Page 19 of An Heir Made In Hawaii (Hot Winter Escapes)

Warm breath whispered across her lips just before his mouth closed over hers. One last bit of sanity tried to prevail, to warn her not to surrender to the man she’d sworn to fight at every turn.

And then he circled an arm around her waist, pulled her flush against his body, and all rational thought vanished.

Her lips opened beneath his. His tongue slipped inside the wet heat of her mouth, teased her with long, slow strokes that elicited a moan from somewhere deep inside her. Her arms looped around his neck and she leaned into his embrace.

He froze.

Oh, God. How could she have thrown herself like that at him? Embarrassed by her overly enthusiastic response, she started to pull away. She would thank him for the kiss, coolly and politely, then calmly walk out the door so he couldn’t see her shame—

He grabbed her hips and pulled her back against his body, then stepped back into the elevator and slammed his hand against the button to shut the doors. Her gasp echoed in the car as his hardness pressed against her most sensitive flesh.

He placed a finger under her chin and lifted her eyes up to meet his. “If you stay with me, I’m going to make love to you.”

Go!He was giving her the perfect opportunity to turn and walk away. To lay down the boundary once and for all.

Slowly, he traced his fingers up one arm. Her skin pebbled beneath his touch. A shiver rippled over her as she started to breathe heavier, faster. His hand moved up, grazed the sensitive curve of her shoulder and neck.

Before she could reach out and grasp the flimsy threads of rational reasoning, he ran his thumb over her bottom lip. The hardened desire in his gaze became a softer glow, one that could only be described as wonder.

“You are so beautiful, Anika.”

Her eyes grew hot again. When he’d said it earlier, it had made her feel sexy, sensual. But now, when she was standing barefoot in a robe thrown over a cotton nightgown, her hair hanging in uncombed waves over her shoulders, she truly felt beautiful.

She reached up and slid her arms around his neck once more.

“Make love to me.”

CHAPTER SIX

NICHOLASSWEPTHERinto his arms as the doors opened to the penthouse. He kissed her again as he stalked into the suite, his lips possessive and dominating. She surrendered to his touch. Her pulse tripled as he carried her to the massive bed. Lightning lit up the room as he laid her down, white light illuminating his handsome profile. Giving in to impulse, she pulled him down and kissed the hard line of his jaw, nipped playfully at his neck. He shifted, moved his body on top of her and pressed her down into the silky embrace of the bed.

“If you keep that up,” he growled in her ear, “this won’t last long.”

A husky laugh escaped her lips. Delighted that she could affect him, she arched her hips up, savored the hardening of his jaw.

“Do I tempt you that much?”

“Do you remember that day in your office?” he asked as he started to trail kisses down her neck.

“Yes,” she gasped as he eased the straps of her nightgown down.

Cool air kissed her bare breasts. Suddenly shy, she moved her hands up to hide her nakedness. He grasped her wrists and pinned her arms above her head.

“When you tossed the pieces of the contract into the fire and looked at me with that smug smile, I wanted to kiss you.” He placed his lips against the swell of her breast. “I wanted to push you up against the wall, wrap my arms around your incredible body and kiss you senseless.”

“Why didn’t you?” she asked, her voice hitching as he swirled his tongue over her skin.

“Because you would have smacked me.”

“Or tossed you into the fireplace,” she replied with a teasing grin.

He responded by sucking her nipple into his mouth. She cried out, arched into his embrace as her fingers slid into his hair and tightened in the silky strands. Pinned by the weight of his body, she could do no more than writhe beneath him as he licked, kissed and nibbled first one, then the other breast.

“Nicholas!”

He moved back up and kissed her mouth again. “I love hearing you say my name.”

His fingers grabbed the hem of her nightgown. He tugged the material up, then tossed it onto the floor. The storm chose that moment to light up the room once more with a series of flashes, bright white revealing her in nothing but a pair of lacy black panties.

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