As If You Never Left Me (Crimson Romance) by Katriena Knights Read Free Book Online

distant, ice-blue eyes. “I love you,” he said. He hadn’t meant to.
    She turned toward him and the glitter of tears overflowed onto her face. “Oh, Rey, don’t hit me with that. It’s not — ”
    He didn’t give her a chance to explain what it wasn’t, because his body, moving apparently of its own volition, closed the distance between them. His mouth caught hers, molded itself to her familiar shapes. A small sound rose in her throat and he pressed closer. His hands curved against her waist.
    She didn’t pull back. She didn’t know why she didn’t pull back — God knew she should have. But the taste and the movement of his mouth against hers were too good, too beautiful. Her mouth opened under his as it had so carefully refused to before, at the lodge. She let him inside.
    She moaned as his tongue tangled with hers, soft but insistent, stoking a flame that burned all through her body. It had been a long time since she’d felt that kind of heat. She’d never felt it with anyone but Rey.
    Stop. Stop now before it gets any worse.
    Or should that be any better … She was utterly confused by now. So confused that she did nothing when Rey’s hands slid up along her sides, then forward to cup her breasts. He pressed against her, thumbs finding her nipples. So familiar, the heat and the shape of his hands on her, caressing and arousing her breasts. The smell of his hair as he shifted, burying his face in her neck. His tongue traced her neck from her shoulder up to the curve of bone behind her ear, as desire moved hot and liquid through her body, pooling between her legs in familiar, wet arousal.
    A voice intruded. Raspy and feminine, it sang, “You were wrong wrong wrong, then you were gone gone gone,” with a background of darkly strumming guitars.
    Joely pushed herself back, her heart beating so hard it made her dizzy. “That’s enough, Rey.” Her words didn’t sound as forceful as she’d intended. In fact, they sounded almost plaintive, as if she’d said, “Please don’t stop,” instead.
    But he let go of her and leaned back as she rose from the couch to walk back into the kitchen. “I’ll just do the dishes,” she said. “You can turn on the TV or something, if you like.”
    The CD was still playing, though. Rey made no move to turn it off, in spite of the imprecations the singer was hurling at her ex. She dared a glance over her shoulder. He just sat there, staring at her.
    “Maybe you should go,” she said.
    “I can’t.” He grinned sheepishly. “The lady at the lodge says I’m not welcome back. I’m not sure what I did, but it must have been bad.”
    Thin-lipped, Joely stared down at the dirty dishes.
You engaged Virginia’s imagination.
“I’ll call her. I’m sure I can change her mind.”
    There was a long pause, almost long enough to make Joely look up, but she stared resolutely at the sink. Finally Rey said, “Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”
    She stirred the soapy water with her hand, watching the detergent bubbles cling to her skin. “No. You can sleep on the couch.”
    Behind them, the jilted lover sang, “And when you came back, I just kissed you and said hello again.”

Chapter Four
     
    Rey offered to help Joely with the dishes, but she told him no. She had no desire to have him that close to her for more than two or three seconds at a time, for fear she might do something she would regret. Like pull off all his clothes and rub herself all over his naked body. So she told him to relax and not worry about the dishes. He stayed on the couch, and when the CD had run its course, he turned on the TV.
    Listening to him flip channels, Joely had a thought. “Where’s your luggage?”
    “In the trunk of my car.”
    She wiped the last plate dry. “You should probably go get it, then, if you’re staying.”
    He twisted sideways, looking at her over the top of the couch. His gaze scanned her face, searching. She wasn’t sure what he wanted to see. Schooling her