uncomfortable trunks. “Maybe we should slow things down.”
Melo sat up, making no attempt to hide herself from his gaze. “What’s wrong?” She reached a hand out, and trailed it down his thigh. “I thought…”
“I just thought it’s all going a bit fast.” Cade bit the inside of his lip. When had he got to be such a wuss? There was a gorgeous woman, lying in front of him with just a smooth scrap of white covering her, and he was telling her he needed more time? It had never happened to him before. He wanted her with a passion that burned and blazed inside. But his head was shouting caution. If he stayed here, let this continue, he’d be inside her in a matter of minutes. His manhood swelled at the thought.
He had no protection with him. An unwanted pregnancy would be a disaster for both of them. And anyway, Melo deserved more than a quick bedding on the floor of a pool cabana, for God’s sake. Surely he had a bit more finesse. He reached for her bikini top.
Indecision flickered in her eyes, she wasn’t as confident as she seemed, and he guessed from where she sat, or rather lay, this could be seen as a rejection. Determination flooded him. She was gorgeous. Totally beddable. He wasn’t going to leave her with the impression he didn’t want her. He curled his hands around her shoulders, and slipped the bikini top on, reaching around to fasten it.
“Melo.” He had always been useless at this talking crap, but this was important, damn it. More important that anything. He had to say it right. “Melo.”
She tossed back her long swathe of hair, and gazed at him with a trace of hurt evident in the sapphire eyes which had held him spellbound since he’d seen her at the hotel.
“I understand, Cade. No biggie.” She stood up and walked to the door. “I’d better go and change.” The cabana door slammed shut behind her.
Cade pushed his hands through his hair.
He’d failed.
Chapter Five
Melo’s legs shook as she walked into the villa. The touch of Cade’s fingers on her skin still tingled as she stumbled up the stairs. Thank God there was no one around. She couldn’t have faced meeting anyone. Not with her mouth swollen from Cade’s kisses, her hair tangled from his fingers’ ruthless exploration, and her stomach churning from his rejection.
She pushed open the door to her bedroom, and stripped off the bikini, tossing it into the corner. She needed a shower to cool her heated skin. And wash Cade off her. She caught a glimpse of her naked body in the full-length mirror.
He’d said she was beautiful. He wanted her; he couldn’t hide his body’s response. So why, why had he pulled back? She grabbed her robe from the end of the bed and wrapped it around her, tying the sash tightly. Then lay on the bed and pulled her knees up. Everything had been going so well up until the moment they started to talk. Was that it? Her tired eyes ached with the beginning of a headache. He’d wanted to explain. Had even tried, but she’d seen the way he was struggling to express his feelings and hadn’t been able to stand to hear whatever excuse he was searching for.
He wanted her. She wanted him. What else was there to say?
A stray thought niggled. If they’d made love, things would be different between them. He’d only been on the island a couple of days. They hadn’t seen each other for twelve years, and both of them were very different people than they’d been then. She massaged her temples with her fingers, and closed her eyes.
Maybe his reasons for stopping were as simple as he said. It was too soon. Too quick. She’d fallen into his arms at the slightest touch. Offered herself willingly and brazenly. Men such as Cade liked the chase, and she’d been so damned available it was embarrassing. Another woman might tease, lead him in. But she wasn’t that type of woman. She already knew she wanted Cade. Had known for years. But he wasn’t to know that.
Thinking back over her eager response, a
Melo sat up, making no attempt to hide herself from his gaze. “What’s wrong?” She reached a hand out, and trailed it down his thigh. “I thought…”
“I just thought it’s all going a bit fast.” Cade bit the inside of his lip. When had he got to be such a wuss? There was a gorgeous woman, lying in front of him with just a smooth scrap of white covering her, and he was telling her he needed more time? It had never happened to him before. He wanted her with a passion that burned and blazed inside. But his head was shouting caution. If he stayed here, let this continue, he’d be inside her in a matter of minutes. His manhood swelled at the thought.
He had no protection with him. An unwanted pregnancy would be a disaster for both of them. And anyway, Melo deserved more than a quick bedding on the floor of a pool cabana, for God’s sake. Surely he had a bit more finesse. He reached for her bikini top.
Indecision flickered in her eyes, she wasn’t as confident as she seemed, and he guessed from where she sat, or rather lay, this could be seen as a rejection. Determination flooded him. She was gorgeous. Totally beddable. He wasn’t going to leave her with the impression he didn’t want her. He curled his hands around her shoulders, and slipped the bikini top on, reaching around to fasten it.
“Melo.” He had always been useless at this talking crap, but this was important, damn it. More important that anything. He had to say it right. “Melo.”
She tossed back her long swathe of hair, and gazed at him with a trace of hurt evident in the sapphire eyes which had held him spellbound since he’d seen her at the hotel.
“I understand, Cade. No biggie.” She stood up and walked to the door. “I’d better go and change.” The cabana door slammed shut behind her.
Cade pushed his hands through his hair.
He’d failed.
Chapter Five
Melo’s legs shook as she walked into the villa. The touch of Cade’s fingers on her skin still tingled as she stumbled up the stairs. Thank God there was no one around. She couldn’t have faced meeting anyone. Not with her mouth swollen from Cade’s kisses, her hair tangled from his fingers’ ruthless exploration, and her stomach churning from his rejection.
She pushed open the door to her bedroom, and stripped off the bikini, tossing it into the corner. She needed a shower to cool her heated skin. And wash Cade off her. She caught a glimpse of her naked body in the full-length mirror.
He’d said she was beautiful. He wanted her; he couldn’t hide his body’s response. So why, why had he pulled back? She grabbed her robe from the end of the bed and wrapped it around her, tying the sash tightly. Then lay on the bed and pulled her knees up. Everything had been going so well up until the moment they started to talk. Was that it? Her tired eyes ached with the beginning of a headache. He’d wanted to explain. Had even tried, but she’d seen the way he was struggling to express his feelings and hadn’t been able to stand to hear whatever excuse he was searching for.
He wanted her. She wanted him. What else was there to say?
A stray thought niggled. If they’d made love, things would be different between them. He’d only been on the island a couple of days. They hadn’t seen each other for twelve years, and both of them were very different people than they’d been then. She massaged her temples with her fingers, and closed her eyes.
Maybe his reasons for stopping were as simple as he said. It was too soon. Too quick. She’d fallen into his arms at the slightest touch. Offered herself willingly and brazenly. Men such as Cade liked the chase, and she’d been so damned available it was embarrassing. Another woman might tease, lead him in. But she wasn’t that type of woman. She already knew she wanted Cade. Had known for years. But he wasn’t to know that.
Thinking back over her eager response, a
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