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Pete grinned at her and secured her in his lap. “You’re falling for me.”

“Because you tripped me.”

“As long as it works.”

“Don’t try to change the subject,” Anne said. “You looked dangerous for a minute there. He missed it. I didn’t.”

“I can be a very dangerous man.” Pete palmed her breast and squeezed gently. “I may prove a serious danger to your bras.”

“You won’t be serious about this, will you?”

“About sex? Hell, no. If there’s ever a time you need to keep your sense of humor, it’s in bed.” His fingers moved, and her desire to finish the conversation warred with more carnal desires.

“Pete.”

He put both of his hands up in a gesture of mock surrender. “Okay. I don’t like him coming around. But I’m not afraid of the competition.”

“Some competition.”

“He might just have the holiday blues.” Pete wrapped his arms around her again and rocked his hips under her in a suggestive move. “Or he might be feeling sentimental.”

“You mean, maybe he’s bored, in town over the holiday break, and hoping I’d miss sex enough to do him one last time?”

“Seems likely. How was he to know you had me?” He nuzzled the curve of her neck.

“I don’t see how he could have, since I didn’t know I had you.”

“I’m subtle.”

Anne burst into laughter and gave in to the urge to slide her hands up Pete’s chest and around his neck. “You’re subtle like a sledgehammer.”

He gave her a look of deep suspicion. “You’re not going to sing Peter Gabriel when we get naked, are you?”

“If the tool analogy fits…” Anne grinned, feeling lighter now that the Brad problem had been put into perspective.

“I’ll be your sledgehammer.” Pete waggled his brows at her and hugged her closer. “Anytime you want, my tool is yours.”

“It’s a good thing Joey doesn’t understand all these words yet.”

He glanced over at the small boy who’d dozed off shortly after being put down. “It’s a good thing Joey takes naps and goes to bed early.”

“You really don’t mind, do you?” Anne pulled back and looked into his eyes. “I have a baby, stretch marks, and an annoying ex who’s suddenly decided to hang around, and it doesn’t bother you.”

The humor smoothed out of his face, leaving a very different expression from the one she was used to looking back at her. This was the man who’d been shaped by the Army, the one she’d glimpsed when his body shifted to ready for action if Brad posed a problem.

“No. It doesn’t bother me.” Pete cupped her face in his big hands, thumbs caressing her cheekbones. “You’re not a girl. You’re a woman. My woman.”

The focused intent in his eyes and voice sent a shiver of sensual anticipation through her. “That’s so Neanderthal, the way you say that.”

He gave her a knowing look. “Neanderthals make you hot.” Then his mouth covered hers and, since he was right, she gave in to the heat.

The first time he’d kissed her, she hadn’t known what to brace herself for. This time, she knew and didn’t even try to resist the urge to curl her fingers into the thick muscles of his shoulders, hold on, and open her mouth to invite more. His tongue didn’t need any more encouragement to slide inside and tease hers while his hands smoothed and shaped her body as if they hungered for tactile exploration the way she hungered for his touch.

“Pete,” she whispered his name against his lips and shuddered, pressing her breasts against his chest while his palms moved down to cup her ass.

“Anne.” He squeezed and pulled her body into his, letting her feel the hard shaft that proved they were equally affected. “I want you.”

“I want you too.” The admission left her feeling slightly stunned. She wanted Pete, of all men. With an intensity she hadn’t thought anybody past eighteen was capable of. “Are we still going to be friends tomorrow?”

“Better friends. Friends who like to get naked together.” He smiled at her and ran his hands up under her sweater to unfasten her bra again.

“Would you really wait until next year?”

“Sure. That’s only two days from now.” He peeled off her sweater and stripped the bra away, leaving her naked from the waist up. “We can spend the time fooling around.”

She giggled, then sobered. “I don’t think I could handle a few days of fooling around with no conclusion. I’m pretty ready to go, here.”

“Then let’s go to bed.” He hooked an arm under her knees, wrapped the other around her back, and stood with her in his arms. He left her sweater and bra where they’d fallen as he carried her off.