A Seductive Proposal (3 page)

The view never failed to thrust her out of her life and demand more of her. Her heart swelled.

How unexpected to be sharing this with Quint, a stranger who held her hand.

“Everything seems possible up here,” she said.

He looked down at her. She turned to look up at him and smiled. He squeezed her hand. “I love possibilities. My favorite thing.”

A man who loved possibilities.

Inordinate desire and longing swamped her again. The beauty of nature,
possibilities
, and a mountain lion tore through her spirit and rearranged all her thoughts. He squeezed her hand once more. She wanted to fly, straight into the wind, and ease along the drifts and eddies that traveled Oak Creek Canyon.

Fearing she might be lost forever, she shifted her gaze back to the sunset, which now added a fading orange-violet palette to the canyon.

After a few minutes, Quint turned into her, caught her gaze and asked, “You live in Sedona?”

She nodded. “Not far from Jumpin’ Jeep Tours.”

Oh, God, was she going to do this? Did she even know the rules? Was she risking something she didn’t understand?

“I’ll bet it doesn’t take very long to get back down the mountain.” He smiled. The sun dipped into the horizon and his blue eyes turned slate gray.

She shook her head. “Not long at all.”

“Good.” Again, he squeezed her hand.

Beyond his shoulder, she caught sight of his friend, Brad Hansen. He wore a huge smile and waved at her. “You know, your friend laughs a lot.”

Quint turned and growled. “I’ll take care of him.”

Still holding his hand, she leaned forward and pinched the glove at his belt. When she started to pull, his attention reverted to her like a case of whiplash.

“I need my glove back,” she explained.

He held her gaze. His eyes grew dark with passion. He growled again but this time he meant something else.

She smiled. Okay, she was so doing this.

She drew in yet another ragged breath, released his hand then headed back to the Jeep calling to her tour. She worked her glove back on.

Her group was the last to begin the trek back down into civilization.

The shadows had deepened in the failing light. She turned her headlights on. Quint’s hand found her thigh where it remained even as the Jeep bounced and lurched all the way down the hill.

At long last, she drove into the Jeep bay. She bid farewell to the Japanese tourists, shook hands with Brad, cast one succinct smile in Quint’s direction then hurried to the lobby.

She intended to sketch in the experience for her friend, but Tina had the phone to her ear and a tense frown between her brows. She stared at the computer and held up a finger when Carly started to whisper to her.

She glanced out the window at Quint. He leaned against her Jeep, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked like he’d staked a claim on the vehicle as well.

Carly glanced at Tina once more, but her office manager now shaded her eyes with her hand. “I told you, mom, three times. Bob and I are staying in Sedona for the Fourth. Give it up already.”

Family squabbles.

Okay then.

Carly caught Tina’s eye, nodded to her, then headed back out to the Jeep bay. She tried not to run, but seeing Quint waiting for her put jets on her feet.

She hopped back into the Jeep and gestured for Quint to do the same. He moved almost as fast as she did.

When he’d buckled up, he asked, “You can take the Jeep home?”

“Sure.” But now it was her turn to laugh. “The owner is like family. She always lets me use her Jeeps.” She laughed again.

“I’ll need my car,” he said. “I left it at The Cowboy Club. Okay if I follow you?”

“Of course.” She pushed her way into the touristy traffic then struggled not to floor it the entire very short distance to the restaurant. He directed her to a black convertible BMW.

His car was gorgeous, sleek, charcoal gray, an expensive piece of quick machinery. The top was up because of the summer heat. He moved like a flash of lightning and slid low into his car. The engine purred to life.

She led the way to her house. Thankfully, she lived only a few blocks from the tour office.

She parked and jumped from the Jeep, but waited for him. He walked straight up to her and took her in his arms, no asking for permission, no discretion regarding the neighbors. But she wasn’t surprised, not even a little.

She melted against him right there on the driveway. He was just as she imagined, muscled and perfect as her hands drifted over his shoulders, down his back and up his arms.

“This is crazy,” she said.

“Yeah, but you feel so good.” He crushed his lips against hers.

She felt dizzy and had a sensation of falling backward. She didn’t get far since he snaked an arm around her waist, but he followed her leaning body and his tongue slid into her mouth. She moaned. Oh, the man could kiss.

He drew back and pulled her upright. She had a difficult time opening her eyes. “Inside?” she asked.

“Yes…and yes,” he groaned.

She caught his meaning and her core tightened with need.

She hurried to the front door, unlocked, then pushed it open. The next few seconds became a whirlwind of stripping off useless shirts. One more second and he had her backed up against the inside of her front door.

He kissed her neck like he owned it. She guessed right now he did.

He ran his finger over the swell of her breast. Lightning-like prickles skated over her skin.

She drew in an uneven breath. “Do you feel that?”

“Electricity,” he whispered against her cheek. “I felt it all the way up to the Rim and back.”

“Yes.” Carly closed her eyes.

Quint’s finger continued to trace a line up her chest. Piercing darts of pleasure flew everywhere, to the tips of her fingers, the bottoms of her feet, the tightening coil within.

“Must be the dry air,” he whispered deep into her ear. “All this electricity.”

Delectable shivers raced down her neck. He sunk his tongue. She moaned. The dip inside reminded her of other places his tongue could go. She leaned against him and clutched at his arms.

“You’re like a mountain lion.”

He left her ear, found her lips then kissed her hard. He drove his tongue into her mouth. After a moment, he said, “Mountain lion, huh?” One of his hands became attached to her breast.

“Yes. You’re one of
those
men, you know the kind that roam the world and take what they want.”

“Yes.” His fingers feathered her breast causing her nipple to bead up and grow urgent and hungry.

“Oh, you have the best hands. How do you know how to touch me like that?”

“Touch isn’t anything.” He lowered his mouth to her breast and drew a nipple inside. He suckled.

She moaned.

He straightened up to face her. He slid his hands into her hair. “And why do you drive a Jeep? Are you buried in Sedona?”

“My roots go deep.”

“Mine don’t. Just so we understand one another.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him, this time driving her tongue into his mouth. A battle of thrusts ensued. He cupped her buttocks and pressed his hips against her…hard.

“You’re not coming back, are you?” she asked, her lips swollen.

“No.”

“Good. Just so we understand one another.”

“Which way to your bedroom?”

She pointed. He slid one arm around her waist, and with the other dipped down behind her knees and picked her up. When he stood upright, he smiled at her. “Don’t want you to get lost on the way.”

I’m already lost.

“Good planning.”

He took her to the bed and stripped her belt, shoes, socks and pants off. As he shucked his own shirt and pants, she turned around to pull the bedcovers back, bending as she did so. She heard him groan and before she could turn and face him again, he tackled her from behind.

“Give a guy a chance,” he whispered over her neck. “You should never bend over wearing a thong, especially not this fragile black-lace thing.” She felt his hands and heard the tear. He tugged the remains of her thong out from under her.

She muffled a laugh, her cheek pressed into the sheets. He pinned her flat onto the bed and it felt so good. He smoothed back her hair and kissed the base of her neck. He unhooked her bra and stripped her of this last remnant of her clothes.

His thick shaft stroked between her cheeks. He drifted his hand up and down her back then slid his fingers under her to tease her mound. He moved lower and caressed her opening. “You’re so wet.”

He worked his fingers inside and stroked her.

“Oh, Quint,” she murmured. She squeezed her eyes shut. All that foreplay up the mountain had taken a toll. She wouldn’t last long. “You’ll make me come like this,” she whimpered.

“I won’t be far behind.” He groaned against her neck. He stroked her faster.

She thought she should encourage him. “Maybe you should find your way inside…like now.”

He didn’t hesitate, not even a split-second. He rose up then lifted her hips until she was on her knees.

He positioned himself and pressed inside in one long dive. Her lungs collapsed. She sucked in as much air as she could, but all she could do was pant. Sliding an arm under her to support her, he drove into her depths. He rocked into her in a deep strong rhythm, groaning.

She lifted her head and cried out. “You feel so good.”

He leaned over her and nipped her shoulders. The hint of pain clenched her muscles. She whimpered again. He continued to bite her in short jabs as he drove into her. “I can’t wait,” she whispered, her voice a hoarse cry.

Her orgasm barreled down, a pack of horses at full gallop. She cried out in brisk intervals, the measure of his quick thrusts. His groans merged with hers. Her internal muscles contracted…hard. Her voice filled the room in a sweet agonized cry that went on and on as pleasure stormed through her.

His thrusts gathered speed. Another orgasm took her into the stratosphere.

“Carly,” he moaned over the back of her neck. He mumbled words into her hair she couldn’t make out. His groans accelerated. He arched off of her, pumping hard. He gave a shout as he spent himself within her.

When his motions slowed then stopped, she hooked his arm and gave a tug. He followed her as she collapsed onto the bed. She forgot what the weight of a man felt like. Her heart released a gallon of unexpected euphoria. He put breathless kisses all over the back of her neck and the side of her face. He found her mouth and dipped his tongue inside. He was still connected low and now she suckled on his tongue. She could get used to this.

She opened her eyes just enough to watch his beautiful blue eyes streak with panic. “What?” she asked.

“I forgot the condom.”

She laughed a little more. “On the pill,” she offered.

“Thank God. I’m so sorry. I’m never this irresponsible. I just got caught up in the moment.”

She patted his shoulder with fingers that, given the awkward position, contorted to reach him. “It’s okay. Really.”

“Okay,” he nodded. He still hadn’t caught his breath. He eased from her and rolled onto his back. “That was fantastic.”

“Yes it was.” She remained stretched out on her stomach. She couldn’t move. She didn’t want to.

She wished so many things right this moment; that Quint hadn’t been the most exciting sex she’d ever had, that she was at least a little uncomfortable with him instead of feeling so relaxed and satisfied, and that her heart didn’t ache with the most intense longing.

She scooted closer and nuzzled his arm. His earthy-citrusy scent did her in all over again. Her internal muscles tightened as they had from almost the moment she first saw him. She was hopeless.

She chuckled. “I have a request.”

“Anything,” he said, once more kissing the back of her neck. “God, anything.”

“Would you stay just a little while longer and do that again?”

He laughed as well. “Just try to get rid of me any time soon.”

She released a deep sigh. “I need you to work me over, Quint. Can you do that?”

He growled and bit her neck once more, right at the back. Shivers streaked down her spine. She whimpered.

Okay, maybe Tina had been right. Maybe she had needed a man. But yeah, she’d gotten his clothes off and it had been fantastic.

* * * * * * * * *

The next day, Carly went into work addled and sore.

She floated around the tour lobby, straightened rows of stationery, rearranged t-shirts, and hung up a couple of backpacks that had fallen on the floor. All the articles bore the Jumpin’ Jeep Tours logo.

She glanced at Tina who watched her for a moment then tapped away on the computer.

“If I didn’t know better,” Tina called across the shop, “I’d think you got lucky last night.”

Carly felt compelled to speak to her about what happened. She crossed the room and leaned over the counter. She whispered, “I promised myself I would never do what I did last night, ever.”

Tina drew her hands away from the keyboard, her green eyes wide. “You got laid,” she cried.

Carly smiled, remembering. “I think it was a little more than that.”
It was so much more.
She’d gotten less than four hours of sleep.

Tina worked the computer, arranging schedules, reading emails, taking reservations and responding to them. She shifted her gaze back to the screen and once more began typing. She was one of those remarkable creatures who could multi-task. “Well, I must have more information. To whom are you referring? With whom did you tumble in the sheets? About whom are we speaking?”

Carly laughed. “You know who. That guy with the Japanese tourists. I mean he wasn’t with them but he could converse in Japanese. He was tall and had shoulders like this.” She held out her hands trying to approximate the breadth of Quint’s chest and arms and kept moving her hands farther apart. “Anyway, he rode shotgun, black hair, blue eyes?” She sighed. “Blue like the Sedona sky. The one you said was
gorgeous?
The one you prodded me to pursue?”

She watched Tina’s expression change. The smile disappeared and her complexion paled. Her fingers grew silent and became poised over the keyboard like a pair of claws. She stopped blinking then turned to stare at Carly.