Page 59 of Kiss Me Forever

"I was just getting your belt off to make you more comfortable, so you could sleep."

Alex suddenly shifted, and his good hand came around her back, pulling her down on top of him. The amusement in his eyes faded into something darker and more dangerous.

"Andrea," he murmured, his husky voice turning her name into an intimate caress. "I've dreamed of having you here in my bed."

She stared at him, mesmerized by his tone, the hungry look in his eyes, the pulse working a rapid beat in his neck. She didn't resist when he pulled her face down to his. She was helpless, a victim of her own desire. He kissed her deeply, passionately, sliding his tongue into her mouth, demanding a response as his hand ran down the length of her spine, making her arch like a cat.

He wasn't holding her anymore, but she couldn't move away. Just one more kiss, one more moment, maybe two, and then she would stop.

His mouth worked its magic, his body stiffening against hers, making her aware of their intimate position. She braced herself on her hands and slowly pulled away, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Alex stared at her. "Don't go, Andrea. Stay with me."

It was really tempting, but while Alex was in a daze, she knew exactly what was going on. She also knew that sleeping with Alex with so much unresolved between them was not the right thing to do, no matter how much she wanted it.

"I can't," she whispered.

There was a light in his eyes, almost a fever. It burned right through her, tempting her again, making her want to forget everything but the desire that was pulling them together.

"I need you," he murmured.

"You don't know what you're saying." She sat back on her knees, looking down at him. He dropped his hand from her hair to his side, a look of pain turning his light green eyes to jade.

"Don't leave me. I can't take it. I just can't." His eyes drifted closed, and his breathing changed to one of slumber.

Andrea stared at him, touched by the depth of pain in his voice. This man had been hurt badly in his life. She only knew bits and pieces of his story, but that was one inescapable truth.

She'd been worried about him hurting her, but she could hurt him, too, she realized. She rolled over onto her side, propping her head on her elbow as she stared at his strong, handsome face. She didn't want to think about the article right now or all the lies between them. She just wanted to be with him.

Kicking off her shoes, she pulled up a quilt from the bottom of the bed and covered them both. She would just stay with him for a little while. In case his hand hurt. In case he needed her. Just a few minutes...

Chapter Twelve

The sunlight streaming through the window drew Alex out of a deep sleep. When he tried to move, his body felt bruised and heavy, as if there was a large weight on his chest. He blinked one eye open, then the other. Then he blinked again, unable to believe what he was seeing.

His other senses immediately clicked in. Blond hair tickled the bare skin on his chest. A slender leg intertwined with his, causing an immediate reaction in another part of his body.

Andrea was in bed with him!

It didn't seem possible. It had to be a dream—a bright, vivid dream. But he could smell the scent of her shampoo, see the dark lashes curving down against her cheek, and her expression was that of a sweet, sexy angel.

He shook his head and closed his eyes again, but when he took another look she was still there. A heavy fog filled his mind as he tried to make sense of the obvious. They had gone to bed together, and he didn't remember a damn thing. Why?

He groaned as he moved his arm, and the memories of the past evening came flooding back. He remembered getting into the car after leaving the hospital and that was it.

Somehow Andrea and Tyler must have gotten him into the house and up the stairs. But that didn't explain why Andrea had climbed into bed with him, why she had slept with him instead of going home or just using one of the guest rooms.

He shifted slightly, hoping she wouldn't wake up. Now that he was alert, he wanted to take a better look.

Asleep, Andrea looked a lot softer, less energized, ambitious and determined. She was such a fighter when she was awake, but now she appeared relaxed, content. Her skin was clear and smooth with just a few laugh lines around the corners of her eyes. He smiled, thinking of her open, charming grin, the laughter that would reach her eyes, even when she tried to be serious.

She would hate the fact that he was watching her, seeing her off guard without all her defenses in place. He smiled to himself, enjoying the way her arm curved around his waist. It felt good, too damn good. He didn't want her to wake up. He wanted her to hold him forever. But even as the thought came to mind, she gently began to stir, waking up in slow, uneasy stages that brought indistinguishable murmurs to her lips.

He liked the way she fought off the morning. It was in keeping with the way she resisted him, an inevitable, futile struggle against what was meant to be, although, what was meant to be probably shouldn't be. Andrea had already discovered some of his lies. She wouldn't stop until she'd stripped him bare.

He wanted her to strip him bare, just not that way.

Finally, Andrea's eyes opened, and she stared at him, at first blankly, and then with a dawning sense of awareness and embarrassment. She raised her head and then pushed herself into a sitting position, her hair falling out of her ponytail in wild abandon.

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