He followed her inside, then waited while she lit several candles. Like the rest of the house, her bedroom was cozy and attractive, and decorated with "beachy" touches, from the bedspread depicting various shells against a pale aqua background, to the starfish-shaped candleholders she now applied her attention to. Except for the headboard, which was brass, the furniture was pale wicker. Again he noted a number of photos resting on her dresser and night table. Wandering over to her dresser, he picked up a frame that contained a collage of four pictures.

One showed Lexie flanked by a smiling, older couple. Clearly her parents, as he could easily see the resemblance to both of them. Her dad sported a military haircut but Lexie had his firm chin. And she'd inherited her mother's eyes and glowing smile. Two of the other photos also showed Lexie with her parents, one where they were all dressed formally, the other on a golf course. The last photo was of a grinning Lexie in the water with a dolphin.

Looking up, he watched Lexie blow out the match, her lips puckered in a way that made him ache. She walked slowly toward him, her hips gently swaying, her full skirt skimming her legs. Halting beside him, she tapped on the frame. "My parents."

"Looks like you enjoy each other's company."

"Oh, we do. My folks are great. And tireless." She chuckled. "Whenever we're together, I'm always the one suggesting we sit down and rest for a minute."

The sharp pang of loss hit Josh. "That's how my dad was. He wasn't happy unless he was doing something." Pushing aside his sadness, he pointed to the dolphin picture. "Another relative?"

She laughed. "Swimming with the dolphins. It's an amazing experience. You might want to try it while you're in Florida."

"Thanks, but I reckon I'll pass. If you recall, the last time I went into water that wasn't in a pool, I got bit on the ass."

"Dolphins don't bite. Besides, you can't fault that snake on its taste. You've got a great ass."

He set the frame back on her dresser. "Right back at you, Miss Lexie."

Smiling, she placed her palms on his belly, then walked her fingers up his shirt. He sucked in a breath, filling his head with a combination of her floral musk and the vanilla-scented candles, which bathed the room in a soft glow.

"How do you feel?" she asked in a smoky voice. "Are you relaxed?"

"Hell, no."

"Well, Mr. All-Around Cowboy, let's see what we can do about that."

He settled his hands on her waist and pulled her against him. "Generally speakin', fancy titles and wearin' clothes in the bedroom are a waste of time."

"What is that, wisdom from some sort of cowboy handbook?"

He lowered his head and nuzzled her fragrant neck. "As a matter of fact, it is. Cowboys are well-versed in sage knowledge that's been passed down through the generations. All time-proven to be correct." A low, pleasure-filled moan vibrated in her throat, and he touched his tongue to the spot

"In that case," she murmured, "I suggest we get you out of these clothes."

Lexie slipped her fingers into the V opening in his shirt and did what she'd been thinking about all evening. One by one, she pulled the snaps open, the gentle click the only sound besides their breathing. When she reached his belt, she pulled the shirt from his waistband, then eased the denim down his arms where it fell to the floor behind him.

Reaching out, she placed her hands on his chest, absorbing the slap of his heartbeat against her palms. She ran her hands slowly downward, enjoying the taut muscles jerking beneath her fingers and the heat simmering in his gaze as he watched her. Teasing her fingertips around the edge of his waistband, she ran her palms up his smooth back, over his shoulders and chest, then again tickled her fingers down his ridged abdomen.

He sucked in a hissing breath and the desire burning in his gaze nearly singed her. "Sweetheart, if you think that you're going to relax me doing that, you're sadly mistaken."

"Well, I suppose relaxed isn't really what I'm going for," she conceded. "Probably aroused is closer."

"Well, aroused is what you've got."

"How aroused?"

He captured her hand and pressed it to the front of his jeans. "Very aroused."

Oh, my. "How do you work this big belt buckle?"

He released her hand, then, with a flick of the wrist, removed the buckle and set it on the edge of her dresser. Her gaze wandered down to his feet. "Boots next." Moving to the edge of the bed, he sat and quickly pulled off his boots and socks.

After slipping off her sandals, Lexie walked to the bed. "Ready to play Ice Cream?"

"Like you wouldn't believe."

"Lie down."

Never taking his gaze from hers, he pushed himself back, until he was supine, his head resting on her pillow.

With her heart pounding, Lexie knelt on the mattress next to him. Reaching out, she undid the button on his jeans, then slowly lowered the zipper. He lifted his hips to assist her, and she slid the denim down and off his legs.

Clad only in his white boxer briefs, his erection straining against the soft cotton, he stole her breath. Heat sizzled through her, pooling in a hot puddle that dampened her panties. She cupped him through his underwear, running her fingers over the length of him, reveling in his long groan. He was ready, all right. But she wanted him really ready.

Hiking up her dress, she straddled him, settling herself against his erection. She squirmed once and spears of pleasure arrowed through her.

He reached for her, but she captured his hands, then leaned forward to gently lower them to the mattress, above his head. "Oh, no," she whispered. "Now you just relax-"

"Yeah, right."

She flicked the tip of her tongue over his earlobe. "All you have to do is melt."

He shifted, pressing his erection harder against her. "Not a problem. You haven't even started and I'm already close to a total meltdown."

"Then let me bring you the rest of the way there."

Josh closed his eyes and damped his fingers tightly together to keep from touching her. Then he clenched his jaw and prayed for strength.

She ran her tongue down the side of his neck, nibbling with her lips, nipping him lightly with her teeth. Everywhere she touched him, it felt as if she'd lit bonfires on his skin. She licked her way down his body with maddening leisure, her tongue circling his nipples before taking them into the moist heat of her mouth. Pleasure and need, hot and sharp, shot through him, and his fingers turned numb from clasping them so tightly.

She shifted lower, her tongue dampening a path down to his abdomen. She blew lightly on the trail and his muscles contracted. After circling his navel she shifted lower still, licking across the skin just above his waistband.

Opening his eyes, Josh watched her slip her fingers beneath his waistband, then gently ease the cotton over him and down his legs to join the pile of discarded clothing on the floor.

Reaching out, she ran one gentle fingertip down the length of his penis. His erection jerked, and a moan rushed past his lips. Before he could regroup, she leaned forward and licked him.

And he sure as hell melted.

Gritting his teeth against the intense pleasure, he watched her run her tongue over him, licking, tasting, kissing the full length of him, while her hands caressed and cupped him. Just when he didn't think he could take anymore, she took him into her wet mouth.

A groan ripped from his chest. Her tongue slowly circled him and his entire body tightened. Sweat dampened his skin, and the need to come pounded through him with increasing desperation. He wasn't going to be able to hold off his orgasm much longer. And the hell with not touching her.

Tunneling shaking fingers through her hair, he withstood the sweet torture of her mouth for another half a minute. "Lexie." Her name was a long, hunger-filled growl. She slowly released him from her mouth, but gave him no time to catch his breath. Still straddling his legs, she leaned forward and pulled a condom from beneath the pillow. Within seconds the condom was on, her panties were off, and his erection was buried deep in her tight wet, heat.

He tried to slow down, to retain some modicum of control, but his control was long gone. Reaching under her dress, he grasped her hips and thrust upward hard and fast.

"Josh…" Hearing her moan his name in that harsh, needful voice, pushed him over the edge. His release pounded through him with an intensity that bordered on pain. He throbbed inside her, shudders racking him, absorbing the feel of her orgasm as she pulsed around him. When his spasms subsided, he lay beneath her, ragged breaths pumping from his lungs, a film of sweat covering his skin, his heart beating so hard and fast he could hear its echo in his head.

He wasn't sure how long it took him to recover enough to force his eyes open. When he did, he discovered her looking down at him with the same stunned expression he knew had to be on his face.

Still intimately joined, they shared a long, silent look. Love, sure and strong, rushed through him, filling him with the certainty that it was only a matter of time before she realized that this was not a fling. Reaching up, he grasped her arms and pulled her down to him for an intimate, openmouthed kiss. Then she propped her weight on her hands and pulled back, looking at him with hazel eyes that glowed with a wicked gleam.

"So… did you melt?"

"Honey, you absolutely liquefied me. There's nothin' solid left."

"Oh. That's too bad. I wasn't nearly done with you."

"Yeah, well, I haven't even gotten started with you." His gaze shifted over her dress and he shook his head. "Didn't even get all your clothes off."