Don't Say a Word - Barbara Freethy [107]
Love, lust, sex-whatever it was-had never been so hot, so impatient, so demanding. And not just on Alex's part, but on hers, too. Julia found herself making impulsive, bold moves she'd never made before. There were no rules with this man, no boundaries, nothing to hold her back. Every touch, every taste was a risk, but for once she met the risk head-on. She didn't know where they would be tomorrow, but tonight Alex was in her arms, and she was in his, and when their bodies came together, everything was right with the world.
Chapter 17
Julia woke up to the sun streaming through her bedroom window and Alex shifting restlessly beneath her. She lifted her head from his chest and saw that his eyes were wide open and he was watching her. She self-consciously patted down her hair, sure it must be flying in a hundred different directions. They'd had quite a workout the night before. She felt tired but wonderfully loved.
"Good morning," she said, feeling a little shy now that it was daylight. She pulled the sheet up over her shoulders.
He smiled at her, pushing the sheet back down. "You look beautiful in the morning."
"Oh, please, that can't be true."
"It's your eyes. They're so clear, so blue. They're like a window into your heart. You show all your emotions."
She wondered what emotions she was showing right now and was tempted to look away, but there had been nothing except honesty between them until now, and she didn't want to change that. "Your eyes hide everything. I'm never completely sure what you're thinking."
"I like it that way."
"I'm sure you do." She traced his jaw with her finger and saw his eyes darken and his lips part. They'd made love twice already and it still wasn't enough. "We should get up," she said.
"I'm already there," he replied with a grin.
She laughed. "I can see that. Actually, I can feel that." She pressed her thigh into his groin and his arms came around her back. "What are we going to do about it?"
"I have a few ideas."
"Really? You haven't used them all up?"
"I haven't even come close." He rolled her onto her back, pinning her beneath him. His hands cupped her face, and the smile faded from his lips as his expression turned serious.
She wondered what he was thinking. She was afraid to ask.
"Julia," he said, then stopped.
She waited for him to finish. He didn't.
"What?" she asked.
He shook his head, then kissed her, long, slow, and tender, like he was never going to let her go. She ran her hands up and down his back, loving the weight of him in her arms, the way he moved and touched her, the way he made her feel wanted and loved. Not that they'd spoken of love. Maybe for Alex it was just desire, chemistry, physical attraction, but she liked him. She liked him a lot. Probably too much. He'd never promised to stay or to love her. And one day he would go, and she'd probably find herself with a broken heart.
But he wasn't leaving today, and if today was all she was going to have, she'd take it.
Hours later, Julia was dressed and back in the car, this time with Alex behind the wheel. She'd thought it would take a huge argument to convince him to go back to St. Helena to see his father, but he'd brought it up himself. He said he knew they had unfinished business.
Despite his resolute determination to get to the bottom of things, she could feel his tension as they drove north on the freeway. The closeness they'd shared the night before evaporated with each passing mile. She knew Alex wasn't thinking about her, but about his father and what he would say next.
"Are you okay?", she asked.
"I'm fine," he said briefly.
"Are we back to fine again?"
"All right. I'm not looking forward to this meeting. In fact, I keep thinking about taking the next exit and making a U-turn."
"If you want to, you can."
He shook his head. "No, I don't run away. I never run away."
She didn't remind him that just yesterday he'd done exactly that.
"Okay, maybe I retreat," he amended, giving her a sideways glance. "Then I go back