Page 23 of The Doctor's Irreplaceable Love

She smiled.“And don’t worry.I’m not going to expect anything more.At the very most, if this goes well and we both want to do it again, then maybe we’ll have more chances before I leave—at the end of next month.”

She said that last part so emphatically that it felt like she was warning him.He shouldn’t go expecting or even hoping for any more time with her than that—because he wasn’t going to get it.

She looked up into his eyes.“So having heard my thoughts—what are yours?”

He looked down into her eyes for a long moment.There was so much that he wanted to say.He wanted to ask why she was so determined to leave—why she wouldn’t even consider staying—but she’d made herself clear.

He smiled.“I think I’d rather you come to my room.”

When she ran her tongue over her bottom lip and gave a slight nod, he tightened his grip on her hand and started walking.

When they reached the door to the primary bedroom, he stopped.

“What’s wrong?”

He shook his head.“There’s nothing wrong; I just haven’t done anything right yet.”

“What do you …”

He put his hands on her hips and backed her against the door.Her arms came up around his shoulders, and that prickling sensation raced down his spine when she caressed the back of his head.

He curled one arm around her waist and sank his fingers into her hair, tilting her head back as he leaned in.He brushed his lips over hers, then traced them with his tongue.

The little whimper she made as she opened up to him sent heat racing through his veins.He crushed her to his chest, loving the feel of her full breasts pressed against him as he claimed her mouth in a deep, searing kiss.

His cock throbbed inside his jeans as she kissed him back.She was as eager and as hungry as he was.Her hands roamed over his back and shoulders, and she pressed closer, rocking her hips against him when his hand closed around her ass.

When they finally broke apart, they were both breathing hard.

He cocked an eyebrow, and she smiled up at him and asked, “What?”

“Are you sure?”

She let out a short laugh.“You really need to ask?If you like, I can kiss you again—I thought the last one made it pretty clear, but …”

“I thought so, but I won’t ever take anything for granted between us.”

Her expression sobered.“Thank you.In that case, I’ll spell it out—take me to bed, Trip.Please?”

That last word had him reaching past her for the door handle and hustling her into his bedroom as fast as he could.

~ ~ ~

She might have been sleepy a few minutes ago, but as Trip wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back against his chest as he opened the door and walked them into his bedroom, she was wide awake.

He walked her all the way to his bed—his room was huge.When they reached it, he nuzzled his lips into the spot where her neck met her shoulder, sending goosebumps racing over her skin.She dug her fingers into the arm he kept around her middle when he brushed her hair away from her ear before nipping it.

“Still sure?”he breathed.

She spun around to face him and slid her fingers under the hem of his shirt.“One hundred percent certain,” she said as she pushed his shirt up.

When he pulled it off over his head, she licked her lips as she admired his naked chest and added, “Make that two hundred percent.”

He chuckled as he started to unbutton her blouse.“Make that two of us.”

As they fumbled with each other’s clothes, Shelley couldn’t stop smiling.She couldn’t remember the last time a man had helped her to undress.The last few years of her marriage had been mostly sexless.She’d dated a few guys in the years since then, but she hadn’t slept with any of them.

Trip pushed her jeans down before doing the same with his own.He hesitated when he saw her smile.