Kacie gasped in surprise. Actually gasped. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”
He laughed, clearly amused by how excited she was.
“Seriously, I think you’re underestimating how truly happy I am at this very moment.”
He folded his arms across his chest and gave a half smile, downplaying his gesture. “I know how rough the last month and a half has been for you since you gave up chocolate. Figured now was the right time to welcome it back into your life.”
She rose up from her chair and leaned across the table so she could press a kiss to his lips. “You, sir . . . are going to get so lucky.”
Chapter Nineteen
Never could Michael have imagined just how entertaining it could be to watch a woman eat.
Still wearing her pale blue gown, Kacie sat cross-legged in the chair, head tipped back as she dangled a long French fry above her mouth before devouring it. Then, as she reached for the next fry, she smiled at him in a way that almost challenged him to say something sarcastic about her way of eating. But knowing how long she’d deprived herself of all her favorites, he loved watching the pure enjoyment the food brought to her face even more.
What he wouldn’t give to see her tear into a peach fritter.
If he had his way, he’d see it happen. He’d buy her not only one fritter, but an entire store full just to watch her eat them. And it would be only the beginning of him spoiling her.
After the near-miss disaster when her ex showed up at the reception, he’d decided to take his little brother’s advice to heart. No more just letting this arrangement he’d agreed to months ago simply play out between them. No more dancing around his feelings. Instead, he would somehow convince her they deserved a shot at something far more long-term. And then he would spend the next month showing her just how perfect they were together.
Once finished with the fries, she moved to his side of the table, taking a seat in his lap, which brought her a bit closer to the dessert plate. “You don’t mind if I sit here, do you?” she asked with a sly grin on her face while simultaneously scooping a large bite of cake and a bit of ice cream.
He smiled back at her. “Not bothered in the slightest.”
Due to her self-professed love for all things chocolate, he was surprised when she offered him the first spoonful. And not only did she offer one bite, but another, then another, alternating bites between the two of them, stopping occasionally to kiss away a touch of cream on his lips or use her tongue to swipe away a rogue crumb at the corner of his mouth.
Once the cake and ice cream were completely gone, she dropped the spoon into the empty dessert bowl. He watched and waited to see if she would move on to the strawberries. Instead, she reclined against his chest.
Michael wrapped his arms around her. “Long day, huh?” he whispered into her hair.
She burrowed farther into his embrace, tucking her head beneath his chin. “Mmm-hmm.”
With her belly full and long denied cravings sated, she completely relaxed against him, her body weighing heavy against his. Several minutes passed and she was so still for that time he was certain she’d fallen asleep. But he made no move to wake her or carry her to the bed. Instead, he rested his head against hers and listened to the soft huffs of her breath as the low hum of the air-conditioning unit played accompaniment.
For most of his life he’d kept people at arm’s length unless they were family. Not that he’d figured such a thing out on his own; it was more that the women he’d dated over the years always told him so. And for the past year, ever since he’d nearly lost his brother, he’d walled himself off even more. Because if he dared let someone in, then they were his to care for, his responsibility. And he wasn’t sure he could bear the additional weight.
Maybe the tequila he drank that first night exposed a tiny gap in his own fortress. Or maybe he’d grown tired of keeping his defenses up. Either way, Kacie managed to find a way inside and before he knew it, she’d burrowed herself deep beneath his skin and settled somewhere in the vicinity of his heart.
Sometime later she stirred and Michael opened his eyes to see her looking back at him.
“Why don’t we call it a night?” Kacie skimmed her hand down his cheek and along the underside of his jaw.
He captured her wrist and pressed a kiss to her palm before holding it to his face. “Sounds like a good idea.”
A tired sigh escaped her mouth as she rose to her feet and walked over to the dresser. She stood in front of the mirror, lifting her hands to her hair as she searched for the bobby pins that held it all in place.
Having followed her across the room, he met Kacie’s gaze in the mirror. “Let me do that,” he whispered.
She lowered her hands and watched as one by one he carefully pulled the pins free, dropping them haphazardly on the dresser. He took his time, enchanted by the way each curl lengthened and brushed her shoulders. Once he found all the pins, he raked his fingers through her long strands, starting at the root and combing to the ends. Her eyes drifted shut and she sighed in pleasure at his touch.
Michael pushed the wild blond curls to one side and placed a kiss on the curve of her shoulder as he wrapped her up in his arms, pressing his front to her back. Her head fell back and rested against his shoulder, allowing him unfettered access. With his mouth he followed the faint trail of freckles across the top of her shoulder. Then he traced the tendons in her neck with the tip of his nose, stopping only when he reached the tender spot beneath her ear. During the past weeks he’d discovered that her scent, blended with the cocoa butter lotion she wore, was always strongest in this one particular spot. And so he lingered there, breathing deep, kissing and tasting her skin as his hands glided over the silky fabric of her dress, teasing her breasts and belly.
“Michael.”
His gaze met her reflection. “Yes?”
“Get me out of this dress,” she softly ordered. Then added, “Please,” with a soft smile.
Never one to ignore that type of order, Michael nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
Mindful of the delicate fabric, he eased the tiny zipper down and held his breath as the dress slowly parted. With the back of his finger he skimmed the length of her spine, following the way of her dress as it slipped from her body. He expected to encounter the edge of her thong, panties, something. Only he never did. Instead, her dress now pooled at her feet and she stood before him wearing absolutely nothing.
“You’ve been naked beneath this dress the entire day and didn’t say a damn thing?” Just when he thought this woman couldn’t make him any harder, she went and did something like this. In an instant nearly every ounce of blood pulsing through his veins went rushing straight to his groin.
Her reflection smiled back at him. “It didn’t matter if it was a thong or a G-string, everything I tried made lines that showed through the dress. So I went commando.” She shrugged.
“It’s a damn lucky thing I didn’t know this at the church, otherwise . . .” His words were reduced to little more than a growl.
She laughed softly and turned to face him, her hands immediately going to the buttons on his shirt. “Once again, you’re completely dressed and I’m naked.”
Michael smiled down at her. “I’ll never see that as a problem.”
He swept his hands from her shoulders to her breasts, taking one in each hand to plump and caress. He loved the feel of her soft skin beneath his palms, liked teasing her nipples to hardened points with his fingers. Meanwhile she continued working on his shirt, releasing each button from its restraint before undoing his belt and unbuttoning his pants. After pushing the shirt from his shoulders and down his arms she did something that took him by surprise. Something she’d never done before in all their times together—Kacie leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his heart. Not his sternum. Not high on his chest near his collarbone, but the exact place where it pounded beneath her lips.
He held his breath as she lingered there, marking him. Because whether she reali
zed it or not, she’d taken complete ownership of his heart, making it hers forever.
Michael took her face between his hands and pressed his lips to hers. He coaxed her mouth open so his tongue could stroke and tease hers. He channeled everything he was feeling in that moment into his kiss, hoping it conveyed the words he desperately wanted to say but knew she wasn’t ready to hear.
The next few minutes were a frenzied rush to divest him of those last few bits and pieces of clothing before he led her to the bed, holding back the covers as she climbed in. He followed, sliding across the cool sheets until they lay face-to-face with only inches separating them.
The moonlight streaming through the sliding glass door backlit her wild hair and he was reminded of that first night they spent together. How beautiful and funny and smart he thought she was even then, when he hadn’t really known her.
And now that he did know her?
He was convinced he’d found his perfect match, his other half. To hell with the idea of opposites attract. He and Kacie were so alike it was downright scary sometimes. But that meant she understood him at his core, and vice versa. She was everything that had been missing from his life, the final piece of the puzzle.
Kacie stroked the crease between his brows with her fingertip. “Penny for your thoughts,” she whispered.
Michael didn’t dare tell her. Instead, he tried his best to show her.
He took his time, touching, tasting, worshipping her body. Every sigh he incited, every whisper of his name that escaped her lips, was music to his ears. And then he made love to her while staring down into those gorgeous green eyes as she welcomed him into her embrace. Once inside her, he was in no rush to move, luxuriating in the warmth and softness that surrounded him. As she ran her fingers through his hair, she gifted him with a smile before pressing her lips tenderly to his.
It was then he knew, without a doubt, he would never want to let her go.
Kacie woke up to bright sunlight streaming through the windows and an empty bed.
She bolted upright, clutching the bedsheet to her chest while her eyes scanned the room, looking for some sign that he hadn’t just up and left her with no intention of coming back. That’s when she spotted the piece of paper folded over on itself and sitting on his pillow, her name scribbled across the front.
Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach, fearful of what it might say. Never in a million years would she have imagined this would all come to an end with a Dear John letter.
Before her imagination could get the best of her, she snatched up the piece of paper to read it.
Ran out to pick up a few things. Checkout isn’t until 1400 so don’t run off.—M
Below his initial, he scrawled a postscript.
P.S. Don’t bother getting dressed.
Kacie flopped back on the pillow and covered her face with the piece of paper as she giggled. The note was so typical Michael. Direct, bossy, arrogant and sweet all at the same time. Of course he’d automatically assume they’d have sex one more time before they left. Not that she was complaining about one final sendoff.
But how would it be between them this time?
Would it be fast and hard like so many times before? Maybe up against the balcony wall or in the shower? Would he trap her wrists in his hands and whisper filthy nothings in her ear? Would he have her climb on top and ride him until her thighs shook and muscles burned, all while he lay back, hands tucked behind his head, enjoying the view and reaping the reward?
Or would it be more like last night?
She wasn’t exactly certain how or why it happened, but something had definitely changed. Last night certainly didn’t feel like a fling and what they shared wasn’t just sex. It was far more intimate. And if it weren’t for the fact she was afraid to even think the L-word . . . .
Kacie unfolded his note and was reading it a second time when she heard the key in the lock. The door opened and the scent of coffee and warm pastries preceded him into the room and had her stomach growling by the time the door closed behind him.
The moment he appeared around the corner and saw her, a smile overtook his face. “You’re awake.”
“I am.” She, of course, smiled back. She couldn’t stop herself if she tried because he simply made her that happy. “What do you have there?”
In one hand, Michael held a familiar pink pastry box. “Two peach fritters, two bear claws—a cherry-filled, a lemon-filled—and a chocolate chip muffin. And one coffee, of course,” he said, showing her the cup in his hand.
“You sure do know how to spoil a girl.”
“What? This stuff?” He set the items on the dresser, well out of her reach. “I got all of this for me. But if you’d like I could run downstairs, see if they have anything left at the complimentary breakfast. There’s probably a bagel. Maybe a banana. Or would you prefer one of those little bowls of dry Froot Loops?”
He held his straight face just long enough that she started to believe he might be serious. Then, once he realized he had her, the corners of his mouth lifted.
Asshole.
Kacie grabbed the closest pillow and sent it sailing across the room, hitting him square in the chest.
Without any warning, he dove onto the bed, landing on top of her. She squealed as he trapped her beneath the sheets, pinning her with his body as he nuzzled her neck and huffed hot breath into her ear. He kept it up as she wiggled and squirmed with laughter, until tears streamed down her face, until she was breathless. Finally, Michael rolled off and stretched out alongside her.
One side of his mouth hitched up as he pushed her hair back from her face and swiped the wetness from her cheeks with his thumb.
“Don’t tell me you’ve been up hours, gone for a run, showered, changed, and made a breakfast run already this morning.”
“I have not.” Capturing her hand in his, Michael pressed a kiss to the underside of her wrist. “You’re such a bad influence, sunshine.”
Giving in to the sudden urge to touch him, she stroked along his jaw and underside of his chin. “I can’t believe you skipped your run,” she said, enjoying the unfamiliar scrape of whiskers on his face.
“I’ll make up for it by going for a run when I get home, no matter how hot it is outside.”
Kacie groaned and rolled herself into his embrace. “Can’t we just live in this hotel forever? I’m not ready to go home just yet. Especially since Sam and Bryce are on their way to Italy by now.”
“Well, I can’t take you to Italy, but how about a little weekend getaway?” He tightened his arms around her, pulling her even closer so he could tuck her head beneath his chin. “The next couple of weeks will be busy with the change of command, but after that we could go somewhere. Just you and me.”
Kacie held her breath, her mind racing as she attempted to decipher the underlying meaning of his invitation.
“But I have so much packing to do.”
“I’ll help you. It’s not like you have a ton of stuff to begin with. I know of a place not far from here. We can leave after work on Friday, return Sunday. What do you think?”
She wanted to say yes. But she knew herself well enough to know if she signed up for a weekend away . . . if they spent more nights like last night together . . . there would be little doubt she’d be leaving Savannah heartbroken at the end of the month.
“I’m not sure how I feel.”
Needing to put distance between them, Kacie rolled out of his arms and off the bed.
“Kacie.”
She wrapped the sheet around her body once, twice, then glanced in his direction and found him moving to the edge of the bed.
“In case you haven’t noticed, or I haven’t been perfectly clear, I like you. A lot.”
She dropped into the desk chair and Michael followed, positioning the other chair so he was directly in front of her, his knees straddling hers. He took hold of her hand and held it between his own, silently willing her to look at him.
“I know you’re leav
ing in a month and I know you’ll hardly have time to catch your breath much less do the long-distance thing, but it’s only a year.” He lifted his shoulders and smiled, making it all sound so easy. “And I’m not ready to say goodbye to you.”
She opened her mouth, prepared to argue, despite not knowing what on earth she would say. But Michael raised his hand, effectively cutting her off. “Before you say anything, let me explain. Please.”
Kacie nodded.
He took a deep breath, then gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “In a few months, I’ll have fulfilled my commitment to the army. Which means for the first time in fifteen years I have options. Real options. Anything from moving to a different unit to resigning my commission.”
She could hardly believe what she was hearing. “You’re leaving the army?”
“I haven’t decided anything yet.”
“What about that whole twenty-year thing?”
“I don’t have to do twenty years. It might make sense financially. I’d be leaving a lot of money on the table if I just resigned. But . . .” He shook his head as if trying to get himself back on topic. “Don’t worry about all of that right now. All I’m asking is that we not end this when you move to Durham. Let’s give whatever this thing between us is a chance to see where it can go.”
It was difficult to swallow around the lump in her throat. Especially since her insides were a jumbled-up mess of panic and excitement.
If there was one thing ex-Mike had taught her, it was to never get her hopes up.
And now, this Michael was asking her to do that very thing.
She looked at their joined hands, how he cradled both of hers in his, his thumbs gently stroking her skin.
“Kace?” He’d ducked his head lower, bringing his eyes level to hers. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
At the moment she felt like she was caught on an amusement park ride, one that tilted and turned and tossed her about, making her so dizzy she could hardly walk a straight line when it was over. But it was also the kind of ride that made her feel alive. The kind that had her running to get back in line so she could have another turn.
From the Start Page 18
