He lowered her in his arms and brushed her lips gently with his mouth. He tasted as delicious as her favorite molten-chocolate dessert. It was a long, sweet, amazing kiss. Tension oozed out of her pores, and her limbs relaxed. He soothed her arms with his gentle touch, his fingertips applying light pressure up and down as he continued to hold her, kiss her. “You were meant to be mine,” he whispered in her ear.
Goose bumps erupted as she shivered with pleasure. She would be his for tonight.
He took care with her, treating her like something precious, something that needed nurturing. He wouldn’t disappoint her. He claimed her lips again and again, each kiss giving more promise, more heady pleasure. “Open for me,” he ordered.
Cara separated her lips, and he touched his tongue to hers. A moan rose up her throat as he swept through the hollows of her mouth. She squirmed in her seat, her battered body coming alive with pings of awareness. Her mind went into shutdown mode of anything that wasn’t Alex.
He was the comfort food she craved.
His kisses became more demanding in an exquisite sort of way. Tender yet tough. Gentle yet potent. He had expert hands. They roamed over her body, creating erogenous zones everywhere he touched, pinpoints of extreme sensation. She rocked in his arms, unable to hold still, unable to keep her body from falling into his rhythm.
His mouth moved down, moistening her chin with his tongue, kissing the underside of her throat. She arched in his arms, giving him the access he required to continue his quest. His lips found the base of her throat as one hand came under her breast. He gave a gentle squeeze, and her groin pulsed. “You feel so good, Cara. I’ve missed you.”
“Alex,” she uttered, unable to formulate anything else.
She reached for the button on his silk shirt, and he clasped her wrist. “No, baby. Not yet.”
She felt herself being lowered onto the sofa. “Just lie here, close your eyes and enjoy.”
Her eyes feathered closed.
He lifted one shoe off her foot, and then the other. While one hand remained on her waist, the other rubbed the arch of her foot. He worked his hand on both feet, gliding over them many times. Her breathing steadied to perfectly even puffs as he stroked her arches and ankles. Endorphins eased gently through her body as he continued up her legs, gliding his hands over her sensitized skin. “You are as soft as I remember. Does this feel good?”
She nodded, and a little noise of agreement slipped through her lips.
The hem of her dress was lifted to her waist, exposing her thighs and black panties. She heard Alex draw air into his lungs as his hands traveled over her knees. His palms caressed her softest skin, inching his way higher and higher. Moisture beaded her forehead. The anticipation was killing her. He pushed his hand between her legs to separate them and his fingers brushed over her panties. “Do you want this?” he asked.
“Y-yes, oh, yes.” She couldn’t think of anything she wanted more.
His finger dipped into the waistband of her panties, and he lowered them down in one gliding motion. One edge of material hooked at her feet, and Cara gave a little kick to shed them entirely.
Alex chuckled from deep in his throat and the beautiful sound echoed against the walls. He adjusted his position on the sofa and lifted her hips as he moved her legs farther apart. Her pulse pounded hard in her chest, the beat ringing in her ears. He brought his head to her core and claimed her with possessive thrusts of his tongue.
Jolts of electricity shocked through her as he suckled. She tried to bolt up, but his grip on her hips tightened and she lowered down, seized by mind-blowing sensations.
Her orgasm came quick and hard.
She’d asked for a booty call.
And Alex had delivered.
Was still delivering.
* * *
Alex scooped Cara up from the sofa, and she draped her arms around his neck as he carried her toward the bedroom. She fit him perfectly in so many ways, but none more so than now. They belonged together and he would spend all night proving that to her. She was hurting, disillusioned by a father she didn’t really know—a man who’d brought scandal and disappointment to her life. Alex blamed himself for her sweeping sadness, as well. Nothing mattered to him more than easing Cara’s pain and showing her that she could depend on him and that he was a man she could trust again. He wouldn’t let her go through this alone. When she’d called on him to come over, hope had eagerly quivered in his veins.
Cradling her to his chest, her satisfied sigh was like a kitten’s purr. He kissed the top of her head and entered her room. It smelled like her. A sweetly erotic scent perfumed the air. He pushed aside half a dozen decorative pillows and lowered her down crossways on a smooth lavender bedcover. Her blond strands fanned out, framing her face in an array of honey wheat. Her black dress inched up her thighs. Dios, she was a picture of every dream he’d ever had.
I will never hurt you again, he thought. But Cara did not need his declarations right now. Tonight was all about making her forget. He came down on one knee beside her to stare into eyes still glowing from her first orgasm. He smiled. There would be more.
“Undress me, Cara. I want your hands on my skin.”
Slowly, Cara rose up to begin to unbutton his shirt.
He bunched her hair into his fist and pushed the long golden locks behind one shoulder. He saw her face better now, her swollen lips and the rosy hue of her cheeks.
She finished the buttons and he helped her remove his shirt. Her eyes widened with admiration as she peered over the breadth of his chest. Then her mouth dropped open when her gaze traveled to her name scrolled in ink on his upper right arm. “Oh...I didn’t expect...” she whispered, lifting puzzled eyes his way. She gave her head a little shake. “When did you do that?”
“When my memory returned.”
She stared deeper into his eyes. “Alex.”
“That’s how much you mean to me. I didn’t have a doubt in my head when I had your name inked on my skin. You are the only woman for me. I am the only man for you.”
“I, um—” she nibbled on her lip and glanced away “—I can’t hear this now.”
“I know.” Alex understood what tonight was about. He had no illusions of her forgiving and forgetting because he’d satisfied one need in her. But getting naked with her meant her seeing the etching on his skin that was life-lasting.
He undid his belt buckle, and her attention returned to him. There was no mistaking the hunger in her eyes. She removed his belt, tossing it to the floor, and quickly laid her hands on him. Her palms were cool against his heated flesh, and she murmured, “You feel so good, Alex.”
She brushed a kiss to the skin above his waist. His lust for her doubled. He’d waited so long for her to come back to him. He didn’t want to rush anything, but telling that to the parts of his body that were swelling with need wasn’t working.
His hands went into her hair again, ruffling the spun silk, gripping and grasping the locks as she continued her assault on his torso. Below that area, he grew hard as stone.
She licked along the center of his torso, planting wet, hot kisses, and he sucked in oxygen. No woman had ever made him feel this way. It was even more beautiful that she took enjoyment in his body.
She rose on her knees to face him, then lifted an arm behind her and skillfully unzipped her dress. With his help, it cascaded over her shoulders, and he worked her clothes down until she was bared to him.
“Cara.” He ran his hands along her arms, absorbing the texture and her softness. Her fair, creamy skin contrasted against the brown tones of his own body. “It is unfair how beautiful you are.”
“It’s the same for me,” she said, her eyes fluttering over him. “I can’t believe how much I want you right now.”
“It is all I want, as well...for tonight.”
She moved closer and brought her lips to hover near his mouth. “Make me forget everything, Alex.”
He slipped his hands to her waist and inched them up, closer and closer to her chest. “Like this?”
She squeezed her eyes shut. The words moved through her lips slowly. “Exactly like that.”
Alex strummed his thumbs over her nipples, and she sighed softly as they formed pretty twin peaks. She was fuller than usual and more sensitive than he remembered. He was careful fondling her, his palms itching to cup and mold and squeeze, but he was also unwilling to hurry anything, unwilling to be selfish. Cara was at his mercy, and he wanted to make it good for her. He wanted to make sure she’d never forget this late-night booty call.
Her parted lips tempted him, and he tasted from them again and again as he moved his hands over her body, covering every inch of her he could reach in this position. She was breathing hard, and her uttered little sighs were getting to him.
Alex lowered her down on the bed and shed his pants hastily, coming to lie beside her. There was much more he wanted to explore, much more he wanted to do to please her.
“No more, Alex.” In a voice filled with want, she implored him, her hands reaching out for him. “I need you now.”
“You have me.”
He meant it in every sense. Cara wouldn’t want for anything again. He was here, ready to make her his. It was something he’d wanted since the day he’d met her.
It was only a few seconds before Alex was shed of the rest of his clothes and sheathed with protection. He rose above her, relishing her hot, hungry hands on his chest, the pliancy of her willing body.
He would make this good for her.
He would bring them both home.
* * *
Tucked in Alex’s arms, cradled by his hard body, Cara’s waking was something she wanted desperately to prolong. She closed her eyes to dawning light beginning to peek into the room and nestled closer to him. In his sleep, he drew her nearer, and she silently cooed. She wasn’t ready to face the day yet. Last night, she’d put her cell phone on Mute and taken her home phone off the hook.
Alex’s quiet breaths hummed through the room and the sound was like a musical symphony to her ears. He’d been remarkable during the night. She couldn’t have asked for more. He’d taken her to what she affectionately called the Alex Zone. He made her forget her troubles, giving her Zen moments and other moments she wouldn’t soon forget.
If only she could live in this beautifully erotic world he’d created for her, with no past to deal with, no future to worry about. Last night, Alex had kept them in the here and now, giving her exactly what she’d needed. Cara wasn’t ready...she just wasn’t ready to wake from the sex coma Alex had put her in.
His arm snaked around her waist, and one eye lazily opened to her. “Mmm. Good morning, beautiful.” Another tug brought her breasts to his chest.
“Oh!” He’d surprised her. “I didn’t think you were awake.”
“You mean because you nearly killed me last night?” He brushed a kiss to her forehead, then to her mouth.
“I thought you’d need more rest.”
A rumble of sexy amusement rose from his chest. “Sleeping is overrated.”
“I think so, too. I, uh— Do you need to be anywhere this morning?”
“Yes. I need to be right here with you.”
Cara flopped back against the bed. A satin-covered pillow cushioned her head. “I was hoping you would say that.”
“Why?”
She stared at the silver-plated art deco tiled ceiling. “I’m not ready to face the day yet.”
The bed rustled and the next thing she knew, Alex was hovering over her, his day-old beard sinister looking and so extremely appealing. His hands braced on the bed beside her head and his naked self nudged her in all the right places. “Then don’t.”
“Really? You’ll stay?”
“Until you kick me out.”
“Last night was incredible,” she whispered.
“We could have an incredible morning, too.”
“Mmm. I’d like that.”
Alex bent to kiss her, his hard, lean body jolting awake every single one of her nerve cells.
He was right. Sleep was overrated.
She’d rather spend her time in the Alex Zone.
Cara rose from bed slightly after 9:00 a.m. and tiptoed to the bathroom to retrieve her snow-white chenille robe. Closing the ends around her, she tied a loose bow and walked to the foyer to answer the soft knock on her door. If only she could forget all about the knock and climb right back into bed with Alex to pretend today was just any other ordinary day. Unfortunately, Cara couldn’t do that. She’d have to deal with her father’s mess eventually and her only consolation was that the person behind the door had to be one of five special people she trusted. All others wouldn’t make it past the security gates.
She tidied her hair, took a swallow and turned the doorknob.
“Gabriella,” she said, releasing her pent-up breath.
She stared into her friend’s concerned eyes. Her lips were curled down in a show of sympathy. How similar she appeared to Alex in her worry.
“I heard about your father this morning. I’m so sorry, Cara.”
“Come in,” she said immediately, and stepped aside.
Gabriella strode toward her with open arms and they hugged tight. “Oh, Cara,” she said, her voice deep with affection. “I hope you don’t mind me stopping in. I was worried about you being alone last night. This is awful news,” she whispered quietly.
Cara clung to her for a moment. She backed away after a few seconds and formed her words carefully. “I’m sorry, too. About what my father did to Alex. It’s a wonder you still want to be my friend.”
“Of course. I know you didn’t have anything to do with it. And I also know how devastated you must be feeling right now.”
“It came as quite a shock.”
“Gabriella?” Alex strode into the room wearing only his slacks. His pirate’s stubble was even more noticeable in the light of day. Gabriella’s eyes widened as she took in her brother’s rumpled hair and bare chest. “I thought I heard your voice,” he said to his sister.
As he stood beside Cara, he curled his hand to her waist and drew her so close they bumped hips. Heat burned Cara’s cheeks.
“Dios! You two are back together,” Alex’s sister said eagerly. “Alejandro, I have waited to congratulate you on your fatherhood. My brother, you will have a baby soon. Can you believe the good news?” Gabriella flung herself into Alex’s arms. “I am so happy for both of you.”
He stood immobilized, his arms tentatively wrapping around Gabriella’s petite body. “Gabriella, what are you talking about?”
She paused, and slowly backed away, peering at his puzzled expression. “But surely you know.”
Alex began shaking his head. “I know nothing about a baby.”
Gabriella stood stonily silent, biting her lip, probably feeling as if she’d said enough already. Her eyes filled with apology.
Alex snapped his head around to Cara, locking their gazes. Guilt seeped out of her pores, and he didn’t miss it. Then his eyes drifted down to her robed belly and for a moment he was rendered completely speechless.
Was he recalling how sensitive her breasts were last night? Did he see the slightest thickening of her belly? Her pulse jackhammered in her veins. It was time to come clean. The cat was out of the bag, but Cara couldn’t articulate what she was feeling inside. She loved Alex. She’d never stopped loving him, but the gravity of his betrayal ran deep. He’d lied to everyone he’d met in Maverick County continually for two years. He’d gained trust and had abused the faith people had placed in him. Having his baby didn’t change those things.
“You are pregnant?” he a
sked finally. His accusation was laced in a deceptively serene voice.
Cara’s mouth opened, but words didn’t come.
“Dios,” Gabriella said on a painful groan.
“Cara, answer me,” Alex said.
She swallowed and then nodded. “Yes, I am going to have a... Your baby.”
“My baby,” he repeated robotically as if he couldn’t gather his thoughts fast enough.
“Cara, forgive me. I am so very sorry,” Gabriella said. “I thought... I assumed...when I saw you both here, I believed certainly Alejandro knew.”
“It’s okay, Gabriella. You don’t need to apologize. I had to tell him at some point. With all that’s happened, I didn’t have the chance to—”
“To tell me you were having my child?” Alex’s voice rose to an impatiently controlled pitch. “How long have you known and why does my sister know before me?”
Pain crowded her head and she rubbed circles around her temples.
Gabriella pointed her chin toward him. “Do not speak to her that way, Alejandro. She is dealing with much. I am her friend. She confided in me. Would you rather that she not have my friendship?”
Tight-lipped, Alex retorted, “I would rather she told me herself.”
The world shifted as rays of dizzying light flashed before her eyes. The pounding pulse in her head throbbed, and she staggered back. She lost her footing, her limbs going out from under her, and she felt herself falling. Strong capable arms caught her just in time. “Cara.”
Alex was there, holding her, supporting her weight. His voice now soothed her jagged nerves. “Cara, my love. What is wrong?”
“I’m a little dizzy.”
Gabriella spoke rapidly. “Alejandro, she is pale.”
She was lifted and moved with care. The world around her began to right itself as Alex lowered her down gently onto the sofa. He sat beside her, cradling her loosely. “Call the doctor, Gabriella.” She heard panic in his voice.
Cara gripped an armful of bunched tight muscles. “No, I’m feeling better now.”
THE TEXAS RENEGADE REURNS Page 12