Free The Wedding Gift by Cara Connelly Page A

pulling her hair back in a ponytail. Water sluiced down her body, so lovely it stilled him.
    â€œBeautiful,” he said softly. His eyes followed the flow, down her long, slender neck, over her breasts. The tips were swollen too, pebbled and pink from his lips.
    She reached out, took his cheeks in her palms. “You’re looking at me like you’ve never seen me before.”
    â€œI haven’t, not like this.” She was delicate and lush at once. Innocent and sensual. Sweet and so fucking sexy. Everything he’d always loved about her, and so much more.
    He wanted to come clean, to tell her he’d loved her forever. That he always would.
    But the timing was wrong, while he was eyeing her naked body like he could eat it for breakfast. She’d think putting out had changed his feelings about her. Or worse, that he was bullshitting her because he wanted to stick his dick in her again.
    It would kill him if she thought either of those things.
    So he’d bide his time, and when the moment presented itself, he’d show her how he felt, and he’d do it right. Because for the first time, he was picturing a future with Jan.
    After all, there was no question they were compatible. And amazingly, she seemed to be okay with his kind of sex. Meaning lots of it. Hard, and rough around the edges. He’d tossed her around, nailed her to the wall, given her a taste of how he liked it. And damned if she wasn’t ready to go again, right now, judging by the look in her eye.
    Which meant getting out of this mousetrap, grabbing a handful of rubbers, and hitting the sheets until the sun came up.
    The problem was, looking at her had gotten him good and hard again. He’d have to deflate before they could unpretzel themselves.
    Reaching up over his head, he twisted the knob to cold.
    â€œAghh!” Jan flapped her hands frantically, like she could wave the water away. Her feet scrabbled against the floor, the walls, finally getting traction against his stomach.
    Slapping the door open, she crawled out of the shower. Then she slapped it closed again and sat back against it, trapping him inside. “You’re a jerk.” Her pissed-for-life voice.
    He shut off the water. Mission accomplished; he’d shriveled like a balloon and captured the condom as she made her getaway. “That’s what I get for taking one for the team,” he muttered.
    â€œNo more shower sex,” she decreed, which was okay for now, since she hadn’t ruled out any other kind of sex.
    â€œUntil we get home,” he added.
    She snorted. “I won’t hold my breath.”
    What does that mean?
    Before he could ask, she stood and wrapped herself in a towel. “Tell me you brought snacks,” she said, heading into the bedroom.
    He trailed her, tracking water to his suitcase. “Cheez-Its.” He tossed two snack bags on the bed, followed by a fistful of condoms.
    She grabbed the Cheez-Its, smirked at the condoms. “You came prepared.”
    â€œBetter to have ’em and not need ’em than need ’em and not have ’em.” He reached out and snagged her towel.
    â€œHey,” she got out around a mouthful of Cheez-Its.
    He wrapped the towel around his hips. “You look better naked than I do.”
    â€œCut it out.” Color climbed her neck, so bright he could watch its march by the light spilling from the bathroom.
    â€œGet used to it.” He hooked her waist with one hand and pulled her tight against him, damp skin to damp skin, making all kinds of heat. “Your body’s gorgeous. I could eat you alive.”
    Her breath hitched, but she said, “Yeah, right. I know what you’re after.” She held her Cheez-Its behind her back.
    â€œWhat I’m after,” he said, cupping her cheek with his free hand, “is a lot more of what I just got.” He laid his lips over hers, holding her gaze. Stroked his fingers down her slender neck,