Page 9 of Taming a Heartbreaker

Redford took another sip of his wine and began eating some of the various cheeses. He was easing Carmen into a steady stream of conversation to get her relaxed. Experience had shown him that a relaxed woman, especially one who was trying to fight an intense attraction, was more open to seduction. He had it down to an art form. His approach was so smooth, usually the woman didn’t know what was happening until she was captivated to the point of no return.

“Do you ever star watch?” he asked her, easing to lie flat on his back on the blanket to stare up into the sky.

His question made her switch her gaze from the lake to the sky. “All the time. I’ve got a good view from my bedroom window. I enjoy ending my days by lying in bed and staring at them before drifting off to sleep. However, I don’t claim to have my own personal star up there like Canyon.”

Canyon Westmoreland was one of Dillon’s brothers. Canyon said he recognized one particular star from childhood that he still claimed as his. “I guess you heard about Flash,” Redford said.

He liked the sound of her chuckle. “Yes, I heard about Flash. I understand Canyon and Keisha had a nighttime wedding just so Flash could attend, and that Canyon wouldn’t let the wedding begin until he saw it in the sky,” she said.

“I heard that as well.” When things got silent between them, he said, “Make a wish upon one of those stars up there, Carmen.”

“A wish?” she asked, looking down at him.

Redford felt heated lust the moment their gazes connected. “Yes, a wish. I heard whenever you make a wish upon a star there’s a chance it might come true.”

She glanced back into the sky and closed her eyes. When she reopened them she looked at him. “Now it’s your turn.”

He nodded and did the same thing. He wished she would be an easy conquest tonight. And more than anything, he wished for a night of intense pleasure in her bed.

Glancing back at her, he said, “I hope both of our wishes come true, Carmen.”

She stared at him. “So, what did you wish for?”

He could say their wishes could not be shared. But then he thought, what the hell, why not tell her? In doing so, she would know just what he wanted.

Easing into a sitting position, he reached out and took her hand in his. Trying to ignore the intense sexual hunger stirring inside him, he said, “My wish was for you, Carmen.”

He watched her blink before asking in a soft voice, “For me?”

Redford nodded, holding her gaze steadily. “Yes. My wish is for you to be mine.”

Carmen forced back a gasp of surprise at such an admission from Redford. Her heart swelled with love for him. Were his words his way of letting her know she had somehow eased her way into his heart? The mere thought of such a thing had joy flowing all through her.

“What did you wish for, Carmen?”

She had wished for a couple of things. For him to accept that he was her soulmate, like she’d accepted that he was hers. For them to live a long and happy life together. Instead of breaking down every single detail, she summed it up by saying, “My wish was for you to be mine, too, Redford.”

From the smile that spread across his lips, he obviously liked her answer. “Then let me grant your wish.” He reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Carmen was convinced her body went into a pleasurable shock the minute Redford took possession of her mouth. She hadn’t been given time to think and already her tongue surrendered to his. She’d been kissed before by men who thought they were experts. She’d thought so, too.

Until now.

Redford’s mouth mated with hers in a way she’d never experienced before. She’d always enjoyed the art of kissing as long as it didn’t go any further. She could handle even the most passionate of kisses. However, when Redford deepened the kiss, she moaned. No man’s kiss had ever made her moan before.

Then he wrapped his arms around her and his fingers stroked the length of her spine. She felt them through the material of her dress. It took everything in her to retain control of her senses. When she heard herself moan again, she knew she was about to lose them.

When her mouth could barely take any more bold strokes of his tongue, she eased her hands up to his shoulders. Instead of pushing him away, though, like she should do, her fingers traced his upper arms, loving how powerfully male they felt. Then her breasts pressed firmly to his chest. She could actually feel the hardened tips of her nipples poking into him.

Suddenly, he released her mouth, but just long enough for them to inhale and exhale. Then his mouth reclaimed hers again, deepening the pressure. He was giving her something she’d never had before—full contact, wet tongue, unapologetic, raw. This was the kind of kiss she’d read about. She always thought she could tell fantasy from reality. Now she wasn’t sure.

Presently, she wasn’t certain of anything other than how his kiss was making her feel. Redford was not holding himself in check. He was going at her mouth with toe-curling determination and hot abandonment.

Needing to breathe, she was the one who ended the kiss this time. Heat stirred in her stomach, and before she could say they were moving too fast, he began feathering kisses around her mouth, corner to corner. His hands were no longer at her back. Now his fingers tunneled into her hair, and she loved the feel of it. His fingers’ magic touch steadily broke down her defenses and zapped her control.

“Redford...”

He captured her mouth again, with even more intensity. He was creating a physical need within her that she hadn’t known could exist. One she hadn’t known she could feel.

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