The Danforths: Reid, Kimberly and Jake. Maureen Child

Rachel’s eyes widened in horror. ‘‘Ohmigod, Tina, don’t tell him I’m here. Please!’’

      The pounding continued, and despite her sister’s pleas, Tina rose and headed for the door. ‘‘You’re going to have to face him sometime, honey. It might as well be now.’’

      ‘‘No, Tina, I can’t.’’ Rachel followed, pulling on Tina’s arm. ‘‘I’m not ready. Maybe tomorrow.’’

      ‘‘It is tomorrow,’’ Tina said and opened the door, prepared to face a lovesick Jason.

      At the sight of Reid standing on the doorstep holding up an obviously inebriated Jason, Tina’s heart slammed in her chest.

      ‘‘Sorry.’’ Reid’s smile was apologetic. ‘‘He was insistent.’’

      Rachel rushed past Tina and threw her arms around Jason. ‘‘Jason, oh, sweetie, what have you done?’’

      ‘‘Rachel, sugar, I love you.’’ Clumsily, Jason reached for Rachel. ‘‘I won’t go to L. A., baby. I won’t go anywhere without you. Come here and kiss me.’’

      ‘‘You idiot.’’ But she did kiss him. ‘‘You big fat idiot. I’ll take you home.’’

      While Rachel slipped her heels back on and tugged on her coat, Reid held Jason on his feet. When he started to sing to her, Rachel’s eyes filled with tears and she kissed him again. Tina shifted awkwardly and met Reid’s gaze. He simply grinned.

      ‘‘I’ll help you downstairs,’’ Reid said to Rachel when she managed to pull her lips from Jason’s.

      She shook her head. ‘‘Thanks, we’ll be all right.’’

      ‘‘That’s right, baby,’’ Jason mumbled, kissing Rachel’s neck. ‘‘We’ll be all right.’’

      Arms around each other, they stumbled out the door, closing it behind them.

      ‘‘Well.’’ Tina let out a long breath when it was quiet again. ‘‘You want to tell me how you two ended up together?’’

      With a shrug, Reid slipped his hands into his pockets. ‘‘Guess he needed someone to talk to.’’

      She couldn’t imagine a more unlikely coalition. ‘‘No offense, Reid, but Jason doesn’t like you.’’

      ‘‘Only because he thought I was interested in Rachel.’’ He leveled his gaze on hers as he slipped off his jacket. ‘‘Now that he knows it’s you I want, we’re pals.’’

      His words thrilled her, made her pulse leap and her skin heat up. When he tossed his jacket on the sofa and moved close, her throat turned to dust. ‘‘Reid, I…this is not a good idea.’’

      ‘‘Maybe not.’’

      ‘‘We barely know each other.’’

      He nodded. ‘‘You’re absolutely right.’’

      ‘‘We should just say good-night now.’’

      ‘‘Probably.’’

      ‘‘Oh, for heaven’s sake.’’ Fisting her hands in the front of his shirt, she yanked him close. ‘‘Must you be so damn agreeable?’’

      Smiling, his arms came around her. ‘‘I aim to please.’’

      And he did please, she thought dimly when his mouth covered hers. Senses reeling, she melted against his strong chest, slid her arms up his broad shoulders. When he deepened the kiss, she met the thrust of his tongue with her own, and the minty, hot taste of him made her knees weak and her toes curl.

      She could stop this, she should stop, but she didn’t want to. Since the day she’d met Reid they’d been moving toward this moment like a runaway train. They were careening out of control and it was as exhilarating as it was exciting. All she could do was hold on for the ride; she knew it would be a wild one.

      She squirmed against him, anticipation vibrating through her. She’d waited so long—a lifetime—for this moment. Now that it was here, impatience had her clutching at his shoulders, moaning. She wanted to remember every moment, every thrilling touch, every glorious taste.

      His breath was as ragged as her own; she could feel the heavy beat of his heart against her aching breasts. How she wanted him to touch her there, she thought. And other places. And how she wanted to touch him, too. Her hands, her fingers itched to explore his body.

      He dragged his mouth from hers, his midnight-blue gaze seared her to the core. ‘‘Bedroom,’’ he managed, but was kissing her again before she could answer.

      Slowly but steadily, their bodies still molded to each other, their mouths still fused, they inched their way across the living room, through the hall. So far, she thought, so incredibly far…

      Had he ever wanted a women like this? Reid wondered while they made that long journey to the bedroom. If he had, that woman, that moment was lost to him forever. There was just here and now and Tina.

      It had required tremendous willpower not to take her right there on the living room floor. Only the thought that he might hurt her had him reining in the raw need clutching at his gut. If it killed him, he’d take his time with her. Slow, he told himself. He’d take it slow. He wanted her underneath him, writhing with need, pleading, and just the thought of it nearly made him lose it before they’d even stepped into the bedroom.

      He trailed kisses down her neck, reveled in the soft sounds she made deep in her throat. When he nipped at her earlobe, she shivered.

      ‘‘So sweet,’’ he murmured.

      They moved through the doorway, into the bedroom.

      Soft light shone from a beaded lamp on a night-stand, shimmered through drops of clear crystals and reflected on the walls. Pillows of all shapes and sizes adorned the deep-green comforter on the large, four-poster bed. The faint smell of lavender hung in the air, mixed with the heady scent of desire.

      Standing next to the bed, he lifted his head, gazed down at her. Her lashes fluttered open, and her eyes, glazed with passion, met his.

      Keeping his gaze on hers, he reached for the embroidered closure at the base of her neck, flicked it open, then slid his hand underneath. He felt the wild beating of her heart under his fingertips, the warmth of her bare skin, then slid the soft fabric off one creamy-white shoulder. He pressed his mouth to the curve of her neck and nibbled. On a soft purr, her head rolled back.

      Tina wondered how she would survive the sensations consuming her. She felt as if every nerve, every cell, were exposed, a pleasure so intense it bordered on pain. Heat pumped through her veins, a rushing, hot river of need. Dizzy, she swayed against him, and the intimate press of her body against his startled yet thrilled her at the same time.

      While his arms held her steady, his lips moved down her neck to nuzzle her shoulder. The light scrape of his teeth, the hot slide of his tongue over her skin made her whimper. She wanted that mouth on her, she realized, wanted his mouth and his hands everywhere.

      As if he’d read her mind, he slipped both hands under the loosened neckline of her dress and slid the garment completely off her shoulders, then down her arms to her waist.

      ‘‘Sexy,’’ he murmured when his gaze dropped to her skimpy black lace bra.

      The flicker of shyness she felt dissolved when she saw the dark, intense look of need in his eyes. When he cupped her breasts in his large hands and lightly kneaded, she drew in a deep breath. When he brought his mouth to her lace-covered nipple and suckled the beaded tip with his hot lips, she gasped.

      Burrowing her fingers into his hair, she arched upward, clutching at him. A meteor of white-hot pleasure streaked from her breast to the ache between her legs. The need she felt turned to a burning throb.

      ‘‘Reid,’’ she whispered, not even recognizing the sound of