He smiled wryly.“It was a huge blow to my ego.”
“How did you recover?”
“I avoided her for a few months.I thought she needed space.She obviously wasn’t over Mike, and I didn’t want to embarrass her by bringing it up.I figured we’d have plenty of time to make things right.Then she met Jason, and that was it.”
She gave him a sidelong glance.“If the sex had been good, would you have forgotten about her and moved on?”
Wade eased into a sitting position to put some space between them.Mary had once accused him of preferring a chase and a challenge.He didn’t want to probe into the possibility that he might have used and discarded Natalie if she hadn’t rejected him first.
“You’re ambitious.You don’t like to lose or fail.”
He rose to his feet, annoyed.“Who does?”
“You didn’t realize how you felt about her until the competition arrived.”
Wade rummaged around in his pack for his socks.He put them on, along with his boots.She took the hint and started getting dressed.He stared at her pale, slender back as she slipped into her bra.Fresh arousal coursed through him.She donned her damp tank top and panties.He came up behind her and slid his arm around her waist.
“You’re mad,” she whispered.
“No.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
She lifted her hand to the nape of his neck, stroking there.He kissed her bare shoulder, where freckles stood out against her pale skin.Then they broke apart to finish packing up.By the time they reached his truck, he’d sorted through some of his feelings.He tossed his backpack inside the cab and turned to face her.She studied him warily.
“I don’t know how to explain my relationship with Natalie,” he said.“I don’t know if I was really in love with her, or if we were both grieving Mike.I know I never felt this for her.”He made a gesture between them.“I never felt desire like this.”
She blinked as if stunned by his revelation.“I’ve never felt it before, either.”
He nodded in acknowledgment.They stared at each other for a tense moment.
“I shouldn’t have questioned your feelings for her.I guess I’m jealous.”
“She’s engaged to someone else, so don’t be.”
“I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you.”
“Why?”
“I’m not very experienced.I’ve only been with one person, and he was kind of a dud.You’re on a whole different level.”
“You’re not going to disappoint me.”
“How do you know?”
“Because we just had the best sex of my life, and we didn’t even go all the way.”
Her throat worked as she swallowed.“I think you should lower your expectations before we goall the way.”
“As long as you call me by my name, we’re good.”
His self-deprecating humor brought a smile to her lips.
“I’m not hard to please.”He drew her into his arms and inhaled the scent of her hair.“I love the way you smell, and the way you taste.”
She drew in a sharp breath but didn’t pull away.He knew then that he was already half gone.He was in serious danger of losing his heart to her.He was tempted to fall to his knees and worship at her feet.She made him feel like a giddy teenager, dopey with desire and downright lovesick.
