Free Heart of Ice by Diana Palmer

“Not a thing in this world, big brother.”
    He grinned at her. “Where’s your boyfriend?”
    “Begging for liberty on his knees,” she told Egan. She laughed. “If he gets it he’ll be here any minute.”
    “I’d bet on him.” He glanced at Kati. “How about yours?” he asked tautly.
    “Jack’s making calls to his family,” she said. “He won’t be over until tomorrow.”
    He didn’t say anything, but he settled down in the chair to watch the programs with an oddly satisfied smile.
    Marshal came a few minutes later, and Egan even joined in when they sang Christmas carols during the next program. They drank eggnog and ate cake, and Kati thought she’d never been so happy in her life.
    Ada led Marshal under the mistletoe on his way out at midnight and kissed him lovingly, winking at Kati as the two of them moved out into the hallway.
    “I’m going to walk Marshal to the elevator,” she called back. “Don’t wait up.”
    “Don’t fall down the elevator shaft!” Kati called after her.
    The door closed on a giggle. Which left Kati alone with Egan and trembling with new and frightening emotions.
    He stood up, holding out his hand. She put hersinto it unhesitatingly and let him lead her to the mistletoe. His lean, strong hands caught her waist and brought her gently against the length of his hard body.
    “I’ve waited all day for this,” he whispered, bending.
    She stiffened, but his hands smoothed down over her hips and back and he nudged his face against hers gently.
    “I know how you like it, baby,” he breathed. “I won’t hurt you this time, all right?”
    She was beyond answering him. Her body throbbed. Throbbed! It was the most incredible physical reaction she’d ever had in her life, and she couldn’t control it.
    His mouth opened and hers opened to meet it, inviting the new intimacy, and she drowned in the magic of the long, sweet kiss. She breathed him, the tangy fragrance of cologne and, closer, the minty hotness of his mouth.
    “I want you,” he whispered, his voice shaking.
    She drew back a little, trying to catch her breath and regain her sanity. It was impossible, but she couldn’t even speak. They were simply torturing each other with this kind of thing. But how could she explain it to him?
    He rested his forehead on hers and his eyes closed on ragged breaths. Against her hips, his body was making an embarrassing statement about hisfeelings, and she withdrew just enough to satisfy her modesty.
    “Still playing games, Kati? You don’t have to put on any acts for me. That virginal withdrawal—”
    “Egan, you have to listen to me,” she managed, looking up.
    “I’ve got an apartment two streets over,” he said on a harsh breath. “One even Ada doesn’t know about. We could be there in fifteen minutes, and she’d never have to know.”
    Her breath caught in her throat. His eyes were blazing with it, and she knew her own legs were trembling. For one wild second she looked up at him and knew how it would be between them. She could almost feel the length of him without clothes: the silken slide of skin on skin, the aching pleasure of being touched by those lean, expert hands…
    “Come with me, Kati,” he said unsteadily. “We’re just torturing each other. I’ve got to have you.”
    “I can’t,” she ground out. She lowered her chin so that her tormented eyes were on a level with his chest, and her trembling fingers pressed against his warm shirt.
    His fingers tautened on her waist, moved to her hips and jerked them into his. “I ache,” he whispered. “You know what I’m feeling.”
    Her eyes closed. She wasn’t stupid; she could imagine that it was ten times worse for him than it was for her. But she couldn’t undo all the yearsof conditioning. Flings weren’t for her. She had too much conscience.
    “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry, Egan, but I can’t.”
    He drew in an angry breath, and she stiffened because she knew he was going to