Nightfall by Denise A. Agnew Page B

She laughed. “When I’m with you I feel like I’m twenty-five.”
    “That bad, eh?” She pinched the other nipple and he grunted. “Woman, what are you doing to me?”
    “Showing my appreciation for your body. Which, by the way, is amazing.”
    “For a forty-nine going on over-the-hill guy.”
    She made a skeptical snort. “Let’s just say it’s an incredible body.”
    “Okay, I’ll keep you around. I need the flattery for my fragile male ego.”
    Her half smile told him she didn’t take it seriously. “Give me a break.”
    He plunged one hand into her long tangle of hair. “There’s one thing I’m sure of. The months since I met you have been some of the best of my life.”
    Her eyes widened, her lips parted in surprise and maybe wonder. “Even with Long Valley?”
    “Yeah, even with that. I’ve learned a hell of a lot, and I’m getting my personal life together. Being with you, that’s way more than the icing on the cake.”
    Her silence made him hold his breath. Then she brought him down into a carnal kiss, her tongue teasing him in ways that made him want to slide deep into her heat again. Instead he drew back with a groan.
    He craned his neck to see the bedside clock. “It’s eight in the morning and I’m not out of bed. If I don’t get a move on it the team will send out a search party. Plus, if you don’t sneak back to your room they’ll probably know you stayed the night with me.”
    She propped up on her left forearm to look down at him. “Is that a bad thing?”
    He brushed back her long tousled hair and smoothed his hand over her slim back. God, damn but she was beautiful like this. His mouth opened and his brain refused to operate.
    One of her eyebrows went up. “Alexander?”
    “I’m not embarrassed if they find out. Besides I think they know we’re into each other.” He cupped her cheek and felt the sweet softness. “At least I’m into you.”
    She sat up slowly, her expression caught between curious and amused. “Alexander Graham. If you don’t know by now that I’m completely into you, you’re a dork and a half. I don’t sleep with men just because. A man has to be special to me.”
    He laughed, the sound more like choking. “Yeah, you caught me. I’m General Dork. I’m surprised it took you that long to figure it out.” His cell phone went off. “Shit.”
    She slipped out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom while he took the call. It was the office of the new government contract which started Monday. As per usual, the government had regulations and other sticky situations which made his work challenging, and often there were people who didn’t do their job. It reminded him that he needed to get his ass in gear. As much as he’d like to lie around with Patty all day and have sex he just couldn’t. But man, if that idea didn’t sound nice.
    The call was quick. Yep, time to head into the downstairs office.
    When she came out of the bathroom she started picking up her clothes and dressing. “Important call?”
    “Government contract with a small snafu. I need to go downstairs and see what the problem is.”
    “Lovely.” She looked sympathetic. “I should have brought my car last night.”
    He took a moment to lay back and watch her dress. “Why?”
    Her gaze snagged on his body, and he smiled. Oh yeah, she liked what she saw and he couldn’t deny that was a damned ego boost.
    She pulled her attention away and wandered into the living room. “Because I need to go to the shop today.”
    “The weather is still crap. I thought you weren’t opening today.”
    “I’m not.” She reentered the bedroom, dressed accept for her shoes and socks. “But I’d like to check on it. I remember that before you arrived and I went outside and ran into Dominic, that the back door wasn’t latching right.”
    “Okay. Can you give me an hour and I’ll take you over? I’ll also make some calls about the security system. Mark could install it for you as soon as