Page 39 of Best Laid Plans

Lucy’s mouth was drier than the Sahara. How could he be so calm?

She felt a riff of panic, found herself staring at his shoes, thinking about them coming off and then the rest of him becoming bare. She could picture his shoulders, his chest, his tapering torso…

He was so gorgeous, but he was only doing this because he wanted to help her. He only thought of her as a friend. He couldn’t possibly fancy her. She’d always known that.

If she’d ever doubted it, she only had to remember the way Will had kissed her on the night of his farewell party, and then left for overseas as if it hadn’t meant a thing. Now he would be so much more experienced with women.

Oh, help. It was ages since she’d had a boyfriend. Why had she agreed to this? How had she ever thought this could be okay?

‘Will, I don’t think –’

‘That’s good.’

‘Pardon?’

‘Don’t think,’ he murmured and he smiled as he drew her closer.

Nervously, she looked down at their linked hands and watched his thumb gently rub her knuckles. She wondered if she should warn him she was scared, scared of not living up to his expectations. Scared of falling in love.

But no. He was so confident and calm about this, he probably wouldn’t understand. She could frighten him off and she would end up without a baby.

‘I want our baby to be like you,’ Will said softly.

Lucy gulped. ‘Do you? Why?’

‘You’re so sweet, so clever and kind.’

‘You’re all of those things too.’

She saw the stirring of something dark and dangerous in his eyes.

He touched her collarbone, and she held her breath as his fingers traced its straight line. Her pulses leapt as he reached the base of her throat.

‘Any baby who scores you as his mum will be born lucky.’ His voice was a deep, warm rumble running over her skin like a fiery caress.

She could see Will’s mouth in the lamplight. So incredibly near. She remembered that one time he’d kissed her and how she’d marvelled that his lips were surprisingly soft and sensuous compared with the rough and grainy texture of his jaw.

He trailed his fingers up the line of her throat to her chin and for a hushed moment, his thumb rode the rounded nub, then continued along the delicate edge of her jaw.

She held her breath as he lowered his head, letting his lips follow where his fingers had led.

Despite her tension, a soft sigh floated from her and she closed her eyes as his breath feathered over her skin and she felt the warm, intimate pressure of his mouth on the hollow at the base of her throat.

He was unbelievably good at this. Her tension began to melt beneath the sweet, intoxicating journey of his lips over her throat.

He whispered her name.

‘Lucy.’

His lips caressed her jaw with whisper-soft kisses. He kissed her cheek, giving the corner of her mouth the tiniest lick, and she began to tremble.

Please, Will, please…

At last his lips settled over hers and Lucy forgot to be frightened.

Her lips parted beneath him and he immediately took the kiss deeper, tasting her fully and she decided it was too late to worry about what Will thought of her. About having babies or not having them. She just wanted to enjoy this moment.

This, now.

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