Sarah rested her head against his chest. Her hair was soft against his skin. Her cheek was smooth. He ran his fingers again and again through her curls and waited silently for her to speak. He'd had enough of these conversations before to know the timing was critical. He had made his decision about her, but that was worthless if she didn't feel the same. What she said next meant everything. Or nothing.

"I'm afraid."

Alex smiled. "Everyone's afraid."

She shook her head against him. "I dated a man two years ago. His name was William. He was very handsome, very charming. He was also incredibly arrogant, selfish, and cruel."

He knew where she was going with this, but kept silent. His looks had always been something he used or didn't use to get what he wanted. Now, for the first time, he wished he had not been blessed with his father's eyes and his mother's hair. Alex wished to be average.

Sarah sighed. "You're not like that."

At her words, relief shot through him, making him realize just how certain he'd been she was going to tell him she didn't want to see him again. She met his gaze. "After he left me, he married a blonde with b.r.e.a.s.t.s the size of basketb.a.l.l.s and a stomach you could probably bounce a quarter off of. He told me he didn't want to see me any more because he was done doing me a favor."

"Oh, Sarah." He could see the pain in her eyes and wanted to smash the other guy's teeth in.

She blinked rapidly, clearing away a sheen of tears. Despite her obvious distress, her voice was strong. "He was a jerk, Alex. You're not."

"Sarah, you're intelligent, funny and beautiful. Any guy who couldn't see that is more than a jerk. He's a moron."

She bit her lip and ducked her head before looking up at him again. "Thank you. I'm not beautiful, but thank you."

He'd been with plenty of skinny women who complained of being fat, gorgeous women who obsessed over tiny imperfections noticeable only to themselves, and women who downplayed their intelligence so they didn't intimidate the men they dated. He didn't get the impression Sarah was fishing for compliments, or talking about bad qualities to emphasize the good.

He kissed her. "You're beautiful."

She blushed. "Stop."

"Do you really think that's what matters to me?"

She stared at him for a moment before replying. "I think you are used to being with a certain type of woman, Alex. And I'm not ... I'm not that type of woman."

She sure wasn't. "But that's what I like about you."

Sarah ran a hand along his arm, up to his shoulder, then tousled his hair. "That I'm not a s.e.xpot?"

He kissed her hand. "I didn't say that."

Sarah sighed and wriggled closer to him to put her head on his shoulder. Her voice was soft when she answered him. "One step at a time, Alex, okay?"

Another of his own lines come back to haunt him. "Okay."

Her breath heated his chest while her hand stole up to caress his bare skin. "You are the one who's beautiful, not me."

"Men can't be beautiful."

"Gorgeous then."

She traced the outline of his nipple with one fingertip. It stood erect at her

touch. Alex put his hand over hers to stop her from moving more. He waited until she looked at him quizzically before speaking.

"Is that all I am to you, Sarah?"

She licked her lips, then chewed lightly on the soft flesh. "At first."

"What about now?"

"I have a good time with you, Alex. A really good time."

He didn't want to push her further, not when she looked like she was about to run away at any moment. One step at a time, she'd said. He nodded.

"I have a good time with you, too."

She smiled and moved her hand again over his nipple. She bent to lick it, and the sensation of her hot, wet tongue on his flesh made his p.e.n.i.s stir. She pushed him back on the bed and took him in her mouth, all the way to the

base of his p.e.n.i.s, so far down she could kiss his b.a.l.l.s. When she did, he lifted his hips, and she backed off.

"Want me to stop?" she asked teasingly.

"h.e.l.l, no."

"Good."

She bent back to lick and suck him, and in just moments, he was like a

teenage kid, ready to explode. He put a hand on her head. "Hold off. I don't want to come yet."

Sarah sat up, her smile glistening. "That's something you don't usually hear."

"I want to make love to you first."

"Ah." The smile widened. "That's okay."

"But first I want to lick you."

Her smile faltered, but the heat in her eyes blazed. She swallowed and licked her lips again while she took a deep breath. At first he thought he'd made a mistake, that he'd frightened her again, but without another word, Sarah straddled him, bent to kiss him, then slid her body up along his, until his mouth could reach her.

Alex put his hands on her hips and kissed her. She sighed when he did, and she trembled, but she didn't pull away. He slid his tongue along her folds and found the spot he knew brought her the most pleasure. She sighed again, louder this time. He cupped her b.u.t.tocks as he licked her, and she tensed and relaxed as her hips began to move against his tongue.

Sarah's head fell back, and her gorgeous brown curls fell down over her back to graze his knuckles. He wanted to tangle his hands in the silken tangle, but couldn't the way they were. He had to content himself with moving her body against his mouth and lips and tongue, with licking her until she began to moan, and until her body clenched in her first o.r.g.a.s.m.

He wasn't done with her. Gently, Alex rolled her over while he slid open the night stand drawer and pulled out a small foil packet. Sheathing himself quickly, because he could barely stand to wait, he slid inside her. Then he waited for a minute to catch his breath. Resting on his forearms, he leaned down to kiss her lips and cheeks while she smiled and wiggled beneath him.

"Stay still," he whispered.

"I can't," she whispered back with a giggle. She moved again, arching her back and tilting her pelvis to take more of him in.

"You have to," he replied. "Or else I'm going to be finished before we start."

She laughed again, a low, husky sound that made his b.a.l.l.s tighten. "That's something I like about you, Alex. Most guys would not admit to a lack of control in the bed."

"I'm not admitting anything," he told her with a gentle thrust that made her moan aloud.

She grabbed his hips and pulled him closer to her. "Alex ... less talking. More action."

"Your wish is my command," he whispered and kissed her again.

He'd said the words as a joke, light-hearted humor, but as soon as they left his mouth, he knew he meant them. He wanted to please Sarah, not just in bed, but everywhere. He wanted to make her smile, hear her laugh. He wanted to take care of her.

Love her.

The thought filled his mind before he could stop it, but then the pa.s.sion overtook him and he moved with her until he couldn't think any more.

Sarah was late to work and didn't care. She had a pile of mail to go through and a crisis with the printer, and she didn't care about that either. Life is good, Sarah reflected as she settled down at her desk. She felt like singing.

"You are late!" Darren announced from the doorway.

"I know." She grinned uncontrollably.

Darren looked at her carefully, then shut the door behind him and slid into the chair across from her. "'Fess up, honey. You've got happy written all over your face."

"Let's just say I had an interesting evening."

Darren used his wonderful power of expression to let her know he wasn't fooled. "And morning, too, it looks like."

She shrugged, unable to stop smiling. "Maybe."

"Maybe, nothing!" Darren hooted, slapping the desk. "You got yourself a

boyfriend!"

Sarah shushed him and winced. "Why not take a memo and copy the whole company, Darren!"

Her a.s.sistant laughed and propped his feet up on the desk. "We won't need a

memo. You can't hide your face, honey. You're in love."

She blushed and began sorting through her mail. Darren did have a

disconcerting way of digging right to the heart of any matter. Not that she was in love with Alex. It was too soon. Wasn't it?

"I wouldn't say that." She struggled for coolness, but the smile kept creeping

up on her mouth. Finally, she tossed the mail aside and let out a restrained

whoop while twirling around in her chair. "Maybe."

Darren crossed his arms in front of him like a drill sergeant. "Spill your guts. I want to know everything."

Sarah didn't have to think about what to say. The words tumbled out of her in a rush. "His name is Alex Caine. He owns The Foxfire. We met at my sister's showing a few weeks ago. That's it."

Darren snorted. "If that's it, I'm the Queen of Sheba. I know you better than that."

"He's ... handsome."

Darren's brows lifted, and his feet came down off the desk with a thump.

"Oh, no."