In Love and War (11 page)

Then Dylan took over, his movements slow, sinuous. Suddenly hypersensitive to sensation,
he was fully aware of how her body enveloped him. He watched her eyes fall closed, and tried to visualize how it felt for her. Reading her fleeting expressions, he gathered every inward stroke was a tantalizing promise, every retreat a heavy disappointment. She fought to hold him deep, clenching her muscles around him, yet he drew away, creating exquisite ripples in his wake. It was the sweetest torture.

He
looked with wonder at the lovely face mere inches from his. When she opened her eyes, he saw they were glazed with passion. He didn’t think he could grow tired of looking at Ariela, gazing on her, especially now that he’d seen her face lit during climax. That radiance alone, flaring for him, brought on by him, spurred him on. He wanted to see it again. His drives grew fevered, relentless. Ariela absorbed them eagerly, straining to take and wring everything she could out of them.

Then s
he began to tremble in his arms, her muscles taut with tension. Ariela grabbed his hips and pulled him into her body. Dylan groaned as he went along, ramming into her so hard he drove her across the bed on her back. Her shaky smile reassured him she couldn’t be happier with what he was doing. Then her face, her breasts, her chest, all flared like sunset, and she threw back her head and let out a piercing wail that transformed into a wild, ecstatic laugh.

Emotions commingled with pleasure and ripped through
Dylan so forcefully he was swept away in a violent rush seconds later.

Only when he’d regained control of his body did he
drop to his side next to her, his chest heaving. “Wow.”

“
No kidding,” Ariela agreed, equally breathless. “Thank god I’m on birth control.”

He slid his arm around her waist and
shuddered. “Let’s not even go there.”

But he couldn
’t help it now. Dylan found himself imagining all the combinations they could come up with for their offspring—his eyes and her hair, her nose and his chin, her smile and his hands. The height would be somewhere in the middle for girls, for boys, he’d be looking them in the eye one day. Maybe looking up at them. It was a sobering thought.

Ariela gave him a congratulatory smile.
“Well, you knocked that one right out of the box.”

He chuckled. “I think you mean park.”

Her eyes were sparkling when she reached over and toyed with his ear. “Not this time. I meant box.”

“Ah.”
Dylan smiled and, banding his arms around her, rolled to his back, taking Ariela with him. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

No answer was required. Ariela smiled and pushed herself up to straddle his hips. H
e stroked his hands lightly along her sides, across her lower ribs, and finally to her breasts. Lifting them both from underneath, he brought a nipple to his mouth. He swirled his tongue around the tight tip before drawing on it. Ariela groaned as he inflated under her. She rose up and slid down over him, taking him into her body once more.

There was no urgency this time
, they’d spent that energy already, but it didn’t mean they were finished with each other. Dylan rubbed her legs, her hips, and her torso as she moved on him. His contented smile was all for her, because of her, and he felt a strange peace settle in his chest.

Peace, what a novel concept. He could get used to this.

Reaching up to hook the hands gripping his shoulders, he meshed his fingers with hers and brought them to his lips, one at a time, and kissed her knuckles.

***

Ariela stared back at him, captivated by his beautiful blue gaze, his smile, and the unexpected tenderness that was as much a part of him as his playful side. She wasn’t just wiping her sexual dry spell off the books with Dylan. She was sweeping every unsatisfying relationship preceding him right out the door. The thought made her laugh, as if released from a weight she didn’t know she was carrying. He smiled back.

Their next kiss was
unhurried. They took their time tasting, exploring, and savoring the sensations they created together. But her movements had noticeably slowed.

He mentioned it. “
You’re getting tired.”

“
I am.”

Dylan
dug his heels into the mattress and thrust up, taking over as her energy waned. She was already trembling when his thumb nuzzled between her legs. Ariela shattered like glass in an earthquake and continued to shake as tremors rolled through her. Then he seized with a groan and she collapsed on top of him, utterly drained as his body gradually relaxed.

Not only could she hear his heart pounding under her ear, she could feel it. As he slowly returned to normal, she felt herself drifting off. His heartbeat was better than a lullaby.
He made it even better when he clasped his hands behind her, his elbows loose at her sides. She shifted slightly so they’d both be more comfortable then settled back down with a contented sigh. He gave her a squeeze, letting her know he was in complete agreement.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, it may have been minutes or a half-hour or more, but when Dylan stiffened under her,
Ariela’s eyes popped open in alarm. She was so startled to see Max sitting right against the edge of the bed, watching them, she dove for the sheets. Dylan turned on his side, screening her while she wondered how long the dog had been sitting there. Had he watched them do the mattress mambo?

“I think it’s our destiny to be caught,” he said with a rueful chuckle and pulled the sheet over them both. “Get out, Max. Go on.”

Max wagged his tail against the floor and looked at his master, immovable.

Dylan sighed. “I’ll bet you need to go outside.”

That got the dog up. Patting Ariela’s naked hip, Dylan got out of bed. “Be right back.”

Without putting on a stitch of clothing, he padded through the house with the dog frisking at his side.
The man seemed so casual about nudity. She’d never been that confident, that comfortable with her body. Obviously—she’d hidden from his dog! Embarrassing.

He
stopped just inside the bedroom door and looked at her with a tired smile. “Are you hungry?”

She eyed him up and down. He was framed so perfectly, not posing or on display. He was simply there, unapologetic in all his masculine glory
. She loved it.

“
Starving,” she said wickedly.

He
laughed. “You know what I mean. We managed to kill a few more hours. Now I could really go for some Chinese food.”

She loved Chinese. “I was just thinking the same thing!”

Dylan bent down and picked up her shirt, tossing it to her. “Come on. I have a monster craving for egg rolls.”

**
*

It was late Sunday morning when Ariela stretched and snaked her hand between the
sheets to touch Dylan. His side of the bed was cool and empty. Before she even had a chance to pout, she heard excitement in his voice in the next room. She rolled out of bed and stooped to picked up his discarded shirt and slipped it on, rubbing the fabric against her bare skin. Dipping her nose inside the collar, she inhaled his scent and felt an inconvenient rush of lust.

She found Dylan pacing in the kitchen, around the living room, and back into the kitchen again, the telephone to his ear, an eager look on his handsome face.

“No, we can’t risk it. Are you familiar with Scenic Lake?” Dylan paused, listening. “Right. There’s a tree straight down from where Colgate runs into Scenic Drive. Cut across to the lower walking path, and you’ll find a pretty distinctive tree, looks like the Headless Horseman looming up at you, with his arms outstretched.” Dylan laughed at what he heard. “Trust me—you’ll know it when you see it. On the backside of that tree, you’ll find a deep depression in the bark...Uh-huh. It’s about four feet up. Tuck the flash drive right in there, just far enough so it isn’t obvious. But be sure you don’t wedge it. Right, I don’t think you’d get another crack at this...Yeah.”

He
turned and gave Ariela a sexy smile when she walked over. She returned the favor, fully appreciating how his faded blue jeans hung low on his hips, leaving his tongue-worthy navel exposed. Her gaze fell to his bare toes flexing into the carpet and she laughed softly. Playfully raising his eyebrows, Dylan held out his arm in invitation. Ariela moved against him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She nuzzled his chest and sighed as his hand rode up under her hair and lightly scratched her scalp, mimicking his toes in the rug. She did a little stroking, a little scratching, of her own, finally ending at his scrumptious ass. Life couldn’t get any better.

“How soon can you get there?”
He pressed a kiss to the top of Ariela’s head then flexed his butt, giving her more to grab. Delighted, she gave him a deeper squeeze. “Mmm, sounds good. Give me a week to go over everything and double-check what I find…I know. I hear ya. Keep your head down and don’t try to contact me unless it’s important…You bet. Good luck and hey…Thanks.”

Dylan shut his phone and
she leaned back to look at him, her eyebrows raised in question.

“My mole,” he explained, sliding the phone into his front pocket. “Do you want to join me when I take Max for a
w.a.l.k. or would you rather go home instead?”

“Either way, you’re going to end up working afterwards, aren’t you?”

He smiled. “Yep.”

“And I can see you’re excited,” she said, amused and resigned.

“Sorry. This could be golden. I’m getting a full flash drive!”

“You might as well take me home. I don’t have any clean clothes, and I’m out of underwear.”

“You can always go without.”

She rose up on her toes and gave him a light kiss. “Ye
s, but how long can a woman go like that?”

“You’re asking me?
” He grinned. “Indefinitely.”

“There’s a surprise
.” She rolled of her eyes, but secretly cheered his answer. “I think we’d better get dressed.”

“One second
.” He tugged her back against him and gently brought her chin up.

She
decided he could have all the time he wanted.

Chapter 10

Dylan clipped the leash to Max’s collar and opened his car door. The dog leaped across the driver’s seat and hit the ground right behind him.

“A little impatient?” he asked the dog with a chuckle. “Come on.”

They headed across the street and cut over to the upper bike path, headed for the walking trail skirting the shoreline. Being Sunday, the park was full of people and dogs, but it was pleasant.
The temperature hovered around eighty degrees. Big, billowy clouds lumbered across the deep blue sky. He watched three kayakers on the water while Max lifted his leg on an overgrown bush. When they continued, Dylan toyed with the idea of taking up kayaking himself, now that he was home. He wondered if Ariela would consider doing it with him.

Did she even swim? Huh. There were still so many things to learn about her. He was just taking notes on her food preferences, her sleeping habits, how she preferred her coffee in the morning, and how many cups she allowed herself.

He flat out liked the woman, a lot. He liked the look of her, the smell of her, and the taste of her went right to his dick, instantly making him rock hard. Ariela was a calm person, and frankly, after everything he’d been through and seen, a little calm in the chaos was a good thing. He could relax around her. It didn’t feel like he was auditioning for something, nor was there an underlying need to prove anything.

Dylan wondered when she’d open up to him about her history. He knew she was raised by her grandmother
. When she’d shied away from the circumstances, he hadn’t pressed. He’d simply be there for her. He’d learned long ago when people were ready to talk, they usually sought him out, and it was worth the wait. He wasn’t going to push her because that would ruin the comfort level they’d found together.

Seeing his tree coming up,
he scanned the area, assuring himself no one was in the immediate vicinity. Feeling safe to proceed, he coaxed Max over to the tree. While the dog lifted his leg, Dylan slid his fingers into the crevice in the bark and extracted the flash drive. Casually pocketing it, he drew Max back to the path.

Now they were cooking with gas.

***

Ariela was zonked out on the couch with a romantic comedy on the television when Jean got home. She sat up with a yawn and rubbed her eyes.

“What are you doing here?” Jean asked, swinging her purse by the strap onto the chair. She kicked out of her shoes and left them by the door.

“Dylan had to work, so he brought me back.” Ariela stretched and groaned. “I can’t believe I fell asleep. And this is my favorite movie too.”

Jean smiled. “Catching up?”

“Must be.”
Ariela gave another big yawn and stood. “Where’ve you been?”

“At Ron’s parents’ place.
It was his uncle’s birthday. There was cake and mind-numbing conversation. Your couch is looking good to me about now.”

Ariela turned on her way to the kitchen to ask, “You trying to earn points with his family?”

“No need. They love me.”

“You’re good together.” Ariela shuffled
into the kitchen to stare into the refrigerator. “You hungry?”

“No. But I wouldn’t mind something to drink.”

“I’m grabbing a root beer. Want one?”

“Sure.”

Ariela grabbed two and closed the door with a rattle of bottles and jars. She handed one to her friend. They both sagged against the counter and popped the tops on their cans.

When Jean came up for air, she asked, “So how’s Dylan? The luster off th
ose sapphire eyes of his yet?”

Ariela cracked a smile. “
Actually, he’s better than ever, with only one flaw.”

Jean’s eyebrow
s rose. “Oh yeah?”

“His dog.”

It was a good thing Jean had swallowed or she would have spewed root beer all over Ariela when she lost it.

Shaking with the giggles, she double-checked what she just heard.
“His
dog
?”

“Max isn’t a bad animal, but he’s just there
…all…the…time. It’s creepy.”

“Like a doggie stalker?” Jean teased.

Ariela toasted the idea. “Exactly.”

Jean scoffed at her.
“I don’t think you dislike animals as much as you claim.”

“
Don’t be so sure.”

“I know you,” Jean said firmly. “You’d be devastated if you accidentally hit a dog or cat with your car
. You’d do everything in your power to help them.”

“That’s because I object to anything suffering.”

“See? That’s what I mean. You, my dear, doth protest too strongly.”

“Believe what you want,” Ariela said carelessly
, but hid her smile behind the rim of her can.

**
*

Dylan and Max turned up at the office on Monday, just before noon. He was back to wearing his worn jeans, a T-shirt, and his dark blue hoodie, and yet, it didn’t hurt him in the least.

“What are you doing here?” Ariela asked, pleasantly surprised when he walked in.

Max made a beeline for her, straining at the leash, much to Jean’s amusement. Ariela was forced to pat the dog’s head when it landed in her lap and
he snuffled at her.

“Good boy, go away,” she said, shoving him back.

Dylan laughed and tugged him out of the way by the collar so he could take a crack at her himself. He bent down and gave her a soft, lingering kiss. “Hi,” he murmured before straightening. “We dropped by to have lunch with you, if that’s okay.” He shot a warm smile at Jean.

“Oh
, that’s nice.” Ariela came out of her chair and gave him a squeeze. “But we usually just eat sandwiches out back.”

Dylan pulled a crumpled, brown bag out of his pocket and waved it at her. “I came prepared.”

Then he noticed Max’s head, deep in Ariela’s trash can. “What are you after?”

“
I think he smells the banana peel in there,” Ariela said.

Dylan wrestled the dog away from the bin, and set it on top of her desk, safely out of reach.

“We’re officially on lunch break. The answering machine is on.” Jean pushed back from her desk and stood. “Dylan, I’m going upstairs to grab my lunch. Can I bring you a beer?”

“Sure. Thanks.” He maneuvered the dog out the back door. “We’ll meet you ladies outside.”

Ariela turned to Jean, her eyebrows raised.

Jean grinned back. “Nice surprise.”

It was the first of many casual lunch dates to follow. Whenever Ariela heard Max’s toenails scrabbling up the front steps, she’d grab her waste basket and set it up high before Max even cleared the door. It saved time. Of course, once Jean bought a box of dog biscuits for Max—that was it. He always went directly to her.

Rising
from her office chair the following Thursday, Ariela went to greet Dylan and collect her kiss. The dog broke toward Jean and she gave his ears a vigorous rub while he tried to climb into her lap for more love.

“
Down.” Laughing, she shoved Max off and brushed helplessly at her skirt. Giving up with a heavy sigh, she looked at Dylan. “I know you’ve got one.”

He grinned and dug into his jacket pocket, giving the lint roller an underhanded toss.
“Yes!” Jean cried when she caught it.

Ariela laughed at her.
“I warned you about buying those dog treats.” Then she turned back to Dylan. “How’s your reading coming along? Are your eyes crossed yet?”

He chuckled.
“Almost. This thing is a lot bigger than just Senator Norton. You wouldn’t believe the money involved. It’s incredible.”

“
This is all from that single flash drive?” asked Jean, glancing up as she peeled the used sticky paper off the roll.

“
That was just the tip of the iceberg. We’re beyond that now. I'm trying to set up an interview with someone who was there that October. He saw quite a bit. From what I’ve heard, he walked out in disgust. He’s not ready to talk yet, but I think he will.”

“
Good luck with that,” said Jean. Doubt tinged her tone. “Heads up.” She tossed the roller back to him and Dylan returned it to his pocket.

Ariela
ducked under her desk for her abandoned shoes. Wiggling into the pumps, she looked up at both of them and asked, “Are we having lunch or not?”

Outside, Jean chose to sit on the old redwood bench, leaving the back steps to Dylan and Ariela. He was one step up from her, his left leg stretched out beside her. She studied his worn
-out, grass stained, running shoe and noticed the wear in the heel. She could tell he walked on the outside of his foot. Not an important fact in the scheme of things, but it interested her.

As he tossed scraps to Max, she wondered if Dylan was satisfied
to be back. Did he find the work fulfilling enough after what he’d been doing? He was spending an awful lot of time reading. This paper trail he was following was important, no doubt, but how long before he grew bored with the work? With her? Her news that they got the Bitterstock contract and would be designing their new offices could hardly compete with political protests, clashes with militants, roadside bombings, and a country trying to rebuild itself out of the ashes. She felt like she was living on borrowed time.

Dylan tossed the last bit of crust to Max. The dog snapped it up, swallowing it whole.

“Has he ever missed?” Ariela asked.

“Not very often.”
Dylan looked at the dog and held up his empty hands. “That’s it. All gone.”

Max settled down on the grass, his chin between his front paws, and a miserable
, suffering look in his eyes. They all laughed at him.

“What a baby. You’d think you were starving him or something,” said Jean.

“And I gave him half my sandwich too,” Ariela reminded them, feeling grumpy about it all of a sudden.

Dylan gave her a tap with the outside of his leg.
“I told you not to bother.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“She’s crazy about dogs,” Jean told him, grinning at Ariela.

“I am not
,” Ariela insisted.

Dylan dropped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her back, kissing the top of her head. “She really is,” he agreed with Jean.

“I know.”

“So…
” Dylan looked over at Jean. “Any chance I can steal her away now?”

Ariela turned to scowl at him.
“Why don’t you ask me?”

He chuckled.
“Because this is more fun. I knew I’d get a rise out of you.”

“Don’t you have more reading to do?”

“Yes. But I’m taking the rest of the day off. Play hooky with me.”

It was pretty tough to withstand th
e look in his eyes. Ariela turned to Jean. “What do you think? Can you manage by yourself for the rest of the day?”

“I don’t have any off-site appointments, so yeah, I can hold down the fort.”

Dylan gave Ariela a squeeze. “Yes! Go pack a bag.” He boosted her to her feet.

Ariela grinned, shaking her head at Jean. “See what I have to put up with?”

Jean laughed. “You poor thing.”

*
**

From that day on, the only reason Ariela went back to her apartment was to change out her wardrobe. Dylan had taken to washing her laundry with his, and he’d given up a drawer for her
underwear.

When Ariela returned to Dylan
’s after work the following Friday, he was on the phone, as usual. He was always on the phone.

She stopped to give him a quick peck then walked to the bedroom, unbuttoning her blouse on the way.

He grinned when he heard her say, “Don’t get up,” to Max on her way by, her voice dripping with sarcasm. The dog never budged from his lazy sprawl on the couch.

Dylan followed her to the bedroom, barely two minutes later. Stopping right inside the open door, he leaned against the jamb and watched Ariela step out of her skirt. She laid it on the bed.

He gave her a warm smile. “I’m glad you’re home. Max missed you.”

She laughed. “Yeah, I saw that.
Any thoughts on dinner tonight?” She rolled her thigh-high hose down her legs, taking her time because she liked teasing him. He was definitely into watching.

“I’m getting a few ideas,” he said
, eying the bed behind her.

Toying with him a little more she wriggled out of her panties
next. “I’m thinking of the immediate future.”

“So am I. Can I join you in the shower?”

“You have to ask?” She shot her panties at him. He snatched them out of the air. They were still warm. He knew if he brought her underwear to his face, they’d never leave this room.

“It’s a courtesy question.”

“Yeah, you like those.” She brushed by him and turned to throw an invitation over her shoulder, crooking a finger at him. He followed.