Just once. Very lightly. The tip of his index finger found her center and rubbed it. Then again. She gasped. Her eyes opened, but she couldn't seem to focus.

"What are you doing?" she asked weakly.

"Trying to drive you crazy. How am I doing?"

She smiled. "Great. Except you lied to me."

"When?"

"You said it wasn't going to be different." She blinked and looked at him. "It is. It's wonderful. Why are you being so good to me?"

Because you mean everything to me. Only he didn't say that. Instead, he touched her again, in her most feminine place, and she forgot the question. He touched her over and over until she was begging him for release. He bent over her and kissed her breasts, even as his fingers moved faster and faster, even as her hips began to rotate in the age-old rhythm of desire.

He shifted until he was lying next to her, supporting his head with one hand. He stared at her face, at the way her breasts moved, at the faint lines on her belly. Every inch of her was precious to him.

His forearm was against her thigh and he could feel her muscles tensing as she neared her release. He moved faster.

Her lips parted. A flush started at her breasts and climbed toward her face. He glanced at the place he touched her. His fingers slipped back and forth, parting the light brown curls. Her knees drew back toward her chest and he could see all of her. His throat tightened as he stared at her beauty, at the tiny place that brought her pleasure, at the dampness that would soon welcome him home. He felt the moment when her muscles locked and heard her stop breathing. He continued his quick, light ministrations.

Then she exhaled his name. Beneath his forearm her legs trembled and jerked slightly. Her hands opened and closed against the sheets. He glanced at her face and watched her try to catch her breath. The flush had climbed to her hairline, her nipples were erect. Satisfaction poured through him, as if the pleasure had been solely his. He wished they could do it again and again until he learned everything about her. He wanted to make love to her until she was too weak to walk or even stand.

Instead, he drew her close to him. He held her tightly in his arms as she continued to shake. He released her long enough to brush away the tears that trickled down her temples and kiss the questions from her lips.

"It's never been like that," she said, staring up at him.

The gladness filling him made it impossible to speak.

After a few minutes, she pushed him away. "Take your clothes off," she demanded. "I want to see you."

He grinned and stood up. He was shaking so hard, he had trouble with the buttons on his fly, but he got them undone and pushed the jeans and his briefs down in one quick movement. Sandy knelt on the bed in front of him, staring at his arousal.

He wanted her to lie down or move back or something, but she just knelt there staring. It was going to be a problem in about two minutes, he thought. Already the pressure was uncomfortable. Soon it would be uncontrollable.

"Sandy, I can't wait much longer," he said. "I hate to be a jerk, but you've had me like this since the day you arrived and a cold shower can only do so much."

She raised her gaze to his. "Really? I turn you on that much?"

"You tell me."

"Can I touch you?" she asked, reaching toward him.

"No!" He stepped back. "That wouldn't be a good idea. Not unless you want me to ah-"

She raised her eyebrows. "As fast as that? Gee, I'm surprised. I would have thought you'd be more controlled." She scooted back on the bed.

"I have damn good control," he growled, bending down and pulling a condom out of his jeans' pocket. "You make me sound like some horny kid. It's not like that. It's just this situation has been difficult from the beginning."

"I understand," she said kindly. "You don't have to explain it to me."

"Dammit, woman."

She giggled. "I'm teasing. Come on, let's take care of your little problem."

"You said it was big," he grumbled as he opened the package and started to slide on the condom. He was still shaking, so it wasn't an elegant procedure, but when it was finally fitted in place, he moved to the bed.

Sandy was grinning up at him. She moved to the far side and relaxed back against the pillows. Her hair was loose around her face, her body naked to his gaze, her thighs parted in welcome.

"You're the most incredible woman I've ever known," he said, moving across the bed and kneeling between her legs. "I swear I'll make it up to you."

Her pupils dilated. "You already did. This is just for you."

She reached down and touched him. He about exploded right then and there, but managed to salvage a little control, just enough to press into her. Heat surrounded him as she stretched to accommodate him. She wiggled her hips and he almost lost it again.

"This is going to take about one second," he said, wishing he could do better.

"I don't mind." She touched his face, then his chest. "I wish I could make you understand how terrific it makes me feel to know that you're losing control with me." She tightened her muscles around him. "The faster, the better, as far as I'm concerned. Impress me later."

He took her at her word. He pressed in until she'd taken all of him and withdrew slowly. Her muscles clenched harder as if begging him to stay. He plunged in a second time, then a third. On the fourth time, she drew her knees back and grasped his buttocks. She pulled him closer until he was buried inside her, deeper than he'd thought possible. She did something incredible, tightening even more and he crashed into paradise.

The sudden explosion shocked him. His muscles turned rock-hard, then released. He tried to pull back and plunge in again, but he couldn't move. He could only feel. She caressed him from the inside, her body rippling around him, her hands holding him against her, her breasts brushing his chest. He thought he might have said her name, he was pretty sure he got loud, which was kind of embarrassing.

When the pleasure had faded to a memory and his body was limp with relief, he held her close and inhaled her scent. It had been better than he'd hoped for. Better than anything he'd done before. It wasn't just about passion, though. There was a tenderness, a sense of joining between them that scared him to death. Not because she might trap him into staying. Hell, he wanted to stay. What terrified him was the fear that as much as he wanted to be there for her, he didn't know if he had what it took to last through the long haul.

"I'm convinced," Sandy said as she struggled to catch her breath.

"You're sure?" he asked.

"Positive." She stretched her arms over her head and sighed with contentment. "I could do more."

He thrust his hips forward. Despite their both having just found their release, the sensation of him moving inside of her sent a slight tingling through her body. Would she ever grow weary of being with him?

A faint light showed through the drapes at the window. The pleasantly tired aching of her body told her it was dawn. For the past four days, they'd done little but make love, eat and sleep.

Kyle had arranged for time off while the kids were at camp. Every afternoon, Sandy returned to her house to pick up the mail and water the plants. She was having her calls forwarded to his number, so if something happened with the children she would know. But there had only been blessed silence and the quiet isolation most enjoyed by new lovers.

"We've got to get some more sleep," she said, shifting to give him more room next to her.

"Why?" he asked as he settled on the pillow and drew her close. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"They'll be back this afternoon. We need to look rested."

"The fact that they're coming back is all the more reason not to waste time." He leered at her. "Besides, I have my reputation to think of."

She slipped her leg between his. His hand rested on her bare hip. She no longer thought about stretch marks or imperfect flesh. Kyle had seen it all, touched it all, tasted it all. He found pleasure in her body and that was enough for her.

"You've redeemed yourself a hundred times over," she reminded him. "It doesn't matter that you couldn't hold back the first time. Trust me, your control is amazing. I have the weak knees to prove it."

His control was amazing, as was his ability to discover exactly what pleasured her. In four days, he'd learned more about her body, her likes and dislikes, than Thomas had learned in thirteen years of marriage.

He brushed her hair out of her face. "You're good for me."

"I'm glad."

Contentment stole over her. Here in this bedroom, lying on sheets musky with the scent of their bodies, she felt as if everything would be all right between them. The world couldn't hurt them here. All things were possible.

But even as she sighed softly and smiled into his chest, worries stole over her. They couldn't stay in this room forever. In a few hours, she would go pick up her children, and life would return to normal. Then what? She didn't want to think about it, but she didn't know how to avoid the questions. What would happen then? Would they date? Continue as lovers? What did Kyle want of her? What did she want of him?

He exhaled. "I think you're right, kid. I need to sleep for a couple of hours. I'm not as young as I used to be."

She ran her fingers through the dark hair on his chest. "I don't see a single gray hair."

"They'll be there soon enough," he murmured. His body relaxed next to hers and his breathing deepened.

She listened to the rhythmic thudding of his heart. She wanted to hold on to him forever. Sometime in the last four days, she'd started to think of what life would be like with him there all the time and it frightened her. Not just because of who he was, but because of herself. She wasn't the kind of woman who inspired life-changing love in a man. She wasn't sure she was enough to keep Kyle happy. She hadn't been able to hold on to Thomas. No other woman had been able to get Kyle to commit to a long-term relationship. What made her think she could do any better?