CHAPTER ONE

 

               The old-fashioned chapel on the Prescott family’s Virginia plantation was an ideal setting for the late September wedding. The sanctuary, decorated with enormous bundles of multi-colored roses, was small, yet perfect for the intimate celebration. Three sets of candelabras glimmered at the altar, each representing one of the Prescott triplets—Sharla, Darla and Carla. Though only two of the sisters would be exchanging vows, they were accustomed to doing everything in threes.

               Strands of gossamer lace adorned the ends of every hand-hewn wooden pew, the drapes drawn into an arch that supported more candles. A late afternoon sun shone through aged but beautiful stained glass windows, bathing the room in a kaleidoscope of muted colors.

               When Carlie stepped through the doors from the vestibule, her breath caught in her throat and her pulse thrummed through her body. She was immediately caught up in a dreamy, romantic mood, transported into a wonderland of sensual pleasure. The smell and beauty of the sanctuary enveloped her, swirling around and inside her, stimulating nerves that were already hypersensitive.

               Performing her duties as Sharla’s bridesmaid, she took her first halting step down the white-carpeted aisle. She’d promised not to rush, so she inhaled a deep, calming breath. Forcing herself to take the slow, measured steps of a traditional wedding march, she soaked up the glorious atmosphere like a sensual sponge.

               Focusing forward, her eyes rested on the three men standing to the pastor’s left. They all looked tall, broad-shouldered and incredibly handsome in their dark tuxedos and pristine white, pleated shirts.

               Sharla’s groom, Reed Connors, nodded to her as their gazes met. He appeared composed and confident as he offered an encouraging smile. He and Sharla were deeply in love and they’d soon be man and wife. Contentment etched his features.

               Next her gaze met the face of Darla’s new husband, Logan Bradford. He also had the look of a deeply contented man. A justice of the peace had married him and Dee, but they planned to renew their vows today following Sharla and Reed’s exchange of vows.

               Lastly, her gaze met with the deep blue of Michael Preston’s eyes, and her steps faltered. Heart fluttering and nerves jangling, she looked into his dark, brooding features. There was nothing relaxed or easy about his expression as his gaze locked with hers. The playful, brotherly affection she’d grown accustomed to had been replaced by an emotion so strong that it momentarily stunned her. He gave her a brief, challenging glimpse of pure sexual hunger, and then abruptly smoothed his features into a calm mask.

               Carlie’s lungs constricted, her pulse racing as blood pounded in her ears, nearly deafening her to the rhythm of the organ music. Michael rarely showed her anything but an amiable, supportive façade. That he would do so now left her feeling rattled. She immediately dragged her gaze from him and forced herself to concentrate on the rest of her procession, even while her senses whirled.

               She was far from innocent, yet still not very sophisticated in the ways of men like her ex-brother-in-law. Michael was normally all teasing charm and machismo. They had quite a history and had spent a lot of time together these past few weeks, yet he’d never given her an inkling of stronger feelings. He’d never hinted at wanting more from their relationship. She must have misread the message in his eyes. It had to be a misunderstanding on her part, just a bridesmaid’s version of wedding jitters.

               As she took her place to the right of the pastor, she fought to calm her nerves, and then turned to watch Dee step through the vestibule doors. They’d chosen the same style of bridesmaid gowns, but in different colors. Dee had chosen a dark turquoise while her choice had been a deep shade of red. The second born of the Prescott triplets looked gorgeous in her off-the-shoulder turquoise silk gown.

               Though identical in looks, Carlie had never felt half as beautiful as her two siblings. Dee had an inner radiance that warmed everything and everyone who came in contact with her. Sharla, the eldest by mere minutes, also had a magnetic personality and supreme self-confidence that enhanced her physical attractiveness.

               The triplet’s allotment of self-confidence seemed to have been divided between the two oldest. Carlie knew she was sadly lacking in that department. She’d never believed herself a complete equal in the triplet triangle, though she’d fight to the death to protect either of her sisters.

               Once Dee had taken her place beside Carlie, the organ music swelled into the bride’s processional. The congregation rose in unison and turned to watch as Sharla entered, escorted by her father. Bear, as he was affectionately called, looked big and burly and proud enough to pop his buttons.

               A collective murmur of awe greeted the bride. Sharla looked like a storybook princess in her layers of silk on satin. Her gown had a high neckline, long lacy sleeves, a snug bodice and full, flowing skirts with an extended train. She’d chosen to wear a traditional veil, and Carlie’s eyes began to water at the sight. She said a silent prayer that her sister’s life would always be filled with love and happiness.

               When Sharla reached the altar, she handed her bouquet to Dee, and all attention turned to the bride and groom. After a brief prayer, Bear placed his daughter’s hand into Reed’s, and then took his place beside his wife. Mama Belle, a true southern belle, dabbed her eyes with a hankie and smiled through a sheen of tears.

               The exchange of vows was short, but Sharla and Reed’s voices were strong and sure. The couple lit a unity candle and then returned to their positions before the altar while the organist played a special musical selection for them. More tears gathered in Carlie’s eyes at the hauntingly beautiful words of the love song, Cherish. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have the love of a man who would cherish her in such a way, but the melody and lyrics made her long for the impossible.

               When the last notes had faded, there were more than a few sniffles to be heard in the chapel as the ceremony proceeded. Dee handed both bouquets to Carlie, then turned and placed her hand in Logan’s. They quietly recited their marital vows, the depths of their commitment to each other unwavering.

               By the end of another set of vows, it was all Carlie could do to hold back a racking sob. Her eyes swam with tears, turning the ceremony into a shimmering, surrealistic scene. She was truly happy for her sisters, yet she felt a deep, choking sense of loss. She wanted only happiness for them, yet today marked the end of an incredibly special relationship they’d shared for twenty-five years. Their lives were being forever altered, and she’d be so very much alone now. A giant fist clutched her heart, and she ached with loneliness even while surrounded by family and friends.

               As the pastor introduced both couples to the congregation, a wave of applause shattered the solemnity of the moment, and Dee turned to her with a worried frown.

               Too late, Carlie realized that Dee had sensed her emotional turmoil. Dee’s extraordinary powers of perception made her intensely aware when her siblings were hurting. Carlie swiftly suppressed her own chaotic emotions and projected a rush of warmth and positive energy toward her sister.

               “I love you,” she whispered as she returned her sister’s bouquet. Dee’s expression relaxed into a satisfied smile and then a fierce hug. Carlie repeated the process with Sharla until everyone was ready to make the return trip down the aisle.

               Reed and Sharla went first, followed more slowly by Dee and Logan. Then Carlie stepped forward to accept Michael’s outstretched arm. She deliberately avoided looking him in the eyes. Her emotions were too raw, her nerves too frayed to cope with more complications right now. Judging by the zing of electrical current that skidded up her arm at the contact, Michael had just become a serious complication. Her heart raced at the thought. Her stomach muscles clenched as he pulled her close to his side. The heat of him warmed her flesh, and the scent of him filled her nostrils. Blood pounded heavily through her veins, but she credited it to her fragile emotions.

               She didn’t need this kind of aggravation, she insisted, silently scolding him as well as herself. She would not become another of Michael Preston’s conquests just because he was between women or feeling dejected by Sharla’s marriage. She had no intention of becoming the playmate of the month. She’d always had a special place in her heart for him, but she never doubted that he was a lady’s man with a roving eye.

               Her brief, disastrous marriage to his big brother had been a nightmare from beginning to end. Hadn’t she learned her lesson the hard way about the Preston mentality? It didn’t bear repeating. A shudder ripped through her at the thought, and she hardened herself to any involuntary responses.

 

CHAPTER TWO

 

               Michael stretched out on the chaise lounge and crossed his arms behind his head. He studied the glistening water of the pool while he retraced the events of the evening. The wedding had gone well, the reception enjoyed by all. There’d been an abundance of food and a free-flowing fountain of champagne. The wedding party and guests had enjoyed every minute.

               Belle had been in the height of glory; ever the genteel lady whose southern hospitality extended to one and all. Bear had been his usual good-natured self, doting on his wife and daughters. Who wouldn’t? They were beautiful, intelligent and independent, yet utterly feminine.

               All the newlyweds had seemed euphoric. Reed and Sharla would be gone for a month-long honeymoon to the south Pacific, a dream vacation that they both deserved. Logan and Darla planned to spend a week in Florida, and then return to their Kentucky home. They’d all been teeming with excitement. It had been after midnight before both couples had taken their leave.

               Now it was nearing two a.m. He’d been invited to spend the night at the Prescott mansion, but he was too restless to sleep. It wasn’t hard to understand the source of his restlessness. Carlie. He’d badly miscalculated her reaction to his simmering need. He shouldn’t have let her glimpse the depth of his desire, but seeing her walk down that aisle had sent his senses into overdrive. It had tapped into a gut-deep well of need, and his reaction had been fierce.

               He wanted to kick himself for panicking her. She’d reacted just as he’d feared and had dodged him all evening. Even though he’d bullied her into sharing one dance, she’d kept herself rigid in his arms and chattered nervously about nothing. He’d spooked her but good.

               He didn’t blame her for being wary. He wasn’t the least bit comfortable with the burning attraction he felt for her, either. He wished he could appease the hunger with another woman, any woman, but he knew better than that now. Sometimes he wished he’d never met her, never fallen in love with her, and never introduced her to Bill. Then he wouldn’t have lost her to his brother, wouldn’t have had to stand aside and watch him destroy her fragile confidence and her faith in men.

               Water under the bridge, he thought, as he stared at the lights glittering just below the surface of the pool. He couldn’t change the past. He had no desire to suffer through loving anyone again. But he desperately wanted to make love with Carlie, if for nothing else but to get her out of his system once and for all. She obviously didn’t share his feelings or she wouldn’t have given him the cold shoulder tonight.

               Michael watched as the lighted windows of the mansion slowly went dark. The family had retired to their rooms earlier, but he’d decided to do a few laps in the pool. He needed to burn off some powerful physical frustration. As the balmy night air wafted over his damp body, his blood finally began to cool.

               Then Carlie appeared, as though his longing had conjured her. She stepped from the darkened patio onto the pool deck. Bathed in moonlight, her blond hair, pale skin and blood-red dress became beacons of color against the night sky. Damn, but she looked hot in that red. Heat surged through him again in a rush of primitive hunger, warming his cooled flesh.

               He was too deep in the shadows for her to see him, but his muscles went tight as he watched her move closer to the pool. She raised an arm and sipped at a flute of champagne. She’d been sipping all night, but he didn’t know how much she’d actually had to drink. He’d never seen Carlie drunk, so he watched carefully for any reckless, telltale actions.

               His gaze followed her movements as she tilted her head back and swallowed the last of her drink. The pale, creamy flesh of her neck and shoulders riveted his attention. He wanted his mouth on her long, slender throat, on the enticing cleavage of her breasts. He wanted his mouth and lips and tongue on every inch of her body, from head to toe. He swallowed hard, watching and wanting her with every fiber of his being. The need to touch and taste and sate himself in her was so intense that he shook with it.

               After setting the empty flute on a nearby table, she lifted her arms and began to pull the pins from her upswept hairdo. Every nerve in Michael’s body sprung to life. Pleasure warred with common sense. Part of him wanted to see her strip and dive into the water. Another part of him wondered if she’d had too much to drink.

               Calm down, he mentally warned himself. Either way, he’d be close to offer protection. In the meantime, he’d just enjoy watching her every sexy move.

               Hairpins fell to the concrete and Carlie slowly shook her head, loosening the heavy tresses until they swung to her shoulders. The blatantly sensual action sent the blood pooling in Michael’s groin. The desire he’d kept in check for so long suddenly throbbed into a full-fledged erection. It strained against the thin covering of his boxers. He pressed a palm against it, but that didn’t ease the aching need.

               He continued to watch, mesmerized, as Carlie reached behind her for the zipper of her dress. A gentleman would have stopped her right then, but all thoughts of chivalry vanished as the silk slowly loosened, then drifted down her body, baring full, rounded breasts with fat, rosy nipples.

               His breath got caught in his throat, his pulse throbbing in his loins as her gown slid past her narrow waist. It hitched briefly on rounded hips and he tensed even more. Then she did a gentle little shimmy that sent the dress downward and his blood pressure skyrocketing.

               She stepped over the puddle of red silk and moved closer to the shallow steps of the pool. His gaze riveted on the soft sway of her breasts and heat surged through him like a lightning bolt. Then he glanced down to the tiny triangle of red cloth at the juncture of her thighs. The part of him that desperately hungered for its feminine counterpart strained against confinement, surging and throbbing with demand.

               Tonight, she was his and only his. No more games. Forget the past and all the emotional baggage. He’d already waited an eternity, wanted for even longer. Tonight the wanting had become a desperation that transcended the physical. He’d make her want him. He intended to have her.

               As she took the first step into ankle-deep water, he rose from his chair, alerting her to his presence. She halted, staring in his direction until he moved close enough for her to recognize him. He thought he saw her shiver, but she didn’t make any attempt to cover herself. That alone convinced him she must have had too much to drink.

               She stood proud and beautiful as he approached. “Michael.”

               His name sounded breathless and unbelievably sexy off her lips. It rolled over his body like a velvet kiss; making him tremble like the inexperienced teenager he’d been when they first met.

               “Carlie.” He returned her quiet greeting, his tone declaring a wealth of desire he no longer wanted to deny.

               She glanced at the water, then back to him. “You’ve been swimming?”

               He nodded, wanting to feast on the sight of her, but unable to drag his gaze from her delicate features. She searched his face and they stared at each other for a long, pregnant moment. Then she shifted her attention to his chest and lower. Michael felt his erection pulsate at the intensity of her perusal.

               “The water’s warm, but you’ve had a lot to drink,” he cautioned.

               She didn’t argue the point. “I’m not going to swim. I’m just too keyed up to sleep, and I thought the water might help me relax.” She took another step deeper, the water to her knees.

               Michael stepped into the pool beside her. He went down all four steps until he was waist deep, then he reached out his arms for her. Carlie hesitated briefly, staring into his eyes for a long minute before she slowly slid into his embrace. His flesh was cool, and the warmth of her breasts seared him. Her nipples were hard and hot, poking him and sending fiery surges of sensation throughout his body.

               The arms she clasped around his neck were soft, warm and supple. The feel of her body against his brought every nerve ending to stinging awareness. His legs trembled, and he knew he had to get a grip. He locked his arms around her waist, turned and sat down on a wide step, easing them slowly deeper. Then Carlie’s soft thighs were straddling his lap, and he felt the heat of her body pressing against his arousal. He accepted her weight with a guttural moan of satisfaction.

               “You’re exquisite,” he whispered roughly.

               She hesitated briefly, and then seemed to come to a decision. “You say that to all the women.” She chided, but didn’t withdraw. Leaning forward, she began to nibble on his chin. His body sang with pleasure. She wasn’t going to fight the attraction any more, and fire licked through him at the knowledge.

               At first, her teeth nipped him with gentle reprimand, but then her lips began a tentative exploration of his cheeks and jaw. When she lapped at his skin with her tongue, Michael moaned. He closed his eyes as he savored the moist caress while denying her accusation.

               “There are no other women.”

               She made a disbelieving sound, but he wasn’t interested in squabbling with her. He had better things to do with his mouth—like scattering kisses along the smooth sweep of her jaw line, down her throat and across her neck. She smelled of roses, and he inhaled deeply, intoxicated by her scent. Her taste was as sweet and delicious as he’d known it would be. His heart nearly exploded in his chest when she captured his mouth with her own, offering him her tongue in a deep, exploratory kiss.

               She tasted of champagne and forbidden fruit. She kissed him with uncharacteristic abandon, but he was too far gone to complain. He returned her kisses with swiftly mounting passion. He suspected she’d drowned her inhibitions with alcohol, but he didn’t want to think about right or wrong or the possible consequences of making love to Carlie at her most vulnerable.

               Michael knew she was hurting, even though she was making a valiant attempt to play the swinging single tonight. Her safe little world had shattered with her sisters’ wedding. He ached for her, but was glad something had finally forced her out of her safe little cocoon. She was emotionally and physically vulnerable, and he was too needy to resist for both of them.

               “Trust me,” he ground out against her mouth as they gasped for breath. “I swear I’ll satisfy all that pent up desire,” he promised, pressing hard little kisses against her lips before thrusting his tongue deeply into her mouth.

               He wanted her with a desperation that superseded conscience and concern. He’d wanted too long, hungered too fiercely to rebuff the long-awaited fantasy. When she began to boldly suck his tongue, his body bucked, his hips arching upward to seek more of her heat.

               Tightening his grip on her slim body, he clutched her closer. He wanted to hold her and kiss her for hours, but their bodies were both straining for deeper satisfaction. Dragging his mouth from the sweet seduction of hers, he leaned back slightly, pulling her further up his chest. Then he spread hot, hungry kisses across her neck and shoulders before lifting her high enough to target her breasts.

               “Michael!” she cried out as he captured a taut, pouting nipple with his mouth and bathed the hard bud with his lips and tongue.

               He loved the deep, throaty sound of his name on her lips; loved the way she moaned and arched her back to give him better access. He loved the way her hands locked in his hair, her fingers clutching and drawing him closer. He loved the ripe softness of her breasts and the diamond hard stiffness of each nipple as he teased and tasted.

               The evidence of her arousal escalated his need to a fever pitch. His body was on fire, his erection throbbing with impatience, but he wanted so much more from her. He wanted to make sure she’d never forget his personal brand of satisfaction. He fought to contain his own desire while driving hers even higher. Sliding a hand over the curve of her hip, he let his fingers explore the softness of her thighs and then dipped them into her sexy panties.

               The nipple in his mouth grew more taut. He felt her keening moan as it rumbled from deep in her throat. Fire scorched him everywhere their bodies touched, and he had to drag his mouth from her breasts long enough to draw in a calming breath. Fighting for control, he stroked the sensitive flesh beneath the damp silk until her grip on his hair grew painful. She rocked against him in feminine demand, and he increased the pressure and tempo of his caresses while sucking at her breast.

               Her fire burned him, stroking his passion higher as he stroked her higher. When he felt her muscles start to contract, he tipped his head and watched her face as she reached the pinnacle. Her body shuddered, her grip on his hair relaxing as her features took on an expression of sublime satisfaction. His lungs contracted and a hard fist locked around his heart. She was the most incredible woman he’d ever known, and it humbled him to know he could not only arouse, but give her such pleasure.

               Michael gathered her close as she went limp. She was all woman, all soft, shapely woman in his arms, trembling in the aftermath of release. He held her close and gently rubbed her back while she came down from the physical high. He adored her, but he wasn’t fool enough to believe the physical satisfaction would lead to something more. It was enough right now to have breached some of her protective armor.

               Carlie mumbled something against his chest. He couldn’t make out the words, but he grumbled when she started to shift off his lap. Then he felt her hot mouth on his chest and eased his grip. In response, she found one of his nipples and tugged at it with her teeth, sending a shudder over him.

               “Easy, sweetheart.” His voice was gruff, his throat tight and his body strung taut. “I don’t have any protection with me.” As badly as he wanted to sink himself in her heat, he wouldn’t take that kind of risk.

               She either didn’t hear his rough whisper or chose to ignore it. Sliding further down his body, she explored him by licking, sucking and kissing until he was a trembling mass of need. When she teased his naval with a stabbing tongue, Michael shifted restlessly. Throwing his head back, he stretched his arms behind him for support. He gazed at the star-studded sky and tried to concentrate on something besides her seductive caresses. His control hung by a thread, but he refused to embarrass himself by losing it.

               Then she slid further into the shallow water, tugging his boxers down and freeing his straining erection. A strangled groan escaped his throat; his whole body clenching as she slid underwater and took him into her mouth. Her hair splayed and floated just on the surface of the water while her lips, teeth and tongue caressed him with arousing thoroughness. The contrast of cool water and feverish flesh sent waves of sensation washing over him. Too soon he lost the battle for control, his body convulsing in a rush of spine-tingling release.

               For a few minutes, he couldn’t think or breathe or so much as twitch a muscle.

               He couldn’t do anything but feel.

               From somewhere he found the strength to reach out and drag Carlie up his trembling body. She crawled over his chest, leaving a trail of cool, wet kisses along the way. Then she buried her face in the crook of his neck while they both fought to control their staggered breathing.

               “You’re amazing,” he whispered against the dampness of her hair. He smoothed some of the water from the thick tresses with one hand, but kept the other arm securely locked around her.

               She made a noise of disagreement, but he shushed her. He wouldn’t allow her to belittle herself. His brother had done a number on her confidence, but Michael thought she was perfect.

               The air felt good against Michael’s heated flesh, but as their bodies cooled, Carlie began to shiver. He wrapped her in his arms and held her tightly. When strength returned to his muscles, he pulled his legs from the water and slid up to the deck.

               “How about an invitation to spend the night?” He murmured into her ear, hoping, while bracing himself for rejection.

               “My room’s warm and comfy,” she replied huskily, nibbling on the vein in his throat.

               Goosebumps that had nothing to do with the air shivered over Michael’s body. His chest heaved in relief while his blood began to pump with renewed arousal. He wanted more. The next time they made love, he wanted it to be in a bed, with protection and the freedom to claim her in the most basic fashion. He wanted to make her a part of him. He wanted to be a part of her.

               “Grab your dress,” he suggested gruffly, rising to his feet and pulling Carlie with him. She swayed slightly when she leaned over to get her gown, and he quickly swept her into his arms. He moved toward the lounge chair and had her grab his tuxedo trousers, as well. She clutched their clothes, and he tightened his hold on her. For a long minute, they stared at each other, each searching, but wary. Then he carried her across the patio toward her private suite of rooms.

               “Bathroom?” he asked once they’d entered her dark apartment.

               Carlie tossed aside their clothes and pointed past the living room toward her bedroom. Michael carried her through both rooms to a small bathroom on the other side. She reached for a switch and bathed them in light. Surrounded by the scent and feel of her, he sucked in a deep breath and held her gaze. Relief washed through him at her calm expression. She didn’t seem alarmed or annoyed by his actions, just oddly curious. Most importantly, she wasn’t denouncing what they’d just shared. He knew she didn’t think him capable of a serious relationship, but he wanted the chance to prove her wrong.

               “How about a shower?” he asked, dropping a tender kiss on her lips.

               She opened her mouth and invited him deeper, coaxing his tongue with the teasing flick of hers. He moaned, responding immediately; and thrust deeply to savor her taste and texture. He couldn’t believe how fast she made his head spin and his blood boil. His desire, just sated, surged to life again. He wanted more, but was determined to take it slow and easy, to take pleasure in every second.

               He broke off the kiss long enough to let Carlie slide down his body, and then he quickly adjusted the water taps before pulling her back into his arms for another kiss. Her body was a perfect fit against his, her breasts pressing against his chest, her hips nestling in the cradle of his thighs. She felt exquisite and tasted even better. They kissed, their desire steadily escalating as steam swirled around them like a lover’s cloak.

               “Shower,” he muttered against her mouth, trying to check his passion before it raged completely out of control again.

               In response, Carlie writhed against him in impatient feminine demand. She locked her mouth on his and kept her arms locked around his neck. They kissed, slow and long and deep, until they were forced to drag air into tortured lungs. In the next instant, he’d shed his boxers and rid her of the tiny panties.

               Chest heaving, muscles clenched, Michael slid a hand under her rump and lifted her against him while he stepped into the shower stall. The spray pounded his back as he backed her against the wall, protecting her from the worst of the water’s sting. He grabbed her hands and drew them over his shoulders, putting a little distance between them. Then he reached for some nearby shower gel and filled his hands.

               He watched Carlie’s expression as he smoothed the slick, soft soap over her cheeks and down her throat. Her eyes dilated when his hands cupped her breasts, weighing them in his palms. He kneaded the incredibly soft flesh, using this thumbs to tease the nipples while watching her features tauten with arousal.

               “You like that?” His whisper was rough.

               “Mmm…“ she murmured, tipping her head backward and closing her eyes.

               “Don’t,” he growled softly, insistently. He tugged at her nipples. “Don’t shut me out. Let me see you.”

               Carlie lifted her long, spiky-wet eyelashes and stared directly into his eyes. His heart thudded in a heavy cadence. Heat and desire spiral between them like a rapidly escalating storm. Shifting to let the water wash the soap from her breasts, he went down on his knees to take a nipple into his mouth.

               She trembled violently. Matching shudders racked his body. Rolling first one nipple and then the other with his tongue, he took his time adoring every feminine inch of her. He licked water from her navel and scattered kisses over her abdomen. When his caresses settled between her thighs, she made a harsh sound of excitement and dug her nails into shoulders.

               “Michael! I’ve never“

               Deep, male satisfaction arced through him. Carlie was the only woman who’d ever made him feel savagely possessive and territorial. He’d nearly lost his mind when she married Bill. He’d learned to live with the fact, but he desperately wanted to give her something more special than she’d ever known.

               He braced them both with his forearms bracketing her hips, and then shifted one of her legs over his shoulder, wanting to get even closer. She anchored herself with fists full of his hair while he adored her with his teeth and tongue until she quivered and moaned in satisfaction.

               As her body went limp, Michael held her in his arms until she quieted again. He didn’t think he’d ever tire of having her so close. She felt incredible.

               When the water began to cool, he let go of her long enough to shut off the taps. Next, he treated them both to a slow towel drying with soft, fluffy towels. Carlie’s damp hair had the look of dark gold. Her eyes glittered with a hazy, sensual pleasure. Her skin held a blushed, rosy glow that enticed him to touch and taste some more. Her lips looked so kiss-swollen and irresistible that he had to stop every few minutes and pamper them with his mouth.

               The whole process had him rigidly aroused and needy long before he carried her back to the bedroom.

               “Please tell me you have a condom stashed around here somewhere,” he begged gruffly as he deposited her onto crisp cotton sheets.

               Carlie smiled, then nodded toward the bedside stand. Michael left her long enough to switch on a small lamp.

               “There are a couple in the top drawer, but they’re old. I don’t know how safe they are,” she murmured.

               He pulled open the drawer and ran a hand through the contents until he found the small packets. The familiar style and packaging had him stiffening. He shot a glance at the exquisitely naked woman stretched out in bed.

               Keeping his tone carefully neutral, he asked, “How old are they?”

               Her beautiful eyes stared directly into his, her expression slightly challenging. “They were Bill’s.”

               Every muscle in Michael’s body clenched with fury. Resentment raged through him with a force that shattered his breath, bombarding him with a rush of fierce, unexpected emotion. Jealousy, vicious and blinding, reared its ugly head and destroyed his arousal in one swift, electrifying jolt. He crushed the condoms in his fist, needing an outlet for his temper and feeling like ripping something to shreds. Then he strode to the bathroom and flushed them down the toilet. After taking some deep, harsh breaths, he mentally warned himself to get a grip. He lectured himself as he returned to the bedside, but the tremors still shook his body.

               “That was stupid,” Carlie whispered softly, her gaze raking him with gentle reprimand.

               He agreed. Flushing the evidence of Bill’s existence in her life wouldn’t solve a thing. It only ensured that they couldn’t make love tonight. He’d penalized himself, but his reaction had been prompted by emotion, not common sense. The thought of his brother making love to Carlie made him physically ill.

               He clenched his hands into fists at his sides, wishing for something else to crush. Something to stem the flow of his frustration. “Stupid, but necessary.”

               “You can’t change the past, Michael,” she whispered, pulling a sheet over her slender body.

               The action caused another surge of primitive emotion. He hated for her to put barriers of any kind between them, yet he knew better than to crawl into bed with her. He felt too raw, too needy, and too vulnerable. The desire to claim her in the most elemental fashion was too strong.

               “I don’t have to dwell on it, either.”

               “There’s no need to feel intimidated by your big brother’s legendary prowess,” she mumbled, her eyelids drooping.

               Michael stared at her in disbelief. He was trembling with frustration, and she was taunting him? Worse yet, she was conking out on him.

               Carlie’s body went completely slack, her voice fading as she drifted toward sleep. “It’s no contest,” she murmured. “You were incredible.”

               The softly spoken words were a balm to his badly bruised ego. Her compliment calmed him some until he remembered all the champagne she’d sipped throughout the evening. How much had she actually drunk? Was it just the alcohol talking? Had it been responsible for her feeling so incredible?

               The thought had him clenching his teeth so hard his jaw threatened to snap. He paced across the room, snatched up his trousers, and shoved his legs into them with far more force than necessary. The hell with his wet boxers. He’d leave them as a reminder in case she tried to deny what they’d shared.

 

CHAPTER THREE

 

               On Sunday afternoon, Carlie woke to her first experience with a hangover. She took aspirin, but they refused to stay on her stomach long enough to help. The pounding headache and bouts of dry heaves did little except keep her mind off Michael. At least for a few minutes of each hour. Despite parts of her body feeling battered by the effects of alcohol, other parts throbbed with the memory of his remarkable loving.

               Bill might have a reputation as a great lover, but he couldn’t hold a candle to his baby brother. All she’d ever shared with her ex-husband was fast, furious sex. Making love with Michael could very well have spoiled her for any other man. His sensitivity and slow, thorough loving had been incredible.

               And she’d told him that. She vaguely remembered telling him he’d been incredible. A blush warmed her whole body every time she thought of it—of the intimacy. Michael had explored her from head to toe with a thoroughness that shocked, yet thrilled her. It had been a horrendous mistake to encourage him, yet Carlie knew she would always treasure the memory.

               Once the bridal parties and guests had left the house last night, she’d felt more alone and bereft than she’d ever felt in her life, and that was saying a lot. Michael had filled the horrendous void. He’d filled the emptiness in her with enough passion to make her feel wanted and needed—alive and sexy and special.

               She’d wanted more. She’d wanted to spend hours exploring his buff, gorgeous body. She loved the steely strength of muscles beneath firm, masculine flesh. She loved the way his masculine hardness coupled with her feminine softness. With the help of several glasses of champagne, she’d managed to ignore all the doubts and simply enjoy. She’d fantasized about abandoning herself to a man who knew how to treat a woman. Michael had certainly filled the bill. Though they hadn’t actually had intercourse, they’d certainly made love.

               He’d been her first and last one-night-stand, she mused, but he’d been a perfect one. With the wedding over, he’d disappear from their lives for a while. He’d followed in his brother’s footsteps and become a commercial pilot, so his normal schedule kept him criss-crossing the country. She wouldn’t have to worry about facing him any time soon. By the time he showed up again, Saturday night’s events would be old history.

               She’d gotten him out of her bed by gently bruising his ego. Now she just had to find a way to get him out of her mind.

CHAPTER FOUR

 

               By Monday, Carlie had recovered from the stress of the wedding and the physical effects of too much champagne. She felt rested and ready to face her hectic schedule. As cargo hauler for the family air service, she’d been especially busy since the horror of September 11. Their customer base had tripled with people who didn’t want to risk using the bigger airlines. Now that Sharla was honeymooning, they’d be more understaffed and overworked.

               She showered quickly, wondering how long it would take to wipe out the memory of Michael sharing the same small space. The memory of his intimate seduction kept intruding on her thoughts; nagging her with too-vivid images and not-so-easily dismissed responses to those reminders. She actually ached with longing, a totally new and unwelcome circumstance for her.

               A touch of makeup and a couple twists of the curling iron completed her morning ritual. She and her sisters had been blessed with thick, easily managed hair. Hers swung to her shoulders in a smooth curtain. As long as she kept it and the wispy bangs professionally trimmed, it didn’t require much time or attention.

               Within an hour of waking, she’d dressed in her standard one-piece jumpsuit and headed for the Prescott family airfield. There was just a nip of autumn in the air, and she inhaled deeply. The sun was already shining brightly, so they were in for another warm, brilliant day. Just the thought improved her spirits.

               As she crossed the tarmac toward the main hanger, she caught glimpse of her dad deep in conversation with younger, slimmer, dark-haired man. A frown creased her brow. The second man had his back to her, but he was wearing the familiar Prescott flight suit. All the little hairs on her body began to tingle as the man slowly turned at her approach. Her stride slowed.

               “Good morning, daughter,” teased Bear. They had a long-standing joke about him not being able to tell the triplets apart, so he greeted them all as daughter.

               Carlie stepped closer and gave her dad a kiss on the cheek. “Good morning, Daddy. She greeted the other man with wariness. “Michael.” A slow heat coiled through her as his gaze lingered on her features. Her skin tingled with remembered sensations. She did her best to ignore the sensual jolt of facing him for the first time after what they’d shared.

               “I thought you were long gone. Why the Prescott flight suit? Did the airline lose the rest of your luggage?”

               Even before her dad could explain, a frisson of alarm started swirling through her body. Her eyes widened as she stared at Michael. His jaw tightened at her reaction.

               “Mike’s agreed to help us with the backlog of flights,” explained Bear. “He’s a godsend with business so hectic and Sharla gone.”

               Carlie withstood Michael’s penetrating gaze without flinching, but the tension between them escalated another notch. She could tell that he wanted her to be happy to have him aboard. She wasn’t.

               “That’s nice, but we’re not in the same league as your commercial employer. There’s no way we can match your regular pay or flexible schedule.”

               “I don’t have a regular pay,” he explained coolly, his eyes watchful. “The airline laid off more than half their staff and the other half had a lot more seniority than me. I was facing the unemployment lines until Bear offered me a job.”

               Panic clutched at Carlie’s throat, nearly strangling her. She fought to drag in air and deal with the unexpected shock. She knew they desperately need help, but the idea of working with him every day was just too much to handle. She’d hoped he would conveniently disappear from her life. How in the world would she cope?

               “Mike’s going to fly Sharla’s schedule with a mix of short charters and the big cargo plane since you prefer the smaller one. It won’t be as big as he’s used to handling, but it’s close enough that he shouldn’t have much trouble adjusting. He’s getting ready to take it up, but I wanted you to tag along the first time,” said Bear.

               Carlie felt another instant of panic. She didn’t want to be crammed in a cockpit with Michael. Not today, not ever. Her body was still too sensitive to the sight of him, the sound of his voice and the attraction that fairly sizzled between them even in the cold light of day.

               “Don’t I have my own flight scheduled this morning?” she demanded.

               “Since you’re early, you’ve got an hour or so. That’s plenty of time to make sure Mike is comfortable with the cargo bus. We just finished the pre-flight check, so it’s ready to roll.”

               Carlie licked her lips. She wanted to offer more arguments, but nothing sane or practical came to mind. Bear took their agreement for granted and headed back into the hangar, leaving them alone.

               “I take it you’re not too pleased to have me on staff,” said Michael. “Had you hoped I’d disappear like a bad headache?”

               More heat crept up her neck, and she had to shift her gaze from the intensity of his. Too easily, he read her thoughts. He was altogether too wise and knowing when it came to women and their reactions. She was woefully inept when it came to dealing with men, especially one as experienced as him. The disadvantage fueled her frustration.

               “Saturday night was a mistake,” she finally managed, though her voice lacked conviction. Turning, she strode toward the plane they needed to board, mumbling to him over her shoulder. “We were both a little too drunk and feeling especially needy. We gave in to temptation, but that’s the beginning and end of it.”

               “Just for the record,” he interjected as he followed her across the tarmac. “I wasn’t the least bit drunk. I knew exactly what I was doing every second I spent with you. We were dynamite together, and I’m not interested in brushing it off like it never happened.”

               Heat curled through Carlie like smoke, sneaking into every secret crevice. Her pulse quickened and so did her stride. His tone and words reached deep inside of her and she felt her senses responding to the husky reminder of what they’d shared. Her hands grew damp, the rest of her body flushed with arousal.

               This wouldn’t do. Not at all. She couldn’t work with him and get aroused every time he spoke to her. There had to be a way to call a halt to the situation before it got too far out of hand. She had to find a way to get their relationship back on a strictly platonic level.

               “You’ve met the challenge, Michael, and came out ahead. You got what you wanted and now the game’s over,” she insisted as she stopped and stared directly into his handsome face. “I’ve never been anything more than a trophy in your ongoing rivalry with Bill. You’re both too self-centered to give a damn about what I really want, and I’m taking myself out of the competition. I’m not playing anymore.”

               For an instant, he seemed too shocked to respond. Carlie turned and started to climb into the passenger side of the cockpit, but Michael grabbed her and whirled her around to face him again. She felt the anger coursing from his body to hers, and felt a brief instant of panic. Then she stiffened her spine. No man would ever physically intimidate her again.

               “You are way off base, lady.” His tone was a dangerously low growl. She shifted from his touch, relieved when he didn’t try to overpower her.

               “Don’t throw my brother or his inadequacies in my face, and don’t think I’ll let you wedge him between us. I was interested long before you met Bill. You’re the one who created the competition.”

               She couldn’t believe he had the nerve to chastise her after all this time. He hadn’t done or said anything to keep her from marrying Bill. He’d seemed almost happy to be rid of her. “You’re saying I’m at fault for picking the wrong brother?”

               “It sure as hell wasn’t my decision,” he snapped.

               “You sure as hell didn’t challenge it then.”

               “What should I have done? Grovel? When you were all dewy-eyed and panting after the older, more experienced brother?”

               Carlie gasped at the insult, even though it held some truth. She wanted to argue that she hadn’t been ridiculously stupid, but they both knew better. Much to her shame, she’d been head over heels in lust with Bill—his looks, his charm and his reputation. She’d been in love with the idea of marrying the superman she’d thought him to be. It embarrassed her to remember how naively ignorant she’d been.

               “His sexual prowess had nothing to do with it.”

               “Sure. That’s why you never gave me a second thought after I introduced the two of you. The hell with competition. There was none.”

               Carlie blushed because she knew he was right. She’d treated him badly back then, but she’d never realized he held a grudge. He’d always offered her friendship and respect, if distantly. It hurt to learn the truth; that he harbored such negative feelings toward her all these years.

               “So Saturday night was your chance to get even?” she asked, hoping he’d attribute the tremor in her voice to anger. “Instead of being a trophy, I offered a little vengeance?”

               Michael glared at her and swore viciously. She took a step backward. Never having been the receiving end of his temper, she wasn’t sure what to expect. His brother hadn’t hesitated at physical abuse.

               Noting her reaction, Michael reached out a hand, which she quickly dodged. His expression turned even more grim.

               “I don’t hit women,” he snarled.

               “I’m glad to hear it,” she whispered. Her throat clogged with emotion as lingering fear, regret, and frustration churned inside of her.

               She couldn’t know what she looked like at that minute, but either her tone or her expression drained the anger from Michael. He turned, raked a hand through his hair and sighed deeply. When he confronted her again, his features were a mask of control.

               “I am not my brother,” he said, enunciating each word slowly and carefully. “I may not be Mr. Perfect and I have my own faults, but I won’t be held responsible for his weaknesses. I’ve never hit a woman in my life. I’m not the womanizer you think I am, and I’m not competing with him for anything. Got that? Nothing. What’s between you and me is strictly between you and me. He has nothing to do with it.”

               “Then why did you get so angry when you found his condoms?” she asked in a wary whisper.

               Michael dragged his hand through his hair again. Carlie watched the thick, inky waves part and then curl back into natural order. Her fingers tingled with remembered sensation, but she shoved aside the memory.

               He didn’t look at her when he replied. “Because I was as jealous as hell, okay? It didn’t matter whether they belonged to Bill or some other man.”

               Bill had been the jealous sort, too. He hadn’t loved her, but he’d considered her his personal possession. If another man flirted with her or showed too much interest, he’d been livid. He’d blamed her and directed his anger at her. Michael had taken his anger out on the condoms, but she had to wonder if she’d take the brunt once he tired of smashing inanimate objects.

               “So the anger had nothing to do with your brother?”

               “Only by bringing him between us when that’s the last thing I wanted,” he said, facing her again.

               Carlie took a slow, deep breath. She needed to get some control over her haywire hormones and try to think more clearly. There was no doubt about Prescott’s need for another pilot and Michael was more than qualified. If they were going to work together, they had to find a way to get past their personal problems and reestablish a nonphysical relationship. She needed to get tough and professional, but she heard herself saying:

               “You could have used the condoms to wipe him completely out of our lives.”

               He stared at her for a long moment, gauging her seriousness. “If I believed that for a minute, I’d tear up the plumbing and salvage the damn things.”

               The fierce sincerity of his comment brought a genuine smile. She offered it to him in the way of an olive branch. “I don’t know how effective they’d be after a dip in the sewer.”

               His expression softened, too, and a humorous gleam entered his eyes. “You were passing out on me anyway.”

               “I was not.”

               “Yes you were. You did.”

               Carlie lifted a haughty brow, knowing he was right yet refusing to let him win the verbal battle. “Are you going to fly this thing today or not?” She turned toward the cockpit, but Michael stilled her again with a touch on the arm. His expression had gone from light to darkly intense again in the span of seconds. It took her a moment to absorb the change. Then she understood with his next question.

               “Are you still in love with him?”

               Her heart thudded at the intimacy of his query. She didn’t love Bill. What she’d felt had been lust and a big dose of hero worship. He’d quickly taught her the folly of thinking him a hero, but she didn’t want to admit that. She didn’t want to encourage Michael, nor would she lie to him. It was hard to know how to respond.

               Her hesitation made his expression go grim again.

               She’d planned to alienate his affections, but perversely didn’t want anyone to think she still had feelings for her ex-husband. “Our marriage is history. It has been for years.”

               His tone didn’t soften. “That’s not what I asked.”

               “I’m not in love with anyone,” she finally snapped with impatience, wondering why she felt guilty about angering him. It wasn’t her job to keep him happy or make him privy to her innermost emotions. “I don’t want or need a man in my life. I tried to make that clear, but you deliberately ignored me. It’s not my fault if you don’t like what you discover.”

               “Oh, I like what I discovered, all right,” he smoothly insinuated. “Right up to the part where I found the condoms and you passed out. Maybe we should just forget that part and pick up where we left off in the bathroom.”

               Carlie’s breathing faltered at the reminder. “Maybe we’d better get to work if we’re going to get anything done today.” She turned abruptly and climbed the ramp into the plane. Michael followed, brought the ramp into the belly of the plane and secured it. In a matter of moments, she’d settled into the co-pilot’s seat, and he’d taken the controls.

               The flight was brief but tension-filled. She tried to concentrate on the brilliant blue sky, the beautiful patchwork world beneath them and the functioning of the plane, but her concentration shattered every time she glanced at Michael. His hands fascinated her, so confidant, so strong and sure. He asked an occasional question, but his attention never wavered from the job.

               This was an aspect of his life that she’d never really considered. She’d known him as a high school pal, a flirtatious rogue, and a teasing brother-in-law. Saturday night, she’d gotten a sample of him as a lover, but she really didn’t know much about the man beneath the charming façade.

               His piloting skills were exemplary. It didn’t surprise her that he was certified to fly a variety of aircraft. He seemed as comfortable with the controls as Sharla, and she was one of the best. Sharla’s natural affinity with planes was rare, but Michael had the same extraordinary connection with the aircraft.

               She assumed he’d become a pilot to follow in Bill’s footsteps because they’d always been so competitive. She’d never given him credit for being a talented professional in his own right. Nobody could be as accomplished without dedication and a passion for their work. It offered new insights to his character. He was an intriguing, complex man. One she realized she didn’t know at all.

               Carlie knew her own skills were competent, but not exceptional. That’s why she preferred piloting cargo rather than people. She didn’t want the responsibility of passenger’s lives in her hands. It made her all the more awed by Michael’s ease in handling the plane. By the time he brought them back to the airstrip, she knew the commercial airline’s loss was Prescott’s gain. Despite the emotional upheaval he’d caused her, he’d be an asset to their staff.

               Once they’d touched down and unfastened their belts, he turned to her, his expression solemn.

               “Did I pass inspection?”

               Carlie dropped her gaze to the earphones in her hands. “I don’t have Dee’s teaching skills, but I’d say you passed with flying colors.”

               “So you don’t mind if I work for the family?” he asked, lifting her chin with a gentle finger and forcing her to look directly at him.

               “We badly need help. Bear’s licensed, but his health isn’t great.”

               “That’s not what I asked. You have a habit of dodging direct answers to my questions.”

               He was pushing again. Forcing her to verbalize her feelings and impressions. He didn’t want her hedging. Wouldn’t allow her to hide behind her safe little wall of detachment.

               The tension shimmered around them, adding to the heat of the small cockpit. “You’re a good pilot and an asset to any company. I’ll be happy to have you aboard as long as we don’t confuse our professional lives with our personal ones.”

               His eyes were the most incredible blue, she mused, a rich shade that rivaled the clear blue of the sky. The color seemed to deepen while she stared into their beautiful depths.

               “I know how to separate my professional and private lives. I’m willing to keep things in perspective if you’re willing to admit we have a very personal relationship. Not just a one night stand to be forgotten,” he insisted gruffly.

               Carlie cursed the blush that swept over her neck and cheeks. She dropped her lashes to conceal her eyes and hoped he couldn’t feel the tremor passing through her. Too easily, he’d guessed her intentions. She wanted to deny it. She wanted to pretend nothing had changed between them, but it was impossible. Especially with her body quivering at his touch.

               “I think we’d be wise to forget Saturday night.”

               “Do you?” he asked softly, huskily.

               He drew her close and brushed his lips across her mouth. It was the lightest of caresses, but they both trembled at the contact.

               “I think you’re lying to yourself if you believe we can ignore this,” he said, his warm breath mingling with hers.

               “Exploring it can only lead to trouble,” she warned. “And I can’t handle the distraction while I’m working.”

               Michael leaned back and gave her some room. “Agreed,” he said, his tone still a little rough, but firm. “We keep it strictly professional here at the airfield.”

               And everywhere else? She wondered, but didn’t ask.

               He answered for her. “Tonight, I volunteer to cook dinner. It’s time we got to know each other again. How about you come to my place?”

               Carlie was torn between desire and wariness, but desire won. “What are you cooking and where is your place?”

               He grinned, a totally male, totally devastating grin that deepened the grooves in his chiseled cheekbones. “I’m grilling steak, and I’m your next door neighbor.”

               She frowned. There weren’t any hotels or apartments within miles of the Prescott’s plantation home. None of their neighbors were likely to take in renters. “Neighbor?” she challenged.

               “Your parents offered me Dee’s apartment until I can sell my condo and find a place near here. ”

               Her breath caught in her throat. Not only was he working for the family, but he’d moved into their house. She and her sisters had separate apartments within the sprawling old mansion. They were on the opposite side from her parent’s living quarters, but nestled side by side. Michael’s temporary quarters adjoined hers.

CHAPTER FIVE

 

               When Carlie returned home later in the evening, dusk was falling. It had been a long day. She hadn’t seen Michael since they parted earlier in the morning, but she’d gotten a report about his progress. He’d handled Sharla’s schedule without a hitch. Her mother and dad were immensely relieved. She wanted to berate them about making all the arrangements without consulting her, but knew her complaints would seem petty.

               Her parents didn’t know that her brotherly affection for Michael had undergone a drastic change. To what, she wasn’t even sure herself. All she knew was that her body throbbed with warmth whenever she thought of him. He’d offered her a world of sensuality that she badly wanted to explore. She’d decided to turn over a new leaf, throw caution to the wind and take pleasure where she could find it. The hell with being sensible and celibate.

               By the time she’d showered and changed, her body was humming with anticipation. She’d convinced herself to enjoy his sexual offerings without worrying about deeper commitment. Michael wasn’t looking for long-term relationships, so she didn’t have to concern herself with that. There was no reason they couldn’t share a flaming affair for as long as it suited them both.

               The smell of charcoal finally drew Carlie to the enclosed patio that extended along the entire west side of the house. She stepped into the muted shadows of Japanese lanterns, and slowly approached Michael. He stood at the grill, looking casually elegant in tan slacks and a white knit shirt that highlighted his dark complexion. Her heart stuttered as he lifted his head and greeted her with a slow smile.

               His voice was low and warm with welcome. “Hey there, neighbor.”

               Carlie gave him a smile. “Hey there, yourself. The smell of the grill has my stomach growling.”

               “You’re too easy. I just started the steaks.”

               “Doesn’t matter. I’m starving, and I like mine medium rare, please. What else is on the menu?”

               Michael’s deep chuckle rippled over her like a caress. She stepped out of the shadows and into the brighter light at his end of the patio. Then she took a minute to absorb the sight of him. His hair glistened from a recent shower, looking blue-black with just enough wave to make her fingers itch. His handsome face and welcoming expression made her heart flutter with increased excitement.

               “Don’t be shy,” he teased, slapping the meat on the grill. “I know you’re only here for the free food.”

               “I confessed that I’m starving.”

               “It’s pretty simple fare. Some rolls fresh from the bakery, a little cheese, wine and steak.”

               “Sounds a whole lot better than microwave pizza.”

               He grimaced, and she laughed.

               “Anything I can do to help?”

               “You could pour us some wine. There’s not much else to do. The steaks will be ready in a couple minutes.”

               Carlie entered the small kitchenette of Dee’s apartment and poured chilled wine for each of them, then carried it back to the patio. She held a glass out to Michael. He captured her wrist, lifting her arm along with the drink and pressing a kiss against her skin before taking a sip of wine. The brief caress sent a tingle of awareness coursing through the rest of her body. Her heart began to pound heavily in her chest as the blood sang through her veins.

               Their gazes met and locked. Carlie recognized the taut hunger in his features because she felt it in every pore of her body. For a long moment, all they could do was stare at each other with a need that seemed to intensify with every heartbeat. She told herself that the craving was perfectly natural. They were two healthy adults who knew what they wanted, and there was no reason to deny it.

               “You’re looking especially beautiful tonight,” Michael said, sipping wine but keeping his attention focused on her.

               Normally, Carlie would have made some disparaging remark about her looks, but not this time. Nor did she worry about how often he might pay the same compliment to other women. He made her feel beautiful, so she basked in the warmth of his flattery.

               “Thank you.” She’d worn an aqua patterned sundress with a peasant neckline and a flowing skirt that fell to her ankles. It wasn’t fancy, but the soft silk fabric made her feel feminine and sexy.

               “I suppose you know how well that color suits you,” he said.

               She laughed and shook her head. “I wouldn’t have given it that much thought, but I’m sure Mother did. It was a gift from her. She loves to shop and swears her daughters are missing some elemental female gene because none of us likes to. I’m not crazy about all her choices, but nothing she buys could ever be considered inappropriate.”

               “Belle’s a woman of excellent taste, no doubt about it,” he teased. “But just for the record, I don’t think you’re lacking anything in the feminine department.”

               The low timbre of his voice sent another quiver over Carlie. She gave him a demure thank you and dropped her lashes to conceal her eyes. Too easily, he made her head spin, her flesh tingle and her pulse quicken. Not with his compliments, but with the deep sincerity of his tone. She didn’t how often he used the seductive tactic; it was incredibly effective on her.

               “I think our steak has reached the medium rare stage. It’s not oozing anymore. Are you ready to eat?”

               “Absolutely. It smells great.”

               Michael dished up the meat and they moved to the tiny table in the kitchen. The place settings were laid out and the rest of the food ready to eat. A cinnamon-scented candle added an erotic fragrance and romantic glow to the room. They ate slowly, enjoying the meal and a compatible talk about their busy day.

               Everything tasted delicious. Carlie couldn’t remember ever enjoying a simple meal so much. The years fell away as they reestablished a rapport that had been stifled for too long. She’d forgotten what good company Michael could be and how much they had in common. They’d always enjoyed similar books, movies and pastimes. They argued about a few political issues and favorite sports teams, but it was good-natured bickering. Conversation flowed as freely as the wine until she was feeling relaxed and replete.

               “You cooked, so I guess I should offer to clean,” she teased, giving him a slow, lazy smile.

               “Forget the dishes,” he insisted, rising from the table and taking her hand. “I’d rather have you in my arms.”

               The warmth and strength of his grasp sent a current of electricity through her body that heated her blood. He led her into the living room, and she expected him to continue to the bedroom, but he stopped in front of the entertainment center. After switching on the stereo, the room filled with haunting melody that quickly seeped into her body. Then Michael pulled her more fully into his arms.

               Carlie sighed with pleasure as she was pressed against him from chest to thighs. He was hard and warm and so very male. She immediately felt the hard ridge of his erection and nestled closer. Her breasts, already full and sensitive, grew tight with need. Her nipples puckered, spearing him in silent, feminine demand.

               “Damn, you feel good,” he whispered, the heat of his breath teasing her ear as he pulled her even closer. He rocked his hips deeper into the cradle of her thighs.

               She didn’t comment, but wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and let him lead her around the room in a slow, hypnotic circle. Their bodies swayed as one, every tiny move heightening the sexual tension to an almost unbearable level. Every inch of her body was alive with sensation and throbbing in anticipation. She wanted more of the kind of loving he’d offered her on Saturday. Lots more.

               It might be foolish to crave such total abandonment. It was out of character for her, but she was way past the point of protest. Her body hummed with an excitement that this man had created and only he could appease.

               She made a small sound of protest as he dragged her arms from his neck, but she snuggled closer when he shifted them to his waist. The new position gave him free access to her throat and shoulders. He took advantage by scattering hot, open-mouthed kisses over her bare flesh. Carlie moaned and tilted her head backward, feeling her skin sizzle with sensation. In response, he slid the neckline of her dress down her arms, baring her breasts to his ravenous mouth.

               The music continued to flow around them, but their dancing became a whole new kind of erotic mating ritual. Her hands slipped further down his body to grasp his tight buttocks. As he sucked one nipple deeply into his mouth, she arched her back and mewed with pleasure. She clutched him closer; rubbing herself against the evidence of his arousal, straining toward the part of him she most desperately wanted.

               “Carlie!”

               His hoarse cry excited her beyond belief. She slid her hand between their bodies and fumbled for his zipper. Suddenly impatient to complete their union, she struggled to release his straining flesh.

               “Protection,” he reminded gruffly. He reached into his pocket and handed her a packet before carrying her to the nearest chair. He sat down with her straddling his lap.

Carlie managed to secure the condom, thrilling at the deep masculine groan her gentle fondling produced. Then his hands were sliding up her thighs, lifting her dress and making her forget everything but his touch.

               “Kiss me,” he begged.

               She took his mouth with a ferocity that surprised them both. The kiss was hard and demanding and fiercely passionate. They took turns sucking tongues and dueling with each other for deeper, stronger contact. Their bodies trembled with desire until Michael shoved aside the last barrier between them and impaled her on his straining flesh. A mutual groan rumbled from their chests as their bodies bonded in the most elemental fashion. For just an instant, they stilled, mouths parting to drag in air, their bodies adjusting to the intimate coupling.

               Chests heaving and limbs trembling, they stared into each other’s eyes. She licked her lips and that seemed to snap Michael’s control. His hands tightened at her hips, his body bucking with impatience. She gave him a smile, dropped her mouth to his for another deep, wet kiss and began to rock against him in agonizingly slow movements.

               He allowed her to maintain control until she trembled on the verge of release. Then he gripped her hard, thrusting faster until they both careened over the edge.

               Carlie cried out his name as pleasure spiraled upward through her body, tightening her lungs, her breasts, her nipples; and downward, stiffening her legs and curling her toes. Then all the strength flowed from her limbs, and she collapsed against his chest. He hugged her close as their bodies shuddered with pleasure.

               The scents, sounds and feel of their loving were indelibly recorded in her memory in the following minutes while they struggled for air. Michael’s fingers tangled in her hair, gentle and caressing. He pulled her still close and nuzzled her neck, then whispered in her ear. “Thank you.”

               The husky earnestness of his tone melted away more of her emotional armor. For years, her heart had been a tight little rosebud, protected by layers of invisible barriers. Now the petals were gradually opening to allow him closer. She buried her face against the dampness of his throat and murmured her contentment.

               “This isn’t exactly what I had planned.” He continued to whisper in her ear.

               “Is that a complaint?” she challenged softly.

               She felt as well as heard his chuckle. “No complaints from me, lady.” He splayed a hand at her back and stroked her spine. “I just wanted everything to be perfect. I wanted to wine and dine and dance.”

               “We did that.”

               He went on without acknowledging the comment. “I wanted to woo you into my bed, not drag you to a chair and ravish you.”

               Carlie smiled to herself and wiggled in his lap. The strength was beginning to return to her body, and she felt a renewed surge of desire. Her hands were flat against his chest, so she began to pluck at his nipples while locking her mouth on his neck. When she sucked hard and strong, he began to harden again, too.

               “This isn’t safe,” he growled, his tone low and intimate.

               “Then you’d better woo me to your bed,” she admonished.

               Michael rose from the chair and carried her across the room. After gently laying her on the bed, he disappeared briefly into the bathroom and then returned to her side. He stood by the bed and slowly removed his clothes, keeping Carlie mesmerized. His chest was broad and bronzed with dark, curling hair that arrowed down to his navel. It looked like dark silk. Her fingers itched to touch. When he stepped out of his slacks and boxers, his erection throbbed with arousal. It created a deep, reflexive throbbing throughout her body. She’d thought herself fully sated, but now she craved more.

               “You’re beautiful,” she whispered hoarsely, reaching out to stroke his hard, satiny flesh. “I think I’d like to explore.” She locked her fingers around him and marveled at the strength of his desire.

               “Me first,” he demanded gruffly, sliding onto the bed beside her. Then he very slowly and painstakingly undressed her, kissing each inch of flesh that he bared. By the time Carlie was naked, her body was humming with excitement.

               His mouth was hot and wet on her neck as he sucked the pounding pulse and brought every nerve ending in her body to full alert. Then he dropped his lips to her breasts, licking and tugging at each nipple, drawing her even tighter with need. She clutched at his hair and moaned with pleasure, writhing beneath him in rhythmic demand.

               She loved the feel of him, hot and hard, pressing against her. She loved the evidence of his hunger as he continued to slide down her body and devour her with molten kisses. His teeth nipped at her hip and the inside of her thigh. Carlie knew if he went any further she’d be out of control.

               “My turn!” she insisted, drawing up her legs and sitting on her knees. Michael gave her a rakish grin, but his eyes were dark and turbulent with passion. He stretched out on his back, locking his arms behind his head and silently giving her permission to do whatever she wanted with him.

               Carlie slid over him, thrilling at the contact as her bare, sensitized skin rubbed over his hard muscles and furry chest. His hair teased at her nipples and she rubbed them over him in sensual delight. She closed her eyes and moaned, then opened them and stared directly into his eyes. She watched as passion tightened his jaw and mouth, his pupils dilating in response to her teasing.

               “You’re a witch and you’ve bewitched me,” he swore gruffly.

               She laughed lightly, basking in the heat of his gaze. Then she leaned down and nibbled at his lips. All the air rushed from his lungs and he captured her mouth with a long, searing kiss that left then both gasping for breath. He started to take her in his arms, but she shoved them back over his head and started her own sensual exploration down his body.

               Gliding her tongue over his chest, she found and teased the rigid male nipples into an even tighter nub. Michael groaned and bucked against her, and she slowly rotated her hips against his to heighten his need. She opened her mouth and scattered hard, wet kisses down his stomach and to the top of his thigh. She sucked deeply on the tender skin and felt his whole body tightened more. His erection brushed her cheek as it throbbed even harder, then she was gliding her tongue along the tight, silky length.

               “Carlie!” Her name came in an agonized groan and his body grew harder against hers. She lapped at the moisture oozing from his rigid sex and then his control snapped.

               “I can’t stand it!” he growled, grasping her shoulders and pulling her up his body. “You’ll have me going off like a teenager! Do you know how many times I’ve dreamed of making love to you? Of having your mouth on me? Holding you in my arms?”

               Before she could utter a word, he’d locked his mouth on hers again, plundering its depths as he reached for more protection. His mouth continued to savage hers as he rocked his hips and found her moist heat, then slowly eased into her welcoming body until he was a deep as he could get.

               Once their bodies were locked in intimacy, he gasped for air and scoured her face with hard, hungry kisses. He held perfectly still until Carlie adjusted to his powerful invasion. When she could no longer stand the pressure, she began to move, easing herself slowly up and down on his hard flesh.

               Their breathing became labored as the bed rocked and their bodies grew slick with sweat. All their senses were heightened to a fever pitch as passion steadily escalated to a nearly unbearable level. Then it exploded between them again, leaving them both shattered, yet more complete than they’d ever been.

               Carlie collapsed against him, her body too weak to support itself. Michael’s chest heaved against hers as they strained for air. She pressed her cheek against the damp hair of his chest and thrilled at the unbridled racing of his heart. She thrilled at being able to satisfy him to such an extent, and she certainly had never known the intensity of satisfaction he’d given her.

               “Wow,” she mumbled softly against his skin.

               “That was way beyond wow,” he argued. “You’re way beyond perfect.”

               “Hmmm…I like the sound of that.”

               “I like the feel of you,” he countered, running his hands over her shoulders and down her back in a soothing caress.

               Carlie savored his touch as their bodies slowly began to cool and their heartbeats gradually returned to a more normal rhythm. His hands were strong, but gentle, his caresses a tender encore to the mind-blowing sex. She wanted to soak up every second of pleasure and hoard the memories. She’d learned not to trust in tomorrow, but live for the day, and she never wanted to forget the pleasure she’d found in Michael’s arms.

               Although they were both physically sated, they were too energized to sleep. For a long time, they just lay together and whispered sweet nothings, sharing compliments and enjoying the closeness. Before long, Michael’s caresses became more intimate.

               His arms tightened around, and he started to reverse their positions. Then they were startled to stillness by the sudden ringing of the phone. On the table to the right of the bed, it was way too close and too loud to ignore.

               Michael swore, and Carlie chuckled.

               “Let your machine answer,” she teased, nibbling on his lips.

               He grumbled, returning her kisses until his outgoing message was played and a similar masculine voice responded.

               “Mike, it’s Bill. If you’re there, pick up the phone.

               At the sound of her ex-husband’s voice, an involuntary shudder coursed through Carlie. His intrusion was like being doused with ice water after soaking in the sun. The shock was both physical as well as emotional, making her want to withdraw into a protective mode. She would have pulled out of Michael’s arms, but he held her tight and punched the button.

               “What’s up?” he asked, his voice none-too-welcoming.

               His brother’s reply wasn’t much warmer. “Have you got me on a damned speaker phone? Pick up the receiver.”

               Bill’s arrogance never failed to amaze her. It was just like him to demand instead of requesting, she thought, but she didn’t comment. Nor did she relax.

               “My hands are occupied,” Michael told him. His fingers caressed her hips, but his arms held her tight enough to prevent her from moving off the bed. “Either talk this way or call back later.”

               Bill groused, but continued. “I’m calling about Mom and Dad’s anniversary. Their fiftieth is coming up at the end of October, and we’re throwing a dinner party. Just family and a few close friends, but I wanted to make sure you’d be there.”

               Carlie felt Michael’s stare and looked into his eyes. She didn’t know what he was searching for, but she kept her expression carefully guarded.

               “I just started a new job and the schedule is tight, but I’ll see what I can do.”

               “That’s why I called,” Bill insisted impatiently. “So that you can clear your schedule. I can’t believe you went to work for the Prescotts. Hell, there are dozens of other opportunities for a pilot of your caliber. I know things are tough right now, but I’m calling in favors to line up interviews for you.”

               “Don’t bother. I don’t have any plans to look elsewhere,” said Michael, his tone taking on a hard edge that warned the decision wasn’t open to discussion.

               Bill wisely dropped the subject, but Carlie assumed it was a sore one for his whole family. They would hate having Michael work for the enemy. She could hardly believe it herself.

               “I’ll see you in a few weeks. Don’t disappoint Mom and Dad.”

               The connection was abruptly severed, and Carlie felt the tension radiating from Michael. This time when she moved, he didn’t attempt to stop her. She rose, stepping away from the bed and collecting her clothes. Within a couple of minutes, she was wiggling back into her dress. He rose more slowly and excused himself for a few minutes. By the time he returned from the bathroom, she was ready to leave.

               “It’s getting late,” she said. “We both have a busy day tomorrow, so I’d better get back to my own room.”

               He studied her expression for a few minutes, and then said, “Go with me.”

               She didn’t immediately understand, but when his invitation registered, her mouth dropped opened in shock. “You mean to your parents house? For their anniversary? You have to be joking.”

               His jaw went taut. “I’m not joking. I want you to go.”

               “Why? You know I’ll never be welcomed by Bill or the rest of his family.”

               “They’re my family, too.”

               “Do you think I’ve forgotten that for even a minute?” she insisted, becoming immediately defensive. “It’s the same family that blames me for not being good enough for their first born, that blames me for the only divorce in Preston history. The same one that blames me for having him arrested on assault charges. Which was another unpleasant first for the family.”

               “Their attitudes have changed,” he defended. “Especially since Bill attacked you. Mom and Dad went to counseling with him and they understand better now. They’d like a chance to make things right.”

               Carlie was shaking her head, refusing to believe it. His parents heralded from a long line of social snobs. They could trace their roots back to the Mayflower, and they’d never forgiven her for not being the perfect, malleable wife. Even if they were willing to forgive and forget, she wasn’t sure she could. They’d made her life pure hell during her short marriage. Her self-esteem had been brutally damaged.

               “It won’t work, Michael. We’re fools to even flirt with the idea. There’s just too much emotional baggage, and there’s no way we can ever have a serious, long-term relationship.”

               He flinched as though her words struck him a physical blow. She’d never seen his expression more grim. His jaw was rigid, his mouth a tight, disapproving line. He glared at her with narrowed, challenging eyes.

               “Then what would you call tonight?” he wanted to know, his tone angry and demanding. “Just a game? A casual fling? You think either of us can walk away from it? If you can, you’re a helluva lot stronger person that I am.”

               “It’s just sex,” she issued the edict she’d been repeating to herself for days. “We’re two healthy adults with normal physical desires. There’s no reason we can’t enjoy each other’s company without strings.”

               “In other words, I’m good enough to relieve your frustration, but not good enough to warrant any other type of commitment. That’s what you’re saying?”

               Carlie felt all the color drain from her face. Put that way, her little edict did sound petty, selfish and really horrible. “You’re saying you want more?” The idea sent panic scurrying along her nerves. “Why? Men are supposed to love relationships with no strings attached.”

               Michael raked all his fingers through his hair in frustration, turning his back to her. He paced the small living room. “Hell, I don’t know what I want, except that I don’t want you constantly comparing me to my brother. I don’t want you measuring our relationship by the bad experience with him.”

               “I don’t know if I can measure any relationship without taking that into consideration,” she said, her tone soft, but insistent. “It’s too much a part of me. If I haven’t learned from my mistakes, then what’s to prevent me from repeating them?”

               Michael faced her again. “I don’t know, either,” he said. “But I don’t like being labeled a mistake waiting to happen.”

               It wasn’t fair, of course. She knew that. But one lesson she’d learned well was that life wasn’t always fair.

CHAPTER SIX

 

               The next few days passed in a whir of activity. Their schedules were so heavy there was little time for anything but work from dawn to dusk. As soon as one charter was completed, they took short breaks and headed out on the next. Carlie rarely saw Michael at the airfield because they came and went at different times. When their paths did cross, they were polite, but distant, each still licking their newly inflicted wounds.

               Meanwhile, Carlie was hurting. She wished she could crawl back into her protective armor, but it wasn’t that easy. Michael had destroyed her defenses and exposed her needy heart. She just didn’t know how to deal with all the confusion he’d uncovered. He’d eased the terrible loneliness, made her feel beautiful and desirable, but left her feeling more vulnerable than she’d felt in years.

               She wanted a chance to explore their attraction, yet she didn’t know if what she wanted was emotional or just physical. Her body craved his touch. The ache was all too real and all too fierce. Was she asking for more heartache by even considering a serious relationship?

               Her thoughts were filled with him, but she didn’t know how to make amends without making a fool of herself. She needed to apologize. In blaming him for his family’s problems, she’d been as guilty as them, placing blame on the person with the least control of the situation.

               Her job was the only thing that saved her sanity. Bear hired two part-time pilots to help with the workload, but her flights were demanding until they gained some experience. The schedule eventually eased, but she still went home ready to collapse each evening.

               A combination of work, worry and emotional turmoil added to her exhaustion. Most nights, she settled for a microwavable dinner, a shower and bed. On good nights, she’d fall into an exhausted to sleep without restlessness or dreams.

 

* * * * *

               On the following Saturday evening, Michael showered, towel-dried, and ran a comb through his hair. He pulled on a pair of jeans, not bothering with briefs or even the zipper. The only thing he needed was the condoms tucked in his back pocket.

               Another week had passed, and Carlie still hadn’t come to him. Tired of waiting, he was going to her. There wasn’t an inch of his body that didn’t ache for her. He went to bed each night and woke up each morning with an ache that wouldn’t subside. It wasn’t just physical, but the deep, burning ache of a man who yearned for his woman.

               He loved her. Maybe he’d never stopped loving Carlie. He’d buried those feelings when she married Bill, swearing it was one area where they wouldn’t compete. He’d spent too much time in his big brother’s shadow, too much time trying to live up to his image, and he refused to let the competition extend to his intimate relationships.

               But his love for Carlie wasn’t the sort that had faded with time. It just simmered on a back burner of his emotions until he’d touched her again—until he’d made love to her and felt her come apart in his arms.

               He loved her eyes, her smile, and her innocent charm. Bill had nearly destroyed all the innocence and optimism, but he’d caught a glimpse of it during their dinner. The evening they’d shared had brought all his latent feelings to the surface, making him want more from their relationship than he had a right to expect. His family, most especially his brother, had caused her more pain and hardship than any woman should have to suffer. He badly wanted to make it up to her.

               Heading through the apartment, he plucked a bottle of wine from refrigerator and continued out the door and across the patio. A light shone through the curtains of Carlie’s French doors. For just a few minutes, he watched her silhouette moving around the room. It only took an outline of her body to make his body come alive with awareness. Muscles clenched and nerves strung tighter, but he kept his knock light and undemanding.

               His breath hitched when she pulled back the curtain and opened the sliding door. Freshly showered, she looked dewy and sweet and dressed for sin. Red silk. The outfit was sheer fantasy material, exposing bare, slim shoulders and arms and a to-die-for length of trim, gorgeous legs. The skimpy top had narrow straps and was barely long enough to cover her midriff. The pajama bottoms looked more like men’s boxer shorts, yet there was nothing masculine about the thighs they encased.

               Michael’s body reacted in a purely masculine fashion. At risk of dislodging his jeans, he propped a hip against the door jam and waved the bottle of wine. If she kept studying him with her warm, turquoise eyes, he’d really be in trouble.

               “Are you lost?” she asked quietly, her gaze tangling with his. He felt it warm him all the way to his toes.

               “No. It’s just too lonesome down there by myself.”

               Carlie was slow to reply, and he held his breath, his heart thundering in his chest.

“It’s pretty lonesome here, too,” she whispered.

               The blood drummed in his ears and pooled in his groin. He allowed himself to breathe again. Maybe she’d missed him, too.

               “Want to be lonesome together?”

               She silently deliberated for a heart-stopping minute, then stepped aside and waved him in. The action tightened the silk across her chest, the soft fabric outlining the plump mounds of her breasts. Mesmerized, he stared at them in fascination until the nipples beaded. Now his blood roiled through his veins and pulsed in his erection. His jeans slid precariously lower as he stepped into her apartment.

               Carlie closed the door and drew the blinds. Then she took the bottle from his hand and placed it on the table. Without another word, she curled a finger into one of his belt loops and tugged him into her bedroom.

               Michael didn’t offer any resistance. His pulse was pounding in his ears with a deafening roar; blocking out everything but the sight, scent and feel of his lady as she rid him of his jeans. Her touch soon had him trembling. It was incredibly soft, making him incredibly hard. His knees went weak.

               When he could no longer stand her gentle assistance, he lifted her onto the bed and stretched out beside her. Then he enjoyed the pleasure of sliding the silk pajamas from her satin-smooth body. Her skin was softer than the silk. He wanted to touch and feel and taste every inch, so he didn’t waste any time.

               His mouth found a pouting nipple and he lapped at it with his tongue. When it beaded, a shaft of desire shot through him, and he sucked softly on the tight knot of flesh. Her responsiveness fueled his hunger until he was sucking more greedily. Carlie’s soft moans urged him to bring the other nipple to matching attention. Her hands stroked his hair and then his shoulders, her touch growing increasingly restless.

               Her body began to undulate slowly against his in feminine demand that quickly threatened his control. No other woman had ever challenged his control the way she did. The smell, feel and taste of her shot his good intentions all to hell. He promised himself to go slower the next time. But first, he needed to stake a claim. A very personal, intimate claim.

               He slid over her body, settling into the cradle of her thighs as she eagerly made room for him. Then he plunged his tongue into her mouth at the same time he plunged into her welcoming heat. Her moans echoed his, and he knew there’d never be a greater satisfaction than making love with Carlie.

CHAPTER SEVEN

 

               For the next few weeks, they continued to work together in the daytime and sleep together at night. Sometimes they slept in her bed and sometimes in his, but always in each other’s arms. Their need for each other grew deeper even though Carlie was afraid to trust her feelings.

               Her belief in happily-ever-afters had been destroyed at an early age. She couldn’t trust her instincts, so she didn’t expect the relationship to last. She feared Michael would tire of her, just as Bill had done. It wasn’t fair to compare the two brothers, yet she didn’t know how to stop.

               She’d felt the same strong desire for Bill in the early weeks of their marriage. Their physical relationship hadn’t been nearly as satisfying, but she’d been much younger and less mature back then. She’d thought their love would survive long-term, yet she’d been wrong. How could she trust her instincts now? How could she ever be sure?

               Bill had called her juvenile and clingy when she’d tried to salvage their marriage. He’d acted jealous and possessive, yet she’d always believed his abuse stemmed from disrespect and loathing. She couldn’t bear the thought of that happening with Michael, so she kept her emotional distance and unconsciously prepared for the worst.

               “How about having dinner with me?” asked Michael. “And not just your place or mine, but a real night on the town? Are you too tired?”

               They were strolling home from the airfield after another hectic week. Their arms were locked around each other’s waists and the warmth of his embrace made Carlie feel secure. His words had the opposite affect. She immediately wondered if he was tired of spending time alone with her. As soon as the thought popped into her head, she shoved it out, battling her own low self-esteem, but the niggling doubt remained.

               “I’m tired, but a shower will do wonders, and you know I never refuse a free meal. How dressy are we talking?”

               “I have a friend at the Tower Restaurant, so I can get a last minute reservation. How’s that sound?”

               “Mmm…they have the best stuffed mushrooms. Just the thought makes my mouth water.”

               They’d reached the patio leading to both their apartments and Michael walked her to her door. Out of sight from the rest of the house, he took her into his arms and gave her a long, lingering kiss. Carlie wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against him, loving his hard warmth. She returned his kiss with fervor. It was always the same, every time they touched or kissed, the hungry need kept intensifying.

               When they finally drew apart, they were breathing roughly. He pressed his forehead against hers, nudging her stomach with his lower body. “I missed you today,” he murmured against her cheek.

               “I missed you, too,” she whispered, brushing her lips lightly across his.

               “I don’t suppose a shared shower would be very productive, would it?”

               “Hmm…depends on what you call productive.”

               “As in getting ready for dinner as quickly as possible.”

               “Then, no, I don’t suppose it would speed us along.”

               Michael’s stomach chose that minute to growl. They both laughed, and gradually drew apart. Then Carlie gave him another quick kiss and they headed to their respective apartments.

 

* * * * *

               The restaurant was one of Carlie’s favorites with a Polynesian décor, soft music and muted lighting. Their table was tucked into an in cozy little alcove. The wine and service were exceptional, the food delicious. After dinner, they ordered cappuccino and shared a decadent dessert. By the time they’d finished eating, she’d fallen deeper in love with Michael.

               He made her feel so incredibly special. He treated her with respect, deferring to her about preferences rather than trying to make decisions for her. He was always attentive, and his gaze never roved when they were together. He listened as though her every word was of great importance, and she felt the same about him. His slow, sexy smiles were for her alone. He touched her often with gentle caresses to her hands or face.

               Their date became an intimate party for two with secret touches and smiles filled with promise. Even though they lingered over coffee, neither would deny the desire to be home in bed. No matter how often they made love, the need just kept growing.

               Carlie had almost convinced herself that their relationship had a fighting chance, and then Michael produced a velvet ring box. She gasped as he opened it to show her a beautiful diamond solitaire. Panic clutched at her chest, then spread to her throat, nearly strangling her. Her eyes widened, shadowed by fear. The thought of marriage, and possibly another dismal personal failure, scared her to death.

               She felt his steady gaze watching her face for reaction, but she couldn’t seem to alter her shock. She was frozen with fear, barely able to move or breathe.

               “I guess I don’t have to pop the question,” he declared in soft resignation. “Your expression says it all. I didn’t realize how horrifying a marriage proposal might seem. I thought you were falling in love along with me.”

               His tone held a ring of defeat that made her feel guilty. Already, she’d disappointed him. How badly might she disappoint him if they were married? She dared to look at him then, but her eyes were too misty to make out his expression. “I’m sorry. You just took me by surprise.”

               “Obviously,” he countered. “Do you have any desire to try it on or do you hate my choice of rings?”

               “Oh, no, Michael! It’s gorgeous.” Her fingers trembled as she took hold of the box. She pulled the marquis cut diamond from his velvet cradle and watched in fascination as it sparkled. “I just don’t know if I can accept it.”

               “You don’t have to make any decisions tonight. I didn’t mean to rush you, but I thought it was time to let you know how I feel. I’d hoped that you’d change your mind about going to my parents’ party, and I wanted you to go as my fiancé.”

               Carlie’s first thought was that he wanted to present her either as a trophy or an affront. Then she quickly chastised herself for such uncharitable thoughts. She didn’t believe he was that cold-hearted, yet neither could she believe that he was serious about marriage. They’d never discussed a long-term relationship. They’d been careful not to make plans beyond one day at a time. He’d never seemed the type who wanted permanency, and the suddenness of his actions put her emotions in turmoil.

               When she didn’t say anything else, he reached across the table and took the ring from her unsteady grip. Then he held her left hand in his right and slowly slid it over her ring finger. The fit was perfect and the ring nestled as though it belonged. A huge lump formed in Carlie’s throat.

               Her eyes were awash with tears when she lifted her gaze to his again. She blinked, but still couldn’t focus.

               “Leave it there for this evening, okay?” His voice sounded so rough that she wanted to read his expression. She swiped at her eyes and blinked again, but by then, he’d schooled his features in a detached mask. She felt horrible for disappointing him, and even more horrible for not trusting her own heart.

               “Let’s go home,” she urged quietly.

               “Just sex and no strings?” he asked, his tone low and accusing.

               Carlie wanted to cry. She felt like screaming and sobbing at the injustice of it all. She hated herself for not having the strength to accept what Michael was offering, but she silently promised to make it up to him in bed. There, at least, they were perfectly attuned to each other. Anytime they made love, she felt cherished and safe. Facing the future and Michaels’ family was what terrified her.

 

* * * * *

               The trip home was made in relative silence, with each of them lost in troubled thoughts. Michael walked her across the patio to her apartment door and stayed close until she’d unlocked it. When she stepped inside, he didn’t follow.

               “You’re not coming in?” she asked.

               He stood in the shadows. Carlie couldn’t see his face, but she could feel his tension in his voice. “I’d better not.”

               A sick sense of dread settled in her stomach. “So I’m being punished?” she whispered roughly. “If I don’t accept your proposal, I don’t get to sleep with you?”

               Michael quickly narrowed the distance between them. He pressed her against the door with the length of his body and cupped her face in his hands. His eyes, though shadowed, seemed to bore into her soul.

               “This isn’t about competition or control. I’ve told you over and over that I’m not like my brother. I don’t want your unquestioning obedience,” he nearly growled. Then his tone dropped to a husky, coaxing softness. His thumbs began to caress her cheeks.

               “I love you with all my heart. I know now that I’ve always loved you. I never stopped loving you even though I lied to myself and buried those emotions for a lot of years. I want you to accept me for who I am, love me and be my wife. I want the whole package—total commitment with marriage, and babies and rocking chairs in our old age.”

               Carlie swallowed the tears gathering in her throat. His words instilled a strange kind of panic in her. She was afraid he wanted more than she was capable of giving.

               “I was wrong the first time I took that risk,” she whispered. “The failure nearly destroyed me. How can I be sure now?”

               Michael pressed a gentle kiss on her lips and stepped away from her. She immediately felt cold and abandoned.

               “Love doesn’t come with guarantees,” he said. “We’re both experienced enough to know that by now. It’s either there or it isn’t, and your fear of commitment is a pretty good sign that your feelings for me aren’t as strong as mine for you.”

               She made a sound of denial, but he abruptly interrupted.

               “I thought I had a chance to wipe Bill out of your heart and your mind, but apparently I don’t have what it takes. If what you feel for me isn’t strong enough to overcome your doubts, then it’s better that we go our separate ways.”

               Carlie trembled, her pulse going haywire as she considered what he was suggesting.

               He reached out and cupped her cheeks as though he couldn’t stand to be near her and not touch her. His eyes were dark and brooding as he studied her upturn face. “I’m flying to New York in the morning. I’ll check into some other job possibilities and try to get out of your life again.”

               She drew in a rough breath. “You want to leave for good?”

               “It’s probably best for both of us, and there’s no sense delaying the inevitable. Sharla will be home tomorrow, so you'll have good part-time help, and won’t need me as much. Better to make a clean break now.”

               With that, he was gone. Carlie watched through a haze of tears as he continued along the patio to his own door. He didn’t look back, just disappeared inside without another sign that she existed. It hurt so much. Her heart and lungs constricted in pain and her breath came in strangled little gasps.

               He hadn’t even bothered to issue an ultimatum, he’d just decided she didn’t care enough and given up on her. He wrongly assumed that she still loved Bill. Anger and annoyance warred with pain of loss she wasn’t sure she could survive. Apparently Michael didn’t have any more faith in her than she’d shown in him. Maybe they were better off to call it quits before they did permanent damage to each other.

               Turning, she stepped inside her apartment and locked the door. Heading straight for bed, she shed her shoes and clothes along the way. Then she crawled naked under the covers, shivering at the cool slide of cotton and even more chilly emptiness.

 

CHAPTER EIGHT

 

               Loud knocking at her door woke her on Saturday morning. After a restless night of tossing and turning, she moaned at the disturbance. The sun shone through the window, catching fire on the diamond on her hand. The sparkling stone made her think of Michael and she immediately jumped from bed, grabbing a thin robe to wrap around herself. She hurried to the door in hopes to find him there.

               Instead, she found a whole collection of unexpected family members. Reed, Sharla, Dee and even Logan stood on the patio. A rush of joy filled her at the sight of them, but their worried expressions kept her from squealing in delight.

               “What’s wrong? Belle? Bear?”

               “No, no,” insisted Sharla. “Reed and I just touched down at the strip at the same time Dee and Logan came in. Nothing’s wrong with Mother, Daddy or the business.”

               “Then what? I know you and Reed were due home today.” She turned to Dee, “Did you guys just show up to see the honeymooners?”

               “Not exactly,” Dee said.

               Logan explained. “Dee had a restless night. She was worried about you, so we finally gave up trying to sleep and flew over here.”

               Carlie sighed heavily, running the fingers of one hand through her tousled hair. She belatedly realized how bad she must look and that Dee would be picking up on her emotional trauma. Dee had always been super-sensitive.

               “I’m sorry. It’s nothing. Just a bad patch I’m going through. I should have called and let you know not to worry.”

               “There’s more,” said Sharla.

               Carlie’s stomach rolled. Her thoughts flew to Michael. “What?”

               “There’s been an accident,” added Reed.

               “No!” Carlie screamed in response, startling them all with her vehemence. “Don’t tell me Michael’s involved. Please, God, don’t tell me Michael’s been hurt.”

               The mix of expressions on everyone’s faces had panic surging through her body. She began to quiver and her throat went raw. She wrapped her arms around herself in defensive reaction.

               “We’re not sure of anything yet,” Sharla hastily explained. “All we know is that Michael piloted the Cessna to New York to pick up Bill. Then the two of them headed upstate toward their parents’ place. There was some sort of problem and the plane went down.

               “No! No! No!” Carlie was screaming and shaking her head in denial. Her breath got trapped in her throat until only harsh gasps escaped.

               “They didn’t crash,” insisted Dee. “They had a forced landing and a lot of trouble, but the plane survived.”

               “The plane? What about Michael and Bill?”

               She didn’t like the looks that her sisters exchanged. “What about Michael? We don’t know,” said Reed. “We haven’t been able to get any confirmation. All we know is that one of them walked away and the other was life-flighted to the nearest hospital.”

               Carlie slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a scream of fear and rage. Then she turned frantic eyes to Dee. She grabbed her sister by the arms, clutching her in panicked reaction. “What do you think? Please tell me what you’re feeling and that he’s all right.” She held her breath, praying her sister could offer more insight.

               But Dee was shaking her head. “I just don’t know, Carlie. I wish I could tell you more, but all I’m picking up is your distress. I sense pain and confusion, but I’m not sure which brother is suffering.”

               Carlie whirled around and headed for her bedroom, yelling over her shoulder as she dragged out clean clothes. “How soon can we get there?”

               Sharla answered immediately. “Papa Bear is doing a pre-flight check on the charter plane. I’m rested enough to pilot. We can leave as soon as you’re ready.” There was no question that her sisters and their spouses would accompany her. Somewhere in her frantic thoughts, that added a bit of comfort. No matter what she had to face in New York, she wouldn’t be alone.

 

               It was the longest flight of Carlie’s life. She sat in the tiny seat of the plane staring out the window, fighting to keep terror at bay, alternately swearing and praying. At first everyone tried to distract her with small talk, but they’d finally given up the effort and grown silent.

               Nobody could console her as long as there was a chance that Michael hadn’t survived that emergency landing. She thought of all the things that could go wrong, all the ways a pilot could be trapped or hurt, all the horrible damage that could be inflicted on the human body by pounds of metal and pressure. Her chaotic thoughts frightened her even more.

               The diamond on her ring finger kept winking in the sunlight, shooting blue sparks and drawing her gaze. She stared at it until her eyes watered. Its brilliance reminded her of Michael’s eyes, of his declaration of love, and the way she’d dismissed his proposal without offering him hope. She’d been angered by his actions last night, but she realized now that she hadn’t given him much reason to believe they had a future. Had he walked away in hopes of forcing her to make the next move? Had he been offering her a way out, but hoping she wouldn’t accept it?

               After a month of incredible intimacy and insatiable loving, she hadn’t even given him the benefit of the doubt. She could have argued. Could have followed him to his room and insisted he give them more time. She should have shown him how important he was to her, not just the physical attraction they shared, but the love that was so strong it frightened her. She should have done something, anything to make him understand how much she cared.

               Now it could be too late. No! She shoved that thought to the back of her mind, refusing to believe she wouldn’t have a chance to make it up to him. She’d already wasted too much time denying the facts. They were made for each other. They were true soul mates even if she’d gone astray in her teens and made a stupid decision. It couldn’t end this abruptly, this permanently. She couldn’t bear to lose him. He made her whole. He completed her in every way. Why hadn’t she had the courage to confess that love to him?

               Carlie silently thanked whoever had the forethought to have a car waiting for them at the small airport near the hospital where the Prestons had been taken. The drive was short, and her nerves continued to fray. She kept lecturing herself to stay focused, remain in control, be strong and ready to handle whatever she found waiting.

               She wanted Michael to be alive and well, but she’d settle for just alive and able to communicate with her. Whatever physical damage he might have suffered could be dealt with as long as they were together.

               Their small entourage entered the hospital through the emergency door entrance. Dee grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Carlie offered her a brief smile of thanks. Her family’s support enveloped her in a strong, invisible shield against any trauma she might experience, just as they’d always done in the past. Their support gave her strength as they walked the corridor toward the neon waiting room sign.

               Once there, Carlie immediately focused on the Prestons. Her ex-in laws and a few other people she didn’t know were gathered around Bill. He looked dirty and bruised with a stark white bandage on his forehead. The sight of him halted her in her tracks. Her brain whirled with the implication. If he was all right, then Michael had to have been the one who’d been badly hurt, maybe killed.

               Carlie felt all the blood draining from her face. She wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed her other hand to her mouth to stifle a cry of horror. The wounded sound she made drew everyone’s attention and all eyes riveted to her. With their usual stoic expressions in place, she had no way of knowing what to expect.

               “Michael?” she managed a hoarse cry. “Where’s Michael? I want Michael!”

               She felt her sisters shifting closer in a protective effort to comfort her, but then she heard a voice to her right. A voice as familiar as her own heartbeat.

               “I’m right here, baby,” he said.

               Carlie turned and saw Michael for the first time. He looked as dirty and bruised as Bill, but he was walking toward her with sure, strong strides. She swiftly scoured his body for injuries, but other than some iodine, he didn’t appear to be hurt.

               She turned and raced toward him, halting an instant before they touched. “You’re okay?” The words barely slipped past the tightness of her throat. “I won’t hurt you?”

               In response, Michael opened his arms and scooped her against his chest. She threw her arms around him and clung with a desperation born of fear and gratitude and desperate love. They clutched each other tightly, holding and rocking and finding reassurance in the fact that they were alive and together again.

               Carlie couldn’t stop the shudders racking her body. She just clung to Michael, drawing strength from his hard warmth. When she could speak again, she whispered in his ear. “I’ve never been so scared in all my life!”

               “It’s okay, baby. I’m all right. The plane’s badly damaged, but we’re going to be fine.”

               “They told me only one of you survived.”

               Michael’s grip on her tightened even more. “Bill was unconscious when the paramedics reached us. At first, they couldn’t find a pulse, and we didn’t know how bad his head injury was, but the doctors said it’s just a concussion. He’ll be fine after some rest.”

               Carlie nodded, glad Bill would recover, but eternally grateful that Michael had escaped serious harm. She burrowed her face into the curve of his neck and inhaled deeply. The feel and scent of him as well as the tightness of his grip gradually calmed her shuddering body.

               “I love you so much,” she told him with deep sincerity.

               “You had a scare,” he reasoned, his tone telling her that he wouldn’t hold her to the emotional declaration.

               Carlie didn’t want him dismissing her feelings as carelessly as she’d dismissed his last night. She never wanted that kind of misunderstanding between them again.

               Pulling back slightly, she looked him directly in the eyes. Her voice was strong and sure when she spoke. “I was a coward and a fool last night. I’ve been a coward for a long time, but I’m not a total fool. I love you with all my heart. If anything had happened to you, I would have shriveled up and died.”

               Michael made a rough sound of rebuttal, but she pressed her fingers against his lips. Her gaze locked with his, her eyes a window to her soul. A soul that belonged to him as surely as her heart.

               “Maybe it took a bad scare to drum up the courage to say the words, but I know what we have is real and lasting. I love you with all my heart. Whatever challenges we face, we’ll face them together. I swear that I want the same things you want—a lifetime commitment. I want marriage, babies and that rocking chair on a porch when we grow old.”

               Michael’s beautiful eyes glistened with tears, and Carlie thought her heart would explode with joy. He blinked and looked away to hide the reaction, but she knew he felt it as deeply as she did. She clutched his face in her hands and drew his head down, locking her lips on his in a fierce, hungry kiss that only began to express the churning emotion. He gathered her closer and returned the kiss with a fervor that caused a rumble of reaction throughout the room.

               Only then did the two of them remember they were in a public place surrounded by people. Carlie’s blush was part excitement from his kisses and part embarrassment from an audience. Michael gave her a roguish grin, and slowly turned toward the others.

               He kept one arm around her and reached the other out to shake hands with Logan and Reed as everyone exchanged greetings. Carlie stiffened a little as they approached his family, but his parents greeted her with unexpected warmth. Their easy acceptance of her in Michael’s arms went a long way to relieving her misgivings.

               Bill was cool, but not hostile. He obviously wasn’t feeling very well, and he was just as obviously being fussed after by a woman Carlie had never met. The other woman, introduced as Bill’s friend Delores, greeted her with polite reserve. She hoped the two of them were an item, and that neither gave her another thought. All she cared about was Michael.

               After a round of introductions, Margaret Preston turned to Michael. “Is it all right to go home now?”

               “Everything’s taken care of and we can leave whenever you’re ready.”

               Carlie belatedly remembered their anniversary. “You aren’t getting a very good start to your celebration, are you?” asked Carlie.

               “It’s not exactly what we planned,” said Stan Preston, offering her a gentle smile, “but having our sons safely at our sides is the best gift we could ask for.”

               “Amen to that,” whispered his wife.

               “Margaret?” Stan held his arm out to his wife, and then turned to the Prescott family. “You’re all more than welcome to spend the night at our place. There’s plenty of room and more than enough food.”

               Sharla quickly replied that she wanted to get back to Virginia before nightfall. The others added their thanks and apologies.

               Michael looked down at Carlie, and her gaze steadily met his. “You’ll stay for the rest of the weekend?”

               She gave him a slow smile, her eyes promising that she’d learned her lesson. She wouldn’t risk what they shared. It was too precious, too rare. Nor would she let her doubts jeopardize their relationship.

               “If you still want me.” Her words held an unspoken question.

               He brought her left hand to his mouth, pressing a kiss against the ring he’d placed there less than twelve hours earlier. “I love you,” he said, his voice was steady and sure, his eyes a deep, turbulent blue.

               And there, in front of their families, she returned the words with heartfelt devotion. “I love you more.”

               “And trust me?”

               “Totally.”

               While the others slowly made their way down the hall, Michael took Carlie into his arms and sealed their vows with a long, lingering kiss.

CHAPTER NINE

 

               Michael and Carlie were married in a small, private ceremony at the Prescott family mansion. They chose January first for their special occasion because it was the beginning of a new year, a new life together, and a new chance at happiness for both of them.

               His breath hitched at the first sight of her coming down the wide, winding staircase on Bear’s arm. With each step closer, his pulse raced more furiously. She was his love, his heart and soul, everything he’d ever wanted in a woman.

               Carlie’s hair was pulled into a knot of curls atop her head with tiny blue flowers adorning the honeyed mass. Her ivory gown was simple, yet elegant, and gently draped her generous curves. Michael felt his chest constrict with the intensity of his love. He was the luckiest man in the world and he knew it.

               When she stepped beside him, the sweet familiarity of her scent curled through his body, stirring familiar longings and settling in his memory forever. Then Bear placed her hand in his and his heart leapt with joy. When their gazes met, there wasn’t a shadow of a doubt between them. A bone-deep contentment settled over him, and their voices were clear and strong as they pledged their love with age-old vows.

               The reception was short, but festive, the newlyweds’ happiness spilling over to the people who loved them most.

               For their wedding night, her sisters had reserved an opulent bridal suite complete with a heart-shaped bed, red satin sheets and champagne on ice. Michael swept Carlie into his arms as he carried her over the threshold, kicking the door closed behind them. He dropped a kiss on her lips, intending it to be light. Her mouth clung, her tongue delving into his, so hot and demanding that it set his blood on fire.

               His tightly leashed hunger started to slip its reins.

               “Easy.” The rough whisper held a sharp edge of arousal. He let her body slide down his until her feet touched the floor, and she was pressed against him chest-to-chest, hip-to-hip.

               “I don’t want easy,” she argued, eating at his mouth with impatience, thrusting her tongue deep while her hands busily tugged his shirttail from the waistband of his slacks.

               Michael tried to resist, but he was lost as soon as he felt her hands on his bare flesh. His growl was low and long.

               “The bed,” he insisted against her ravenous mouth.

               “Too far,” she said on a matching growl.

               Once she’d unzipped his slacks and reached inside to cup his straining flesh, there was no more arguing. He lost it, incapable of resisting her ardent demand. He desperately needed to be inside her, to complete the union they’d just vowed to honor; to make her his in every sense of the word.

               The silk of her panty hose gave way to his vicious tug. Then he slid his hands over her soft, supple thighs, lifting her until she could wrap her legs around his waist. He swallowed her sob of excitement when his throbbing shaft found her heated wetness.

               He sunk into her, deeply and completely. Moans of pleasure mingled in their mouths and they clung tightly to each other as they found a fast, furious rhythm that took them swiftly to the peak of pleasure.

               They cried out each other’s names in ragged breaths, chests heaving and bodies damp with exertion.

               “I love you so much!” whispered Carlie.

               He knew she loved him and the knowledge of that love was the most important thing he’d ever learned.

               “I love you more.”

               She’d dispute his claim, but he didn’t care. They had a lifetime to wage their arguments.

EPILOGUE

Eighteen months later

 

               “We have a secret.”

               Dee teased her family from the circle of her husband’s arms. Logan hugged her tightly and pressed a kiss on her hair. She couldn’t see his face, but she knew he was hiding a smile.

               The triplets and their spouses were gathered in the living room of the Prescott mansion. They were celebrating their 27^th birthday with their parents, and had just finished a southern style dinner complete with cake and homemade ice cream. Contentment had settled over the room.

               Sharla was sprawled in an easy chair with Reed sitting on the floor between her legs. Carlie and Michael shared the sofa, snuggling close. Bear was tilted back in his favorite recliner, and Belle had settled into her bentwood rocker. The two were never happier than when surrounded by their family.

               At Dee’s declaration, they all turned their attention to the loveseat where she and Logan were cuddled close. One of his big hands rested on her swollen stomach.

               “You learned the baby’s sex today, didn’t you?” Belle insisted. “You had the ultrasound.”

               “I thought you didn’t want to know,” said Carlie. She rested her cheek on Michael’s chest. He had one arm draped over her shoulder and their hands were intertwined. They couldn’t be close without touching.

               Sharla idly ran her fingers through Reed’s hair as she questioned Dee. “It’s a girl, isn’t it? Reed’s so sure it’s a boy, and we’ve got a friendly little wager riding on it.”

               “You’re right,” put in Logan. “We’re having a girl.”

               Sharla squealed her delight and tugged at Reed’s hair, demanding money.

               “Don’t be too quick to claim your winnings,” injected Dee. “Reed’s right, too.”

               A pause followed her quiet comment and then an explosion of reaction.

               “A boy and a girl!”

               “Twins!”

               “Oh, my!”

              “Wow, congratulations, I think.”

               When the exclamations of surprise had quieted, Logan prodded Dee to reveal the rest of her secret.

               “There’s more?” asked Carlie.

               “Actually, we found out we’re having one girl and two boys.” She felt a blush warm her cheeks; a blush of happiness and anticipation.

               “Triplets!” Everyone yelled in unison, their voices ringing with amazement.

               “Triplets! I can’t believe it. They’re supposed to skip our generation!” insisted Sharla.

               “Well, apparently they didn’t skip very far,” said Dee.

               “Good grief!! What will you do? How will you cope? Are the babies okay? Are you scared witless?” Carlie wanted to know.

               “We’re still a little overwhelmed by the news,” put in Logan. He and Dee shared a special smile of love and devotion. “The babies are fine, and we’ll treasure them just like Bear and Belle do their triplets.”

               Belle nodded serenely, and then dabbed tears from her eyes.

“And we’ve already decided that their aunts, uncles, and grandparents are going to have a major part in their upbringing. We’ll need all the help we can get,” said Dee. “Luckily, the family has a few good pilots who can make regular trips to Kentucky.”

               Her comment spurred another round of laughter and more questions.

               Michael’s hand slid to Carlie’s flat stomach.

               “Don’t even think about it,” she muttered. “I thought I was ready, but I might have to reconsider after this little surprise.”

               His low chuckle teased her ear. “We’ll wait until you’re ready, but we can still practice, can’t we?” he whispered.

               Carlie gave him an intimate smile. “I guess that would be okay.”

               “Okay?” he challenged. “Just okay?”

               “Quit whispering over there,” said Sharla. “If you have secrets, we want to hear them.”

               “Then they wouldn’t be secrets, would they,” Reed argued just to get a rise out of his wife.

               “You know I don’t like secrets,” she told him. “You and your fellow marshals are always keeping secrets. I think it should be a federal offense for husbands to keep secrets from their wives.”

               His voice dropped too low for anyone else to hear. “Then I should probably tell you about my test results, shouldn’t I?”

               Sharla grasped his head and tilted it until she could look him in the eyes. The rest of the family continued to bombard Dee with questions, but she blocked out their conversation and gave him her full attention. “What test results?”

               “The fertility test I had done.”

               Her mouthed dropped open, but she could find no words to respond. They’d assumed it was impossible for them to have a biological child together. They’d agreed to wait another year or so and check in to adoption. Because of that, they’d never worried about birth control.

               “Seems I’m not shooting all blanks.” His tone was light, but his expression held a wealth of emotion. “It might not be easy for you to conceive, but it’s possible.”

               Sharla’s eyes and mouth widened even farther. Reed nuzzled his face against her stomach, and she clutched his head with both hands. “Ohmigaud!” she finally managed, nearly hyperventilating.

               “Now who’s keeping secrets?” demanded Carlie, drawing everyone’s attention to them.

               Sharla merely stared at her, totally lost for words. All she could think about was triplets. Three of everything. Triplicate. Her gaze skipped from Carlie to Dee and then back to Reed again.

               “Happy Birthday, Sweetheart,” he said in a voice rich with amusement.

               “Happy, happy, happy birthday,” echoed Papa Bear.