His only withness

ed on the local ne

ing their hair. Th

p in the mountain

on any med

d Wade lifted him effortlessly, car

is son to bed.A sudden wave of re

d felt earlie

bedroom door sh

the living area, h

knew Kerri had been hol

n't dis

tell me what h

her gaze, all th

o her newl

t have fo

ctive McCann? H

e g

You can trust him. I'

ing himself the

ay. How did the me

no c

ne overheard

d. Maybe isn't good enough, Wade, a

's to say we weren

w breath, workin

by their circumstances and he didn't

rr

w if we were b

ponse was a lift

anger began to

do

hifted to one fa

always known wha

t you,

oo far. He close

her shoulders. I

He brought it on h

just refuse

und, not softening

h. If anything,

hter,

oyed three years ago

what's left

hold on her an

. Unde

h

erst

droom door that boy in there thin

aga

ai

They had to move past this if th

that kid, Red. You kn

g for you. Don't

ft his face-she said nothing. Sh

ward the

d her arm,spinning her around. W

something I d

e by surprise. If there was one thin

ke to app

She said, her voj

u were our fri

till

le. he barely recognized her from

n her eyes and f

need to protect

m. He brought hi

ot backing off wh

rms around his n

his hair, his st

ted.

she tensed, sliding her hands to hi

betwee

r head. I ca

er

tasting the lingering effects of th

s gone." She sque

lone tear slid d

o cut my

steps toward th

back over one s

g in my power t

I'd like to think

he s

by the hurt plast

at her words

y watching her as

stood before the

ars she'd found in

ring at her reflec

ered and swollen,

ring the area ove

th he

oiled in

have bee

have bee

ad they gotten

, her conflicted thoughts about Wa

r position

lowed, holding up a handful o

e

calling her bythe nickname. Her

he thought out

er reflec

ting her hair, s

her

recognize her right now, but she

suring Tom

eep breath and cu

away free

e process, sectio

n the sink and a

d her

lous. As much as

going to nee

her mind, he ste

in the mirror.

o the warmth of his

and began trimming at the ragge

His gentle touch sent chills dancin

is palm to her sh

is touch, reaching deep inside to a

rs before J

ine and her pulse quickened. Wade c

le, workin

w better, Kerri w

ir eyes met for a second time in the mirro

lieve him-wanted

protect his compan

hn?If she believed

arelessness had ca

had been anyth

e'd grown so cont

otion by the

t John was at fau

nse a

nside her, tanglin

the past, to leave

death be

rriage and

for

set the

n the

linch, d

her shou

s touch, wanting to forget the past. T

et the

o escape, fe

for t

kiss to her nec

nerve ending spring

o her newly shorn

awareness scorc

him away. She sh

en so long since sh

e didn't have the

wanted to d

s fingers over

slid his hands a

ressing his hard ch

ze to his in the

er at the heat she

s over her ribs, l

asts with his thu

er hands on either

y her

s mouth to her

lower edge

to the battered

o

.to expose her bare flesh. H He traced the back of his

ushed against the

eneath his touch

el his fingers agai

ossi

e, pressing his

his since the mome

bit at Kerri's s

n w

her midquestion

ng? Never p

hand beneath th

east, all questio

nly all that matt

and Wade. N

asp on her bra,

cool, air-con

harp breath and h

pple, back and for

h his

his mouth to her

hot, wet mouth, a

side her. She pre

wanting t

hands behind h

i

Kerri dropped her

anse of

kisses down to

pped back and spun

is. Chest to chest.

breath

o make you do

t tom

ger to his lips. "J

uth with his, tea

deeply, explo

ide Kerri's belly

ed. She'd been dea

her body's respon

ted

she'd wondered

s arms, to feel his

fingers along he

upping her buttoc

is erection, sh

ke magic, waking

its long

her into his a

instead leaning

is neck, exploring

e, her lips, h

anted all of hi

, like she'd neve

ver know

er to the th

ered

er, pushing up the

her bare f

ed the

er skin, pushing t

ushed against the

eneath his touch

el his fingers agai

ossi

e, pressing his

out this since the m

bit at Kerri's s

en

her midquestion

ng? Never p

hand beneath th

east, all questio

nly all that matt

and Wade. N

asp on her bra,

cool, air-con

harp breath and h

pple, back and for

h his

his mouth to her

hot, wet mouth, a

ide her. She press

wanting t

nds behind her b

y between her bre

e waistband

he button and lo

e shimmied out of

ng but a pair of

easing the soft fabric down

him and she shivered, awed by the

her need

his jeans and boxers in one fluid

ressing against her, causin

nly like a schoolgirl about to lose h

burning desire to f

to enter her, but

to her stomach, t

s kisses lower a

elved in

deepen the mindblowing ecstasy o

g and t

mind, she was so Close to the edg

then two, all the w

loded with her orgasm, p

, running his hand

breast, cuppi

g her

inued its hot exp

nd orgasm peaked

the intensity

his jeans, pullin

d flipping it open

ri groaned inwardly

ng she'd never tho

the condom, as

a long, kn

is hard length, w

taut skin, slowly

Down an

arp breath throug

with a heady sens

ted such longing.

led it, sheathin

r kiss to her nec

uth over hers, del

eaving her wanti

ke

moan, wanting so

almost forgotten h

re she lay, makin

ce vowed

gers through his

. Pl

e raised himself

self to him. He p

bing, then easin

at first then mo

kept locked insi

e edge of rele

ms beneath her bu

ir joining. He slo

his chin to meet he

locked until Kerri

ce into one of th

es of pleasure as

another

and visibly bit

immediately on the

her, enfolding her in his arms, wh

autiful than I

question, consumed with the sheer

experience as int

nto her consciousness, questioning

of the day's life-

hought away, foc

thought she'd find

o overtake her s

ght might signal a new be

y ever be

toge

n to form in her mind, he

s she slipped into

t l

ing she hadn't felt