The Night Remembers (29 page)

"That's what I thought, too," he said, shaking his head. "But you're right about what you said before, Daffy. We never really did make up, we just postponed the arguments for a while."

Silently, Daphne nodded her agreement.

"And the last time we argued, it—" his voice got very quiet, very solemn "—it was eleven years before I saw you again."

"Oh, no, Adam. It wasn't the argument that kept us apart. It was—"

"I know," he said quietly, his hands soothing her back. "Intellectually, I know—knew," he corrected himself. "I knew that. But it didn't help. I was still afraid it would happen all over again. That, if we argued, you'd leave. When I got home yesterday and you were gone I thought it
had
happened again."

"But it wasn't the arguing that drove us apart all those years ago," she said, determined to make him see. "It was the silence. If we had really argued, really discussed things and gotten everything out in the open it would have been okay, don't you see?"

"Yes, I do see. I really do. And from now on..." His hands tightened on her back for just a second. "From now on, we'll talk things out. No matter what. Agreed?"

"Agreed," she echoed softly, her eyes shining golden.

"Good." He grinned suddenly, deliberately lightening the mood. "Because if you didn't agree, I'd just have to drag you back by the hair."

She arched an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"Yes, really. I'll have you know I was fully prepared for a knock-down drag-out fight. Physical, verbal, whatever it took to get you to come back to me."

"After two brandies," Daphne reminded him, an impish smile turning up her lips.

"I had those brandies on the plane,
after
I'd decided to come after you. And I only actually drank one." His hands swooped down her back again, his palms curving over her wet silky rump. "Speaking of which, do you think I'll ever be able to get the smell out of my clothes?"

"We won't know for a while."

"Why not?"

"They won't be back from the cleaners until tomorrow."

"You mean I'm without clothes until tomorrow?"

"Uh-huh. Not a stitch." She smiled seductively and squirmed against him. She could feel his erection pressing against her stomach.

"Don't you think we ought to take advantage of that?" he suggested. His hands slipped lower, his fingers curling around the backs of her thighs.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Guess," he said, and tugged on her thighs, pulling her further up on his body to bring her hips in alignment with his.

Daphne's knees bent at the urging of his hands, coming to rest on either side of his hips as he entered her. They both sighed and stilled, eyes closed, savoring the exquisite feeling of completion, the utter rightness of their joining without any shadows between them. He put his hands on her hips, stilling her when she would have moved against him.

Daphne opened her eyes. "What?"

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too. So much."

"Enough to marry me again?" The words were diffident, as if he weren't quite sure what her answer would be.

"Any time, any where," she said and kissed him.

The End

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ALL NIGHT LONG

The Heart of the City Series

Book 3

Excerpt from

All Night Long

The Heart of the City Series

Book Three

by

Candace Schuler

Bestselling, award-winning Author

ALL NIGHT LONG

Reviews & Accolades

"Good story—funny and romantic. The plot is a real grabber and the ending... you won't want to miss."

~Rendezvous

"Candace Schuler wins our hearts with... a pair of delightfully appealing lovers."

~Romantic Times Magazine

Matt wondered what would have happened if he'd let that kiss go on just a few moments longer... if he'd pushed her jacket off of her slender shoulders and opened the little pearl buttons on that lacy blouse... if he'd unzipped that long flowing skirt and let it drop to the floor... if he'd stripped her down to nothing but those elegant high-buttoned boots and a rosy blush... if he'd lifted her up and lay her back on her wide, polished desk.

Would she have objected? Pushed him away and slapped his face? Or would she have clutched at his bare flesh as fervently as she'd clutched at his lapels when he kissed her? Would she have melted against him, opening her body for his possession the way she'd opened her lips to his tongue? And would he be remembering how good it had felt to be sheathed inside her heat and softness instead of wondering how it
might
feel?

The need to know was rapidly becoming an obsession.

And he couldn't afford obsessions.

And, yet, here he sat, obsessing.

Wondering.

Fantasizing.

And to hell with what it could do to his career.

No, I don't mean that,
he thought with a quick spurt of guilt. His career was all important right now. It needed his full, undivided attention. Which was why he couldn't let himself be distracted by a woman who wasn't even his type in the first place.

There was only one thing to do. He'd see her again, take her out, then take her to bed as soon as she'd let him. One night in his bed, doing everything he'd spent the last few days fantasizing about, and he'd be completely rid of his ridiculous obsession with her. Once he knew what she felt like and tasted like, once the mystery was gone, he'd be able to get her out of his mind. He hoped.

All Night Long

The Heart of the City Series

Book Three

by

Candace Schuler

~

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