Free Last Bridge Home by Iris Johansen

for her sake he was making every effort to do it. The realization touched her poignantly. “There’s too much standing between us. Too many things I don’t know.”
    “They’ll be gone soon.” His index finger brushed her cheekbone. “Then there will benothing between us more weighty than these freckles.”
    “Perhaps. You’d know better than I.” The pad of his finger was gentle and caressing on her skin. She wanted to tilt her head, lean closer, offer more. “You’re the one with all the secrets.”
    His eyes were studying her expression. “You like me to touch you, don’t you? I told you that we matched. I’m aching to have your hands on me.”
    “No, I—”
    His fingers moved to cover her lips. “Hush, I’m not rushing you. I’m being civilized, re member? I can wait.” He paused before adding in a tone a level above a whisper. “Maybe.” His thumb rubbed slowly, sensuously, over her lower lip.
    Her lips parted. They were swollen, throbbing beneath his thumb. Her breasts lifted and fell with every breath. She felt as if each nerve in her body were sensitized to an acute pitch, and yet a languid heat invaded every muscle. She leaned slowly forward, her gaze clinging helplessly to his face. “Jon, this is crazy.”
    She wanted him. The flush suffusing her cheeks, the glistening brown of her eyes, the soft pliancy of her body. All the signs were there. He could reach out and take what he wanted. He could pleasure her and, at least fora little while, she would forget suspicion. Per haps she would even forget Mark. How he wanted her. He ached. He throbbed. The muscles of his stomach were knotted, ready.
He
was ready.
    But she wasn’t ready. Not yet. What she wanted now might not be what she would want tomorrow, and he wasn’t interested in a one-night stand. He needed tomorrow, he needed forever.
    Jon’s fingers fell away from her lips. “It’s even worse than crazy. You were right. It’s too soon.” He tried to steady his uneven breathing. “And, Lord, I wish it wasn’t.”
    She stared at him blankly.
    A crooked smile twisted the corner of his lips. “You’re not the only one who’s surprised.” She made a motion to pull away from him. He stopped her. “No, don’t leave me.”
    “I think it’s time I went to bed.”
    He thought so too. It was time she went to his bed. Time she slept in his arms. He would be exquisitely gentle and …
    “Stay with me,” he urged softly. He drew her close, pressing her silky brown head against his shoulder. “Just sit here with me and watch the fire. That’s not much to ask.”
    As Elizabeth slowly relaxed against him, she wasn’t sure that was true. On the surface his request was innocuous, but she had the feelinghe was winning more by restraint than he ever would with aggression. The wool of his sweater was slightly rough against her cheek, his hand stroking her hair was infinitely soothing, and the scent of soap and musk blended subtly with the aromatic odor of burning pine.
    Lord, he was hurting. He concentrated on trying to block out the sensations tearing him apart, forcing each muscle to relax. It. took three minutes to remove the visible signs of his arousal. Desire still existed, but at least she wouldn’t be aware of it. She would feel safe. And, if he was lucky, tonight would be another step forward. Another mile traveled on the long way home.

“W HAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?” T HERE WAS exasperation as well as amusement in Jon’s expression as he gazed at Elizabeth lying on her back in the snow, her arms flung wide.
    “Making angels.” Her tongue was caught between her teeth as she briskly flapped her arms back and forth. “Now, hush. I haven’t the breath to do this and talk to you too. I feel as if Andrew’s lying right on top of one of my lungs this morning.”
    Gunner looked up after he’d inserted the second pinecone eye in his snowman. “That looks like fun, maybe we could make an entire chain of angel imprints in a