Pillow Chase. Jeanie London

      

      “You do realize you’re challenging me,” Troy said

      “Mmm-hmm.” Miranda stepped toward him, closing the mere inches between them. His bold wife knew just what he wanted then. He recognized the flare of desire in her eyes, sensed in that moment he’d accomplished his goal by distracting her big-time.

      There was nothing between them except a growing erotic challenge. She wanted him to beg. He wanted her to beg. It was a potent combination. And with the variety of sex toys around them, he thought they both stood a good chance of getting what they wanted.

      Miranda slipped out of his arms in a playful move he hadn’t been prepared for, leaving him feeling the sudden distance between them, but he didn’t complain.

      Not when she slipped her curly mane over her shoulder and reached for her zipper…then Troy braced himself for the show that was about to begin.

      Dear Reader,

      The FALLING INN BED… miniseries has been all about exploring how falling in bed leads to falling in love. So far we’ve savored the sweetness of finally giving in to long-term lust. We’ve grown breathless with sparks-at-first-sight. Now let me introduce my already-in-progress couple (a phrase borrowed from talented Harlequin Temptation author Tanya Michaels—thanks, Tanya!).

      Miranda and Troy have known what they wanted from each other from the moment they met—to be together in and out of bed. But saying “I do!” isn’t always enough to ensure a happily ever after. Luckily for these two, love forms a solid foundation for marriage and lust proves an effective tool for tackling even daunting obstacles.

      I hope Pillow Chase brings you to happily ever after. Let me know. Drop me a line in care of Harlequin Books, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario Canada M3B 3K9, or visit my Web site at www.jeanielondon.com.

      Very truly yours,

      Jeanie London

      Pillow Chase

      Jeanie London

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      To Quinta and Edward Flood, a very special couple who are living proof that love can conquer anything. You’ve shared your lives for more than sixty years, and I thank you for sharing the past twenty-two with me. Love you both!

      Contents

      Prologue

      Chapter 1

      Chapter 2

      Chapter 3

      Chapter 4

      Chapter 5

      Chapter 6

      Chapter 7

      Chapter 8

      Chapter 9

      Chapter 10

      Chapter 11

      Chapter 12

      Chapter 13

      Chapter 14

      Chapter 15

      Chapter 16

      Epilogue

      Prologue

      IF EVER A WOMAN had been born to make a man think of sex, that woman was his wife, Miranda. And if ever a hotel had been designed to make Lieutenant Commander Troy Knight imagine the variety of ways to make love to his bride of barely two years, it was Falling Inn Bed, and Breakfast.

      This hotel had won the Most Romantic Getaway Award with good reason. Ever since they’d visited during the planning stages of their wedding, Troy had been impressed by how this hotel’s amenities focused on couples. Shops offered everything from sex toys to lingerie, and the brand-new Wedding Wing kicked off its grand opening with a large-scale promotional campaign called the Naughty Nuptials.

      And then there were all these romance-themed suites.

      The one spreading out before him now was an aphrodisiac of sight and sound, so exotic that Troy could only stand beside Miranda in the doorway and take it all in.

      Purple silk veils draped gold furnishings. Statues of couples in erotic poses doubled as columns to separate the living and dining areas. Vases and screens made of colored stones. Sultry flute and cymbal music. Swaying rattan fans.

      The Egyptian Pleasure Pyramid.

      Whoever named this suite hadn’t been kidding.

      A domed wall and ceiling of glass made up the far end of the room. Beyond lay a courtyard of foliage and flowers and bright summer sky. A garden oasis in the middle of gilded opulence. And this would be their home for the next three weeks.

      Troy couldn’t stop smiling and didn’t bother to try. He pushed the door wide and motioned Miranda inside, appreciating the sight of her from this vantage. Slim and feminine, she moved with a sensual grace that always caught him hard. Even the black curls tumbling down her back made him think about how all that silky hair felt on his skin.

      When he’d married her in an elaborate ceremony in this very hotel nearly two years ago, Troy hadn’t realized that his desire for her could grow any stronger. He’d guessed marriage would satisfy his hunger and make them more comfortable together.

      In some ways it had, but marriage hadn’t dulled the ache inside that pushed him to shut this door and keep her all to himself until they had to return to the real world.

      That ache still took him by surprise. The feeling was potent, urgent, as if he couldn’t get enough time with his wife and wanted to make the most of every second together.

      Troy knew this feeling intimately. As a career naval officer, he’d experienced his share of situations where urgency kept him alive. To return to Miranda.

      “So what do you think of our suite, Mrs. Knight?” He closed the door and shut out the world.

      “I’m not sure what to think.”

      Her silky voice started his pulse humming, and he covered the distance to where she stood inspecting their surroundings, eyes wide and kissable lips parted. Plucking the purse from her hand, Troy hung it on the back of a chair. “This suite looks like the Web site.”

      “Only in real-time.”

      Her voice gave no clue whether she thought real-time was a good thing, so he lifted her stylish hat away to free up his view. Just a glimpse, and Troy recognized the distance in her expression, the shadows in her gaze.

      Real-time should have been a great thing. Three weeks together in a romance resort after months spent apart during his latest deployment should have been better than great.

      But Miranda’s closed expression suggested otherwise. He recognized the look—one she wore in public—a beautiful, perfect mask that showed no hint what she felt inside.

      Miranda excelled at dealing socially with his commanding officers. She was the envy of his peers, and Troy enjoyed having her on his arm during the many functions that were as much a part of his career as his special operations missions. He’d been reared military and understood the game. To others, his wife was an extension of him, half of the whole. He was very proud of her.

      But Troy loved Miranda best when she let her hair down and looked eager. She didn’t look eager now. She looked…unreadable. Her public persona was firmly in place, her expression so remote he’d have needed a nuclear sub to maneuver the distance to his wife. The wife he knew was in there. Somewhere.

      He had three weeks to find her.

      “Who knew they could come