He walked over to her side and lifted one of the cedar shingles. When he leaned in and scanned his retina, the locks on the door clicked open automatically. She stopped bouncing and simply gaped at him.
“You are James Bond.” There was definitely awe in her voice.
“Or a psycho mad scientist.” He winked. “Now you have to decide whether or not it’s worth the risk to come inside. But beware, you only get to leave when you tell me the truth. The whole truth.”
She considered him a long moment. There was no trace of insecurity in her expression. No fear. In fact, she looked pretty damn confident that she could beat him at his own game. And damned if he wasn’t turned on by her poise.
“I guess I’ll take my chances,” she called over her shoulder when she stepped inside.
The lights flickered on with every stop she took. Ben followed her to the great room. She dropped her bags on the sofa and walked to the middle of the room where she began slowly pivoting in a circle, taking everything in. Suddenly, he was wary about her opinion of the place. He hadn’t realized until just now he’d restored it in hopes of preserving the memory of what they once had.
The memory of her.
And now that he’d glimpsed the Quinn of the past, he didn’t want to let her go. If only he could create a scenario where time stood still. Where Ronoff and the Phoenix didn’t exist. Where they could go back to being the two people they once were and have the life they’d dreamed of all those years ago.
Lightning flashed beyond the panoramic windows drawing her attention to the view of the ocean just off the deck.
“My God, Ben, this is spectacular.” She turned to face him, her eyes shining. “What you’ve done here is . . .” She shook her head in bewilderment. “It’s perfect.”
Air rushed through his lungs once again. He gave his head a shake hoping logic would return and chase out the screwed-up scenario he was spinning inside it. They couldn’t go back to who they were. Hell, he had no idea if the Quinn he knew back then was even real. He’d refurbished this place based on a fantasy.
Too bad that didn’t make him want her any less.
Unsure of how to deal with his newfound revelation, he made his way to the spare bedroom off the great room and placed her suitcase just inside the door.
“You can sleep in here.”
She didn’t follow him, but went to explore the kitchen instead.
“And where are you going to sleep?”
There was nothing coy about her question. Remembering her plea not to be left alone at the townhouse, he ignored his raging libido.
“There’s another bedroom upstairs. Don’t worry. This place is secure. No one goes in or out without a code. You’re perfectly safe here,” he reassured her.
She nodded.
“One of those bags from the boat should have some provisions in them.”
They collided into one another as they both reached for the bag. Ben winced when Quinn’s palms landed on his chest.
“Oh, I’ve hurt you! I’m so sorry.”
She tried to pull her hands away but he quickly covered them with his own. Their gazes locked and neither of them moved. Thunder rumbled outside but the pulse pounding in his ears was louder. He blamed the intoxicating scent of her because the next thing he knew his hands were on her waist pulling her in closer. She tucked her chin and gently rested her forehead against the uninjured side of his chest.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” she murmured.
“I never thought I’d get to show it to you. Yet, here you are.” The admission slipped past his lips before he could stop it.
Her eyes were dewy when she finally lifted her head. It was his undoing. Leaning down, he gently traced the seam of her lips with his tongue. She opened her mouth for him without hesitation, inviting him in with a sweet sigh. Slowly, reverently, he explored her hot, silky mouth, savoring every taste and sensation. Their kiss earlier today had been frenzied and explosive. Right now, he just wanted to reacquaint himself with the feel of her again after all these years.
Quinn was doing some reacquainting of her own as she slid her hands down along his belly seeming to trace every muscle. When she moaned with satisfaction, his jeans grew unbearably tight.
“You like what you’re finding there, Brit?” he murmured against her lips before playfully nipping the bottom one.
She answered by slipping her hands beneath his T-shirt and spreading her fingers out over his belly. The sensation of being skin-to-skin sent a wild jolt through him. The hell with going slow. He captured her mouth in a deep, searing kiss. The keening sound of need coming from the back of her throat spurred him on. He delved deeper with his tongue, kissing her as if he could make up for all the lost years since the last time they were here. Her fingers were now digging into his sides, maneuvering him against her so she was flush with his erection. She rocked her hips into him every time he thrust his tongue. Any residual pain from his wound disappeared as all the blood rushed to his crotch.
He backed her up to a barstool at the counter, lifting her so she could wrap her legs around his waist. She grazed her teeth along his jaw and dug her fingers into his scalp in an effort to take control. As much as he liked a woman who knew what she wanted, something made him hold back from relinquishing any power to her. Instead, he took the opportunity to explore the sensitive column of her neck.
Her lusty sigh nearly had him rethinking his strategy.
“Put your hands up,” he instructed.
“Why?” The sultry tone of her voice sent another jolt to his groin.
“Just do it, Brit.”
As soon as her hands were raised, he had her shirt and bra off in less than five seconds. A personal best.
She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Definitely a Bond move.”
Ben wasn’t listening to her. He was too busy studying the sight before him. They were perfection. She was perfection. Flat stomach. Round breasts. Dusky pink nipples. He didn’t remember them being so dark. But then again, he’d been too nervous back then to spend a lot of time committing her physique to memory. He wrongly thought he’d have more time for that later.
“Now who likes what they’re finding?” she teased.
She was unabashedly leaning back with her elbows on the counter behind her. A strand of her hair clung to her cheek. The rest of it was a riot of red waves from where he’d been dragging his fingers through it. Hell, yeah, he liked what he’d found.
He skimmed his fingers up her taut stomach. Her muscles flinched at his initial touch but she boldly kept her gaze locked with his. A quiet gasp escaped her lips when he traced the underside of her breasts. It was the only indication that she wasn’t as unaffected as she wanted him to believe. He used it to his advantage, brushing his thumb over her hard nipples. She arched her back at his touch.
“You want me,” he said smugly.
“Nothing has changed from before.”
Her admission caught him by surprise, dousing his cockiness and nearly stealing his breath.
“I’m here now. With you,” she whispered.
Shit. Why did it feel like he was being played?
Using her legs, she squirmed against him. Her urgent movements scattered whatever coherent thoughts and questions remained in his oversized brain. He bent her over his arm and took what she was offering. The sound of her delighted sighs filled the room as he feasted on her breasts.