Forever in Love by Nadia Lee Page B

He’d just thought she was making too big a deal out of the purse when she’d been assured it’d be returned to her eventually.
    “Anyway, that’s enough. A sob story is no way to start the morning.” Her lips curved into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, and she finished her fruit salad.
    Except it wasn’t a sob story. She hadn’t said it to get his sympathy or play him the way Zoe had. Catherine had been intent on telling her story, not gauging his reactions so she could adjust her words for maximum sympathy. “I don’t mind,” he said.
    “Don’t you?” She rose from her seat and put her dishes into the sink. She paused there for a moment, gazing out the window toward the hills in the distance, then turned and padded toward him, the edges of the robe swirling around her ankles. Her pink-tipped finger hit his chest then traveled slowly down his torso. “Do you know what I’d like?”
    She seemed to leave a trail of fire on his chest. His breath caught at the intimate tone of her voice. “Tell me,” he murmured.
    “I like show better than tell.” She brushed her lips over his, the touch light and delicate.

Chapter Nine
    Blaine stayed still, but she could feel the energy in his body change. Catherine smiled to herself. This was one way to yank his mind away from her pathetic story, so he wouldn’t have the time or focus left to put things together.
    She ran her tongue over his lips, and thrilled at his sharp intake of breath. But a part of her was wound tight with hesitation and nerves.
    It’d been two years since she’d been with a man. Jacob hadn’t wanted to touch her once he’d realized she couldn’t get pregnant naturally. “Why bother?” he’d said. “Might as well hump a mannequin.”
    She was almost sure he hadn’t gone without sex, but she’d pretended everything was fine. It was better than having a PI tailing him until she had proof of his infidelity. Then she wouldn’t have been able to pretend her marriage was still perfect.
    If she could just prove to herself she wasn’t some worthless thing, but a desirable woman who deserved tenderness and passion…
    She shook herself mentally. She didn’t want to use Blaine, no matter how willing and available he was, to just prove Jacob wrong and assuage her wounded psyche. That would make her no better than her bigamist husband.
    Apparently tired of waiting for her to make the next move, Blaine wrapped a hand around the back of her neck. She gasped at the shocking heat. He pulled her down until she was straddling him.
    “I liked what you were doing earlier,” he murmured against her ear.
    His erection prodded against her. Her vocal cords no longer worked.
    “Do you really want this?” he asked.
    Did she ever. If she let him make the move, then it wouldn’t be like she was using him, would it? It’d be like she was—what? Just…participating. Just going with the flow, right?
    She was so scared she was not only a pretty shell with nothing inside like Jacob had said but also a horrible, arrogant human being like so many in her life had implied. She wanted to believe she wasn’t like that, and that she didn’t deserve any of what had happened to her.
    “Catherine?” Blaine brushed his thumb along her jaw line. “If you don’t want to do this, tell me now and I’ll stop.”
    She raised her gaze to meet his. “I want this. I want you.” The last word came out like a sigh.
    His blue eyes deepened, and he kissed her.
    And oh what a kiss it was. His lips felt just as amazing as the first night she’d bartended. They moved firmly and surely against hers. His tongue tasted her gently, like he was afraid to spook her. She shoved her hands into his warm, silky hair. Everything about the moment was perfect as he drew her closer to the fire he was building, the promise of pleasure to come.
    She trembled as her sex grew slick with heat. This felt so different and new, almost like it was her first time. She had never chosen a lover