"—practically grew up in the Sullivan house."
"I asked him to look for you," he told her.
"So did I," she admitted.
He shook his head. "I don’t understand. Why did you leave me in Lake Tahoe without any way to find you?"
She looked uncertain for a long moment. Finally, she admitted, "I was scared." She bit her lip. "Of all the things you were making me feel, even though we’d just met."
He could tell how big a deal it was for her to admit that to him, and it pleased him to know that she was trying to trust him. At least, a little bit.
"Tell me, Colbie. Tell me what I made you feel."
"The same things you’re making me feel right now," she said in a soft voice that he had to lean closer to hear. Her scent wrapped around him again, drew him in even further. He wanted to breathe her in everywhere, wanted to know what her skin tasted like in all those same places. "Like my heart is going to beat out of my chest just because you’re here."
He knew she was being honest with him, but at the same time, he could tell she was still cautious. Still nervous about being with him. He wanted not only to know all of her secret desires, her secret pleasures…he wanted to know the secret to her heart.
"Don’t run again, Colbie." He smiled down at her. "I’m not sure Rafe would be up for helping us a second time."
As her hesitation gave way to a smile, his breath caught in his throat. Beautiful didn’t even begin to describe the woman standing before him. Stunning didn’t cut it, either.
She was perfect.
"Finding you again like this proves what I’ve known since the moment I saw you." He caressed her cheek again, pausing with his hand just cupping her chin, loving the anticipation in her gaze, the way she was all but begging him to kiss her with that hungry look in her eyes.
"What did you know?" she asked, barely above a whisper.
"That we were a perfect fit." He leaned in close, close enough that he could have kissed her. Instead he said, "And that we belong together."
He could almost taste the sweetness of her lips, was about to pull her soft curves against him, when a flicker of doubt flashed in her eyes at the very last second and she pulled away from him.
Just as she had on the ski slopes right before she’d left him.
He watched her force a laugh, as if he’d been kidding about being soul mates. "I’ve never heard a pickup line quite like that one before. Does it usually work?"
She was clearly pushing for a reaction, trying to see if she could get him to walk away this time. But he wasn’t going anywhere.
"I don’t know," he said softly. "I’ve never said it to anyone before."
He heard her breath catch, watched as her cheeks flushed an even deeper rose. "But we hardly know each other."
Noah wanted to find out who had put that wariness into her eyes. Not only was he going to kill the sorry bastard, he was also going to spend the rest of his life making sure no one ever hurt her again.
"What if I can prove to you that it’s true?"
Interest sparked at his challenging words, but too quickly the wariness came back. "How could you possibly do that?"
"You gave me one perfect day in Lake Tahoe. Now I want one night." He moved closer again and took one of her trembling hands in his. "One night with you." He entwined his fingers with hers and she stopped shaking as he held her tight. "One night to love you the way you’ve always wanted to be loved." He dipped his head down so that he could whisper in her ear. "One perfect night to make all of your secret desires and dreams come true."
When he pulled back slightly to take in her reaction, he could see the pulse point at the base of her neck moving wildly beneath her creamy, smooth skin. She shook her head, desire now warring with wariness in her beautiful blue eyes.
"You could do all that in one night?"
Noah had always followed his instincts, whether with family or friends or business. And right now, his instincts were telling him to stop thinking, stop talking, stop trying to convince Colbie of his intentions…and just do.
Gently cupping her face with his free hand, her skin so soft beneath his palm, the heat from her skin searing him, he tilted her face up to his and whispered, "Yes," right before taking her mouth with his.
Chapter Six
Noah kissed her the way she’d always wanted to be kissed. With passion. With decadent, sinful purpose.
And more sweet emotion than she’d even known was possible.
Even though it was their first kiss, he wasn’t afraid to sweep his tongue between her teeth, and his boldness gave her the courage to take what she wanted.
Him.
Their tongues danced, mating so beautifully that she heated up as much behind her breastbone as she did everywhere else. It was blissful being with a man who wasn’t worried about moving too fast or too slow, only with making love to her mouth.
He led their dance, and although she was more than glad to follow wherever he took her, she was tasting him, too. Learning the corners where his lips came together with the tip of her tongue, gently biting his lower lip between her teeth and sucking it into her mouth.
A groan of pleasure vibrated from his chest to hers and she was powerless against the urge to press her br**sts against his hard chest. His groan turned into a growl of desire and then his hand moved from her face to thread through her hair as he tilted her head back so that he could have better access to her mouth.