Tyler stared out at the darkened forest and groaned. He shifted on the swing and adjusted his jeans. Great. He now had the vision of Lena’s sweet breasts in his head, and a massive hard-on.
You cannot touch her. She’s off limits.
He focused on the sound of the river rushing by the property, tempted to jump in and cool off.
Right now, she was inside taking a shower. Naked and wet. And naked. Wonderfully naked.
He cursed and stood up, picking up both their trays and taking them into the kitchen. He did up the dishes, yawning the entire time.
He must be more tired than he thought. He glanced at the couch and scowled. That thing was too damn short. He couldn’t even stretch out.
Lena came out of the bathroom, a robe around her body and a towel over her hair. He could smell the floral shampoo, or soap, or whatever she used.
“I think I’m going to go to bed early,” she told him, averting her gaze.
“I was thinking the same thing.”
She lifted her head and looked at him, her eyes wide. Something passed between them in that look, and more blood went to his crotch.
She licked her lips and glanced at the couch. “I know that’s not comfortable. Maybe we could...put pillows between us and share the bed.”
The pillows would be gone by morning. He’d bet his life on it. “Okay.” He nodded and cleared his throat. “I’ll go brush my teeth. I’ll be there in a bit.”
He took longer than he needed in the bathroom, hoping she’d be asleep by the time he got in the bedroom.
He stared at himself in the mirror. You can’t touch her. You’ll never respect yourself again if you do. The woman is married.
Setting his toothbrush back into his travel bag—thank God he’d had some necessities—he headed back into the bedroom. Apparently Lena had the same concerns about behaving.
The lights were out, and there were three pillows in a line down the middle of the bed. She had rolled onto her side, facing the other wall, and appeared to be asleep.
Disappointment stabbed in his gut, but he refused to acknowledge it. He climbed into his side of the bed and closed his eyes, willing sleep to come.
Lena groaned, blinking her eyes open in confusion just as her hips jerked. What the heck?
Tyler’s hand squeezed her ass again, and she bit back a gasp. He had to be awake. Her gaze lifted to his face, but his eyes were still closed, his breathing heavy.
She glanced around and spotted the pillows on the floor. Damn, what a useless plan that had been.
It appeared to be early morning. The room had just the faintest hint of sunrise.
His hand slipped into her panties to squeeze the bare cheek. She groaned and closed her eyes as moisture pooled between her thighs.
Oh, God, she missed this with him. The way his slightest touch could set her body on fire.
The heat between her legs increased, and suddenly she didn’t care if he was awake or not. Sleepy morning sex sounded all too good right now.
You’ll regret it thirty seconds after your orgasm. Lena pushed the annoying voice aside and kicked one leg over Tyler’s, giving him access to between her legs.
Right away he slid his fingers downward and rubbed against the folds of her sex.
Lena gasped and raised her gaze to his face again. He was very much awake and watching her.
Still holding her gaze, he slid his fingers inside her. Her nipples tightened, and she groaned, digging her nails into his shoulders.
He brought one finger up to rub her clit, spreading the slick moisture over the swollen nub.
She lifted her hips and gasped. “Tyler...please.”
His eyes darkened, flickering with some kind of emotion. It almost looked like anger. But then the heat returned, and he rolled her onto her back and straddled her.
He cupped her breasts, molding them in his hands and pinching her nipples.
“Lena. Lord, what you do to me.” He lowered his head and covered her mouth with his, thrusting his tongue deep inside.
He stroked her nipples rougher and deepened the kiss, catching her cry of pleasure.
He pulled his mouth away and closed his lips around one nipple, sucking hard.
“Oh, God.” She lifted her hips, her sex clenching with the need to have him inside her.
Pushing up her nightgown, he lowered his head to kiss her stomach. He adjusted his position so that he knelt between her legs.
Lowering his head, he traced the slit of her sex through her panties with his tongue. She closed her eyes and sighed, threading her fingers into his hair.
He continued to rub his tongue against the silk, stroking her clit. Pleasure built inside her, and she squirmed against him, her panties growing damp from more than his mouth.
He tugged her panties to the side, and then his tongue was on her, licking and circling, driving her toward that cliff of ultimate pleasure.
He slid a finger inside her, and she broke. Her stomach clenched, and she closed her eyes, gasping through the waves of sensation that rolled through her.
The warmth of his body over her lifted, and she cried out, opening her eyes in time to see Tyler pushing off his pants and boxers.
He returned to her, threading his fingers through hers and holding them above her head. His erection probed at her entrance before he flexed his hips and sank inside.
They moaned together, and Lena tightened her fingers around his. Lord, it felt so good to have him inside her again. She lifted her hips, meeting his thrusts.
“Lena...” He increased his pace, slammed harder into her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist.
He released one of her hands and reached between them to rub her clit.
“Tyler.” She tightened her muscles around him as the second orgasm hit. The room tilted and everything turned fuzzy.
He cried out, and she could feel him empty himself inside her while he kept making small thrusts.
She smoothed her hands up and down his back, tightening her ankles around the middle of his back.
“I love you, Lena.” He groaned, pushing deep into her and staying.
She froze. Her hands stopped moving. Had he just...? He loved her?
Hope flared in her heart. Could it be possible? She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She was almost afraid to break the moment.
Fuck. Tyler blinked, slid out of Lena’s tight body, and rolled onto his side away from her. What the hell had made him confess his love to her? She was a married woman. A married woman you just fucked.
Guilt and depression warred in his gut, and he climbed off the bed and reached for his jeans. He had to get out of this cabin. Now.
“Tyler?”
Her soft voice compounded his guilt, and his jaw tightened. “How far are we from the main road?”
He didn’t miss the small choked sound she made, but he kept his gaze averted.
“You’re leaving?” The question came out on a tremble.
“I can’t do this,” he ground out. “Yes. I’m leaving.”
Please don’t bring up the fact that I said I love you.
“The highway is three miles down the road outside the door.” Her voice was flat now.
He turned to look at her but found her rolled on her side facing the opposite wall. The curve of her naked back jerked and then jerked again. Was she crying?
Doubt flickered in his gut, but he shoved it aside. She’s just upset that her plans aren’t going well.
He grabbed his bag and left the bedroom.
Almost to the door, he turned and looked back. Go. You need to just go or you’ll never get over her.
Turning, he opened the door to the cabin and left her.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Tyler adjusted his bag over his shoulder and shook his head. His feet were starting to ache from walking down the damn dirt road, but the pain didn’t compare to the ache in his heart. Damn, how could he have been so stupid? Both of them?
His chest tightened,
making it a struggle to even breathe. Once he reached the road he’d have to hitch a ride and ask to be dropped off at the nearest store. Maybe he could get a cab out here. Even if it cost him hundreds of dollars, it would be worth it to get the hell back to New York.
A new thought hit him, and he reached into his back pocket for his wallet. What if Stephanie had taken his credit cards so he’d be truly stuck? He pulled out his wallet and a piece of paper fluttered out with it.
What the hell?
Frowning, he leaned down to pick it up. It was a note. He unfolded it, unease sudden in his gut.
Tyler,
Look, I don’t know what happened between you and Lena, but I have no doubt that you guys belong together. I’ve known Lena my entire life, and I’ve never seen her so loopy over a guy. So completely and utterly in love. You belong together, and that’s why I arranged for you guys to be alone for the week. So whatever it is, an argument, a misunderstanding, I hope you guys can clear it up. You’re the reason she didn’t marry Keith. (And, by the way, I owe you the biggest freaking thanks for that.) So make things right and don’t hurt her. Or I WILL have to kick your ass.
~ Stephanie
Tyler’s heart pounded. His mouth went dry. No. Was it true? Had he just made the biggest fucking mistake of his life?
He turned and glanced back down the tiny road he’d just spent the last half hour walking.
Lena wasn’t married? But he’d...she’d never actually said she was married. His mind flashed back to their lovemaking this morning, and how their fingers had been intertwined. No ring on her finger.
“Oh, my God.” He tightened his grip on his bag and sprinted back up the road.
Lena rolled onto her back and gasped in another breath, unable to stop the sobs that rocked her body. She’d given herself to him again. Again, when she promised herself she’d never let it happen.
And now he’d just ripped open the wound over her heart, the one she’d tried so hard to heal, and this time she was positive she wouldn’t recover.
She swung her legs out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. Turning on the shower, she put the spray on the far end of cold, wanting to jolt any remaining tenderness for him from her body.
She stepped under the stream and cried out, shivering as the icy water hit her skin. She ground her teeth together and let it run over her, taking it as somewhat of a punishment for being so stupid.
“Never again.” She shook her head, sending droplets of water flying.
Goosebumps covered every inch of her skin, and her teeth chattered. The hot tears that spilled down her cheeks were a contrast to the water. Her knees went weak, and she fell to the floor in the shower.
Her body grew numb under the cold water. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, tucking her head down as she sobbed.
The bathroom door smashed open, and the shower curtain drew back.
“Oh, God, Lena.” Tyler kneeled down and slid his arms around her, pulling her out of the shower. “What are you doing? Why is the water so cold?”
Tyler was here? He’d returned? Her mind tried to process the information, but her teeth chattered too hard. Her body shook against him as he carried her into the bedroom.
He slipped her bathrobe on her and belted it around her waist. Urging her to the bed, he pushed her beneath the blankets and then slid in next to her.
She blinked, confusion swirling in her head as she stared at him. Already warmth seeped back into her muscles.
“Why are you here?” She tried to compute what was going on. “You left me. You said you never wanted—”
“Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t married?” He ran a hand down the side of her face.
“Married?” she repeated. He’d thought her married? “I didn’t marry Keith. I broke off the engagement the day Keith showed up in Paris.”
His eyes closed. The anguish on his face puzzled her.
“Tyler? Why did you come back?”
“I’m so sorry, Lena.” He shook his head. “I’m the world’s biggest asshole. I thought when you came to New York you were just looking for another fling. And that you were married—”
“But I told you I wasn’t looking for a fling,” she reminded him, her heart pinching at the reminder of New York. “And the things you said...”
“Self preservation. I didn’t mean a word of it.” He cupped both her cheeks now and brushed his mouth across hers, sending more tingling heat through her body. “The only thing real was when I told you I loved you an hour ago.”
Her pulse jumped. He did love her? “Tyler—”
“I’m sorry, Lena. I’m so sorry.” He kissed her again, sliding his tongue between her lips to stroke against hers.
She pulled away. “Tyler, I lied, too. I should have told you about Keith while we were in Europe. And at times I came so close—”
“It doesn’t matter, sweetheart.”
“Yes, it does. I was in love with you. I was just so convinced you’d think me despicable and I would lose you.” Her eyes filled with tears again. “And, in the end, I did.”
He stilled and desperation flickered in his gaze. “You love me?”
Lena sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Of course I love you, Tyler. I came to New York to tell you that.”
His breath came out ragged against the top of her head. “Damn. I am such an asshole.”
“Maybe a little bit.” She smiled and gave a soft laugh. “But I wasn’t much better.”
“You know,” he murmured, running a hand down her back. “I think we’d better send Danny and Stephanie a big box of chocolates along with a thank you card. Because I don’t think we’d have had a chance in hell without their interference.”
“Give that man a raise,” she murmured, her pulse quickening. “You know, it’s going to be awfully hard. You commuting from New York to Seattle to see me.”
“Well. I’m hoping you have a big apartment.” He pressed a kiss against her forehead. “Because I’m transferring to the Seattle office as soon as possible and moving in until I can convince you to marry me.”
“It’s tiny, but I’ve got a big bed.” Warmth moved through her body, and her heart skipped a beat. “And I won’t need much convincing.”
“That’s too bad. I was kind of looking forward to it.” His hand slipped low on the neckline of her robe.
“Well, since you put it that way. Convince away…” She smiled and pulled his head down to hers.
About the Author
Shelli is a New York Times Bestselling Author who read her first romance novel when she snatched it off her mother’s bookshelf at the age of eleven. One taste and she was forever hooked. It wasn’t until many years later that she decided to pursue writing stories of her own. By then she acknowledged the voices in her head didn’t make her crazy, they made her a writer.
Shelli currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her daughter. She writes various genres of romance, is a compulsive volunteer, and has been known to spontaneously burst into song. You can visit her at www.shellistevens.com and join her newsletter at www.shellistevens.com/contact
Look for these titles by Shelli Stevens
Now Available:
Trust and Dare
Theirs to Capture
Four Play
Foreign Affair
Seattle Steam
Dangerous Grounds
Tempting Adam
Seducing Allie
Chances Are
Anybody but Justin
Luck be Delanie
Protecting Phoebe
Holding out for a Hero
Going Down
Command and Control
Flash Point
Coming Soon:
He’s going to show this wedding crasher just how dirty the outdoors can be.
Seducing Allie
© 2011 Shelli Stevens
Seattle Steam, Book 3
Allison Siegel is out to stop a wedding. With one of
her best childhood friends about to marry a gold-digger, who wouldn’t at least try to stage an intervention? Apparently, her other childhood bestie, Clint.
The minute Allie grew out of her sneakers and into her curves, Clint’s hormones went ballistic. But she had eyes only for Ken, so Clint made himself scarce, even after the relationship fizzled. Now she’s back, looking better than ever—and hell-bent on sabotaging Ken’s wedding. So Clint knows he needs to do whatever it takes to head her off at the pass.
Kidnapped! Allison can't believe it. Now she’s stuck in the Montana backwoods fending off nature’s friends, and fighting a losing battle to resist Clint—the sexiest forest ranger on the planet.
Clint has big plans for Allie. Not only will he convince a city girl that she needs to embrace her inner nature freak, but he's going to prove there's sparks flying in more places than just the campfire.
Warning: This book contains a city girl out of her element, a forest ranger determined to keep her there, and a campfire seduction hot enough to melt more than just marshmallows.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Seducing Allie:
“You liked it when I kissed you this morning.”
“Not even a bit.” Her pulse went into double time.
“And last night at the bachelor party? You were practically melting in my arms.”
“Talking to girls like this doesn’t actually get you laid, does it?”
“In fact,” he went on like she hadn’t even spoken, “I think you’d like it if I did a whole lot more than kiss you tonight.”
The scent of him filled her senses, sending her mind spinning and making her knees tremble. His hard torso pressed firmly against her breasts and her nipples tightened into hard points against the lace of her bra. She swallowed hard and tugged at her wrist.
“Tell me, Allie. I’ve always wondered how you like it. Are you all about the romance?” His voice lowered to a soft caress. “Do you enjoy it when a man gently sucks on your nipples and brings you to orgasm while playing your clit like an instrument?”
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