by Cara Summers
“Yes?”
Another wave of heat shot through her. “I wanted to … that is, I wondered if you…” It was hard to keep her mind on the fantasy, hard to think of anything but the pressure, the heat of his mouth on her fingers. What would his lips feel like on hers? What would they taste like? At the same time that she struggled to keep her focus, she couldn’t seem to prevent herself from moving closer. “I have a fantasy in mind…”
“Yes.”
In the fantasy that filled her mind, he gripped her wrist to pull her hand away. Then his mouth crushed hers, strong arms lifted her, carrying her into the cabin, and then the full weight of his body pressed her into the mattress of that narrow cot. Even as a sharp spear of pleasure streaked through her, she struggled to rid her mind of the image. She was supposed to be creating his fantasy, not hers.
Struggling to concentrate, she said, “My name is Lania. You’re shipwrecked on my island. And every day I’ve come from the village to nurse you. To bring you food. There isn’t a part of your body I haven’t seen.” She pictured it in her mind. “There isn’t a part of you I haven’t touched.” She could feel the smooth skin stretched taut over long bones, solid muscles. “You’ve been growing stronger every day. You haven’t noticed, but I’ve been watching you work on your boat. I know that you’ll leave soon. But before you do … I want to – I need to—”
She wasn’t sure what it was – the fantasy that her words were conjuring up in her mind or the heat that seemed to be steadily drawing her closer to him. But the need she felt to kiss him had twisted into something sharp and compelling inside her. She dragged her fingers away from his mouth, rubbing them over his bottom lip as she did.
“I just have to kiss you. I’ve been dreaming of doing this for so long.” Framing his face with her hands, she touched her mouth to his. His lips were neither soft nor hard. “Just right,” she murmured.
“What?”
She drew back slightly but she didn’t meet his eyes. She couldn’t seem to take her gaze from his lips. “Not too hard. Not too soft. Your mouth feels just right, I was wondering…”
This time when she pressed her mouth to his, she couldn’t seem to prevent her tongue from slipping between his lips. If she’d thought he’d tasted good a moment before, this was heaven. Not sweet really, and not any flavor that she could remember tasting before. It reminded her just a little of her favorite childhood candy – the dark chocolate that her father would always send her on her birthdays and that her mother would take away from her and hide. It always tasted so delicious, so forbidden when she found it.
But Lucas’s taste was much more potent. It seemed to be spreading through her, clouding her mind – and she had to focus. She’d forgotten for a moment the fantasy. In just a minute – or two – she’d have to get back to it.
And she would … definitely … just as soon as she tasted him one more time. Withdrawing a little, she nipped at his bottom lip, then let her tongue probe deeper. The tip of it brushed the edge of his teeth, then met his tongue. In the space of a heartbeat, the flavor changed again to something very dark and very male. As it streamed through her, she tightened her hands on him and felt her toes curl on the edge of the step. In the space of a heartbeat, each sensation intensified – the rough wood of the porch beneath her bare feet, the burning warmth of his thighs pressed against hers. Beneath her hands, she felt the sharp line of cheekbones, the hard strength of his jaw.
She wanted more. She wanted him to touch her, to kiss her back. And he was just standing there, letting her do whatever she wanted. Suddenly chilled, she drew away and met his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“You stopped. Why?”
She blinked. “You’re not kissing me back. I should have insisted that you fill out the questionnaire. Then I would have some idea—”
“Forget the questionnaire and kiss me again.”
*
It seemed like an eternity to Lucas as he waited for her to bring her mouth to his again. He’d seen the confusion in her eyes and the hurt. He wanted to erase both. More than that, he wanted to ease her to the ground and run his hands over her, slowly, molding every inch of her until she felt as helpless as he did.
How could he possibly explain to her what he didn’t understand himself? He hadn’t touched her, he hadn’t taken control of the kiss because he quite simply couldn’t. Even now, he wasn’t sure he could lift his arms.
Was it the fantasy that her words had conjured up? He’d imagined what it might be like to lie there, powerless, while she touched him – everywhere.
Or had it been the reality of her kiss – the softness of her lips and those tiny, tentative movements of her tongue as it glided over his? Perhaps it was the combination that had acted like a powerful drug on his system, pouring through him and trapping him in a world of sensations.
He wasn’t sure of anything except that she’d weakened him. He’d never allowed a woman to do that to him before. And it wouldn’t happen again. This time he intended to be in control of himself, but the moment her mouth brushed against his, a short, explosive fuse ignited. Any intention he had of keeping the pressure light and teasing was blown away. Feelings she’d stirred up with that first kiss tore through him in a series of explosions, and wave after wave of sensations rocked him.
He’d never been so aware of a woman before – the helpless hitch of her breath when he nipped at her bottom lip, the husky, pleading sound of her moan as he swallowed it, and her skin … it was on fire. He could feel the flames licking at his fingers as they moved down her throat over her breasts, burning him even through the thin material of the bathing suit And her taste, the deep ripe flavor poured through him.
He’d sensed this raw passion in her before, simmering beneath the surface, waiting to break free. He could feel it now in the way her hands gripped him, in the way her mouth met each of his demands with one of her own.
Though the ocean was over fifty yards away, he could have sworn he was standing in it, feeling the push and pull of the water as it sucked the sand out from beneath his feet. He pulled her closer for balance and felt her breasts crush against the hard line of his chest. It wasn’t enough.
Desperation clawed at him as he ran his hands over her. He knew he was being rough. And in some distant part of his mind, he knew he should slow down, be patient. But his hands seemed to be operating of their own accord, following one directive – he simply had to get her closer to him. Impatient with the bathing suit, he stripped it down to her waist and cupped her breast in his hand. It was as soft as rainwater. Liquid silk. He wanted to savor it, taste it, but she arched against him, calling his name.
He had to have more.
“Mac.” He cupped his free hand under her hip. “Scoot up. Wrap your legs around me.”
With a murmur of acceptance, approval, she did. Then, arching against him again, she began to move, rubbing against his hardness. What he’d thought were flames before couldn’t compare to the searing heat that sliced through him now. He’d felt need before, but not this kind – unreasonable, unmanageable. Something inside him snapped with the same quick finality of a switch being pulled. Then he wasn’t thinking at all.
Sinking to his knees, he managed to pull down the zipper of his jeans, push aside the thin protection of her suit, and then he was sinking into her. But it still wasn’t enough. With a quick, savage movement of his hips he went deeper, stretching her, feeling her slick, hot core take all of him. Gripped fiercely inside her, he felt his climax begin to build. His hips began to move, thrusting harder and faster. Swearing, he drove her, drove himself until the final release and the world went dark around him.
Shattered. That’s what he felt like when sanity returned. He was lying on the rough boards of the porch beside Mac, but he had no idea how they’d gotten there. He couldn’t move, could barely think.
And he was trembling. A small shiver of fear moved through him. Shame came next. He’d never before taken a woman
with so little care. He wasn’t even sure that she’d reached her climax. His own had been so quick, so consuming, and he’d been so totally lost in it.
Had he hurt her? He’d been close to violent, definitely out of control when he’d pushed into her. When he turned to look at her, he found wide amber eyes studying him intently. He had the uncomfortable feeling that he’d been smeared on a slide. He opened his mouth, but she spoke first. “That didn’t go exactly as I’d planned.”
The words were such a clear echo of the thoughts in his head that he blinked.
“I’m sorry.”
She’d even stolen his apology. Suddenly, he frowned. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about.”
“I lost control. It wasn’t supposed to end that quickly.”
“No, it wasn’t. But that was my fault.”
“We were supposed to make it at least to the beach. I really wanted to get you in the water. Kissing underwater is supposed to be very erotic.”
She was talking about the fantasy. Had she been kissing him or the sailor? And who had he just made love to?
She rubbed her fingers across her lips. “The way I react to your kiss is going to present a challenge that I didn’t quite foresee.” A fine line appeared on her forehead. “I’m going to have to make some adjustments to my plan.”
It was the last thing he’d expected her to say. Whoever it was who’d been kissing him, it was definitely the doc who was talking to him now. And he wanted her even more than he had before.
“That is…” The frown line deepened. “I hope you’re going to let me go ahead with my research.”
Her lips were still swollen from his kisses. A pulse was still jackhammering at her throat, and yet he could hear the wheels turning in her head. “You’re hard on a man’s ego, Doc.”
The corners of her mouth turned down slightly. “I don’t mean to be. Next time I’ll try to stay more focused on the fantasy.”
“You do that, Doc.” Next time he was going to make sure that she couldn’t stay focused at all. With a quick grin he said, “I may have to make some adjustments of my own.”
For some, perverse reason, derailing that one-track mind of hers was becoming his number-one desire. Perhaps it was the challenge she offered that was drawing him. He could swear that he was dealing with more than one woman – there was the doc and the island girl, Lania. And which one was the real MacKenzie Lloyd? One way or the other, he was going to figure her out.
“Before we go any further with this little experiment, I think we need a change of scene.” He rose, then drew her to her feet. “Let’s pack.”
“Where are we going?” she asked as he ushered her into the cabin.
“Wainright Enterprises owns a resort hotel on Key West. It will provide us with a more romantic atmosphere.”
“I don’t need romance.”
Lucas threw back his head and laughed. “I think I do. You’ll just have to indulge me.” Then, throwing an arm around her shoulders, he gave her a quick hug. “And you better start figuring out what to do when I kiss you again. I plan to do it again very soon.”
*
Chapter 6
«^»
Tracker swore softly as he lowered his binoculars. The North Carolina mountains had too many damn trees, and he’d lost track of how many he’d climbed trying to get a good view of the guests at the Serenity Spa.
One problem was that the compound was spread out over a couple of square miles. A large building sat in the center on a hill. Fanning out from there were tennis courts, a glassed-in, Olympic-size swimming pool and acres of lawn set up for volleyball, badminton, croquet. One unpaved road connected the grounds to the highway a mile away. In the more than four hours since he’d had the place under surveillance, only two vehicles had used that road. One had been the spa van, the other a truck delivering fresh produce and bottled water to the main building.
Raising the binoculars, he focused them on the group of women who were gathering on one of the playing fields, watching to see if any of them walked with the confident, distinctive gait of the Princess. He’d dubbed Lucas’s pampered and temperamental sister that the first time he’d seen her. His view was being hampered, not only by the branches of several trees, but also by the fact that the women were wearing what seemed to be the spa uniform – sweatpants and hooded jackets.
Huge gray clouds had settled like a lid over the mountains, and thunder growled overhead. As the hooded figures began to disperse, he shifted his gaze to the individual cabins, most of which were tucked away beneath the trees. The information he’d downloaded from the Serenity Spa Web site emphasized complete privacy. It promised clients a totally female environment, free from the “intrusion of any male vibrations.”
Tracker couldn’t prevent a grin. In the very near future, he was going to break their promise. He just hadn’t figured out the best way to do it. If he forced his way in, the Princess would be furious. When the lady got all fired up, she reminded him of some warrior goddess about to wreak her vengeance on mere mortals.
She’d been mad as hell when she’d read the file he’d gathered on Bradley Davis. The heat of her anger had been aimed at her brother. And she’d taken him completely by surprise when she’d landed that right cross to her brother’s chin. Just the memory had him grinning. Oh, she’d been quick as lightning. He couldn’t help but admire her for it. And she was strong too. She might look as slender as a wand, but when he’d grabbed her, he’d had to put some effort into subduing her.
The Princess was smart too. No one he’d tailed had ever spotted him before. But she had. He could still recall the cold fury in her eyes when they’d met his in that Georgetown pub. He’d felt it like a blow in his gut.
He’d underestimated her. That had been his mistake – a moment of carelessness that he was paying for now, he thought as he shifted carefully on the branch to ease the sharp impressions the bark was leaving on his backside.
If she hadn’t become aware that she was being tailed, she wouldn’t have pulled that switch yesterday, and he’d know for sure if she was indeed escaping from “male vibrations” in one of those damn cabins.
A bird landed on a nearby branch, gave him a startled look and flew off.
“Good idea,” he muttered as he started to lower himself to the ground. He’d hoped to study the women as they made their way to the main building for lunch, but the steady and insistent slap of rain meant that umbrellas would be out in full force.
After hitting the ground, he ran toward the main road. Time for plan B.
*
The moment Lucas turned his attention to uncorking the champagne that had been waiting for them in the suite, Mac drew in a deep breath and slipped out onto the balcony. What she needed was a moment to plan and get back on track. He hadn’t allowed her much time to do that on the boat trip to Key West. Instead, he’d seemed determined to distract her in any way be could.
Not that he’d kissed her again. He’d just taken every opportunity he could to touch her. A hand at her back as they’d walked down the dock, a firm grasp on her fingers as he’d helped her onto and off the boat, the brush of his body against hers as they’d stepped into the same slot of the revolving door that had spun them into the hotel lobby.
Each time he’d come in contact with her, her heart had made what felt like a somersault in her chest, and each and every nerve in her body had responded. So many images had filled her mind when the bellhop had given them a quick tour of the hotel suite. Every time he’d gestured to a different feature – from the oversize hot tub in the bathroom to the grand piano tucked into a corner of the sunken living room – she’d pictured Lucas making love to her in each spot.
Clearly, her ability to create sexual fantasies for herself was growing by leaps and bounds, and they all centered on Lucas Wainright. No other man had ever made love to her that way, with such intensity – as if he couldn’t help himself. And she wanted him to do it again. And he would, just as soon as he followed her
out onto the balcony. Just thinking about it was enough to make the muscles in her legs turn to water.
She had to get a grip. It would be so tempting to just give in to the spell that he seemed to weave around her. To enjoy it for however long it lasted.
As soon as he poured the champagne and followed her out here, she’d probably dissolve into a puddle at his feet.
No. if she allowed herself to give in to the temptation of what Lucas was offering, how could she fully field-test her research?
She had to focus on the fantasies. Resolutely, she walked to the railing of the balcony. A glance down at the manmade lagoon twisting like a turquoise snake around the hotel triggered a quick spurt of dizziness. The moment it passed, her gaze fixed on a waterfall tumbling over a small cave at the side of the lagoon. That definitely had possibilities. It would work for both the mermaid and the island-girl fantasies. The cave would also provide the perfect setting for making love in a semipublic place – another very popular male fantasy.
All she had to do was…
When the second wave of dizziness hit, Mac raised her eyes and concentrated on the view of the ocean stretching to the horizon. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled, then drew in another one. Her stomach settled, and her head cleared again.
The solution to keeping her plan on track was to get the jump on Lucas and draw him into a fantasy before he could totally mesmerize her as he had on his grandfather’s island. Simple.
“What’s wrong?”
She started, then turned. He was standing there studying her, and she felt the pull right down to where her toes curled in her sandals.
It was not going to be so simple.
“Tell me,” he said, moving to the railing.
“Nothing. The room – everything – it’s perfect.”
“So perfect that you had to come out here to screw up your courage?” Taking her hand, he waited until she met his eyes.
“There’s nothing wrong. No one has ever done anything like this for me. Sophie said you would be kind. But I didn’t expect you to be sweet too.”