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  As Joe watched, Veronica closed her eyes again, and again the music changed, the rhythm getting stronger, faster, more insistent. Her dancing, too, became less careful, less contained. Her movements were freer, broader, more powerful.

  More passionate.

  She reached up with both hands and with one swift motion, removed the pins that were holding her hair. It tumbled down around her shoulders, an avalanche of red gold curls.

  Joe’s mouth was dry, and he took a sip of the beer she’d given him.

  Veronica kicked off her high heels, and, as Joe watched, she became the music. She moved to the funky, bluesy instrumental piece, visually capturing every nuance, every musical phrase with her body.

  Her body.

  They hadn’t been lovers for long, but Joe already knew every inch of Veronica’s beautiful body intimately. But seeing her body in motion this way was an entirely new experience. Her dress barely restrained her breasts and they moved with and against the forces of gravity. The black silk slid across her abdomen and thighs, allowing glimpses of the firm muscles and flesh underneath when occasionally it clung for a second or two.

  Veronica made a twisting, writhing motion that was pure sex, pure abandon.

  The long skirt of her dress was no longer moving with her—it was getting in her way.

  This time when she opened her eyes and looked at Joe, she didn’t blush. She smiled—a sweet, hot, sexy smile—and reached behind her for the zipper of her dress. In less than a heartbeat, the dress pooled around her feet, and she was naked—save for a pair of black silk panties. She kicked the dress aside, still dancing, still moving and spinning.

  A thong. She was wearing thong panties, black silk against her skin so creamy and white.

  And still she danced.

  For him.

  I’ve died, Joe thought, and gone to heaven.

  She moved closer to him, smiling at the look he knew damn well was on his face. He was hypnotized. Stupefied. Totally overcome. And extremely aroused.

  Still moving, she held out her hands to him. “Dance with me.”

  It was not an invitation he needed to hear twice. He set his beer on the nearest end table and rose to his feet. And then, God, she was in his arms, moving with him and against him to that bluesy melody.

  Her skin was so smooth, so silky beneath his hands. He touched her everywhere. Her softly rounded bottom, her full breasts, her flat stomach, her long, willowy arms. He was still in his uniform and she was nearly naked, and he had never, never been so turned on in his entire life. They were dancing so close, their legs were intertwined. He could feel the heat between her legs against his thigh. She could surely feel his arousal—she pressed against him, her slow, sexy movement driving him crazy, and the sight of her, nearly naked in his arms, making him throb with need.

  “Ronnie…”

  Somehow she knew that he’d had nearly all he could take. She lifted her mouth to his and kissed him. Joe heard himself groan. He couldn’t get enough of her.

  He felt her fingers unbuckling his belt and swiftly unfastening his pants. And then he was in her hands. It was good, but it wasn’t good enough.

  “Ronnie, I need—”

  “I know.”

  She covered him with a condom she’d procured from God-knew-where, and slipped out of her panties as she kissed him again.

  “Lift me up,” Veronica murmured.

  “Yes,” he breathed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as he ensheathed himself in her wonderful, smooth heat. “Oh, baby…”

  She moved on top of him, against him, with him. She was in his arms, in his heart, in his very soul. This passionate, fiery woman, who could be blazing hot one moment and gently sweet the next, this woman with the sharp sense of humor and quiet touch that hid a will of steel—a will that was ruled by the kindest heart he’d ever known—this was the one woman he’d been waiting for all his life. All the love he’d made, all the women he’d known before, had meant nothing to him. No one had moved him. No one had even come close to holding him. He’d always been able to close the door and walk away from a woman without looking back.

  But there was no way he’d ever be able to walk away from Veronica. Not without leaving his heart behind—ripped from his chest.

  He clung to her, holding her as tightly as she held him, plunging himself deeply into her again and again.

  He loved her. He wanted to tell her, but the words—those three simple little words—didn’t come easily. The truth was, saying them scared him to death. Now, wasn’t that funny? He was a SEAL. He’d faced platoons of enemy soldiers, he’d looked death in the teeth without batting an eye more times than he could count, yet the thought of uttering one very simple sentence made him sweat.

  Ronnie’s fingers were in his hair. Her mouth was covering his face and lips with kisses.

  “Joe,” she breathed, “Joe. I want more—” He moved, backing her up against the wall to anchor her in place, and she tipped back her head. “Yes…”

  Her release was incredible. She cried out as he drove himself into her, giving her all she’d asked for. Her arms tightened around his neck, her fingers clutched him.

  “I love you,” Veronica cried. “Oh, Joe, I love you!”

  Her words pushed him over the edge. She loved him. She really did. He exploded in a blinding white burst of pleasure so exquisite, so pure that the world seem to disintegrate around him.

  Baby, I love you, too.

  19

  Joe slowly became aware of his surroundings.

  Ronnie’s head was resting on his shoulder, her breath warm against his neck. His own forehead leaned against the wall. And his knees were damned shaky.

  He could feel Veronica’s heart beating, hear her soft sigh.

  He didn’t want to move. He’d never made love quite like this in his life, and he didn’t want it to end. Of course, it had ended, but as long as they stayed right here, in this same position, these remarkable feelings could linger on.

  It was, needless to say, incredibly exhilarating. His future looked so different, so much brighter, with Ronnie in the picture. For the first time in his life, Joe found himself actually considering the possibility of having children. Not for a good long time, of course. He wanted Ronnie all to himself for years and years and years. But down the road, making a baby, creating a new life would be exciting in a way he’d never imagined before. Fifty percent him and fifty percent her, with two hundred percent of their love…

  The jeweler’s box he carried in his pocket dug into his ribs and Joe had to laugh. He hadn’t even asked Ronnie to marry him yet, and here he was, practically naming their kids.

  “You didn’t have to say that, you know,” she whispered.

  She lifted her head and lowered herself to the floor. The spell was broken. Or was it? Joe still felt an incredible warmth in his chest. He used to think it felt like a noose, he realized, but now it was a good feeling, a warmth surrounding his heart, giving him an amazing sense of peace and belonging.

  “Didn’t have to say what?” he asked.

  Veronica moved away from him slightly, giving him room to adjust his clothes. She was still naked, but she seemed unaware of that as she gazed at him, concern darkening her blue eyes.

  “You didn’t have to say that you love me, too,” she said.

  Joe froze, hands stilled on the buckle of his belt. Had he actually spoken those words out loud?

  “I’d rather that you be honest with me,” she continued. “Don’t say things you don’t mean. Please?”

  Veronica turned away, unable to continue looking into Joe’s eyes, unable to keep up the brave front. But, bloody hell, here she’d just spoken of being honest…. “The truth is, Joe,” she said, her voice shaking slightly, “I’m going to miss you terribly when you’re gone, and—”

  Joe drew her into his arms, moving with her so they sat on the sofa, Veronica on his lap. “Who says I’m going anywhere?” he asked softly, smoothing h