A sharp turn around yet another daunting boulder came up, then Devon halted the horse and jumped to the ground.
Madeline took in a sight unlike any she’d ever seen. A vast, overhanging rock shaded a wide ledge for at least fifty feet, and beneath it, a pool, which looked like a perfectly round hole bored into the rock base.
Devon lifted her from the horse, sliding her over his chest, causing her to tremble with delight. “Now, we can cool off.” Setting her to the ground, he led the horse away to yet another overhang in front of a cave opening she hadn’t noticed before.
“Is this your home?”
“Yeah, I guess it’s one of them,” he answered and glanced at the pool. “Fresh from just a day ago.”
“Fresh? Fresh what?”
“Fresh rainwater,” he explained. “Have you ever?”
Baffled, Madeline shook her head. “Ever what?”
“Sat and cooled off in pure rainwater?” Devon tugged his T-shirt over his head.
“No!” Nervous, she laughed a little too loudly. “I mean, who ever heard of...” Her words halted at the sight of his smooth, muscled chest. Okay, Madeline, steady now.
Devon opened the top button on his jeans and his fingers stopped. “Are you gonna watch?”
“You’re the one stripping in front of me!” Her embarrassment caused her tone to raise a decibel.
“Yeah, you got a point there.” He tilted his dark head at her. “Well, if you watch me?” His eyes roamed over her shorts and on up to her fitted T-shirt with a heated gaze. “I get to watch you.”
Her mouth dropped open at the flirtatious taunt.
“It’s only fair, you know?” He opened the rest of the buttons on his jeans.
She tried not to stare—unsuccessfully. Gasping, she flipped around and could hear him chuckle from behind her.
“That’s too bad.”
She heard the water from his splashing lap against the rock surface of the pool sides.
“Ahh.”
Madeline tried to ignore her pulsing reaction to the sound of his groan and, losing the battle, peeked over at him.
“This is the best thing I’ve felt in forever.” Devon peered up at her, his warm smile inviting. “Join me?”
Bewildered by his bold actions, she stood motionless, eyeing his nude body through the pristine, azure water.
“What? Afraid again?”
“So, you think childlike taunts are gonna get me to—“
“Get you to do what?” His voice took on an annoyed tone.
“What do you want from me, Dev?”
“The real question is, what do you want, Maddy?” Devon leaned back, looking up at the overhang. “Or, what do you need?” His head rested on the smooth slope of the rock pool.
“I don’t need anything!” Madeline’s shout echoed through the rocks, bouncing back at her like a slap of sound, and she jumped at the effect.
“Fine, suit yourself.” He closed his eyes and appeared completely relaxed.
She felt so frustrated. Who is this man? Why do I feel all insecure and—afraid? No way. I’ve never, ever felt afraid. Fear was one of the definite no-no’s on her downfall list.
“Yep, you’re afraid of me.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
Madeline balled her hands into fists at her sides. “Screw you! I don’t even know you, let alone…” Her words halted as he stood up in the water and stepped from the pool. Oh, dear God, he’s magnificent!
“Remove your clothes and join me, or I will remove them for you.” His eyes locked with hers.
“No one tells me—“
He reached out and lifted her to his wet body. “I won’t repeat it.”
Madeline gazed into his eyes, mesmerized by the intensity of his words.
He released her and stood back.
Drawing in a breath, she tugged her T-shirt up and over her head.
With no expression on his face, Devon watched as her shaky hands unsnapped her shorts and rolled them down, stepping out one shaky leg at a time.
Madeline faced him in her bra and panties as he focused his gaze on the black-lace bra. “The water is pure, and the detergent from your clothes isn’t.” He turned from her and sauntered back over to the pool.
She got a real good look at his bare ass, and the sight assaulted her senses as the most extraordinarily erotic thing she’d ever experienced. Releasing a nervous breath, she reached back and unhooked her bra.
With a casual ease, Devon got back in the pool, floating loose limbed in the water.
Tugging her lace underwear down, a pang of disappointment poked at her as he appeared disinterested and didn’t even look over at her.
“Do you want me to?” He met her eyes while floating around on his back.
Her face flamed again. “Do I...?” She gulped at the bizarre question.
“Yeah, do you want me look at you?”
“I—you?” Madeline snapped her mouth shut.
He let out a chuckle. “So?”
“So, what?”
“Are you gonna stand there in the sun and burn some more?”
She blinked rapidly. “You are just so...”
“Yeah, I’m so what?” Devon peered up at the overhang.
“Ooh!” She stomped her foot and marched over to the pool. “So infuriating.” He gazed directly at her, and she drew in a sharp breath.
“Nice,” he purred, his eyes burning at her.
A stunned hesitation prevented her response, but Madeline was determined to brave this out. After all, I’ve faced some of the most powerful, dominating men in the world and never batted an eyelash!
“Get in.” His tone was flat.
“I was going to.” Her voice did not sound as confident as she would’ve liked.
Devon rested his chin on his folded arms while his intense gaze rose to her legs, traveling to her stomach and finally resting at her breasts. Her nipples were hard even in the heat. His heated perusal traveled on to her face, which probably reflected a bright shade of pink.
“Are you done?”
“No, actually, you should turn around, and I’ll enjoy the journey all over again.”
Of all the nerve! He sits there and thinks he can just... Her eyes met with his and, sighing with defeated resignation, she faced away from the pool, and him.
Strained silence stretched around her.
A splashing sound emanated from the pool, and he pulled her against his smooth chest. “Just tell me,” Devon prompted.
Struggling to control her trembling and losing the battle, she swallowed with a nervous gulp and felt his sleek, wet skin touching hers. “What am I supposed to tell you?”
His deep chuckle rumbled in her ear, and a shiver ran along her skin.
“I will hear it, when you’re ready.” Devon tightened his embrace and took a step back, plunging them both into the pool.
Madeline gasped as het let go of her and the cool water hit her hot, flushing skin. “Oh!” Drawing in a deep breath, a rush of pure adrenaline sped through her. “Wow!”
“Yes, it feels good,” he spoke from the other ledge.
“How deep is it, anyway?” She peered into the water.
“No one really knows. We’ve been lucky enough, rain wise.”
Another exhilarating sweep of a rush ran through her body. “What is that?”
“Oh, you mean the tingling?”
She exhibited a shudder and nodded.
“It’s just like the name.”
“What name?” she asked with a flutter in her voice.
“Water from the lightning.”
“Lightning?”
“Yep.” Devon floated on his back again.
“Well, why do you seem so calm? When I feel like...”
“What do you feel like?” he asked in a curious tone and swam over to look directly at her.
With a brisk motion, she chafed at her bare arms and wondered at the euphoric excitement inhabiting her body. “
Like something is messing with my endorphins or something.”
A jaunty grin broke out on his face.
At his silent pause, she looked over at him. “What?”
He grasped a strand of her wet hair. “Yeah, I suppose no one has ever messed with those in you before.”
She pulled herself back. “Who are you?”
“I already introduced myself, remember?” His grinning continued.
A nervous prickling spread through her body, and she licked her lips. “I need to get out!”
Grabbing her, he held her to his chest. “No, you need to stay in.” Devon lowered his lips to hers, and his tongue swept into her mouth. He wrapped his arms around her and languidly kissed her as they floated in the small pool.
A living flame of heat hit her insides, making her shake all over; a compulsion to squirm at any minute assailed her. With just a kiss, she wanted to be entirely devoured by him, consumed by his hot, searching mouth. He excited her to a frenzy point with only his lips and embrace. His sensual, unhurried kiss elicited a greedy response from her, inflaming more desire in her than any other man ever accomplished before. Stunned by all the erotic images streaming through her befuddled imagination, she broke the long, wonderful kissing, as her breathing accelerated. “I’m afraid.”
Devon remained expressionless, as though only half interested in her admission. “Yes?”
Biting at her lower lip, another needy jolt ran through her. “Oh, no, I have to go!” Panicked, she pushed away from him and swam to the edge.
“Wait!” he warned, “If you get out, you will—“
Grasping the rock ledge and hefting herself out of the water, a pure wave of intense pain engulfed her. “Ahh!” she gasped. “No.”
“Oh, man.” He let out a disgusted sigh and got out of the pool.
Helplessly lying back on the rock surface, she drew her body into a fetal position. “Oh, God, what is it?”
“Always in trouble.” Devon knelt, scooped her up and carried her into the cave.
Madeline clung to his broad shoulders. “It feels like I’m being torn in two!” The pain eased a little as she noted the torches on the walls and glimpsed bizarre drawings painted along the rock backgrounds. Another wave of agony hit, and her body coiled painfully again. “What the fuck is it?”
“You don’t mince words, do ya?” he quipped as he laid her on a king-sized, silk-covered bed.
“This isn’t funny!” She curled back into a fetal position on the deep blue silk and realized she was laying in luxury. “A bed in a cave?”
Seeming amused by her dramatics, he chuckled and moved away.
“Where are you going?” She received no response. “If you leave me again, I will hunt you down!” Again, no response. “I mean it, you’re a dead man!” Her threats took on an anxious sound as a tingling ran along her legs. “What is happening?”
“It’s sort of like withdrawal,” he spoke softly from behind her.
“Withdrawal?”
“Yes, you were supposed to...”
“Suppose to what?” She panted with an ever increasing agitation.
Devon placed his lips close to her ear. “Come.”
At the seductive answer, she bolted upright. “What?” Her animated reaction caused more laughter to sound in her ear.
“The pool is for lovers.”
A throb pulsed through her lower body. “How can that be?”
“It just is.”
His voice made her tremble. She swiveled around and latched onto his lips as his arms wrapped around her. Breaking the rushed kiss, she took a gulp of air. “I feel like I’m drowning.”
“Do you feel a need?” he asked in a purring voice.
Madeline stubbornly refused to answer.
“Tell me,” he prompted in a low voice.
Her body trembled at the timbre of his words. “Stop that!”
“What?”
“Talking to me like that.” She hugged herself and sat facing away from him.
Devon leaned closer. “Like I want you?”
More shivers attacked her skin, and she attempted to keep her body still. “Yes, like that.”
“Or like I want to touch you?”
Tensing, her senses accelerated to the point of insanity. She tilted her head back and breathed through her nose. A scent like sweet pine from a fresh rain in the forest drifted over her. A fragrance of pleasant days and soothing summer nights remembered from her childhood.
“Like I want to use my mouth and devour your delicious-looking skin from head to toe?”
An inviting vibration filled his voice, and Madeline experienced a lustful spasm. His searing-hot mouth descended on her neck, like a fiery brand on her skin. Her body pulsed.
“I want to taste you. What do you taste like? I will bet your juices are both sweet and salty.” Devon’s lips caressed the words along her skin, “I would like to take those rosy nipples into my mouth and suck on them until you scream for me.”
She shuddered. “Oh, God.”
Devon leaned in a little closer. “Explore every part of you. Have you wet and wide open.”
She gulped and squeezed her arms even tighter in a struggle to hold herself together. “Why don’t you?”
He grew quiet for a moment. “Because I want it to be your desire, not the whiskey or the magic.”
“I’ve never felt anything like this before.” The swirling vortex of need and desire cascaded through her.
“It’s mostly the water, but I can help you.”
At his offer, exhilaration coursed through her.
“But, I won’t touch you,” he added.
Now, a crushing disappointment rippled over her.
“If I could touch you, though, I would grab you and lower you down. I would use my mouth on you and my fingers. I’d open you and stick my tongue into you.”
Madeline tried to slow her panting, feeling light-headed. The seductive spell of his voice wove around her like a blanket of sensual heat.
“I would bring you to the brink of climax with just my tongue. Then I’d plunge myself into you as you come.”
A wave of insurmountable yearning ripped through her, and moisture seeped from between her thighs. “Unh,” she breathed out.
“I’d pull your body up and bend you over. You’d be open and wet with need and wanting.”
“Ohh!” she shouted and put her hands between her legs. Out of control, Madeline shoved her fingers into herself.
Devon lightly touched her back with his bare chest as he spoke, “I’d thrust in and out as you grew wetter and wetter.”
Inexplicably, she could feel it while pushing her fingers into herself.
“You would be overflowing with me,” he purred at her.
With his soft-spoken words, her tensing body shuddered.
“In and out, pumping you deep and hard as you come on my cock.”
Madeline experienced the fantasy, and even the sensation of the pumping and sliding of his cock in her pussy. Her body tightened with a throbbing ecstasy beyond any she’d ever known. A powerful wave of orgasm engulfed her. “Ohh!” Her inner thigh muscles spasmed as her torso stretched out.
“And when I come, you’d climax again, and I’d suck on your nipples as my cum flowed into you.”
“Dev, please?” she pleaded. The orgasm did not recede, and her body throbbed wildly as she came onto her own fingers. Madeline envisioned what he described. “Stop!” she shouted, suspended in a vortex of rapturous splendor and suffering. “Oh, God, stop!”
He continued with his vocal fucking, “I’d mount you as they do in the wild. I’d reach around and play with your nipples as they hung down, aching for my touch.”
“No.” Her body plunged into climax again, as his voice vibrated through her and she helplessly whimpered.
“I’d grind into you and slide out, faster and harder and deeper until…” he whispered the sexual stimulation to her ear again, “…you come for me.”
“Ahh!” Sh
e spasmodically came against her fingers again. “Ohh, oh.” Her body collapsed to the bed, and she released a relieved groan.
Devon leaned over her. “Feel better now?”
Breathless, she attempted to speak. “I s-should…kill you.”
“For what? You’re the one who got—“
“Ooh!” Her breathless outburst drowned his words out. “You lured me into—into a pool of roofies!”
He looked baffled by the accusation. “A pool of what?”
Madeline shook all over and attempted to compose herself. “Where are my clothes?”
With an expression of disgust, he crossed his arms over his bare chest. “Oh, I get it. You got your pleasure, and now, it’s goodbye, Dev!”
Madeline rose up and gaped at him for a moment. “Are you for real?”
He grinned at her, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
Appalled by his teasing, she gazed around at the cave–a surreal stone penthouse fully furnished and stocked with all the amenities.
A formal dining table sat in the middle of a spacious area in the cave, across from a full kitchen built into a stone wall. The living room area had overstuffed leather chairs and matching couch, with side tables and a large, flat screen TV. The bedroom area held two matching dressers and a computer desk with swivel chair.
Madeline’s startled gaze dropped to the luxurious, silk-canopied bed, then over to side tables and beautiful lamps. “How did all this stuff get here?”
Devon shrugged and went over to the fridge. “My people brought it all here.” He took out a beer. “Want one? It’s cold.”
With some hesitation, she rose from the bed. Her legs wobbled like jelly, and she tentatively stepped closer to where he stood. “How is it the fridge runs?”
“A generator.” Handing her the cold bottle, he plopped down on the leather couch. “I still have to go outside to use my laptop, though.” He took a swig of his beer. “And the cell phone? Well, I don’t even want to talk about it!” Amused disgust showed on his face.
Madeline stared at her beer and moved over toward the luxurious couch.
Devon lifted a remote, the giant screen TV came on, and he glanced over at her stunned face. “Satellite.” Casually sipping at his beer, he patted the leather of the couch. “Sit down, already.”
Tame Me: A Filthy Billionaire Romance Page 4