Secret Passions by Jill Sanders

piece of wood and gripped his shoulders. Even though she was sitting, she felt her world tilt when his mouth angled over hers, and he took her deeper then she’d ever been before.
     
    She closed her eyes on a moan and felt her body starting to shake as his fingers gripped her hair, holding her gently to him. She never imagined it would feel like this, being this close to a man she had feelings for. She’d never denied how she felt towards Mitchell. At least not in her mind. He was her hero. The man who’d risked it all to save her. Sure, Ethan Knight had actually stuck his neck out physically, and she didn’t discount what he’d done for her, but Mitchell had crossed that line, the one that most people wouldn’t have, and he’d done it all to save her.
     
    Ever since meeting him five years ago, she’d dreamed about him, about this. She slowly moved her fingers up his shoulders and ran them up his neck until they were where she wanted them to be, deep in his soft hair, holding him to her mouth as he continued to kiss her, causing small goose bumps all over her body.
     
    Then he was pulling back and when she opened her eyes he was smiling at her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to go too fast. I can’t believe how good you taste, how good you feel.” He leaned his forehead on hers and she closed her eyes, trying to hold onto this moment forever. But then he pulled back and scooted back, handing her another package. “Here, there’s more where that one came from.”
     

    An hour later, Mitch had cleared a large space in his office. He’d put Sandi’s new easel together and had carried every box into the room for her. She had disappeared upstairs to put her clothes away and when she came back down, she was wearing a pair of her new jeans and one of her new shirts. He smiled and couldn’t help feeling proud that he’d picked items that not only looked very good on her, but looked her style. It was hard to explain, she just looked right wearing the clothes he’d bought for her.
     
    “They look great on you.” She walked over looking a little shy, her cheeks turning a soft color of pink. He didn’t know where that kiss had come from earlier, but he’d been sitting there admiring her and the next minute he’d been devouring her.
     
    He really needed to control himself. He could tell she was inexperienced, and he didn’t want to scare her or go too fast. He was supposed to be protecting her, not sleeping with her.
     
    She picked up a large canvas and a box with the tubes of oil paints and various brushes the clerk had suggested.
     
    “I can’t wait to get back to it.”
     
    “Now?” He looked around. It was a quarter to ten and he doubted he’d be able to stay up much longer. After all, he didn’t even get any sleep last night. He’d spent the entire night on his laptop searching for a way to get her out of the mess he’d gotten her into.
     
    “You don’t have to stay and watch.” She started setting the paints down on the small table he’d set near the easel for her. “I have a strong urge to paint that I’ve been avoiding for a full day now.” She turned to him. “You look tired. I bet you didn’t even sleep last night.”
     
    He nodded and realized he was exhausted. “If you need anything...”
     
    “I won’t. When I start painting, I pretty much ignore everything else around me.”
     
    “Okay, well...” He started backing up. “Enjoy. Goodnight.” When he realized she was focused on the task of organizing her paints, he smiled at her back and then turned and left.
     
    Taking the stairs slowly, he walked into his room and decided a shower might help clear his head of her. But before he walked into the bathroom, he checked his messages. He still hadn’t heard from Ethan. Deciding to try one more time, he picked up the phone. On the third ring it went to Ethan’s voice-mail and he left another message for his friend.
     
    He didn’t know what else to do except to hide her