McFarlane's Perfect Bride by Christine Rimmer

her kitchen, holding her, kissing her, until the sun came up.
    But then the kettle whistled and the coffeemaker beeped. He let her go so she could brew her tea and pour his coffee.
    They sat across from each other again.
    He stared at his untouched mug, at the fragrant curl of steam rising from it. “Jerilyn told CJ what happened Saturday, the crisis with Jerilyn’s father. He said your dad flew in from Denver to help. Jerilyn says she has hope now, that things will be all right.”
    â€œCJ told you what Jerilyn told him?”
    â€œHe did.”
    â€œI think I would call that actual communication—and the beginnings of trust, as well.”
    â€œSo would I. Due in large part to you, Tori. I’m trying, I really am, to take your advice, to let him know I’m on his side, that he can count on me. I think it just may be working—at least a little.”
    â€œI’m so glad.”
    â€œYou haven’t touched your tea.”
    She tipped her head to the side the way she always did when she was studying him. “And you aren’t drinking your coffee.”
    He confessed, “I’m thinking about holding you in my arms again. And I’m also thinking that if I start kissing you, I won’t want to stop.”
    â€œWould that be…so bad?” Her voice was shy, hesitant. Her eyes were anything but.
    â€œUh-uh. Not bad at all. It would be really, really good. But I don’t want to rush you into anything you might regret.”
    Her smile was full of feminine intent. “How long do you plan to stay here in town?”
    â€œI have to leave Wednesday, for meetings in Philadelphia. But I’ll be back by Friday afternoon.”
    Steadily, she held his gaze. “I meant, how long are you planning to be living in town? When will you be leaving for good?”
    â€œIf the resort deal works out, I’ll be here into the winter, at least. But after CJ returns to school, I’ll make my home base back east, and only be in Thunder Canyon on and off.”
    â€œAnd CJ starts school…?”
    â€œAt the end of August.”
    â€œA little over two months from now.”
    â€œThat’s right. Is that somehow significant?”
    â€œYes. Very.”
    â€œBecause?”
    She pushed her chair back again, leaving her tea still untouched. “Because two months will go by too fast. And it seems to me that we shouldn’t waste a day, an hour, another minute of the time we have together.”
    He stared at her. And then, slowly, he rose to his feet. They faced each other, with only the round kitchen table between them. He asked, rough and low, “What are telling me, Tori?”
    She approached him slowly, untying the sash of her robe as she came. When she reached him, she dropped the sash to the floor and eased the robe from her shoulders. It fell away without a sound. Underneath she wore a short summer nightgown with tiny satin straps that tied in charming little bows at her shoulders. That nightgown revealed a lot more than it covered.
    His desire, carefully banked until then, flared high. “You are so beautiful.”
    â€œTake me in your arms, Connor,” she whispered, lifting on tiptoe, her breasts brushing his chest, making the flare of desire burn all the hotter. “Take me in your arms and hold me all night long.”

Chapter Six
    C onnor’s newfound conscience urged him to argue with her, to tell her she ought to think twice about this, to grab her by the shoulders and put her firmly away from him, to speak reasonably about taking their time, to remind her again about not rushing into anything she might regret later.
    But she had it right, after all. They didn’t have a lot of time. Just one short summer.
    And wasting a minute of it, now they were both on the same page about where they were going?
    Uh-uh. No way.
    He wrapped his arms around her, good and tight. And he kissed her, deeply. Endlessly. His mouth locked to