Family of Three

“Yes, there is,” she said as she darted away, with Jacob in hot pursuit.

Lunging, Jacob caught her by the breakfast nook and trapped her against the table. He lifted her hand and examined the cookware minutely. “See?”

When she laughed he felt the shimmering vibration clear to his feet. “I guess I was wrong,” she whispered.

Oh, God. He stared into her upturned face. She was compelling, undisciplined, beautiful. Too unpredictable by far. One minute happy with her life, the next moving across country. How long would it be before she changed again? Before she discovered that Oregon didn’t answer her dreams, and flew off to find something else?

One night couldn’t hurt, his body coaxed.

One night? Jacob doubted any man could leave Alysia alone after just one night. She was seductive—the way only danger can be seductive.

His finger traced her cheek. “Your face is dirty,” he murmured. Leaning down, Jacob flicked the spot with his tongue, then smiled when Alysia drew a gratifyingly shaky breath. His lips followed the curve of her jaw, caressing the softness of her skin. Her unique scent was a memory burned into his senses.

Jacob knew his weakness would torment him later. Alysia was volatile and stubborn. He could never understand her. All the wanting in the world couldn’t change their differences. Yet she was so soft, so tantalizing. He wanted to trust her. He wanted to believe the honesty in her eyes. When he touched her, the danger didn’t seem to matter.

Jacob tangled his fingers in her hair. Vaguely he heard the pan hit the floor, followed by the pressure of Alysia’s unencumbered hand on his back as she arched into his embrace. Slowly, he reached down and cupped her bottom. Firm, gently curved, molded by worn fabric, it was exactly right.

“What. ?” she moaned when he lifted her to the table, then pressed the rigid swell of his arousal at the juncture between her legs. “Jacob?”

“Just this,” he breathed, flicking the top button loose from her flannel shirt. “And this.” The second button went. The third revealed a lacy bra designed to explode a man’s mind. “My, my, Miss McKenna. What have we here? Such feminine lingerie. You astonish me.”