* * *
In the weeks that passed, spring gave way to summer, bringing drier winds, floral aromas and warmer temperatures. But inside the cabin, Kelly's mind wasn't on the weather. The paternity test results weren't in yet, so she had yet to hear from Jason. Of course on this balmy evening, Jason wasn't occupying her thoughts, either. Shane was.
She fluffed the pillows on the sofa bed. Was it too obvious? Would he know the minute he walked through the door? She glanced over at Brianna. The child lay in a cradle swing, the tick-tock motion her latest form of therapy. The swing, of course, had come from Shane. Another generous gift that would eventually be shipped to Ohio.
Kelly turned back to the bed. She didn't want to think about going home, not now. Not while she planned a seduction.
The knock on the door nearly sent her flying out of her skin. Oh, God, was she ready? Could she really do this?
"Come in," she called out, sparing the bed one last nervous glance.
Shane entered the cabin with a smile on his face, his blue jeans fitting just right. His shirt snapped in front, the buckle on his belt fairly simple. Tonight, his clothes seemed important. And so did hers. She had chosen a cotton dress from the emporium, a cool summer print.
Suddenly he frowned at the bed. Kelly twisted her hands together.
"Have you been sleeping out here? Are you sick?" he asked.
She found her voice, grateful it wasn't as erratic as her pulse. "No. I made it up for us. I figured we could relax and watch the movie."
"Sure, that sounds good," he responded casually. "Sunshine likes her swing, huh?"
"She loves it." Kelly made her way over to her daughter. "It's about time for a bottle, though."
Shane's eyes brightened. "Can I feed her?"
Kelly smiled. "Sure."
Within minutes, the milk was warmed and Shane had Brianna settled in his arms. He sat in the chair near the fireplace, looking far too paternal. Kelly's chest constricted as she watched him. He adored her daughter, and her daughter adored him. Brianna responded to the sound of his voice, the strength of his hands. He represented the father figure in her young life, the man she expected to see.
"Sunshine's starting to doze," he said.
"She didn't nap today, so she'll probably sleep through the night." The baby's unconscious part in the seduction, Kelly decided, her nerves flaring once again.
Shane came to his feet, and Kelly took a deep breath. Seduction? That word sounded much too sultry to apply to her. Too experienced. Too worldly. Too everything, she thought, smoothing her simple cotton dress. Women who seduced wore miniskirts, push-up bras and stiletto heels.
"I'll put Sunshine to bed," he said, shifting the groggy baby.
"Thank you." Kelly kissed her daughter's forehead, then locked gazes with Shane. His eyes glittered in the pale amber light. Did he know how badly she wanted him? Could he tell?
She looked away first. "I'll fix us a snack."
As the popcorn came to life in the microwave, she poured two tall glasses of soda. After the movie, she would ask him to stay the night, share the sofa bed with her while Brianna, asleep in the other room, dreamed of teddy bears and fluffy toy cougars.
I can do this, she told herself. She needed to. Imagining Shane's breath against her cheek had become an obsession. His hands on her breasts, his tongue in her mouth, his…
"Kelly?"
She turned and spilled the soda; it splashed onto the counter in a bubbly pool, the plastic liter bottle bouncing.
"Oh, my goodness." She grabbed a towel, her hands shaky.
"Let me help." He dampened a wad of paper towels and went after the liquid that dripped onto the floor. "Are you okay?" he asked, looking up at her with those metallic eyes. "You seem kind of jumpy tonight."
I'm a basket case, she wanted to say. A woman who didn't have the slightest idea how to offer herself to the man she wanted. "I'm fine. You just startled me, that's all."
Once the spill was properly cleaned, she removed the popcorn and dumped it into a big bowl. "Are you ready for the movie?" She had rented a film Shane suggested, but doubted her scattered brain would be able to concentrate on a science fiction thriller. Two hours seemed like forever at this point, a galaxy light-years away.
He reached into the bowl. "Ready and willing."
A double entendre? Not likely, she thought. He appeared more interested in another mouthful of popcorn than in romance.
He placed their sodas on an end table, removed his boots and climbed into bed. For a moment she just stared. His skin looked dark and rich next to the crisp white sheets, his unbound hair silky against the pillow.
"Shane?"
He looked up and smiled. "Yeah?"
She stood in front of the television, holding the remote control, the VCR power light a small red dot behind her. She couldn't wait for the next galaxy, she had to do this now.
Her breath whooshed out. "I had an appointment with Dr. Lanigan today."
He leaned forward, concern creasing his brow. "Something's wrong, isn't it? That's why you're so edgy."
"Nothing's wrong." She studied the buttons on the remote. "He said that I … that it was fine for me to—" she lifted her gaze and plowed straight into his "—resume sexual activity."
Silence. The absence of sound. Nothing but the pounding of her heart.
Inside the cabin, the air grew thick, warm and heady, like a muggy Southern night. She didn't break eye contact and neither did he. They remained six feet apart, staring at each other.
Kelly locked her knees to keep them from buckling. Suddenly he moved. A jungle cat in his prime, eyes flashing, muscles bunching, crawling to the edge of the bed.
He stopped when he reached her. She stood, motionless, unsure of what to do. What to say. How to breathe. The air in her lungs was trapped.
He placed his hands on her waist. They looked dark against the fabric of her dress, big and slightly scarred. And his hair … that satin-draped hair fell across his shoulders like a waterfall, the low-burning lamp intensifying the subtle auburn streaks. Fire she could touch.
"Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked.
Her fantasy kneeled before her on the bed, and she couldn't breathe. Couldn't talk.
Dizzy, she thought, so dizzy.
"Kelly?" he pressed gently, his gaze never wavering. "Please, I need to hear you say it."
"Yes," she managed finally, the air in her lungs spilling out.
He swallowed, a soundless motion that drew her attention to his throat and the copper flesh just below it. She knew his chest was free of hair, a smooth mass of muscle and sinew. How would it feel to lay her hand upon it? Cover his heart with her palm? Feel the strong, rapid beat?
"What about protection?" he asked, swallowing again.
She tipped forward a little. "I bought what we need." More than they needed. Boxes of condoms, ribbed, lubricated – the choice was his.
"Will you undress for me?" he asked. "Will you let me see you?"
With a quiet nod, Kelly reached for the buttons on her dress and felt herself tremble. Tonight she would deny him nothing. The front of the garment fell open, exposing her bra, a glimpse of her belly. When she slipped the dress from her shoulders and let it pool at her feet, he smiled.
She stood before him in her bra and panties, simple undergarments she had chosen with him in mind – white with a flutter of lace. She was no longer a virgin, but with him she felt pure. Chaste of heart, a young mother he admired.
Moonlight shone through the windows, slashing across the bed in a beam of light. It illuminated Shane in a heavenly glow, melding with an amber hue. He removed his shirt, and when he did, the light bathed his skin. He could have been a sculpture set in bronze, she thought, real yet not. A work of art. Too beautiful to be human.
But he was, she realized. Alive and breathing just for her, his chest heaving from the air that filled his lungs. Hoping to please him, she reached for the clasp on her bra and unhooked it.
&
nbsp; Her breasts filled his vision, and he lifted his hands to touch. Lightly, she thought, ever so lightly. He skimmed her nipples with the tips of his fingers, then leaned forward to taste her with his tongue.
A shiver tingled at the base of her spine, and she knew this was what fantasies were made of. The tip of a man's tongue, the scent of his skin, the fever shining in his eyes. Shane Night Wind. She could have dreamed him. A waking dream. A midnight secret.
Her nipples peaked against his mouth. He was careful, she thought, gentle with the part of her that nourished a child. He laved tenderly, kissing as he licked, a rumbling building in his chest.
A masculine purr.
She gripped his shoulders as dizziness swept over her. He purred. Like a cat, only louder. The deep, strong rumble of a mountain lion.
He shipped his hand into her panties. "I want to do this for you," he said, his mouth damp against her nipple. "I want to make it happen."
Kelly shifted her legs. He didn't remove her panties. Instead he kept his hand inside of them, like a naughty teenage boy, his fingers a slow steady rhythm.
She let the sensations guide her – the wave rocking her body, the moonlight kissing Shane's skin, his callused fingers.
She breathed his name and stroked his hair. He lowered his head to her belly, teasing and licking. Lingering.
And then he removed her panties, tugged them over her hips, the wisp of cotton and lace soon forgotten. With masculine fascination, he combed through her curls. She grasped his shoulders and widened her stance, her hips bucking. He put his mouth against her – that hot, sexy mouth.
She bucked again, then looked down at him. He steadied her hips and kissed between her legs. Kissed that sensitive nub while his fingers delved deep inside.
The climax ripped through her hard and fast. Color blurred her vision. Gold, copper, red. His eyes, his skin, the fire in his hair.
Her heart slammed against her ribs, pounding so loud, it thudded in her ears. A vibration. A sound. Sheer, blinding pleasure. She absorbed every flicker of light, every movement. Every flame that doused her skin, every shudder that sizzled through her system, then left her weak and mindless.
Was she on the bed? She gazed around the room, but couldn't see through the haze fogging her eyes. She reached out and connected with flesh. Hard, muscular flesh.
With a dazed smile, she blinked him into focus. Shane. Alluring Shane. The man who had made it happen.
* * *
Chapter 10
«^»
Her freckles looked like fairy dust, he thought, golden lights sprinkled across an upturned nose. Her hair fell across the pillow like a tangle of wheat, and creamy breasts swelled and peaked into rosy crests.
He skimmed her tummy and smiled. It was trim, yet slightly pouched. The declaration of motherhood pleased him. As did her dazed expression.
"You're still wearing your jeans," she said.
Shane nodded. Being clothed while she was naked felt strangely erotic, as if he held her magic in the palm of his hand. If she had wings, she wouldn't fly away. At least not tonight. Tonight she would stay beside him, bathed in the afterglow of an orgasm.
"Kelly?"
"Hmm?"
"Where's the protection?"
She smiled a little shyly. "Under the bed. There's … um … a few choices."
He smiled back at her and reached beneath the sofa. Locating the condom boxes, he opened one and secured a foil packet. He didn't have a preference, but her careful selection had him grinning like a randy schoolboy. "You can take my jeans off now."
In response, she worked free his buckle and tossed the belt over the side of the bed. His zipper came next. He bulged beneath it, anxious for her touch.
She didn't disappoint. She reached into his boxers and stroked him, rubbed her thumb over the tip. Losing himself in the sensation, he kissed her. A long, slow, agonizing kiss.
She seduced him, this enchanting woman, this elusive butterfly with her imaginary wings and warm, gentle hands. She had taken the power back, the magic, and he was caught in her spell. He needed to be naked. Needed to feel his aching flesh against hers.
"Take them off," he growled, pressing his lips to her ear. She smelled like summer, fresh-cut watermelon and flowers that grew wild. Damn if he couldn't taste her.
As she tugged at his jeans and the boxers beneath them, their mouths came together in animalistic fury. Flesh against flesh, they rubbed and kissed, their teeth scraping, tongues diving. He wanted to devour all of her, every curve, every feminine swell. Their legs tangled around the sheets as they rolled over the bed, hungry for each other.
He tore open the foil packet, then braced himself above her. Lifting her hips, he sank into her, his penetration deep. She closed around him – warm and wet, all woman, creamy and sweet.
So good, he thought. So damn good.
When he felt himself teetering for control, he pulled back to look at her, stroke her cheek, count her freckles. Slow down, his mind said. Don't go too fast. Don't let this end too soon.
Sheathed inside of her, he didn't move. He stayed where he was, poised above her, gazing into her face. And then time stood still, trapping his soul in shadow and light.
How could he miss her when they breathed the same air? How could he long for her when their bodies were already joined?
As though answering his questions, she smiled, the tenderness in her eyes a sudden balm. She brought her hands to his chest and caressed him, sculpting his form. Intrigued and aroused, he watched her. She skimmed his belly, then slid her fingers into the nest of hair that surrounded his sex. He refused to blink, refused to lose sight of her. She touched him where they mated, fascinated by the closeness, he thought. The unity.
Now was all that mattered, he realized. This moment.
Shane rocked his hips, intent on loving her, giving them both the pleasure they craved. Her kissed her. Everywhere. Her face, her neck, those luscious pink-tipped breasts. She moved with him, danced his erotic dance, ran her fingers through his hair.
The pressure built, that wonderful high that came with human arousal. They rode the wave together, and when he felt himself falling, slipping into that climactic abyss, he clasped her hands and held tight.
Their mouths met, and on her lips he could taste the ocean, the depth of his need, the warm, woozy liquid surging through his veins. He kissed her hard, then flung back his head, gripping her hands, pulling her with him.
He heard her call his name, a siren's call, a seduction. He answered with his body, with heat and hunger – a lethal, maddening orgasm that pushed him deeper. Deeper into the sea. Deeper into pleasure. Deeper into the woman beneath him and the emotion he saw in her eyes.
Spent, he collapsed in her arms, his mind quiet, his body almost boneless. Turning his head, he breathed against her hair, inhaling the floral scent. Flowers, he thought, wild, tangled vines.
"I wish we had forever," she said.
Shane sighed. Wishes were daydreams, a long way from reality. He shifted onto the bed, releasing her from his weight Forever, they both knew, wasn't possible. "What made you plan this?"
She flexed her body, expanding imaginary wings. "Because I wanted you, and because something your mother said made sense."
"My mother?" Curious, he raised an eyebrow. "Now what could that be?"
Kelly turned and smiled, smoothed the hair that fell across his forehead. "She said to live each second as if it was my last."
"I see." That made sense, he supposed. And seconds weren't forever, but rather fleeting moments of time. His new lover would be gone by the end of the month. "I'm glad you planned it." Rolling back on top of her, he kissed the tip of her nose. "And I think we have enough protection to last a while."
She wiggled her nose. "I didn't want to get the wrong kind. I've never bought condoms before."
"I know." And that pleased him, he realized. "Do you want to take a shower with me?"
She chewed her bottom lip, looking far too innocent fo
r her own good. "Right now?"
"Yes, ma'am," he answered, anxious to see her slick and wet and hungry all over again.
Kissing through the steam, they washed each other, warm water pelting their skin. He explored every inch of her, then let her choose the protection. While she rolled the ribbed latex over him, he waited – hard and hot and greedy. Pulling her close, he took her mouth. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he thrust into her, deep and full.
When they were depleted and panting in each other's arms, they dried lazily and stumbled back to bed. She put on her panties and bra, so he slipped into boxers and ignited the remote. The VCR tape lit up the television screen with flickering images. She snuggled in the crook of his arm, and while he watched the movie, she fought heavy eyelids, then finally succumbed to sleep.
Beautiful sleep, he thought, touching her cheek. Beautiful Kelly.
An hour later, Shane dozed while the movie played, falling and waking endlessly. Hearing a strange noise, he squinted at the TV, then realized Brianna cried in the other room.
Blinking and rubbing his face, he went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door. Groggy, he searched for a bottle, but found none. Waiting a minute to his clear his head, he entered the bedroom and lifted Brianna. Uncertain of what else to do, he carried the baby, snug in a blanket and whimpering for a midnight meal, to her mother. Kelly had expected Brianna to sleep throughout the night, but apparently the baby had other ideas.
Kelly woke instinctively and reached for her daughter, clearly accustomed to the slumber-deprived routine. Shane turned, but her words stopped him.
"Stay with me," she said. "With us."
While she nursed the baby, he sat beside her, a sheet draped across their hips. Brianna rooted at Kelly's nipple, and Shane watched with a sense of belonging. On this moonlit night, they felt like a family, and he knew without a doubt, that for as long as he lived, he would never forget this moment, this woman or this child. Kelly and Brianna would be a part of him forever, even when the Texas sun still shone and they were gone.
NIGHT WIND'S WOMAN Page 12