had a gazebo.”
The gazebo was only barely visible in the darkening sky, a massive shadow on the level ground fifteen feet off the shore of the lake. He’d had electricity run down there so a bug light could hang inside the high ceiling, though it wasn’t lit now.
Morgan kissed her temple and looped his arms around her middle so that his hands rested protectively over her belly. “I had Gabe build it for me.” His fingers contracted the tiniest bit, fondling her gently.
She sucked in her breath, and her hands settled over his. “When?”
In a hoarse tone, he explained, “After that night I kissed you at the wedding. In the gazebo.”
She twisted in his arms. “But…you’d asked me to leave then.”
He searched her gaze. There was no accusation there, just confusion. “I wanted you to stay.” Very gently, he pulled her closer. “Damn, I wanted you to stay.”
Her smile was shaky, and then she touched the side of his face. “I have to tell you something about me.”
Morgan leaned forward and nuzzled the soft skin beneath her chin. He felt wound too tight, edgy and aroused and full to bursting. He tasted the silky skin of her throat, her collarbone. He didn’t say anything, waiting for her to continue.
He felt the deep breath she took. “You’re a special treat for me, Morgan.”
He grinned at that and continued to put soft, damp kisses on her throat, beneath her chin, near her shoulder. He felt her tremble and held her closer.
“I want you to understand what this means to me.”
He leaned back to look at her. She appeared far too serious and solemn to suit him.
“I know that an unwed pregnant woman sort of gives the impression of being experienced—”
“Damn it, Misty, I didn’t—”
She pressed her fingers to his mouth. “Just listen, okay?” He nodded reluctantly and she continued. “Truth is, I haven’t had much experience at all. Back in high school I got very curious, and we experimented a little. Very little, actually. Things didn’t last long with him, but it was no big heartbreak.”
Very carefully, Morgan pulled her earlobe between his teeth. She shuddered.
“And then there was Kent. I’d only been with him a few times, but we were careful. It’s just that the condom broke—”
He squeezed her tight, cutting off her spate of confessions. “Enough.”
Jealousy washed through him. The idea of her with a kid in high school was bad enough; his brain nearly overflowed with visions of her being groped in the back seat of a car, making him hazy with anger. But to think of her as a grown woman with a man she’d thought she loved…A man who had gotten her pregnant, then turned away from her. He could barely tolerate the idea.
“I don’t need to have an accounting for past lovers, Malone.” He growled those words against her ear, then added, “I don’t care about any of that.”
She wriggled loose so she could see him. “But that’s just it. I don’t have much of an accounting to give. Not because I’m so particular, and not because I think it’s wrong. It’s because no one ever really made me want him. Not the way you do.”
Emotion nearly clogged his throat. Morgan hugged her right off her feet. “You don’t have to worry, baby. I’ll take care of you. I won’t hurt you.”
She pushed against his shoulders. “Morgan, you don’t understand.”
Morgan lowered her to the floor with him so that they faced each other on their knees. Misty’s eyes were dark and wide and even in the dim light he could see her excitement. He slipped his hand under the hem of her sweatshirt and stroked her bare waist. Very softly, he said, “Explain it to me then.”
Morgan hoped she was about to give him a clue to her feelings. She hadn’t balked at the idea of helping him decorate, but neither had she seemed to realize why he wanted her help. And his comment about kids had gone completely over her head: in order for him to have those three kids, he’d need her cooperation, because no other woman would do.
She hesitated, her chest rising and falling in fast breaths, then she blurted, “I want to get my fill of you.”
A wave of lust washed over him, making him tremble. That was not what he’d been expecting, or even hoping for. But it might do.
“You’re so open about sex and how you feel,” Misty explained, “that I don’t have to worry about my old inhibitions or any of that stuff. I don’t have to worry about what you’ll think of me, or if I’ll offend you.” She touched his face with a trembling hand. “I want to do everything to you that I’ve been imagining doing. I want to let go completely.”
Morgan swallowed hard, struggling to come up with a coherent reply.
It wasn’t necessary. Misty launched herself at him, her hands holding his ears while she kissed him hungrily. He felt her small tongue in his mouth, felt her sharp little teeth nip his bottom lip. With a harsh groan, he rolled to his back, keeping her pinned against his chest, and she touched him all over, her hands busy and curious and bold.
He thought of all the things he’d meant to say to her, but at the moment, none of them seemed important.
Morgan made a sound somewhere between a groan and a laugh. She didn’t care if she amused him. “I’ve wanted you for so long,” she told him between kisses. “It’s awful to want someone that bad.”
“Tell me about it.” He worked her sweatshirt up until he could pull it over her head. She lifted her arms to help him, not feeling a single twinge of shyness. Not with Morgan.
As soon as the shirt was out of the way, Morgan reached for her. His hands were so large and rough and hot, and she moaned as he cuddled her breasts in his palms. His thumbs stroked over her nipples and she felt wild at the sweet ache his touch caused. “This is almost scary.”
“No.” Morgan brought her back down for another kiss, but she dodged him.
“I want your shirt off, too.” He was such a big hulk that there was no way she could get his clothes off him without his cooperation. She slid to the side and tugged his shirt free of his jeans. Morgan curled upward, making the muscles in his stomach do interesting things, and he threw the shirt off. She’d seen his chest many times, but now was different. Now she was allowed to touch and taste and have her way with him.
Misty attacked the snap on his jeans.
“Slow down, babe.”
“No, I don’t want to. I kept telling myself I couldn’t do this, but then I realized there was no way I could not do it. I want you too much. I doubt I’ll ever meet another man who makes me feel this way.”
“Damn right you won’t.” Morgan caught her hands and pulled them away from his zipper. “Kiss me again.”
She gladly complied. And while she was kissing him, licking his mouth, tasting his heat and feeling the dampness of his tongue, the smoothness of his teeth, Morgan rolled her to her back. The plush carpeting cushioned her.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Malone.”
She pulled him closer, breathing deeply of his scent. “You won’t.”
“The baby…”
Everything seemed to go still with his words. Morgan loomed over her, heat pulsing off him, his dark blue eyes burning hot, his hair mussed. There was so much concern and tenderness in his gaze that she felt tears well in her eyes. Misty touched his cheek, then his wide, hard chest. She let one finger drift over a small brown nipple and heard his sharp intake. “I want you naked, Morgan.”
His head dropped forward and he labored for breath.
“You won’t hurt me, I promise.” She watched the way his wide shoulders flexed, how the muscles in his neck corded. “I’ve been thinking about this all day, and if I’m going to do this—”
His gaze snapped to hers. “You are.”
“—then I want to do everything. Why take a risk unless you make it worthwhile?”
The look on his face was almost pained before he deliberately wiped it away. “I’m not a risk, babe.”
Misty didn’t want to tell him that he was the biggest risk she’d ever taken. She loved him so much, even more than she desired him. Around him her heart felt vulnerable and soft and a little wounded because she wished so badly she could have met him months ago. He could break her so easily.
She shook her head, willing to tease him to chase her dark thoughts away. This wasn’t a time for wariness, but a time to break free. “I’ve never had an excellent lover, Morgan.” She slipped her fingers down his side, over his hip. “I want you to be excellent.”
His teeth flashed in the darkness and his hand smoothed over her hair, then tucked it behind her ear. “You know how to put on the pressure, don’t you?”
“Are you intimidated?”
He snorted. After staring at her for a long moment, he shifted to sit up. His gaze strayed to her body again and again while he pulled off his shoes and socks and laid his cell phone aside. “So you want to see all of me?”
“Yes.”
“Should I turn on some lights?”
Misty laughed. How she could recognize humor while burning up with need was amazing. Morgan made her hungry, and he amused her, and he made her feel special and cherished in so many ways.
But then, he did that for a lot of people.
“With no curtains on the windows?” she asked. “Don’t you think that might be unwise? What if someone is out there and they see you prancing around in the buff?”
He chuckled, but the sound was strained as he stared at her breasts. “I don’t prance, Malone. And there’s no one out there on a night like this.”
She pretended to consider his offer, then said, “No, let’s leave the lights off.” She’d definitely be more daring without too much illumination. She needed the shadows to enjoy herself fully. At least this first time.
Morgan shrugged. “Whatever you want.”
“That’s the spirit.” Her laugh ended on a gasp when he came to his knees and carefully pulled down his zipper, easing it around a rather large, hard erection. She didn’t want to laugh now. No, she just wanted to watch. And touch.
And taste.
Without any signs of modesty, Morgan slowly shucked his jeans and underwear down his hips, then sat back and pulled them the rest of the way off. “Now you,” he rumbled, and leaned forward to do the job himself.
Misty stared at his naked body and felt the warmth build beneath her skin, felt her womb tighten, her breasts ache. His hips were a shade lighter than the rest of his sun-darkened skin, the flesh looking smooth and hard, taut with muscle. Crisp curling hair covered his chest and tapered into a downy line on his abdomen. She felt a little lecherous eyeing his swollen erection and wondered how it would feel to touch him there.
Belatedly, Misty remembered that she wanted to be a full participant, not a passive one. She toed off her sneakers, then came up onto her elbows as Morgan worked the button of her pants loose and started on her zipper. “Would you rather I strip? It’ll be easier.”
Morgan froze for a heartbeat, then shook his head. “I’d never live through it. The fact you’re not wearing a bra is already more than any man should have to deal with.”
“You wanted me to wear a bra.”
His hand opened over her belly and caressed her lightly, smoothing over her skin, dipping quickly into her belly button, then sliding beneath her open jeans to palm her buttocks. She reached for his erection and wrapped her hand around him.
He was hard and hot and silky. He flexed in her hand, and she tightened her hold.
With a groan, Morgan hooked his fingers into the waistband of her jeans. His voice was gravelly and low when he spoke. “Unveiling you slowly would have been better for my system. Saving me the shock, you know?”
Misty ignored his words, enthralled with the velvety feel of him. “Do you like this, Morgan?” She squeezed him carefully, heard his rough gasp. “You’ll have to give me some direction, okay?”
He had her jeans as far as her knees and he paused to tilt his head back and suck in deep breaths. “Harder.”
Misty’s heartbeat drummed at his growled command. She tightened her hand and stroked him again. “Like this?” she whispered.
Morgan suddenly caught her wrist and pulled her hand away. “I’m sorry, but I can’t take it.” He kissed her knuckles and placed her hand next to her head on the floor. “You need to do some catching up, sweetheart, so keep those soft little hands to yourself for a few minutes, okay?”
Nodding, Misty lifted her hips so he could pull her jeans the rest of the way off. Morgan pushed them aside, and immediately bent down to kiss the top of her right thigh. “Damn, you smell good,” he muttered as he nuzzled her hipbone, her belly, leaving warm damp kisses on her skin.
Misty shifted, not sure if she should protest or not. He’d taken the lead, but she loved how he looked at her, the husky timbre of his voice.
“Open your legs.”
“Morgan…”
“Shh. Trust me, okay?”
It seemed as though her heartbeat shook her entire body. Around her nervousness, her excitement, she whispered, “I do trust you. I always have.”
Morgan looked down at her, making her feel exposed and agitated and eager. He wedged her thighs apart and settled between them. He stared into her eyes and cupped her breasts. His solid abdomen pressed warmly against her mound, making her arch the tiniest bit. Her thighs were opened wide around his waist.
Misty nearly choked on a deep breath when he lowered his head and sucked one nipple deep into his mouth. Her back arched involuntarily, but Morgan took advantage of the movement to slip his arm beneath her, keeping her raised for his mouth. He shifted to her other breast, making her moan with the sharp tingle of a gentle bite.
“I could spend an hour,” he whispered, “just on your breasts.”
Misty tangled her fingers in his hair. “I told you I wanted to do some things.”
“We’ll take turns.”
He went back to her nipple, and true to his word, he seemed insatiable, tasting her, licking her, sucking her deep. Each gentle tug of his mouth was felt in her entire body. His tongue was both rough and incredibly soft on her aroused flesh. When he finally lifted himself away from her, she could barely keep still. Her nipples were swollen and wet, and she covered them with her own hands, trying to appease the throbbing ache.
Morgan growled at the sight of her touching herself and began kissing his way down her abdomen. When he reached her belly, he paused, then rested his cheek there. “I can’t believe there’s a baby in here,” he whispered. “You’re so slim.”
Misty choked on an explosion of emotion, so touched by the way he accepted her and her condition. “I…I’m bigger than I used to be. I’ve gained seven pounds.” It amazed her that he didn’t seem the least put off by her pregnancy. Kent had been disgusted and repulsed by the idea, but Morgan seemed more intrigued and concerned than anything else.
He placed a gentle kiss on her navel, then slipped his hands under her thighs and opened her legs wide. “Bend your knees for me, sweetheart. That’s it. A little wider.”
She felt horribly exposed with her legs sprawled so wide, his warm breath touching her most sensitive flesh. He was looking at her, studying her, and it embarrassed her even as it excited her almost unbearably.
Knowing what would happen, overcome with curiosity and carnal need, Misty dropped her head on the carpet and stared at the heavily shadowed ceiling.
The first damp stroke of his hot tongue felt like live lightning. She jerked, but he held her still and licked again. She groaned. Morgan used his thumbs to open her completely and tasted her deeply, without reserve.
“Oh God.”
“So sweet,” he murmured, and anything else he said was lost behind her moans.
She couldn’t hold still, couldn’t think straight. His fingers glided over her wet swollen tissues, dipping inside every now and again, but not enough to make the building ache go away. His tongue did the same, lapping softly, then stabbing into her.
“Morgan, please…”
“Tell me if I hurt you,” he murmured hotly, and even his breath made her wild.
But then she gasped as he began working two fingers deep into her. Moving against him, she tried to make him hurry, tried to make him go deeper.
“You’re so tight,” he murmured and she heard the repressed tension in his voice.
“Morgan.”
His mouth closed over her throbbing clitoris, sucking gently while his fingers stroked in and out, and she was lost. She cried out, thankful that they were alone, that he’d had the sense to insure their privacy, because she wanted to yell, needed to yell. Nothing had ever felt like this, so powerful and sweet and so much pleasure it was nearly too much to bear.
Morgan moved up over her, settling his hips gently against hers. His hands cupped her face until her eyes opened. “I’m going to come into you now.”
“Yes.”
“Tell me if I—”
“You won’t hurt me.” If he didn’t get on with it, she might be forced to rape him. A gentle pulsing from her recent climax still shook her, but she wanted more, she wanted it all, she wanted Morgan.
“Put your legs around me.”
As soon as she’d gotten her shaky limbs to work, he smothered her mouth with his own and pushed cautiously into her. Her body bowed, trying to accommodate him, then wilted as he sank deep, entering her completely. His raw groan echoed her own.
A moment of suspended pleasure and building anticipation held them both, then he began moving in deep, gentle thrusts. He stayed slightly propped up on his elbows rather than giving her his weight. Misty tried to protest, wrapping her arms tight around him and doing her best to bring him to her.
“No, sweetheart. I’m too heavy,” he panted, his jaw tight, his shoulders bunched. His eyes blazed at her and he kept kissing her, as if he couldn’t get enough; deep, hungry kisses and gentle, tender kisses.
Even now, he was being so careful with her. Her heart swelled painfully. “Please, Morgan.”
He squeezed his eyes shut, his jaw clenched, and the sight of him, so strong, so powerful, and so gentle, added to the physical pleasure and made her climax again with a suddenness that took her breath away. She strained against him, her thighs tightening, her fingers digging into his powerful shoulders. The second her muscles tightened around his erection, Morgan cursed, then gave up the struggle.
He allowed her to pull him down and pressed his face into her throat, hugging her closer still, his big body straining and shuddering as he came.
For long moments he rested against her, dragging in air, his body gradually relaxing. She felt him kiss her throat…and she felt his smile.
Misty squeezed him again. She didn’t know what she had expected, but the contentment, the happiness, the peace nearly overwhelmed her. “That was wonderful,” she whispered to him, needing to say the words. “You were wonderful.”
As though it took a great effort, Morgan slowly struggled up onto his elbows and smiled down at her. “So you’re satisfied?”
She bit her lip, then slowly shook her head. “No, never.”
Morgan blinked at her, then threw his head back and laughed. “Damn, Malone, I never thought I’d like hearing those two words leave your lips.”
She touched his mouth with a finger. She no longer vibrated with need, but the curiosity was still there, and the love. “What you did to me, Morgan? I want to do that to you, too.”
Morgan jerked. He breathed deep and he cursed and he shuddered. Finally he just laughed again, the sound low and rough. “From the moment I met you I knew on a gut level exactly how things would be with you.”
“Did you?” When Morgan smiled, he made her want to smile, too.
“Yeah. Why do you think I’ve been going so crazy? I’m glad to see I wasn’t wrong.”
He rolled onto his back so that she was perched above him. His grin was so wicked and so lecherous, she almost blushed. “Now,” he said.
And before she could ask him, “Now what?” his cell phone rang.