Free A Man to Remember by Mary Tate Engels

the peaceful moment.
    "You didn't intend for me to see your aunt all along, did you, Jake?" Alyse asked quietly.
    Jake pursed his lips and gazed down at her. How much does she know? "Alyse, my aunt is very ill. She really isn't up to meeting anyone. Yes, I knew that all along, but I wanted you to enjoy her home and understand what I'm giving up by leaving."
    "I see." But she didn't.
    "Aunt Myra is being cared for privately here in the complex. She is receiving the best of care, considering her condition. It isn't good for the house staff to see her like this, so . . . helpless."
    Alyse felt a tug of sympathy. "Is she . . . will it be soon, Jake?"
    "I think so. It's very difficult for me. She was always so lively and vital...." He ended with a heavy sigh.
    The numerous questions about Jake that had puzzled Alyse all day suddenly vanished, and she believed everything he was telling her. Why shouldn't she? An ailing old lady, a grieving and anxious nephew, a storage room stocked with valuable art, a man who cared about his family.
    Alyse turned in the circle of his arms and whispered sincerely, "I'm sorry, Jake. About all this."
    His hands embraced her shoulders, then moved around to encompass her back. "Alyse, you're a special woman. Thank you for being so understanding." He bent to give her a quick kiss.
    But she wasn't satisfied with just a kiss. Not tonight.
    She responded instantly to his brief but affectionate touch. Her hands went around his neck to bury themselves in the shaggy hair at his nape, and her lithe body pressed to him. His lean hardness drew her like a magnet, and she wanted him more than ever.
    Her lips sought his, this time eliciting a heated desire within him beyond his control. He shuddered and pulled her to him, his hands moving along her back, molding her to him. "Sweet sexy Alyse ..."
    "Yes, Jake. The answer is yes."
    He raised his head, and his questioning eyes explored her face. "Yes?"
    "Yes to us. Yes to going to San Diego on the Skye Command. Yes to everything." She met his gaze confidently, sure of her decisions. They had more to do with her heart than her head, but tonight she didn't care.
    "Spend the night here, Alyse. Then we can use tomorrow getting ready to go. It will need to be very soon, I fear."
    She nodded. "If you'll stay with me. In my bed."
    His eyes darkened and he explored her face. She was so honest and naive compared to his deviousness. Was it fair to her? He knew what she was offering, and he knew what he wanted. So why the hesitation?
    "Alyse, do you really mean what you're saying?"
    "Yes, Jake, I do. Oh, yes," she murmured.
    With a force driven by a raging inner fire, he drew her into his arms and kissed her deeply. His restraint was transformed to fierce passion, and there was no holding back by either of them.
     
    Alyse was already lying nude between the cool sheets when Jake slipped into the darkened room. She waited while he "took care of business" downstairs and suspected it was a ruse to allow her time. Time to think ... to get ready for him . . . She waited eagerly for him. Thoughts of this virile man next to her were erotic and arousing. He was everything she had always dreamed of in a man. Handsome. Interesting. Compassionate. And more. Jake was her fantasy come true. Mysterious.
    The edge of the bed sank beneath his weight as he tugged off his cowboy boots. Then he rose to dispatch his jeans, shirt, and underwear. She watched his shadowy figure with intense feminine interest.
    "Alyse? You asleep?"
    Her voice was tinged with amusement. "How could I sleep now? I've been waiting for you, Jake. Sure you know I want you."
    He laughed softly and slipped into the bed beside her. Her words were stimulating, and he could barely contain himself. He wanted to roll over her, to slide into her comforting softness, to take her immediately. But he knew instinctively he had to use restraint with her. He had her confidence thus far and couldn't afford to lose her now.
    In a low voice