My Way Back to You. Pamela Hearon

leaving wouldn’t be a surprise. It was inevitable. She was forewarned and prepared.

      And the time to think about the emotional impact of sex with Jeff had passed, barely heeded, hours ago. What difference would one more time make?

      Or two?

      “You’re right.” She withdrew her leg long enough to sling it across his and roll on top of him to a seated position. The sheet fell away, and the morning sunshine dispelled any chance of hiding under the cloak of darkness. But she didn’t care. She was who she was. And the way his eyes devoured her at that moment made her think who she was was pretty darn hot.

      And so was he.

      Despite his look of pleasure and surprise, sleep still lay heavy in his eyes and a thick growth of black stubble coated his lower jaw and mouth area. She well remembered the beard burn she used to get from their morning trysts.

      So worth it.

      She brushed the tousled hair off his forehead and patted his bristly cheek, which did indeed scratch when he turned to kiss her palm. “No use of the mouth until you shave,” she instructed.

      He sat up, locking his hands behind her back. “Oh, really?” Using his tongue, he teased the tender area along the line of her jawbone.

      A delightful shiver coursed through her. “So not fair.” She sighed, but leaned her head back farther.

      “How about this?” He nibbled along the same path. “Is this okay?”

      It actually was quite pleasant, since his tongue had already moistened the area. She moaned in response and dragged her long nails up his back, drawing a satisfying shiver from him. Other areas were becoming moist without any direct touch.

      He loosened his grip enough to lean her back slightly, and nipped his way to the peak of her breast.

      She arched her back, thrusting a nipple toward him to meet the sweet assault that never came.

      He stopped, and the pause lasted long enough to make her aware something was up. She straightened and found him frowning at her chest. “Did I do that?”

      She followed his gaze to the red splotches marking each place where his whiskers had made contact with her fair skin. She shrugged. “No biggie.”

      “Yes, it is.” He took her firmly by the waist and tried to set her off his lap. “Let me up, and I’ll go shave.”

      She pushed him back onto the pillow. “No way, bucko. Follow the rules and don’t use your mouth, and everything will be good.”

      His mouth quirked on one side. “Just good?”

      “Maybe just good.” She wiggled against him with her backside, lightly clawing at his chest and stomach. “Maybe worth waiting sixteen years for.”

      “Nobody should have to wait for sex this good. Just think what a happy state our world would be in if everybody could have it like this all the time. War would be a thing of the past.” He grabbed a condom package from the table and ripped into it.