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  By the time he handed her the glass, the wrapper was empty.

  “Wow! Did that even touch the sides?” he asked.

  Nessie sipped on her champagne. “Uh-uh.” She grimaced as the sour liquid ran down her throat.

  “You left a bit.”

  “I’d better not drink it all at once.”

  “Not the champagne. The chocolate. Here.” He reached out to touch the corner of her lip before sucking his finger clean.

  “Thanks,” Nessie said, checking her face in the mirror, looking for more embarrassing food residue. Finding nothing, she took another sip from her glass and noticed a tube of cream on Matt’s dressing table. She picked it up and tried to read the label. “What’s this?”

  “Concealer.”

  No way. His face was perfect. “Really? It’s huge, and you don’t have any spots.”

  “It’s for my scar.”

  “Oh.” She paused. “Why?”

  “People sometimes stare and ask too many questions. It’s easier to cover it up.”

  Nessie laid the cream down next to her glass. “I did that, didn’t I? I’m sorry.”

  “You can ask as many questions as you like.”

  “Okay then. How many girlfriends have you had, since me?” Jeez, her mouth was at it again. She gripped the edge of the dressing table, readying herself for an answer she didn’t want to hear.

  “None.”

  Liar. No one goes from kissing like a washing machine on full rinse to the sensual highlight of her afternoon, with nothing in between. “I don’t believe you. There must have been someone.”

  “Nope.” He leaned against the wall and downed his drink in one.

  “You haven’t been with a single girl?” she asked sceptically.

  “I didn’t say that,” he said, pushing back upright and setting down the glass.

  “I’m confused.”

  Matt came to stand behind her. “I’ve been with girls, and women sometimes, but only for the night. No actual… relationships. No one special.”

  “Oh. I see.”

  She locked eyes with him through the mirror. She didn’t see a player when she looked at him, but then she didn’t see the old Matt either. Who did she see?

  His hands landed on her bare shoulders. She let out a breath and shivered.

  “Are you cold?”

  “No.” Quite the opposite.

  One hand smoothed her hair to one side, and his head dipped to her shoulder and laid a soft kiss against her skin. Sliding his hands down her arms, until his fingers interlocked with hers, he turned to her neck. “Ness,” he whispered, his breath soft in her ear. “You know I want you.”

  Yes, she knew. Even if he hadn’t already told her, she could feel the rigid evidence pressing into the top of her buttocks. Could she allow herself to be added to his list of one-night-stands? Would it be worth it to be in his arms again? Her breath quickened with anticipation. Fuck it. Fuck everything. Even if it was only the once, she had to get some sort of closure. She had to be part of him again. “I want you too.”

  Sliding his hands back up, Matt watched her face as he slipped the spaghetti straps from her shoulders and hooked his thumbs under the line of her top to draw it down over her breasts, exposing the lace of her bra. She angled her head and her breath caught as she lost herself in the gentle kisses brushing over the side of her neck, her ear, and her cheek. He cupped her breasts and ran his thumbs over her nipples, and she almost lost her breath entirely when he kneaded and teased them to peaks. Leaning back into his chest, she laid her head on his shoulder, grateful for the support, as liquid warmth invaded her body and turned it to jelly. His heart pulsed against her back, increasing in rapidity as one hand smoothed up to caress her neck while he nibbled on her earlobe. Then, moving his hands lower to grip her waist, he turned her to face him, cupped her face, and brought his mouth down onto hers with urgent desire. She pressed her hands into the hard muscles of his back, savouring every contour as his kiss deepened. Their first one hadn’t been a fluke, if anything, this one was better, and she felt it all the way to her toes.

  Unlocking their mouths, Matt pulled back and looked deep into her eyes. “Are you sure?”

  Nessie’s lips curved to a smile, and she quietly nodded.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Having her body pressed into his and feeling her tremble against him almost tipped him over the edge. It was hard to believe the moment had actually arrived. Four years of pent-up frustration was difficult to keep under control when faced with the opportunity to release it.

  Before she could change her mind, Matt swept her into his arms and laid her down on the bed. He stood back and looked down at her, drinking in the sight, barely able to believe she was there, waiting, eager for him to make love to her. He wanted to savour every minute, so he could remember the moment forever.

  A sadness entered Nessie’s eyes. “Are you all right?” she asked. “It’s okay if you’re having second thoughts.”

  Second thoughts? Was she insane? Did she honestly think he was still that candy-assed chicken? “No way.”

  Grabbing the hem of his T-shirt, he lifted it over his head, threw it on the floor, and joined her on the bed. The sadness vanished, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face down to hers. Hooking a leg over her thigh, he gripped her waist and ground his crotch against her hip as he devoured her mouth. Christ, she tasted good. If he kissed her every minute of every day for the rest of his life, he’d never get enough of her sweetness.

  Breaking the kiss, he pushed up to kneel at either side of her thighs, then taking hold of her by the elbows, he eased her up too, eager to see her naked. Wordlessly, he lifted her top over her head and bent to kiss her again as he laid her back on the sheets. The pink buds of her nipples, visible through white lace, called to him as he unfastened her skirt and eased it down and over her feet. Stroking his hands back up her legs, he followed them with his lips until he reached the lace covering her soft, blond curls. He stopped with his mouth over the already damp fabric, breathing hot air over the surface as his thumbs slipped under the edges, impatient to touch what lay beneath. She sucked in a breath and arched her back. She looked so damn sexy. He’d never wanted anything as much in his life.

  “You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this, Ness,” he said, sprinkling feather-like kisses across the soft skin of her stomach and reaching behind her back to unhook her bra.

  “Then get those damn shorts off and hurry up,” she gasped.

  “Uh-uh. Good things can’t be rushed,” he said, removing the offending fabric and exposing her breasts to his hungry eyes for the first time. “God, you’re beautiful,” he added, taking one luscious nipple into his mouth and flicking his tongue over it.

  Her nails dug into his shoulders and a low mew escaped her lips. Reaching up, he took each of her arms and pinned them above her head with one hand as he alternated his attention on each of her breasts, biting and sucking, while his other hand explored her body, relishing in reacquainting itself with her every curve and finally landing on, and squeezing, the fleshy mound of her ass. Excitement trembled through her body. Hell, he’d only just started, and already she was close. He’d imagined hundreds of times what she would look like when she came, and he couldn’t wait any longer to see it. Releasing her arms to slide her panties to her knees, he replaced them with his lips.

  Christ, he wanted in there, but his dick was so hard, he didn’t know how long he’d be able to hold back. Her fingers wove into his hair, and she squirmed as he ran a rough tongue over her sweet spot. He loved the way her body reacted to his touch, the way she smelled, and the funny little noises she was making. He loved her.

  “Matt. Please. If you don’t stop, I’m going to come without you,” she panted. She started to sit up and tried to pull his head towards her, but he pressed her stomach back and carried on working her with his tongue. It only took a few more licks for her to start twitching and shudder to a climax.

>   Matt smiled smugly, watching the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she fought to regain her composure. It was worth the wait. “That was only the start, baby,” he said, standing up to remove her panties fully and shed the rest of his clothes. He wanted to do so many things to her, but right now he had to be inside her.

  Nessie’s eyes widened when they landed on his naked body.

  He looked down. “Yeah, I know,” he said. “He’s grown up too.”

  “Ya think! I… um…”

  “Don’t worry,” he said, retrieving the small packet from the drawer. “I’m sure you can handle him.”

  She ran her tongue over her top lip, and a wicked sparkle entered her eyes as she watched him roll the condom down. It was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. He joined her on the bed and manoeuvred between her legs with almost indecent haste. She wrapped her calves over his and rubbed against his dick with an open invitation he was dying to accept, but instead, he rolled the tip around her warm wetness, teasing her until she was practically begging for him.

  When he couldn’t take the pressure anymore, he eased into her. Damn, she felt good… soft and tight. He sucked in a breath and tried to focus on taking it easy, not wanting to hurt her, but she grabbed his ass and bent her knees to urge him further, rotating and bucking her hips, forcing him to drive deeper and harder with every thrust. He wanted this woman in his bed every night: giving herself to him, loving him. Living without her was no longer an option, and he prayed she felt the same.

  As her breathing escalated, he swallowed her moans with his mouth and felt the first clenches of her muscles around him. It was too much, and he finally let go, shouting her name before they sank into the mattress together, lost for breath.

  ***

  Nessie woke up as soon as the sun peeped over the horizon, and she cursed it for bringing the night to an end. One night, Matt had said. That was all he ever spent with a woman. Well, she’d given him that night, willingly. And what a night he’d given her—amazing sex with an amazing guy. She wished it could be more, but now she had to woman up and draw a line under that part of her life, knowing it was unlikely to be repeated, however much she craved it.

  Matt was sound asleep, and she didn’t want to have to face the awkward morning after conversation and listen to his, probably well-rehearsed, excuses. So careful not to wake him, she located her clothes and got dressed. A used condom had landed on her top at some point in the evening, and not wanting to discard it back onto the floor, she searched around for the bin. Finally locating it under the dressing table, she pulled it out to drop the condom inside and froze, looking down at the contents.

  What the fuck?

  She picked up the black plastic mask and stared at it. No. He couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible. But then, why else would it be there?

  Matt stirred and rolled over as Nessie walked to the wardrobe, opened it, and scanned the contents: a few jeans and shirts and a couple of suit holders for his wedding attire, nothing unusual. Hmm. She went back to the dressing table drawer and slid it open as quietly as possible. It was empty. Scanning the room, her eyes landed on his holdall tucked behind the chair. She flicked a nervous glance at Matt then checked inside it. Her hand found two familiar shapes and she lifted them out to confirm her suspicions: mascara and foundation—she’d thought as much. Why the fuck would he have those, unless her suspicions were correct? Had some woman left them in there? Maybe he was a closet transvestite? There was a zipped pocket at the end of the bag. She opened it. Inside, the overwhelming evidence glinted in the morning sunlight.

  So he was the stripper. The hot, sexy stripper who had singled her out for a lap dance and embarrassed her in front of her mother. Oh, God. Her mother! Did she know? No. She couldn’t possibly. She’d be mortified.

  Why had he kept it a secret? Was it to humiliate her further? Did he get a kick out of doing that? How could he have changed so much? What other secrets was he hiding? All week, he’d seemed so sincere, but he’d lied to her just as much as Garrett ever had. What a fool she’d been. Instinct had told her something wasn’t right about Matt, and she should never have let all her old feelings come back and cloud her better judgement. She had to get out of there.

  After stuffing the silver G-string back in the bag, she threw the mask back at the bin. It bounced off the side. Whatever, she thought as she closed the door behind her.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Nessie had intended to grab a couple more hours of shuteye in readiness for the hectic day ahead. Matt hadn’t been kidding when he’d said it was only the start. Their marathon session had lasted until the early hours of the morning, and she really did need to get more rest, but she couldn’t get back to sleep. Her bed felt too big and cold without Matt’s body curled around her, and the morning’s discovery played on her mind. Deciding instead to make a last-ditch effort to sweat a couple more millimetres from her hips, she tossed back a few mouthfuls of butt-awful coffee, made from the selection of sachets on the refreshment tray, threw on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, and headed for the beach.

  An hour later, she was back, after having made it only to the bottom of the cliff steps before sitting on a rock where she lost track of time staring out to sea and reliving the previous evening.

  The hotel had started to spring to life, with the first guests ambling into the dining room. Nessie received two good mornings and three smiles as she crossed the lobby, but she wouldn’t be joining them for breakfast. She had no appetite. Neither had she any desire to take part in her mother’s happy nuptials with everyone spouting about love all day long. She didn’t want to think about love. She wasn’t even sure it existed. Nessie had had precisely two men in her life, and both of those relationships had failed, big time. If love did exist, it clearly wasn’t something she was destined to experience.

  By the time she’d showered away the last of Matt’s touch, it was after eight, and the start of the day’s hustle was indicated by the sound of numerous slamming doors. There was a knock on hers.

  She stilled. Was it Matt? If it was, she wasn’t here. She had to get her head straight before she was ready to confront him.

  “Ness! Are you in there, Ness?”

  Amy. Thank God.

  Her sister’s excited face greeted her through the open door. “Up and at ‘em, Sis. Today’s the big day,” she said.

  Nessie plastered on a smile. “Already up and showered.”

  “So you are. I’m impressed.” Amy threw her cosmetics bag on the bed and sat down to unload the contents. “You don’t mind if I put my face on in here, do you? My room’s been taken over by the guys.”

  “Why?”

  “Mum doesn’t want Johnny in their room while she’s getting ready—bad luck and all that—and Matt’s room is too small, so I’ve been kicked out,” she said, making herself at home. “Do you need to borrow a lipstick, seeing as yours was ruined?” she asked, wiggling a pink plump and shine in front of Nessie’s face.

  “Sure, thanks. Is Matt in your room now?”

  Amy flashed her a suspicious look. “Johnny was on his way to get him when I left. Why do you ask?”

  “No reason.”

  “Aw, come on, Ness. You forget I’m your sister. You can’t hide anything from me. Besides, I know you were with him last night. Mum noticed the distinct lack of bodies at dinner, and I had to tell her you’d all gone to the cinema, but she didn’t seem convinced.”

  Nessie located her make-up bag and joined Amy on the bed, figuring she might as well paint on her happy face too. “Thanks for that.”

  “But I’m right in thinking you were with Matt, though, aren’t I?”

  Nessie pressed her lips together in an attempt to prevent a smile stretching across her face, but images of her and Matt’s naked bodies entwined in sweaty contortions insisted upon giving her a visual reminder of a happier time—a time when she’d thought she’d finally found her soulmate—and her smile pushed through. She nodded.

  “I thought so
. What happened?”

  “Stuff.”

  “Stuff that gives you a mile-wide smile.”

  “It was a lot of fun.”

  “Was any of it legal?”

  “Legal, yes. Lasting, no.”

  “Explain.”

  “Maybe later.”

  “Oh, no. Don’t you dare leave me hanging. We’re not meeting the hairdresser for half an hour, which leaves you plenty of time to tell me everything.”

  Nessie put down her mirror and picked up a tissue instead. If Amy continued to probe, she had a feeling she was going to need it. “Men are bastards,” she said.

  “Some, yes. Not all.”

  “But why do I have to get them?” Yes, the tears were definitely welling.

  “Garrett’s gone, and you’re well rid of him.”

  “I’m talking about Matt. He pursues me for days, gets me to fall for him again, gives me the best night of my life, and it turns out he was just using me.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “Why did he have to come back, Ames? Why?”

  “Hey, don’t take whatever he did out on me.” She narrowed her eyes. “What did he do?”

  Nessie dabbed a tear from the corner of her eye before it could leave a white trail down her newly applied foundation. “He shook his dick in my mother’s face.”

  Amy’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open. “Excuse me?”

  “And my face and your face. In fact, in the face of every woman at this wedding.”

  “Calm down, Ness. You’re not making any sense. I think, if he’d shaken his dick in my face, I’d remember it.”

  “The stripper. The one at Mum’s hen night. It was Matt.”

  It took a moment for Nessie’s disclosure to sink in. “No way. I don’t believe you,” Amy said.

  “It’s true.”

  “Really? Wow.” Amy paused for a second, clearly remembering. “I thought you were walking funny. I think I’m actually jealous,” she said with a wicked smile and a low chuckle.