“You’ve seen every one of my flaws, Nick.” She shrugged. “Understand now?”

Suddenly, Nick realized exactly what she was talking about her. Her body. Her delicious, heart-racing, curvy body. And yeah, he’d seen every inch of her. Those few weeks before he’d left town had been hot to the point of lewdness. They’d explored each other, tasted and touched until he thought they’d simply merge together until they were one. Leaving her had been like leaving part of himself behind.

And it was the reason he’d had to return.

He lowered his head until their mouths were almost touching, their breaths warming each other’s lips. “Holly, you are the most perfect woman I have ever seen.”

Before she could dispute his words—and he knew that was coming by the stormy look in her beautiful green eyes—his mouth took her hers, groaning as the taste of her flooded his senses.

“Oh, Holly, how I’ve missed you. How I missed this.” He drew his hand down her torso to cup her breasts and run his thumbs roughly over the thicker texture of her sweater. Her nipples hardened instantly.

She felt him smile against her lips before he pulled away slightly to whisper, “Tell me darlin’, how could this be anything but perfection?” He slanted his mouth across hers again, this time his lips were as rough and demanding as his hands on her breasts.

She gave herself over to him—how could she not? This was the man she had loved all her life. The bad biker boy who had stolen her heart all those years ago. The tough teenager who had taken her virginity with a tenderness that had left her with absolutely no regrets.

No regrets? That inner voice inside her screamed warningly, darkening the romantic mood he’d set so carefully. He’d always been able to do that to her. To make her forget her own dreams, her sense of right and wrong. She’d always followed his lead.

So, yes, there had been regrets after he’d left. Still, in all the years since, she’d never gotten over him. She’d managed to go on with her life, doing the things adults did. Working, filling up her home with items she chose, making new friends and enjoying old ones. Still, when Nick had left, the spark inside her had gone out.

If she let him into the life she’d so meticulously constructed in his absence, how would she survive when he left again? The breach in the world she’d so painstakingly built without him would be irreparable.

“Nick, we can’t.” She pulled away and instantly felt the loss of his touch, missed the spicy flavor of his taste. Sweet jingle bells, her heart was starting to break already.