Before a raging stormy night, a shocking kiss and the most amazing woman had rocked his world.
Suzanne.
Maybe the problem was that hed seen her too often since.
No, that wasnt it. Hed seen Taylor often, too, and he didnt want to make love with her all night long.
Maybe it was that hed touched Suzanne. Kissed her. Held her. While she was wearing nothing but that little tank top and panties.
The picture filled out in his head, as if it had just happened, instead of having occurred five nights ago. It had been dark, with the rain and wind beating down on them. And yet shed been like a light in the deep black of the night. He could see her rosy, erect nipples pressing at the thin material of her top, the way her panties had been sheer enough to outline the part of her he wanted to bury himself in. She had a body made for loving, all warm curvy planes, and as he soaped up in his hot shower, he gave his erection a few absentminded strokes.
That didnt help matters any so he cranked the handle to the right, letting in the cold water.
That didnt help, either.
Ryan! Angel yelled through the door. I need the shower!
Kay. But he went back to thinking about Suzanne. What was it about her that drew him so fiercely? She sure wasnt light and simple-which was all hed thought he could handle right now-and she sure as hell wasnt looking at him with stars in her eyes.
But what was in her eyes drew him-the tough vulnerability he wanted to know more about. She had a sharp wit and a will to survive. She buried her feelings behind both.
Hed never been a sucker for vulnerability before, much preferring a woman secure and strong and self-assured, so why now, with her?
It wasnt as if she was falling at his feet, much less into his bed. Hed have to actually work at it, at her, if thats what he wanted.
And yet, hed come to realize, that was exactly what he wanted. And he thought maybe hed known it from the second hed laid eyes on her.
WITH AN HOUR TO GO before everyone descended on his place in all their rowdiness, Ryan opened his door to Suzanne. She smiled, a little nervously, he thought, and vanished into his kitchen. When he followed her, he found her bustling around, talking to herself as she loaded things into his refrigerator.
The man doesnt even have a loaf of bread, she was saying as she bent over to fit a long tray of something that smelled delicious onto the bottom shelf.
Ryan leaned against the door to better enjoy the view her black skirt afford him as it tightened very nicely over her very nice rear end.
I would have gone food shopping yesterday, he said, grinning when she whipped around in surprise. But I knew you were bringing a load of food over so I didnt bother. Thank you, by the way.
Dont thank me. Youre paying dearly for it.
Had he thought her not strong or self-assured? She was sending him daggers that made him glad she stood across the room. She wore a long-sleeved white cotton shirt with a scooped neck. Though perfectly modest, it outlined her full breasts in a way that made his mouth water. The entire package made his mouth water. Hed seen her ruffled and undressed. Hed seen her casually put together in her loose and flowing sundresses. But hed never seen her like this. Her hair was artfully piled on top of her head with a pretty beaded clip, though he had a feeling that with one tug of his fingers, the entire glorious mass would fall. Already long wavy tendrils were hanging in her face, which had flushed prettily.
Because of him? Testing that theory, he pushed away from the wall and moved close, cocking his head when she backed up a step and hit the counter.
Hmm. Interesting.
She put her hands behind her to grip the counter, which suited him perfectly because it thrust out her upper body very nicely. Specifically, her breasts.
Youre crowding me, she said.
Am I? Stepping even closer, he put his hands over hers on the tile and promptly got lost in the depths of her shimmering eyes, which displayednerves? Yourenot afraid of me.
Of course not.
But I make you nervous.
Dont be ridiculous- She caught his lifted brow and let out a pent-up breath that blew a piece of hair off her face at the same time. Okay, maybe just a little nervous, but only when you look at me likelike that.
Like what?
Like youre dying of thirst and Im a long, cold drink of water.
He decided he liked that, a lot more than he should. What, exactly, are you saying? he asked in a perverted need to hear her spell it out.
Im saying you fry my brain cells at an alarming rate. Clear enough?
Im saying you fry my brain cells at an alarming rate. Clear enough?
Crystal. And he was quite certain it shouldnt arouse him.
He wanted to scoop her up and lose himself in her. How was it she was so completely irresistible to him after only days?
Im busy, she said, clearly having not decided, as he had, that this attraction was a good thing.
Oh, yeah, he had a lot of convincing to do. He stroked his hands up her arms and felt her shiver.
Go away and let me work, she said, a little less forcefully. Before I decide to charge you more for the conversation.
Were not talking. It took nothing to dip his head and inhale the scent lingering on the skin just beneath her ear. Shampoo and soap only, he thought breathing in deeply. No fancy perfumes for this woman. He loved that. I fry your brain cells? Really?
With another little shiver, goose bumps appeared on her skin, and proved he wasnt alone in this attraction.
Good, because he couldnt tear himself away.
You know you do, she whispered, gasping when he connected his mouth with the creamy skin of her throat.
She put her hands to his chest, probably to shove him away, but before she could, he slid his hands over hers, holding them against his chest because he liked the feel of them there.
I said you fried my brain cells. She swallowed hard, staring at her hands on him. Not that I liked it.
If you dont, why are you letting me touch you?
She stared at him. Then laughed. Idont know.
Are you going to deny you like my touch?
Ryan-
He slid one of his hands up her soft throat to cup her jaw. We never talked about that night, Suzanne. About what happened between us.
We were cold and wet. It was dark, and I was scared. We kissed. The end.
Not the end.
Okay, youre right. You saved my life. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Now its the end.
Slowly he shook his head while his thumb stroked her jaw, stopping to outline her full lower lip, which trembled and fell open. Something happened between us, he said quietly. You know it.
She licked her lips, and a vision of him exploring her mouth with his tongue entered his head and wouldnt go away.
This is such a bad idea. Ive given up men, you know.
It was his turn to stare at her, then laugh.
I have. Hey, its for your sake.
He thought about that, and the sudden nervous look that appeared in her eyes despite the smile on her lips. Im not like him, Suzanne, he said very softly. Your ex-fiancé.
Which one? Holding up a hand when he winced at her, she let out a low laugh. Yeah. There were three. I ruined them all.
I doubt that.
No, its true. Im on a roll. You should run. Really.
Sounds like you only tried the idiots of my gender.
Ive tried more than my fair share, she admitted.
And Ive failed at keeping anyone happy. Badly. I consider myself an expert at them. Failed relationships, that is. But to be fair, I inherited the gift from my father, who was married and divorced six times before he met my mom. I think he sticks with her because shed kill him if he divorced her, so really, that marriage doesnt count-
Suzanne. He had no idea why shed gotten to him so hard, so fast, but his entire heart, locked off to others for so long, squeezed for her. First, I keep my self happy, I dont rely on a woman to do that, ever.
No man should. And second-
No. No second, she said quickly.
And second, I want you. More than Ive ever wanted another woman.
He saw in her eyes the wanting in return, before she covered her face. Oh my God, its only been a few days!
Five. A lifetime.
I cant believe Im doing this. Why arent you running? You should be running. Seriously, I drive men crazy.
Suzanne. He had to laugh, and pulled her hands from her face. Believe me, Id love to run, but its too late for me.
No. Oh, Ryan, no, dont say it. Its never too late. She opened those green, green eyes, and in them was a pleading he couldnt resist. Im already so nervous about the food that I can barely function. Please, you have to go.
The food is going to be a huge hit. Hell, she could have served chips and dip and theyd all be thrilled, but he figured she didnt need to hear that right now. Let me help you get ready.
Okay, yes. She put her hands on his shoulders and shoved him toward the door. Help me by getting out.
RYAN WAS RIGHT, the food was a huge hit. Suzanne marveled over that a few hours later when all but a few bites of it had vanished.
The crowd was a young one, and given the decibel level of voices and music in the place, they were having a great time.
She was having a great time. Ryans brothers were so cute, it was hard not to. They clearly worshipped Ryan, regaling her with stories about the way hed kept them together, his job, hiswhat had they called it? His chick magnetism.
A magnetism she could resist, she told herself.
Yeah, maybe if she was dead.
Russ and Rafe worked the rooms, keeping everyone in smiles, especially the women, which made Suzanne think they just might be more like Ryan than they knew.
And when they turned down the lights and shoved the furniture back to open the place up for dancing, Suzanne whirled back to vanish into the kitchen.
And came face-to-face with Ryan. He wore khakis tonight, and a plain soft-looking white shirt that showed off his sun-bronzed skin and crooked smile. Wheres the fire? he asked.
Um
Before she could come up with a suitable excuse, he took her hand and led her onto the hardwood floor of his darkened living room.
What are you doing? she asked in a panicked whisper, pulling back uselessly against his unyielding grip.
Dancing. Right in the middle of everyone, he pulled her into his arms.
No one paid them the slightest bit of attention, so unless she wanted to create a scene, she didnt seem to have a choice but to-ohmigod-dance.