His voice sounded strained. “Come and close this door.”

“No; she whispered.

With a soft oath he stepped over the threshold and kicked the door shut. “I promised myself I wouldn’t do this : ‘

“So did I.”

He crossed the room. “Then we’re both fools.” With a groan of surrender he reached for her.

She fit perfectly in his arms, as she had on the dance floor. Except now she enjoyed the entire length of his rock solid body, and her own seemed to swell with promise in response to the coiled power of his. She ran both hands up his back and felt his muscles contract beneath her touch

His large callused hand cupped her cheek in the darkness and she closed her eyes to savor the controlled passion in his caress. He seemed in no hurry to kiss her, as if he wanted their bodies to shimmer with heat until they burst into flame with the first touch of their mouths. When his fingers brushed across her parted lips, she wet his fingertips with her tongue and his breath caught.

He combed her hair back from her face and cradled her head as he leaned close enough for her to feel his soft breath on her face. “A cowboy s dream; he murmured , closing the distance until she was submerged in his embrace, dazed by the unleashed power of his kiss.

His mouth claimed her with a sureness that left her no time to think. She gasped, helpless before the onslaught of emotions he drew forth. She was not the sort of woman to whimper, but she whimpered now. He stroked the length of her body and brought her hard against him. Her first quivering response turned to molten desire beneath the force of his compelling touch.

Her thighs were slick with moisture even before his knowing hand slid between their bodies to find her. He made a noise deep in his throat, a sound of appreciation so basic it sent goose bumps skittering over her skin. He urged her against the bed. When the backs of her knees touched the mattress, he lowered her down across the edge of it, his mouth hard against hers.

He groped for the handle of the bedside table drawer and wrenched it open. Vaguely she realized he had to have known what the drawer contained as he unbuttoned his jeans and sheathed himself.

The ache within her widened, crying to be filled. He didn’t bother to remove his shirt or her nightgown. With one hand braced beside her head and the other guiding her hips, he took her in one strong, deliberate thrust that made her gasp. Never had a man claimed her like that. Never had she quivered with the beginnings of a climax with only one sure stroke.

Ah, but never was over. Gabe was here. He eased back and shoved home once more. Her body welcomed him, throwing down all barriers and inviting him back again. And again. In wanton delight she lifted her hips and wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing him closer and deeper. Each time he came to her, ripples of pleasure spread from the pulsing center of their joining with an increasing intensity that left her breathless.

She began to spin on the axis of that center as she begged incoherently-whether for more sensation or final release she didn’t know. Only he could know. His touch filled her uruverse, his body held every delight she’d ever imagined.

The flowering began slowly, then picked up speed as she unfolded in a dazzling display of surrender that wrunga cry of wonder from her lips. Annointed with passion, she clung to him as he answered her cry with one of his own, a sound that seemed to arise from deep within his soul. His massive body shuddered once, twice, a third time, and his fingers pressed against her skin.

Slowly, slowly his bunched muscles relaxed. While they were still joined he eased her forward until they could lie together. He remained braced above her, not giving her his full weight, as he leaned his damp forehead against hers.

She held him, rubbing her hands across his back as a measure of sanity returned. Perhaps she wouldn’t ever be quite sane again where this man was concerned. He’d just given her the most satisfying sexual experience of her life. Did she have the inner strength to put that memory aside? Not tonight, she thought. Definitely not tonight.

He sighed and lifted his head to gaze at her in the dim light. “Ah, Dallas; he murmured, touching her cheek. “You don’t inspire a man to be subtle.”

She caught his hand and kissed his palm, savoring the taste of him, the scent of him. “And who says subtle is good?”

“You might .”

He’d changed her world and he didn’t even know it. She was touched by his modesty… and insecurity. “Did you follow your instincts? “

“Every single one of them .”

“I’d say you have pretty good instincts.”

She felt the quiver that ran through him, but he said nothing, as if waiting, his breath held, for her to go on. He deserved the truth, no matter where it led them. “I’ve never been loved so well, Gabe.” She chose the word “loved” on purpose, because she’d never felt as valued as now, never as sensual or desirable.

His face relaxed into a smile. “Thank you for telling me that: ‘

“I caxi t believe you didn’t know.”

His smile widened. “Women have been known to fake it.”

“I don’t.”

“No, I don’t suppose you do.”

She ran her fingers up his nape and through the thick luxury of his hair, remembering when she’d first done that, when he was seated in her chair at work. Had she known, even then, that one day she’d hold him like this? “I have a question. How did you know I had condoms in the drawer?” ,

“After I checked your window lock in here I opened both drawers to find out which one had the gun in it. I suppose I’ve been thinking about that package of condoms ever since. It didn’t make resisting you any easier , knowing they were there within easy reach.”

“So you snooped!” She struggled and tried to roll out from under him, but he held her fast.

“I checked things out.” He raised his head and dropped quick, conciliatory kisses on her lips as he spoke. “I’m a careful man, Dallas. That’s what’s allowed me to survive this long in a dangerous profession “

She shuddered, even as she found herself responding to the warm kisses raining on her mouth. “I don’t like to think about that.”

“I know. We don’t have to. At least not now. don’t go away ” He levered himself away from her, got up and went into the bathroom. Moments later he returned. Lying beside her, he began working on the tiny buttons of her nightgown that reached down to the middle of her breasts.

“Have you ever come close to being killed?” she asked.

“As I said, let not think about that.”

Her breath quickened as he parted the lapels of her gown and cupped her breast in his palm. “What should we think about, then?”

“This : He stroked her nipple with his thumb and the firmness of his renewed desire pressed against her thigh. As he leaned down to run the tip of his tongue around the areola of her throbbing breast, she could think of nothing but his moist caress.

Then he took her nipple in his mouth; building the tension that caused her to move her hips in restless invitation In so many ways he was the wrong man for her, but at this moment, in this bed, nothing had ever felt so right.

GABE USED HIS teeth to scrape lightly over her nipple, and she arched her back in the age-old gesture of submission to her man. His heartbeat pounded loud in his ears as that simple gesture stirred the hot embers of his need to take her again. The sharp edge of the first time had been replaced by a deepening ache that frightened him just a little. But not enough to stop.

He slid an arm under her shoulder blades to support the arch that offered her breasts to his questing mouth. She tasted of honey, smelled like crushed wildflowers fermenting into a heady wine. He burrowed against her with his seeking mouth. Ah… the texture of her nipple against the curved pull of his tongue, the bounty of her breast drawn into his mouth, brought pounding tension to his groin. Yet he d already demonstrated impatience. Perhaps this time he had the strength to demonstrate restraint.

With a superhuman force of will he subdixed his own desire to fill her and settled his mouth between her breasts. While continuing to tease her nipples to erect ness with his fingertips, he kissed a path downward, stopping to dip his tongue into her navel. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as he continued his journey over the smooth skin of her belly and the soft tangle of hair between her thighs. When he reached his destination , she trembled. He wanted to hear her cries, now, when he wasn’t buried in her and deafened by the cannon fire of his own needs.

He nibbled and tasted the rare fruit of her passion, grasping her hips when he’d driven her beyond the ability to keep still. She moaned, and he probed more boldly, feeling her swell beneath him. Her first, small panting cries ignited a fierce happiness in him. He never remembered giving pleasure with this much joy. He kept on as her legs quivered and her cries grew stronger, until at last she bucked in his arms and gasped his name. His name. He was not some featureless lover.

Driven by a desire that left him no choice, he pulled the latex tight over his throbbing penis and claimed his due, sinking deep, deep into salvation. He felt her tighten again, and the spasms of her second climax drew the essence from him in one great rush. As he lay against her, dazed and panting, he knew that she’d seared his heart, changed his direction. After this night, he would never be the same man again.

“EVER BEEN MARquq, Gabe?” Dallas stopped placing strips of bacon side by side on the microwave rack and turned to where he was frying eggs in a skillet on the stove. She’d let Gretchen out to run in the yard, so they were alone. Early morning light gave the kitchen a soft focus look, which suited her blissful mood after the dazzling amount of pleasure she’d enjoyed the night before.