Page 25 of Tristan’s Temptation

She turned her head. His handsome features were slack with contentment. She caressed his cheek. “That was wonderful.”

He leaned over to kiss her lips. With his thumbs, he brushed the tears from her cheeks. “Why are you crying?”

“I’m not crying.”

“Then what’s this?” He held up a finger, a glistening drop clinging to the tip.

She smiled and took his fingertip into her mouth, sucking ever so gently. “That, my good man,” she said, “is bliss.”

“Stop it. You’re making me hard again.”

Her lips twitched. “Would that be so horrible?”

“No. But Shannon…” His chuckle was slightly exasperated. “You know we have to stop doing this.”

“I know.” She nuzzled her nose against the taut skin of his chest. Her breath skated across a nipple and he grunted.

“If anyone at work found out about us, especially Adam, there would be hell to pay.”

“I know.” Her tongue snaked out to nudge an enticing copper disk.

“Stop it,” he whispered through a grin, slapping a hand over his nipple. “Go to sleep.”

“Will you stay?” she asked. She had to.

In response, his caress drifted across the small of her back. Over the dimples on her butt. Down to the sensitive backs of her knees. Then up. Up and up, until he stroked, stoked the heart of her. Made her gasp and cry out and beg for more.

And she didn’t get much sleep at all.

It wasn’t until the next morning—as the sun dawned bright and warm and she awoke wrapped in his arms, held tightly, close to his heart—that she realized the box of condoms she’d purchased remained unopened in her dresser drawer.

Chapter Six

“I love that color,” Shannon said, sighing at the flowers on Kat’s desk.

“Which one?” Kat grinned. Her desk was awash in blooms, roses in a panoply of colors.

“The cream.” Shannon gently stroked one exquisite bud with a tentative fingertip.

“I love cream.” Jenny took a bite from her peach as she flipped through a thick, glossy tome. “Oh,” she cooed. “Look at this dress.” She wedged her peach between her teeth and flipped the heavy book around so the others could see.

Sara glanced up from the magazine she was perusing. “Lordy. That is divine.”

Kat shook her head. “I’d get lost in the ruffles.” She waved the magazine away with an insistent hand. “Look for something simpler.”

“It’s your wedding day, for heaven’s sake. You should be a princess.”

“She already is a princess,” a deep, seductive voice purred. Every female gaze turned to Adam Trillo with deep appreciation. He was yummy. He prowled into Kat’s office, an undeniably male counterpoint to the veritable florist shop filling the room.

“Aw.” Jenny batted her be-glittered eyelashes. “Isn’t that sweet?”

“Darling.” Adam took Kat in his arms for a long, probing kiss.

A very long, probing kiss.

Shannon, Jenny and Sara watched for a minute but looked away when the kiss continued.

And continued.