“My sister is going to love seeing both of you again. And Mason is going to dig playing with my cousins’ kids. Just don’t let any of the girls corrupt you. Especially my cousin Lori. She can be a wild one, particularly when she and Mia get together.” Grace was amazed, yet again, by how easy he made things sound, as though he wasn’t surprised at all that she’d been invited to a big family party when they’d only just started dating. “How’s your writing going?”

She knew better than to bother with a good this time. “I’m going to get it soon. I just know it. And until then, I’ll just keep plugging away at my computer so that when lightning strikes, I’ll be ready.”

“Next week on Sunday,” he reminded her. “Once we get you out on my boat, it’s all going to come together for you.”

Her heartbeat kicked up even faster at the thought of sailing with Dylan, just as it always did when she thought about being alone with him in his ultimate domain. Right there in the cockpit confessional.

“What about Mason? I’ve been missing that little guy like crazy. How was his day?”

“It was great. His second tooth finally popped through.”

“Every day there’s something new and exciting, isn’t there?” Dylan truly sounded interested and excited by this small milestone. “We’ll have to celebrate his new tooth when I get back.”

Dylan’s reaction reminded her of how her parents had raised her, where even an event as small as her baby growing another tooth was something to celebrate.

Thinking about how Mason had been a little off all day, she said, “He misses you.” But she knew that was cheating. Dylan had given her his all since they’d met, and he deserved better from her. “I’ve been missing you, too.”

“You have no idea how tempted I am to catch the next plane back to you.”

“You’ve got to do this race,” she told him. “And you’ve got to promise me that you’ll enjoy it.” She’d never forgive herself if she and Mason stole Dylan’s truest joy from him.

“I’ll trade you that promise for one from you.” The tenor of his voice had shifted as he spoke, from playful to sensual.

“What do you want me to promise you?”

“That we won’t hang up tonight until you’ve come for me.”

“But—” She could hardly speak around the desire already rising inside of her. “How can I do that when you’re not here?”

“Promise me, Grace.”

Shocked by how close to the edge nothing but the sexy promise in his voice had taken her, she whispered, “I promise.”

“All day long I’ve been putting together a fantasy about you in my head. Will you help me live it out?”

“Yes.”

God, yes.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“Where are you right now?”

“Sitting at the dining table behind my computer.”

“Put your computer away and go over to the couch.”

Grace’s hands were trembling as she followed his instructions. “I’m on the couch now.”

“Tell me what you’re wearing.”

“A long-sleeved T-shirt and jeans.”

“Everything you’re wearing, Grace.”

The sensual command in his voice—one that had shocked her in the best possible way when they were making love—sent a rush of heat to the tips of her breasts and between her legs. “I’m wearing lingerie I think you’d really like.”

“I like them all,” he said in a raw voice that perfectly backed up his claim. “What does it look like?”

“Sheer white lace. Pink silk trim. Similar to what I had on Wednesday night underneath my dress.”

He groaned. “You’re so beautiful, you blow my mind. Can you put the phone on speaker without waking up Mason?”

“If I keep the volume down low.”

“Good, because I’m going to want you to be able to use both hands.”

Now she was the one groaning. “Dylan—”

“God, I love it when you say my name like that. Like you’re dying for me to touch you.”

“I am. I want you so badly.”

“Take off your shirt and imagine my fingertips grazing your skin, and then my lips when I can’t keep my mouth off you.”

She lifted up the cotton. But where it should have been the same thing she’d done a million times before, tonight she couldn’t get the image of Dylan taking it off out of her head.

“Tell me what you see, what you feel. Every detail.”

She’d never done this with anyone else, never played a sexy game of pretend on the phone. Had always assumed that she’d be too embarrassed to be able to get into it. But Dylan made it all seem so easy, so natural.

“I’m breathing faster already, just from dreaming of having your hands on me, and knowing that’s just the start of all the amazing things you’re going to do to me tonight.”

“Oh baby, you have no idea.”

She could have stopped there, knew he wouldn’t push past her limits, but she wanted to know that she’d made him feel just as good. “The sound of your voice, the feel of your hands on my skin—they’ve made my breasts so sensitive beneath my bra.”

“Jesus.” He blew out a breath. “That’s the hottest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. That I’ve ever seen. Touch yourself, Grace. Touch your breasts.”

“Through the bra…or out of it?”

“Keep it on for now. Tell me how it feels to have the lace scratch against your beautiful nipples.”

“Good,” she said on a gasp of pleasure. “So good.”

“Bare. I need you bare now, need to see, need to touch, every inch of your perfect breasts.”

She reached for the clasp of her bra. “I’m taking it off right”—she clicked it open—“now.”

“I’ll never be able to hear that sound again without getting hard. Are you touching yourself?”

“Yes.” She was whispering again, just loud enough for him to hear. “My breasts feel so full, so sensitive, like all you’ll have to do is run your tongue over me and I’ll explode.”

“Do you want me to be gentle tonight, Grace? Because I’m feeling pretty damn desperate, and I don’t know if I can control myself too much longer.”

“I love it when you’re gentle,” she told him, “but I also love it when you can’t help yourself and get a little rough.”