Free Kismet: A Serendipity Novella by Carly Phillips

flicker of hope. She
wanted more, and he’d done his best to indicate that he did,
too.
    But ever since he’d returned from talking to
Alex earlier, Trevor had been more withdrawn. “Would you mind if we
went back to my hotel room?” she asked, knowing that even if they
spent tonight together, it would be easier on her if he left in the
morning. That way she could just fall apart instead of having to be
the one to walk away.
    “Sure.” He sat by her side in the town car,
but unlike their last few rides, he kept his hands to himself.
    Another bad sign.
    She fingered her small bag, her nerves
getting the best of her until finally the driver pulled to a stop
in front of the hotel. A doorman immediately stepped up and opened
the car door, then stood back and waited.
    Lissa exhaled a long breath and turned to
face him. “Thank you for taking me with you tonight. It was a
pleasure to spend time with Alex and Emma, since they both mean so
much to you.”
    The evening had also filled out her article
in immeasurable ways, but she wasn’t in the mood to bring up
business.
    He smiled at that. “When I was younger, they
helped me feel welcome, Alex in business and Emma on the social
side.”
    She nodded in understanding, then reached
for his hand. “Trev, I’m so glad we had this time together.” It was
more than she’d ever dreamed of and less than she wished for deep
inside.
    “Does this mean you’re not inviting me up?”
he asked, his voice gruff.
    She swallowed hard. “I wasn’t sure you’d
want to come.”
    His blue eyes darkened. “I probably
shouldn’t, but I’m selfish enough to want more. I want tonight,” he
said, his voice hoarse.
    Oh, he was definitely preparing for the end,
she thought. A far cry from the man who’d faced her earlier. But
she wasn’t ready to ask questions she didn’t want the answers to
yet. So, though she knew she’d hate herself for prolonging things,
she met his gaze and nodded.
    “I want that, too.” She slid out of the car
before she could change her mind, and held out a hand, indicating
he should come, too.
    The next few hours were the most beautiful
and the most painful of Lissa’s life. Trevor held her hand as they
made their way upstairs to her hotel room and locked the door
behind them.
    He undressed her slowly, taking his time
because they had all night. What they didn’t have was a lifetime,
and that was the only thing that would satisfy the yearning inside
her. Still, she wanted these last moments and she made sure to
recall each and every one. His strong, tanned hands gliding over
her skin, his dark hair as he bent over her, his mouth taking her
breast and suckling and teasing, torturing her until her need was
so great, she thought she’d come from that alone.
    He worked his way down her body, making love
to her with his tongue, worshipping her in the way only a man
could, replacing memories of them at seventeen with those of a
night stolen out of time. One that belonged to them alone.
    And by the time he lifted his body over
hers, poised for entry, she’d already come more times than she
could count, yet she still hadn’t had enough of him. She never
would.
    With his gaze fused to hers, he nudged at
her opening and slowly eased his way inside, making sure she felt
every last inch, every ridge, every thick hard part of him. Only
when he thrust home, so deep she knew he was touching more parts of
her than he’d ever reached before, did he lose control.
    “Lissa.” Her name a groan, he pulled out and
thrust back in, her own moisture creating a slick haven for him to
pound in and out of her, bringing her up higher and higher.
    She tried her best to hold back her
emotions, to take the ride and just feel everything inside her and
process later, but the tidal wave of feelings he created was too
great.
    “Trevor.” His name came out on a sob,
triggering his release.
    He didn’t hold back either, murmuring words
of love and caring, words she absorbed into her