Her orgasm hit her then. She arched her back and sunk her teeth into her lower lip to hold back her cries. He came down on top of her and gently bit her throat as her climax tore through her. Her orgasm triggered his and they both spiraled into ecstasy together.

Later, after Thomas had tucked her against him and his hair covered her upper arm and shoulder like a blanket, he lay sleeping but she remained wide awake. She couldn’t catch her breath or keep her eyes closed long enough for sleep to snag her.

Carefully, she pulled from beneath him and sat watching him sleep for several minutes. Light from the night beyond the window caught in the black strands of his hair, bleeding it to silver, and spilled over his chest and arms. The sheet had wrapped itself around his waist, leaving the air free to kiss his muscled stomach, chest, and arms.

Isabelle reached for him and then curled her fingers, drawing her hand back. If she woke him, they’d make love again.

Sexually, she and Thomas were an excellent fit. He was commanding both in and out of the bedroom and, while Isabelle was an assertive woman in general, in bed she wanted her partner to take change.

Thomas hit all her buttons exactly right.

Watching him now, with all that luscious hair spread out like the wing of a crow and his chest rising and falling with his breath, she wanted him again. And again. Normally once she had a man she was ready to move on, move out, move away.

She shuddered in pleasure, remembering his hands on her. Sex with this man could be addictive and that’s exactly why it had to stop here and now. The last thing she needed was any entanglements.

Isa, you have to learn to invest yourself in other people…

Isabelle closed her eyes at the sudden prick of tears. Her sister had said that to her over the phone right before she’d traveled to Chicago.

And so maybe it was true.

Still, the impetus to get away from Thomas was far too strong to resist. Every breath the man took, every word he spoke, every brush of his hand against her body was a trap. Isabelle abhorred traps.

She slipped from the bed, dressed in the dark, and left the room.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

ELEVEN

THOMAS TRIED TO IGNORE ISABELLE’S PROXIMITY IN the passenger seat of his car, and especially the way her light musky scent filled the interior. He wanted to reach over and touch her jean-clad thigh, but she’d made it clear she didn’t want that from him.

It was almost as if last night had never happened, as if they hadn’t spent hours, first in his office and then in his bed, exploring every part of each other’s bodies intimately.