Harlequin Special Edition October 2015, Box Set 1 of 2 by Christine Rimmer Page B

his upper body slightly away from her, while below, he held her so close, just right, big hands cradling her open thighs. She clutched his shoulders, fingers gripping tight, her legs locked securely behind his waist.
    She was...gone, lost in wonder, swept up in the connection, her breathing harsh and hungry, just like his.
    â€œChloe...”
    And she opened her eyes and looked at him. His blue-green gaze was right there, waiting for her. He gripped her thighs tighter, pushing them wider, pressing his lower body closer, sliding into her that fraction deeper.
    That did it. She felt the gathering, the build—and the lovely, hot sensation, as though all of her was blooming.
    She asked, “Quinn?” For permission? Acknowledgment?
    She had no idea which.
    But he seemed to understand, even if she didn’t. “Yeah,” he answered, one corner of that soft, bad boy’s mouth of his curling upward. “Go for it, angel.”
    And she did. She let go, let it happen, let it roll out from her in a hot, endless wave. Pleasure cascaded from the core of her, sizzling along every nerve, hitting the tips of her toes and the top of her head, spilling all through her in a flood of light and glory. He stayed with her, pressing up into her hard and tight, as the fire flamed so bright and then slowly faded down to a lovely, glowing ember.
    And right then, when she thought it was over, when she was more than ready to ease her shaking legs to the floor, he started to move again.
    She groaned in sexual overload and shoved fitfully at his rocklike shoulders. But he didn’t release her.
    And, well, could she blame him? After all, it
was
his turn. He’d swept her right off her feet and straight to paradise. The least she could do was stick with him now.
    With a sigh of surrender, she stopped pushing him away and held on instead, bracing to ride it out.
    But then, out of nowhere, all at once, it became more than just sticking with it for his sake. So much more.
    In a split second, she was catching fire again.
    â€œOh... Oh, my!” She yanked him tight against her.
    He let out a laugh, deep and knowing. Full of heat and joy.
    She moaned his name as she pressed her open mouth to his, her body moving in time with his, picking up speed, finding the hard, insistent rhythm he set—and matching it, giving it back to him.
    Time whirled away. The edge of the world was waiting for her. Waiting for both of them. She spun toward it, dizzy with the thrill of it. She hovered on the brink—and went over.
    And he was right there with her, hitting the peak a moment after she did, pulsing hard and hot within her.
    And then following her down.

Chapter Six
    I t was three-fifteen on Saturday morning when he left her.
    Chloe put on a robe and walked him out to his beautiful old car. She kissed him goodbye—a long, slow, lovely kiss.
    When he would have let her go, she grabbed him back and kissed him some more.
    He laughed when he finally lifted his head. “Hey. I’m only going around the block.”
    â€œI know.” She sighed, wrapped her arms around his waist, and beamed up at him. “But I want to make sure you don’t forget me.”
    â€œNo chance of that.” He took a curl of her hair and wrapped it around his hand. “We got a special thing going, you and me.”
    â€œOh, yes, we do.”
    He touched her chin with his thumb, brushed one last kiss across her upturned lips. “Get some rest.”
    She promised she would and reluctantly stepped back so he could open the car door and slide in behind the wheel. Then she waited, her arms wrapped around herself against the predawn chill, as he backed from the driveway and drove off down the street.
    As soon as his taillights disappeared, she missed him. She wanted to run inside, grab the phone and call him back.
    Which was totally silly. He’d asked her to marry him. And she was redecorating his house—
both
of his houses, as a