But Kellan made the next move and she was powerless to stop. He slipped his palms around her waist and pulled her beneath him. A sigh escaped from her throat as his mouth covered hers in a long and mind-numbing kiss.

Gelsey moaned softly as he stretched her arms out above her head. He was nearly naked and she was bundled up in a fleece sweatshirt and a pair of his cotton boxers. But she was glad for the barrier between them, at least for the moment. It was just a kiss and nothing more. Just a kiss, she reminded herself.

“Are you sure about this?” he whispered.

Then again, maybe it was something more. She arched against him, her movement instinctive. “I don’t know,” she said, the answer coming with a gasp.

Her hands skimmed over his back, her fingers exploring the rippled muscle that shifted with every movement of his body. Though she was ready to tear her clothes off, Kellan seemed more intent on seducing her slowly.

“Tell me to stop,” he murmured.

But as his hands slipped beneath her clothes, Gelsey knew the battle was already lost. Desperate to feel that connection with another human being, she couldn’t bring herself to say it. It was always this way with her, craving that intimacy she only found in bed with men. It wasn’t always the right thing to do, but it was the only time she felt wanted and needed-and completely in control.

“Don’t stop,” she said, reaching for the hem of her sweatshirt.

“Relax.” He took her hand and wove his fingers through hers, drawing it up to his lips. “We have time. Unless you’re going to wander out into this storm all by yourself again.”

Gelsey wriggled out from beneath him, then got up on her knees. “Maybe I should take my clothes off?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head.

“I could take your clothes off,” she suggested.

“No.” He pulled her back down on top of him. “I get the feeling you usually take charge in the bedroom.”

“No,” Gelsey said. She paused. “Yes.” He was right. She usually did do the seducing. The men she chose to seduce were always happy to be along for the ride. “But I’ve been told I’m really good.”

“I’ve been told the same thing,” Kellan said. He slipped his hand beneath her sweatshirt, running his palm along her belly until he cupped her breast. Gelsey’s breath caught in her throat as his thumb grazed her nipple. “I do know what I’m doing. If you just trust me, I’m sure we’ll make it through just fine.”

She closed her eyes and tipped her head back as delicious sensation pulsed through her body. “Yes, I suppose we will.”

He moved to the other breast. “And hasn’t anyone ever told you that anticipation can sometimes be as much fun as the act itself?”

“No,” she said. “In fact, you do more talking than anyone I’ve ever been with.”

This brought a chuckle. He slipped his hands around her and pulled her back down on top of him. “Everyone in town thinks you’re a mermaid.”

Gelsey laughed softly. “Do you think I am?”

He slipped his hand around her nape and pulled her close. “Sweetheart, right now, I’ll believe anything you tell me.”

Kellan grabbed the hem of her sweatshirt and in one smooth motion pulled it over her head and tossed it aside. He drew her closer, his lips teasing at her nipple. Gelsey sighed, furrowing her hands through his thick hair and arching against him. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes and relaxed, focusing on his touch.

As promised, Kellan took his time, slowly seducing her, learning what she liked, what made her shudder and what made her moan. No man had ever taken so much care to make her feel wanted. Sex had always been a race to the end. But this was a long, lazy stroll.

By the time they were both naked, Gelsey wasn’t even in charge of her own reactions. As he kissed his way from her lips to her belly, she trembled, knowing exactly what was coming.

But he teased her a little longer, moving lower to gently kiss the inside of her thighs. When he finally found the spot between her legs, Gelsey was so close to the edge she knew she would lose control at the first caress. But, as if he read her distress, Kellan began slowly and deliberately.

Again and again, he brought her close, then slowly pulled back. He knew the signs of her impending release and never allowed her to tumble over the edge. A delicious tension grew inside her and with each flick of his tongue, she began to feel herself losing touch with reality.

Her fingers and toes tingled and her arms and legs felt boneless. She begged him to stop teasing and to give her what she needed, but Kellan seemed determined to prove his point. Her body belonged to him, at least for this one night and he was going to bend it to his will.

Gelsey finally ceded all control-she realized that fighting him was no use. All he wanted was to give her pleasure-deep, shattering, soul-stirring pleasure. And for the first time in her life, she trusted a man enough to allow it.

Though she didn’t really know him, she sensed that he had no ulterior motive. He had no idea who she was or where she came from. He didn’t know about her family or her money. And all the emotional baggage that she carried around was invisible to him, at least for now.

With this man, this stranger, she felt liberated. There were no fears hiding just beneath the surface, no doubts or insecurities. And when her release came, it was a perfect expression of what she felt-complete freedom.

Her body tensed and then dissolved into powerful spasms. He’d been right all along. It was worth the wait. Wave after wave of pleasure washed over her until she couldn’t respond anymore. But though the orgasm relaxed her, it also invigorated her. And when the last shudder was long gone, Gelsey was far from finished.

Kellan pulled her into the curve of his naked body, resting his chin on her shoulder, his breath warm against her ear. Gelsey wriggled her backside, testing the limits of his control. He was hard. She could feel it. But Kellan had other ideas.

“Go to sleep,” he murmured.

“I’ve been sleeping all day,” Gelsey replied.

“I haven’t. And we have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“What are we doing?”

“I have no idea. But I’m sure we’ll have fun. I suspect it will require a lot of energy, though.”

Gelsey smiled to herself and snuggled a little closer. She didn’t need to hear anything else. She had another day and maybe another night to spend in this world, with this man. And that was all she really wanted.

“You can’t resist me forever,” she said.

“I can’t?”

“No,” she whispered. There’d come a moment when he’d ache for the touch of her hand or the feel of her mouth on his body. And then, she’d give him what he’d given her…sweet, shattering release. And after that-they’d see what happened. Right now, the possibilities seemed endless.


KELLAN ROLLED OVER in bed, stretching his arms over his head. His legs were tangled in the bed linens and he kicked them aside, then reached out to Gelsey. But the opposite side of the bed was cold and empty. He sat up and drew a deep breath. The soft sound of her voice drifted in through the open door. It sounded as if she was talking on the phone.

Kellan glanced over at the clock on the bedside table. It was just past 5:00 a.m. and dawn was still hours away. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, Kellan stood and tiptoed to the door. A floorboard creaked beneath his feet and he paused, waiting to see if she’d noticed.

“Really,” Gelsey whispered. “I’m fine. I’m safe. I’m with friends. I just didn’t want you to worry.”

After a long silence, she spoke again. “Yes, I have everything I need for now.”

Who was she speaking to? It sounded like a parent. But maybe it was a boyfriend. Or a husband.

“I-I lost my mobile,” Gelsey said. “If Antonio calls again, tell him…tell him that…” She cursed softly. “Just put him off. Don’t tell him anything.” She paused again. “All right. I know you do. Take care.”

He heard her set the phone back into the cradle. By the time she returned to the bed, his eyes were closed and the sheets pulled up around his waist. She sank down beside him and a moment later, he felt the warmth from her naked body against his. Kellan wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled his face into the curve of her neck.

“Are you awake?” she whispered.

“I wasn’t…until now. Where were you?”

“Bathroom,” she lied. Gelsey shuddered and wriggled back against him, her backside nestled into his lap. “I’m so cold. I just can’t seem to stay warm.”

It was a blatant invitation to touch her, to run his hands over her bare skin. Kellan considered his options. Why even bother to resist, he mused. She was offering herself to him without any conditions. Why not enjoy her company while she was here? He reached out and smoothed his hand over her shoulder, pushing her hair aside until he could kiss the curve of her neck.

The warmth of his lips on her skin was enough to get him aroused again, enough to make him forget all his doubts about who she was and where she came from. In truth, the mystery about this woman made it even more exciting, more dangerous.

She turned to face him and almost immediately, her mouth found his. She kissed him without any hesitation, her tongue tangling with his as he pulled her beneath his naked body. Everything about her was perfect, her long, slender limbs, her pale silken skin, the addictive taste of her lips…

Kellan groaned as she slid her leg up along his hip, his growing erection cradled at the juncture of her thighs. It would be so simple to just slip inside her and he ached to join in this way, to share such an intimate connection.

He hadn’t planned on unplanned sex. Part of the reason he’d focused on her earlier was that he wasn’t really sure he had any condoms with him. He usually kept a box in the side pocket of his duffel, but he’d put his emptied bag in the boot of his car to get it out of the way.