Kate Hoffmann - Brian

"There's a lot we can do in two hours," he said. He held out his hand. "Come on."

"I'm not taking off my clothes," Lily said.

"We can dance. There's music." He gently pulled her to her feet. "We were good at dancing, remember?"

Lily did remember-she remembered how it had felt that first time he'd touched her and how dancing had been a prelude to seduction. He pulled her into his arms, and the moment he did, she knew she'd made a mistake. Her breath dissolved and for a moment, she wasn't sure she could draw another. She suddenly felt dizzy and weak.

His chest was so smooth and warm as she slid her hand up to his shoulder. The music piped into the elevator played softly and they moved along with it.

They'd known each other for nearly three weeks now, but there were times when Lily felt as if she'd known him her whole life. She felt comfortable in his arms, as if she somehow belonged there all along. But she'd made so many mistakes with men in the past, been fooled so many times. She let her head rest against his shoulder. If they could just stay here, alone in the elevator, everything might work.

The music never ended so they continued to dance, his hands lazily drifting over her body, his fingertips discovering something new with each touch. There was no use fighting the desire. They were trapped together for two hours. If she didn't give in to him now, she'd surely capitulate later.

But this time, she was going to let Brian set the pace. She wanted to be seduced and she knew if she let him, he'd give her a night she'd never forget-even if it happened to be in an elevator.

As they danced, he slowly removed her jacket and tossed it on the floor with his discarded shirt. Easy listening wasn't exactly the best accompaniment to their striptease, but then her intimate encounters with Brian Quinn had never been conventional. Piece by piece, they finished undressing each other, after each item aside, taking time to explore what had just been revealed.

When he'd skimmed her panties over her hips and down her legs, Lily felt oddly vulnerable. Before this, it had always been about lust. But this was different, so slow and easy and deliberate. Though she wanted the passion, she also hungered to feel close to him, to somehow touch his soul this time. If this was the last time, then she wanted to experience it fully and without hesitation.

He pulled her against his body and Lily lost herself in a deep, soul-shattering kiss. She could barely breathe and when she tried to think, her mind was occupied with the wild sensations racing through her body. "I can't believe we're doing this," she murmured.

"Dancing naked in an elevator? Been there, done that," Brian teased.

"You have not," she said.

"No, I haven't. I'd never made love in a limo either. Or watched fireworks from a rooftop. Or drank champagne from a woman's navel."

"We never did that," Lily said.

"Then I guess we have something to look forward to."

Lily groaned inwardly. Why did he have to be so damn romantic? Why couldn't he be like every other guy on the planet-aloof, self-absorbed, distracted? She hadn't wanted to meet the perfect man, she'd just wanted a tidy little one-night stand. And here he was, making her feel all these things that she didn't want to feel, making her believe in the possibilities of love.

He caught her chin with his finger and tipped her face up until she met his gaze again. He kissed her, gently at first and then with greater conviction. The kiss spun out, each moment filled with unquenchable desire. It had always been like this between them, first gentleness, then giving way to unbridled passion.

Lily moaned softly as he traced a line of kisses from her neck to her shoulder to her breast. His tongue teased at her nipple, drawing it to a hard nub before he moved to her other breast. She tipped her head back and enjoyed the shivers that raced through her. But Brian didn't stop at her breasts. He dipped lower, to her belly, then lower still, making love to her with his tongue.

A tremor shook her body and for a moment, her knees went soft. She couldn't think, she couldn't speak, she couldn't stand, but yet she was aware of every sensation that pulsed through her. It had always been so easy for him to bring her pleasure. She barely had to take a breath before the knot in her belly tightened and she gave way to her release.

But this time, he didn't bring her all the way. Instead he drew her closer and closer to the edge, then eased her away. Lily's breath came in ragged gasps as she leaned back against the elevator door, the metal surface cool on her back. Her eyes fluttered open and she watched him retrieve a condom from his wallet on the floor.

Even if he hadn't had protection, Lily wasn't sure she could have resisted. Not now. She needed to feel him inside her again, needed the heat and the hardness and the final surrender. Needed to assure herself that what she was feeling was real. He gave her the condom after removing it from the package and let her sheath him. As she smoothed it over his erection, Brian closed his eyes and sighed softly.

When he opened his eyes again, she saw a look there that caused another shiver to race through her. He wanted her and nothing was going to stand in his way. Brian lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist, then pressed her back against the wall of the elevator.

He stood for a long moment, his face nestled into the curve of her neck. "You don't have to ask," Lily murmured. "I want this as much as you do."

He probed at her moist entrance then slowly slipped inside of her. The sensation of him filling her with his heat was more than she could take. It hadn't felt this way the first time. There had been pleasure then, but not this intense longing. Lily groaned, shifting herself until he touched her very core.

Brian moved slowly at first but Lily was so close and with every thrust she risked tumbling over the edge. She murmured his name, but she wasn't sure if he heard her. When he softly bit her neck, she knew the pain was the only thing keeping her in the present and she relished the reminder.

Lily furrowed her fingers through his hair and brought his lips back to hers, whispering soft pleas against his mouth. She kissed him, her tongue matching each thrust, desperate to taste him. And then, like a sudden cloudburst on a sunny day, Lily felt herself tense and convulse around him. A shower of pure pleasure washed over her body and a moment later, he joined her, driving into her hard, moaning her name.

She wasn't sure how he managed to remain standing, but he did, still kissing her softly as her breathing came back to normal. He opened his eyes and stared down at her. "I'm in love with you, Lily."

She reached out and pressed a finger to his lips. "Don't say that."

"I have to. It's the only thing I know for sure right now, except that I don't want this to end. I don't expect you to feel the same way, but I wanted you to know."

An uneasy silence fell over the elevator and she fought the temptation to return the sentiments. It would be so easy to tell him that she loved him, but she'd said those words before and they'd only come back to haunt her-and hurt her. "Everything has to end sometime," Lily murmured.

He slowly lowered her to the floor and they sat on the scattered clothes, Lily curled up against his naked body, a sheen of perspiration causing her skin to chill. He stroked her arm with his hand, a lazy caress that seemed wonderfully possessive. Then he grabbed hisshirt and wrapped it around her, drawing her back against his body.

They sat silently, both lost in their own thoughts. Lily wasn't sure what to say to him. Right now, her mind was a mass of confusion and conflicting emotions. Maybe she did love him and she just didn't realize it. Or maybe she wanted to love him but wasn't capable. Or maybe this was still all about sex and nothing more.