Janelle Denison - Forbidden

She moaned, the sound low and appreciative.

One more time, and her eyes fluttered open, unfocused, but beautiful nonetheless.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” he murmured.

“It was, until you woke me up,” she groused. Then a slow smile curved her mouth and she stretched lan guidly, making his body quicken. “I was having a wonderful dream.”

He chuckled warmly, remembering his earlier erotic thoughts. “Was I in it?” he dared to ask.

A flush deepened the rosy hue of her complexion “Maybe.” Her voice held husky nuances, whether a re- sidual of sleep or arousal, he wasn’t sure.

She might have been fuming mad at him last night and gone to bed upset, but this morning there was no trace of bitterness. Admittedly, her anger never lasted long with him. They argued and moved on. She didn’t hold grudges like some women, didn’t punish by allowing her animosity to develop into a cold attitude that lasted for days.

He figured her tirade had been a long-overdue release, and a therapeutic one at that. A person could only take so much pressure before they blew, and he suspected yesterday’s events had pushed Paige to he limit. This morning, however, she appeared refreshed and receptive, though he didn’t doubt for a moment that the case wasn’t far from her mind.

Her light mood encouraged him, and he took advantage of it. “Maybe I could persuade you to forgive me for interrupting such a great dream.” Standing, he readjusted her pillows against the headboard and motioned for her to sit up, which she did, dragging the sheet with her to cover up her bare legs. He found her sudden bout of modesty endearing, especially since he’d already indulged in eyeing every inch of her. “] went across the street and got us coffee and fresh-baked muffins.”

She pushed her hair out of her face and considered his bribe. A teasing gleam brightened her green eyes, giving him a glimpse of the fun-loving Paige he’d met three years ago. “You’d take advantage of a woman’s weaknesses that way?”

Sitting on the edge of the bed next to her hip, he handed her one of the cups of coffee. “Just yours,” he admitted, enjoying their flirtatious banter. His hopes for a relaxing, pleasant weekend soared.

She wrapped her fingers around the warmth and took a sip of the fragrant brew. “Umm…” She closed her eyes briefly, savoring the rich flavor. “This is wonderful.”

He smiled at her blissful expression. “So is the muffin.” He broke off a piece of the spiced cake topped with sweet, crunchy streusel and held it to her lips. “Try a bite.”

She hesitated, the intimacy of the situation swirling between them. Then, as if accepting his unspoken challenge, she allowed him to feed her the muffin. He purposely touched his fingers to her lips, dragged his thumb along the corner of her mouth to catch a crumb. Awareness flared in her eyes, coiled deep in his belly, and spurred a reckless desire he didn’t bother to curb. Not here. Not now.

Not anymore.

Eyes locked, he slid his hand around to the back of her neck and slowly dipped his head toward hers. His thumb nudged her chin up as his mouth descended. To his extreme pleasure, she didn’t protest his bold move.

Finally reaching his destination, he ran the tip of his tongue over her lips, flicking teasingly. Her lashes fluttered closed and her lips parted on a soft sigh of surrender that touched him on a dozen different levels. She was so open. So giving. So trusting.

The last humbled him, because he knew she’d had little reason to trust lately.

He settled his mouth more fully over hers and deepened the kiss until his tongue tangled with hers. She tasted sweet and warm, like cinnamon and coffee, and he couldn’t get enough of her.

Never would.

A moan purred in her throat, and he thought of all the things he’d imagined doing to her earlier, entertained the tempting idea of easing her down onto the mattress and spending the entire day making love to her. That was his libido talking, because at the moment he was hard and aching. Rationally, he knew right now she needed more than physical intimacy. After yesterday, he was more concerned about her emotional stability, and he wouldn’t risk more confusion. The next time they made love, he wanted it to be for keeps.

He ended the kiss, slowly dragging his lips from hers.

Wide, luminous eyes stared at him. “What was that for?” She wasn’t upset, just curious.

“The hell of it,” he replied impulsively. “Because I wanted to. Because you wanted me to. What other reason do I need?”

A smile played at the corner of her mouth. “You’re awfully presumptuous.”

He gave a deceptively casual shrug. “I’ve got absolutely nothing to lose.”

That truth hung between them, until she finally looked away and plucked absently at the sheet with her fingers. Just as he’d expected, she was going to avoid the personal issues between them. He’d let her be. For now.

Grabbing his own cup of coffee, he took a drink, letting the hot liquid slide down his throat and warm his elly. “So, how are you feeling?” he asked, putting their conversation on a safer track.

She picked at the muffin, and tossed a morsel into her mouth. “Compared to what?”

“To last night.”

“Emotionally drained,” she said, admitting what he already knew.

He nodded, and wanting to give her something Anthony never had-an apology-he said very quietly, “I’m sorry for losing my temper last night, and for the incident with the gun.”

“Apology accepted. And I’m sorry for not listening to your orders.” A lopsided smile touched her mouth, diminishing some of the shadows in her gaze. “I think we both were pretty upset after what happened at the beach house, for different reasons.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, and let it remain at that.

She brushed at the crumbs that had fallen on her T-shirt, and he forcefully pulled his gaze from the way her taut nipples pressed against the soft cotton. He turned, resting his thigh on the bed. The slight shift in position loosened the snug fit of his jeans in a particular region. “Are you up for a little adventure?”

“Are you nuts? I think I’ve had enough adventure to last me a lifetime, thank you very much.”

“Then how do you feel about running away with me For a couple of days?”

Her entire expression lit up, as if he’d given her a huge, gaily wrapped present. “Running away sounds lovely.” A frown tugged at her brows, ruining her delight. “Can we do that? I mean, just take off and leave For a couple of days?”

He knew what she was asking, and sought to reassure her. He wanted this weekend to be all pleasure, with little or no thought about the case. “I’ve already talked to Reynolds about it, and as long as I’m somewhere he can get in touch with me, we’re free to go We’ll be back by tomorrow evening.” He stopped for a moment to encourage her to eat more muffin, which she did. “I figure you can call Pam and have her handle the boutique while you’re gone, and we can stop by the shop on our way out of town so you can pack a few changes of clothes.”

She looked impressed, and relieved. “You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?”

Everything but how I’m going to make you change your mind about us and having a future together. He hoped what he had planned was at least a start in that direction. “I just thought you might like a change of scenery.”

“Without a doubt.” She smiled around a bite of muf-. fin, then took a drink of coffee. “So, where are we go- ing?”

Her easy acceptance brought him a measure of satisfaction. “It’s a surprise, but I guarantee that the food is fabulous, and the atmosphere is total relaxation.”

Her eyes rolled back. “God, I’d be a fool to refuse such an invitation.”

“I couldn’t have said that better myself.” She sho him an indignant look for that insult, but he merely grinned. Standing, he set both of their coffee cups or the nightstand and offered her his hand for a boost up “Come on, lazybones,” he teased, feeling more optimistic by the minute. “Let’s get you up and dressed so we can blow this joint.”

Anticipation touched her features, and she placed he hand in his. “You don’t have to ask me twice.”

PAIGE GUESSED where they were going before they arrived at their destination. He’d taken Interstate 95 north, through Fort Lauderdale, past Palm Beach, to the small town of Jupiter, where his parents had retired. The familiar, scenic ride only took a little over an hour, but as the vehicle ate up each mile away from Miami, the stress of the past few weeks gradually disappeared. It was as though Josh was taking her to another world and she was leaving behind the corruption that had touched her life.

He’d known just what she’d needed.

She glanced over at him where he sat in the driver’s seat navigating the road, her gaze skimming his strong profile. “We’re going to your parents’, aren’t we?”

“Yeah.” A rakish grin tipped his mouth, and her heart fluttered in her chest. Josh’s lighthearted mood reminded her of simpler times, before her life, her marriage, had started to unravel. “That okay with you?”

She flashed him a reassuring smile. “More than okay.” She looked forward to seeing the older couple who reminded her so much of her own parents, whom she missed terribly.

The last time she’d seen Josh’s parents had been at Anthony’s funeral, hardly a festive occasion, but they’d come out of respect, and she’d been grateful for their support. Anna and Nick Marchiano had attended her wedding to Anthony, too, and that’s where she’d learned that the Marchianos had accepted her husband as one of their own, since Anthony had no family left and Josh had become such a good friend to him. And once she was married to Anthony, Josh’s family had welcomed her with the same warmth and kindness they’d instilled in their son. She’d often thought of them as the in-laws she’d never had.

During her first year of marriage to Anthony they’d spent many Sundays and holidays at the Marchianos’ for dinner, along with Josh and whoever of his four siblings could attend the gathering. The Marchiano family, she’d discovered, was a large, close-knit, loving Italian family, and she adored every one of them, including Josh’s eight little nieces and nephews, who’d automatically given her the honorary title of Aunt Paige.

The second and third year there hadn’t been as many visits, and the few she’d managed were without her husband. She’d made excuses for his absence, but she suspected Anna knew something was wrong from the few reproachful comments Paige had overheard Anna making to Josh about Anthony exerting more of an effort to accompany his wife. The other woman’s perceptiveness had been startling, though Paige never discussed her marital problems with her.

“How are your parents doing, anyway?” she asked, dragging her thoughts back to a more pleasant topic.

“Okay, I guess.” He glanced her way for a moment, and though he wore dark sunglasses, she could feel the warmth of his gaze. “With everything going on the past few months, I’ve only seen them twice since Christmas.” Regret tinged his deep voice.

Knowing that Josh tried to make an effort to have dinner with his parents at least twice a month, Paige understood that he’d been bogged down on the Carranza case. “I bet your mother loves your father being retired, and having so much time to spend with him.”

His smile conveyed wry humor. “Mom used to complain that he spent too much time at the station, but she’s let a few comments slip about how he’s driving her crazy being at home.”

Paige laughed. “I’m sure she means it in the most affectionate way possible.”

“Probably,” he agreed. “But when Dad threatens to go back to the department on a part-time basis, just so he doesn’t have to listen to her nag, my mother threatens to divorce him.” He shook his head at the incongruity of the situation. “Poor guy can’t win.”

“It’s not easy being married to someone in law enforcement.” The defensive statement slipped out before she could think better of it.

He glanced her way. “No, I don’t suppose it would be.” His response was slow and deliberate, as if he chose his words carefully. “But my mother knew what my dad did for a living before she married him and has lived with it for over forty years.”

Feeling an argument rising, Paige declined to comment. Josh certainly knew her feelings on the matter, and she didn’t want to rehash issues that neither of them could agree upon.

As she stared out the window and watched the scenery pass, Paige wondered how Anna dealt with the men in her life putting their jobs before family, and decided the woman was a saint to tolerate the stress and worry. She had a husband who’d been with the Fort Lauderdale police department, and her eldest son, Vince, who was married with three children and one on the way, worked for the Jupiter police department. Though Jupiter was a relatively low-crime community, two years ago he’d been shot in the arm during a convenience-store robbery. The wound hadn’t been life-threatening, but Paige clearly remembered how frantic Audrey, Vince’s wife, had been over the incident She also recalled thinking that their three adorable little girls had come too close to losing their daddy.