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  He gripped her head, but couldn’t stop her. She was hell bent on pleasuring him orally, and despite how intimate he found the act, how her soft purrs of delight were crumbling the walls around his heart, his traitorous body began rocking against her, his composure blown to bits.

  His hands followed the movement of her head as her hot mouth scorched him. He began trembling, his body coming up to speed in record time. Hunger for her consumed him, and tension began building in his body.

  “Lila,” he managed to get out, his tongue so thick it was a wonder he could talk. “I want to be inside you.” Even though it could very well shred his last measure of control, he needed to feel her body wrapped around his cock more than he needed air.

  Climbing to her feet, Lila gave him a little shove and he fell backward into his chair. Taking control of the situation, she a grabbed a condom from the box and ripped open the package. Jon sat there in mute fascination as she proceeded to sheathe him. Christ, no woman had ever put a condom on him before, and he had to admit that he found the whole process rather exciting.

  He looked at the examination table, ready to scoop her up and spread her out, but she shook her head no.

  “No?” he asked.

  “No,” she said, and threw her legs over his to straddle his lap. That’s when he realized she had no panties on and the skirt had been worn on purpose. She really did have every intention of seducing him out of his pants this afternoon.

  “Christ, Lila.” She shimmied into position, but before she could impale herself, he slipped a hand between her legs, but when he found her sex sopping wet and so damn ready for him, all he could do was hang on for the ride.

  As she lowered herself, he opened her blouse and tugged her bra down to expose her breasts. His mouth watered as her pert nipples hovered inches from his lips, and as she sank onto him, his cock burrowing deeper and deeper into her tight wet channel, he buried his face between her breasts and drew in the sweet smell of her skin.

  She writhed against him, and pleasure like he’d never before experienced swamped him. His mouth found one nipple and he drew it inside. Lila threw her head back and his blood pressure soared as she gyrated, increasing the tension inside his groin.

  “You fill me so nicely,” she murmured.

  Her arms snaked around his neck and she held him close, crushing her body to his as they joined as one. Jon held her tight, and as he savored the sensations, it was almost as if time had suddenly stood still for the two of them, like a lifetime had passed, creating a deeper, more meaningful intimacy between them.

  When she began rocking her hips and sliding his cock in and out of her tight pussy, it prompted him into action. He slid his fingers through her hair and shifted in his seat for deeper thrusts. He drove higher and higher into her, and when her muscles clenched around him she cried out in sensual bliss.

  Seeing her this aroused had passion and possession racing trough him. He loved that he could do this to her. Loved the way she reacted to his touch. He slipped a hand between their bodies again and swirled his finger over her slick clit and the look of ecstasy that came over her face had to be the sweetest thing he’d ever seen.

  Her honeyed scent saturated the room as she continued to ride him. He gripped her hips, and eased her up and down, up and down, being sure to scrape her clit over his pelvis with every glorious thrust. Together they established a rhythm, each moving, giving and taking, except he quickly realized it wasn’t just a physical release his body was seeking.

  As pressure brewed deep in his groin, his thoughts whirled a million miles an hour. His muscles bunched, his cock tightened, and he feared he was going to lose more than just orgasmic control with her.

  “Lila,” he murmured through clenched teeth as he struggled to hang on. “You’ve got me right there, baby.”

  “Me too,” she cried out as she tilted her head back to meet his glance. Eyes full of urgent need moved over his face and he knew just what to do to take them both over the edge.

  He took possession of her mouth, and gripped her shoulders to pull her down harder, burying every last inch of him inside her. When her clit smashed against his body, her muscles gripped his cock hard, and the second he felt her hot cream drip over his balls, air ripped from his lungs and he let himself go, joining her in orgasm.

  They held onto each other for a long time, clinging to one another like their lives depended on it. Lila finally broke the quiet, cupped his face with her small hands and whispered into his mouth, “That. Was. Incredible.”

  Jon rested his forehead against hers, and worked to get his breathing under control. “Jesus, Lila.”

  She inched back to see him, and her lips twitched in amusement. “What?”

  “You’re amazing is what.”

  The look in her eyes touched something deep inside him, something he feared there was no coming back from. With contentment written all over her, she continued to cup his face. Then she placed a soft kiss onto his mouth. Jon didn’t miss the fact that her touch felt more emotional than physical and had him wondering if this afternoon rendezvous was simply about sex, simply two people indulging in one another for the holidays.

  But then he remembered what Lila had said. She wasn’t after his heart.

  Which was a good thing, right?

  Rattled by the emotions she brought out in him, he shook his head. He’d been prepared for a lot when he first came back to Whispering Cove, but nothing could have ever prepared him for Lila and the things she made him feel. With each passing second she was pulling him into a place he didn’t deserve to go.

  It was his own damn fault really, because he knew he could never just have sex and keep his emotions out of it. Not with a girl like her. Of course, that still didn’t change the fact that in two short days he’d gotten himself in completely over his head and had no idea what the hell he was going to do about it.

  Chapter Eight

  There was nothing Lila could do to wipe the ridiculous grin off her face when Dani stopped by her place to pick her up. Lila jumped into her friend’s car and did her best to keep the conversation casual, but from the sideways glances Dani kept giving her, she knew the astute doctor had picked up on the changes in her.

  “Is Katy meeting us there?” Lila asked as Dani drove through town.

  Instead of answering, Dani asked, “Uh, Lila is there anything you want to talk about?”

  “Nope.” Lila smiled and while she was rather frank and honest about pretty much everything in her life, she wasn’t quite ready to talk about what was going on with her and Jon. No, she wanted to keep the memories all to herself and close to her heart, a place where she could protect, nurture and savor them in their entirety.

  Her mind took that moment to revisit her rendezvous with Jon. Honestly, when he talked about her feeding him and she’d used the word love, he stood there staring at her like a deer caught in the headlights, which was the reason she’d told him she was only after his body. After all, he was already spooked enough about something and she didn’t want to scare him any more than he already was.

  Deep in her heart she knew he felt the connection every bit as much as she did, he just wasn’t ready to come to terms with it. But Lila wasn’t one to give up so easily.

  Even though she was torn about prying into his personal life, she said, “Actually, I’d like to know what Jon blames himself for.”

  Dani frowned and stared straight ahead for a long moment before saying, “He lost his folks a few years back. He blames himself. Thinks we all blame him too.”

  “Oh,” she said, as something niggled in the back of her mind, something that was just out of reach.

  Before Dani could say more, they reached the new community center and spotted Katy waiting at the doors for them. Deciding to press Dani for more information after the bazaar, they caught up with Katy and made their way inside to examine all the wonderful crafts and local fares. After picking up a few new glass pieces made by the talented Tempest Sky, Lila spotted Erro
l chatting with Jacob, who had a booth set up to raise money for rescue dogs.

  The two looked like they were in deep conversation. In fact, they looked like they were conspiring about something. When Errol drove his cane into Jacob’s rib, Lila cut her way through the crowd and walked over. It was the perfect time to work on Errol and talk him into selling her the B&B instead of renting it to her.

  “Errol, Jacob,” she greeted and patted Charlie on the head before she dropped a few bills into the fundraising jar.

  Jacob smiled at her and looked a bit relieved when Errol turned his attention to her.

  “Errol, can I talk to you for a minute?”

  “Sure, lassie. What’s on your mind?”

  They moved away from Jacob to find a quiet corner at the back of the community center. Lila drew a breath and prepared herself for an argument. It wasn’t like this was the first time she’d talked to Errol about selling her the house.

  “I think you know.”

  “Nope, not a mind reader,” he said, and twirled his cracked cane in his hands.

  “I want to talk to you about the B&B.”

  “Ah, I see.”

  “Have you thought anymore about selling it to me?”

  “Can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “Ain’t mine to sell. Told you that already, lassie.”

  Frustrated with all his cryptic answers, Lila rooted her feet. “How can it not be yours to sell? I pay you the rent money so you must own it. And if you don’t, can you tell me who does so I can contact them?”

  Errol puckered his lips and his cloudy blue eyes moved over her face, assessing her. For a minute she felt like he could see right into her soul, see that she’d been having the best sex of her life. But thinking of Jon had her feeling all warm and wonderful inside, and there was nothing she could do to stop herself from smiling, despite how frustrated Errol made her.

  “What’s goin’ on with you? You seem…different.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “My great-nephew isn’t giving you trouble now is he?”

  Lila’s head came back with a start. “Your great-nephew?”

  Errol glanced past her shoulders and he had a distant look in his eyes when he said, “It’s nice to have him home and it’s good to see him helping out at the clinic. I just know his folks are looking down at him with pride in their eyes.”

  As his words sank in, Lila felt her blood run cold, because suddenly the puzzle known as Jon Carver began to fall into place.

  “I…I have to go,” she said, then pulled her phone out to text both Katy and Dani, who were still browsing the craft tables, to tell them something came up and she had to leave. She rushed outside and ran the five blocks to her B&B. Once there, she dropped her purchases onto her kitchen table and darted up the stairs. At the top landing, she pulled on the rope and the hatch leading to the attic lowered.

  She hurried up the stairs and glanced around at the old dusty boxes, ones she’d peeked through last year during renovations. Pulling open the one labeled “Photos”, she sank to her knees and poured through the pictures.

  Her heart raced faster in her too-tight chest as she spent hours looking at Jon through the years. This was why he’d seemed so familiar to her. She’d seen his pictures before. When Jon had first entered the B&B and glanced around the front foyer like he was trying to orient himself, it was because he was trying to orient himself. She shook her head, everything now making sense.

  Errol wasn’t lying when he said this wasn’t his house to sell. Because this house didn’t belong to him. It belonged to Jon. It was his childhood home.

  She swallowed the lump pushing into her throat when she found the old newspaper article amongst the pictures. She didn’t need to read it to know what it said, because she knew the people who once owned this home were related to Errol and had been in an automobile accident years ago when they were going to visit their son on Christmas Eve.

  Feeling like the air had been sucked from her lungs, Lila shimmied along the floor until her back was pressed against the wall. Her mind raced, sorting through things.

  After a long moment, Lila dropped everything and made her way down the stairs and out to the back shed. She traced her fingers over the carving JC+TT.

  “Ohmigod,” she whispered, as Jon, his life—his past and his present—all fell into place. Thinking about what Dani had said about Jon blaming himself, believing others blamed him, she looked at the mini bike, the skates and all the things from Jon’s childhood.

  He had no idea just how much everyone cared.

  She gave a slow shake of her head, her heart aching for the man who was so incredibly lost. When a shiver moved through her, Lila hugged herself and made her way back inside. Now that she knew exactly who he was and why he’d run away from Whispering Cove, it gave her a new purpose. Getting lost in his arms last night and this afternoon was an experience she wanted to relive, night after night, and deep down, she knew Jon belonged here. Jon needed to find his way back home. And she was just the girl who was going to show him the path.

  A noise at the front door had her spinning and when she spotted Jon walking through the threshold her pulse leaped in her throat. As she stood there staring at him, her heart aching for him, but also longing for him in ways it had never longed for another.

  “Lila? Is everything okay?” he asked, his brow knitting into a frown.

  She hated how he blamed himself, how he thought others blamed him, and while she wanted to blurt out that he was wrong, he wouldn’t believe her, and it could very well send him packing. She’d have to find a way to show him, one that would help him understand.

  “Everything is fine,” she said, biding her time until she could put a plan together. “How was your day?”

  “Lunch was pretty damn good,” he said grinning. “But the afternoon was a bit rough.”

  “Oh?” she asked. “And why was that?”

  “I…uh…I had a bit of a hard time concentrating.”

  Lila feigned innocence. “What on earth had you so distracted?”

  He tugged on his collar, and looked at the smoldering embers in the fire. “Gee, I wonder,” he said, his grin crooked as he grabbed two logs to toss into the pit.

  Lila followed him into the room, and as night fell around them she bent to plug in her Christmas lights. When she stood she felt Jon close behind her and her entire body came alive.

  She spun to face him and his eyes met hers. Lila wasn’t sure who moved first, but the next thing she knew she was in his arms, kissing him with everything she had inside her. They dropped to the floor and spent the next few hours making love in front of the fire. Over the course of the night, they somehow made their way to his bedroom where they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

  Warm morning light streamed in through the open curtains, and Lila smiled when she heard kids sliding down Dresden Bluff. Her heart tightened as she listened to the laughter, and she ran her hand over her stomach, imagining the day when her house was full of children. She turned and when she caught Jon staring at her, a crooked grin on his face, her heart beat a little faster.

  “What?” she asked.

  “You snore.”

  “I do not snore,” she bit out, indignant, and hit him with the pillow.

  Jon took the pillow from her and slid her under his body. The next thing she knew they were making love again, burning through the box of condoms in record time. A long time later, Jon rolled off her and pulled her close. A comfortable silence fell around them as they both became lost in their own thoughts.

  “What time are you going into the clinic today?” she asked, breaking the quiet.

  “Dani is covering this morning. I’m in for the afternoon.”

  His fingers curled in her hair as she ran her hands up and down his hard chest. When his stomach grumbled, she laughed. “How about breakfast in bed?”

  “How about I come help you?”

  “Just stay away from the bacon,” she warned,
as she shoved the blankets off. They both showered, then tugged on their clothes and made their way to the kitchen. As Jon made coffee, she noticed he was suddenly quiet.

  “So,” she began, wanting to draw him in to conversation. “The other night you wanted to tell me something, but we never did get the chance to talk.”

  “No, something always seems to come up.”

  Lila laughed and took her coffee from Jon, and that’s when she noticed he was looking at his cell phone, his expression serious.

  “You okay?”

  “I just got a text from Errol saying he couldn’t see me today.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “That’s what I want to know.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I asked him to come by the clinic yesterday and he never showed up, and every time I try to see him, he has other plans. And just now I got a text saying he was going to be busy tonight at the tree lighting festival and won’t be able to see me.” He shrugged. “I don’t get it. He asked me to come back for the holidays, then tells me I can’t stay with him because he has termites.”

  Lila crinkled her nose. “Termites?”

  “Yeah, and I called the exterminator myself yesterday afternoon and they said they hadn’t received a call from him.” Jon took a slug of coffee. “I’m not sure what is going on with him.” He peered at her over the rim of his mug. “You even said something about him using a cane that he didn’t need, and at the clinic yesterday Kira mentioned something about him meddling. What is going on with him? Do you think he’s okay?”

  “I think he’s fine,” she assured him. “He’s just always butting into everyone else’s business.”

  “So you don’t think he’s losing it then?”

  Lila shook her head, knowing Errol wasn’t losing it at all. He, along with the other two men who made up the gruesome threesome, were the wiliest old men she knew. They were always interfering in everyone’s lives and making bets on who they could hook up first. As she mulled that over for a moment longer, and thought about how Jon had landed on her doorstep six days before Christmas—Errol having sent him—understanding hit like a hard snowball. Oh. My. God.