She laughed. Light, breathless, impossibly tempting. Her hands came up to frame his face, guiding him back to her. Their lips met again, softer this time but no less consuming, no less dangerous to whatever control he had left.
He tightened his hold and carried her deeper into the cabin.
Toward the bed, toward the night, toward whatever waited for them on the other side of this moment.
5
She slid slowly down his body, and her feet touched the soft carpet. At some point her shoes had fallen off; she couldn’t say when.
Merciful heavens above.
She was going to see JK Kenzie naked.
Her breath hitched at the sheer absurdity and wonder of it. This wasn’t a movie or a fantasy or the safe glow of a screen — this was him, standing only a breath away, flesh and blood and impossibly real.
He stepped back just enough to look at her, his gaze sweeping over her face as though he were memorizing every reaction. A slow smile tugged at the corner of his mouth — the kind that said he knew exactly what was racing through her mind.
“Hey,” he murmured, voice warm and low, “you okay?”
She nodded quickly. “Perfectly fine. Completely normal. Totally calm.”
One of his brows lifted. “That right?”
“Absolutely.” Her voice cracked on the last syllable.
His smile deepened, soft and devastating. He lifted an arm and unclipped a cufflink, rolling it into his palm before repeating the process on the other side. The onyx stones winked under the warm lamplight as he set them on the bedside table.
Right beside several foil packets.
Heat flared up her neck.
Of course he’d be prepared. He was a movie star, after all — men like him didn’t leave things to chance. But seeing them there, unmistakable in their intent, sent a flutter of nerves and anticipation spiraling through her.
This was really happening.
And not in the hazy “wouldn’t it be wild” corners of her imagination — but now, with him, in this quiet secluded cabin that smelled faintly of lemon and pine.
In. Real. Life.
She was not ready for this.
Except … oh, she absolutely was.
Justin looked up, catching her gaze, and a slow, lopsidedknowinggrin tugged at his lips. She tried to think of something witty but came up blank.
“Thankfully, my security boys are better prepared than me.”
She blinked. “So … tonight …”
He sighed, a faint shake in his breath. “I didn’t plan tonight, Suzette. It just … fell into place.”
She swallowed, her pulse skittering. “I—well … I didn’t expect any of this either,” she admitted softly. “But I’m not sorry it’s happening.” Her gaze dipped to his mouth, then lifted again, steadier this time.
Not yet. Regrets were for tomorrow.
“Good.” He started on the buttons of his shirt, fingers steady, eyes locked on hers.
She lifted her hand and covered his. “May I?”
