She stumbled back the way they’d come, her mind reeling with the gift Talon had given her. No one had ever done anything like this for her, and she was overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness.
Somehow, she managed to make it back to her cabin. When Talon shut the door, she threw herself into his arms. He caught her against him, and she lifted on tiptoe to press her lips to his, beyond caring whether it was right or wrong.
He stiffened in surprise then made a low, rough sound in the back of his throat and returned her passionate kiss. He turned her until she was pressed against the wall. His lean, hard body covered hers completely.
After a long moment, he pulled back. His blue eyes held cautious delight. “I take it you’re glad I brought the roses?”
She cupped his face with trembling hands. “No one has ever done anything like this for me before. You’re the only one who has ever known me well enough to realize how much it would mean.”
He closed his eyes as though her words had hurt him. “Don’t give me more credit than I deserve,” he whispered, his peppermint-scented breath tickling her face. “My motives were far from pure.”
She laughed. “I don’t care about your motives. I’m just glad you did it. Carolina won’t feel so foreign now that I have something of home. In fact, I can’t believe I didn’t think of it myself.”
He bent forward until his forehead rested against hers and she couldn’t see his face. “I only brought them because I hoped it would make you so happy you’d let me kiss you again.”
She hugged him, loving the way he felt so warm and solid. In his arms she felt safe, cared for, cherished, all the things she’d sought with Daniel but never found. “Well, it worked. So why don’t you take advantage of your success?”
“I’d like to do a hell of a lot more than kiss you,” he told her. “God, Kate, can’t you feel what you do to me?”
It was there again, that hard, probing part of him pressing against her stomach, reminding her of his maleness, his strength, her own fragility.
She stared up at him, both frightened and exhilarated. “I love it that you’re attracted to me. I thought no man would ever look at me the way you’re looking at me right now.”
He sighed and kissed her once more, lingering over her lips, teasing and withdrawing until she thought she’d faint with the pleasure of it. Then he stepped away. “We’ll continue this discussion some other time,” he promised. “If I don’t leave now, I won’t be able to.”
He hesitated, his gaze boring into hers, and for a moment she almost gave in. She almost threw caution and her morals to the wind and asked him to stay.
She wanted this thing he was offering her. Wanted it more with every passing day.
But in the end, she said nothing, and he turned and left the room.
