Ellie eyed him across the bedroom. “Surely you aren’t jealous of Justin Cooper? You make him look like a little boy.”

She thought he would smile, maybe even laugh. But the brittle look remained on his face. Ellie walked over, took off his hat and tossed it on the bed, dragged his mouth down to hers, and very hotly kissed him.

It took a second for his cool demeanor to melt. Then he was kissing her back, hauling her against him and ravishing her lips. His tongue swept in, and the heat intensified, spreading like flames through her body.

Kade shoved her jacket off her shoulders, unbuttoned her blouse, and stripped it away. In seconds, her bra was gone, one of Kade’s big hands cupping her breast. Then his mouth was there, sucking hard, spiking need into her core.

“Kade . . .” She arched her back to give him better access, and he turned his attention to the other breast, suckling and tasting until she started to tremble. He shoved her skirt up around her waist and slid her pink thong down over her hips to the floor.

She barely noticed when he turned her around, bent her over the bed, and came up behind her. Big, talented hands aroused her, stroking till she was repeating his name and begging him to take her. Buzzing down his zipper, Kade freed his erection and buried himself to the hilt.

Ellie moaned. Distantly, she heard herself begging him not to stop, but the words got lost in a jumble of pleasure as Kade gripped her hips and took her deeper, pounding into her until she couldn’t think of anything but him. Nothing had ever made her feel so hot, so wild, so desperate.

She rushed headlong into climax, then came again before Kade followed her to release. Still trembling, she leaned back against him. Who is this person I’ve become? she thought, a thread of worry slipping through her at the power he held.

Kade eased her back against him, and his arms tightened around her. She could feel the drumbeat of his heart, the brush of his lips on the nape of her neck.

Long minutes passed. Kade pulled her skirt down over her hips and turned her to face him. She heard his deep sigh.

“I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard. I meant to slow down, take things easy, but somehow . . .” He raked a hand through his hair. “You were right. I was jealous. I don’t know what’s the matter with me. I’ve never been a jealous man.”

She reached up and touched his face. “What about Heather? Surely it bothered you the way she behaved with other men?”

“I learned to ignore it. With you, it’s different.”

Ellie slid her arms around his neck. “I’ve never been with a man who cared enough about me to be jealous.” Still, it bothered her.