He growled at the feel of her body on his as she rode him fast and furiously. He’d never felt anything like it.

“You’re making my toes curl,” she breathed.

“I plan to make more than that curl before the night is over,” he said as she released his hands and leaned forward.

Adrian ran his hands over her breasts, cupping them gently as she continued to stroke him with her body.

Why had he waited a year before kissing her?

It terrified him when he thought of how close he’d come to never acting on his desire. What if he had let her get away without ever having tasted her lips? Her body?

And in that instant, a wave of possessiveness washed over him. He would never let her go.

She belonged to him.

Sam watched Adrian watch her. His dark eyes were shuttered, but the look of pleasure on his face tore through her.

She ran her hand over his stubbled cheeks, grateful that she had finally kissed him. This moment far exceeded any fantasy she’d ever had about him.

Her body aching with bliss, she could feel her pleasure mounting again with every forceful stroke she delivered to him. She moved her hips faster as Adrian lifted his hips to drive himself even deeper.

“Oh, my goodness,” she breathed as her body became even hotter as massive, wrenching stabs of pleasure tore through her.

Adrian rolled over with her then, and placed her beneath him. His eyes wild, he quickened his pace.

Sam moaned at the feel of him sliding in and out, fast, deep, hard.

And then suddenly, an indefinable ecstasy exploded through her body in resounding ripples. Sam gasped at the same time Adrian threw his head back and roared as he delivered two more long, deep thrusts to her. His entire body convulsed around her as he released himself.

He collapsed on top of her and buried his face in her neck.

Sam held him there, cradled in her arms and legs as she just listened to him breathe. She felt his heart pounding against her chest and sweat covered them both.

This was a perfect, peaceful moment that she wished she could hold on to forever.

“That was the most incredible experience I’ve ever had,” he whispered in her ear as he cradled her gently in his strong arms.

“No kidding,” she said as she ran her hands over his hard biceps, then kissed him tenderly on his chest. “You know, I’ve never done that before.”

“Done what?”

“Orgasmed.”

Adrian smiled. He was glad he’d been the man who had shown her the full depth of her sexuality. Cupping her head in his hand, he pulled her lips to his for a scorching kiss.

The phone rang.

“I swear, I hate those things,” he snarled.

“Oh,” Sam said as she let go of him. “I forgot to tell you Heather called.”

Carefully, he withdrew from her. “Then I’m sure that’s her,” he said, reaching for the cordless phone on his nightstand.

“Hi, Heather,” he said in a tone that was half a growl.

Sam could hear just a hint of Heather’s chattering on the other end.

“Damn, Heather. What do you do with your money? I pay you two hundred and fifty dollars a week to do my laundry and buy groceries for me, and half the time you don’t even do it.”

She heard Heather chattering again as Adrian ran his hand through his hair and clenched it tight.

Adrian got out of bed and reached for his pants as he listened to her. Biting her lip, Sam admired the perfect shape of his buttocks and rear as he stooped over.

“Give me a break,” he said as he fastened his jeans. “I worked three jobs in college and no one ever…”

He went rigid. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Just stop crying, okay? Heather, please stop crying.”

Sam sat up as he walked out of the room.

Frowning, she pulled her shirt on and followed after him.

He wiggled his mouse at his computer. “I’m doing it right now,” he said in a gentle voice. He cursed again. “You only have two dollars in your account, did you know that? What are you living on?”

His jaw ticked, but his voice was patient. “All right, I’m transferring two grand over to you, but this is it, Heather. I work too damned hard just to give it away to you because you decide you need a Christmas vacation in Daytona for a week.”

He clicked the phone off and tossed it on his desk.

Sam moved to stand behind him. She ran her hand over his back. “You are a wonderful man.”

“I’m an idiot,” he said under his breath. “I don’t know why I put up with them.”

“You love them.”

“I wonder sometimes. God, I’m just so tired of everyone needing me all the time.”

Sam went cold at his words. His dependability was what she loved about him most, and in truth that was what she wanted. Someone she could depend on who wouldn’t disappoint her. She was tired of unkept promises.

Sam, you fool. No one is ever going to put you first. When are you going to realize that?

Her father had done what Adrian’s had, he’d abandoned them. And her worst fear was to fall in love with some thoughtless, woman-chasing jerk who dumped her for a trophy girlfriend the minute she passed the age of thirty.

She didn’t want a little boy, she wanted a man.

And she had hoped Adrian would be that man.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

She shook her head, then brushed her hand over his whiskered cheek.

Please don’t disappoint me, too. The words were on the tip of her tongue. But she didn’t dare utter them aloud. Didn’t dare give him any more ways to hurt her. He already held a place in her heart where only he could destroy it.

“Why don’t we go back to bed?” she whispered.

He looked up at her with those dimples flashing. Then, he scooped her up in his arms and ran with her back to the bedroom.

4

“Hi, Adrian,” Sam said as soon as he answered his cell phone.

“Hey, sweet, what’s wrong? You sound upset.”

God, how she loved the sound of his deep, caring voice. It comforted her on a level that defied explanation.

“My brother forgot to pick up my mom’s Christmas tree and she’s having a hissy fit. I’m over here at the lot and there’s no way I can make it back home and get ready in time. Is it okay if we just hook up at the hotel?”

“Sure. Is there anything I can do for you?”

She felt tears well at his offer. This last week had been the best of her life. After they had returned to work, they had kept quiet about their relationship, but it hadn’t been easy. More nights than not, she’d left work first, then gone over to his apartment to fix dinner and wait for him.

He’d even given her a key.

“Thanks,” she said, “but I’ve got it. I’ll see you at the hotel.”

“I’ll be waiting for you in the lobby.”

Worried, Adrian paced the hotel lobby. The temperature outside was steadily falling, and the news had been calling for a bad snowstorm later that evening. He’d tried to call Sam a dozen times to warn her not to come out this far, but she’d turned her cell phone off.

The door opened.

Adrian looked up and felt his jaw drop as Sam swept in.

She was wearing a Renaissance-style dress with a high waist, long flowing sleeves, and ballerina slippers. Her hair was down around her face and she had a light ribbon braided across the top of her hair with flowers. She looked just like Guinevere.

And he loved it.

No, he corrected himself, he loved her.

Sam paused as she caught sight of Adrian staring at her. He looked gorgeous in his black jeans and sweater. He’d even gone to the trouble of fixing his hair and she knew how much he hated doing that.

Better still, his entire face lit up as his gaze met hers.

“My lady, you are beautiful,” he said as she drew near him. He took her hand in his and kissed the back of her knuckles.

The warmth of his hand startled her. He took her coat from her hands and offered her his arm.

Feeling like a heroine in a romance novel, Sam took his arm and allowed him to lead her into the party.

“Wow, Sam,” Randir said as he saw them. “You clean up good.”

She laughed. “Thanks, I think.”

While Adrian went to get her something to drink, she took a seat at the large, round table with the guys from her department.

“Oh, Adrian,” Scott teased as soon as he returned. “You’re just so thoughtful. Want to go get me a Coke?”

“No,” Adrian said as he sat down beside her.

Sam did her best to appear nonchalant and distanced from Adrian, but it wasn’t easy when all she wanted to do was lean back into his arms and have him hold her like he did in the early morning hours.

How she loved curling up with him in his favorite recliner, watching TV or listening to music while they fed each other popcorn. Naked.

She’d never been overly comfortable with her body, but Adrian seemed to love it and she loved him for it.

He gave her a meaningful look, then slid his gaze toward the lobby. “I need to go make a call.”

Sam waited until he was out of sight before she excused herself to go to the bathroom.

She met Adrian in the lobby where he pulled her into a hidden, dark corner. “Why are we here?” he asked as he pressed her back against the wall.

She trembled at the strength of his chest against her breasts as he cupped her face in his hands and stared down at her with heat in his eyes. “Because it’s a free meal?” she asked impishly.

“I’d rather be at home, making love to you.”

“Mmm, me, too.”

He kissed her then.

“Hey, Adrian!”

They both went tense at hearing Randy’s voice.

Adrian stepped out of the corner while Sam pressed herself against the wall, hopefully out of Randy’s sight.

“Hi, Randy. How’s it going?”

“Great. I meant to tell you that Greg Wilson is going to applaud your team tonight after dinner. We hit the million-dollar mark for the Christmas season this morning. Congratulations. Greg says he’s going to double your bonus and give you a raise.”