She was the first to get behind the wheel of the car； the first to
choose the prettiest dress in the boutique； the first to snag the
telephone caller。 I prided myself on being the clever one。〃
〃And this coin toss？〃
Chloe begged forgiveness with her eyes。 〃It was my coin。 I called
heads。〃
Understanding slowly dawned on Ross's face。 His grin was appreciative。
〃And the coin had two heads？〃
〃It did。〃
Whatever he might have thought of her for having cheated； he was
undoubtedly pleased that 〃winning〃 him had meant so much to her。 〃That
deserves a kiss；〃 he said and lowered his head。
Chloe met his lips without hesitation。 She had waited for this all
evening。 They had been building toward it from the second she had agreed
to dress up and go out to dinner with him。 〃Just this once；〃 she had
told him then。 Now the words echoed through her。 Just this once she
would relax in Ross's arms。 Just this once she would taste his love。
Just this once she would be free of the past。
She'd had too much wine。 No doubt about that。 Would she want this if her
head were clear？ Maybe yes； maybe no； but it made no difference。 Right
here； right now； she was where she wanted to be。
Ross appeared equally content； if the leisure of his kiss meant
anything。 He tasted her again and again； seeming to find something new
each time。 She sure did。 Once it was the sweetness of wine on his lips；
another time the firmness of his mouth； another the heat。 His kiss was a
heady brew； warm； moist； and intoxicating。
Seeking more； she spread her hands over his chest and discovered a
textured surface beneath the smoothness of his shirt。 He was a man of
many layers to be explored； one by one。 She was the explorer； on an
ocean of desire； clinging to him as to a raft on a rising sea of
sensation。
His tongue sought and caressed； sucking hers deeper； sparking greater
response； and she gave it unconditionally； opening to him in delight。
Soft sighs were breathed and swallowed； one mouth to the other。
The urgency built。 Just when she needed it； he deepened the kiss。 His
lips controlled hers now； as did the hands that framed her face。
His voice was thick against her mouth。 〃Do you have any idea what you do
to me？〃
Her answer was a breathy； 〃I know what you do to me。 It happens every
time。〃
〃Does it？ It's been a long time since you were with a man。〃
〃By choice。 By choice。〃 Tipping her head back on his shoulder； she
studied his strong jaw； straight nose； amber eyes。 〃It was never a trial
for me before。 I've never really wanted another man。〃
〃Is it a trial now？〃 he whispered； momentarily cautious。 〃What do you
want； Chloe？ Do you know？〃
She answered by dipping her head and putting her lips to his throat。
Intoxicated by its musky scent； she freed the knot of his tie and
released the front buttons of his shirt。 Her sigh warmed him when her
hands slid over his flesh； but his moan prevented her from going on。
He pushed his hands into her hair。 〃Look at me！〃 His eyes were hot with
desire。 〃Do you know what I want； Chloe？ I want to feel you。 I want to
know every inch of your body。 Half measures never worked for me with
you。 I need to be inside you。 Can you accept that？〃 His gaze flickered
over her flushed features。 〃Will you hate yourself tomorrow？〃
The question took her by surprise。 She didn't want to think about
tomorrow。 Her eyes filled with the tears of a deep； emotional yearning。
〃I don't know what I'll feel tomorrow； but I know what I want now。 I
know what I need。〃
〃Why now？〃 It was another surprise question。 〃Eleven years ago it was
rebellion。〃
〃Not rebellion。〃
〃Then why？〃 he asked more gently。
She took a deep breath。 The scent of his skin gave her strength。 〃Yes；
you were different。 The other men we'd known had been handpicked。 Our
brothers were as fussy as our parents。 But there was more for me。 You
were new。 Refreshing。〃
〃A challenge？〃
〃Maybe。〃
〃Do I challenge you now？〃
〃Yes； but that's only part of it。〃 Need loosened her tongue。 〃The pull
is there； just like it was eleven years ago。 Don't make me try to
explain it； because I can't。 Lord only knows I didn't want to feel
anything for you！
You were the one who showed up uninvited； remember？〃
He smiled dryly。 〃So you've told me。〃
〃You bring back memories。 Maybe what I need is to wipe out those
memories with new ones。〃
His smile turned wry。 〃You are using me。〃
When Chloe pushed herself up； his hands fell away。 She was on her own；
as she had been all those years。 And she knew what she wanted。
〃Yes； I'm using you！ I'm using you to show me that I can feel and live。
I'm using you to help me put the past to rest。 You're right。 I have to
do that。 But don't you see；〃 she ended on a note of pleading； 〃that
you're the only one who can help me？〃
For long moments； silence was as thick in the air as the lingering heat
of passion。 Finally Ross lifted a hand to her cheek。 〃I want to believe
it； Chloe。 Want it bad。〃
〃Then make love to me。 You show me what love should be like。〃
With a low animal sound； he reached out and pulled her under him；
kissing her fiercely； erasing everything but the here and now。 Chloe put
herself into his hands。 Trusting him fully； she lost all inhibition and
returned his kiss with everything she had。
His lips moved on her neck； inching down into the dip of her dress。
〃I've been wanting to do this all night；〃 he whispered moments before
his mouth found the bottommost point。 He kissed her there； wet；
openmouthed； then rose again。 His mouth was ready when he cupped her
breasts and lifted them there。
Chloe sighed softly。 She squeezed her eyes shut； buried her fingers in
his hair； and held him closer。
With excruciating slowness he drew back her bodice； freeing her breast
bit by bit。 Her insides quivered when her nipple was bared。 His breath
was hot； the air cool。 Arching closer； she watched his tongue touch the
pebbled tip； circle it； touch it again。
〃Ross！〃 she gasped； straining beneath him； needing more。
〃Love is torment； Chloe。 It's wanting and wanting and wanting until you
would do anything to get。 Be patient。〃
She tried； but it was a torment； indeed； to watch him pull his shirt
from his pants and release every single last button。 She bit her lip to
keep from reaching out to touch him。 He could have been sculpted in clay
by a master； he was that beautiful； more beautiful even because he was
real。 He was human； manly； alive。
Her patience was pushed even further when he drew her up； reached behind
to slide her zipper to her waist； then pulled her dress down； easing her
arms from their sleeves。 Bare to the waist； she needed his touch； but
his eyes caressed her first。 Her breasts swelled； begging to be cupped
and held。
〃They're not the same；〃 she whispered falteringly。 〃I was much younger
then。〃
A sound came from deep in his throat。 It gave credence to his words。
〃Maybe younger then； but better now。〃 His eyes said it was true。 With
trembling hands； he palmed her breasts with such soft； gentle motion
that she nearly cried out again。
Patience slipped slowly away。 When she thought she'd seen the last of
it； Ross drew her to him； crushing her breasts against his chest in a
move that stole her breath。
He made another deep sound； this one very male； very satisfied。 His
hands moved over her back； covering every inch of its smooth surface；
and Chloe followed his lead。 Eyes closed； she savored the feel of him；
letting her palms play on his back； then drawing away to glory in his
chest。 His nipples were as flat and hard as hers were raised and
swollen。 His neck was as strong as hers was slender。 His skin was as
tanned as hers was creamy。 Their bodies were so different； but the light
in his eyes matched that in hers。 She saw desire there。 It was hot and
heavy。
Chloe could barely breathe； much less speak。 She was as aroused as she
had ever been； and more with each touch of his fingers or tongue。 The
beat of her heart skipped rapidly on； driving heated blood through her
veins。 She was free。 She was alive。 She wanted to belong to Ross then
more than anything in the world。
Sensing her urgency； he pulled her up。 As she stood； her dress slid past
her hips to form a pale blue circle on the floor。 Aware of the
admiration in his eyes； she stepped out of it wearing nothing but a pair
of small silk panties。
When he held out his arms； she went to him and wrapped hers tightly
around his neck。 Her breasts were crushed against his hairy chest。 She
burned from within。
〃Chloe 。。。 Chloe 。。。 Chloe。。 。〃 he chanted softly； reminiscent of that
soft September breeze in New Hampshire。 But she couldn't think back； not
with his fingers skimming her hips； then moving up her sides and around。
He was exquisitely tender。 She felt cherished； desired； and loved； if
only for the night。
〃Hurry。〃 She arched against him； her body aflame with need。 〃Hurry。〃
Setting her back； he unbuckled his belt and undid his pants。 His eyes
devoured her hungrily as he pushed everything off； then knelt to remove
her panties。
She was trembling with excitement when he dragged a cushion from the
sofa to the floor。 He lowered himself and held out a hand； and for a
minute she couldn't move； couldn't take her eyes from his body。 It was
perfect in every way； thoroughly masculine and fully aroused。 Eleven
years ago she had been too shy to study him； but she wasn't now。 He
seemed to stretch forever； one long limb connected to another by firm
sinew。 Had she been an artist she would have drawn him。 But she was only
a woman。
〃Chloe？〃
She took his hand and stretched out against him with a soft moan。 He
felt wonderful against her。 When she began to touch him； he sucked in a
breath。
〃Oh； God；〃 he whispered gruffly； 〃oh； God； that's it。〃 His chest rose
and fell； lungs labored。 〃Feel it； princess？〃
There were two kinds of feeling； the physical and the emotional。 Chloe
experienced both。 High on the fullness； she moved freely over his body。
Her fingers found delight with every touch； her heart satisfaction。 She
reached his most electric parts as he reached for her。
〃Now；〃 she begged； desperate and demanding。
〃Kiss me first；〃 he murmured thickly。 When she turned up her face； he
moved over her； slipping between her open thighs。
She cried into his mouth when he thrust forward。 Anything she might have
remembered of the past was gone then； paling in the light of the
present。 Her body exploded and flamed； burning hotter with each thrust
of his hips； with each progressively deeper peration。 She rose and
rose； straining higher； higher； until her body burst into spasms of
something akin to heaven。
She cried out again when she heard Ross's cry。 She felt the tightness of
his muscles； the pumping of his hips； then； joy； a grand pulsing inside
her。 He held her as tightly as she held him； and there was joy in that；
too。
For what seemed a glorious forever； they lay that way。 Finally； his body
damp； he slid out to lie beside her。 The night air was broken by ragged
breathing； both his and hers。
Chloe lay stunned。 Then； suddenly and inexplicably； she was overe。
Pressing her cheek against Ross's drumming heart； she began to cry。 In a
frigh