"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Making sure you got home okay," he told her. "And trying to figure out what has you so spooked."

"I'm not spooked. I'm not anything. I'm tired. It's late. I had a good time and then I left."

He grabbed her arm, pulled her hard against him and lowered his mouth close to hers.

"I don't think it's that at all," he said, right before he kissed her.

CHAPTER TEN.

PENNY FULLY INTENDED to protest, right up until his lips touched hers. But the second she felt the warm heat, the soft pressure, wanting exploded inside of her. Powerful s.e.xual need blocked anything close to common sense. She gave herself up to the kiss and knew she would have to deal with the consequences later.

Instinctively, she tilted her head, parting her mouth even before he asked her to. But instead of responding as he should, and plunging inside, he continued to kiss her chastely, nibbling on her lower lip before flicking his tongue against her upper lip without actually doing anything more.

Okay, he was being a gentleman. Under most circ.u.mstances, that was a good thing. She decided to give him a few more hints. She wrapped both arms around him and pressed her body against his. Her stomach made it hard for her to rub her b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his chest, but she rounded her shoulders and kind of leaned in so that he would get the message.

Or not, she thought several seconds later when he'd done little more than kiss her like a brother and rest his hands on her shoulders.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked as she drew back. "Why are you here?"

He reached up and tucked her hair behind her right ear. "I'm seducing you."

Seducing? With those chaste little bird kisses? "I don't think so. If this is about what Edouard said, you can forget it. I don't need mercy s.e.x."

He had the nerve to grin at her. "Actually, you do, but I'm interested in more than that."

She wasn't sure what to do. On the one hand, she longed for physical intimacy, to touch and be touched. That part of her relationship with Cal had always worked extremely well. But there were complications. Not only the fact that she worked with him and that they had once been married, but also how she looked.

"This is dumb," she said and started for the garage.

He followed her up to the entrance to the house and pushed the b.u.t.ton to close the garage door. "No, it's not," he said. "I want you, Penny, and I think you want me. What's dumb about that?"

His words made her knees go weak, even as she glanced down at her stomach and panicked.

"There's the whole baby thing," she said.

"We'll be careful." He opened the door of the house and pushed her inside. "You can tell me what to do. You like doing that."

"There's not a safety issue, if that's what you mean," she said as she dropped her purse onto the table in the hallway and turned to face him. "But there are other things."

He stepped forward and rested his hands on her stomach. "You mean the fact that you're so beautiful, you practically glow? Or maybe you're talking about your b.r.e.a.s.t.s, which are much bigger than I remember."

She couldn't help smiling. "You've noticed?"

"I've obsessed."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Especially before I knew you were pregnant. I couldn't figure out what you'd done to make them bigger."

She liked knowing that.

He rubbed her stomach in slow, sensual circles. "Your body is different and that's okay." He leaned over and lightly kissed her. "Or are you going to make me beg?"

"Begging would be good. I would encourage-"

And then she couldn't talk because he'd pushed his tongue inside her mouth.

He kissed her deeply, claiming her with a mastery that left her breathless. Sensations washed over her as he ran his hands up and down her arms, then did the same on her back. It was as if he had to reacquaint himself with every inch of her.

She wrapped both her arms around him. He angled his head, then circled her tongue with his.

There was heat between them. A melting warmth that made her want to be naked and on her back with him filling her. The combination of kissing and thinking caused her body to swell. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s tightened and her nipples got so sensitive she could barely stand the pressure of her bra. Between her legs, everything dampened in antic.i.p.ation.

He broke the kiss so he could nibble along her jaw to her ear. He sucked on the lobe, then licked the skin right below her ear. Goose b.u.mps broke out all over.

"Bedroom," he whispered in her ear.

Oh. Right. That would make things easier.

She began backing up down the hallway. At one point, she managed to flick on a light so they wouldn't b.u.mp into anything.

As they continued to move, Cal reached for the hem of her sweater and tugged it up and over her head. He waited until they entered her bedroom to toss it on a chair.

She didn't bother turning on a lamp. Enough light spilled in the open door. He moved close and then stepped behind her where he moved her hair to the side and bent down to nibble on the back of her neck.

"I remember your b.r.e.a.s.t.s were really sensitive the last time," he murmured against her skin. "Is that still true?"

She was surprised he remembered anything from her previous pregnancy.

"I think so," she said. "They haven't seen a lot of action."

He chuckled. "I'll be gentle."

Part of her wanted him to be fast. Seduction was all fine and good, but she ached for her release. Still, when he kissed his way across her shoulders even as he unfastened her bra, she decided to put up with his attentions for just a few more minutes.

He threw the bra on top of the sweater, then reached around her to cup her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Even as he kissed his way down her neck, he cupped her curves.

It was five kinds of heaven, she thought as her eyes fluttered closed. He held her gently, barely touching and yet touching just enough. He rubbed his fingers against her sensitized skin, moving in slow circles that brought him closer and closer to her nipples. Then, as he lightly kissed the side of her neck, he brushed his forefingers against her nipples.

The contact was exquisite. She arched back, wanting more. Needing more.

"Again," she breathed and he obliged her. Over and over he touched the tight tips, pressing a tiny bit harder each time. Fire shot through her and made her burn from the inside out. Between her legs, her muscles clenched in antic.i.p.ation.

It felt too good, she thought hazily.

He released her and turned her so she faced him. Then he claimed her with a kiss that stirred her soul even as he found her b.r.e.a.s.t.s again and squeezed her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers.