Free Laugh Like You've Never Cried (Summer Lake 5) by SJ McCoy Page B

looked like someone else. Someone who might just invite Michael to come inside with her. But that really was silly. He couldn't, even if he wanted to. He had to get home for Ethan. She shook her head at Ollie. “What was I thinking, Ollie-bug. This isn't me, is it? I'm going to get my jeans back on.”
    Ollie barked once and wagged around her legs.
    She stroked him. “Yes, I am, boy. I can play dress-up and dream, but this isn't me.”
    Ollie ran to the front door and started pawing and whining just before she heard the knock. Oh no! Michael was here already? It could only be him. She looked up the stairs. Did she have time to run? He knocked again. Apparently not. She took a deep breath.
    Never in her life had a man looked at her the way Michael did when she opened the door. His eyes were big as he slowly looked her over. He may as well be running his hands over her. She could feel his gaze caress her skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. His dimple sat next to a very satisfied smile.
    “Wow, Meggie! Just...wow! I knew you were hiding a hot little self, but....damn!”
    “I....I....I....” Perfect! The stutter didn't exactly match the outfit, did it?!
    He stepped towards her and she froze. Now she couldn't even breathe, let alone speak. His arms came around her. She instinctively reached her own arms up around his neck—who knew she had those kinds of instincts? This time, when her breasts pushed against his chest, all of her senses were heightened. She could feel the roughness of his denim shirt through the thin fabric of her dress. She could feel how hard he was as he pulled her hips against his. Oh God! Now she could feel both of his huge hands cupping her backside as his mouth came down on hers. She closed her eyes and gave herself up to all these new and wonderful feelings—his lips on hers, his tongue mating with her own, how every part of her felt so hot, especially the part trapped between those big hands and that big... hard....She felt herself moan as he backed her against the wall in the hallway and closed the front door with his foot. She rubbed her hips against his and moaned with pleasure as he thrust against her. Then she moaned in dismay as he lifted his head and stepped away. He leaned back against the other wall so they stood facing each other in the narrow hallway.
    “Damn, little one. We'd better go.”
    “Did I do something wrong?”
    His face looked pained. “No, darl'. You couldn't do anything more right. Which is why we need to get out of here. Otherwise I won't be able to stop myself from doing something very wrong.” He looked up the stairs, then back at her with that pained look.
    “Why would it be wrong? I think I would like to do it.”
    He covered his face with his hand and peeked out between his fingers. “Jesus, Meggie! How can you look like that and be so sweet and innocent?”
    This was confusing. Was he saying he wanted to? Or that he didn't want to? She didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything. For the first time, she dared to look straight into his eyes and she pleaded with him that way, hoping he'd explain.
    He wrapped her in his arms again. This time it was a safe hug, a coming home hug. She relaxed a little as she breathed him in. He rested his chin on top of her head. “It wouldn't be wrong. It could never be wrong between you and me, little one. It would just be too soon, and too short.”
    She looked up at him.
    “I've only got a couple of hours till I need to be home for my boy. When I do take you to bed, it'll be to spend the whole night with you.” He hugged her closer. “You're not a quickie kind of girl. We're going to take our time. Then I want to hold you all night, sleep with you in my arms, and wake up to your beautiful face.”
    Megan squeezed her arms tightly around his waist. Never in her whole life would she have thought that a man would ever talk to her like that. Certainly not such a handsome, charming, wonderful man as Michael. She knew