Strangers In The Night. Kristin Gabriel

relationship to the next level. She’d needed time to think about it, to debate all the pros and cons in her head before making a final decision. Josie had learned the hard way that acting strictly on emotion usually led to disaster.

      Now bored with the scarf, Horatio leaped into a chair to watch her as she glanced at Item Three on her list.

      3. Perfume.

      The tiny but expensive perfume bottle she’d purchased in Tempe lay at the bottom of the bag, padded with several layers of bubble wrap to keep it from breaking. According to her research, this particular perfume was the most popular brand on the market. Josie dabbed the fragrance behind her ears, then touched her pulse points as the subtle aroma of jasmine filled the air.

      The cat sneezed once, then jumped off the chair and disappeared into the kitchen. She just hoped the perfume didn’t have the same effect on Adam.

      They’d been dating for three months, which was almost a record for her. Most men didn’t stick around for more than one date, once she made it clear that she wouldn’t be hopping into bed with them anytime soon. Passion too often made people irrational and she wasn’t about to let herself fall into that trap. A trap that had destroyed her family.

      She mentally shook herself, not allowing the past to interfere with the present. Her decision to sleep with Adam was based on logic as well as emotion. She liked him and he seemed to possess the qualities she was looking for in a man. Stability, common sense and a good work ethic. If it turned out they were physically compatible, she could start thinking about a future with him.

      But first things first. After checking off Item Three, her gaze moved down the list to Item Four.

      4. Protection.

      No doubt Adam had his own supply of condoms, but she wasn’t about to take any chances. She’d stopped at a drugstore just outside the airport and had spent twenty minutes comparing the different brands before finally making her purchase.

      Retrieving the shopping bag from the side compartment of her bag, she hesitated, wondering if carrying the entire box of two dozen condoms into his bedroom might be too intimidating. She took out one and tucked the flat foil package into the waistband of her new red-lace panties, then dropped the box back into the bag.

      Only one item remained. She took a deep breath, quickly scanning the list to see if there was something else she might have forgotten. Now that the moment was at hand, more doubts began to assail her. What if Adam didn’t like surprises? What if he wasn’t in a romantic mood? What if she didn’t please him? Or he didn’t please her?

      There were so many variables that she couldn’t control. But her only alternative was to walk away and she’d done that too often in the past. At twenty-seven, she was ready for something more in her life than her career. She’d worked hard to put herself through college, graduating with honors before going on to earn her Master’s degree in Library Science. Now she intended to put that same focused effort into her personal life.

      Squaring her shoulders, she moved toward the bedroom, her bare feet padding silently on the thick carpet. When she opened the bedroom door, soft moonlight spilled from the living room into the darkness beyond, allowing her to just barely make out the shape of her boyfriend beneath the covers in the double bed.

      Her mouth dry, Josie closed the door behind her, though her hand still gripped the brass knob. A deep, velvety darkness enveloped the room, calming her a little. She released the door knob, then moved blindly in the direction of the bed, led by the sound of Adam’s soft, somnolent breathing.

      When her toes bumped into the footboard, Josie knew she’d reached her destination. A small groan of pain escaped her, followed by the sound of Adam stirring on the bed. She froze, hoping she was as invisible to him in the darkness as he was to her.

      Because something told her that if he awoke and switched on the light before she was ready, she’d never go through with the last and most important item on her list.

      5. Seduce Adam.

      ADAM DELANEY DREAMED of India, the scent of jasmine drifting in the summer air as his raft bobbed along the Alaknanda River. The majestic Himalayas stretched toward the cobalt-blue sky as he floated down the river, a woman’s soft breath caressing his cheek.

      The raft bobbed again and awareness invaded his sleep, arousing him enough to realize he wasn’t lying on a river raft, but in his own bed. The mattress dipped with the weight of a body moving beside him. Even as full consciousness nagged at him, he kept his eyes closed, wanting to lose himself in the dream.

      It had been too long since he’d been to India. The kaleidoscope of people and cultures and scenery always enticed him back. Just like his dream girl was enticing him now, touching his body with the barest of caresses.

      Only it wasn’t a dream.

      Adam opened his eyes as slender fingers trailed over his shoulder and down the length of his arm. Total darkness blanketed the room. He turned over to face the woman beside him, the bedsprings creaking as her scantily clad body rolled against his own. She gasped at the contact and his groin instantly tightened at the feel of her lush curves and the creamy smoothness of her skin.

      He heard an audible swallow, then she whispered, “Surprise, Adam.”

      It was a hell of a surprise—in more ways than one. Who was she? He didn’t recall bringing a woman home with him last night. Adam had met several women at the bar earlier that evening, but he couldn’t remember all of their names. In truth, he couldn’t remember much of anything. Just another sign that he’d been drinking too much lately.

      But he was completely sober now, his mind and his body both fully awake. He opened his mouth to ask the woman her name when she suddenly kissed him full on the lips, catapulting her body on top of him. Her breasts pressed against his chest with nothing but a thin layer of silky fabric between them. He groaned at the sensation, the feel of skin and silk against his hard frame chasing everything else from his mind.

      Her kiss tasted sweet and innocent and slightly desperate, her mouth moving awkwardly over his lips. He gently cupped her cheeks with his hands, his thumbs lightly brushing the corners of her mouth until she finally relaxed against him, her body settling into his. Then he deepened the kiss, his tongue venturing into the satin depths of her mouth.

      At that moment, Adam knew he’d never kissed this woman before. If he had, he’d damn well remember her name. But desire trumped curiosity, leading Adam to act now and ask questions later. Deprived of the sense of sight, his other senses kicked into high gear. He touched her. Tasted her. Inhaled her unique scent, a blend of sweet jasmine and willing woman that he found even more intoxicating than alcohol.

      He gently rolled her onto her back, still kissing her as he took his time exploring uncharted territory. His tongue stroked over and around hers, while his hands mapped out the lush terrain of her body. His fingers gently traversed the slope of her breasts to their taut peaks. He lingered there awhile, caressing her nipples though the thin fabric of the negligee until low, hungry moans sounded deep in her throat.

      Her arms tightened around his neck as she rolled onto her side, still kissing him as her fingers pressed into his unshaven jaw. Then her hands moved lower, tentatively exploring the breadth of his chest. Her fingertips danced across his skin, their featherlight touch driving him crazy. They moved even lower, skimming his ribs and belly and teasing the elastic waistband of his boxer shorts, but never quite reaching the part of him that he wanted her to touch the most.

      Aching for her, Adam curved his hands over her lush, round bottom. Then he squeezed her tightly against him, relishing the friction of her against his heavy groin. He didn’t even know her name, but at this moment he wanted her more than he could ever remember wanting any woman. He needed her. Now. Right now.

      His hands slipped beneath her negligee to tangle with her panties, his body throbbing with urgency. He ripped them away, the delicate lace tearing with little effort on his part.

      “Wait, I…” she gasped, fumbling for her torn panties on the mattress.

      A groan bubbled