Designing Passion (4 page)

“Oh, this is so beautiful.” She gathered her skirt as she bent down to inspect the reddish, five-pointed creature. Her escort kneeled beside her.

“He’s remarkable.”

“How will it get back to the water?”

“That’s the beauty of it; when something gets lost or misplaced, nature usually finds a way of getting it back to where it belongs.” He gave a witty smile as the incoming whoosh of another wave drew closer. Taking her hand, he guided her to her feet before the cascading water arrived. Caught in his penetrating gaze, she followed his nod as he looked back to the wet sand left by the receding tide. To her pleasure, the starfish was gone.

“See, he’s finding his way home as we speak.”

Tawny returned his grin, still holding his hand. Off in the distance, the squawking of the seagulls faded as they flew away under the darkened sky. Her inhale carried the tangy odor of brine and the heady scent of musty ocean life.

They walked hand in hand while she eyed the shallow pools left in the hollows of the shoreline.

“Are you cold?” The mystery man paused, removing his long coat. Before she could reply, he draped it around her exposed shoulders.

“Thank you.”

“I look forward to taking it off, too.” He pulled the edges of the coat over her exposed flesh with a dark, sexy grin.

Tawny’s pulse raced as a jolt rippled through her core forcing her to slow her breathing to a more deliberate pace. She hadn’t expected to find her date quite so attractive. She hadn’t even seen his face, but those eyes, those entrancing eyes….

“I’m not so good at—this. I’ve never, ever….” He shook his head from side to side.

“Neither have I,” Tawny blurted out with relief, and the warmth of her cheeks grew against the chilly gusts.

“Would you mind terribly if I asked a personal question?”

“I suppose that would depend on the question.”

“That’s fair enough.” He laughed. “You are a beautiful woman, maybe a little shy, but what made you—” His loss of words evoked an embarrassed laugh from her.

“What made me want a one-night stand?”

“Yeah.” His nod and deep sigh revealed apprehension and anxiety that echoed her own.

“Honestly? My friend—uh—encouraged me.”

The uneasy knots in her stomach began to restrict her breathing. She cleared her throat. Tawny hadn’t expected any sharing of personal motives, but remarkably, she didn’t mind admitting her hopes to him.

“I lost someone I loved a long time ago, and never got over it. Life has been—difficult. I guess my friend wanted me to try to move on, and this just seemed easier.”

“I see.” His gaze fell to the taupe grains coating her toes.

“And you?”

“I—a long time ago—I—” She found his flustered tone endearing. Letting out a deep exhale, he continued in a more composed fashion. “I suppose I needed the same encouragement.”

Their silence lingered until the wind began to gust. The whitecaps crashed against the shore with increasing intensity. A heavy cloud cover rolled in.

The howling wind brought the faded sound of rumbling thunder. Flashes of booming white light lit up the mass of clouds, followed by a louder crack as the storm approached.

The ominous air sent shivers down Tawny’s spine. Her body tensed, watching the storm front amplify before her eyes. “Well, so much for a clear night with a full moon,” she offered through clenched, chattering teeth.

“We should find some shelter.” Concern filled his voice as he looked up to the flashing sky. “We’re too far from the hotel to turn back now; we’ll get caught in the storm.”

Another flash lit up the sky, revealing a stone structure a short way down the beach. “The ruins; we may be able to stay dry in there.” He took her hand and led her toward the faded magnificence of a crumbling castle tower. A crashing bolt of forked lightning struck a tree at the top of the cliff; forcing them to run as a drenching rain began.

Tawny clung to her date’s hand as they raced through the torrential downpour and into the stone archway of the castle tower.

Panting with exhaustion, she wiped the cold wetness away from her face and smoothed down her saturated dress with trembling hands, pressing and ringing out the heavy material. The excess water dropped onto the hardened soil and stone slabs. The saturated coat over her shoulders seeped down her exposed breasts.

“I guess it didn’t help much after all; let me get that for you.” A soft laugh emerged as he collected it from her shoulders, dropping it on the ground.

“No, I suppose it didn’t. It’s dark in here.” Face to face with her suitor, the heat of his breath on her face quickened her yearning as she eyed the silhouette of his chiseled face.

“I have a lighter.” The glow of the dancing flame glistened on the moisture trickling down his face and dripping from his hair. He paused in front of her, inspecting her cleavage with ravenous eyes.

With the flickering lighter in one hand, the masked rogue brushed a strand of wet hair back from her cheek. Slowly, he trailed his fingers down her neck and along the outline of her dress. Tawny’s eyes followed his fingers to find the fabric had altered with the wetness of the material. It now gripped tighter to her chest, augmenting her fleshy mounds. Her muscles shivered and tensed wherever his fingers drew near. The internal tremble resonated throughout her body at his single touch.

“Well I’ll be damned.”

“What?” She shuddered as he stepped away.

“It looks like we aren’t the only ones who have been here to explore.” Taking the light with him, he walked across the floor and clattered around.

“What is it?”

Another spark then a steady, bright glimmer.

“Candles, lots of candles.” The mystery man lit wax tapers in iron candelabras soon illuminating the tower.

“Wow, this is rustic, but beautiful.” Tawny walked around, inspecting the crumbling walls with her fingers, and eying the array of survival tools for their unexpected refuge.

“Unbelievable, there’s a fireplace, too, and dry wood. It’s like someone expected us to end up here—” His voice trailed off. “Jackson, you son of a…” He shook his head, grinning.

“Jackson?” Tawny joined him at the fireplace, shaking and chilled to the bone, watching as he stacked the pieces of wood into a tepee, pulling old papers from a box and crunching them up.

“A well-meaning friend.” He snickered. “He knew I would explore this place. I have a thing for old ruins and—adventure.”

“Oh.” She moved closer to the building orange flame and rubbed her cold wet hands together, trying to warm up. Hiding the chatter of her teeth wasn’t as easy as she had hoped.

“You must be frozen.” He stood up, took her shaking hands into his, and chafed them briskly, creating warmth.

“Thank you.”

Giving an appraising gaze, he reached for her mask. Tawny reeled back, holding it in place, avoiding his hands.

“I’m sorry—” she muttered when she caught the surprise in his expression.

“It’s okay. I don’t really want to show myself either. It’s just, your eyes—I was tempted to look more closely. I can’t explain it, but I’m feeling so drawn to you.”

“I’m sorry, I’m not good at this, and it’s been a long time for me.” She stepped closer, looking up at his striking features.

“You’re not going to believe this either.” He grinned.

“What?”

“My friend left champagne and a few other treats.” Motioning with one hand, he held her waist with the other, guiding her to the small table across the room. An old, weathered wood table sat covered with a red paisley cloth, a picnic basket, two champagne glasses, and a bottle sitting in ice bucket, chilling.

“Are you sure it was your friend?” She pulled the card from the basket.

Enjoy you two, compliments of Madame Evangeline
.

Tawny peeked through the contents of the basket in amazement.

“Caviar, fresh strawberries, chocolate dip, wow, there’s a whole feast here.” Laura wasn’t kidding when she said she’d requested a few extras. The pampering was exquisite. Her exhilaration soared, only matched by her accelerating arousal.

“Unbelievable.”

She followed his gaze to discover a makeshift bed of several lavish blankets and pillows on the floor. On top of the pillow lay a box of
For Her Pleasure Condoms
and a variety pack of flavored, heating lubricant.

“I guess they expect we’re going to—uh—follow through with the evening’s itinerary?” He drew closer to her with one hand still holding her waist. She looked up to find his brooding eyes watching her.

“This is so strange; I don’t even know your name.” Her inhibitions still lingered, although dampened somewhat.

“I’m—”

“No!” She placed her hand over his taut lips. “It’s easier if I don’t know.” Her heart raced, every atom of her body beginning to quiver from the wet, the chill, and the growing excitement. A shock wave of longing ran through her. “No expectations, no commitment—”

“—and no disappointment,” he finished.

A mutual grin was followed by the sweetest silence. His invading eyes were intoxicating. The butterflies somersaulted in her stomach. The urge to kiss him consumed her; her chest grew tight with anticipation. She couldn’t hold back any longer. She had to taste his lips.

Tawny inhaled deeply, gathering her courage. She placed her hands along the sides of his face, cradling his cheeks as she plotted her target. His reception made it easy for her to be the initiator. With a final exhale, she released the last of her modesty and leaned in, soliciting the first taste of his succulent mouth.

Although she initiated the kiss, she succumbed to his commanding lips. With obsessive force, he pulled her against the hardness of his body, but leaned his head back and examined her eyes.

“So stranger, are you up for a little adventure?” He peered down at her, taunting, moving closer to her and then pulling away when she tried to accept him.

“Are you?” She challenged with a seductive grin. Mirroring his tease, she held back as he moved in again. She leaned farther as he gripped her waist, urging her close and not letting go.

“You have no idea.”

“Neither do you. It’s been a long time for me, and I have a lot of catching up to do.”

He clutched her hair while he pulled her to his fervent lips. Lost in the warm wetness of his kiss, she was surprised to discover her hands moving of their own accord, pulling open the cold, wet shirt, and exploring the hard plains of his chest and abdomen with her fingers. The heat of his skin and firmness of his sculpted muscles spurred her on to push the sopping clothes off his shoulders. Accepting his tongue with hers, and his hands around her body, she welcomed the impatient removal of her dress and then her chemise.

While his roaming hands fondled the shape of her corset, her aching breasts spilled over the confines of her bodice. The exquisite heat of his mouth quested down her neck to her chest. She let out a sigh of bliss, and then a gasp when he captured the peak of her erect nipple in his teeth and sucked it into his warm mouth.

She tugged at his pants, pushing them off his hips and gripping the firm flesh of his ass as he stepped out of the restriction of his trousers. He reclaimed her lips, holding the back of her neck and pulling her closer. His tongue danced around hers, while he removed the rest of her garments, leaving her only in her mask.

His powerful hands stroked along the flesh of her inner thighs. His penetrating eyes bewitched her.

“I have something you want.” Giving a devilishly sexy grin, his hand grasped hers, guiding it down his chest, along his abdomen, until it rested on his sinewy flesh.

“Oh, you certainly do.” She gripped it eagerly, stroking its length and cupping the head, while she trailed her tongue along the shape of his succulent lips. His breathing sped up and a low groan built in the back of his throat and rolled out as her tongue swept the inside of his mouth, darting away at his reprisal. She stroked his hardness again, a little firmer, a little slower while she savored his moist kiss.

Tawny paused, leaned back, and observed his reaction when she brought her hand back up to her tongue and licked it leisurely, releasing wetness into her palm. With a seductive grin, she grabbed hold of his steely hard on, massaging it, the swelling vein along the shaft pulsating in her hand.

“Oh, I’m gonna make you squeal.” He pulled her closer, devouring her mouth. After slowly breaking the kiss, he rifled through the basket with one hand, pulling out strawberries and chocolate. Eying the sweet temptations, her mouth watered at the sight of the plump fruit.
Chocolate and sex, it can’t get any better than that
.

The crackling of the burning logs sputtered and misty swirls of musky smoke filled the air as they moved past the blasting heat of the fire, aiming for the blankets without once parting.

Her mystery man tossed the treats near the end of the pallet, and with a swift, but tender motion, he eased her onto the pile of blankets, positioning himself on top of her. Her anticipation amplified with the warmth of his chest pressing against her hardened nipples and the divine pleasure of his swiveling hips against hers. The light chafing of his rock hard cock against her flesh was sheer ecstasy.

“Do you want me?” He ran his tongue along the contours of her ear.

“Yes,” she panted.

“So impatient,” he teased, ravaging her neck, sucking and biting. “God, you’re gorgeous. The taste of your kiss is so sweet. I can’t wait to enjoy the rest of you.” Gentle sweeps of his tongue over her quivering lips sent spasms through her wet folds.

His hands explored the lengths of her body as she dragged the tips of her nails along the plains of his muscular shoulders and back.

He eased her thighs apart with his fingers and massaged her wetness, evoking louder groans of euphoria from her. The bucketing rain grew deafening. Blinding light filled the tower, simultaneous with a crashing clap of thunder, which resonated throughout the stone and the ground beneath them.

Tawny’s stomach fluttered with excitement when he propped himself up with his arms, and trailed a flurry of kisses down her neck and chest, sucking and biting. The wet locks of his trailing hair glided down her stomach, caressing her skin, leaving cooling moisture that sent shivers running over her.