Page 40 of Best Laid Plans

Will framed her face with his hands, and he kissed her eagerly, ardently, hungrily and Lucy returned his kisses, shyly at first but with growing enthusiasm, eager to relearn the wonderful texture and taste of him.

His voice was ragged and breathless as he fingered the straps of her dress. ‘How do I get you out of this?’

‘Oh, gosh, I forgot. Sorry.’ The spell was broken as Lucy remembered that her dress had a side zipper. She had to lift one arm as she reached for it.

‘I’ve got it,’ Will said, his fingers beating hers to the task.

She heard the zip sliding south, felt his hands tweak her shoulder straps and suddenly her dress was drifting soundlessly to her feet. She wasn’t wearing a bra and she felt vulnerable and shy, but Will drew her close, enfolding her into a comforting embrace.

With his arms around her, with his forehead pressed to hers, he whispered, ‘Your turn, Goose.’

‘My turn?’

‘Take off my shirt.’

‘Oh, yes. Right.’

Her eyes were riveted on his chest as she undid the buttons to reveal smooth masculine muscles that she longed to touch. She felt breathless and dizzy as she slid the fabric from his shoulders.

Her breath caught at the sight of him. She’d known he was beautiful, but she’d forgotten he wasthisbeautiful.

Will kissed her again, letting his lips roam over hers in slow, lazy caresses that made her dreamy and warm so that again she gave up being scared. Still kissing her, he drew her down to the edge of the bed, and then he took her with him until they were lying together, their limbs and bodies touching, meshing, already finding the perfect fit.

Bravely, she allowed her fingers to trail over his chest and felt his heart pounding beneath her touch. She smelled the long remembered, midnight scent of his skin she closed her eyes and gave into sensation as he kissed her ears, her throat, her shoulder.

Every touch, every brush of his lips on her skin, every touch felt right and perfect and necessary. She wasn’t sure when she first felt the hot tears on her face, but she smiled, knowing they were tears of happiness.

How could they be anything else? This was her man, her passionate, hunky Will, and she was finally awake in her dream.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

THEY sat in a pool of soft golden lamplight.

Will moved to the edge of the bed, shaken by what had happened.

He’d known that making love to Lucy would be a sweet pleasure, but he hadn’t expected to be sent flying to the outer limits of the universe.

He felt an urge to ask her:Does this change… everything?

But that was lovers’ talk and she expected friendship from him. Nothing more.

His thoughts churned, while Lucy lay very still, with her knees bent and her shoulders propped against the pillows. She looked deceptively angelic with her short golden curls and a white sheet pulled demurely up to her chin.

‘I mustn’t move,’ she said.

‘Why can’t you move?’

‘I want to give your swimmers their very best chance of reaching my egg.’

He smiled at the hopeful light in her blue eyes, but his smile felt frayed around the edges.

It was hard to believe that this folly had been his idea. His foolish idea.

Lucy had been joking when she’d first suggested this, but he’d turned it into something real. He’d thought he was so damnedclever. But he hadn’t known, had he? Hadn’t dreamed that making love to Lucy would turn his world upside down.

Was this how it had been for Josh?

He forced himself to remember why they’d done this. ‘So I guess it’s now a matter of wait and see?’ he asked.

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