Page 45 of Nigel

"Hmm. Whatbaby?"

She trembled at thetender note in his voice. "I want something from you."

"Anythingdarling. Just say the word."

"Just likethat?"

"Just like that.What do you want?"

"A baby,"she told him wistfully. "I am over forty and it is probably toolate, but before I met you, I never thought about having a family ofmy own. Is that something you are open to?"

He stared at her forseveral minutes before taking her lips again. This time the kiss wasslow and sweet and had tears leaking from her eyes. "My sweet."He kissed the tears away, his body shaking. "My sweet darling."

"Is that a,yes?" she whispered.

"Absolutely."

*****

"It might be toolate." She was drunk from too much lovemaking. Could a personget drunk from too much sex, she wondered? They had arrived at hisplace and had made it upstairs and inside the bedroom where he hadstarted all over again. Now she was propped up on the pillows withhis fingers trailing over her stomach.

"Or it mightnot."

"You did nothave to say yes."

His eyes met hers."Why did you think I did?"

She shrugged. "Toplease me."

"Perhaps."He lifted his hand to cup her cheek. "I never thought I wanted afamily. Back then, when Sara and I were together, that was somethingin the distant future, after we had established ourselves of course."

"Tell me abouther," she suggested.

His eyes flew to hersand then settled on her mouth. It was swollen from constant use andhe could not get enough.

"Nigel, I amfine. I know I behaved badly before, but we have to get past this,what I said. Please."

"I already toldyou that she was sweet and kind and a bleeding heart." A slightsmile touched his lips. "She fed the ducks in the park and wouldcarry extra food to feed the homeless we happened upon when we wentfor walks.

And she wasintelligent, an overachiever. And incredibly competitive." Hetouched her bottom lip gently. "I bit you. I am sorry."

"Just a littlebump. Carry on."

He bent to kiss herfirst, using his tongue to soothe the bite and send flutters insideher stomach. "She was my first and vice versa. The lovemakingwas sweet-" He shook his head. "Nothing compared to this."He chuckled wryly. "It was passionate to a point, satisfying tosay the least-" He broke off and stared at her for a moment.

"What?"

"I never wentdown on her. She was too shy about that and I respected her reticenceand reluctance. With you-" He shuddered out a breath, his eyesglazed. "With you, right from the start- Sweet Christ!" Hewas getting hard again.

"I cannot getenough. I crave you, Ava. It has to be you and only you. I have totry and get it under control." He gathered her close. "Haveto put a lid on it."

"Why?" shedemanded, already moving into him. "I don't want you to."

"You are goingto get tired of me."

"That's notgoing to happen." She touched his chest, stroked the haircovered flesh in wonder. "You are hot." She grinned at him."Built and manly and I cannot believe you are into me. That'swhat I am finding so hard to believe. Why me? That's what I keepasking myself.

Why me? When he canpretty much have any woman he wants. Someone younger, thinner, white,rich, a society princess, a lawyer, judge, actress-" Heswallowed the rest when he closed his lips over hers. She movedcloser, her arms going around his neck as he deepened the kiss.