Free With This Ring by Patricia Kay Page A

call me, Sam?" she finally asked in a quiet, steady voice.
    Her directness disconcerted him, but he struggled not to reveal it. He shrugged. "No real reason. I just got busy." Jesus, but he felt like a jerk.
    "Busy," she repeated.
    "Yeah, look, I'm sorry. I meant to call you, but you know how it is . . . "
    "No," she said slowly, "I guess I don't know how it is." She swallowed. "I-I thought you really liked me. I thought we had something special going between us. But I guess I was wrong."
    Her composure had slipped, and Sam saw an unmistakable glint of hurt in her eyes. Something constricted in his chest. More than anything, he wanted to get up and take her into his arms. He wanted to delve his hands into that thick, shining hair that fell so appealingly around her face and onto her shoulders. He wanted to taste again the warmth of that sweet, soft mouth. He wanted to nuzzle his face into the hollow of her throat and inhale the fresh, flowery fragrance she wore. The urge to do all these things . . . and more . . . was so powerful, he almost could not withstand it.
    And yet somehow he did.
    Somehow he hardened his heart.
No way.
No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't. Indulging his desire to be with her, to make love to her, would only hurt her more in the long run. Better to make this a clean, swift break. She'd get over it . . . and so would he.
    "I do like you, Amy," he said softly. "We had a great time Saturday night. But I've been doing some thinking since then, and I, well, I don't think it's going to work out. You're just not my type."
    She regarded him steadily. "I don't believe you."
    He laughed nervously. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth."
    "You're saying you're not attracted to me?" Her eyes, which had looked so luminous and soft before, were suddenly fired with angry glints. "Is that what you're saying?
    He wet his lips. "I, uh . . . "
    Abruptly, she stood. Then, taking him completely off-guard, she walked over to him, put her arms around him, and lowered her mouth to his.
    At the first touch of her tongue, every good resolution he'd had went flying out the window. He groaned and crushed her to him. They tumbled back onto the big chair. The kiss was open and wet and hungry. And once he started kissing her, he couldn't seem to stop. His hands seemed to have a life of their own, too.
    He kissed her again and again, running his hands over her body, lifting the hem of her dress and cupping her tight little bottom. When he slipped one hand between her legs, she gasped. The sound galvanized him. He reached for the zipper on the back of her dress, and she responded by tugging his shirt out of the waist band of his pants.
    He knew he should stop. He knew this was madness. Complete madness. But trying to stop what had begun between them was like trying to stop a tornado with your bare hands.
    He managed to tug the sundress down, exposing bare breasts. His heart pounded as he filled his hands with them. They were small and perfect. She moaned when he took one nipple into his mouth, drawing on it.
    From then on, Sam was completely lost.
    Their lovemaking was swift and urgent. There was no subtle foreplay, no slow building of desire. The desire was there, full blown, raging between them like an out of control forest fire.
    There was also no rational thought. All Sam knew was that he wanted this woman. He wanted her more than he'd ever wanted any woman before.
    Before long, the chair they were in was too uncomfortable and unaccommodating, so Sam lifted her up and carried her into his bedroom. He laid her on the bed and shucked off his shorts, T-shirt, and briefs in a matter of seconds. Before he lowered himself beside her, some semblance of sanity made him ask, "Are you sure?"
    "Oh, yes. I'm sure." She held out her arms.
    Minutes later, he was thrusting deep inside her. In some part of himself, he wanted to slow down. He wanted to make this first time between them special. But his need was too intense. When he felt her spasm