Caution to the Wind (American Heroes)

by Mary Jean Adams

  Will closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers, letting Amanda take her time exploring him. Then his lips were on hers and he pulled her against him in an embrace that left her breathless. She entwined her fingers through his hair and held on when the room spun beneath her feet.

  Amanda swayed when he finally released her, and he gave a soft laugh when he had to steady her shoulders to keep her upright.

  Her heartbeat quickened when he reached behind her to fumble for the buttons on the back of her dress. She could feel his hands tremble. She gazed into his eyes, answering his unvoiced question, by swaying toward him until her breasts pressed against his lapels. He bent his head to kiss her again. His attention diverted, frustration welled inside her when his efforts with her buttons slowed.

  Anticipation of pleasures she could only imagine propelled her to action. Her hands went to his lapels, and she yanked his coat off his shoulders. She tugged, attempting to peel the stiff wool over his elbows while he worked the buttons on the back of her dress. Each time she yanked, his hands were pulled from their task.

  “We have to do one thing at a time, sweetheart,” he said after a moment of tugging at odds with each other.

  She stepped back while he stripped away his coat and tossed it over a chair.

  “That’s better.” She set about the buttons on his waistcoat.

  “I would have to agree.” He laughed and then worked the last of the buttons along the back of her dress before easing it off her shoulders.

  With a little more give and take, she managed to disrobe him until he wore nothing more than his linen drawers, and she, her shift.

  Shadows played across his chest in the moonlight, emphasizing deep, chiseled muscles. Even the occasional scar, pale against the darker surrounding skin, didn’t mar his near perfection. She ran the tip of her finger along one thin ridge, wondering what story lay behind it. She sighed, flattening her hand against his chest. If only she had time to learn his secrets.

  She brought her other hand to his chest and laid it against the hard, warm flesh, amazing herself with her own boldness. Amanda ran searching hands down the curves of his pectoral muscles letting his hardening male nipples scrape against her palms. She continued her path, feeling the sensitive skin pucker even further when she ran the length of her index finger along them until only the tips of her flesh made contact with his. Then she laid her hands flat and started again.

  She sensed him watching, assessing her every move while she memorized his contours. Yet, he remained so still she couldn’t even feel the rise and fall of his chest beneath her hands.

  What did he think about her actions? Did he consider her boldness a character flaw? Many men would. Would he stop her if she went further?

  Needing to taste as well as to touch, she bent forward and flicked one of his nipples with her tongue, smiling against his puckered skin when he released a shuddering breath. She had no idea what made her do such a thing, but given his response, she might do it again if she had the chance. For now, however, her eagerness to explore the rest of him drove her on. She needed to burn the texture of his skin, the shape of his body, the taste of his lips into a memory that would last the rest of her life.

  Amanda trailed her hands lower, fascinated by the tautness of the muscles of his abdomen and the contrast of his hard body to hers. She traced the trail of dark curls that ran down his core, then flattened her hands again and ran them out to his sides until his hip bones were nestled in the palms of her hands and the tips of her fingers lay against the hollow of his buttocks.

  It took only a gentle tug to bring Will’s hips to hers, the bulge of his arousal against the flat softness of her belly. The fabric of their undergarments the only barrier between them, she molded herself to him, increasing the pressure and reveling in his answer to her.

  He made a guttural sound in the back of his throat, and she eased the pressure, lifting her eyes to search his face. Had she hurt him in her inexperience?

  His pupils were dilated, and sparks danced within as golden eyes caught the rays of dappled moonlight. His gaze held no pain, only a hunger that sent a shudder coursing to her toes. He flashed a grin, teeth glimmering in the moonlight and reminding her that although he appeared docile, she had awakened the wolf. Had she any desire to escape, her opportunity had passed some time ago.

  Her eyes locked on his, she bunched her shift in her fists, pulled it over her head and tossed it to the floor. She willed herself to stand before him, letting his gaze drift over her naked form. Only humans felt shame at their nakedness. Tonight, she would be a creature of nature, giving into her basic instincts and letting her human side deal with the consequences on the morrow. Tonight she would be the wolf’s mate, and like the wolf, he would be the only one she ever had.

  His gaze roamed over her neck and breasts. Although he didn’t touch her, a palpable heat radiated between them and her nipples puckered in response. His gaze dropped to her stomach, the juncture of her thighs, her mound covered in dark blonde curls, and down the length of her legs. Inch by slow inch, his gaze caressed her, a trail of heat rippling in its wake.

  Amanda needed more. She needed his hands on her and hers on him. She stepped forward until the crisp curls on his chest teased the very tips of her breasts. A jolt of sensation that ran from her nipples to the pit of her belly almost brought her to her knees.

  She ran her hands down his taut back, delighting as his muscles quivered beneath her palms. She could feel his strength, the same way one could sense the power of the ocean in the vibrations of a taut rope. When she reached the cotton drawers tied loosely about his hips, a wave of irritation hit her, and she an urge to tear the offending garments from him.

  “I can take them off,” Will said with a chuckle that suggested he knew what she had been contemplating.

  His words called her back from the instinctual abyss she had fallen into, but need still threatened to drag her back down. She reached for the drawstring on the front of his drawers and tugged, then tugged again. When they didn’t give way, she looked down.

  “Oh, blast it!” she muttered.

  She had managed to turn the bow into a knot and now his drawers were more securely fastened than ever. Why did he have to be one of those men who preferred to wear something under his breeches?

  Amanda tried to loosen the knot with her fingernails, but it refused to budge. Finally, she bent her head and nipped at the knot with her teeth. Beneath her cheek, Will’s stomach shook with barely contained laughter.

  “Oh, shhtop it,” she said, his drawstring ensnared between her front teeth.

  He held his laughter in check, but while she bent over him, working the stubborn knot loose with her canines, he let his hands roam over her back. She twitched when he inched his hands up over her sides and twisted her torso away when he lingered on a ticklish spot.

  She straightened and glared at him. “Do you want out of these or not? I fear I’ve managed to tie a knot more secure than any sailor in the history of seamanship.”

  Will laughed. “You tied a decent knot? That would be a first. Still, I won’t interfere with your efforts.”

  She looked into his eyes. They were still dark with need, but laugh lines radiated from the corners. Somehow, laughter in the most intimate of moments only heightened her passion.

  “All right, then.” She lowered her mouth to his drawstring again, worked the knot until it loosened between her teeth, and then drew the strings open.

  “Ahh, sweet freedom.” He laughed, stripping off his undergarments. “Would you like to continue your exploration?” Will stood with his arms at his sides. His eyes glowed in the darkness.

  Amanda let her gaze travel down the dark line of hair on his belly past his angular hipbones to the dark thatch of hair surrounding his manhood. He looked bigger than she had imagined, but then her best friend, Jenny, had assured her that men swelled to many times their normal size when aroused. She had no idea how Jenny had known this so she assumed her
fanciful friend had embellished a tale her brothers had told her. Now she wasn’t so sure.

  Will’s thick shaft stood like the bowsprit of a ship pointing proudly into the wind. Fascinated, she took a step forward.

  “Can I touch you?” she asked, her voice a raspy whisper.

  “Yes,” Will said.

  She hesitated then crossed the distance between them until his shaft met her outstretched hand. Will groaned when she curled her hand around him.

  Amanda gasped. “Did I hurt you?”

  “No.” He didn’t sound certain, so she eased her grip.

  “No,” he said again, wrapping his hand around hers, tightening her grip. He didn’t let go until she squeezed him harder.

  Will scooped Amanda into his arms and carried her to his hammock. He laid her down and then lowered himself on top of her, propping his weight onto his elbows. They looked at each other, not saying anything, both lost in the wonder of the moment.

  Amanda bit her lip.

  “Having second thoughts?” Will asked, rolling off her as much as the curved hammock would allow.

  The question startled her at first, but then she paused to consider. Tonight would change her forever. No, that wasn’t quite right. Her time aboard the Amanda and with Will had already changed her. She could never go back to the girl she had been even if she wanted to. Even if she lost her nerve and left the cabin, maidenhood intact, she would never be the same. She would forever be the wolf’s mate.

  “Not at all,” she assured him. “It’s just that I’m not certain what comes next.”

  Will threw his head back and laughed. “That hasn’t stopped you yet.” He kissed her again, taking his time, nibbling her lip.

  “Seriously, Will,” she pushed at his chest. “I have no idea what to do, and I want this to be perfect.”

  He pulled back and looked at her, stroking her cheek with his thumb. “I can’t promise perfection, but I’ll do my best.”

  The moonlight illuminated the doubt in his eyes. Had she managed to insult him? It hadn’t been her intention.

  “No, I meant I want to be perfect for you,” she explained.

  “You already are.” He placed a light kiss on top of her forehead.

  Will nibbled a line of kisses from her ear to her collarbone, and she arched her neck to give him better access. She smoothed her hands along his back, marveling in the curve of hard muscle covered by soft skin and the occasional raised ridge that signified yet another scar.

  Will teased one nipple, rubbing the little pink nub with his palm. Amanda gasped again when another jolt of energy coursed from her breast all the way down to the juncture of her thighs, pushing her knees apart with its force.

  This was her night, her one night, and she would leave nothing unexplored, nothing unoffered. She ran her hands down his sides to his buttocks and pulled him to her as she ground her hips against him. Will gave a primal sound signaling the one need even greater than the need for food, the need for one’s mate.

  She circled her hands to the front of his hips and worked her hand between them. He lifted his hips to give her greater access. She continued the exploration, reaching for his manhood and grasped him. Amanda stroked the head with her thumb, marveling at the silky feel of the skin, the pulsing heat beneath her palm.

  “Hey, now. You start doing that and this will be over before it begins.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Amanda said, embarrassed to have done something so obviously wrong. “I told you I didn’t know what to do.”

  “That’s not what I meant. I am already on the brink from having you under me, and that may be more than I can take.”

  “Oh. Then would this be too much?” Amanda giggled and ran a foot up the length of his leg.

  When her toe trailed past the back of his knee, her hips splayed beneath his. Palms flat against his buttocks, she pulled him snuggly against her.

  The tip of him pressed against her tender flesh. Warm moisture allowed him to slide inside her with ease, yet he held back. Will grunted and raised himself on his knees, straddling one of her legs. Amanda glanced up in confusion, wondering what she had done to make him pull away.

  He bent forward to kiss her, and the confusion was forgotten when his tongue tangled with hers. He pushed forward, his hard thigh covered by soft springy curls fueling the fires within. Without shame or regard for her own modesty, she shifted so that her soft folds opened to expose the sensitive nub between them.

  Will gave an amused chuckle and reached between them to stroke her more effectively with his thumb. Was he laughing at her again? Amanda no longer cared.

  Will rolled off her and onto his side, even as his hand remained in contact with her. He continued to drive her to distraction with his thumb before parting the folds between her legs and gently inserting the tip of one finger. Amanda arched her back when he stroked her inner core.

  Lost in a sea of sensation, her own soft moans reached her ears as if from a distance. She rode a wave of pleasure to its crest. In a brief moment of sanity, she cracked one eye open to gauge his reaction to her uninhibited response. Will had his head propped on one hand, his torso supported by one elbow while he made love to her with his other hand. His eyes glowed like golden embers, but his wolfish grin told her he enjoyed this.

  The muscles in her abdomen, and those even deeper within, clenched. The intensity of the spasms made her gasp for air. “Will,” she called his name, her voice hoarse, “I don’t think I can do this anymore.”

  “You want me to stop?” Will’s hand stilled.

  “Yes,” she said, propping herself up on her elbows. “I mean no. I mean...”

  “I know what you mean.” He lowered her onto her back and rolled on top of her. He kissed her neck, then settled his knees between her thighs, forcing them open. He lifted his face and looked into her eyes. “Are you frightened?”

  Amanda shook her head as she bit her lip. Perhaps she was, but not because of what they were about to share and certainly not of him. However, knowing that she might not be able to make this night last the rest of her life terrified her. She would always remember him and this moment, but she now understood that, once she fully gave herself to him, she would be more lost than ever without him. She would be that lonely old woman at the bedroom window, but at least that woman would have her memories to sustain her.

  Will searched her face, and she sensed he needed her assent. The controlled captain had won out, for the moment, over the wolf within. He would send her on her way with no questions asked should she request it. Not trusting her own voice, she smiled her consent before his honorable instincts could assert complete control of him and she lost him forever.

  “Wrap your legs around me, my love,” he said, and she obeyed.

  Never taking his eyes off hers, Will reached down and parted her gently with his fingers before entering her slowly and cautiously. Amanda willed herself to breath lest she pass out and end the evening prematurely. Then Will thrust forward with his hips and easily broke the thin barrier between them.

  In an instinctive reaction to the invasion, every muscle in her body tightened. Above, Will’s body tensed as well.

  “Still doing all right?” he asked a moment later, his breath rustling the curls against her ear.

  His voice was tight as though it took great effort to hold himself back. She nodded and he thrust his hips forward then retreated in a slow motion that, at first, matched the rocking of the ship, then in a faster, almost desperate rhythm. To compensate for the curve of the hammock and his lack of leverage, he rolled onto his side and pulled Amanda along with him, and used the strength of his arms as much as his legs to time her movements to his. Amanda gasped when he thrust deeper, filling her completely.

  Amanda could sense Will watching her, measuring her response. She knew he would stop if she gave him the slightest sign. It bothered her that at this moment he could maintain that much control over his own desire.

  Then her own rational mind deserted her. S
he reveled in the feel of the muscles of his back and hips working in rhythm under her hands. She slid her palms over them, pulling him to her. With each thrust, Amanda became more aware of her physical being and her surroundings faded until she and Will were all that remained.

  Will shut his eyes, and a fierce look of concentration washed over his chiseled features. When he quickened his pace, she stopped her exploration and reached up to grab his shoulders. Will’s body thrust against hers, her body responding in kind, the two of them setting the hammock in motion. Her inner core trembled, and reason left her completely.

  Will tightened his grip around her and deepened his thrusts, digging his fingers into her hips, straining against her. Then he stilled. His forearms wrapped around her back, his hands gripping her shoulders as though he too were trying to hold himself steady against the waves. He leaned forward, rested his forehead on her shoulder, and released a shuddering breath.

  They lay, mingled together, for a few more minutes before Will withdrew. Then he put his arm around her waist and drew her to him, her backside nestled against his hips. Amanda sighed her contentment when he drew his quilt over them.

  The hammock, once again swung in time to the gentle rocking of the ship, and Amanda melted into it, into him. Gradually, her awareness of the night noises that surrounded them returned, the creaking of the timbers, her snoring shipmates, the sound of the city just yards away. The warmth of his chest against her back seeped into her, and sleep beckoned her into its depths.

  “Will,” she said in a hoarse whisper, feeling a desperate need to take full advantage of her final moments of consciousness.

  “Hmmm.” His sleepy murmur made her wonder if she hadn’t lost her last opportunity.

  Before she gave into her own need to sleep, she let the words spill from her lips. “I love you,” she whispered.

  Tears stung the back of her eyelids. She might have put these final blissful moments to better use by bidding him farewell.