Summer Secrets - Barbara Freethy [92]
"Oh, my God!" she said breathlessly. "I feel like I should be wearing a chiffon dress with a big skirt that swings around my legs when I spin."
"You should," he said, twirling her again.
She looked t him with sparkling eyes. "This reminds me of one of my favorite movies. There's a scene in The King and I where Anna teaches the king how to do a polka. And they go flying around the room, spinning and spinning and spinning."
"Like this?" Tyler asked. He spun her around until they were both too dizzy to do anything but collapse on the window seat.
Kate held up her hands. "Time out. I need a breather."
"Hey, I'm just getting started."
"You're not a bad dancer," she admitted.
"I still have a few moves I haven't shown you yet." He gave her an exaggerated wink, and she laughed.
"You are terrible. A natural-born flirt." She paused, her expression turning serious. "I can't remember when I've had so much fun."
"Neither can I. It's been awhile, that's for sure."
A charged silence fell between them, the coziness of the room and the darkness of the night drawing a blanket of intimacy around them.
"If we wait a few minutes, we'll have a spotlight to dance under," Kate said somewhat nervously. "When the light comes on, this room will be as bright as day."
"I kind of like the moon shadows." The moonlight had turned her from pretty into beautiful, from an ordinary woman into an angel. He wanted to take her in his arms and make love to her. "Kate," he murmured.
"Tyler," she echoed, as she stroked his cheek with her fingers.
His breath caught at the tender, womanly caress.
"You must have to shave every day," she murmured as her fingers brushed against his jaw. She paused. "I want to kiss you again." She surprised him with her boldness.
"What's stopping you?" he asked, but in her eyes he saw the conflict of duty versus desire.
"Who you are. What you want with me and my family."
"I thought we'd moved past that." He turned his face into her hand and kissed her palm. He looked up and saw the spark of desire in her eyes. It was all the encouragement he needed. Leaning forward, he kissed her on the mouth, slowly, deeply. He didn't want to rush, wanted to take the time to savor the taste of her mouth.
But Kate seemed impatient with the slower approach. She slipped her hands under his shirt, her fingers glancing off his abdomen, running through the hair on his chest. His muscles tightened at every touch.
"Yes," he muttered with encouragement.
"You feel so good, Tyler."
"Say my name again," he ordered.
"Tyler, Tyler, Tyler," she said against his mouth, punctuating each word with a kiss. "Maddening, annoying, frustrating Tyler."
"Don't get carried away, now."
"I want to get carried away," she said with a longing that removed the last of his doubts.
He moved his hands under her sweater. Her skin grew warmer the higher he traveled, until he met up with a lacy bra that thankfully had a clasp in the front. He didn't realize how much he wanted that bra undone until his fingers fumbled with the clasp, once, twice, before opening. He cupped her breast with his hand, the softness of her skin sending him over the edge.
He caressed her fullness, brushing his thumb over the taut peak. She was as excited as he was. It wasn't enough to touch her like this. He wanted more, much more. While his hands explored her breasts, his mouth moved from her lips across her cheek and down the side of her neck. God, she was sweet. Sweet and sexy and willing.
Kate tugged at his shirt. "We need to get rid of this."
"My pleasure." He pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor. He liked the way she looked at him, wanting him with her eyes, but she hadn't touched him again, and he wanted that more than anything. "Kate," he said, willing her to come the rest of the way.
She didn't move for probably the longest