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He grimaced. “You know I’m not a viable alternative for...for a serious relationship, right? I’m a loner. And my job is here. Or I might have to move back to Louisiana. California isn’t a possibility.”
It was a big dose of reality, one she hadn’t expected to come at this particular time. “Right. And you’re saying this now because...”
“Because I think it’s only right. The last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt you.”
“Got it.” She stood. “You should probably get a good night’s rest, anyway. I think I’ll go back to Honey’s.”
His stricken expression told her that was the last thing he wanted. “I’m sorry.”
“No problem.”
“I wouldn’t have said anything but... I didn’t think it would be fair.”
She slipped past him to get to the door. “I appreciate the honesty. I really do.”
She opened the door to go, but he said, “I don’t want you out there alone. I’ll walk you.” He put down his glass, but once he met her in the open doorway, he took both her hands and looked down at them without making any move to go out.
“What?” she said.
“I care about you,” he murmured. “And I want you. There’s no question about that. I just...don’t want to be the worst thing for you.”
He’d been ultra-cautious even the first time. She remembered how he kept telling her she should turn him away. That, along with his sincerity, made her soften. “I can’t make any promises, either,” she admitted. “So maybe we should just take it one day at a time.”
He nodded, seemingly relieved that she wasn’t angry, and kissed her forehead before stepping onto the landing. She knew she should probably follow him out. She could still take him to the airport in the morning if she stayed at Honey’s. And if she didn’t, Jack would probably realize they’d been together. But she didn’t want to squander any of the time they could spend together, especially if it was so limited. So she tugged on his hand to stop him, and when he turned back, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.
28
Their clothes were off by the time they reached the bedroom. They’d dropped article after article as they moved through the living room and hallway, kissing while trying to avoid hitting the furniture and knocking over the lamps. Bo had been looking forward to this moment since they’d been at the beach, but nearly losing the opportunity to touch Ismay so intimately again added a huge amount of relief to the pleasure. He couldn’t have enjoyed himself, though, not if he hadn’t been up front with her.
“You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met,” he murmured.
They fell onto his bed, and he began kissing the elegant line of her neck, moving down toward her breasts. She wasn’t particularly curvy, but he thought everything about her was perfect.
“I felt something for you the moment we met,” she admitted.
He lifted his head to look down at her. “When I was being pummeled by the wind and rain trying to get that damn generator started?”
She laughed. “You stood way out on the porch whenever you had to talk to me, wouldn’t even come close to the door.”
“I didn’t want you to think I was some kind of threat, especially with all you were dealing with.”
“I think it was that you’re a little shy,” she said, giving him an endearing smile.
She was probably right. Hewasa little shy when it came to women. He’d never had a steady girlfriend. Didn’t socialize much. “I’ll show you how shy I am now,” he teased and went back to kissing and tasting her wherever he wanted.
He felt her hands in his hair as he moved lower. He’d never gone down on a woman before, but he was enjoying himself so much he didn’t want their lovemaking to end. The more he could do to draw it out, the better. The memories might have to last him for a long time. And he loved making her feel good.
He lifted her legs over his shoulders and heard her gasp as his mouth closed over her.
“I’m glad I stayed,” she joked breathlessly, and he would’ve laughed, except he wasn’t about to pull away.
As her breathing grew labored, he became more and more excited—until her body gave an involuntary jerk, and she moaned. He knew then that she’d reached climax and couldn’t help lifting his body over hers so he could drive inside her.
They’d fallen asleep almost immediately after making love. Far too soon it seemed, the alarm went off. Ismay yawned as Bo reached over to silence his phone, then smiled groggily as he scooped her up, hauled her back a foot or so in the bed, and spooned her.
“I wish we had more time,” he mumbled as he kissed her shoulder.
“Do you need to shower?”
