Page 73 of Mr. Scandalous

It was at that moment Alec Ramsey knew he was in serious trouble.

* * *

Her scars didn’t repulse him.

Eden couldn’t get over the fact that her disfigurement hadn’t slowed Alec’s ardor one whit. Beneath his expert hands, all her doubts and fears vanished as she gave herself up to the ultimate in physical intimacy.

She gazed over at him. He slept peacefully on his back; one arm flung over his head. His gentle snores caused a flutter in her stomach. She smiled to herself. She was a lucky, lucky woman.

His ready acceptance had freed her. He had acted as if the scars were simply a part of her, like the color of her eyes or the texture of her hair. His tender touch, quirky smile and sexy wink opened the door to a big wide world of sensation, and, for that, she would be forever grateful.

Tonight she’d let herself go with stormy abandon, holding nothing back, indulging herself completely. She’d faced her greatest fear and won. Courage had led to the physical intimacy she craved. He’d given her back the self-esteem Josh had stolen away.

Alec was the perfect love mentor. She had chosen wisely.

Now all that remained was saying goodbye.

Unexpected emotion stabbed her chest, and she bit down on her bottom hp. She didn’t want to say goodbye to him, which was exactly why she must. She’d put a limit on their affair, and she’d been unbending every time he’d asked her to break the rules. She’d feared she would fall in love with him if she allowed their sexual exploration to go on too long. And from the looks of things she’d stopped just in the nick of time.

Another weekend with him and she might not have had the courage to say goodbye.

Do you have the courage now?

The pesky question circled her brain, echoing annoyingly. Yes. But she wasn’t in love with him.

Yet.

Just because she couldn’t seem to think about anything else, but Alec didn’t mean she was in love. Obsessed with sex, maybe, but how could she be in love with a man who willingly admitted he was not the marrying kind?

And even though she had not gone into this relationship looking for a long-term commitment, Eden knew that eventually she wanted what most people wanted. True love. She wanted a husband, a home, a family to call her own.

Alec had simply been a means to an end. The vehicle that had taken her from fearful to courageous. Because of him, she could finally leave behind the pain of the fire. They’d entered into this mutually beneficial agreement fully aware of the stipulations and limitations. Now was not the time for second- guessing.

As of tomorrow, when they returned to the city, the affair was officially over. She refused to second-guess her decision. She had grown and changed. A bright future beckoned.

A future without Alec.

Something painful twisted in her chest, but she closed her eyes and ignored the emotion.

You’re just sorry to be losing out on all that great sex, she told herself. It’s nothing more than that.

So why did she yearn for more?

Because she was greedy. Greedy for more kisses, more caresses, more tender looks. Because she wanted to keep having screaming orgasms with him. Because she liked the way it felt curled up beside him.

What was the matter with her? She was an adult. She’d gone into this thing with her eyes open. Alec had given her the wonderful gift of her own sexuality; she simply refused to ruin what they’d shared by expecting anything more. As long as he didn’t plead with her to continue their relationship, she could handle saying goodbye.

But what if he did?

ChapterEighteen

Alec work before Eden.

He eased his arm out from under her head to slip from the bed, hurried into the bathroom and climbed into the shower. He intended to be fully clothed when he faced her again. If she reached for him, kissed him, or even looked into his eyes, he knew he would make love to her one last time.

And that was a risk he simply couldn’t take.

When they’d made love for the fourth time in the wee hours of the morning, he had experienced a rush of powerful emotions. Emotions he was not prepared to deal with.

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