“But you did.”

“Yeah, I wanted to kill her. But I was only twelve, so that would have been difficult.” He leaned forward and began to rub her shoulders beneath the silk. “And I got over it. Why were you stiff tonight?”

She was silent. “Motels remind me—Sandra spends a lot of time at hotels and motels.”

He cursed softly. “Why didn’t you say no? I knew you didn’t want to have me come to your apartment. You’ve made that clear. But I’d have found somewhere else.”

“Because I’m not Sandra, and I’ve got to get over letting things like that bother me.” She was silent a moment, then said jerkily, “She’s not really a prostitute, you know. She just likes to have a good time and is willing to be paid for it. I think she has a good heart. When I was little, she acted as if she cared about me … when she wasn’t stoned.”

“How kind. And did you care about her?”

“Yes, she was pretty and she laughed a lot. Later things changed…” She shook her head. “I was confused, then I guess I changed. She stayed the same.” She was gazing out at the rain. “You said you couldn’t stand your parents. Was it always like that, or did it come later?”

“Always. They never wanted a kid. I was in their way. When I got too much in their way, I ended up with burning cigarettes being put out on my back. My father particularly liked that form of discipline.”

“That’s terrible.”

“I thought so, too. I tried to push him down the steps once. I didn’t do it right, and he only fell against the wall. He beat the hell out of me. After that, I just tried to stay away. Unless my uncle was home from overseas. Uncle Ted took the heat off.” He smiled. “Unintentional pun.”

How could he joke? “I can see why you’d love your uncle.”

“I was lucky. If I hadn’t had him around, I would have ended up in reform school. I’ve always been pretty wild, but he taught me to channel the violence. Thanks to him, I’m going to have a good life.”

“In the Army.”

“Only a means to an end.” His hands slipped down and began to slowly rub her breasts beneath the silk. She gasped. It was unbearably erotic to feel the rough warmth of his palms alternating with the cool texture of the silk against her nipples. “I’m always going after the big score.”

The sensation was causing her to lean her head back against him and arch beneath his hands. “Is that … what you’re after now?”

“With your cooperation.” He tore the silk away from her and tossed it aside. “And I believe I’m going to get it.” He lifted her onto his lap and made the adjustment. “Aren’t I?”

She groaned, and her nails bit into his shoulders as he started to move. She couldn’t breathe. Fullness. Heat. The sensation was building quickly to an indescribable pitch.

She closed her eyes and let it take her over the top.

*   *   *

“EVE.”

She was being shaken.

Then lips were on her nipple.

She knew those lips, that tongue …

She opened her eyes to see him above her in bed. He was dressed already.

“It’s time we left,” John said. “You said that you wanted to be back by five.” He used his teeth in a last teasing kiss and lifted his head. “Now or never.”

She sat up and shook her head to clear it of sleep. “I must have been sleeping hard.”

“It was the rain.” He smiled. “And other things.” He pulled her from the bed and sent her to the bathroom with a slap on her derriere. “Ten minutes.”

She was out in seven and carefully packed the silk wrap in her bag. “Thank you again for this.”

“Oh, I enjoyed it.”

She remembered the feel of the silk against her breasts. “So did I.” She moved toward the door. “Let’s go.”

The rain had stopped, but it was still misty as they reached the car.

She cast a look back at the motel.

“It wasn’t so bad, was it?” John asked as he intercepted her glance. “It’s just a place. We made what we wanted of it.”

And what they had made was a wild and unforgettable sensual memory. “Not bad at all.” She got into the passenger seat. “But I still like the reservoir better. Maybe it won’t rain tonight.”

He got into the car. “It had better not. I want it right. We don’t have that much time left.”

She stiffened, her gaze flying to his face. “How long? When do you have to report for basic training?”

“Four days.” He started the car. “We both knew it was coming.”

Yes, but she must have blocked out the approach of the inevitable ending. “Where are they sending you?”

“I’m not sure. I signed up in Milwaukee, so I have to go back there. They’ll probably send me to a camp in Wisconsin.” He frowned. “I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to think about it.”

“But you are thinking about it, or you wouldn’t have mentioned it.” She drew her sweater closer to her body. “And we should think about it. It’s going to take a little time to get used to the idea. It feels … different than it did when we first talked about it.”

“Then you think about it,” he said roughly. “Tear it apart and tell yourself how smart and practical we’re being. All I can think about right now is that next week I’m not going to be making love to you.”

“It isn’t making love.”

“Whatever. Screwing you. Any word you want to use. It’s the same result.” He was silent a moment. “What if it is making love? Neither of us knows what that’s like. What if this is it?”

“Just because it seems different? It has to be because we just know each other better.”

“Maybe.” His hands were tightening on the steering wheel. “Yeah, but it does feel different. And I don’t like it.”

She didn’t know how she would feel after he was gone, either. Her body had become so accustomed to him that it he seemed part of her. “We have four days.”

“Big deal.” Then he grimaced. “I’m acting like a kid. Like I said, I didn’t expect to feel like this.” He looked at her. “Chemistry is supposed to wear away. It didn’t do it. We need more time.”

“Well, we don’t have it.”

He was silent. “Maybe you could come with me and stay near the camp.”

She stared at him in disbelief. “So I could put my life on hold and make myself available to you? Hell, no.”

“Okay, I know I was out of line. I’m not thinking too clear.”

She wasn’t thinking clearly, either. For an instant, she had actually considered it. No, not considered. There wasn’t anything that resembled cool consideration in the way she was feeling. “And I’d be interfering in your life, too. I won’t do that, and I won’t give up my plans to follow you around and be your private whore.” She was shaking. “Someday you’d leave me, and I’d end up somewhere in another development like the one where I grew up. That’s not for me. We do what we said we’d do. It’s over when you get on that plane and go off to basic training.”

He muttered a curse and didn’t speak for a long moment. Finally, he said quietly, “Okay. I know I’m not being fair. I’m reaching out and grabbing what I want. I told you once that you couldn’t trust me if I wanted something bad enough.” He glanced away from her. “I’m even tempted to try to persuade you to do what I want. I might be able to do it. I have those four days, and I have some pretty potent weapons on my side. You love what we do together as much as I do. It could be enough to tip the balance.”

“No way.”

“Don’t challenge me.” He smiled recklessly. “I’m trying to overcome my darker side. I know you’re right.” He parked in front of the development. “It’s just hard for me to care.”

She got out of the car. “I care enough for both of us.”

“Tonight?”

She should say no. He was behaving with a volatility that made her uneasy, and her response was equally unsettling.

“I’ll make it special for you,” he said softly.

She could feel the melting begin. Special? He meant erotic, wild, and possibly wicked. And he always kept his promises. Why should she cheat herself? “Tonight.” She started across the street. “Four more days.”