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  Erin wiggled her toes against Morgan’s thigh, and smiled when Morgan started to massage her feet. “Yes. But right now, tell me about this promise.”

  “I decided that I should never give up on my dreams. I have three.”

  “Three dreams?” Erin licked her lips and reached up to pull her ponytail out. She slowly combed her fingers through her long, soft curls, and they coiled in gentle waves about her shoulders.

  Morgan nodded, unable to stop staring as Erin’s blouse inched up her belly exposing her creamy skin and the shallow indentation of her navel. I feel like I’m being seduced.

  “Tell me.” Erin’s voice was deeper than usual, and Morgan wondered how she would sound in the throes of passion. Would she call her name in deep, sensuous tones? Or would her voice hit a higher pitch, all breathless and cracking?

  Morgan cleared her throat, determined to follow wherever Erin would lead them. “One, was to be the best mother I can be, for our children. And I will be. We’ll figure this thing out with Tristan, and I’ll do whatever he needs. We can go to counseling, or therapy, or something. Whatever it takes.”

  “Why is that a dream? It sounds more like a plan to me.” Erin stretched her arm along the back of the sofa, and the top button of her blouse slipped open. A stunning expanse of cleavage peeked out from between the folds of fabric.

  She’s doing it on purpose. Morgan swallowed, throbbing inside her jeans. “Because it’s my dream that they let me be their mum again. Better than before.”

  “And the next dream?”

  She pressed her fingers into the pads of Erin’s feet. Two can play this game. I think. She teased her fingernail down the length of Erin’s sole, thrilled when she squirmed in her seat but didn’t pull her foot away. “To make a living out of being an artist. Somehow. I might need to train in something, but I want to be creative with it. I want to draw, and paint, and see the pictures come alive under my hands. But I have to be realistic too; I have a family to support.”

  Erin laughed gently.

  “What?”

  “I was promoted to senior controller about six months ago. I make more than enough to support us if you want to work on building your reputation as an artist.”

  “Really? How much do you make?”

  Erin shrugged, a playful smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “A lot.”

  “Come on, tell me.” She slipped her hands around Erin’s ankle, working her fingers into the muscle of her calf, stroking from the tips of her toes, slowly all the way up to the back of her knee. Morgan smiled, enchanted by the happy, playful, seductive Erin.

  “No.” Erin pouted. “I don’t want to think you only want me for my money.”

  Morgan stopped moving. “I don’t.”

  Erin reached for her hand, entwining their fingers. “I know. I was joking.”

  “Do you want to know what my third dream was—is? It’s the most important one.”

  “What?”

  “To make you happy.”

  Erin tugged on Morgan’s hand, pulled her close, and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. The kiss was pure passion, and Morgan was aching as Erin’s tongue plunged between her lips. Someone groaned, and it took a second for her to realize that it came from her. She caressed Erin’s shoulders before sliding her hands over her chest. She needed to feel Erin’s breasts filling her palms. She wanted to feel her nipples, excited and wanting. Her chest heaved as she wrapped her fingers around the pliant flesh and heard Erin’s breath catch.

  Erin worked the buttons on Morgan’s shirt, quickly pulling it free from her jeans and touching the bare skin of her belly.

  Erin whimpered and jerked Morgan out of her lust induced haze and her anxiety tugged at her.

  “Wait, wait.” She leaned back, and let her hands fall from Erin’s breasts to her stomach.

  “What’s wrong?” Erin was breathless, her chest heaving, her cheeks flushed, her lips swollen from their kisses. “I thought this was what you wanted.”

  “It is. I do. God, I do. I want you so much.”

  Erin cocked her head to the side. “Then what’s wrong?”

  “I want to please you.” She reached out and tucked Erin’s hair behind her ear, tracing the line of her neck before looking into Erin’s eyes again.

  “You were.”

  “I don’t—I’m not sure—”

  “Oh God, I should’ve remembered.” Erin took her hand and kissed her fingertips. “You were a virgin till you were twenty.” She caressed her cheek up to Morgan’s temple. “In here you still are.”

  “I’m sorry.” Morgan started to back away, but Erin held her in place.

  “What for?”

  “I feel so inept.” She wanted to crawl away from Erin, almost as much as she needed to stay in her arms. She ran her fingers through Erin’s hair. It was more than a desire to touch her, more than need; it was essential.

  “Don’t.” Their eyes met and held, and Erin’s lips quirked into a sexy smile. “It’s kind of exciting, actually. I’m getting a new lover without having to trade in the old one.”

  “What if I do it wrong?” Morgan sounded pathetic to her own ears, but she couldn’t help it. She wanted to be everything Erin wanted—needed. She wanted to fulfill every dream and desire, every fantasy.

  Erin laughed softly and slid a finger from Morgan’s lips to the waistband of her jeans. “Oh, baby, I’m not worried about that in the slightest.”

  The term of endearment startled her. It was the first time she remembered Erin calling her anything other than her name. “You called me baby.”

  “Hm, so I did. Problem?”

  “No. I liked it. You can call me baby anytime you like.” She smiled, still feeling shy and timid. “Why aren’t you worried?”

  “Morgan, we had a good sex life before. Why would I think we won’t have that again?”

  “Because I was experienced before.”

  “You still are. Your body remembers, even if your head doesn’t. The way you were kissing me just now.” She rubbed her fingers across Morgan’s belly. “The way you were touching me. That isn’t how it was when we first got together. It was much more similar to the way you touched me a couple of months ago. Before you left.”

  “It was?”

  “Yes. Don’t worry, or over think it all. Just relax and enjoy. You’re very good at this.”

  “I am?”

  Erin pulled her close and kissed her hard. “Yes. Now are you going to take me to bed or should I start taking your clothes off here?”

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Erin ached to run her fingers across Morgan’s skin. The temptation of her downy covered abdomen was too strong to resist. She let go of her waistband and skimmed her fingertips across Morgan’s belly, tracing the faint lines of muscle, the edges of her ribs, slowly getting closer to her breasts. Morgan’s quick inhalation jolted her out of her sensual exploration. She looked deep into the coal black depths of Morgan’s eyes and she was lost. Past, present, and future collided, fusing together to create a singular existence.

  The weeks of uncertainty dissolved under the intense need radiating from Morgan’s body. Her belly clenched as Morgan took her hand and kissed her palm, her wrist, and her fingertips.

  They climbed the stairs in silence, Erin leading the way. She turned and looked over her shoulder, a part of her needing to see Morgan right behind her. She no longer doubted that she would be; she simply wanted to make sure it wasn’t a dream.

  She pulled the curtains closed, suffusing the light and blocking out the rest of the world, while Morgan waited just inside the door.

  “You are so beautiful, Erin.” She came further into the room. “You take my breath away.”

  Erin stepped forward and teased open each button of her blouse as she moved before she pushed it from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. Morgan’s desire for her was the greatest aphrodisiac Erin had ever known. To feel wanted, needed, and desired after the intense feelings of rejection made
her feel powerful. It aroused her in a way she had never felt before, the taste of the fruit all the more sweet for having lost it once.

  She pushed Morgan’s shirt away from her body and dropped it carelessly, avoiding her skin. She knew once she touched her, she wouldn’t be able to stop. She would have to satisfy the craving to touch her everywhere, but right now, she wanted to enjoy looking. Morgan wasn’t wearing a bra, and her small breasts, tipped with stiff brown nipples that begged to be touched, made Erin want nothing more than to fill her mouth with them. To distract herself, she started to work on her jeans, flicking open the buttons and working them over her hips.

  “Do you need to keep the brace on?” Her voice was deep and husky, dripping with lust and desire.

  Morgan looked at it sheepishly. “Yeah, sorry.”

  Erin stepped closer, watching Morgan’s nostrils flare as her satin covered breasts pressed into her. She moaned at the exquisite contact before dropping to her knees and working the denim from Morgan’s legs. The scent of Morgan’s arousal made her mouth water. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her fingers shook as adrenaline and passion coursed through her. Morgan stood in nothing but her boxer briefs and her knee brace and Erin was glad she was already on her knees, since she was certain she wouldn’t have been able to remain standing otherwise. She slid her hands up the back of Morgan’s legs and palmed her backside, reveling in the way the muscles bunched and twitched in her hands.

  “Please let me see you.” Morgan’s whispered words penetrated her brain.

  She stood and quickly shed her clothes and moved back into Morgan’s embrace, but found herself held at arm’s length.

  “You are truly stunning. Will you let me draw you?”

  Erin shuddered. “Why?” Morgan had never asked her to pose for her before, and her own insecurities had prevented her from asking why. She didn’t want to feel less than the models Morgan had sketched previously, and she was afraid that Morgan had never asked because she didn’t think she was pretty enough.

  “Because you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. The most beautiful I will ever see. I want to commit every inch of you to memory, and sketching you is the only way I can think of to do that.”

  “You don’t have to put me on a wall to do that. I don’t want to be displayed for other people to see.”

  “No.” Morgan looked horrified. “I wouldn’t display you like that. I don’t want to draw you so other people can see you. I don’t want to share you with anyone else.” She wrapped her arm about Erin’s back and pulled their bodies together. “You’re mine.”

  Erin melted beneath her kiss. She wrapped her arms around Morgan’s shoulders and relished the length of Morgan’s body against hers. Breast to breast, thigh to thigh. Long moments passed as their hands discovered and rediscovered the supple contours and long planes of skin and muscle. Erin felt lightheaded from the lack of air and the overload of hormones saturating her blood.

  “I need to lie down. I want to feel you on top of me,” Erin whispered against Morgan’s lips.

  Morgan groaned and traced kisses down her throat as she pulled away and dragged the covers off the bed. She shed her panties and climbed in, smiling as Morgan groaned.

  “God, you’re killing me.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Lose the shorts and get over here.” She stretched out on her side, one hand propping up her head as she watched Morgan push her underwear off, fighting with them as she tried to get them clear of the brace. Erin couldn’t help but laugh as Morgan frowned and cursed her way to nakedness.

  Morgan grimaced as she sat on the edge of the bed and shrugged. “Sorry.”

  “What for?”

  “I kind of killed the mood.”

  “No, you didn’t. Baby, we used to laugh when we made love all the time. It’s supposed to be fun. A little laughter doesn’t kill the mood. Sometimes it makes it better.” She stroked Morgan’s back and pulled on her shoulder. “I’m still very much in the mood. Now, come here and kiss me.”

  Morgan lay down and stretched out on her side as Erin had. “You’ll tell me if I do something wrong?”

  “Promise.” Erin closed the distance and claimed her mouth, plunging her tongue inside. She tasted like mint, and coffee, and home.

  Whispered moans filled the air as their bodies reconnected. Erin pressed her thigh between Morgan’s legs, a slick abundance of arousal greeting her. Morgan’s hands were everywhere. Grasping her buttocks and pulling her closer, caressing her breasts, pinching her nipples. But she wanted more. She needed Morgan to claim her, to own her body as she owned her heart. She needed everything.

  She took Morgan’s hand and eased it between their bodies, their gazes locked. She fought to keep her eyes open as their joined fingers pressed against her drenched sex. Morgan’s eyes widened and she glanced down before she smiled and stared back into Erin’s eyes.

  “You’re incredible,” Morgan whispered before kissing her.

  Morgan’s gentle fingers explored every slick millimeter of her flesh. She hooked her leg over Morgan’s hip and tried to get closer in the search for release. Then Morgan’s hand pulled away.

  “What? No—”

  “It’s okay. I just don’t want to rush.”

  “Morgan, I need to come.” She thrust her hips, frustrated to find nothing but air.

  “Not yet.” Morgan pressed her onto her back and rolled on top of her. “You see, I might be a bit unsure of what I’m doing, but I’ve been doing some research the last couple of days.”

  Erin spread her legs and sighed as her center connected with Morgan’s skin. “Really? And what have you learned?”

  Morgan grasped her hands and raised them above her head. “I was directed to some of your favorite romance stories.” She nipped at Erin’s throat as she clasped both wrists in one hand. “I noticed something in them.”

  “And what was that?”

  “Well, Amy told me that the two of you would discuss which ones were particularly hot.” She shifted and closed her lips around Erin’s nipple. She pulled the turgid point into her mouth and batted it with her tongue.

  Erin closed her eyes under the sensual assault. Every swipe of Morgan’s tongue left her feeling worshiped.

  “In all those stories,” she whispered and shifted to the other breast, kissing the outside, “the heroine.” She sucked on Erin’s nipple. “That would be you. She was always claimed by the hero.” She blew cold air across the tip and Erin could feel her nipple tighten further. “That would be me.” Morgan sucked hard on Erin’s generous breast, pulling as much of it into her mouth as possible.

  Erin moaned, wishing she could wrap her fingers in Morgan’s hair and cradle her beautiful head to her chest. “What happened to shy and uncertain?”

  Morgan released her breast, grinning. “No room for that when I’m making dreams come true.”

  “You read a few books and think this is my dream?” She flexed her wrists, still pinned beneath Morgan’s hand.

  “I meant my dreams. I want to make you happy, remember?”

  Erin nodded. Morgan was so earnest, the yearning to make her happy so clear in her eyes, it was all Erin could do to stop the tears from falling as they welled in her eyes.

  “Is this okay?” Morgan squeezed gently on Erin’s wrist.

  In that moment, Erin realized why she relished those stories. Why they were so erotic for her. It wasn’t the heroine being overwhelmed by the strong hero, or the incredible eroticism. It was trust.

  Trusting someone so completely that you never doubted—even for a second—that you were safe, adored, cherished, and loved. That was what turned her on. That was the element she craved the most, and she knew that it was still something she had never experienced with Morgan—with anyone—before.

  There had always been something in Morgan that was hidden from her, a part of her that had remained untouchable. In response, Erin knew she had kept this final barrier between them. She had hidden her own secrets and let the gap betw
een them widen. It was a heartbeat of time, but she understood that it was these barriers that had led to the destruction of their relationship. If they were to succeed now, there was no room for doubt. No place left for secrets or barricades. The trust had to be total, complete, and unshakeable.

  She knew she wouldn’t have been able to do it before, but trust shone in Morgan’s eyes. She was offering Erin everything, and the walls shifted and crumbled.

  Erin stretched her arms up and wrapped her fingers around the spindles of the headboard.

  “This is more than okay.”

  Her skin burned beneath Morgan’s hands, lips, and tongue. She writhed under a torrent of kisses covering her breasts, her belly, her legs. The first touches of Morgan’s tongue lapping at her center made her shudder and call Morgan’s name in a voice foreign to her own ears. Still she ached; she craved Morgan’s possessive touch filling her.

  “Oh, Morgan, please. I need—”

  Morgan didn’t make her beg. The swift penetration of Morgan’s fingers pushed her over the edge. Wave after wave of delicious orgasm seared her, branding her soul with the insignia she would never lose. Morgan’s.

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Morgan stretched, enjoying the slight ache of her muscles and the heavy limbed sensation that rode on the back of satisfaction. Erin’s head rested on her shoulder, breathing the deep, even cadence of sleep.

  It was nearly three thirty, and they needed to get up before the kids got home from school. She ran her hand down Erin’s back, feeling the muscles flex as she arched beneath her touch. Erin’s arms tightened around her, and she burrowed into Morgan’s embrace.

  Morgan kissed the top of her head. “The kids’ll be home soon. We should get up.”

  Erin squeezed her a little tighter. “I don’t want to.”

  Morgan laughed. “Me neither, but I’m pretty sure you don’t want them walking in on us like this.”