The Right Thing (10 page)

“I can wait for you. I swear it. Conduct your ritual. No regrets tonight,” Morgan told her.

“Great. Just what I needed,” Thea said dryly, a full blush sweeping up to cover her face. “Ten years and I pick a man who can read my mind and see all my doubts. I think I’m going to go drown myself ”

“Now you have me worried, so a half hour is all you get. If you take any longer, I’m coming in after you,” Morgan warned.

“I’m not that much of a coward. I meant it when I said I wanted this,” Thea told him. She disappeared down a hallway and into a room.

Moments later, Morgan heard the shower running. A half hour wasn’t much time to look around, but she had practically invited him to do a little snooping.

Instead of sitting as Thea had suggested, Morgan prowled the living room, stopping to look at photos. There were pictures of Thea and a tall smiling man, his arm tucked around her possessively. This had to be the husband, he thought.

“You must have been quite the guy to hang on to her for so long,” Morgan said to the smiling man in the picture.

There was an assortment of other photos. There were her children who both looked like her, their spouses, and even some older people that Morgan thought were probably her parents since Thea favored them.

Again—and just like in his father’s situation, there were no visible signs of any excesses of money. There was nothing in this room but evidence of a hard-working person who lived an honest, full life.

Morgan concluded that the only indulgence—if you wanted to call it one—seemed to be the number of books which were scattered around. Some were slid into neat, orderly shelves. Others were stacked in piles. Some were bookmarked and dog-eared. Morgan found books on Egyptology, philosophy, metaphysics, and even Atlantis, he read with grin.

Pulling the Atlantis book from the stack, Morgan took it to the couch to flip through it. Maps were marked. Comments were written along the outside of columns. It amused him to see comments written in bright blue ink, making them very noticeable against the black and white text.

He turned the pages slowly, skipping the real content in favor of the more interesting dialog of the person who had studied it before him. He came across the word “bullshit” underlined twice by a passage, and it made Morgan laugh out loud to discover Thea was so opinionated about her reading. It was like discovering an intimate secret, more intimate than her finances, and one he doubted many knew.

Some thirty minutes later Thea emerged from her bedroom and headed back down the hall to Morgan. Peeking into the living room, she saw him contentedly reading a book. She had rushed drying her hair because her time was running short, but thought now she could have just taken her time given how engrossed he was.

Luckily she had found a silk nightgown and robe set in the back of a spare closet that hadn’t been cleaned out in years. Thea hadn’t worn either in so long that she was grateful they still fit, no matter how out of fashion they probably were. At least she hadn’t had to come out in her well-worn cotton pajamas. Wearing the gown and robe tonight actually gave her courage when she was having to dig pretty deeply inside herself to find some.

Regardless of her declaration to Morgan, Thea discovered she wasn’t really sure at all about what she was doing. Now that the moment of truth was even closer, she found she was actually terrified. Doubts moved through her mind like tumbleweeds rolling across the desert.

What if she couldn’t get aroused, she wondered? What if she discovered that she truly was as physically used up as she often feared? Thea hadn’t prepared sufficiently for sexual failure and that was a distinct possibility in her situation. Catching her in a weak but honest moment, Morgan had successfully seduced her with hope. Realistically though, there hadn’t been time to talk to her doctor or even a friend about what to expect or do if things went wrong.

Now the man who had insisted they weren’t finished yet was sitting on her couch, expecting her to make good on her brave words and promises to follow through.

Well whatever happened tonight, she wouldn’t leave Morgan hanging, Thea vowed. She’d make sure she pleased him in bed one way or another. But this event sure wasn’t turning out to be the easy, quick tangle in the sheets that Thea had secretly hoped her first time again would be when the urge hit. She wished now she’d given sex more than just a passing thought over the years, but it was a little late now to wish for anything but courage.

“Well, of all the books in here, I never would have thought you’d pick that one to read,” Thea said, making herself walk into the room. There was no sense putting it off any longer.

Morgan lifted his head from the Atlantis book, almost swallowing his tongue at the picture Thea made with her reddish brown hair falling damply over a green silk robe the same color as her eyes. He laughed at his huge reaction as much as seeing the author of his amusement in the flesh. The thought that the woman walking to him was going to be his to enjoy soon was still hard for Morgan to accept. It was a little like living out a dream.

“It wasn’t the book that I was reading,” he told her, smiling. “It was the running commentary in the margins that was far more entertaining.”

“They have some things right and others wrong,” Thea said archly, coming over and plucking the book from Morgan’s hand. She flipped to a page he hadn’t gotten to yet. “See this. It’s really the best part of the book. This sent me to the real authority on the subject. I just haven’t been able to get to the research yet. Angus got sick and I stopped—sorry.”

Appalled at what she was sharing with Morgan, Thea snapped the book closed.

“I guess it’s obvious that I’m not used to having—company like you,” she finished lamely.

Morgan leaned back and stretched an arm out behind her. “I don’t mind talking about the life you had before me, Thea. I would like to think that we can be friends about such things. I saw the pictures of you and your husband. It’s obvious you were happy with him. Many marriages don’t work that way. So you used to read and research, and then your husband got what? Sick? Hurt?”

“Stroke first,” Thea said softly, looking at a point across the room. “Then a couple years later, it was his heart.”

So much for romance Althea
, she grumbled internally, chastising herself.
Talking about your dead husband all night is not great foreplay with the new guy.

“It must have been challenging to run the restaurant alone,” Morgan said, running a hand down the back of her hair for reassurance when he saw how uncomfortable she was about the subject matter.

“I used to teach English at Coconino Community College in Flagstaff,” Thea said. “I didn’t know anything about the restaurant business when I took over. I’ve come a long way in ten years.”

“Yes, you have,” Morgan agreed. A teacher. She’d been a teacher. “So why did you keep the restaurant after your husband died?”

“People depended on it for jobs. Angus’s father died the year after he did. The restaurant was really Angus’s parents’ livelihood. Selling it wasn’t a good option for anyone but me. I’ve liked being a business woman. I’m just not great at it,” Thea said.

“How many people have you let go since you’ve been running it?” Morgan asked.

“None,” Thea protested, shocked at the question. “I made sure everyone kept their jobs.”

“Then trust me, Thea, you’re a damn good business woman,” Morgan said sincerely.

“That was sneaky,” she said, squeezing his knee. “I was ready to be offended by the question.”

“Yeah, I know I shouldn’t bait you, but it’s just so much fun to do,” Morgan said, cringing as her very strong fingers dug into his kneecap. “Ouch. That really hurts. I don’t really do the bondage pain thing, but if you think you’ll need it to get turned on, I can probably reciprocate after that knee squeeze.”

Morgan laughed as Thea pushed off him and tried to stand. He yanked her back down.

“If you turn your back on me with that silky robe outlining your swaying hips to perfection, I will not be held responsible for my adolescent reaction to the sight,” Morgan said, laughing, delighted when rapid color flooded her neck and face. “See, that’s why I’m here. You’re blushing because I gave you a sexy compliment, Thea. It turns me on like hell. Didn’t any man ever like your excellent ass before I came along?”

“I don’t know. If they did, they didn’t say so or look at me like—I . . .” Thea stopped, watching the amusement in Morgan’s gaze. “I’m sure you think I’m quite naïve.”

“
Naïve?
” Morgan said, laughing at the old-fashioned word. “No. That’s not even close to what I’m thinking right now.”

“Stupid, prudish, dried-up, frigid, and—I’ve run out of derogatory labels,” she said.

Morgan pulled Thea’s hand into his lap, spread her fingers out, and laid her palm over his growing erection. He watched the pink of embarrassment turn into a pinker arousal as her hand rubbed and her eyes drifted almost closed.

“I think you’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever had the chance to be with, and I’m scared like hell I’m going to disappoint you,” Morgan said seriously. “That’s what I’m thinking.”

“You won’t disappoint me,” Thea whispered back, quite sure of that as she felt him growing harder beneath her hand. “But I might disappoint you.”

“Impossible,” Morgan said softly, shifting his hips to give her better access, grateful when Thea moved the evidence of his need for her into a more comfortable position. The woman hadn’t forgotten everything—and she wasn’t all that shy either.

“I’m already satisfied to have your hands on me, and we haven’t even started yet. It can only get better from here,” Morgan told her, playing with her hair as she stroked him.

“It’s been a very long time. I might not be able to accommodate you,” Thea said quietly, feeling like she had to be honest with a man she was intentionally arousing.

She felt good touching him, unbelievably good as she discovered an interest she had thought was gone forever from her life. She was willing to try being with him and that was wonderful just by itself.

Morgan leaned forward, stilling her hand with his over it, but leaving it just where it was.

“Thea, I promise I am not going to hurt you. If you get scared, we’ll try again some other time. We
will
get there. I want this. I want this with you.”

“
Why?
” Thea asked, the question torn from her, revealing an insecurity she was incapable of masking.

“Ask me that again tomorrow if you still don’t know the answer by then,” Morgan said firmly, letting go of her hand to lift her hair and kiss her neck. “What’s under the robe Thea?”

“Mat—matching nightgown,” she said, tilting her head to the side, to give him better access.

“Can I see?” Morgan asked, smiling against her neck as she nodded.

Where the patience to woo her came from, Morgan didn’t know or care. He just knew it was the right thing to do in that moment. In fact, nothing in his life had ever felt as right as this did. If it took all night, he was going to enjoy every second of the journey to getting inside this woman.

Her hands went to the belt of her robe to undo the loose knot.

Morgan covered Thea’s hands with his and let them ride over hers as she untied the knot that held the robe closed. When it was open, his hand came up to her shoulder and swept inside and down over her breast. They both called out at the arousing touch, and then laughed at what they had done.

“Well, that was fun,” Morgan said, laughing against her neck, “and exciting for both of us. Let’s try something else.”

Thea giggled. She
was
nervous, excited, scared, and yes—getting aroused, thank God. Morgan’s mouth moved to hers, nibbling, sucking, licking her bottom lip.

Yes, excited was the perfect word for what she was feeling, Thea thought, letting herself enjoy the wonderful sensation of Morgan’s talented lips on hers. The man could really kiss.

“Turn toward me,” Morgan ordered and she did. “Kiss me. Kiss me like you did this afternoon. I’ve thought of nothing but your tongue dancing along mine all evening.”

“Morgan, I can’t just—just—oh God, that feels so good,” she said, when his hand streaked down the silk again and up to cup her breast hard, squeezing so tight she almost lost her breath.

Morgan laughed and gritted his teeth.

“Kiss me now, Thea. I need something to hold me over until we can have it all,” he begged.

He opened his eyes fully then and saw her face, neck, and chest so pink that she practically glowed. She rose to her knees on the couch beside him, the robe slipping off her shoulders. Morgan stripped it away until he could toss it on the coffee table over the Atlantis book.

To his delight, Thea crawled into his lap, her silky bottom rubbing enticingly over an aching hardness that Morgan hoped was going to last long enough to serve them both well.

When her lips toured his face, his jaw, and the corners of his mouth, Morgan grew very concerned though at getting more than he’d bargained for. He twitched, flexed, and trembled because of what she was doing.

The woman could destroy him by kissing his face, Morgan realized.

The thought of what would happen if her mouth travelled much further south than his collarbone had him confessing to sins not yet committed, but entirely probable.