“O… okay,” she stammered, gathering what little courage she could. She drew in one final breath, not realizing that the warmth of it against his shoulder was already having an effect on him.

Pulling back slightly, she let her fingertips graze the length of his veined forearm. The instant her skin touched his, the tremor in her hands worsened. Slowly, she trailed her touch upward until her palms rested on the solid breadth of his shoulders. His body was impossibly hard beneath her ...