Would she be able to turn him away at her door?
Seven
He entered her suite with her, closed the door and drew her into his arms to kiss her. She held him tightly, kissing him with pent-up passion that was tinged with anger that he had broken through the barrier she had kept around herself for the past six years.
Leaning against the closed door, he pulled her against him while he kissed her. Desire blazed, a stronger need than ever. After a few moments, he shifted slightly and his fingers tugged free the buttons of her blouse. While his hands flew over her, clothing fell away. His warm hands cradling each breast fanned flames. His gaze roamed slowly, carefully over her.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, his dark brown eyes a silent echo of his words. He leaned down to draw his tongue in circles on her nipple, a leisurely torment before he moved to her other breast. Gripping his arms, she gasped with pleasure. Wanting the slight barriers between them gone, she yanked free his shirt. He pulled it over his head to toss aside.
His bronzed chest rippled with muscles, capturing her attention. She had to touch the thick mat of chest hair that narrowed to a single line that disappeared below his belt. The moment her fingers made contact, he groaned, his response stirring her in turn.
“We do things to each other,” she whispered.
“Magic,” he whispered, then kissed her neck.
He wrapped her in his arms again to hold her close and kiss her. Why did it seem urgent to kiss him? Realizing she was racing headlong toward calamity, she stopped.
She stepped away, yanking up her blouse and holding it in front of her.
“Good night, Will. You have to go.”
His dark gaze bore through her while he reached out to grasp her shoulder. “Sometime soon you will not tell me to go.” His eyes burned with such intense desire, her knees were weak. He leaned close to brush a kiss on her mouth while he caressed her nape. She gasped and closed her eyes. “See, you respond. You can’t keep from it because this is what you want, too, darlin’. It’s good between us, but there is so much more.”
“What I want is commitment,” she said, the words tumbling out.
“I think you’ve had my commitment since the moment we met.”
“Commitment to an affair,” she said, gasping for breath.
He showered kisses on her throat and face and then his mouth settled on hers again.
How long they kissed she couldn’t guess. Finally, she stepped away. He caught her waist, leaning forward. “Good night, darlin’. I’ll dream about you.” He brushed a kiss on her lips and then was gone, closing the door behind him.
His shirt lay on the floor. She picked it up and tossed it on a chair. She wasn’t going after him and she didn’t think he would come back for it.
She touched her lips. She was letting him get too close in too many ways.
Her thoughts churned as she got ready for bed and then lay in the dark to steep in regrets. She had to do better in keeping him at a distance. Avoiding him was impossible. He grew more irresistible each time they were together. How long before seduction? And then how long before heartbreak? Her thoughts shifted to Caroline. Had today really been progress, or just a temporary ripple? Only time would tell. Ava prayed the puppy turned out to be what Caroline expected and hoped for. Ava knew of many programs that brought together animals and children for therapeutic purposes. Hopefully, a puppy would be something Caroline could love and respond to. Another question that only time could answer.
The next day it took no time to realize Caroline was excited about the puppy. She picked out books about dogs to read and once she gave Ava a smile. Ava’s heart turned over and she realized she was grasping at tiny responses as much as Will did.
She noticed Caroline was looking often at the tall nursery-rhyme-character clock in her playroom and she realized for the first time that Caroline could tell time.
She wrote Will a text that Caroline was watching the clock and thought she was excited and anxious for him to come home to take her to pick out her puppy’s things. Ava hesitated before sending the message, unsure if she should get Will’s hopes up, but a minute after she sent it, she received a brief reply that he would try to come home early.
When Will arrived home at three, Caroline was ready, holding the brown bear and waiting quietly.
He came striding into the room in his charcoal suit. Handsome, oozing vitality, Will had a dynamic presence that charged the air with electricity. He flashed a wide smile at Ava and picked up Caroline to hug her. “Ready to get your puppy a crate and bed and toys?”
Caroline nodded. “Yes, sir. And a collar.”
“We’ll get a collar, too. Shall we go?”
In the pet store, Ava enjoyed watching the two of them walking around while Will talked to Caroline about her choices. She pointed at what she wanted, and Will would put it in a basket he carried. When she selected a collar, she smiled briefly at Will. She placed the collar in the basket he carried and when she turned away, he gave Ava a glance that indicated how thrilled he was over Caroline’s response.
When they returned home, they picked a place in the kitchen for the dog dishes, and upstairs a perfect spot in Caroline’s playroom for the puppy’s crate. Caroline set out the toys while Will put away the puppy food.
Finally, it was bedtime for the tired little girl. Will carried Caroline to bed. While he was gone, Ava left him a note that she was going to turn in early. She hurried to her suite to close the door on another night of temptation. It would be more fun to spend the next few hours with Will, but better if she didn’t. All the time at the pet shop her pulse had galloped. She was drawn to Will more each day, yet she hadn’t changed her feelings about an affair. Will was utterly opposed to marriage and serious commitment—the things she cherished most. The safest thing to do was to keep her distance when she could.
By ten o’clock, she was more restless than ever and wished she hadn’t been so hasty in shutting herself away from him.
She didn’t fall asleep until nearly morning, and then it was fitful and filled with dreams that involved Will.
The next day was another like the previous one with Caroline watching the clock and being far more wiggly than normal. In the early afternoon after lunch, Ava read a book Caroline had selected. When she finished, she picked up another one.
“Did you like your dog?” Caroline asked.
Startled by Caroline speaking to her, Ava tried to avoid showing her surprise. “Yes, I did. We had a Labrador retriever, Gus. We loved him and he loved us.”
Caroline nodded.
Ava was so pleased that Caroline had asked her a question. It was a very good sign.
Will wanted Ava to go along to get the pup, so once again the three of them climbed into the limo, a travel crate, leash and a toy at the ready.
Ava took a camcorder, wondering whether Will ever took pictures of Caroline.
They drove to a tall two-story house in a north suburban area of Fort Worth. A friendly woman introduced herself and showed them in, taking them to the garage where a mother dog was sprawled on a blanket. Caroline’s eyes were wide as she watched fluffy puppies wandering around her.
“Now, Caroline, you pick out which one of the puppies you would like to take home,” Will said.
Two puppies wandered to Caroline; one chewed on her shoe. Will leaned down to pick up the puppy and hold it so Caroline could see its face. He reached out and scooped up another. Ava watched the two of them and she prayed the puppy would make a difference in Caroline’s life.
After deliberating and looking at each puppy several times, Caroline finally picked one up and held it carefully with Will’s