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Trevor's hands aggressively roamed the contours of her voluptuous curves igniting their passion with every inch of progression.

  "So sexy." His whisper, combined with a gentle nip to her ear lobe prompted a sensual moan from her sending arousing tingles shooting through his body. "I want you, baby. I want you bad."

  The entire atmosphere in the room had changed, his heartbeat pounded in his ears. He was much more skilled with foreplay than she was, but he couldn't wait to teach her how he liked to be pleased. Her receptive moans were satisfying enough. For now. Her eyes closed, and he knew she'd been holding her breath while he kissed down her neck, his hands simultaneously roaming her body and pulling her close. He pressed Caroline's body against his to show her how she affected him. Judging by her reaction, he'd successfully sent shockwaves of desire all the way to her toes.

  He continued his traveling kisses, working his way back up to her wanting lips. He grasped her hair at the nape and tilted her head back to expose the sensitive skin of her neck, nipping gently with his teeth. Her chest heaved as she panted for air.

  Her irresistible eyes blazed, causing a deep groan to rumble from his chest.

  "Trevor. . ." she begged.

  The invitation in her tone was all he needed to take control. She dropped the bouquet he'd brought as he scooped her into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he carried her to the couch, never removing his mouth from hers.

  Her hungry tongue and faint taste of cinnamon induced a high he hadn't felt in a long time. Lost in the moment, he nearly exploded when she tangled her fingers into his hair and bit his bottom lip. He stiffened all over, his grip tightening around her thighs as he pressed into her harder. A sly grin stretched across her face, her jungle cat eyes sparkling.

  Trevor always loved her bashful, blushing responses when she witnessed what her touch did to him physically, but this look was different. She seemed to thrive on his reaction, thirst for it. If she only knew how hard he was struggling to control himself with her looking at him that way. When she touched him like that. He was up for the challenge as long as he was allowed to enjoy the fruits of his labor someday. The sooner the better. He would show her what pleasure felt like and unleash that feral beast he knew existed beneath her innocent, untainted exterior.

  The sensuality and warmth from the soft curves of her body was intoxicating. He shed his stiffly pressed blue dress shirt. Hunger filled her eyes, her tongue slipped across her lips. This was a side of Caroline he'd never seen before. Trevor wanted to throw their abstinence agreement out the window and ravage her like a starved lion.

  "Mmmm, you taste and smell so good. I can't get enough." He ran his smooth hands over her tight yoga pants, clawing at the stretchy material, his desire reflected in his heavy-lidded gaze. "I want you so badly. All of you."

  She pressed her eyes tightly closed. "Restrain yourself, Mr. Callahan. You wouldn't want your blushing bride to be used goods, would you?"

  Damn. "Does it count if my blushing bride was used by me?" He tilted his lips into a sly grin and nuzzled her neck.

  "Mmmm," she purred. "I won't tell if you won't."

  His head snapped up and passion flamed from his pores. Her focused smile confirmed what he'd just heard. She'd never said anything like that before, but she didn't have to tell him twice. He ripped her clothes from her body, relishing the sight of her pale satin skin pressed against his, quickly moving his kisses into unchartered territory. She squirmed beneath him and he took his time to fully appreciate this rare allowance. He closed his eyes and savored her sensual cries as he pushed her over the edge.

  Now it was his turn. He'd waited two years for this moment. He quickly disrobed and made his move, prowling over her like a possessive predator when she placed both hands on his chest to stop him. He paused, confused and beyond controlling his raging hormones, when a loud knocking interrupted his pre-coitus bliss.

  What the hell? "Ignore it. Let me make love to you, Caroline."

  "No, wait. Stop."

  "What? Why?" His frustration melted his control.

  The door banging grew louder, shaking the pictures off their hooks.

  "Get the hell outta here! I'm busy!" Trevor was livid, at war with himself while trying to control his anger around Caroline. He was used to her stopping him in the heat of the moment, but she'd never let him get this far. And he was way past the point of no return. The inner gentleman who loved her, wanted to respect her and settle for cuddling, but the man in him who craved her wanted to bend her over and show her the repercussions of pushing him too far. Trevor resisted his urge to punish the one woman who could cripple his defenses and sat back on his heels, breathing deeply. What had gotten into him?

  This time the door flew open and slammed against the wall, embedding the door knob into the sheetrock. Trevor jumped up, ready to protect his woman and pound the fool bold enough to bust in.

  "Dad, what the—" Trevor stood in the center of the apartment, naked and confused.

  His father barged in, his obnoxious laughter filled the room. Caroline, fully clothed, seductively approached Kenneth Callahan and looped her arm through his. She wickedly cut her eyes at Trevor and grinned as she allowed his father to escort her out of his life. Certain his heart had been ripped from his bare chest and crushed before his eyes, Trevor stood frozen, stunned beyond words as the woman he loved, and his father, his own flesh and blood, betrayed him. An agonizing howl echoed through the halls as Trevor dropped to his knees and screamed for mercy.

  Trevor sat up screaming in his bed, chest heaving and heart pounding. A nightmare. Trevor's eyes shifted around the room checking for signs of Caroline or his father. There were no shredded clothes on the couch, no bouquet of flowers scattered on the floor, no smashed sheetrock, and no Caroline.

  Trevor brusquely rubbed his face as a string of expletives that would make a sailor blush slipped past his lips. None of that hell happened because Caroline was in Louisiana. So why would he dream about such a horrible, and highly unlikely, experience? He wondered what the underlying message or symbolism could mean. He'd had erotic dreams of Caroline before, but none where she left with his dad, of all people.

  The bitter taste left in his mouth from the memory of Caroline's wicked grin as she left with his laughing father made Trevor want to hurl. He brushed his teeth twice, and let the scalding water from the shower pound on his aching shoulders for half an hour. When he finally shut the water off, his muscles still twitched from the residual stress.

  He towel-dried and collapsed naked across his bed. The fan whipped in a speedy rhythm sending swirls of cool air that prickled the hair follicles on his bare skin. It was refreshing and reminded him he was awake. That all-too-real dream had freaked him out beyond measure.

  He could still feel Caroline's silky skin beneath him. Her scent taunting him from the depths of his memory. And his dad—oh, his dad was lucky that was just a dream. The rage that brewed within from the subconscious betrayal provoked violent tendencies toward his father. Violence he hadn't known existed and never imagined he could possess. Sure, Kenneth was pushy and abrasive, and Trevor had seen firsthand when his mother suffered from the Callahan temper. But the constant nagging about Trevor's relationship with Caroline had nearly pushed him over the edge. That had to stop.

  He should've known he was dreaming when Caroline gave him the green light to make love. He knew she wanted to wait until marriage, that's why he'd waited two years and existed as a walking boner on a constant basis. She was worth the wait, and he desperately hoped sending her down to Louisiana to repair her nonexistent relationship with her father would sway her opinion and reluctance to get married. The sooner they said their vows, the sooner he could relieve his misery and finally have a sexually active and completely sated relationship with the woman he loved.

  The past six months have been terrible as he was constantly on edge about every damn thing. He nearly bit his secretary's head off the other day because she told him she was headed out for some
food and asked if he wanted some. Hell yes he wanted some, just not from her. Though the thought to dabble on the side just to relieve his stress had crossed his mind, he never acted on it. He wanted to be faithful to Caroline so their relationship would be unscarred. Plus, if she ever found out he'd cheated on her, she'd never forgive him.

  The confusing piece to this whole puzzle was his dad. Why was he so worried about Trevor's relationship with Caroline or her relationship with her dad? When he'd suggested sending her down there implying her reluctance toward marriage had something to do with the lack of a father figure in her life, Trevor couldn't see any argument with it. His dad had a point and at this phase in his life, Trevor was willing to try just about anything to speed up the process. With twenty-nine looming around the corner, he wasn't getting any younger.

  His cell phone vibrated, jolting him from his thoughts and reminding him he was naked.

  "Callahan."

  "Hey, son."

  "Dad." Trevor bit his tongue to keep the unsolicited anger from seeping through. After all, his dad knew nothing of his nightmare.