Best Kept Secrets(108)

to you."

Her expression was triumphant and challenging. "What

did you find the hardest to forgive, Reede? That Celina went

to bed with another man? Or couldn't you forgive yourself

for not taking her when you had the chance?"

"Why are you so hung up on who I did or didn't take!" He nudged her body with his, then inclined forward until

they were touching middle to middle. "I warned you once



to keep your curiosity at bay," he whispered. "Isn't that

what you've been doing with Junior, satisfying your curiosity

about why your mama found him so appealing?" He took

perverse pleasure in watching the color drain from her face.

"No," she denied hoarsely.

"I think it is."

"You're sick."

"Not me, baby." His breath trailed across her lips.

"You're the one who's curious."

He bent his head and kissed her. She stubbornly resisted

the pressure of his mouth, but he finally succeeded in maneuvering

her lips apart. His tongue raked her teeth and the

inner linings of her lips.

She opened to him. He felt the breath leave her body on

a ragged sigh. It was moist and warm and sweet inside his

mouth. His erection stretched, pushing painfully against his

fly, against hers. He reached inside her coat and covered her

breast with his hand. Beneath his revolving thumb her nipple

hardened, and when he swept it lightly, a low moan rose out

of her throat.

He raised his head and looked down into her face. Her

head was resting against the body of the airplane, her throat

arched and exposed. She was breathing hard. Her chest rose

and fell swiftly. He could feel her heart, like a small, wild,

frightened creature that had become trapped in his palm. Her

lips were slightly parted, wet and glistening. Her eyes were

closed. Slowly, they came open. They looked at each other

with wariness and confusion.

Oh Jesus, was Reede's last coherent thought. His mouth

lowered to hers again, hungrier, but much more temperate.

He pressed his tongue into her mouth, giving, not taking. He

fondled her breast with more finesse.

Eventually losing patience with her clothing, he dropped

his hand to her waist. Her sweater was pushed up, the cup

of her bra was pushed down, and her warm, soft flesh filled

his hand. Reflexively, she arched her back, plumping her

breast against his callused fingers and palm. He kneaded it



and continued to agitate its tight, feverish center with the pad

of his thumb.

Kissing her as though this was his first kiss ever, or the

last one he would ever be granted, he worked her legs apart

with his knee and angled his hips toward her cleft. From the

edge of his mind it registered that she made a helpless little

sound and lifted her arms to encircle his neck, but he could

focus on nothing except her mouth, his invasion of it, and

how damn much he wanted to be buried snugly inside her.

His free hand slid over her butt, down the back of her

thigh, and caught her behind the knee. He lifted it, propped

it on his hip, and made a grinding motion against her. He fit

his rigid body into the notch of her thighs and stroked her

there until the tempo escalated to a breathless pace. She spoke

his name on a sudden, catchy little breath that fanned his

passions hotter.

Several seconds later, he heard his name again, coming to

him dimly and from afar. Vaguely, he wondered how she

had managed to speak when her tongue was so actively engaged

with his.

He heard his name called again and realized that it wasn't

Alex's voice.

"Reede? Where are you, boy?"

His head snapped up. Alex blinked her eyes back into

focus. He hastily withdrew his hand from inside her sweater.

She yanked her coat closed.

"In here." His voice sounded like he'd recently gargled

nails.

Angus stepped through the door Alex had left open.

Reede noticed that the sun had set.



Thirty



To her credit, Alex recovered remarkably well, Angus

thought. Except for the dazed expression in her eyes and her

slightly swollen lips, she seemed perfectly composed.

"Hello, Angus," she said.

"Hi, Alex. Get things straightened out in Austin?"

"Yes. Thank you for lending me your airplane."

"Don't mention it."

"I, uh, was just on my way out." To Reede she said, "I'll

get back to you about this later." She left in a hurry. Reede

picked up a wrench and stuck his head into the exposed engine

of the small aircraft.

"What's she up to now?" Angus asked as he lowered

himself onto the stool Reede had occupied earlier.

"She discovered that I own this place. I never kept it a

secret, but I never advertised it, either. She figures I'd have