“Sorry,” Dec said. “Just doing my job.”

“There are a lot of things you do better than your job,” she teased.

As she walked away, Dec twisted in his chair and watched her leave, smiling to himself. He wasn’t sure where his protective streak had come from and in truth, it was a bit silly. Rachel had passed twenty-nine years of her life without injuring herself seriously with a kitchen knife or getting a third-degree sunburn. Maybe it was time for him to relax a bit.

He was here, alone with a woman he found incredibly alluring. There were much better things to do than worry.

RACHEL POURED THE LAST OF the bottle of wine into Dec’s glass. The remains of their dinner-grilled salmon, asparagus and a salad of baby greens-were scattered across the small table on the porch.

She took a sip of her wine, then leaned back into the cushions of the wicker chair. Try as she might, she couldn’t remember a single time when she’d been this content. There always seemed to be some problem plaguing her mind, but tonight, all she thought about was how good the wine tasted and how beautiful the sunset had been…and how handsome Dec looked in the waning light.

The day had passed in lazy enjoyment, both of them aware of what the night would bring. There had been penetrating gazes and innocent caresses, a kiss here and there, little clues that characterized the desire bubbling just below the surface. There was no doubt in Rachel’s mind they’d give in to that desire. All they were doing now was marking time.

“If you were back home, what would you be doing?” she asked.

“If I wasn’t working, I’d probably be at a pub watching the ball game, or hanging out with my brothers. Or maybe taking a run. What would you be doing?”

“Working,” she said. “I used to tell myself that it was good I didn’t have much of a personal life, but now I’m thinking I was deluding myself. I love it here. I haven’t thought about work since we got in the car and left Providence.”

“I probably shouldn’t even be here,” Dec said, running his finger around the rim of his wine glass. “Especially not with a single, beautiful woman. It’s too much of a temptation.”

“But that’s good,” she said.

“No. I’m supposed to be celibate until the beginning of September.”

“Are you planning to go into the priesthood or do you have some medical problem?” she asked, taken aback by his confession.

“My brothers and I made a bet that we couldn’t go three months without sex. Actually, I’m the idiot who offered up the challenge and they agreed.”

It was obvious he’d decided to break his pact. The intimacies they’d already shared were well beyond the boundaries of celibacy. Rachel was pleased that she’d been the one to tempt him. “Sometimes it’s good to take a break from sex, to gain perspective on relationships,” she commented.

“That’s exactly what I said,” Dec replied.

“Well, you were right,” Rachel said.

“Nah, I was full of shit,” he countered. “I should have never made the bet.” He drew a deep breath. “I just didn’t plan on meeting you.”

“Well, you haven’t lost yet,” she said. “We haven’t actually had sex. We’ve just messed around.”

“I wasn’t supposed to have any sexual contact with women. No touching, no kissing, no anything, for three months.” Dec reached across the table and grazed her jaw with his fingertips. “Now three more minutes is much too long.” He stood and drew her up to her feet, then wrapped his arm around her waist. “I can’t seem to get enough of you,” he murmured, kissing the curve of her neck.

Rachel reached for the buttons of his shirt and slowly undid them. When she was finished, she smoothed her hands over his chest. Bit by bit, inch by inch, they began to explore each other’s bodies, slowly pushing aside clothing as they stumbled back inside the cabin.

She nuzzled her face against his chest, then traced a path of kisses to his nipple. Darting her tongue out, she teased at it, bringing it to a hard peak before moving across his chest to the other. He groaned softly, furrowing his fingers through her hair to hold her close.

When she finished, he stole another long, deep kiss and Rachel felt her blood warm and her body relax. Suddenly, her mind became consumed with the sensation of his hands on her skin. She couldn’t think, but that didn’t matter. With every caress there came an automatic response, a shudder or a moan, an effort to move closer to what they both wanted.

Their mouths still locked, they moved to the sofa and Dec gently laid her down, stretching out beside her. Rachel had never been kissed the way Dec kissed her. He took his time, as if focusing all his seductive powers on her mouth. As his tongue delved inside, then withdrew, she was reminded of what they’d soon share, his hips nestled between her legs, his shaft buried deep inside of her.

A dull ache pulsed at her core and the need seemed to multiply with every breath she took. Rachel rolled over and straddled his body, then tugged her camisole over her head. When she reached around to unhook her bra, Dec sat up and pushed her hands aside.

He slipped his fingers under the straps and let them fall off her shoulders. His mouth found a spot at the base of her throat and he kissed her there, lingering over a pulse as if he could sense her excitement. A moment later, she felt his fingers at her back and the bra fell away.

Rachel shivered in anticipation and when he drew her nipple into his mouth, tiny explosions of pleasure shot through her body. She closed her eyes and allowed her mind to drift, arching against him, inviting him to take more.

He seemed to know her body, sensing what made her moan and tingle and sigh. Though she felt a frantic need, he drew the seduction out, each caress meant to exact the maximum amount of pleasure before moving on to something new.

Rachel’s hands smoothed over his wide chest, along the sharp angle of his shoulders and down his muscular arms. His shirt was caught beneath him, hindering his reach and after a time, he grew frustrated with the restriction and twisted out of it.

There was so much more to explore, she mused as she reached for the top button on his jeans. But just as she undid it, a phone rang. Rachel groaned and continued her task, but the sound had broken Dec’s concentration. He glanced over his shoulder, then cursed softly. “I should get it,” he whispered.

Rachel reluctantly crawled off of him, then smiled. “I’ll just finish cleaning up.” She grabbed her camisole and tugged it over her head, then walked out to the porch and began to gather the dishes from the small table. Inside, she heard Dec speaking softly on the phone. She couldn’t make out what he was saying, but a sudden wave of doubt washed over her. What if he was talking to another woman?

A tiny knot grew in her stomach. She knew he had brothers, that he didn’t have time to vacation, and that he did work for Trevor Ross. A man as handsome and charming as Dec probably had plenty of female company. And many of them probably had his phone number. When she’d asked him if he had a girlfriend, he’d said no. Rachel frowned. And if he did have a girlfriend, why on earth would he agree to remain celibate for three months?

Maybe he’d had so much sex over the past year that celibacy sounded good. She laughed softly. Celibacy would never sound good to a man. It just wasn’t in their nature to give up sex completely, unless they planned to become a priest or a monk.

And did it really make any difference how many women he had in his past? This was never supposed to be anything more than a short-term affair, a passionate night or two together before they’d both agree to go their separate ways.

But the better she got to know Declan, the more she realized it might be difficult to give him up. If the sex was fabulous, it might even be impossible. Rachel stacked the dishes in front of her then picked them up and carried them into the cabin. She wasn’t going to think about the future. They had two more nights together and that would have to be enough for now. As soon as he was off the phone, they’d pick up where they left off.

Dec was standing in the middle of the kitchen when she went back inside, his cell phone clutched in his hand, his brow furrowed into a deep frown. “That was my office,” he said.

“I thought it might be one of your girlfriends.”

“I don’t have any girlfriends,” he said, his expression unchanged.

“Good to know,” Rachel replied as she set the dishes in the sink. “Is there a problem at the office?”

“The police just arrested someone in your stalking case. An intern from the radio station. Some kid named Jerry. One of my guys interviewed him earlier this evening and he admitted it.”

Rachel gasped. “Jerry? No, Jerry couldn’t have done that. He’s a sweet kid, he’s harmless. He cleans up late at night and I see him during my shift. Every now and then, he brings me coffee. He has a little crush on me. He’s just not capable of this.”

“He has a crush on you? Why didn’t you tell me this? Rachel, you can’t keep these-” He stopped and forced a smile. “He admitted it,” Dec repeated.

Rachel slowly leaned back against the counter, bracing her hands on the edge. “Then it’s over?”

He nodded. “I guess so.”

“Wow, that was quick.” She drew in a deep breath. “I guess that means we don’t have to stay here any longer.”

He walked over to her and slipped his hands around her waist. “It’s too late to drive back tonight and the traffic will probably be murder,” Dec said. “Besides, I’ve had a little too much to drink. We’ll stay tonight and go back tomorrow.”

Rachel turned back to the sink and began to fill it with warm water. She’d hoped that he’d want to stay longer, but he’d probably stayed away longer than he ought to, especially since this was a job and not a vacation.

Declan ran his palms up her torso and gently cupped her breasts in his hands. “We still have tonight,” he murmured.

“Tonight.” Suddenly, she wasn’t quite sure why she was doing this. Was she really willing to settle for one wild night of sex with this man and then return to her regular life? There were no promises between them, no indication that this was anything more than just lust. “Your job is done now.”

Dec gently turned her around, reaching out to shut off the water as he did. He took her face in his palms and gave her a gentle kiss. “This was not part of the job. This just happened and I’m glad it did. I hope you are too because it doesn’t have to end here.”

She took a ragged breath and fought back the tears that threatened. “It doesn’t?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” He wove his fingers through hers and pulled her along toward the sofa. “Leave the dishes. I’ll do them tomorrow before we go back.” Dec sat down and pulled her down beside him. “Now that this is over, maybe we should get some things straight between us,” he suggested.

Rachel stared down at her hands, nervously twisting her fingers and knowing that the “let’s slow this down” speech was about to be dragged out. She had heard it before. You’re getting too attached, things are moving too fast, you expect too much from me. She’d promised herself this time that she wouldn’t fall in love, but a tiny part of her already had.

“I know,” she said, reaching out for his hand. “This was crazy, the two of us. But it was an affair of opportunity. I never expected anything long term.”

“You didn’t?”

She shook her head, falling back on an academic explanation for the ache in her heart. “Physical attraction doesn’t always translate into a long-lasting commitment. This was just about sex.”

Dec sat back, pulling his hand from hers. “So you were just another notch on my bedpost and I was just another chance for you to experiment?”

“We were more attracted because what we were doing was forbidden. Now that it isn’t, the attraction won’t be so strong.”

“Speak for yourself,” Dec said. He stared into her eyes, then smiled cynically. “Somehow, I get the feeling that this is a test. That you’re just watching me, ready to measure my response.” He stood. “The one thing I liked about you, Rachel, was that you didn’t play games. I guess I was wrong.”

“I’m not playing a game. I’m just being realistic. Can you really tell me that once we go home, we’ll continue on like we’ve been doing for the past two days? No. You’ll go back to work, I’ll go back to work, we’ll have excuses why we can’t be together. Occasionally we’ll fall into bed, and then it will gradually end.”

“Because that’s the way it’s always happened before?”

“Dec, let’s be realistic. We’ve known each other for two days.”

He considered her statement for a long moment, then shrugged. “You’re right,” he said. “Not a good idea. Better to stop it right now before we make a mistake.” He walked to the door, then stood staring out into the night. “I’m going for a walk. I’ll be back a little later.”