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"No trap," he said as he pulled her against hi, shelost in the feel of his nited,The fire between theet for the moment

It had never been like this for her before The speed hich he turned her on How ether

She buried her fingers in his hair and let herself lean on him His muscles were hard, as was his erection He dropped his hands to her rear and squeezed

Wanting escalated into soot whatever she’d been planning to say and instead slipped her hands under his polo shirt so she could touch bare skin He was strong and teled as his tongue stroked hers, arousing with every touch

He released her long enough to turn off the barbecue, then nudge her toward the back door of the house When they were inside, he grabbed the hem of her T-shirt and pulled it over her head Even as they kissed and she sucked his lower lip, he unfastened her bra and tossed it away Then he touched her curves and she was lost

His hands were everywhere On her breasts, her sides, her back He shoved her jeans down and pushed his fingers between her legs She was already hot and wet and surged against his touch

He found her center ian to rub it Tension pulled at her muscles They kissed over and over while he circled and brushed, then plunged his fingers inside of her It wasn’t enough It would never be enough, she thought frantically She needed all of hi closer, she reached between them and unfastened his jeans He moved them both backward until she felt the back of the kitchen table against her thighs He eased her onto the hard surface She pushed off the rest of her clothes, slid back and parted her legs

Hawk pushed down his jeans and briefs and thrust into her She arched back, bracing herself with her arms Her eyes fluttered closed

He her One of his hands still rubbed her center, while the other played with her breasts The rooasps as she got closer and closer to her orgass around his hips "Harder"

She meant all of it His touch, the way he filled her over and over again Harder and faster, taking her until she had no choice but to get lost in a convulsion of pleasure and liquid release

He followed i Then they were still

After a couple of steadying breaths, she began to be aware of the fact that she was nad…on his kitchen table She opened her eyes and found hi her

"You eat breakfast here," she said

He sht want to clean it before to"

"So I’ve heard It’s been in all the papers I’ cards printed up"

He brushed her hair off her face "Thank you"

"For?"

"Everything"

She sighed and knew she could do this with hi into his eyes, being close, sharing Her sto much these days?"

"It’s been a little stressful"

"How about salood"

He stepped back and she slid to the floor He helped her find her clothes, then opened the hile she dressed All he’d had to do was refasten his jeans and pull up the zipper Men had it so easy Not that she was co

AFTER DINNER, Nicole curled up next to Hawk on the sofa

"We should probably fight now," she told him

"Is that next on our list?"

"We have a lot to talk about"

"Brittany"

"Mostly" She put her hand on his thigh "Your daughter is spoiled and a little iht you’d deny it"

"I want to, but I can’t I didn’t set out for her to be that way Serena did a better job with balance than I did Once she was gone, it was just Brittany and ht"

His ad it’s all your fault?"

"Part of it is ree, but she’s used to getting her way and Raoul loves her enough to go along hat she says" She risked the good et hteen, I can’t stop her froot serious about being honest with Brittany, thatRaoul wouldn’t work--he was too honorable

"This is all ato have to take one of the puppies to help h this"

"I’ll take the boy"

"Of course I’m not even surprised"

She sat up and reached for the bottle of wine As she ht of the porcelain rabbits on the coffee table and the aging silk flower arrangement This was still Serena’s house and no ae that Her ghost was a tangible presence everywhere Was that on purpose?

"Have you brought a lot of women here?" she asked

Hawk frowned "What?"

"Other women You’ve had a couple of serious relationships since you lost Serena Did you bring any of your lady friends here?"

"First, I don’t call them my lady friends Second, I’ve been careful about who I introduce to Brittany But yes, one or two have been over Why?"

"I just wondered"

She wasn’t co her questions Like did he keep this house this way because he was a guy and it never occurred to hi to warn off all who entered? Did he like this still being Serena’s house?

Under other circumstances, she wouldn’t much care about the answers, but she was in love with Hawk so they mattered a lot Had she fallen for a wonderful host, or was there a chance?

"I told Brittany she doesn’t get to pout e and changing the subject "She’s going to have to talk to you the next time you come over"