Private Lessons by Donna Hill Page A

her fluttering eyelids, the plumpness of her parted lips.
    Naomi sighed into his mouth, her internal heat combusting with his, causing a groan to rise from deep inside Brice. He stroked her cheek, ached to free her hair so that he could thread his fingers through it.
    The bell dinged. They eased apart just as the doors opened. Brice stood in the threshold of the door whileNaomi walked out. She glanced at him when he fell in step at her side, disbelieving what she was about to do. This wasn’t some romance novel fantasy that she was reading. She was the heroine of her very own fairy tale and she was about to make love to her very own hero.
    They reached her door and she fumbled in her purse for her key card. Finally she managed to get it out.
    â€œHere, let me.” Brice took the card and slid it down the slender opening. The door buzzed.
    Naomi’s heart hammered in her chest. What in the world was she doing? She nearly gasped when she heard the door shut behind them, and the enormity of what she was on the verge of doing closed in around them.
    â€œWait,” he said. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked searchingly into her eyes. “I know that we’re both adults and this is a beautiful island and people can get easily swept up in the magic of it all.” He paused a moment when she stared into the same questioning look that she knew reflected her own, she believed that for Brice this was not just some quick sex with an available woman. It meant something and he wanted to be as sure about her as she was about him. “I just want you to know that this is not some casual thing that I do.”
    She drew in a long breath. “Me, either,” she whispered and stepped inside.
    For a moment they both stood in the center of the room—waiting.
    â€œUmm, make yourself comfortable,” she said.
    â€œPretty nice place you have here,” he teased, hoping to ease the knot of tension that was choking them both.
    She sputtered a nervous laugh. “I’m sure we have the same designer.” She drew in a breath. “Want something from the bar?”
    â€œSure, if the water is cold that would be great.”
    She walked over to the small bar and unlocked it for the first time since her arrival, and was surprised at the array of contents: soda, liquor, water, chocolates, snacks. She took out two bottles of water and handed one to Brice, who had strolled out onto the terrace.
    â€œThanks. This really is a beautiful place,” Brice said, twisting the cap off of the bottle. He took a long, cool swallow. “I guess that’s why I keep coming back.” He turned to her and leaned against the railing. “Or maybe I kept coming back in the hopes of finding something…or someone.”
    Naomi swallowed. “Did you?”
    â€œI’d like to think so, Naomi. I know we live hundreds of miles apart, but maybe we can work something out. Actually, if things go as planned I may not be that far away from you after all.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œI don’t want to jinx it. I’ll know for sure in a few weeks. I’ll tell you about it then. But no matter whathappens, I want to see you again.” He grinned. “In the real world—and see how it goes.”
    â€œAre you sure about that?”
    â€œAs sure as I can be at the moment. And that’s being perfectly honest.”
    Honest , a word that had been missing from her vocabulary since they’d met. The thought of finding a way to work out the distance between them was more than she could have hoped for. But the reality was that he wouldn’t be visiting her in Florida.
    â€œBrice, I…”
    â€œSssh.” He pressed a finger to her lips. “Let’s just see what happens, okay? No promises. The last thing I want to do is disappoint you if things don’t work out.”
    Her gaze danced over his face. She was so torn. What should she do? Tell him