“And now? You mentioned a heart scare to Lederman. Did you get through it okay?”

She leaned her head back against the seat. “It was easy enough to get through the incident itself considering they never called me until after he was released from the hospital and only then because they were returning my call. As usual they forgot all about me.”

Jack winced. He had wanted to protect her from the pain, not dig into old wounds. “I didn’t mean to pry.”

She laughed, easing the tension. “Sure you did, but that’s okay. I didn’t mean to bore you with my life story.”

“You could never bore me.” Anything that gave him an inkling as to what made her the woman she’d become was a fascination for him.

“Yeah, and I own some of this beachfront property I could sell you dirt cheap.” She grinned and the arousal he’d somehow held at bay for the entire drive came rushing back in full force.

He could see the sparkle in her eyes even behind the dark glasses and her easy smile seemed meant for him alone. Even if it wasn’t, he wouldn’t mind deluding himself for a while longer. But at least her quick comeback told him she underestimated the effect she had on him-which was a good thing, since it afforded him some protection against falling too hard.

And maybe he had some beachfront property he could sell himself, he thought wryly. He eased the car into a slow crawl. “Any more dreams you want to share? Like the ones for your future?”

“You mean, do I have the American dream of being someone’s wife with the house, the white picket fence, kids and a dog? Or do I dream of being barefoot and pregnant running around the kitchen baking cake and organizing PTA meetings?” She let out an ineloquent snort. “Not hardly.”

He propped one arm over the wheel and studied the woman beside him. Sarcasm aside, he caught a wistful quality in her voice and the longing in her expression told him she wanted some of those things more than she let on. Maybe even more than she admitted to herself.

And despite all good intentions, he could envision her in either of those roles she’d mentioned because Mallory was a woman who could accomplish anything she chose. When it came to the barefoot and pregnant part, well he was certain she’d excel at the getting pregnant part.

The driving need to test his theory grew stronger. So did the erection inside his shorts. It was a wonder she hadn’t called him on it already.

“What, no comment? The Terminator has nothing to say on my feelings about the American family?” she asked.

He felt sure she didn’t want to know what he was thinking at the moment. He donned a grin. “The Terminator doesn’t believe in the American dream either.”

She clucked her tongue. “I didn’t say I don’t believe, I said it won’t be happening for me. I’m the dreamer, remember?”

He nodded. “Dreams are for people who haven’t experienced reality.” Not wanting to get caught up in the fantasy, he brushed it off as easily as she’d pretended to.

“What’s your reality, Jack? It seems to me I’ve exposed my soul while yours is still hidden.”

Knowing she had a point, he said, “My parents’ marriage was, or should I say is, the opposite of your folks’.”

“I’m sorry.”

He shrugged. “Nothing to apologize for. It is what it is.”

“Doesn’t sound that simple to me. Take it from someone who knows. These things stay with you.”

His chest constricted, knowing she’d unintentionally struck him where it hurt. “I’m sure you’re right.”

“Does your choice in careers have anything to do with what you saw growing up?”

He shook his head. “I fell into family law.” He started to give her the same rehearsed speech he’d given many times before when he suddenly changed his mind. “Actually, it has everything to do with it.” He reached out and stroked one finger down her thigh, toying with the fringe on her cut-off shorts.

She covered his hand with hers, stilling his intentionally distracting movements. Her warmth soothed him and he was able to continue. “At first I figured I’d become a lawyer and get my father out of the hell his marriage had become.”

“And then?” she asked quietly.

“Then I realized he stuck around because on some level he liked the sick situation, or was too weak to get out of it on his own. By then I had a career and was on that partnership track you know so well. I wasn’t giving that up so…here I am.”

“The Terminator.”

“Yup. Meanwhile my folks are still married and making each other miserable.” They inched along the road parallel to the beach. And as they continued to drive in silence, Jack realized that admitting those truths out loud for the first time gave him a sense of freedom he’d never had.

“You told me why your father stuck around, but why hasn’t your mother opted out?”

“Because my mother doesn’t know the meaning of fidelity, and since my father doesn’t know how to stand up for himself and get the hell out, she’s got the best of both worlds.”

At least she had until now. Jack still didn’t know if his father would go through with the divorce.

“That’s sad. And so opposite of my parents. Which I guess goes to show you that neither extreme is a healthy one.”

“Guess not.” He shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

He inhaled the salty ocean air. He’d never spoken about his family life before, but he trusted his past in Mallory’s hands.

And he needed those hands around him now. Badly.

“So you shut down your dreams for the future, afraid you’ll end up the same way?” she asked.

“It would seem so.” He shouldn’t be surprised she hadn’t passed judgment, merely understood.

But those dreams she thought he’d shut down were pushing past the barriers he’d built, and they centered around Mallory, threatening the stability and peace he thought he’d found.

He glanced her way. The sunglasses he’d seen her eyeing earlier were perched on her scrunched-up nose. The wind had blown her hair into wild disarray and her cheeks were flushed from being outdoors-just how he imagined she’d look after a hot night of making love. With him.

Damn. Why hadn’t he thought of it as just sex? Jack swallowed back a curse. Had he really thought getting away from the hotel would give him distance? All this trip had done was bring them closer emotionally. This getaway hadn’t made him want her any less, nor had it alleviated the burning tension inside him.

“And those dreams of yours. Are they shut down as well?” he asked.

She nodded. “I got older, immersed myself in reality, decided to follow in my father’s footsteps and try to make the old man proud.”

“That’s too bad. Because I have a hunch if you let yourself, you’d find a goldmine of untapped dreams inside you.”

She rested her chin on bended knee and glanced his way. “Maybe I was wrong.” Her expression grew pensive. “I don’t think anyone can really close themselves off to dreaming,” she said softly. “Including you.”

He would have vehemently disagreed before this trip. He hadn’t thought he had any dreams for the future beyond the life he’d created. He’d always associated women with his mother and marriage with his parents’ disaster of a union.

And now…

“What was I thinking?” she asked before he could take his thoughts any further. “Macho men don’t dream and if they do, they don’t admit it.” She laughed, breaking the seriousness that had been surrounding them.

The sound, light and carefree, eased the growing knot of tension in his stomach. She was back to relaxing. Best of all she wasn’t asking him for a damn thing beyond their stolen time together. So why was he allowing himself to get caught up in such serious considerations like relationships, marriage and the future?

He turned his attention to the scenery. They’d left the stretch of homes behind and the now empty beach stretched out before them. Jack spotted a deserted outlet beneath a boardwalk where he could park. He turned into a secluded spot that afforded them a perfect view of the water, and because they were still in an exclusive area, they wouldn’t be interrupted by tourists. Jack silently thanked Eva, the gym manager, for telling him about this place even though her reasons for helping him would make Mallory green with jealousy.

He shifted to park and before he could blink she climbed over the seat and into the back, motioning for him to join her.

He studied her and glanced around them. “You sure about this?”

“Are you afraid of getting caught?”

He flew out of the car and joined her in the back seat. “You’re naughty, Mallory. And you’re also forgetting who extended this invitation.” He pulled her into his arms and into the kiss he’d been dying for all afternoon.

She didn’t resist. Her lips opened wide and she let him in, deeper than he’d thought possible. He moved his mouth over hers, tasting her luscious lips before moving to nuzzle her cheek, lingering only seconds before traveling down to her neck.

He suckled and soothed, then inhaled the fragrant scent of her perfume. “Man, you smell good.”

“Then keep going.” She tilted her head to provide him with better access as he slid his wet tongue across her collarbone. He pulled on the neck of her shirt and pressed butterfly-light kisses to the white skin on the swell of her breast.

She shuddered and let out a trembling sigh, but caught him off guard when her hands moved to the fly on his shorts. His brain warned him to stop as he had last night, but this time he couldn’t. He’d been holding back for too long, needed release by her hands too badly.

The pop of the snap echoed in the car and the rasp of his zipper moving over his straining erection caused a surge of renewed desire to flood his veins. “Sweetheart, our first time is not going to be in the back seat of an open convertible,” he said.

She opened her mouth to reply.

He pressed one finger to her lips. “Hush. Because nothing you say now, including a challenge, is going to change my mind.”

She licked at his finger and a sizzling current traveled from her hot mouth straight to his groin. He clenched his fists and cocked his head to the side.

“Okay. I can play just as easily another way.” She pushed his legs apart in a wide vee and settled herself in between before dropping to her knees in front of him.

Her hands reached for the band of his shorts and he let out a strangled groan.

“Lift your hips.”

He liked the command and his waist bucked forward in an involuntary response.

Mallory laughed. “That’s not what I meant.”

The strain of desire was wearing on him. “I know what you meant. I just can’t believe you mean to do this here.”

Her blue eyes darkened with real passion. “Oh, but I do.” She reached for the blanket on the floor beside her. He’d bought it in the gift shop, in case they stopped for food and wanted to sit on the beach. “Good planning, wouldn’t you say?” she asked.

“It’s not the reason I bought it.”

She shrugged. “That’s okay. I won’t hold it against you if my imagination’s better than yours. It’s a female thing, I guess.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Now lift those hips.”

“Bossy wench.”

“Yeah, and you love it.”

Damn but she was right. He glanced around. Not a single person or car was in sight for what seemed like miles. But just in case, he spread the blanket wide and tossed it over the headrest of the front seat. “Just in case.”

She giggled. “You can cover me and your lower half if you need to.”

He rolled his eyes. “And explain what I’m doing alone in the back seat of a car covered by a blanket in the heat of the day.”

“You’re a smart man. I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

In another minute he figured he’d be too far gone to utter a coherent word. He raised his hips off the seat and helped her wrest his shorts down to his ankles, freeing his erection for her waiting hands.

She didn’t waste a minute. As he watched, she cupped his length in her delicate fingers, which were warmer and stronger than they looked. His body shook and he leaned his head back and exhaled a groan.

“Watch me, Jack.”

He opened his eyes. She’d pay later for this control thing of hers, but right now he liked her being in charge too much to do anything about it except enjoy.

So he watched.

Just as she lowered her head and licked at him with her tongue. “Oh, man.” The words burst from him as his hips thrust forward and he nearly came right then.

“I’m assuming that’s a good thing?” She raised her head and asked lightly, but he sensed the import of her words.

That she didn’t do this often filled him with ridiculous male pride. That she did it now, for him, filled him with a sweeping emotion so strong he didn’t dare give it a name. Not that he could have, because at that moment she took him into her warm, wet, willing mouth and Jack was lost.