Or were the men on Madison Avenue right on the pulse of things? Wasn't her heart beating faster after catching one fragrant whiff? Strange. It wasn't the model's face her mind conjured up. It was— Katherine jumped in surprise and guilty abashment as the door opened behind her. Jace looked at her in the mirror and said teasingly, "I hope you like it."
Katherine thought with a detached part of her mind that the model who represented Temper had nothing over the man who was her husband.
"Yes, yes, I do. I was just ... uh..." Why was she stammering like a blithering idiot? This was her house first!
"Allison's down for her nap. I was reading the newspaper to her, but she konked out after the front page." He grinned.
"Thank you for watching her. It's nice being able to take a leisurely bath without having to listen for her."
"You're welcome. My small contribution was well worth the results. You look beautiful this morning." He came forward and turned her to face him. Their conversation had been conducted in the mirror. He enfolded her in his arms, but only brushed a kiss on her forehead.
"I've got to go out to the drilling site today, so I may not be back until late this evening." He was dressed for work in a very old, very tight pair of faded jeans, an equally faded short-sleeved shirt, and scuffed cowboy boots.
"Are they drilling yet?"
"If they did everything they were supposed to do last week, they should be able to start today. Incidentally, your friend Jim Cooper has joined the ranks."
She looked up at him. He hadn't released her from his arms. "You're the foreman, aren't you?" Having spent this short time in his company she sensed that he had downplayed his position with the oil company. Sunglow was one of the most prestigious oil companies in America, and holding even a junior executive's job would be no small feat.
"Yeah, in a manner of speaking," he shrugged. "But I couldn't do without my crew. They're all good men. We've been together a long time."
His shrugging motion had caused a tremor to course through Katherine's body. By his holding her tightly, she was made acutely aware of his least movement. When his chest stirred against her breasts, she involuntarily responded with a physical reaction.
His perception didn't fail him. He recognized the change in her instantly. "Are they still bothering you?" he asked kindly. "The scratches and bruises on your breasts? We may have to take you to a doctor yet." He sounded genuinely worried.
"No Jace," she rushed to assure him. "They're healed and I'm fine."
"Let me see."
"What?" The soft question exploded out of her mouth in a puff of air. "No, really, it's ... they're..."
Her voice trailed off as he stepped away from her and deftly untied the sash of her wrapper. Slowly, his hands parted the garment. She held her breath as his gaze took in the length of her naked body before his eyes came to rest on her breasts.
The angry red scratches left by Ronald Welsh's assault had faded to thin pink lines. The bruises were now only faint shadows on the honey-toned skin.
"I ... I think you're right. They're healing okay." Jace's voice was strangled and hoarse. He lifted his eyes to hers. She read in them apology and supplication as his arm went inside the robe and encircled her waist. With his other hand he cupped a breast. His touch was so gentle she wasn't sure she didn't imagine it.
The dark head bent toward her and Katherine closed her eyes and parted her lips to receive his kiss. He moved his lips over hers and drew her closer until her sensitive skin knew intimately the soft fabric of his clothes. His mouth was possessive but gave as much as it took, delighting her with the slightest flicking of his tongue.
He ventured to her neck and nuzzled the hollow of her throat with his mouth. Ever so lightly his thumb brushed across her nipple. Like a bow string being pulled taut, Katherine arched her back. A small moan escaped her.
His mouth hovered over her breast. Katherine felt his warm breath on her skin as his thumb continued its lazy stimulation, arousing her to inconceivable passion.
When her nipple was a peak of desire begging for assuagement, she pleaded, "Jace—"
He groaned against her, "Oh, God, sweetheart." Then his mouth captured the aching nipple and surrounded it with a sweet, wet warmth.
The raven black hair tickled her skin as his head pressed against her chest. Katherine caught his head with impatient hands and held it fast, lest his mouth cease the delicious, gentle pull. His hand slid lower on her hip, pressing her nearer and demanding her to realize the strength of his desire. Without even being aware of her motion, Katherine rotated her hips against that thrilling force in a rhythmic massage.
His breath was ragged as he pushed her away from him with a swift shove. He hung his head for a moment, gulping in long breaths while he maintained a strong grip on her upper arms.
Katherine trembled in anxiety. Once when she had allowed a date to indulge in what she considered to be harmless necking, he had become aroused to the point of no return. He was furious when she denied him appeasement and had slapped her, calling her ugly names and accusing her of deliberately leading him on. Though he had crudely satisfied himself with his hand and disgusted her with apologies and excuses afterward, she knew his aspersions had been largely the truth. She liked the kissing and stroking but had never cared enough for anyone to complete the act. In sexual games she hadn't played fair, and she knew it. For some reason she didn't want Jace to think she was tormenting him with some diabolical trick in mind.
"Jace?" she asked tremulously. "Are you all right?"
His face was flushed and his shoulders still heaved while he inhaled harshly.
He laughed ruefully. "Hardly," he said. "But if you keep on doing things like that, I'll never leave today, and I really need to go to work."
She had returned his passion. She confessed to that. If he had wanted to consummate their marriage, she would have been eager to participate.
"I'm sorry," she said and meant it. She felt the loss, the dissatisfaction, as surely as he did.
"Sorry?" His blue eyes sparkled. "I'm not one bit sorry that my wife has the body of a goddess." He planted a smacking kiss between her breasts before he closed her robe and tied the sash with regretful finality. "You've probably made it damned hard for me to keep my mind on my business today, but I'll make such a sacrifice any day." He sighed theatrically and chucked her under the chin before he left.
* * *