“I’ve got my question.” He paused. “Forget SyncUp, forget our deal and tell me the truth-how do you feel about me?”

“How do I feel…?” She swallowed hard, not sure what she should say, fighting dizziness, struggling to be sensible.

“Let me make it simpler. I’m in love with you, Candy.”

“You are? In love? With me?” Her heart was doing a fluttering hip-hop. She needed to sit down. Fast.

Sensing her faintness, he caught her by her elbows. “I am. So, what about you? Do you feel the same?”

“Do I?” Her mind was as fuzzy as a radio off its station. “I mean, yes, I do…I love you.” She said it with wonder, surprised to hear the words come out of her mouth.

At the same time, she knew in her soul they were true.

“That’s good, then,” he said. “We feel the same.” He leaned in to kiss her, but she held back.

“No, that’s bad. What about SyncUp?”

“We’ll work it out…somehow.” His words faded and she knew he’d gone fuzzy, too, unwilling to address the impossibility of a future between them. “For now, let’s just be here. Together.”

“Okay,” she answered automatically. This solution erased the agony she’d anticipated with so much dread. Matt was a smart guy. If he thought they could figure it out, maybe they could. She let her doubts melt away. She let her love for Matt take charge, pushing away SyncUp, even her promotion. They would discuss that soon enough. That would be part of working things out.

She knew this was wrong thinking on her part, but right now she was glad to escape the pain, to have more time in Matt’s arms. They hurried to his place. She set his computer on the table and they stumbled to his bed, pulling off each other’s clothes, laughing, breathless and amazed.

Could she really have this? Be in love with Matt? Despite their differences, despite work-

Stop! She wouldn’t think about that. It would ruin the moment and right now Matt was looking at her naked body that way again, like no other man, as though every inch of her was worth a lifetime of study, as though being able to touch her was a gift beyond measure.

She wanted this. So much.

“I can’t believe I have you in my bed,” Matt said, his eyes a hot blue that promised his love and all the support she could ever want.

“Believe it. I’m here.” At the same time she felt a tension inside, a held breath, the sense there was trouble ahead, that this wasn’t quite real.

Matt kissed her then, deeply, his tongue searching her mouth, while one hand slid down her body to her thighs and stroked her neediest place.

She parted her legs, inviting him inside, welcoming the rush of pleasure they’d felt together before.

Matt pushed into her, holding her gaze, and the moment was different, more serious. This was for keeps. “When I’m inside you, I never want to leave.”

“Then don’t,” she said, crossing her heels over his back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

He kissed her hungrily, as if she were the source of his strength. They held each other so tight their bodies seemed melded together. Only their hips parted long enough to make short strokes. They were so in tune with each other that the tiniest movement from Matt sent spirals of pleasure through her. She could tell she had the same effect on him. Sex had never been so powerful or so intimate for her.

She felt her orgasm gather and sensed his doing the same.

“I don’t want to come yet,” she said.

“There’s plenty more after this,” he breathed, quickening his pace, moving in a way she couldn’t resist. “Just let go.”

Her climax began, then seemed to move to Matt, as if they shared the sensation, and he sent it back to her even stronger than before. Waves of pleasure poured through her, so strong she had tears in her eyes. Matt’s face was full of emotion, too.

Slowly, the intensity lessened and she became aware of the beat of Matt’s heart, in time with hers, heard the matched rhythm of their breathing. She never imagined feeling this close to another person. She knew that, no matter what happened, this was worth it.

She closed her eyes and held on to Matt.

They made love for what seemed like a long time and yet only moments. Rolling over after one more amazing orgasm, Candy caught sight of Matt’s travel clock. “God! It’s six, Matt. We have to get dressed for the beach party.”

“I’ve got a party right here. Come as you are.” He nuzzled her neck, finding her with his fingers.

She pushed his hand away with a reluctant groan. “I promised Ellie and Sara we’d do the events.” She struggled out of bed and bent to drag on her clothes. “I’ve got to go shower and change at my place.”

“You’re serious about this?” Matt said, watching her.

“One of us has to be.” She leaned down to kiss his sweet mouth. “And now that you’re Fun Guy, I guess it’s me.”

“I know,” he said, flopping back against the pillow, hands under his head, elbows out. “I don’t think I’ll ever be the same.” He looked deliciously strong, tanned and relaxed, the sheet bunched at his waist, sexier than ever. Of course she was seeing him through the eyes of love.

Grabbing up Sara’s blazer, she noticed Matt’s computer, where she’d practically thrown it on the table. She had to show him the marketing plan, talk about the teams, but when?

Maybe tomorrow? Or the next day? Before they left Malibu anyway. When they were ready to deal with the logistics of continuing an affair back at SyncUp. Because they had to continue this.

She and Matt were in love. She couldn’t quite believe it. Or sort it out or figure out how it would work. For now, just knowing was enough. It had to be.

MATT GOT READY while Candy went to her place to change. After his shower, he scrubbed some of that ridiculous gel into his hair and put on the Hawaiian shirt Candy liked. He had to change shorts twice to get the right match. Now he was getting vain?

This was all pretty crazy. He’d promised Candy they would work it out, but he wasn’t sure how. A vague tension anchored itself in his gut, but he wasn’t going to deal with it yet. He wanted to float a while longer on the cloud he’d been on since Candy and he had wrestled her phone away from Radar.

He headed out to get her, enjoying the breeze, the sleek gray sheen of the ocean laid out before him, the waves rolling like the shivering pelt of a huge slow-moving beast.

The neon of the carnival rides glowed against the sunset sky. Down the beach, there were bonfires and he could hear the gathering noise of a crowd. Music, too. He and Candy could dance.

He wanted to dance? Unbelievable. But he realized if Candy wanted him to, he’d freak dance in front of God and everyone. He was in love. The way he’d been with Heather, all those years ago, except now he was mature enough to handle the roller coaster.

At least he hoped he was.

His gut tightened again.

Until he caught sight of Candy heading his way. The sight of her erased all his doubts. She’d changed how he saw everything.

She wore a strapless dress that exposed her shoulders and the tops of her breasts. When she was close enough he noticed a diamond on a chain resting in the hollow of her throat. He wanted to kiss her there, in that tender place. And everywhere else, too.

She threw her arms around him and he picked her up and spun her around, kissing her as he set her back down on the sand.

“Sorry I’m late,” she said, looking up at him, her eyes full of love. “Sara had to know why I looked feverish, so I explained that I’m crazy in love.”

“So I make you feverish? All hot…and achy? You do that to me, too.”

“Mm-hmm,” she said. “I told her we were working everything out at SyncUp. Do you think we can?” She bit her pretty lip.

“Of course.” He kissed away the bite mark, feeling the familiar wash of heat and need whenever he touched her. She melted into his arms again.