Free Perfect for the Beach by Lori Foster, Janelle Denison, Kayla Perrin Page A

from him instead of bolting for the nearest exit.
    She’d never seen this assertive side to Alex when it came to her, or them—so firm and uncompromising in what he wanted, and his unwavering attitude sent a shiver down her spine.
    She thought once again of their rendezvous in the plane’s rest room earlier, and how persistent he’d been with her then. She now realized that the turning point in their relationship, and their weekend together, had started at that moment, with Alex taking charge sexually with her.
    Now he was doing the same to her emotions, coaxing her to open up and let him into that soul-deep place that had shaped the woman she’d become.
    “As for accepting my proposal, I don’t expect an answer right at this moment,” he went on when the silence stretched too long between them. “But you need to make a decision before the weekend is over, Dana. You either want to take this next step in our relationship, or you don’t see a long-term future with me in your life.”
    She stiffened against her chair. “So you’re issuing me an ultimatum, then?”
    He winced at her harsh choice of words and took a moment to form his response. “I’m asking you to make a choice, because if you don’t want the same things that I do, then maybe it’s time we went our separate ways. You know where I stand, so the final decision is yours to make.”
    With that, he picked up the ring box and slipped it back into his pocket. “I guess I’ll just hold on to this for now,” he said, then stood and extended his hand toward her. “Come on, sweetheart. It’s been a long day, and we’d both benefit from a good night’s sleep.”
    She took his hand, unable to stop the sense of despair taking hold within her. She had no idea what the rest of the weekend would hold, but she hoped and prayed that this moment didn’t mark the beginning of the end of her relationship with Alex.
    * * *
    Alex laced his hands behind his head and stared at the shadows on the ceiling above the four-poster bed he was reclining on, while Dana finished changing in the bathroom before joining him for the night.
    They’d both been silent on the walk back to their suite, which was no surprise since he’d given Dana a whole lot to think about and consider. He hated pressuring her for an answer, a choice, and he hated hurting her in any way even more. And there was every possibility that he was going to be the source of a whole lot more emotional pain for her before the weekend came to a close.
    Minutes later she came out of the bathroom, wearing a silky black nightie with sheer lace barely covering her breasts. As she walked toward the bed, the short hem slithered across her thighs, making her skin look smooth and creamy and oh-so-tempting. It was a nightgown made for seduction and sinning, no doubt purchased as a special surprise to celebrate their one-year anniversary together.
    Alex was more surprised that she’d chosen to wear it, especially after the way their dinner conversation had gone. He’d expected her to be more withdrawn and guarded, and certainly not in the mood to fool around.
    As she moved up onto the bed, straddled his waist, and wriggled her bottom against his groin, it became increasingly obvious that’s exactly what she wanted. He was wearing a pair of boxer shorts, but he rose to the occasion, growing hard and thick in seconds flat.
    He reached up to touch her, but she grabbed his wrists and pinned them to the sides of his head, dominating him. The movement caused her hair to fall over her bare shoulders, her breasts to nearly spill from the bodice of her gown, and brought their faces about a foot apart.
    The lamp on the nightstand beside them cast a soft, incandescent light over her, haloing her head and silhouetting her luscious body. It also brought an interesting detail into sharp focus that he might have missed otherwise.
    This close, he glimpsed the desperation glimmering in her bright green eyes, and he quickly realized