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hands grasped her hips intimately as his tongue prodded her mouth open and explored her. His taste was so male, she locked her arms around his neck, melded her torso with his and moaned.
    Against her lips he murmured, “Darlin’, you’re killin’ me.”
    Instead of sobering her, his words made her braver. She eased back and drew his hands to her chest. “Touch me, Nick.”
    “Oh, baby.” Gently, as if he was testing his strength, his ability to control himself, he cupped her breasts. She sighed, long, loud and heavily. “That feels sinful,” she murmured.
    Emboldened, he grasped the top buttons of her blouse and eased them open. Went lower. She didn’t know how he did it so patiently, as she was desperate to have his hands on her bare skin.
    Patience fled when he unsnapped the front clasp of her bra and she spilled into his palms. “Oh. Fuck. Oh. God.” Callused from sports, his fingers squeezed a nipple. After sensitizing it, he rubbed his palm against her and she startled. “Easy. Hmm, you feel so good, Gabrielle. So, so good.”
    More moments of ecstasy. Increased intimacy as he teased the other breast.
    Then he raised his hands to her shoulders, kissed her forehead and cuddled her to him. His chin rested on her head. Both their hearts beat a sexy tattoo.
    She knew it was time to stop. They were outside, on her deck and Cella slept in the house. What would have happened otherwise?
    “Damn!” he said in a gravelly voice. “Lousy timing.”
    She laughed.
    They stayed close for a few moments until he pulled back. Just as gently as he’d undone her buttons, he did them up. Then he smoothed down her hair, kissed her nose. For such a big man, he could be gentle, too. She wondered if all southern men tended to their women like this.
    Taking her hand, he led her to double chaise which still had the cushions on it. Nick used to razz Jared about what he and Brie might be doing on the settee at night. Which was nothing more than relax. In many ways, Jared was a private man.
    Before he sat, Nick crossed to an airtight tub and took out one of the blankets. “It’s getting’ cool.” He tucked it around her when she dropped down into the chair.
    When he took the place next to her, she asked, “Don’t you want some blanket?”
    “Are you kidding? I’m on fire.”
    They watched the moon gild the lake, listened to the water lap, lost in their own thoughts, she guessed. She nuzzled into his chest and wondered if she’d forever associate the smell of the lake, the sound of the waves, the softness of fleece teasing her nose with being in Nick’s arms.
    After a while, he said, “So!”
    “Yes, so!”
    “That was…unexpected.”
    “I know. What do you think happened?” She wasn’t even sure what she wanted him to say.
    “Good old fashioned lust.”
    “It was wonderful to feel that again.”
    “Me, too.”
    “What do you mean? You’ve had tons of women at your place in the last ten years.”
    “Nothing ever felt like that did, sweetheart.” He slid his arm around her and tucked her in closer. “Not at all like that.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “There’s feelings and there’s feelings.” He kissed her head. “What I experienced out there by that little railing was different. Stronger. More important.”
    “For me, too.”
    Silence, then, “Listen, I know what you and Jared had was special and I’d never think I could--”
    She put her hand on his lips. “Jared wouldn’t object to what we did—are doing--Nick. He’d celebrate. He loved me. And you.”
    “He adored you. I never met a man so infatuated by a woman.”
    “You’re a sweetie pie to say that right now.” Silence for a while. “So I guess the question is where do we go from here?”
    “How ‘bout straight over to my king-sized bed?”
    “This is new to me. I don’t want to rush it.”
    “I was afraid you were going to say that.”
    But she felt the rumble in his chest.
    He added, “Let’s give it time, then. See where this