Part 15 (2/2)

arousal through her. ”Ah, who needs legs anyway? Mine are too long. Can't

find pants to fit.”

”You're such a goofball,” Sarah told him. Heat flared in her cheeks at the memory of what had pa.s.sed between them. ”How long was I out?”

”Maybe fifteen minutes or so. Not long.”

More guilt poked her. ”That was amazing.”

Heat blazed in his gaze. ”Yeah. It was.”

Sarah had never been with a man who gave pleasure without expecting

immediate payback. She waited to see if Alex would gaze pointedly down at his still-bulging crotch, or even take her hand and put it on his erection. He didn't. And maybe, she thought with some amazement, he wasn't going to.

Maybe he really was content to have given her an o.r.g.a.s.m without demanding one for himself.

”You are so different than I expected,” Sarah told him, and was pleased to see his mouth quirk into a self-effacing grin.

”So you've forgiven me for being pretty?”

She took his hand. ”Forgiven.”

Alex kissed her, softly, with a promise of more to come. ”Let's go to the restaurant.”

”The Foxfire?” The change of subject confused her. ”Why?”

”Because I'm starved, and I happen to know you don't have any food in the house. C'mon, Sarah, we can walk there from here easily.”

”We'll have to,” Sarah reminded. ”The roads are closed.”

”Even better. We'll be able to make snow angels in the street without fear.”

Alex grinned as he squeezed and kissed her again.

”I don't have any skis.” Her protest was weak. Already she knew his enthusiasm was going to win her over, but she had to make a token effort.

”There's a blizzard outside. Wouldn't you rather stay in here by the fire with me?”

Her wheedling had no affect on him. Alex was up and off the couch so suddenly he almost dumped her on the floor.

”Me need food.” Alex grunted, cave-man style. He hopped up and down while thumping his chest fiercely. ”Sarah come with Alex for food!”

Sarah got the giggles. He was acting ridiculous, but she didn't care. In fact, his total disregard for how silly he might look or sound only made her feel more comfortable with him.

”I have some ice cream left.” She tried to be as seductive as she could, knowing her ploy to stay out of the cold wouldn't work.

”Ice cream not food! Me need man food, steak and potato!”

Sarah groaned. ”Alex, it's cold out there!”

”Sarah.” Alex mimicked her whining tone perfectly. ”The walking will keep you warm.”

”You'd rather walk a mile in the freezing blizzard than stay here with me?” she asked mock-sadly. ”The magic's already gone.”

She sighed, shaking her head. With a Neanderthal's roar, Alex jumped on her and began pummeling her with the sofa cus.h.i.+on. Sarah grabbed the nearest pillow she could find and tried in vain to defend herself.

In no time, Alex had pinned her arms to her sides. ”Are you trying to make me feel guilty for wanting to eat instead of make love to you?”

”Yes.” She tried to catch her breath after all the laughing.

”A relations.h.i.+p based on s.e.x will never last, Sarah.” His eyes were a picture of wounded masculinity. ”I can't tell you how it hurts me to hear you say you'd rather make love to me than feed me. How selfish of you, to put your own base, perverted needs before mine--”

He didn't have time to finish his sentence because Sarah had shoved a cus.h.i.+on in his face. The pillow fight was on again--the two of them wrestling like children. Only when Sarah threw a pillow at Alex, knocking over a lamp, did they both stop.

”You're pretty immature, Sarah.” Alex grinned. ”But I like it.”

Her stomach rumbled, and the exercise had heated her up enough that facing the cold didn't seem so daunting. ”Now I'm hungry.”

”Hungry enough to brave the weather outside?”

She looked out the window. ”Yep. But I still don't have any skis.”

”Got a cookie sheet?”

She frowned. ”Yes, why?”

Alex just smiled. ”You'll see.”

Behind him, Sarah was letting out little gasps of hysterical laughter. With every forward movement of his feet, she let out another stream of breathless giggles. She'd been laughing for fifteen minutes straight.

”You're going to pee your pants,” he remarked over his shoulder.

More laughter. It had taken on a high-pitched, desperate quality. He glanced around to see Sarah clutching the edge of the cookie sheet with one mittened hand and her stomach with the other.

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