By Request Collection 1. Jackie Braun

way she felt. No words necessary as he crossed the room and stretched out behind her on the tarp. No words spoken as she turned and slid down beside him.

      They undressed each other with only the sounds of their breathing and the whisper of clothing being shed in the silence. Slow in the intimacy of night’s darkness, skin slid against skin. Heart beat against heart. Fingers entwined. Mouths coming together, clinging a moment then moving on to sip and soothe.

      And Lissa knew, with every touch, every murmur, every lingering look, that this understanding could only be forged from love.

      If only he knew it too.

      Over the next couple of weeks, Lissa barely had time to turn around. Gilda’s nursery was finished, photographed and filed for future reference. It was a magical ‘Cinderella meets Snow White’ theme with a pumpkin-shaped crib and a fortune in fabrics and fittings. Blake praised the new-look living room with its deep turquoise walls and mustard and dark gold furnishings. Another nursery was completed for a client she’d met at Gilda’s party. Primrose walls, clean white furniture and a black lacquered crib for the central focus.

      The rest of the furniture for the shop arrived. Spacious sofas, unique lamps, wallpaper hangings for customers to browse and office supplies. All were pulled together with the use of vivid colours and hours of hard slog.

      They worked as a team. Blake handled the finances, any purchases needed and worked with an IT tech to build a website. When she wasn’t trawling catalogues and home-living stores, Lissa was visiting clients, sketching ideas, giving quotes and working on the publicity for the upcoming launch.

      But at night they fell asleep together. There were some days when those few precious hours were the only time they saw each other and Lissa grew accustomed to waking with someone beside her again.

      She’d learned to read Blake’s pain. She was happy to note that he’d only had one headache since that first time she’d found him on the couch. He’d needed the break to recover. If only he would come clean about his military past. He’d done his duty for his country and it was time he tried something else, even if it took him away from her.

      Lissa knew he wasn’t going to be around for ever. The business was her dream, not his. As if to reinforce that point he’d gone to Surfers one day to look at boats. He’d come home with a renewed enthusiasm. and it scared her.

      Requests for work came in, thanks to Gilda’s abundantly wealthy friends. Blake had suggested it might be time to start looking for a suitable part-time employee. ‘You don’t want to lose business because you can’t keep up the pace.’

      Because he wasn’t going to be here to help, she thought, and another piece of her heart broke. The reality was, he’d never said he would be and he’d been up front about it from day one. Silent partner.

      The night before the big event, they celebrated their hard-won achievements with oysters, Thai fish cakes and French champagne beneath the white shade sails of an open-air restaurant on the esplanade and watched the night-darkened waves lap the shoreline. Then they took off their shoes and strolled along the beach, which was still populated with tourists and locals alike enjoying the warm evening before heading home.

      When they arrived back at the house, Blake kissed Lissa the moment he switched off the car’s ignition. A long, deep kiss that reached right down to her toes and left her breathless and had every cell in her body clamouring for more.

      ‘I’ve wanted to do that all evening,’ Blake murmured when he at last lifted his head.

      ‘And I’ve been waiting for it all evening too.’

      His gaze darkened within the car’s confines and dropped to her tingling lips. ‘Have you now?’

      ‘Seems like for ever. I have to tell you I can’t wait much longer …’ Feeling bolder than she had in a long, long time, she reached across and rubbed her hand over his crotch. She watched him harden against her fingers and felt its heat reflected in her cheeks as she looked up at him. ‘Obviously you can’t either.’

      Humour danced around his mouth as he yanked the car key from the ignition and their gazes locked. ‘And who’s responsible for that?’

      Still watching him, she pulled her house key from her purse. ‘Race you to the bedroom.’ She swung open the door and was out of the car like a rabbit. She laughed when she heard Blake swear, kicked off her shoes and kept running, urgency skipping through her veins.

      He’d gained ground by the time she’d unlocked the door and pushed inside. Just behind her on the stairs. She screamed when she felt his fingers touch her hair and threw herself onto the bed. ‘I won.’ She let out a slightly inebriated whoop and flopped back onto the quilt.

      ‘I was at a disadvantage.’ He flicked on the bedside lamp, filling the room with a warm glow.

      ‘No.’ Out of breath, she stared up at him and bit her lip to stop the smile. ‘You have longer legs.’

      She watched him whip off his belt, slide it through his fingers. His eyes turned to smoke, the humour faded, replaced by an intensity she’d never seen before, and a sliver of uncertainty shimmied down her spine.

      Her pulse stuttered, but not in a good way. ‘Okay, call it a draw. It’s over.’

      ‘It’s only just beginning,’ Blake told her, and followed her down.

      In a lightning move she wasn’t prepared for, he grasped both her wrists, propelled them above her head as his mouth swooped on hers. The weight of his body pushed her into the mattress, one rock hard thigh pushed her legs apart.

      Her heart pounded in her ears. She couldn’t get enough air. She couldn’t breathe.

      But the instant she tried to pull her hands free, his hold loosened. ‘Lissa?’

      She dragged in a much needed breath. ‘It’s okay. I’m okay.’

      Guilt steamed through Blake. What the hell had he been thinking, going at her that way after what she’d told him? He knew she didn’t want to talk about it so, without a word, he leaned down and kissed her. Then he rolled over, bringing her on top of him.

      Her hair fell in a curtain, cocooning both of them in its fresh fruity fragrance. He soothed her back with light strokes for a few moments, then kissed her shoulder and said, ‘How about you doing all the work this time?’

      ‘Me?’ she murmured against his chest.

      ‘I don’t see anyone else here.’

      She lay so still he wondered if he’d got it wrong but then she stirred. A slow sinuous movement that made his toes curl and his stomach muscles spasm as she pressed her lips to his chest and stretched. ‘Hmm. If you insist. But it has to be my way all the way.’

      He jerked when she scratched his nipples with the tips of her fingernails. ‘Your way, sweet cheeks. I’m waiting …’

      She sat up, her thighs gripping his hips, the hem of her loose-fitting dress sliding up to her waist. Wordlessly, she began undoing his shirt buttons. When she’d finished that task she pushed the fabric aside and smoothed her hands over his chest, her eyes clear now, and focused, and he breathed a sigh—part relief, part pain, but mostly he was just plain hot.

      Lissa looked into his eyes and wished she could tell him what he’d done for her with his one simple suggestion that showed he understood. He’d given her her soul back, this man.

      This man she loved.

      Her heart both swelled and wept. She’d been so stupid. She’d fallen into the trap she’d told herself to steer well clear of. And he’d warned her, hadn’t he? He’d been up front with her from day one. He was a sailor, he had a life and he didn’t want to share it. With her unrealistic romantic fantasies, she only had herself to blame.

      So no tears. And above all, no regrets.

      ‘Jeez, woman, you’re killing me here.’

      His