She crawled onto the mattress, breathing heavily through her nose. “No food.”
“Peppermint tea, then.”
“If you insist…”
“I do.”
Resting a forearm over her eyes, she listened to the soft swishes of Tommy’s trousers as he moved about the cabin. When his movements occasionally stopped, she would peek out to make sure she wasn’t dreaming, that Tommy was there with her.
The mattress dipped as he sat on the edge. “Here’s your tea. Let me help you up.”
A moment later, a pillow was stuffed behind her back and she was sipping the aromatic beverage. She let out a blissful sigh. Trust Tommy and his precise ways to make the perfect cup of peppermint tea.
“About last night…”
He trailed off, and she mentally prepared for the worst. Obviously, he was about to tell her all the ways she’d embarrassed herself. She would remain calm and collected—no, better yet, she would pretend the kiss had never happened! He would follow her lead and they could go on pretending to be just friends.
“I very much enjoyed kissing you.” She slapped a hand over her mouth and stared at Tommy in horror. What was the matter with her?
His lips twisted into a knowing smirk. “I know.” He extricated the mug from her grip and set it on the bedside table. Guiding her firmly but gently onto her back, he added, “I am an excellent kisser.”
Only Tommy could be so self-assured and still make her toes curl beneath the blankets.
“Almost as good as me,” she clarified.
He laughed, which, given the circumstances, could have been directed at her. She was rather pathetic at the moment. However, the possibility was quickly disabused by the intense focus he levied on her. It told her she’d pleased him, that her challenge was welcomed—and wouldn’t go unanswered.
“The kiss was so brief, how could we know for certain?”
“We could try again,” she said nonchalantly, as if she were offering him a new blend of tea.
“We could.” His smile was slow and wicked. “That and so much more. Genie, I know what my second wish is.”
Her breath stuttered. “Go on.”
“I want to touch you. Pleasure you until you can’t breathe. Feel you come apart in my arms, over and over again, for as long as we’re in this cabin.”
Holy God, what a promise. She struggled to think. There was one more important question, she was sure of it. Something to do with the cabin. If only she could concentrate on something other than the state of her nipples, which had become hard points beneath her sleeping gown, or the juncture of her thighs, which throbbed with ravenous desire.
“When do we begin?”
A stark, almost feral gleam shone in his blue eyes. “As soon as you’re better.”
She shoved herself to her elbows. “I’m better now.”
His laugh was low and husky. “No, Genie love, you’re not. Sleep first, and dream of the many, many things we’ll try.” He pressed a firm kiss to her forehead. “And when you wake, I’m going to take care of you. In every way you need.”
When Imogen roused some time later, it was to a medley of mouthwatering aromas. She arched her arms over her head in a languid, restorative stretch and sniffed greedily at the air. Her headache, thankfully, was gone, though her body still hummed with lingering agitation. She had every intention of pursuing Tommy’s promise to satiate the relentless ardor demanding her attention, but first things first.
“Something smells wonderful.”
“Of course it does,” Tommy said from his seat before the hearth. “I am a wonderful cook.”
“Another reason I adore your mother.” She pulled on a thick robe and walked to his side. Gawking at the number of pots simmering on embers, she asked, “Gracious, how long was I asleep?”
“Long enough for me to prepare a few presents.”
“A few?”
