First Rapture

But there was the same fragile tension humming around her that reminded him of their first night together as she turned and tossed her purse onto a small, glass table.

He reached up to tug off his bowtie, shrugging out of his jacket as he studied her with a searching gaze.

“You’re sure this is what you want, Madison?”

With a practiced smile she lifted her hand toward the zipper hidden on the side of her gown.

“Why wouldn’t I be sure?” she demanded, slowly tugging down the zipper.

He kicked off his Italian leather shoes, easily dealing with his cuff links so he could remove his silk shirt. Then he forgot how to breathe as the black silk gown slithered down the length of her body to pool at her feet.

God almighty.

She was…magnificent.

He forgot how to breathe as his gaze slid down the slender curves, revealing she wore nothing beneath the gown.

It was a repeat of their first night together.

Her creamy skin shimmering in the low glow of the lamp. The tightly trimmed curls just above her pu**y. And the spike heels that made her legs appear as if they were designed to wrap around a man’s waist.

But there was a new maturity in the sleek muscles and the proud set of her shoulders.

She’d been a pretty when she was young. Now she was drop-dead, gut-wrenching gorgeous.

Compelled by an invisible force, he moved forward, the nagging suspicion there was something odd about Madison’s behavior increasingly difficult to remember. Halting directly in front of her, he studied her with a fascinated gaze.

“I left you with regrets last time.” He slowly leaned forward, allowing his lips to softly touch the base of her throat. The kiss was feather-light, more of a promise than an actual caress. As much as he wanted this woman, he wasn’t going to press for more until she’d given him the signal she was ready and willing. “This time I intend to make sure you’re utterly…” His lips skimmed to the hollow just below her ear. She gave a soft moan that sounded as if it’d been wrenched from her throat against her will. “Completely…” He nibbled kisses along the line of her jaw before using the tip of his tongue to trace the lush curve of her lower lip. “And so thoroughly satisfied, that it will wipe away all memory of our first time together.”

Her lips parted on a tiny gasp, a flush of desire staining her prominent cheekbones, but frustratingly she hid her expressive eyes beneath the thick tangle of her lowered lashes.

“That’s the plan,” she murmured.

He frowned at her strange response.

“Look at me, Madison,” he said, his voice an unmistakable command. Slowly her lashes lifted to reveal the hazel beauty of her eyes. His fingers threaded through the silken strands of her hair, holding her a willing captive as he studied her guarded face. “I might have walked away that night, but I never forgot you.” His thumb brushed her heated cheek. “Your skin was as silky smooth as satin, your hair looked like finest sable spread across the pillow, and your lips…Christ, they could bring a man to his knees.” His c**k twitched, begging to be taken between those sweet lips. “Literally.”

“There’s no need to pretend,” she said with a shrug. “It’s time to put the past behind us.”

He studied her pale face, wishing he could read the emotions that churned just below the composed surface.

He didn’t doubt her desire. Her slender body was shivering with the same excitement that pulsed through him, her ni**les already hard and begging for attention. And he didn’t doubt for a minute that he could arouse her to the point she would forget everything but their mutual passion.

But he didn’t like the suspicion she was holding a part of herself separate from him.

He grimaced. Did she think he intended to do another hit and run?

Damn. Maybe it was time for a full confession.

“I’m all for concentrating on the here and now.” He allowed his gaze to run an appreciative glance down the perfect lines of her body, taking pleasure in the sight of her black, f**k-me-now stilettos. “But there’s something you should know—”

“No,” she sharply interrupted. “There’s been enough talking.”

Luc’s body agreed as she turned to cross the ivory carpet, crawling onto the bed with a sensuous grace. He was briefly distracted by the faintly darker patch of skin on her lower back. It almost looked like…makeup? Odd. Unless she had a birthmark she was covering up.

Then his curiosity was forgotten as she laid back, her hair flowing across the ivory pillows.

Shit. He reached down to undo his pants, releasing his erection that was painfully sensitive. With concise movements he had them shoved down his legs along with his silk underwear. He kicked them off, ridding himself of his socks as he prowled toward the bed.

Madison watched his approach from beneath lowered lids, provocatively licking her lips as he perched on the mattress next to her.

“What are you waiting for?” she asked in husky tones.

“I’m trying to remember,” he muttered wryly.

She reached to run a finger down his arm. “Stop thinking,” she urged. “God knows that I have.”

It was the hint of self-derision in her tone that forced him to think past the lust thundering through his body. He wanted to claim more than just her body.

A knowledge that should have been terrifying.

Instead it just felt…right.

“Not until I’ve confessed the truth.”

Her eyes narrowed at his soft demand. “What truth?”

“I came back,” he said with blunt simplicity.

She stiffened, something that might have been denial rippling over her face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The next morning,” he said, deeply regretting when her fingers fell away. He loved the feel of her light caress. “I returned to the trailer.”

She shook her head. “You don’t have to lie.”

“It’s no lie.” He leaned down to steal a slow, searching kiss, tasting expensive champagne and pure female desire. It was intoxicating. “I knew when I was fleeing from your bed that I was acting like a coward. Unfortunately I didn’t have the backbone to return and face you like a man. Instead I went back to my apartment and drank myself into oblivion.” Their lips brushed as he spoke, sending white-hot darts of pleasure straight to his aching cock. “It wasn’t until I woke hours later with a pounding head and a nasty taste of shame in my mouth that I knew I had to go back.” Another long, lingering kiss. Who knew kissing could be so addictive? “When I couldn’t find you, I assumed you must be with your mother. It wasn’t until nearly a week later that I finally accepted that you’d left town.”