He traced a finger down her cheek to her mouth. "Tell me quick, because I've wanted you too long to wait much longer."

Olivia studied him for what seemed like eons before nodding. "Then don't wait."

"But-"

"Don't wait," she whispered against his lips.

He kissed her. Every cell in his body screamed Yes! It felt so right that it would have been scary if he'd let himself think about it, but the second that thought arose he shut it down and occupied himself with the feel of her under him.

He couldn't tell if he was devouring her or if it was the other way around. Not that he cared. h.e.l.l-he'd lie down and let her have her way with him if she wanted.

He slipped under the layers she wore, under her bra, straight for the silky softness of her breast.

Arching into his hand, she wrapped a leg around his to hold him against her. She stole under his shirt and kneaded her way up his back.

He lifted his head and looked at his hand under her shirt, rubbing her nipple. He could feel it peak under his attention, but his eyes were on hers. She watched what he did, her mouth slightly open.

She gasped, her gaze never wavering. He bent and took it in his mouth, biting it through her clothing.

Grasping his hair, she pulled. "My turn." She deftly flipped them around so she was on top.

He hadn't expected this. She hadn't been pa.s.sive eleven years ago-she'd always been enthusiastic-but she'd let him lead.

She pushed up his shirt. "Off."

"You too," he said, tossing aside his top layers.

Grabbing the bottom, she took her sweater, tee shirt, and bra off in one motion.

He liked this new, aggressive Olivia.

She bent down, latched onto his nipple, and sucked.

Correction-he loved this new Olivia.

He gripped her hips and rocked into her. He felt her gasp puff against his chest and wanted to feel her breath against other parts of him. Wrapping a hand in her hair, he brought her mouth to his.

She rubbed herself against him and, when he groaned, she did it again. He could taste her gratified smile. He reached between them and tugged on the zipper of her pants.

"I'll do it." She gazed at him as she quickly took them off and tossed them with the rest of their clothes. She knelt above him, her knees straddling his hips. "Your turn."

Before he could twitch, she had his pants undone and was pulling them, and his underwear, down. His c.o.c.k sprang up, eager and greedy.

She traced a finger up its length. She touched the wetness at the top and smoothed it over the head.

His body arched up. "Olivia."

She grinned and slid down over him.

She felt hot and wet and so right it would have scared him if he let himself think. She put her hands on his chest and rode him like her life depended on it. He grabbed her hips, careful not to get in her way.

She moaned and moved faster.

He thrust up into her. "Feel how hard I am for you, Olivia? I don't think I've ever been this hard in my life."

She closed her eyes and threw her head back.

Magnificent. He couldn't take his eyes off her. She looked like a pagan G.o.ddess, flushed and wild. The lantern lit her from behind, bathing her in a golden glow.

She tightened around him and he almost lost it. He reached up and grazed one of her luscious nipples with his palm. "Come, baby. Come for me."

Her fingernails scratched his chest and she cried out. Feeling her peak pushed him over the edge.

"Yes." His grip tightened on her hips, driving both of them higher.

She fell on top of him. Tangling his hand in her hair, he tilted her head till he could get at her mouth.

She kissed him languidly-long and thorough. She still pulsed around his c.o.c.k, almost in time to each lick of her tongue.

"Olivia," he groaned. He rolled them over and ground his groin into hers.

More. He needed more.

He pushed higher into her, wanting to bury himself as deep inside as he possibly could.

"Michael, I'm done. Finished. I couldn't possibly-"

"Want me to describe how you feel?" He grinned at how she flushed. "Hot. And wet. And so tight."

"Aw h.e.l.l." She wrapped her legs around his waist and prodded him with her heels.

He laughed.

And then she squeezed and he wasn't laughing anymore.

He'd died and gone to heaven.

If he had the energy, he would have looked around. Or pinched himself. Anything to determine whether he was dead or still living.

He was in heaven. It was the only logical explanation. There was no other way he'd be lying on top of Olivia, buried inside her.

But he wasn't the kind of guy who'd get past the pearly gates. He'd done a few things in the past that surely bought him a one-way pa.s.s to h.e.l.l.

Which left one possibility: he was still alive and the last hour actually did happen.

He ran his hand down Olivia's side to the curve of her hip. She was warm and firm with muscles.

His c.o.c.k stirred.

He was definitely alive.

Olivia sighed and burrowed closer to him. "I'm having a strong case of deja vu."

"What?"

"Deja vu. This is just like my sixteenth birthday. Except we're indoors and there aren't any thistles poking into my back." She caressed his back, alternately running her fingers down his spine and kneading his muscles. "Do you ever think about it?"

"About it?"

"About the past. About my sixteenth birthday."

"Sometimes." He wasn't about to tell her he carried the locket he gave her in his pocket all the time.

"When you think about it, what comes to mind?"

He rolled onto his back and scooped her against his chest. "That I miss having you in my life."

s.h.i.t. He didn't mean to say that. She'd take it the wrong way. Having fabulous, wake-up-the-neighbors s.e.x was one thing. It was a far cry from getting back together.

He tasted the possibility of being with Olivia every night. It was scrumptious.

But unfeasible. His life was in LA, as much as hers was here in Northern California. Their paths didn't mesh. It would never work and he didn't want to lead her on. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her.

He shot her a look to see how she took his comment.

Her brows were furrowed. He resisted the urge to smooth them out. "That's what I think too," she said. "Right before I wish I'd never met you."

"Ouch. That was below the belt."

Her lips twisted wryly. "What did you expect? That I'd be blown away by the s.e.x and fall under your spell? Again?" she asked. "I don't think so."

"So why are you here?"

"Same reason you are. I was locked in."

"No." Michael pointedly looked at where she lay against him. "Why are you here?"

"Temporary insanity. Don't take this to mean more than it does." She rested her cheek on top of his chest, rubbing it in like she was trying to nest.

He frowned. What the h.e.l.l did that mean? Okay-yes, he admitted he didn't want her to think this meant a lifetime commitment, but tonight should mean something.

"Don't get me wrong. It was really good." She lifted her head and looked at him with a wicked gleam. "Really good. But it just wouldn't be feasible. You hate Northern California, and I won't leave. Gran is getting older, and then there's my business." She shrugged and fell silent.

"So we're on the same page." Then why did he feel so disgruntled?

He needed to change the subject. "Do you think they'll let us out tonight?"

"I don't know, but we should get dressed just in case. I wouldn't want to give Gran the satisfaction of finding us naked. Not like that'll make a big difference. She'll probably know anyway."

He shuddered. "Granny Mae is scary."

"Tell me about it. And you don't have to live with her."

Neither did she, but apparently she didn't realize it. And she'd probably get out of joint if he mentioned it. He didn't want to do that. The moment was sweet, and he didn't want to disrupt it.

Olivia propped her chin on his chest and gazed at him. "We're going to have to discuss this eventually, you know."

He sighed.

"We have to be realistic about this. How much longer are you going to be around?"

The way the movie was going, another three years. "At least several more weeks."

"Good."

He didn't like the way that sounded. "Good?"

"If you were leaving tomorrow, we wouldn't get to have much more s.e.x, would we?" She lifted her head and looked at him. He couldn't read the expression on her face. "Unless you don't want more s.e.x."

Not want more s.e.x with Olivia? "That's not it at all."

She looked relieved. "Good. Great. I'd like it too."

He should be jumping for joy at the prospect of no strings attached s.e.x, but he didn't think anyone would find fault with him for being leery. For one thing, he didn't think there was such a thing as no strings attached s.e.x. Second, this was Olivia. Why would she want it? Especially from him. And third, was she actually talking about no strings attached s.e.x?

Wait a minute-what about Lurch?

He drew her face closer to his. "You want more s.e.x with me?"

"We obviously have chemistry, and it only seems to get worse the more we ignore it."

"So this is just a for-the-good-of-mankind kind of thing?"

Her lips quirked into a smile. "You can look at it that way."

He wasn't sure how he felt about that. "What about Lurch?"

She looked confused for a moment before she rolled her eyes. "His name is Rick, and what about him?"

"Well, if my girlfriend was having s.e.x with another man, I'd be a little p.i.s.sed."

"Rick isn't like that."

Michael stared at her incredulously. "He's gay then?"

Olivia burst out laughing. When she didn't show any sign of letting up, he shook her. "What's so funny? He's got to be gay if he doesn't care if another guy's making on his woman."

That sent Olivia into another gale of laughter. Michael could feel tears of mirth slide onto his skin.