fun.”
He chuckled and gave her a light kiss. “Just wait until I’ve got you in my bed. Then you’ll see what fun is.”
He froze, blinked, then shook his head and groaned. “Now you have me spouting lines like some B-movie character.”
Faith laughed. That stuffy Mark Tonelli felt comfortable enough to play with her sent warmth of an entirely different sort spiraling through her veins. And here she’d thought this was going to be an intense, hot affair. Not something so playful that it touched a long-starved part of herself and made her feel fully alive for the first time in years.
Even before Lyndi’s death, Faith realized she’d shut part of herself off from the world. The better to get the story without suffering an emotional breakdown every time the people involved experienced joy, sorrow or pain. Outside of the job, Faith had hung out with friends and taken lovers, leading her to believe she’d been handling her life perfectly well.
But Mark made her see that she’d remained emotionally frozen even after giving up her job.
“I’m melting, I’m melting,” she murmured.
“I should hope so,” he replied.
Faith just shook her head, not surprised that he’d missed the movie reference. “Modest, aren’t you?”
“No. I don’t see the point.”
Yeah, that fit. The man knew his worth, and if he seemed to think himself better than most, well, she didn’t really know him well enough to say differently. Pulling herself out of serious self-analysis mode, she nuzzled against Mark and licked a damp trail from his collarbone down to his nipple.
He sucked in a breath and took two lunging steps forward. Then the world spun and her back landed on the softness of a mattress. While she’d been deep in thought, Mark had reached the top floor and carried her into his bedroom. She barely had time to register soft light shining on dark wood furniture before Mark, naked—somehow he’d managed to shuck his pants without her noticing—crawled onto the bed and hooked the fingers of one hand under the waistband of her skirt.
With a strong tug, he pulled off her pantyhose and panties, then slid her skirt down her legs, leaving her bare to his gaze.
“I can’t believe you’re here. In my bed,” Mark breathed. “So beautiful. So right.”
Gone was the playful, teasing man of a moment ago. His eyes stared into hers with a heated intensity that stole all her thoughts and incinerated the oxygen in her lungs. Something deep inside snapped, as if Mark had broken through an unknown barrier. Yet at the same time, she felt as if she were falling into his soul.
No matter how arrogant or unkind he could be, there was more good in Mark than he realized. Otherwise, he wouldn’t allow her this deep stare that laid bare their vulnerabilities and opened them both up to exploitation. He wouldn’t have such a look of awe on his face. And the kiss he gave her wouldn’t promise safety and security and yes, even love.
Just when she thought she couldn’t bear the overwhelming sense of being stripped bare to her soul, Mark kissed her harder. Wildness took over and the tenderness they’d just shared burned away under the sheer heat of desire.
She’d thought him urbane and controlled, but the hint of danger she’d sensed in him now came roaring out. He kissed her like he wanted to devour her. To absorb every bit of her essence through his mouth. Faith clutched his back and strained to get closer as her body ignited. She couldn’t breathe. The kiss stole all her oxygen, but she didn’t want to relinquish Mark’s mouth to take a deep breath.
Her heart felt like it had been possessed.But she needed this. Needed to be closer to Mark. To feel this sense that she finally could let go and just feel. That despite barely knowing him, Mark wouldn’t let her down. She could let herself enjoy the moment without wallowing in guilt or grief and Mark wouldn’t judge her for it. When he lifted his head, she made a sound of protest
He chuckled and gave her a light kiss. “Just wait until I’ve got you in my bed. Then you’ll see what fun is.”
He froze, blinked, then shook his head and groaned. “Now you have me spouting lines like some B-movie character.”
Faith laughed. That stuffy Mark Tonelli felt comfortable enough to play with her sent warmth of an entirely different sort spiraling through her veins. And here she’d thought this was going to be an intense, hot affair. Not something so playful that it touched a long-starved part of herself and made her feel fully alive for the first time in years.
Even before Lyndi’s death, Faith realized she’d shut part of herself off from the world. The better to get the story without suffering an emotional breakdown every time the people involved experienced joy, sorrow or pain. Outside of the job, Faith had hung out with friends and taken lovers, leading her to believe she’d been handling her life perfectly well.
But Mark made her see that she’d remained emotionally frozen even after giving up her job.
“I’m melting, I’m melting,” she murmured.
“I should hope so,” he replied.
Faith just shook her head, not surprised that he’d missed the movie reference. “Modest, aren’t you?”
“No. I don’t see the point.”
Yeah, that fit. The man knew his worth, and if he seemed to think himself better than most, well, she didn’t really know him well enough to say differently. Pulling herself out of serious self-analysis mode, she nuzzled against Mark and licked a damp trail from his collarbone down to his nipple.
He sucked in a breath and took two lunging steps forward. Then the world spun and her back landed on the softness of a mattress. While she’d been deep in thought, Mark had reached the top floor and carried her into his bedroom. She barely had time to register soft light shining on dark wood furniture before Mark, naked—somehow he’d managed to shuck his pants without her noticing—crawled onto the bed and hooked the fingers of one hand under the waistband of her skirt.
With a strong tug, he pulled off her pantyhose and panties, then slid her skirt down her legs, leaving her bare to his gaze.
“I can’t believe you’re here. In my bed,” Mark breathed. “So beautiful. So right.”
Gone was the playful, teasing man of a moment ago. His eyes stared into hers with a heated intensity that stole all her thoughts and incinerated the oxygen in her lungs. Something deep inside snapped, as if Mark had broken through an unknown barrier. Yet at the same time, she felt as if she were falling into his soul.
No matter how arrogant or unkind he could be, there was more good in Mark than he realized. Otherwise, he wouldn’t allow her this deep stare that laid bare their vulnerabilities and opened them both up to exploitation. He wouldn’t have such a look of awe on his face. And the kiss he gave her wouldn’t promise safety and security and yes, even love.
Just when she thought she couldn’t bear the overwhelming sense of being stripped bare to her soul, Mark kissed her harder. Wildness took over and the tenderness they’d just shared burned away under the sheer heat of desire.
She’d thought him urbane and controlled, but the hint of danger she’d sensed in him now came roaring out. He kissed her like he wanted to devour her. To absorb every bit of her essence through his mouth. Faith clutched his back and strained to get closer as her body ignited. She couldn’t breathe. The kiss stole all her oxygen, but she didn’t want to relinquish Mark’s mouth to take a deep breath.
Her heart felt like it had been possessed.But she needed this. Needed to be closer to Mark. To feel this sense that she finally could let go and just feel. That despite barely knowing him, Mark wouldn’t let her down. She could let herself enjoy the moment without wallowing in guilt or grief and Mark wouldn’t judge her for it. When he lifted his head, she made a sound of protest
Similar Books
