by JoAnn Ross
“Lord, Amanda—” He reached for her, but she deftly avoided his hands.
She touched her mouth to his ankle, felt the thundering of his pulse and imagined she could taste the heat of his blood beneath her lips.
Realizing that she was on the verge of losing control of her emotions, Amanda shifted positions, to lie beside him. She returned her mouth to his face, kissing her way along his rigid jaw as her hands explored his torso, exploiting weaknesses he’d never known he possessed.
She left him long enough to light the fire he’d laid while she’d been out on the fishing boat. Then she proceeded to undress. She took as much time with her buttons as she had with his. By the time the white shirt finally fluttered to the floor, Dane had to press his lips together to keep his tongue from hanging out. As he observed her creamy breasts, unbearably enticing beneath the ivory lace bra, Dane discovered that ten years hadn’t lessened his reaction to the sexy lingerie that had driven a sex-crazed nineteen-year-old to distraction.
She sat down in the wing chair beside the bed, stuck out a leg and invited him to pull off the glove-soft cowboy boot. Dane obliged her willingly. The left boot, then the right, dropped to the floor.
The jeans were even tougher to get off than the boots. “I should have thought this through better,” she muttered as she tugged the black denim over her hips, irritated she’d lost the sensual rhythm she’d tried so hard to maintain.
“You certainly don’t have to apologize, contessa.” The sexy way she was wiggling her hips as she struggled to pull the tight jeans down her legs had Dane feeling as if he was about to explode. “Because it definitely works for me.”
Their gazes touched. His eyes were dark with desire, but tinged with a tender amusement that eased her embarrassment.
She had to sit down in the chair again to drag the jeans over her feet, but then she was standing beside the bed, clad only in the lacy bra and panties. The soft shadow beneath the skimpy lace triangle between her thighs had Dane literally biting the inside of his cheek.
“Don’t stop now.”
Thrilled by the heat flashing in his midnight-dark eyes, along with the hunger in his ragged tone, Amanda leaned forward, unfastened the back hooks of the bra, then held it against her chest for a suspended moment. With her eyes still on his, she smiled seductively.
As she raised her hands to comb them through her hair in a languid gesture, the lace bra fell away.
Unbearably aroused, Dane drank in the sight of her creamy breasts. While not voluptuous, they were smooth and firm. He remembered, all too well, how perfectly they had fit in his hands. In his mouth.
Watching him watch her, Amanda experienced a rush of power—followed by a wave of weakness. Although far more nervous now than when she’d begun the impromptu striptease, Amanda was determined to see it through. She hooked her fingers in the low-cut waistband, drawing the lace over her hips and down her legs.
“You are absolutely gorgeous.” The truth of his words was echoed in his rough voice.
“And you’re overdressed.” Returning to the bed, she knelt over him, struggling with his belt buckle for a few frustrating seconds that seemed like an eternity.
Success! She dragged his jeans and white cotton briefs down his legs, then kissed her way up again.
“You’re killing me,” he moaned as her hand encircled his erection.
“Now you know how I felt.” His sex was smooth and hot. “Last night.” She lowered her head, and her hair fell over his hips like a gleaming antique-gold curtain as she swirled her seductive tongue over him.
Curses, pleas, or promises, Dane wasn’t sure which, were torn from his throat. For the first time in his life, he understood what it was to be completely vulnerable.
She touched. He burned.
She tasted. He ached.
Amanda straddled Dane, taking him deep inside her, imprisoning him willingly, wonderfully, in her warmth.
Their eyes locked, exchanging erotic messages, intimate promises that neither had dared put into words.
Then, because they could wait no longer, she began to move, quickly and agilely, rocking against him, driving him—driving herself—toward that final glorious crest.
Although their time together was drawing to an end, neither Amanda nor Dane brought up the subject of what would happen once the challenge week ended. By unspoken mutual agreement, they ignored the inevitable, intent on capturing whatever pleasure they could. Whenever they could.
On the overnight backpacking trip, while the others tossed and turned, unaccustomed to sleeping on the ground, Dane slipped into Amanda’s tent. Their lovemaking, while necessarily silent, was even more thrilling because of the risk of discovery. And when she couldn’t remain quiet at the shattering moment of climax, Dane covered her mouth with his, smothering her ecstatic cry.
Time passed as if on wings. On the day before she was scheduled to leave, while Dane was on the beach, preparing for the final event of the challenge week—the cliff climbAmanda was alone in her room, her eyes swollen from the tears she’d shed after he’d left her bed.
The knock on her door had her wiping her damp cheeks. “Yes?”
“Amanda?” It was Kelli. “May I speak with you?”
Although they hadn’t exchanged more than a few words since the fishing-boat incident, Amanda had gotten the impression that Kelli had been watching her every move, which had only increased her suspicions that the public-relations manager was spying for Greg.
“Just a minute.” She ran into the adjoining bathroom, splashed some cold water on her face and pulled a brush through her hair. Then she opened the door.
“I’m sorry to bother you, but…” Kelli’s voice drifted off as she observed Amanda’s red-rimmed eyes. “Is something wrong?”
“No.” When Kelli arched an eyebrow at the obvious lie, Amanda said, “It’s personal.”
Kelli’s expression revealed understanding. “Love can be a real bitch, can’t it?”
“Is it that obvious?” Amanda thought she and Dane had been so careful.
“Not to everyone,” Kelli assured her.
Amanda decided it was time to get their cards on the table. “That’s probably because not everyone has been watching me as closely as you.”
If she’d expected Kelli to be embarrassed, Amanda would have been disappointed.
“That’s true. But none of the others were sent here from Manhattan to evaluate the office.”
“So you are a company spy?”
“Spy is such a negative word, don’t you think?” Kelli suggested mildly. “I prefer to think of myself as a troubleshooter.”
“Then you ought to shoot Greg Parsons,” Amanda couldn’t resist muttering.
“I’ve considered that. But my recommendation is going to be to fire him, instead.”
“You’re kidding!” Amanda could have been no more surprised than if Kelli had told her that Martians had just purchased the agency. “But he’s family.”
“Not for long,” Kelli revealed. “It seems his wife has gotten tired of his philandering and is about to file for divorce. Obviously, Mr. Janzen isn’t eager to employ the man who’s broken his granddaughter’s heart.”
“It probably helps that he’s incompetent to boot.”
“That is a plus,” Kelli agreed. “Which is, of course, where you come in.” She paused a beat. For effect, Amanda thought. “You’re the obvious choice to replace Greg as regional creative director.”
“I’d hoped that was the case.”
“I’ve already informed the partners that you’d be terrific at the job. But after receiving my daily faxes, they’ve instructed me to offer you another position.
“You also know that all the recent mergers and downsizing has created a great deal of anxiety.”
“Of course.”
“Your Portland office is not unique. Janzen, Lawton and Young has been experiencing the same problems with all its new worldwide acquisitions. Which is why the partners have come up wi
th the idea of creating the post of ombudsman. Which is where you come in.
“If you decide to accept the position, you’ll achieve upper-management status and be required to travel between offices, creating the same good feeling and teamsmanship you’ve managed with this group.”
“I’d rather have a root canal than repeat this challenge week.”
Kelli grinned. “After that fishing trip, I’m in your corner on that one. Actually, the partners think the challenge week was overrated and undereffective. They believe that you could achieve the same results simply by visiting each office and employing your diplomatic skills to assure the employees that the mergers are in everyone’s best interests.”
“Even if I don’t believe they are?” Amanda dared to ask.
“You’re in advertising,” Kelli reminded her with one of her perky trademark smiles. “Surely you’re not averse to putting a positive spin on things. As you’ve done to get Marvin and Julian working together this week. You weren’t lying when you stressed how important it was for the creative people and the accounting people to work together, were you?”
“Of course not, but—”
“Take some time to think it over,” Kelli suggested. She went on to offer a salary that was more than double what Amanda was currently making. “Of course, you’ll have a very generous expense account. Since image is important in advertising, all upper-level employees travel first-class.”
“It sounds tempting,” Amanda admitted. She thought about what her father would say when she called him with the news.
“Believe me, you’ll earn every penny.”
“If I decide not to accept—”
“The job of creative director for the Northwest region is still yours.”
“How much time do I have?”
“The partners would like your answer by the end of next week. Sooner if possible.”
With that, Kelli flashed another self-assured grin and turned to leave. She was in the doorway when she looked back. “I’d appreciate you not saying anything about this to Greg.”
“Of course not,” Amanda murmured, still a bit stunned by the out-of-the-blue offer. It was more than she’d dared hope for. More than she’d dreamed of. So why wasn’t she ecstatic?
12
The rock cliffs towered above the beach, looking cold and gray and forbidding.
“Who’ll take care of my kids when I die?” Laura asked, her lack of enthusiasm obvious.
“No one’s going to die,” Dane assured her.
“This isn’t fair to the women,” Nadine complained. “I’ve seen rock climbers on the Discovery channel, and they’re mostly all men.”
“It’s true that some climbing—like overhangs—requires strength in the shoulders and arms. But the fact that women aren’t usually as strong in those areas isn’t as important as you’d think,” Dane said. “Since women tend to be smaller than men, they don’t need as much strength. In fact, on the average, smaller people have a better strength-to-weight ratio, which is what’s important in climbing.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” Nadine muttered, casting a disparaging glance at Dane’s muscular arms.
“It’s true. Climbing is done primarily with the legs and feet because they’re stronger. You can stand for hours at a time on your feet, but even the strongest man can only hang from his arms for a few minutes. The most essential element of climbing is balance.”
While the group eyed the cliff with overt suspicion, Dane explained the basics of rock climbing. “One of the most important things to remember,” he told the team members, “is that although the tendency is to look up for handholds, you should keep your hands below your shoulders and look down for footholds.
“Balance climbing, which is what you’ll be doing, is like climbing stairs, although today you’ll be climbing more sideways than vertically. You find a place for your foot, settle into a rest step, then make a shift of your hips and move on to the next step, always striving to keep your body poised over one foot.
“You can pause, or rest supported by both feet. You can also lift your body up with both legs, but never advance a foot to the next hold until you’re in balance over the resting foot.”
“What about ropes?” Laura, still unconvinced, asked.
“There’s an old adage—’It’s not the fall that hurts, it’s the sudden stop.’ If a rope stops a fall too fast, you can end up with a broken body. Or, a rope can pull loose and let you continue to fall. So, although you’ll be equipped with a rope harness, since there are plenty of ledges and handholds, you shouldn’t need to use the rope on this climb.”
“We’re not going to rappel?” Luke asked.
“Not today.” Dane’s assurance drew murmurs of relief.
After more explanation of terms and techniques, Dane climbed up the side of the cliff to set the woven climbing rope while the others watched.
“He makes it look so easy,” Laura said.
“Michael Jordan makes hoops look easy, too,” Luke added. “But I wouldn’t be stupid enough to play one-on-one with the guy.”
“It’s tricky,” Kelli allowed. “But this cliff is only a grade one.”
“What does that mean?” Julian asked. “And how do you know so much about it?”
“I’ve been climbing since my teens,” she answered the second question first. “As for the rating, climbs are divided into grades from one to six. A grade one, like this one, will only have one to two pitches. A grade six, like some of the routes on El Capitan, can have more than thirty pitches.”
“Terrific,” Julian muttered. “The red team’s brought in a ringer.”
“I’ve already decided to take myself off the team,” Kelli revealed, as Dane came back down the rocks with a deft skill that Amanda admired, even as her heart leaped to her throat.
“That’s not necessary,” Marvin said. “I’ve been climbing since college. And while I haven’t done El Capitan, I think I can do my bit for the blue team.”
With the competitive balance restored, the final challenge event began. To everyone’s surprise, the climb went amazingly well. Even Laura, who’d sworn that she wouldn’t be able to get past the first rest stop, managed to make her way to the top, then back down again.
The final participant was Julian, who was making record time when, eager to reach the top of the cliff, he leaned too far into the slope, pushing his feet outward, causing him to slip. Sensing he was about to slide, he grabbed for a handhold, causing a small avalanche of pebbles.
Everyone watching from below breathed a united sigh of relief as the rope looped around his waist held.
“There’s a ledge six inches to the left of you,” Dane called out. “Just stay calm. You can reach it with no trouble.”
Dangling against the cliff, Julian managed to edge his left foot sideways until it was safely on the ledge.
“That’s it,” Dane said encouragingly. “Now, put the heel of your right foot on that outcropping just below where it is now.”
Although he was trembling visibly, Julian did as instructed.
“It’s going to be okay,” Dane assured Amanda and the others. “He’s not in any danger.” He lifted his cupped hands again. “Now, all you have to do is come back down the way you went up and you’re home free.”
Later, Amanda would decide that the next moment was when Julian made his mistake. He looked down, viewed the . gathered team members far below, realized exactly how close he’d come to falling—and literally froze.
Dane was the first to realize what had happened. He cursed.
“I’d better go bring him down.”
“No,” Marvin said. “He’s my teammate. I can talk him the rest of the way up.”
“It’s just a game,” Amanda protested. “Winning isn’t worth risking anyone’s life.”
“I know that.” Marvin gently pried her fingers off his arm. “But there’s more at risk than winning, Amanda. Julian will never forgive himself if he gives up now.”
&n
bsp; That said, he repeated the ascent path he’d worked out the first time he’d scaled the cliff. Within minutes he was perched on a rock horn beside the art director and although it wasn’t possible to hear what they were saying, it was obvious the two men were engaged in serious conversation.
When Julian looked down again, Amanda drew in a sharp breath, afraid that he’d panic and lose his balance again. But instead, he turned his attention back to the rock wall and began slowly but surely moving upward, with Marvin right behind him, offering words of encouragement and pointing out possible paths.
When Julian reached the top of the cliff, cheers rang out from the team members below.
“Talk about teamwork,” Kelli murmured to Amanda. “You’ve definitely pulled it off, Amanda. I hope you’re seriously considering the partners’ offer.”
“How could I not?” Amanda answered.
As Julian and Marvin made their way back down the cliff, Dane came over to stand beside Amanda. “I couldn’t help overhearing Kelli. Congratulations. You’ll be great.”
She looked up at him with confusion. “You know?”
It was Dane’s turn to be confused. “Know what? I assumed you’d been offered Parsons’s job.”
“I was.” She glanced around, not wanting the others to hear. “But it’s turned out to be a bit more complicated.”
She didn’t want to discuss the amazing offer with Dane until they were alone and she could attempt to discern how he felt about her possibly moving to New York.
If he asked her to stay, she would. Already having missed one opportunity with this man, she was not about to blow another.
Something was wrong. Dane felt it deep in his gut. He was going to lose her again.
The ride back to the inn was a boisterous one. Although the blue team had won the week’s event on points, even their opponents were fired up by Julian and Marvin’s cooperative team effort. By the time the van pulled into the parking lot of the inn, everyone had decided to go into Satan’s Cove to celebrate having ended the week on such a high note.