Once Tempted (25 page)

C
OLD DARKNESS ENVELOPED
them. Or maybe it just seemed cold because her body was flushed with arousal. She wasn’t wearing a coat, and her skin, already tingly with excitement, broke out in goose bumps. Her breasts, tight and achy from rubbing against the lace of her bra with each hurried step she took, distracted her the most. She bit her lip hard to keep from whimpering.

“Are we marching off to battle?” Please let him think it was the maniacal pace he was setting that made her breathless.

He stopped abruptly and managed a laugh. “Sorry, it’s just—ah, the hell with it.” And he hauled her into his arms, his mouth swooping down and claiming her.

As a first kiss it was brutal. Raw. And absolutely wonderful. His mouth was hot, a fiery explosion of need that drove away the chill and had her pressing against him, opening her mouth wider and tangling her tongue with his, seeking, demanding all he could give her.

He responded with a low growl of approval, and pulled her even closer. Tess could feel the frantic pounding of his heart. It beat in time to hers. When at last they separated, their mingled breath formed a cloud of desire in the dark night.

“Wow.” Dazed, it was all she could manage.

“Yeah. Your place or mine?”

“Yours.” She made an effort to pull her thoughts together. “Your bed is bound to be bigger.”

“Have I told you I like the way your mind works?” He’d already resumed walking, moving at the same urgent clip as before, practically towing her along. “I’m looking forward to discovering a whole bunch of new things to like about you.”

She tried not to trip. “Gosh, you’re really upping the stakes here. Hope you’re not going to be disappointed.” She almost managed the flip tone she normally employed. Almost but not quite. Could he detect the thread of uncertainty in it?

He paused long enough to let his gaze travel over her. Its weight caressed. If she’d been a cat, she’d have purred. As it was she had to stifle her moan.

She saw a quick flash of white as he smiled. He obviously had excellent hearing. “I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”

Ward had left a few lights on. The ranch-style house, built from timber and stone and with the same design principles as the main guest lodge and cabins, had large windows and a flowing spaciousness to it. As with the other structures on the property, it pleased the eye.

It could have been a shack for all she cared.

Right now she had much more serious things to consider, such as how much she liked its owner. How much she liked his kisses, too, their raw power as elemental as a storm ripping through a summer sky. Their intensity left her breathless. Enthralled.

She barely noticed the softly lit living room decorated with comfortable-looking armchairs and a matching sofa, or the large stone fireplace. Ward didn’t seem interested
in showing the space off, either. His hand wrapped about hers, he marched her past it and into the adjacent room. His bedroom. A flick of the switch on the wall illuminated two lamps on either side of a massive platform bed.

Given the speed at which Ward was operating, she knew that he could have them naked and entwined on that slate blue comforter in a few deftly orchestrated seconds.

He turned, and she knew he was going to kiss her again and that if he did, the tempest that was Ward’s touch would sweep her up and she’d be lost. Perhaps even more thoroughly lost than when David entered her life.

Her raised hand stayed him. She needed to lay down the ground rules. Make him understand. Otherwise there’d be no way she could do this.

“Listen. I haven’t done this in a while. Not since David. I should have, but I didn’t.”

He raised a dark brow in surprise. “Should have?”

“Yeah. When our marriage went bad, when David left, I was thrown off balance for a while.” No need to go into the details of her crying jags, the terrible confusion, and the despondence of those early days. “So I didn’t want to get involved.” Her attempt at a casual shrug failed. It was as jerky as a marionette being ruthlessly yanked. “And when David got sick, and called me from the hospital, when he slipped into a coma, well, that was a terrible period. I was with him in the hospital, but I wasn’t the same person he’d married. I couldn’t be. After he died, I just wanted to escape, leave everything that had happened far behind.”

“I can’t imagine what you went through. I’m so sorry,” he said as he raised his hand and cupped the side of her face. The tenderness of his gesture made her heart
ache and swell with sudden yearning. She ignored it. To give in to silly romantic desires would be disastrous.

Physical, she reminded herself. She had to keep this physical.

“Ward, I didn’t tell you this to have you feel sorry for me. That’s the last thing I want. What I need is for you to understand that I’m not looking for anything serious or permanent. I’m not looking for love. I don’t need any promises.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “I just want this.” She laid her hand over his and drew it down to her breast.

His eyes held hers for a long moment. She met his gaze squarely, and stiffened her spine so she wouldn’t tremble.

It must have convinced him. He gave a sweetly crooked smile. “Okay. I think I can work with that.”

He closed his fingers, kneading her breast lightly, sending lightning shooting through her. The moan that tumbled from her lips was caught as he covered them with his own. His tongue entered, rubbing, circling, arousing her beyond belief. With his free arm he drew her flush against the hard muscled length of him. Like a brand, he seared her, body and soul, marking her as his.

She’d seen ample evidence of his clever and quick hands. It shouldn’t have surprised her when her blouse and skirt fell to the floor without her even noticing that he’d been working the buttons and fastenings. Caught in the raw pleasure of his kisses and the roaming caresses of his hands as he stroked her and fondled her, she simply accepted her extraordinary good luck at being with a man blessed with superior moves. She kissed him like she was starving.

But then he stepped back, and the absence of his hands on her made her body shake from want. Her aching nipples, pebble-hard, strained against the lace of her bra, begging for his touch.

He took his time, looking his fill. The bright gold glitter
in his eyes told her he approved of the deep lavender bra and matching panties she’d chosen. Slowly his gaze traveled down her legs to the cowboy boots she’d elected to wear. She’d told herself that the boots would be super comfortable to cook in but as she’d pulled them on before heading to the main lodge, she’d acknowledged the truth. She was wearing them for him.

His smile was wolfish. Hungry and ever so predatory. And for the first time since coming here she wasn’t in the least freaked out at being in the presence of a wild animal.

“Very nice.” Even as he spoke his long fingers skimmed the valley between her breasts and found the bra’s front clasp. A
click
and it opened. Slowly his fingers trailed over her skin to drag the satin straps off her shoulders. The bra fell away.

“Very, very nice.” His quiet voice was a husky rasp, low and thrilling. “You’re even more beautiful than I imagined.” His hands cupped her breasts, and, at his touch, she groaned aloud. His smile widened, white and wicked. Slowly he lowered his head, bringing his mouth to her aching nipple. He suckled, drawing it deep into his mouth, scoring its tight bud with his teeth, and then lavished the same exquisite care on her other breast. She arched, crying as pleasure pooled deep inside her, as her muscles quivered with arousal.

As he drove her wild with his tongue and teeth, raining kisses over her, Ward’s fingers slipped inside the elastic band of her panties. Inch by inch he dragged the lacy material down her legs. Crouching, he guided the panties over her boots, held her as she stepped out of them, and tossed them away.

Rocking back on his heels, he studied her. There was no way she could quiet her heaving breasts. Or stop her body from trembling, silently begging for the caress of his hands, the wet heat of his mouth. Impossible. She needed him so.

He didn’t seem to mind. “You know, I think we’ve moved beyond nice to mind-blowing,” he said in a low-pitched voice that caressed like velvet. “We’ll leave the boots on … for now.”

He walked her back to the bed, an erotic waltz in which the fabric of his clothes brushed her naked body. Each graze ratcheted up her arousal. Heat pulsed in her core as everything inside her tightened and throbbed in reckless want.

The backs of her knees met the padded edge of the bed.

Exquisite though it would have been to let herself fall backward and have Ward follow her down onto the mattress and continue his sensual torment, she stopped. “My turn.”

For a second she thought he might continue with his expert seduction. Then he smiled a crooked, beautiful smile. “Far be it from me to argue with a naked lady.”

She laughed, grateful that he was funny and smart. And, as she went to work on the serious mission of getting Ward even more naked than she was—because she was determined to divest him of every article of clothing—she added “completely gorgeous” and “outrageously sexy” to the list of things to be thankful for.

Unbuttoning his shirt, she dragged it off him, then paused in hushed appreciation. There was something to be said for the country life. Muscles sculpted from ranch work contoured his broad shoulders, molded his chest, and created mouthwatering ridges down his abdomen.

Then she saw the scar. A jagged, puckered line, it ran down his side and toward his navel. It was thick and hideous looking and at the sight of it an invisible fist squeezed her heart. Reid hadn’t exaggerated. Had the blade from that hopped-up gang member sliced any deeper, this amazing man would probably have died.

She traced the horrid thing with her finger. “This must have hurt.”

His breath whistled as his abdominals jumped beneath the pad of her finger. “Like hell. But I was very brave.”

She swallowed but couldn’t manage the same light tone. “No doubt. You got this when you came to Brian’s rescue, right?”

“Someone told you, huh? Figures.” He gave a slight, impatient shake of his head. “Look, it happened a long time ago. I’m fine. I’ve even been told by Quinn that the scar lends character. The ladies seem to agree. They’re all quite impressed.”

She recognized the distraction for what it was. After all, she was an expert at avoiding certain topics. But because she was feeling very indulgent, she decided to let him think he’d succeeded. “They are, are they?” She arched her brows.

“Mmm-hmm, though I like to think that the scar’s not the only thing that impresses them.”

She let her gaze travel over his naked torso. No, it wouldn’t be. For Pete’s sake, the trail of dark hair that began just below his navel and disappeared behind the waist of his trousers was enough to make her knees go weak. “Well, I guess I’ll have to take a closer look and see whether I can discover anything remotely impressive about you.”

“I was hoping you’d say that. And, sweetheart, I think you’ll find it’s close at hand.”

“Oh, yeah? Would that be this hand?” She let her fingers travel down the silky dark line that bisected his abs.

“You’re on the right track.”

“I think I’ll be the judge of that.” Reaching his belt buckle, she flicked it open and then drew the zipper of his trousers down, letting her knuckles rub the rigid length of his erection.

Ward’s ragged groan was the sweetest sound.

His penis was clearly delineated. Thick and long, it strained against the cotton of his black briefs. Her breath grew shallow. With a yank she pulled the waistband of his trousers down his lean hips.

“Impatient?” he asked, a hint of laughter in his voice.

“Yes. Do you have a problem with that?”

“Can’t say I do. I’m feeling a little desperate myself. Here,” he said and began helping her, shucking off his boots and socks then his trousers and briefs with a speed that would have been comical if it weren’t so gratifying. So very gratifying.

Eager and proud, his penis jutted out. In response her body grew wet and tight and needy. She wanted him inside her, deep inside her, filling her.

She reached out to stroke him, but he stopped her with a rueful shake of his head. “Sorry, Tess, but I’m on a really short fuse here. Touch me and I’ll explode.”

“Really?” She loved the idea that he was this aroused. “That might be fun.”

“This will be a lot more fun, I guarantee.” He pushed her lightly and, as she fell onto the bed, followed her down. Their bodies met in a kiss of heated flesh that left them both moaning.

“Hello, you,” he said as he settled his hard length over her.

The alignment was near perfect.

“So glad we could meet this way.” She wiggled just a little so his shaft pressed against the juncture of her thighs. He gave a strangled curse and closed his eyes for a moment.

When he opened them again, they burned with intensity. “I think it’s time we get to know each other better.” He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her slowly, thoroughly, as he rocked his hips, rubbing his shaft against her clitoris. “Lots better.”

She ran her palms over the taut muscles of his butt, urging him closer. “That would be nice. Do you have anything particular in mind?” Lord, he had a really fine ass.

His kiss turned rougher, a little wild with need, and that was really fine, too, she thought. When his hands moved to her breasts, cupping and squeezing, and teasing their tight sensitive peaks, she pretty much lost all ability to think. Except to acknowledge that she’d never felt so good before or wanted someone inside her so much.

Trailing his mouth along the line of her jaw to her earlobe, he caught it between his teeth and nipped the soft flesh then licked away the sting.

“Ward—” His name was a plea as her body convulsed beneath him.

“Here’s an idea.” His whisper fanned the shell of her ear. “Why don’t you lift those long legs of yours and put those cowboy boots right here?” With her legs gripping his waist, he jacked his body up to kneel on the bed. “Mmm-hmm, yeah, very nice,” he said, looking down at her naked and open to him.