Every part of Pepper's body came alive. Her breasts ached for his touch, the thick fabric of her bra abrading her painfully tight nipples. She was seized with an uncontrollable desire to rip off her clothes and climb up his body, and all he'd done was kiss her. But, damn, that kiss was potent. His tongue was an electric flame in her mouth, generating enough heat to scorch every one of her erogenous zones. She thrust her fingers into the thick chocolate velvet of his hair, holding his head in place, drinking from his mouth as he was feasting from hers.He slid one hand down her spine, fingertips tracing the line before he reached down to cup one cheek of her bottom. Her body tightened, her inner muscles clenching with a sudden desperate need. Breaking the kiss, he slid his lips across her cheek and dropped a light string of kisses along her jawline.Oh god. She wanted him with a sudden, unexpected desperation. For the first time in longer than she could remember, she wanted a man more

"You're looking chipper this morning." Cilla stood in the kitchen, hands on hips, studying Pepper."Why shouldn't I? I had a good night's sleep.""Really?" A grin teased at Cilla's mouth. "So, after the big dinner last night, you and your so-called fiancé came back here and you hopped into bed. Alone.""Yes." Pepper concentrated on the scones she was plating. "Of course. And what do you mean, 'big' dinner? It was dinner with my folks. That's all.""Oh, please." Cilla flapped a hand at her. "My phone rang off the hook last night, people who wanted all the gory details. Your mama gave a fine performance, fawning all over him while giving him the third degree."Pepper snorted. "You got that right. I have no idea why he didn't run screaming into the night." She sighed. "I have to agree Mama can be a bit much." And wasn't that just stating the obvious.Cilla giggled. "So did she have the date set, the venue booked, and the guest list done by the time dinner was over?"Pepper filled a

Kyle wondered if he was having too good a time with his erstwhile fiancée. This was all make-believe, right? He was doing her a favor, helping her out. And helping Pepper was not any kind of hardship, especially after last night. Oh, yeah. Last night. He couldn't remember the last time he'd enjoyed sex as much. Or been as affected by it. The emotional impact of it was throwing him for a loop, something he had been unprepared for. How was it possible that, in less than twenty-four hours, he was falling for a woman he'd just met?Yesterday, Pepper had given him a tour of the little town of Bayview, a town that in spite of himself he found charming and appealing. Today, they'd be out on the water, one of his favorite places to be. He already itched to head to the marina. When he and his brothers were kids, his parents had bought a home on Lake Forth, about ninety minutes from Dallas. All of them were free to use it whenever they wanted. Kyle had a boat he kept there, a boat he hadn't see

Remembering the way it had felt the night before, Pepper reached out and closed her fingers around it, stroking the soft skin and feeling the steel hardness beneath it. Kyle groaned and clamped his fingers gently around her wrist."I should have said look, don't touch. Damn, Pepper. You see what you do to me? Let's not rush things."She licked her lips again and nodded. What would he think if she told him she'd never made love - had sex, Pepper; but this isn't just sex - in a shower before?He cupped her breasts in his large, warm palms, squeezing them gently then catching her sensitive nipples between thumbs and forefingers. He locked his gaze with hers, desire swirling in the dark-chocolate pools of his eyes as he teased and toyed with her hardened buds. When he bent his head and pulled one pebbled tip into his mouth, sucking deeply, she felt the tug all the way to her core. The pulse between her thighs thundered in response, and she pressed her legs together to contain it.How d

Kyle followed Pepper out the back door, across the rear lawn, and down to the water's edge where she had lawn chairs set up for guests to use. He hoped they could sit down, but the moment they reached the chairs, she turned and faced him and crossed her arms across her chest."Okay, talk."He explained about his parents, about wanting to open a new division, although he was beginning to think the whole thing was nothing more than a ruse to get him down here to meet Pepper. About his promise to keep this under the radar until he evaluated the situation."But my game plan got a big kink it in right away." He rubbed his jaw. "I wasn't prepared for you.""Really?" She glared at him. "You must have been so excited when I introduced you as my fiancé. The perfect cover. Tell me, was being with me all part of the game, too? Because you were very realistic.""Pepper, no." He spread his hands. "My game plan went out the window the moment you jumped on me and kissed me. I never believed in l