Page 65 of Replacement

“Oh yeah?”

He slants me a hot look. “And then I’ll let you know what you can do for lying to me for months.”

I choke on a laugh and reach over to squeeze his hand. “You can let me know anytime. I’m happy to oblige.”

I’m suddenly worried I’ve said too much. Been too forward. But I’m also excited about being that way. I feel silly and self-conscious and pleased and nervous at the same time. “Anyway.”

“Anyway.”

We fall into silence again.

“What about you?” William asks after a long pause.

I’m not exactly sure what he’s asking, but I answer it anyway. “I was a complete disaster too. From the very beginning. At first I was mostly terrified. But then you weren’t at all what I thought you would be. I started to like you. Then more than like you. Then I had to come to terms with the fact that I’d fallen for the man I was deceiving—and there was no way he’d ever forgive me.”

“Well, he has. Forgiven you.”

I nod and swallow hard, dropping my eyes. “Thank you.”

Feeling like I might have revealed too much, I clear my throat and stand up, beginning to gather up the dishes. He helps me carry the dishes back into the kitchen. Although we can leave things for Greta, it feels lazy and sloppy to me, and neither of us like mess hanging around until the next day. We rinse them off and put them in the dishwasher.

When we put the last dish away, I turn to look at William, feeling self-conscious again. He appears unusually relaxed and domestic—and absolutely scrumptious with his black shirt slightly damp in spots from rinsing the dishes.

I part my lips to say something but then have no idea what to say.

He’s gazing down at me, his eyes hot and deep. “What is it?”

My body tightens at the texture in his voice and at the sudden realization that we can have sex if we want. My cheeks burn and my blood starts to race with excitement and desire. “Nothing,” I say, my voice cracking on the one word.

“What is it?” he asks again, his head inclining toward me, like he’s trying to see into my soul.

My breath is coming out in uneven pants now, and a deep ache has tightened between my legs.

His questioning expression transforms into something else. He bends toward me all the way, his lips closing on mine.

The thrilled tension explodes inside me. I wrap my arms around his neck instinctively and open my mouth to the advance of his tongue. I moan as the kiss deepens and moan again when he makes a guttural sound in response.

He pushes me back against the counter, pressing the lean length of his body against mine. He’s hard and hot and eager, and I rub myself shamelessly against him, arousal overwhelming me so quickly it aches.

I arch against the counter as William’s lips move hungrily against mine, and I’m gasping desperately when he finally tears his mouth away.

“Oh God!” I try to make my mind work enough to figure out what’s happening. Vaguely I realize that the kiss probably shouldn’t have happened. We aren’t together for real, no matter how much I might want it to be. “I’m sorry.”

“Are you?” William asks, his face still only inches from mine and his hot eyes gazing down at me. “I’m not.”

* * *

I’m not sure how it happens, but we end up back in the bedroom.

After the initial kiss in the kitchen, a swell of lust overwhelms us both. Shuddering with the knowledge that William wants me, wants to be withme, I give myself up to the feeling.

We tear off our clothes and tumble into bed, kissing and caressing with frantic need.

When he slides himself inside me, I arch up and gasp out his name.

“Jade,” William mumbles against my skin, his face buried in my neck as he holds himself so tensely he’s shaking with it. “Jade. Jade.”

I arch again in pleasure at the sound of his saying my name.

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