The Kincaids: Southern Seduction: Sex, Lies and the Southern Belle. Kathie DeNosky

simply be held by the man she loved? Possibly for the last time?

      Considering his views on love and having children, they had no future together. She knew that and, although it made her sad, she had accepted the inevitable. Could she resist one last night of knowing the strength of his lovemaking and the ecstasy of their bodies coming together as one heart, one soul?

      “You wouldn’t be taking advantage of the situation,” she said, realizing that her decision had already been made. “I want you to make me forget that outside the doors of this house there’s a world waiting to intrude.” She kissed his strong jaw. “I want you to make love to me, Daniel.”

      She watched him tightly close his eyes and swallow hard before opening them again as he eased her to her back. “Are you sure that’s what you want?” he asked, propping himself on one elbow to stare down at her. “I’d rather go take a dozen cold showers than to have you regret one minute of my making love to you.”

      “There are a lot of things I’m not certain of,” she said honestly. “But I do know that no matter what tomorrow brings, I won’t regret being with you tonight.”

      It was apparently all the assurance he needed to hear, because, without hesitation, Daniel lowered his head to capture her lips with his. Teasing and coaxing, he masterfully built her anticipation of deepening the kiss and when he did take it to the next level, his tongue stroking hers sent a tingling wave of excitement flowing throughout her entire body.

      As he explored her inner recesses, he moved his hand down her side to the tail of her nightshirt. His fingertips grazing her thigh as he slowly inched the garment upward caused a shiver of pure delight to race up her spine and she had to remind herself to breathe. But when he continued up her side to the swell of her breast, then paused to worry her taut nipple with the pad of his thumb, heated sensations spread to every cell in her being.

      Unable to lie still, Lily raised her shoulders to help him remove the nightshirt. She wanted to feel his hands over every part of her and she wanted to touch all of him as well. In one smooth motion, he tossed her nightshirt over the side of the bed, and the feel of her sensitive skin pressed to his bare flesh caused the stirrings of an empty ache deep in her core.

      Running her hands over his chest and abdomen, she reacquainted herself with the width of his shoulders and the dormant power lying just beneath his smooth skin. She loved his body, loved that it contrasted so perfectly with her softer feminine form.

      “I’m going to love every inch of you,” he murmured against her skin as he nibbled his way down to her collarbone and beyond. “And when I get done, there won’t be a doubt left in your mind how much I’ve wanted and missed you these past few weeks.”

      The promise in his voice caused a quiver of anticipation to course through her. When he reached the slope of her breast, then kissed his way to the sensitive tip, her breath caught and a coil of need began to tighten deep inside her. She held his head to her when he took her into his warm mouth. Unable to stop a tiny moan of pure pleasure from escaping, she reveled in the many sensations he was creating inside her. He was driving her completely insane and she loved every minute of it.

      “Does that feel good, Lily?” he asked as he trailed his lips down her abdomen to her stomach.

      “Y-yes.”

      He traced the elastic waistband of her panties with his finger. “Do you want me to stop?”

      “I-if you do … I’ll never forgive you,” she said, gasping for breath.

      His deep chuckle seemed to vibrate all the way to her soul. “Sweetheart, there’s no way I could stop now.” When he slid his hand down inside her panties, she automatically raised her hips to help him and in no time, the scrap of silk and lace joined her nightshirt on the floor. “Those three weeks without you have felt like a lifetime.”

      Before she could tell him that she felt that way too, he caressed her side, her hip and the inner part of her thigh. Her heart pounded against her ribs as she waited for his touch. When he finally cupped the soft curls at her apex, then slipped his fingers inside to stroke her with tender care, the aching desire he created was almost more than she could bear.

      “P-please … Daniel,” she gasped, reaching down to find him. She gave to him as he was giving to her, but she wanted more. She wanted him to fill the empty ache that threatened to consume her. “I … need you now.”

      Lily felt him shift as he removed his underwear, then the feel of his body pressed to hers, his arousal strong against her thigh, caused an answering flutter in her lower belly. She wanted him to join their bodies, to make them one heart, one mind, one soul.

      “Sweetheart, I got so carried away, I forgot that I don’t have anything to protect you,” he said, his voice filled with regret.

      “There’s, um, no need … to worry about that,” she assured him.

      “It’s a safe time of the month?” he asked as his fingers continued to excite her in ways that she could have never imagined.

      “Mmm.”

      She knew she was being evasive and that it was unfair not to tell him that there was no need to protect them from what had already happened. But she wanted this one last time with him, wanted to store up the memory for the empty nights that lay ahead of her.

      With no hesitation, he parted her legs with his knee, then levered himself over her. Reaching down, she guided him to her and Lily closed her eyes as she savored the exquisite feelings of becoming one with the man she loved.

      “Open your eyes, sweetheart,” he commanded when their bodies were fused completely. “I want to watch your pleasure build until you can’t wait any longer. Then I want to watch you the moment I take you over the edge.”

      Gazing into his eyes as he slowly began to move within her, she felt as if she might drown in the dark blue depths. Heat spiraled throughout her being and ribbons of excitement threaded their way to the ever-tightening coil deep within her as her body responded to his rhythmic thrusts. Holding on to his broad shoulders to keep from being lost, Lily felt her feminine muscles begin to contract around him as Daniel fulfilled his promise of creating a passion in her so strong that she lost sight of where he ended and she began.

      Time seemed to stand still as the tension inside her built to a crescendo, then suddenly broke free to send waves of pleasure coursing all the way to her soul. Moments later, Daniel groaned and she felt him stiffen inside her as he found his own shuddering release. When he buried his head in her shoulder and collapsed on top of her, Lily held him close as they both slowly drifted back to reality.

      Loving the feel of him still inside her and the weight of his large body covering hers, when his breathing eased and Daniel moved to her side, she felt a deep sense of loss.

      “Are you all right?” he asked, pulling her close.

      She wanted to tell him that she loved him—would always love him—but it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. Instead, she nodded. “That was perfect.”

      “Oh, I still have a few tricks up my sleeve that will make it even better the next time,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

      “You’re not wearing a shirt,” she teased. “How could you possibly have anything up sleeves that don’t exist?”

      “Hush, woman,” he said, laughing. “Rest assured, I have more ammunition in my sensual arsenal that I’m going to take great pleasure in showing you.”

      She knew that once he learned about the baby, that would change. But snuggling against him, she decided to face that in the light of day, along with all the other recent harsh realities of her life.

      The first light of day had just started to peek through a part in the bedroom drapes when Daniel lay his arm over Lily’s stomach to draw her close. He smiled at the feel of her soft curves nestled at his side. Last night had been mind-blowing and he still couldn’t get over how much he had missed Lily’s uninhibited response to his lovemaking. She was so receptive to his touch,