by Anne Marsh
She glared at him. Her eyes said she was furious. He’d replace the roof, no problem. “I’m not worried about that.” She eyed the carnage. “Much. I know what that costs to replace and what that will do to the insurance. That’s not the issue here. The issue is you. I can’t put a dollar amount on you, okay?”
* * *
HE COULD HAVE died.
Right there in front of her and in the blink of an eye. The fear was a visceral reaction, adrenaline pumping through her body like some kind of sexual rush. She wanted to kill him herself; he didn’t understand. Watching the tree go down and drag Daeg with it was worse than anything she could have imagined.
She didn’t want him hurt.
She had feelings for him—and that revelation was about as unwelcome as the tree now resting on the floor of Cabin Six. Eventually, she’d get the insurance company on the line and they’d send out an adjustor, followed by contractors, and the whole matter would get dealt with and eventually be forgotten. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a similar service or simple procedure for matters of the heart.
He was supposed to be her hot, sexy distraction from the admittedly low-key weeks of monitoring Sweet Moon’s front office. Not long ago she hadn’t thought about him at all. Daeg had been her past. Now he was her present and, yes, she confessed, she was starting to imagine a future with him.
She understood all about wanting to fix a problem, but she needed him alive in that future. Not pinned beneath a tree.
She checked him over from head to foot, and apart from some lingering redness on his palms, he seemed to be all right. A change of mood was called for, she decided.
“So,” she began, taking a step toward him, “what was that about?”
He propped his hands on his hips—lean, sexy hips she’d clung to as he made love to her—and glared right back at her. “Keeping your roof in one piece.”
“Good job, hotshot.” She gestured toward the wrecked cabin. Not that she really believed he’d missed the loud crash or the flying debris, but she had a point to make here.
“Yeah, well, I’ve already apologized for that.”
“That’s collateral damage,” she snapped. “I’m not worried about the cabin.”
He leaned closer, getting into her space until she could feel the heat radiating off him. Backing down, though, wasn’t part of her agenda.
“Could have fooled me.”
“I was worried about you,” she clarified. “You could have been killed.”
“But I wasn’t.” He didn’t sound concerned.
Maybe that lack of concern was an occupational hazard, but she wasn’t about to give up here. “Sometimes you have to let go.”
“No.” Real emotion came from his voice. “I don’t. I won’t.”
“Maybe this isn’t only about you.” She reached out a hand and held one of his. “How do you think I’d feel, watching you get hurt, or worse, Daeg Ross? Did you think about that?”
“No.” His free hand cupped her jaw, tilted her head up toward his. “Are you saying you care?”
16
“I DO CARE. But first, I want you to show me.” She licked her tongue over her bottom lip and Daeg wanted to chase her, get his mouth on hers and have his way with her. “Let me see the rest of you.... Make sure that you’re okay.” She made a take-it-off gesture with her hands.
He’d do that, no problem. He hauled his T-shirt over his head, and then he went for the button at the waistband of his jeans. “Halt right there, soldier. You need to come with me.” Dani smiled as she said the words, tugging him away from the motel’s main area into a secluded grove near the opposite side of the property. He suddenly remembered that sex in public had been on her secret bucket list.
He had no idea how far Dani wanted to take this new game, but regardless, he was happy to oblige her. Being with her was like nothing else he’d ever known. She was one of a kind.
Daeg laughed to himself. That morning he’d opted to go commando, which would make this indiscreet show-and-tell even more interesting.
Dani just stood there before him, all long legs and bare skin, her eyes gleaming as if she knew something good and he didn’t. Or maybe she knew exactly what his situation was under his jeans. He looked down. Yeah. The thick erection was really obvious, thank you very much.
Her gaze held a sultry warmth, but he didn’t think that was due to the summer temperature. His gorgeous, brown-eyed girl. One look from her and... The warmth growing inside him had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with her. When he held her, when she wrapped her arms around him, he knew where he belonged. Here. With Dani.
“I think we should consider doing it again.” She smiled, didn’t falter. “Have sex.”
“Absolutely.” He was totally on board with that idea.
“Because,” she said, sounding adorably serious, “once probably wasn’t enough to get you out of my system.”
He wasn’t sure how he felt about being something that required purging—he was fairly certain she didn’t realize just how unflattering her description was—but he wasn’t going to spoil the moment. Or halt her forward momentum, now that she’d decided to take him to bed.
“So.” She pursed her lips, clearly thinking something through, and he amused himself by wondering what she would do if he told her he’d say yes to anything. “Anything wrong with right here?”
That was the final straw for him. Daeg strode up to her, slipped an arm around her back and eased her down onto the soft, thick grass. He was worried he might have been too abrupt, but he didn’t hear any protest. When he ran a hand up her arm, he enjoyed the goose bumps spreading beneath his touch. Yeah. It was just possible she liked this as much as he did.
“You’re so unpredictable,” he told her.
Dani smiled up at him. She was loving this and he loved her.
“I am?”
That was definitely laughter in her voice, and she wiggled an arm between them, using her fingers to draw over the hard line of his erection.
He never figured he’d be taking notice of what a woman was wearing, but the corset-style top tied with a thin ribbon crisscrossing over her breasts demanded his attention. His fingers itched to undo her as he slid a hand up her bare leg toward the edge of her cotton shorts. So many places to get started.
“Are you enjoying this so far?” he teased.
“Well,” she said, pressing closer and wrapping a leg around his hip so that his erection was cradled between her thighs, “I guess that depends. On what my options are.”
His fingers flicked open the first bit of ribbon, revealing a pink, lacy bra. When he stroked the backs of his fingers along the edge, he almost brushed her nipple. She was exquisitely soft.
“I’ve got some ideas.”
* * *
DANI REACHED OUT to meet those strong, comforting arms coming around her. There was no better way to spend an afternoon, and she could have stayed like this forever—lost in his embrace.
His small grunt of pleasure said he liked this, too; his eyes were wide and dancing as he rubbed lightly over what he’d bared. As if this little touch, skin to skin, was enough for him in this moment. Her lashes drifted closed as his hands traced her shoulders, sliding down her arms in an unhurried caress, as if he had all the time in the world, and even if he didn’t, this closeness, this intimacy, would be enough. Rick hadn’t been interested in closeness or intimacy, only in gratifying himself. She pushed the memories away. Rick wasn’t here. Daeg was.
Sweet, hot pleasure stoked her desire as he kissed her and placed his hand gently at the back of her neck. They’d been at odds minutes ago. Now all she could think of were kisses. His kisses. She shouldn’t have started this, but she didn’t want to fight with him. Not when his tongue had caught hers in that decadently carnal trap of him.
He seemed impossibly male. His expression was more primitive, more protective than any other she’d ever seen, and she wanted him. Right here, where she could almost reach out and touch the ocean, where anyone visiting Sweet Moon could see them.
His hands made short work of her clothes. One loop of ribbon at a time, he peeled the blouse away until she was gasping from the thrill. Each soft brush of his fingers fired up her desire even more. She had to have him naked, now. Her bra disappeared as quickly as the top, and then only her white thong remained, a narrow strip of lace and cotton the only barrier between him and where she wanted him.
He eased her back and moved to lie between her legs. One big hand teased the sensitive top of her inner thigh, while his other hand traced a naughty path along the curve of her stomach.
“Your skin is like silk.” He murmured the compliment against her belly. She wasn’t sure about the silk part, but there was no mistaking the need in his eyes when he glanced up at her. She could feel the hard erection pressing against her core. He wanted her. He was looking at her and he wanted her. His hand traveled down from her hip to her thigh, moving inward.
“Beautiful,” he whispered harshly, and slowly he slipped her panties down. The scrap of fabric disappeared somewhere, and she couldn’t bring herself to care because he was staring at her, that burning desire captured in his eyes.
She reveled in that gaze. He made her feel feminine and powerful, sure in her body for the first time in a long time. Her need for him to be inside her was almost more than she could control. She moaned as he leaned closer. Nothing stood between her and him.
Finally, finally, he reached out, lightly stroking her sex. Yes. The heat pooling inside her surged again, making her cry out and shift restlessly for more of that knowing touch. One hand, curled around her thigh, tugged her closer until she was perfectly aligned with him.
“Let go,” he said. “I’ve got you.”
His intimate touch was pure bliss, and she relished every white-hot sensation that followed. Her heart raced as Daeg caressed her slowly, thoroughly, and learned her every intimate need as he watched her face.
“Do you like this?” His fingers pressed lightly over her clit. She smiled ear to ear, and he smiled back. He dropped kisses on her lips, her cheek, her neck. She never wanted this to end.
“Yes,” she replied.
The thick bed of grass was smooth underneath her, and fragrant, too. She tried to memorize every detail of this moment, store it away in her mind to be called on when she needed to remember something special in her life. The trees formed a canopy, filtering the rays of sunlight. There was no hiding anything from anyone out here. No one else should be by—the motel was closed for the week for repairs—but the possibility existed. The erotic naughtiness was a sensual thrill. Someone could see. Could walk or drive up and spot the two of them making love.
She needed to have him inside her, deep inside her. “I want to be on top.”
“Okay,” he said, grinning down at her, sliding over so that she could sit up.
Now that she had him at her mercy, she, too, would take her time. There was no need to rush as she kissed her way down his body. That big, sun-bronzed body sprawled before her was a sight to enjoy, all six-pack abs and hard muscle. She got her fingers underneath the waistband of his jeans, and his thick, smooth cock bumped against her hand. She teased him for as long as he could take it, enjoying the heavy breathing he was having to do to keep his control.
She undid the button and lowered his zipper. “Lift up,” she ordered and he did, flexing that fantastic butt of his so she could get his jeans down his legs.
Yes, she had all the time in the world, and she was going to use it. She kissed his mouth, his jaw, his taut, exquisite chest, and continued downward. He raised his head at one point to watch her and give her an encouraging grin.
She skimmed her lips lightly over his abs, her fingers following her mouth as she explored the chiseled planes. Her cheek brushed the hard length below and he groaned. Ever so slowly, spinning out the moment, she moved down, feeling him shiver in anticipation.
Once she’d made it down to his erection, she didn’t shy away. Deliberately, she worked her mouth up and down him. At first, she had just the luscious tip in her mouth, and his fingers wound through her hair. She could tell his control was slipping; rather than breathing calmly, he was panting roughly.
“Take all of me?” he asked hoarsely.
She smiled. Yes. All of him. The sleek slide of his flesh through her lips was an erotic tease. The muscles in his thighs tensed as she pleasured him.
Moments later, he groaned and pulled away. “Dani, I want you.”
His fingers flexed, opening and closing as he still fought to stay in control. She was teasing the tiger and she knew it, but she wanted him as undone and lost in the moment as she was.
So she pushed him over the edge.
“Say please.”
* * *
HE SMILED AND braced one arm above her head. His other hand was tenderly stroking her chin and cheek.
As soon as he rolled on a condom, her fingers sliding along his, he brought her down on his erection, pushing slow and deep. Turnabout was fair play; she’d teased him, and now he would tease her. But Dani felt amazing, surrounding him so intimately. Actually, she was killing him, it felt so good.
Perfect. This was perfect, and he’d make sure it was perfect for her.
One tempting second at a time.
Her fingers tightened their grip on his shoulders, “Daeg,” she breathed. Her eyes were on him intently, and his passion and possessiveness welled up inside him. His.
“You are incredible. You...you’re...”
He drew back and then sank forward, slowly moving in and then out. He wanted to make this last for her as long as he possibly could. She deserved every bit of joy. She moaned and tightened her grip on his shoulders, her nails pressing into his skin, her body begging for what she wouldn’t ask for. He’d give it to her, give her everything if she’d let him.
He set a deep, pulsing rhythm. Her hips met his, her breathing all sexy moans punctuated by sharp gasps when he pressed himself fully. The tension that must have been driving her spread to him, her body hugging his in a sweet, private caress for him alone. He hung on at first, but then gave himself over to her, burying himself in her.
She climaxed with his name on her lips, and that had him smiling against her throat. Though it was near the end, he loved how she kept tugging him close and closer still. Skin to skin. Heart to heart.
Right before he came, that one word she’d asked for tore from his soul. “Please,” he roared.
The all-consuming sense of pleasure overtook him and he pressed deep, holding her to him, sheltered lovingly in his arms. His Dani.
His. For this moment.
17
“LET’S GO INSIDE,” he’d suggested, feeling a crazy, happy grin spread over his face as he’d looked at her. She’d been made love to, good and proper, her lips kiss swollen. “We’ll start all over.”
And they had.
One great afternoon and night in her cabin, acting out every sexual fantasy he could remember from her list, and then, finally, when it was already growing light outside, moving on to the simple and sweet. That face-to-face, arms-around-each-other contentment until they tumbled over the edge into sated sleep.
He wasn’t sure who had seduced whom here, but this night had been the best sex of his life—and it was more than just sex. Dani wanted a summer fling, an island fantasy. And he wanted more. He tested the idea, tensing as he came fully awake. Was that what he really wanted? A happily ever
after with this woman? He thought about staying put with Dani and it fit. Felt right. This time, he wasn’t going anywhere.
Problem was, he still had to convince her to stay. With him.
She dozed peacefully. He noted her pink skin tone and that her lips were still pouty and red; her hair was tangled where he’d run his fingers through the honey-colored strands. She was naked, too, and he was glad. He didn’t want anything between them, not even clothes. Enjoying the view, he ran a hand down her arm. He did it lightly, since she needed the sleep. They’d worn each other out.
She looked damned good.
She looked like the woman he loved.
She rolled over in the bed, taking the sheet with her. That was fine. She could have the sheet. After all, she already had his whole heart.
Her eyes opened while he watched. Nothing coy or cautious, just closed one minute, and then, in the next moment, she was watching him. Man, he hoped she liked what she saw. That last night wasn’t a mistake she was regretting already.
“Hey,” he said, dropping a kiss on her nose.
He sure liked the pink flush on her cheeks. Better, he liked the way he felt when he was around her.
“I should get up.” She started to move, dragging the sheet with her. He stopped her by sliding an arm around her waist and bringing her closer to him.
“What’s the hurry?” He nuzzled her neck, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. She was under his skin now.
“Daeg.” The amusement in her voice was all too clear. “I have a business to run here. So do you. We can’t stay in bed all day.”
“Half the day,” he countered. When he kissed her ear, her breathing stopped short. “You could do that.”
“You don’t want to leave.” Her words were more a question than a statement.
“Nope.” He had no desire to put distance between them. More to the point, why would she? Sliding a hand into her hair at the back of her neck, he rubbed the surprisingly tense muscles there. “I’d like to stay.”
There. It was the opening strike in his campaign to keep her by his side and in his arms. He pretended he wasn’t holding his breath, waiting for her answer.