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  chest, savoring the feel and taste and scent of him.

  Heady stuff.

  Her heart was pounding so hard she could feel it echo in every part of her body as she trailed kisses on his skin. His collarbone. A pec. Ribs…His stomach. Oh, how she loved his abs. They quivered as she dragged her lips over them, continuing southbound until finally she was at eye level with the part of him she’d been craving.

  “Callie—”

  She took him into her mouth.

  He gripped the bedding in fists and groaned. Lifting his head, he watched her from dark, heated eyes, his fingers sliding into her hair to hold it back for her. He let her have her way with him for a few minutes, until his hips were moving with her every stroke. Then without warning he pushed her back on the bed and covered her. She could feel him, hard and heavy between her legs, and she’d never wanted anything more. “Now, Tanner. Oh, please, now.”

  But he didn’t move. In fact, he remained so carefully still that she forced her eyes open and stared up at him, hungry and desperate. “Why aren’t you oh-please-nowing me?” she murmured.

  “No condom.” He said this from between his teeth, as if he couldn’t quite believe it himself.

  She blinked and then, as the words sank in, shuddered in disappointment. “Damn it!”

  “I’m sorry,” he murmured, and brushed his mouth along her temple.

  “Don’t guys carry them in their wallets just in case?” she asked.

  He let out a low laugh. “Not this guy. I haven’t had a just-in-case situation in a while.”

  “But this is so unfair! I wanted a one-night stand! I—” She broke off and brightened as she remembered she had a small box of condoms in the bathroom among the stuff she’d brought with her from San Francisco. “Don’t move,” she said, and pushed him off of her to run to the bathroom. Naked and not caring, she dug through the drawers. “Here!” In triumph, she raced back to the bed wielding the box. “Don’t ask,” she said, and jumped back on the bed.

  A quick study, Tanner snatched a condom, protected them both, and then, kneeling on the bed, pulled her to him so that she was straddling his thighs.

  Guiding her hips, he slid in. Deep. Deliciously deep. “Oh,” she said in wondrous surprise, clutching his shoulders. He felt good, so good.

  He rocked into her so that she was taking all of him now, his gaze never leaving hers as both their worlds came apart and then back together again, face to face, skin to skin, heart to heart.

  When he could move, Tanner rolled to his side and pulled Callie in tight, stroking her still-trembling, damp body. “You still with me?”

  “Mm-hmm.” She was practically purring, her face pressed into his throat, her breathing still erratic. “Loved that,” she murmured.

  “Good. Because we’re going to do it again.”

  “Was hoping you would say that,” she said.

  Chapter 16

  Somewhere in those dark, erotic hours, Callie fell back on the bed, gasping for air.

  Next to her Tanner did the same.

  “Holy cow,” she whispered. “We’re going to kill each other.”

  Laughing low in his throat, he entwined their fingers and brought hers to his mouth. “Not a bad way to go.”

  Agreed, she thought, and her smile faded in the dark. “And I meant it before. This changes nothing.”

  “I’m not worried,” he said.

  “Good.” She was no longer upset about what he’d said at the bar. She got it. She really did. After all, she didn’t want this to mean anything either.

  But she knew better. And even though she really had meant it—that this changed nothing—she knew better there too.

  A worry for the morning, she decided. And luckily morning was still hours away. With great effort and a moan she sat up and pulled on the first piece of clothing she came to—Tanner’s shirt—and together they hit her kitchen for sustenance.

  In the harsh fluorescent lighting she ran a hand down her hair, fully aware that she must look like a complete train wreck.

  Tanner caught her hand. “You’re beautiful.”

  She let out a soft, self-conscious laugh.

  “I mean it,” he said. “I like you like this.” He lightly tugged at a strand of her hair. “Hair wild.” He ran his fingers along her jaw. “Relaxed…” He met her gaze. “When your walls are down,” he said, “that’s when I can’t take my eyes off you.”

  She shook her head but he cupped her face, held her gaze, and said her name in that voice that would’ve melted her panties off—if she’d been wearing any. “Callie.”

  “Still don’t want to talk,” she whispered, and then she made them a snack of apple slices, cheese, and crackers.

  And warm chocolate milk.

  Tanner looked at the milk. “TyingTheKnot.com says a romantic late-night snack should include liquor.”

  She sighed. “What did I tell you about reading my site?”

  He flashed a grin that made her want him again. “You’re not practicing what you preach,” he said. “I find that fascinating.”

  “It all leads to heartache and annoyance,” she said, and then winced when his smile faded. “Don’t listen to me,” she said. “I always end up saying things to you that I don’t mean to.”

  He stopped her when she would’ve walked by him. Taking the plate from her hands, he set it down and then drew her in, eyes dark and serious. “I’m sorry I didn’t pay you the attention you deserved in high school,” he said. “I was an asshole.”

  “No, you weren’t.” She moved to grab the plate again but he stopped her.

  Stroking a finger along her temple, her ear, and then her jaw, watching the movement of his touch, he said, “You have a lot to offer, Callie. I don’t like thinking you aren’t going to ever try again to find the right guy.”

  She shook her head, even as something deep inside her quivered. She didn’t know if it was because he clearly meant every word or because she understood he wasn’t talking about himself. Or maybe she was just hungry. “Why does it matter to you?”

  He was quiet a moment. “You matter to me.”

  The words were a little thrill, but they came with some of that pain he’d not wanted to cause her. “Let me get this straight,” she said slowly. “You want me to find a guy. The right guy.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Now?” she asked. “Because I should probably change out of your shirt first.”

  He took her in from head to toe, slowly. “At the risk of sending mixed messages,” he finally said, yanking her into him, “you’re not going anywhere.” He slid his hands beneath the shirt, cupped a cheek in each hand, and hoisted her up until she wrapped her arms and legs around him. He carried her to the bed, which was now minus most of its bedding thanks to their extracurricular activities.

  And oh, holy cow, they’d had some serious extracurricular activities. Like the most amazing extracurricular activities she’d ever had. The night was a bright one, a million stars and a near-full moon bathed them in a light blue glow.

  Tanner went back for the snack plate. When he sat at her side, he set the plate down and pulled the shirt over her head, tossing it to the floor so that they were both once again naked.

  “Hey,” she said, and lifted a hand to cover herself.

  He took that hand in his and brought it to his mouth, his eyes dark as he studied her. “Snacks consumed after midnight have to be consumed naked. It’s a rule.”

  “Where?” she asked. “Where is that a rule?”

  “In the rule book. Damn, Callie,” he said softly, reaching out to feed her a bite of cheese, “you look good in nothing but moonlight.”

  He ran a finger along a red spot at her throat, where he’d buried his face as he’d come. “I marked you.”

  “Oh.” She covered the spot. “It’s okay, I—”

  “You what?”

  “You know exactly how much I liked what we did,” she said, picking up a piece of apple and cheese and stuffing it in h