“You’re really good at this,” Harmony said.

Donna smiled. “Thanks. It’s my job to keep an eye on you two tonight.”

“We’ll make sure to be on our best behavior, then,” Harmony said.

Donna looked from Harmony to Barrett. “Now what fun would that be?”

Harmony laughed as Donna disappeared. “Ted has good staff.”

“He’s doing it right. Keep the customers’ glasses filled. That’ll keep them in the bar.”

She took a long swallow of her drink. “I don’t intend to spend all night in the bar, unfortunately for Ted.”

“Really. And where do you intend to go next?”

“Up to the room.”

Now he was concerned. “Are you tired? Are you feeling all right?”

She gave him a tender smile. “I’m fine, Barrett. But I would like to go up to the room if that’s okay with you.”

He stood. “Let’s go.”

Barrett left a generous tip for Donna, then laid his hand on Harmony’s back as she stepped in front of him.

He wasn’t sure what was going on with her, but he didn’t want a repeat of this morning.

When they got upstairs, he opened the door and she walked in and headed straight for the bathroom.

“I’ll be right out,” she said, shutting the door behind her.

Leaving all the lights off, Barrett stepped out onto the balcony and took in a breath of fresh air, listening to the sounds of the waves crashing against the shore.

When he felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned around.

And nearly swallowed his tongue.

Harmony had undressed down to her underwear. Sexy, barely there lace and silk red panties with a matching bra.

“What are you doing? Are you okay?”

“I’m more than okay, Barrett.”

And when she leaned up and wrapped her hand around his neck to draw his lips to hers, all that restraint he’d held in check blew away with the Gulf breeze.

Because her mouth was on his, her body against his, and his restraint was long damn gone.

He wound his arm around her, tugged her close and crushed his lips to hers.

Sixteen

It had been a calculated risk, for sure, but Harmony knew she had to take it. The worst that could happen was Barrett telling her no.

This didn’t feel like no.

His mouth on hers, his hands on her body were a definite yes. And the groans he emitted as he kissed her made her nipples tingle and her sex quiver. She felt damp and needy and her body throbbed with anticipation. His hands roamed her body and with each stroke of his tongue against hers, she felt weak and desired and deliciously turned-on.

She’d had high expectations about him kissing her, had fantasized about it for years. First, they’d been girlish fantasies. As she’d gotten older, her fantasies about Barrett had receded, but she’d always noticed him at Mama’s. He was a formidable, attractive man. What woman wouldn’t dream about a man like this putting his mouth on her?

He’d exceeded all her fantasies. He had a great mouth and he knew all the right things to do with it, brushing his lips across hers, teasing her with his tongue and drawing her into a sensual web that was heady and provocative. His hard body pressed against hers, his hand roamed over her back, grabbing her butt and drawing her against his erection.

Oh, his erection. He was supremely hard as he backed her into the room and laid her down on the bed. She felt all that delicious, steely evidence rubbing against her sex when he lay on top of her, yet still held his weight off of her.

And he continued to kiss her, a dizzying array of kisses.

The man had an amazing mouth, making her wonder what else he could do with it.

And when he lifted her arms over her head and nuzzled her jaw, then licked along the side of her neck, she arched her hips, rubbing her clit against his erection.

He raised his head to look at her, his eyes dark with passion.

A very good look for him.

“Harmony.”

She undulated her hips against him. “Barrett.”

His breathing was harsh, and she hoped his pulse raced fast like hers. She felt out of control, breathless, and she really, really, wanted to see him naked.

“We shouldn’t do this.”

Not at all what she wanted to hear. Not right now, not when things were just starting to get good.

“Which part? You kissing me or you rocking your damned impressive cock against me?”

He kissed her neck, groaned, then raised up on his arms. “Any of it.”

The sexy, sultry mood evaporated. “You are not going to bring up that man code thing again right now, are you?”

He slid off of her and sat on the edge of the bed. “It’s more than that.”

Refusing to cover herself, because she wanted him to see exactly what he was not having at the moment, she rolled to her side and propped herself up on her elbow. “Then what is it?”

He threaded his fingers through his hair, looking down at the floor for a few seconds before dragging in a breath. Then he turned his gaze to her. “It’s just that I have so much respect for you.”

That did it. She slid her legs over the side of the bed. “That is such bullshit, Barrett.”

She grabbed her dress and slid into it, pulling the straps up over her shoulders, then marched into the bathroom, threw all her things into her overnight bag and zipped it up.

Barrett was still sitting on the side of the bed when she came out. She slipped on her sandals, shoved the rest of her clothes into her bag and closed it.