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I saw Peter scowling at me from across the room. I grinned, baring all my teeth, and nipped Nancy’s ear possessively. “How long has it been since you’ve eaten?”
She looked clouded. “Um ...”
I rolled my eyes. “For God’s sake, Nancy.”
“Don’t scold. Let’s get something. Want to ask Eoin and the others if they?—”
“No. I want to be alone with you. I missed you.” I leaned over, sucked in a whiff of her perfume. “You smell good.”
She lifted up onto her tiptoes and kissed my lips. “I missed you, too.”
Dinner options were scarce at that hour, but we found an all-night pizza place that delivered. It arrived in our room shortly afterward, and I watched with approval as she enthusiastically devoured several slices of pizza.
“Wow.” Nancy licked her fingers. “Yum. Didn’t know how hungry I was.”
“No wonder people take advantage of you,” I chided. “You never eat. It takes energy to put your foot down.”
She gave me a narrow, warning look. “Uh-oh,” she said. “Don’t you dare go off the rails again, Liam. Unless you want to ruin this for us.”
I held up my hands. “I don’t,” I said. “Sorry. So the conference is going well?”
“Excellently.” She was fishing for a clean napkin, so I found some under the pizza box and handed them to her. “I’ve given out tons of promo packets. We’ll get bookings. The showcases all went well. I had them all recorded. Eoin will have a high-quality demo, if he wants to gig outside of Mandrake. I’m sure he’ll be getting offers right and left.”
“That’s great,” I said.
She took a sip of her soda, eyeing me over the cup. “I’ve been thinking about our conversation,” she offered. “In some ways, you’re right. But in others?—”
“Let’s let it go,” I offered swiftly. “I was out of line.”
She studied me with those wide, leaf-colored eyes. “Somewhat out of line,” she conceded. She took her cell out of her purse, made a show of turning it off. She got up. “Have to wash off pizza grease,” she murmured, disappearing into the bathroom.
As soon as the door closed, in the spirit of overkill, I pinched the phone jack of the room phone out of its socket. This was a delicate moment, and I didn’t want anyone to interrupt it, from any direction.
I peeled off my shirt to save time and followed her into the bathroom where she was patting her face dry with a towel. Her eyes locked with mine in the mirror, full of longing.
I reached around, trapping her against my body. I plucked off her glasses, pulled her hairpins out, unraveled the coiled braided hair, and smoothed the crimped waves over her shoulders. She was just so damn beautiful.
I wrenched my belt loose, tore off the rest of my clothes. Nancy gave me that secret sorceress smile that drove me wild and glanced down at my huge erection.
She patted it. “Ever ready,” she murmured.
“For you, always,” I said. “I live to serve.”
I tugged the snug black sweater out of her jeans and peeled it off over her head. Her bra was silvery green, a sheer, lacy thing.
“Wow,” I said. “Look at that. Fancy underwear.”
Her eyes glowed. “I was hoping I might get lucky.”
I unhooked the bra and tossed it away, ran my hands over her velvety softness, feeling the muscles moving sinuously beneath it, staring at the translucent perfection of her high, luscious breasts. “I’m the lucky one,” I said. “God. You’re so beautiful.”
She smiled at me, her eyes catching mine in the mirror, and we both laughed.
“See? I’m making progress, aren’t I?” she teased. “I no longer flip out and get all uptight and scared when you say that.”
“I want you to know it in your bones,” he said.
Her gaze slid away, and she blushed. She liked to hear me say it, but she didn’t believe it, not completely. I could see it in her eyes. It made my chest ache. I couldn’t get past that invisible barrier inside her. Her caution ran so deep, it was beyond my reach.