"Jack, don't."

The panic in her voice stopped him before he could flood the room with light. He wasn't surprised to hear her quivering demand, and told himself to be patient. He'd have to tackle one issue at a time with Kayla, no matter how badly he wanted to see her without a stitch of clothing on, all soft planes and luscious curves for him to gaze upon.

Tonight he'd have to be satisfied with stripping her completely naked by the light of a moonbeam streaming through the window. He'd give her that tonight, and tomorrow he'd tell Kayla he'd fallen in love with her. Slow, intimate steps designed to build her trust in him. To let her know that he wanted more than an affair with her, more than sex in the dark. He wanted a commitment, a future, and he wanted that with her. And that meant no hiding anything-not even her body.

"Come here," he said softly, and waited for her to join him by the edge of the bed, then pulled the pins from her hair and let the wavy tresses fall to her shoulders. "Now turn around so I can unzip your dress."

She did as he asked, and he brushed his lips along the side of her neck as he lowered the zipper down to her spine, then unhooked the clasp on her bra. He felt her shiver as he smoothed the sleeves of her dress down her arms, and pushed the rest of the material over her hips so it fell to the floor and out of his way.

He eased her back around again and grew excruciatingly hard at what he'd uncovered. Since he'd taken off her panties earlier, she stood before him in nothing but smoke-hued stockings that ended with a feminine band of lace at mid thigh. He took in the dark shadow between her legs, the swell of her hips silhouetted by moonlight, and the full breasts that balanced the shape of her body perfectly.

He reached out to touch her tense jaw. He could see in her eyes that, even in the darkness, she couldn't bring herself to shed her doubts about herself, about her lush body, which was his every fantasy come to life.

He smoothed his fingers along her jaw to her chin. "You have no reason to be uncomfortable with me, so let it go," he murmured gently. "Especially here and now."

Something shimmered in her eyes, the barest hint of hope, and much to his wonder her slight resistance faded. Without him asking, she scooted on top of the bed and lay there, silently waiting for him to join her.

After quickly removing his slacks and briefs, he sheathed himself with a condom, then moved to a position by her feet, determined to make this experience one she wouldn't soon forget. Grasping the lacy band hugging her thigh, he slowly, leisurely stripped off one stocking, then the other, letting his fingers trail sensuously along the back of her knee and over her smooth calves as he peeled away the silky fabric.

Then he began kissing his way upward, relying on his senses of taste and touch to make up for his lack of sight. He used the lazy glide of his hands, the damp heat of his mouth, and the soft stroke of his tongue to blaze a fiery trail along her parted thighs.

She said his name on a breathless, plaintive sigh and clutched the bedcovers in her fists when he finally pushed one finger, then two, deep inside her creamy center and put his mouth right where she needed the pressure of his tongue the most.

She came almost instantly, bucking against his mouth, and her moan of pleasure meshed with his as he took her higher still, until she begged him to please, please stop. He did, but only because he'd yet to skim his lips over the curve of her hip, the softness of her stomach. She writhed as he dipped his tongue into her navel, and her fingers tangled in his hair to urge him up.

He deliberately took his time, refusing to be rushed, and gradually made his way up to her voluptuous breasts. He laved her nipples, traced the swell of her cleavage with his tongue, and grazed the plump flesh with his teeth. She squirmed beneath him, whimpering fretfully.

Long minutes later, he kneed her thighs wider apart and moved over her so that his throbbing erection was nestled against the lips of her sex. Entwining their fingers, he pinned her hands at the side of her head. When they were finally face-to-face, heartbeat to heartbeat, then, and only then, did he thrust deep, stretching her, filling her, his penetration so powerful and complete that they both moaned simultaneously.

But still, it wasn't enough. "Wrap your legs high around my waist," he said.

She did, her thighs clasping his hips and her ankles locked at the base of his spine. The position caused her bottom to lift, her hips to tilt, and he buried himself to the very base of his shaft.

"Oh, yeah," he growled. He slowly ground against her as he trailed hot, openmouthed kisses along her jaw, her throat, and then gave her a love bite on her neck.

She sobbed in frustration, her body arching, straining against him, trying to urge him to a wilder rhythm. In his own sweet time he eventually gave her what she wanted, gradually surging faster, harder, deeper, until both of their bodies submitted to the inevitable… a glorious, stunning climax that drained them both.

As the tremors faded, he lowered his mouth to Kayla's and kissed her, their bodies still joined, and the beat of her heart matching his. He let go of her hands and touched her face, and everything within him went still as he felt something wet against his fingertips. Even without the lights on, he knew exactly what that moisture was, and all he could do was pray they were tears of joy, not regret.


* * *

Kayla woke up alone in her bed, but the sounds coming from the kitchen assured her that Jack was still there. Smiling drowsily and with more contentment than she could ever remember feeling, she stretched beneath the covers, completely naked and thoroughly sated-her body, heart and soul.

She sighed, remembering the way Jack had held her so intimately during the course of the night, never letting her stray very far before he'd pull her back against the heat of his body and snuggle close. Kayla had to admit that she loved the feel of his warm, strong arms around her, of having him cradle her as if he never wanted to let her go. And despite knowing that the morning could quite possibly bring heartache, she'd reveled in his attention and affection.

Because she loved him. Kayla swallowed hard as she forced herself to acknowledge the overwhelming, terrifying emotion she never expected to become a part of her affair with Jack. She'd set out to enjoy a sexual relationship, and to test her aphrodisiac candies on a hot, sexy guy. But in no way had she believed it could lead to something more.

Yes, she had. Kayla couldn't lie to herself anymore. The entire time she'd been intent on seducing Jack, she'd allowed herself to be seduced by him in return. Not just her body, but her emotions, as well.

Her heart squeezed tight in her chest. She had no one to blame but herself for letting her emotions become involved in her affair with Jack. Her candies might have spurred his lust and interest in her, but she knew without a doubt that they weren't responsible for the way she felt about him. Her emotions were real-too damn real-and while she ached for something more, he'd never promised her anything beyond what they'd shared. And since she'd gone into this relationship without any expectations, she had to leave it the same way.

A part of her had instinctively known all that last night, hence the tears that had fallen before she could stop them.

The sound of coffee percolating, followed by the tantalizing aroma drifting into her bedroom told her it was time to get up and moving. To get dressed and face the morning, and whatever it might bring.


* * *

While the coffee finished brewing, Jack searched the refrigerator for something to make for breakfast. First they'd eat, then they'd talk. They had a whole lot to discuss, and he figured it was better to do it on a full stomach, rather than an empty one.

After last night, telling Kayla how he felt about her seemed as natural as breathing. He hoped it would be just as easy for her to believe. He might not have told her verbally that he was in love with her, but there had been an undeniable emotional connection between them that should have left no doubt in her mind that he cared deeply about her.

He found eggs, bread to make some toast, and a half of a cantaloupe. Perfect. He set the items on the kitchen counter and pushed aside one of those gold boxes of candies that Kayla was always feeding him, along with a file folder that was in his way. A few of the papers slid out, and he automatically tucked them back inside the folder. The words written on the file tab caught his eye, and his attention: Aphrodisiac Candies.

Undeniably intrigued, he opened the folder. The lined papers were filled with handwritten recipes, all of which he recognized as the candies Kayla had been feeding him over the course of the past few weeks:

Heavenly Kisses, Love Bites, Chocolate Orgasms, and Caramel Caresses.

Frowning in confusion, he withdrew a package of a white powdery substance and read the information on the label, which included a statement that made him go very still inside: Aphrodisiac for lovers. An all-natural stimulant guaranteed to increase your sex drive and bring out the lust and passion in the one you desire.

He shook his head in stunned disbelief, certain he'd misread the fine print. Unfortunately, a second glance did nothing to change the meaning of the words on the package, and everything it implied.

He swore beneath his breath, more than a little upset at what he'd just discovered. Yes, Kayla had told him right up front that she wanted his opinion on the new line of candies she was considering for Pure Indulgence, and he'd actually enjoyed sampling her more erotic creations. But she obviously hadn't divulged her hidden agenda. He'd been nothing more than an experiment for her.

The evidence against her was glaring, and he held the proof of her deceit in his hands. While he hated thinking that everything they'd shared had all been part of some elaborate plan he couldn't help but hope there was some kind of logical explanation.

"Good morning."

Kayla's soft morning voice pulled him out of his turbulent thoughts, and he turned around to face her. She stood just inside the kitchen doorway, her hair slightly tousled, her skin flushed from a night of great sex, and she was wearing a silky robe that made her look extremely sensual and damn appealing. If he hadn't discovered this incriminating evidence, which definitely required an immediate explanation, he would have stripped off that flimsy garment and made love to her again this morning, right here in the damn kitchen.

But he wasn't about to allow anything to distract him from finding out the truth about those candies she'd been feeding him.

"Morning," he replied evenly. Forgetting about his breakfast plans, he indicated the open folder on the counter that revealed her secret recipes. "What's this?"

She sucked in a startled breath, her eyes widening with a glimmer of panic.

"I…" She shifted on her feet, swallowed hard, and tried again. "Umm, those are the recipes for the new line of candies I'm considering for Pure Indulgence."

"I gathered as much," he said, unable to keep the wry tone out of his voice, which was a helluva lot tamer than the anger welling inside him. "I've been lucky enough to have sampled each one of these candies. But it's not the candies I'm questioning, but rather what you've been putting in them. According to these recipes, it appears you've come up with some very interesting concoctions. And I'm assuming you fed them to me as some sort of experiment?" The thought made his stomach cramp.

She winced, obviously knowing exactly what he was referring to. But to her credit, she didn't lie or try to play dumb like most of the women he'd known would have attempted to do.

"Yes," she whispered, looking mortified. "I wanted to know if that aphrodisiac I bought really worked, so I asked you to eat the candies so I could gauge your reaction to the sexual stimulant."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Couldn't comprehend the possibility that she believed in such ridiculous nonsense. "And what kind of conclusion did you come to with these candies and my reaction to them, Kayla?" he asked, curious to know what she thought she'd accomplished.

She glanced away from his intense stare, her fingers toying anxiously with the hem of her robe. "You were definitely seduced by the candies and what was in them."

He crossed his arms over his chest, not caring for where the direction of this conversation was heading, or what she was insinuating. "No, I was seduced by you," he replied succinctly.