Breath of Magic

by Regina Carlysle

  Liza’s muscles tensed in anticipation and she prayed with everything in her that he couldn’t know what looking at him did to her. This was a mistake on so many levels. But God! She’d never been able to resist Ty Blackwell. He was bronze and dark and so ripped with muscle, he made her mouth water. Hastily she flicked her tongue across her lower lip as she took in the mounds of his sculpted chest. It was lightly smattered with dark, crisp hair that flared across his pecs then thinned to arrow down, bisecting his torso to disappear into the waistband of worn denim. His profession hadn’t softened him a bit. Lean yet muscular he was a man who looked as spectacular in jeans as he did in a suit. When he smiled, a deep and sexy dimple popped out near the corner of his scrumptious lips. He wasn’t smiling now. His face was hard with passion, a tiny muscle jumped in his jaw as if he were holding himself back with every ounce of control he possessed.

  Oh, she knew all about control. It was the very thing that had deserted her from the moment she looked into those drenched chocolate-colored eyes of his.

  Yep. She was a goner.

  Ty held her gaze as he unsnapped and unzipped his jeans. She’d almost forgotten that country lawyers tended toward the ultra casual when not in court but that suited her just fine. Lordy, he looked good in worn denim. Without moving his eyes from hers, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a condom. One side of his mouth lifted in a naughty half-smile as he tossed it casually to the desktop where it landed near her hip.

  “I was ready for you, Liza Lou.”

  “Bet you think I’m easy.”

  “There’s nothing easy about you, darlin’,” he said as he pushed the jeans and his pristine white briefs together past his hips.

  “Ah, man.” Liza practically moaned the words as she got an eyeful of his cock, rising high and hard from the nest of black hair at his groin. Ty was a real-life, honest to God refresher course in male beauty. Was he bigger than she remembered? Oh yeah. Maybe he was. His erection was thick and ripe with color, distended veins coursing the length of him as if pointing straight to the heavy, broad plum-shaped head. Liza’s mouth went dry as she recalled the wonderful masculine taste of him.

  She wanted to reach out for it. She wanted to stroke him and take him in her mouth but he didn’t give her a chance. With a low sound, Ty leaned over and took the front of her thong between his teeth and slowly, tantalizingly pulled it from her body. Finally, he took the garment in his hand and rubbed the drenched cloth against his chest.

  Liza gasped. She’d never known a naughtier man.

  “Don’t look scandalized, Counselor,” he drawled slowly. “I love the way you smell when you’re hot. I want your scent all over me.”

  “You’re bad.” She whispered the words wanting to be shocked but instead her body pulsed in a wild, untamed rhythm. “I should go.”

  Ty shook his head. “Uh-uh. You want bad so much you can taste it and I’m gonna give it to you.”

  Holding her gaze, he took her knees and spread her wide then looked down and went completely still. His breathing sounded stark in the winter quiet. “You make me ache,” he murmured.

  Bending low, he lashed his tongue down her center, flicked her clit several delicious times, then buried his face against her belly. He inhaled deeply as if drinking in her scent and Liza knew he’d meant what he’d said. He loved the way she smelled when she was hot for him. A low pulsing got harder and stronger deep inside her and she felt the steady flow of moisture pool between her thighs. She bit her lip to keep from crying out and laying her awesome need out there for him to see. He was too cocky and sure of himself where she was concerned but, dear God, she wanted to cry and scream and beg for him to take her.

  His fingers speared deep through pulsing, drenched flesh as he buried his lips against her breast. “Do you know how long I’ve waited to get you like this? Do you?”

  “N-no.”

  “You’d have no way of knowing how many years I’ve waited for you to come through that door looking like a sweet, sexy dream. And here you are.”

  Liza wanted to say something snotty. She really did but she was paralyzed with lust. His finger plunged and retreated, plying her with wicked intent and she was simply lost. Dear God! She shouldn’t have come because now she’d never want to leave. Finally, she gave in and moaned low. Her head dropped back as if too heavy for her shoulders as he sucked a nipple deep and finger-fucked her. Liza’s hips writhed against his touch. Needing something firmer, harder…more, she lifted her legs and propped her feet on the edge of the desk. Naughty. Bad. Oh so good! Heck yeah!

  Ty groaned, cursed vilely and plunged his fingers harder before withdrawing.

  Helplessly, she cried out when he stopped but then she heard the small sound. Opening her eyes, she watched him roll the protection into place. “Yes,” she breathed.

  She watched him take his stiff cock into his fist and place it at the entrance to her body. She held her breath, wanting him, aching for him. The firm head breached her then inched in slowly. Lord, she’d forgotten how big he was, what a tight fit he’d always been inside her and now, for the first time she realized that no one since Ty had really done it for her. So tight. So hard. He inched deep until he was seated to the hilt.

  “Ty.”

  “Right here, sugar,” he muttered low. “We’re going for a little ride. I’m gonna ride you long and deep. Just the way we both like it. You want that, Liza?”

  “Umm. Yeah. God, Tyler. God.”

  He pushed deep and retreated as Liza felt her body squeeze and hold on for dear life. It was as if she felt just everything. Every bit of silky flesh, every ridge, every pulse that throbbed through his flesh and into hers. The exquisite pleasure was so delicious she writhed against him wanting to get closer. As if sensing her need, he gripped her bent knees and pushed them up toward her chest.

  “Hell, yeah.” Ty groaned the words. Liza opened her eyes and saw that he was as lost in the moment as she was. His eyes were closed, giving her a glimpse of black lashes, so thick they seemed to tangle at the ends. He was a seriously delicious man who fucked her so sweetly she’d be perfectly happy to stay this way forever but the current urgency wouldn’t allow it. With her knees tucked up high, he took his body even deeper and Liza’s body spasmed over the length of his cock. Yes. Yes. Yes.

  When Ty rotated his pelvis, rubbing her clit repeatedly, she cried out and clasped his shaft harder needing every bit of him thrusting deep. “More,” she whispered as she reached out to clutch the muscles of his back. “Give me more.”

  Intensifying his thrusts he pounded her hard and deep. So hard it was a wonder her butt didn’t make an imprint on his beautiful walnut desk. And then it hit. Suddenly. Without warning. A wave of heady pleasure held her captive on the sharp edge of release. Above her Ty stilled. His eyes opened to focus on her. “Look at me when I’m fucking you, Liza.”

  “Yes.”

  With a low sound, he drew back and plunged hard and fast, sweeping her up on a current of lust she hadn’t experienced since the last night she’d spent with him. Out of control, she cried out. Clinging frantically, she finally she let go only to be swept up and out in a constantly spinning kaleidoscope of light and color. Above her, Ty made a sound and stiffened, his beautiful bottom lip went lax as he blasted his release and sank against her.

  Ty let her knees go and drew her up into his arms, against his chest. Liza could feel the pounding of his heartbeat thump in tandem with hers. It was as if they’d run a race where both parties were the winner. Yep. They were the blue ribbon winners of hot, down and dirty sexual intercourse.

  She shouldn’t do it but she held him tighter. Damn it, he just felt so right lying here panting on top of her. It felt natural to lay here on his desk sweating in the middle of a cold December day after a bout of wild, monkey sex for old times’ sake. Crazy. Yeah, Ty was crazy but she was worse. What in the hell was she thinking?

  Ty buried his warm face against her throat and kissed her, nipped her and then laved
the spot with his tongue. “Come back tonight, Liza,” he said. “I’ll cook for you. We can talk.”

  “I shouldn’t.”

  He stilled then went up on an elbow to look down at her. “Yes, sweetheart, you should. Aren’t you tired of running away from me? Or are you a coward?”

  * * * * *

  By the time she pulled up in front of the ranch house she felt emotionally shredded and was more confused than she’d ever been in her life. Everything, her entire future, was laid out perfectly in front of her. Her career and the partnership were in Dallas. She owned a beautiful house but after seeing Ty, letting him touch her, she wondered how those other things could ever be enough again.

  How could she have let her heart overrule her competent brain and let herself go with him? Again.

  She turned off the car and tilted the mirror toward her face. With hands that trembled, Liza swept her fingers through her hair and got a good look. Shit. Her eyes seemed almost slumberous with the aftereffects of great sex and her lips were red and puffy. Turning the mirror back in place, she closed her eyes and relived every second of the past few hours. It was a dangerous game she was playing with her heart and she was too smart to let him back into her life. So what had she been thinking when Ty accused her of cowardice? Truth was, she hadn’t been thinking at all. He had her right when he wanted her and he knew it.

  Dragging in a breath, Liza grabbed up her purse and unhitched herself from the seatbelt. Once she’d stepped out into the unusually cool December air, she spotted Jenna snapping pictures of the old house. Her sister lowered the camera and smiled brightly.

  “Hey! How’d it g—” Jenna went completely still and her eyes widened. “Um…never mind. You look like you’ve been—”

  “Screwed brainless? Had?” Liza shook her head and laughed, the sound of it seeming bitter to her own ears.

  “Ah, honey. I was afraid something like this might happen once you saw Tyler again. You two were always downright combustible. You okay?”

  Liza dragged herself over to the front steps and sank down, feeling tired and pissed at herself and confused. She wasn’t as tough as everyone thought. Yeah, she was a complete phony. Jenna sat next to her and pulled the camera strap over her head then set the camera aside. Instantly, Jenna’s arm was around her and she’d pulled Liza in for a hug.

  Liza almost lost it then and there. Tears burned behind her eyes.

  “What happened? I mean, besides the hot sex?”

  “I fell apart. That’s what happened.” Liza looked up at Jenna, saw her concern and mustered up a smile. “All he had to do was open the door and I was dead meat. Damn it. He’s gorgeous, sexy, smart. Everything I’ve always wanted in a man but—”

  “But?”

  She shook her head. “I have my whole life mapped out, Jen. He’s always preferred small town life and I just don’t know if that’s what I want. There’s history with us and some of it wasn’t good.”

  “You never told me what happened with you two. One minute you were together, getting close to finishing your law degrees. We all thought you had a future and then you suddenly transferred to Baylor Law School.” Jenna withdrew her arm and leaned back to look at her. “Maddie thought maybe another woman was involved. Was she right? I’ve gotta admit, I find it hard to believe. Tyler has worshipped at your feet since high school. He never looked at anyone else.”

  A flash of insight moved through her. Being here with her sisters for the holidays just made everything seem clearer. She loved them both and needed them in her life. They gave her friendship and balance and loved her despite her flaws. Why didn’t she confide more? And why not now?

  She smoothed her hands over the fabric of her slacks and frowned. “You know I’m not impulsive.”

  Jenna snorted. “Gee. Ya think?”

  Liza smiled and continued. “We were in a study group. Pretty common with law school students. Almost a necessity. Solange Garza was the only other woman in the group and man, did she ever have eyes for Tyler. He never seemed to notice her that way so I blew it off.”

  “Are you telling me this Solange woman broke you up? Did Ty cheat on you?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t think so now but I did then. The day I found out, I was in kind of a pissy mood anyway. When I got to Ty’s place, Solange answered the door wearing nothing but her bra and a skirt.”

  “What the hell?” Jenna’s electric blue eyes flashed retribution.

  “I was so shocked I didn’t know what to say. I must have looked pretty dumb standing there with my mouth hanging open like a damn carp. And then, Ty came around the corner looking fresh from a shower. His hair was wet.” She swallowed hard. “I felt like I’d been slapped but looking back, I wonder if there wasn’t a huge mistake. He looked so surprised to see me but then he stared at Solange strangely. Over the years I’ve mulled the confrontation over in my head a million times but I keep wondering if I had it all wrong.”

  Jenna snorted again. “Sounds like you got it right. I would’ve jumped to the same conclusion. Hey, you want me to kick his ass for you, sis?”

  Laughing, she shook her head. “Water under the bridge, hon, but thanks for being willing to put up your dukes for me. I’d do the same for you.”

  Jenna reached out and hugged her hard. “I know. That’s what sisters do. Have you thought maybe you ought to find out the truth, see if there’s a future for you guys?”

  “No,” she sighed as her heart squeezed in a painful rhythm. “Today he accused me of running from him and maybe I’m through with that but, no, too much time has passed for us to find anything real and solid. I’m a city girl now and he belongs right here in Melbourne.”

  “Lord, you’re stubborn.”

  “That’s what you and Maddie keep telling me.” Liza gathered herself and stood, picking up the purse she’d set on the step. “I’ll figure it out. Maybe it was all a horrible misunderstanding but once trust is broken, it’s as hard as hell to get it back. I’ll go over to his place tonight but I’m not that green, trusting girl anymore. I’ll be careful. Keep it casual.”

  Jenna sent her eyes skimming over her and grinned. “Yeah. Well, good luck with that, hon.”

  Chapter Three

  It was unseasonably cold in this part of the world, even for December. Tyler had built a low-burning fire in the fireplace and cranked up the heat but he generated his own kind of warmth and it settled over Liza like a cozy blanket. If she had any sense at all, she’d get out of here while she could. Right now she was hanging onto her composure by an itty bitty thread. The weather was going to get worse not better and she could get stuck here. Night had settled, dark and wintry, over them as sleet pinged and popped against the windows. Ty had been quiet, almost watchful when she’d arrived at his place around seven but he hadn’t given her time to get all weird on him.

  Once he took her coat, he’d drawn her in, wrapped her up in his arms and taken her mouth like a starving man. She tried not to respond. She really did, but it was no use. Being held by him, kissed by him was like coming home and she’d simply melted. She was over that now. Yep. Caution was her middle name, so they’d spent the past hour sipping wine, talking about small town people they’d grown up with and what they were doing now. Just gossip and catching up.

  Standing by a wide bay window in the living room, she held the stem of her glass. It was really coming down. The sleet and rain. Christmas lights strung on neighboring houses painted the wet street with splashes of color. Beautiful. Smoky jazz sifted through Ty’s CD player with warm, gentle notes.

  She jumped a little when Ty came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder but then she smiled at him when he held out a half empty bottle of chardonnay and poured her a bit more wine. “Thanks. Um. This is nice,” she said sending her gaze back to the street outside. “I’d almost forgotten how sweet a small town Christmas could be.”

  “Come on. It’s cold standing here by this big window. Let me get you warm.”

  “Sounds li
ke you have plans.”

  He smiled. “I always have a plan.” Taking her elbow, he guided her to the enormous overstuffed couch that faced the crackling fire. She sat, sipping her wine while he turned back to the fireplace and stabbed at the logs with a poker.

  “Hmm. That’s what I’m afraid of. You know I shouldn’t be here. I came over tonight against my better judgment.”

  Finally, he turned. Backlit by the fire he looked like a dreamy Christmas wish come true. Worn denim suited him and if she didn’t know better she’d think him the perfect vision of a hotter than hell Texas cowboy. He wore his shirt untucked and casual with the sleeves rolled up a bit, showing off strong forearms. How a man could look so tan and healthy in the dead of winter was beyond her. She sipped her drink to hide her reaction.

  “Your instincts have pretty much always been good. I can think of a few exceptions but not many,” he said when he joined her on the couch. Reaching out, he put an arm around her shoulders and tucked her close. “I’m glad you’re home and you’re here with me.”

  “Where I belong?”

  “You know it. You’ve always belonged here but you’re just too stubborn to admit it. There’s something to be said for roots and the Woodwards have had them firmly planted here for generations.” Ty reached up to idly play with her hair and she just melted. Nostalgia filled her heart and mind reminding her of the way he’d done this very thing in the past. Those familiar and never forgotten touches would be her undoing and though she wanted to fight his nearness, she couldn’t.

  Sighing deeply, she leaned her head against his sturdy shoulder and sent her gaze skimming the lovely room. “Mmm. All you need is a tree, Tyler. That one lonely poinsettia just doesn’t quite cut it.”

  Together they glanced over at a table beneath a window where the enormous flowering plant set. “Pitiful attempt at seasonal decorating but hey, I’m a guy. One of these days, things might be different. Maybe I just need a woman’s touch around here.”