The moment they had gotten change, she had started playing the slot right next to his, pulling the lever, her eyes widening in anticipation of a lucky streak. They laughed playfully at their losses, and when he had won a prize, they had both looked at each other and laughed loudly.
Well, he had laughed.
She had squealed in delight. The sound sent shivers through him.
When they had calculated the bounty, it came up to a whopping fifteen thousand dollars — his biggest win ever.
When he gave it to her she had looked at him, speechless. He had second guessed the gesture until she leaped at him, happily winding her hands around his neck in glee. The full body contact made his body throb with need.
What was it about this woman?
Like a breath of fresh air, she invaded his lungs, every part of him.
Mine,he affirmed before that nagging voice told him again that it was only for less than a year.
He felt her pull back and he let her go, but as she returned to her feet, it hit again — the intoxicating flowery scent of hers that had taunted him all through dinner.
That was the last straw, that scent.
It reminded him too much or her elusive taste.
His hand tightened as he drew her closer and tilted her head up, barely taking a second to savor her gasp and the stunned arousal that blazed through her wide brown eyes. His lips closed over hers and he wanted — no, he needed, craved — that taste. He needed to chase that essence again.
Her lips trembled once, twice, before her body relaxed into his and her mouth.
And welcomed him home.
???
When Michael followed Trinity and Miranda to the shelter, Trinity suffered a small meltdown from feeling overwhelmed at the task in hand. Michael had witnessed her be capable and in control, he had wondered how she planned to disburse everything they brought.
But that was ages ago. Now she was handing boxes to every available person, alternating by their age groups and obvious needs.
Michael turned back to the box in his hand and handed it off to the child in front of him.
"For me?"
"Yes."
The child turned to his mother. "Can I keep it?"
"Sure, baby."
The boy raced off with the box above his head, shouting at the top of his lungs. The mother watched her child with a wistful look.
Michael turned to find Trinity looking wistfully at him too, and he gave her a smile.
She smiled back.
?TRINITY?
She thought for sure he would be out of his depth — standoffish at the most — but he had not only adapted, he had done so beautifully.
She had raised her head, catching the encounter he had with the little boy, and she couldn't help but smile. Somehow, he had turned just in time to catch her look.
She had turned away quickly, happy that she couldn't blush, and the sudden warmth couldn't show on her skin.
She had not recovered from the night before. The recollections kept her awake through the night, the excitement thrumming just under her skin. She was falling for him, rushing headlong into it without brakes. Everything he did gave her more speed until she didn't know what to do anymore.
