The Ultimate Treasure

by Anne, Melody

  If they were at the beach together, that would mean he’d be wearing shorts — and nothing else. Damn, she wouldn’t mind that. Nope. Shaking her head she gave him what she hoped was a friendly smile.

  “I’m good. Let’s go,” she said as she walked to the front door.

  Lance led her from the house and instead of getting in the vehicle he grabbed her hand and led her down a dirt road. She tried tugging free of him for a few seconds, but gave up when it was obvious he wasn’t unhanding her.

  They walked along silently for several minutes before she allowed her body to relax. She didn’t want to think about how right it felt to have her fingers safely held in his strong grip. She could get way too comfortable with the situation, and that wasn’t a good thing at all.

  “When did you decide you wanted to be a part of the recovery efforts?” Lance asked her.

  She took a moment to think about it. She knew exactly when she’d decided, but she didn’t know if she wanted to share her tortured past with him. That would open doors she knew were best left closed.

  “I don’t know,” she finally said. “I guess I have just seen a lot of suffering in the world and since I’m single and available, I thought I could help. I don’t have any particular knowledge or skills, but I do love helping others, and I have a passion to do what’s right, so that makes up for it — or at least I tell myself that,” she said with a laugh.

  Lance stopped and turned her so she was forced to look in his eyes. She shifted uncomfortably as he looked at her like he could see all the way into her soul.

  “The wealthiest and most skilled people in the world start off with nothing but passion and drive. Don’t underestimate yourself,” he told her.

  This conversation had quickly taken a path she wasn’t at all prepared to walk down. She finally broke the connection of their eyes and forced a laugh.

  “Maybe you should be a motivational speaker. That was very inspiring,” she said.

  He took her chin in his fingers and gazed at her a moment longer. He didn’t say a word, but she knew she hadn’t fooled him with her uncomfortable words. He shook his head, but then that natural light returned to his eyes.

  “We’ll revisit this,” he promised. He took her hand again, and the two of them continued walking.

  Turning a corner, she heard voices before she saw a crowd. Seeing all the people, her heart swelled with joy and pride. Lexie had visited many places in the States, and she’d always enjoyed being where disaster had struck, seeing the hope and gratefulness on people’s faces. Even though they’d been through terrible circumstances, they continued to look at the positive; they were alive and with their families. She wasn’t sure she could hold on to the same enthusiasm if she were in their place. She hoped she could.

  But the people looked happy and cheerful, though there didn’t seem to be much to earn that enthusiasm. What did Lexie really know about what brought people true joy? Each person was different. That’s what made the world so great.

  “Lance,” a young boy called out, and several children who had formed a makeshift baseball field in the middle of the village turned, their faces lighting up as she and Lance approached.

  “Hello, Arnel, how are you doing, buddy?” Lance asked as he let go of her hand and knelt just in time for the young boy to fling himself into Lance’s arms.

  “I’m good,” Arnel replied, squeezing Lance tightly. Before Lance could say anything else, the rest of the kids reached them and began climbing all over Lance, until they finally toppled him to the ground.

  The sound of Lance’s laughter came through loud and clear, and Lexie felt a thump in her heart at how beautiful the moment was. Before she realized what she was doing, her phone was in her hand and she was snapping pictures of the mob. Lance looked up with sparkling eyes and a wide grin as her camera clicked, and that distance Lexie was trying to put between the two of them shortened just a little more.

  The man had obviously spent quite a bit of time in this small village, and it was more than obvious that the kids knew and loved him. How could she keep her distance from a man who was loved by so many who had so little? It wasn’t going to be an easy task.

  “We’re playing baseball like you taught us,” another of the boys said. “Will you join us?”

  “Of course, Rey,” Lance replied. “Do you mind if my friend, Lexie, joins us?”

  The group of young boys turned their attention toward Lexie, and she felt as if she were being judged — and came up lacking. It wasn’t her most comfortable moment, but she smiled reassuringly at the kids.

  “I would love to join you,” she said, her voice hopeful. She felt like she was back in the third grade, hoping to not be chosen last for the team during P.E.

  “I guess she can play. Does she know how to hit?” Arnel asked with doubt.

  “I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out,” Lance told the kids. They finally allowed him to stand up.

  “I played softball in college. I can hit,” Lexie assured the kids.

  A couple of the children whispered to each other, giving her an assessing look.

  “I’ll take her on my team,” another boy said quietly as he kicked the dirt with what looked like brand new sneakers. Lexie wondered how much Lance did for these kids, how much he provided.

  “Thanks,” Lexie said as she kneeled down. “I’m Lexie. What’s your name?”

  The boy, who couldn’t have been more than eight years old, looked up and gave her a tentative smile. “I’m Edwin,” he said.

  “That’s a great name. I think we’re going to beat Lance and his team,” she told the boy with enthusiasm. That made him smile.

  The teams formed quickly and Lexie found herself pitching. She went nice and easy and her team groaned when the other team got big hits and made their way around the bases. She laughed with joy as they slid into home plate and did victory dances.

  Then Lance was standing at the plate and she got into a pitcher formation.

  “Don’t take it easy on me, Lex,” Lance told her.

  “Wouldn’t dream of it,” she replied with a wicked gleam. She’d been holding her best stuff back.

  The first ball flew by him at a speed that almost knocked her catcher over. She was about to apologize when the boy looked at her with brand new admiration in his eyes.

  “Wow,” he said. “Do that again.”

  Lexie met Lance’s surprised gaze, and she winked at him. That made his lips twitch as he got more comfortable at home plate. Then a challenge entered his expression.

  “I didn’t know we were trying out for the all-stars,” Lance said. He shifted his feet and Lexie grew nervous. This man looked good at anything he did, but standing there holding a bat with two days’ worth of stubble on his face was about the sexiest thing she’d seen in a while — hell, that she’d ever seen, if she were going to be honest with herself.

  The next ball came out of her hand just as fast as the first one, but this time he was ready for it. He swung and smashed the small ball. It went over her head and down the road with kids chasing after it.

  The kids on base ran as if their lives depended on it, and Lance took off in a slow jog, rounding the bases as the kids called out to each other. The catcher took off down the third base line and Lance was rounding third for home, so Lexie ran up to protect it as the ball was lobbed toward home.

  She caught it just as Lance reached her, and she grinned at him as he went down into a slide. Kneeling, she touched his foot just before it connected with the base and then her feet. She was going down.

  “You’re out,” she called as she toppled over on top of him. Lance was laughing as his arms caged around her, softening the impact as she landed on his solid body.

  “The ump calls the outs,” he told her, his arms caging her in.

  Lexie forgot she was in the middle of a game with a bunch of sc
reaming kids around them. She forgot she was in a foreign country, forgot she was to stay away from this man. She forgot everything, even how to breathe, as his laughter died away and awareness shot through his vibrant gaze.

  “Good job, Ace,” Lance said before his hand drifted up to the back of her head. Lexie was so close to caving in and leaning down, accepting the offer in his eyes. Her head began to descend when a loud voice interrupted them.

  “You’re out,” the ump yelled, waking Lexie up to the reality of their situation.

  She turned, her body still fully pressed against Lance, the evidence of his hunger pushing up between her thighs.

  “Bad timing,” Lance muttered, disappointment lacing through his words.

  “I’d say that’s perfect timing,” Lexie disagreed as she pushed against him.

  With a reluctant sigh and one more scorching look, Lance released her. Lexie scrambled to her feet on shaking knees, grateful that was the last out. She needed to go and sit on the dirt road for a bit before she fell over.

  Day two was even more of a mess than day one. This trip was growing more and more impossible by the minute.

  Chapter Six

  Lance took a nice long shower, washing away the day’s dirt. Fifteen minutes in, he was still hard and throbbing, and he thought about doing something about it, but the idea of relieving himself while Lexie was only a room away was far too unappealing, so he switched the shower to cold and pointed it directly at the part of his body that was so damn neglected.

  He promised himself to do something about that neglect very soon. Of course he had to get Lexie on board to make it happen. He saw the desire in her eyes, and he didn’t think it would be too big a problem if she’d just quit fighting herself. She was scared. He got that. He’d been afraid of anything resembling commitment for a very long time. It was how the world worked.

  Getting himself in a somewhat manageable state, he stepped from the shower, goose bumps covering his skin. Drying off quickly, he put on clothes, then opened the door to the bathroom and was assaulted with delicious smells that led him straight to the kitchen.

  He stopped and listened to dance music playing. Lexie was at the stove stirring something as her hips swayed to a song. She did a shuffle on her feet and his eyes were glued to her perfect ass as it swiveled when she did a little roll of her hips.

  And just like that, he was throbbing again. Shifting on his feet, he watched her for several minutes as his pants grew increasingly uncomfortable. She began to sing along with the song when the chorus started, and he leaned against the wall and grinned. Her dance moves were far more impressive than her voice, but damn if he didn’t find her the sexiest woman he’d ever witnessed.

  Slowly, he approached her, too mesmerized to stay away any longer. He wanted this woman with a passion that bordered on insanity. They were together in this small house, and he could think of a million ways to make the stay more pleasant for both of them.

  “Need any help?” he whispered as he leaned down and inhaled her sweet scent. He swore he could taste peaches and he wanted to swipe his tongue along the soft skin of her neck, maybe even take a bite. He wasn’t pressed against her, but one small step forward and she would be in his arms. Damn, he wanted to take that step.

  “I’ve got it,” she choked out. She was just as affected as he was. He really wanted to turn her around, press her against the counter, and take her right there. He’d buy her new clothes after he ripped the ones she was wearing off her luscious body.

  “Are you sure? I’m really good at . . . helping,” he said, his lips millimeters from her skin. Just one taste he thought as he leaned a bit closer and pressed his nose to her neck. Yes, definitely peaches — and he only wanted a small taste.

  “You can put the salad together,” she said as a shudder went through her body that made him nearly come undone. He wanted to push into her, make her surrender to him, but with superhuman effort he backed away and went to the fridge, pulling out vegetables.

  Over the next fifteen minutes, he brushed against her every chance he could, reaching for spices and utensils, and did a terrible job of getting a salad put together. Lexie’s breathing deepened as she tried to stay unaffected by it all, but he could practically read her body better than he could his own, and he knew she was hungry for a lot more than the food she was preparing.

  She was making a stew that smelled almost as good as she did. But Lance had only one appetite at the moment that needed satisfied. He had so many fantasies of taking her at every place in the small house that he was beginning to lose his grip on reality. He also decided that might not be such a bad thing. Living in a fantasy world could be a lot more fun than the painful reality he found himself in. Could he add in some role-play and maybe a mask too? Nah. All he needed was Lexie’s naked body, and he would most certainly be a happy man.

  “It’s ready,” Lexie said, pulling him back to reality. This was going to be a painful dinner.

  He helped her set the table then sat beside her as the two of them shared a delicious meal he barely tasted.

  “Did you enjoy yourself today?” he asked.

  “It wasn’t what I was expecting,” she said with a smile, finally meeting his gaze.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I thought we’d be doing work,” she said with a chuckle.

  “Part of what we do is to be there for the kids. They start to work young here, and to have a day of play is a welcome relief,” he told her.

  “I guess I have always thought of you as all work and no play,” she admitted. That stung a little bit. There had been a time when Lance had been all or nothing, whether it was working or playing. Now he liked to think he’d learned a lot about balance in his life.

  “There’s always time for both,” he told her. He was thinking of all sorts of ways he could play with her right now.

  “I agree. Sometimes I forget that it doesn’t have to be one or the other,” she said with a sigh.

  Before long, their plates were empty. Maybe he’d been hungrier than he’d thought.

  “Did you get enough?” she asked. “I wasn’t sure if we were cooking separately or what, and I don’t normally cook for another person. If I had that schedule I’d know more,” she said as she stood up and began taking plates to the kitchen.

  “We can take turns cooking. It doesn’t make sense for each of us to make our own food,” he told her as he followed her into the kitchen.

  “Okay,” she said with what sounded like relief.

  “This doesn’t have to be complicated,” he said, grabbing her hand before she turned on the faucet. He wanted her to look into his eyes, to show her he was talking about more than just a meal schedule.

  She met his gaze, and he saw acceptance for a blink of an eye before she placed shutters over her expression and reached for the faucet again. He wanted to scream in agony.

  “Of course not, but I do better when I know what I’m facing,” she said. He wondered if there was a double meaning behind that sentence.

  “I can accept that,” he said. Should he just tell her how much he wanted her? Stop talking in riddles? Lance was unsure, and he didn’t like feeling that way — not one bit.

  “I can do these,” Lexie told him, her voice nervous.

  “You cooked the meal, we can do the dishes together.”

  Their hands met in the sink as they cleaned up their small mess, and Lance’s body grew harder and harder the longer he stood next to her. It was both heaven and hell having her so close he could smell her, practically taste her.

  Lexie was drying the last dish when they both moved at the same time, his body fully brushing against hers. She looked up, their eyes connected, and he felt his heart pounding so hard, it felt as if it were trying to rip itself from his chest.

  “Screw it,” he muttered before taking the dish from her and tossing it somewhere be
hind her on the counter.

  Her breathing stopped as he backed her into the cupboards, his hands lifting and sifting through her soft hair. “I want you so much,” he breathed against her lips. Her breath rushed out against his mouth.

  He didn’t give her a chance to protest this time but reached for her hips and squeezed before lifting her to the counter. A small whimper escaped her open mouth before their lips connected.

  Pure bliss filtered through him as he traced her mouth, easily diving inside to consume her the way he’d wanted to for days — hell, for over a year if he was telling the truth.

  His fingers fisted in her hair as she moaned into his mouth. He grew hungrier as he pulled her to the edge of the counter, pressing his body against hers, his solidness easily pushing against her heat. He pulsed against her, wishing they didn’t have clothing in the way.

  He needed to be buried inside her while his mouth captured hers. He wanted all clothing gone so he could relieve the ache they were both feeling so desperately. He feared one touch of her hand against his throbbing erection would have him coming like a teen in the back of his dad’s old Ford pickup.

  Lance wanted to shout with joy when her hands climbed up his arms and locked behind his neck as she pushed her breasts against him. He wanted to taste and touch every inch of her like he’d done the night of the wedding, wanted to consume her so fully she wouldn’t have time to think of resisting.

  His hand left her hair and traveled down her trembling body until he found the hem of her shirt. Slipping his hand inside, he delighted in the feel of her satin skin as he trailed his fingers up her side, loving the feel of her trembling beneath his touch. His fingers whispered over the side of her lacy bra, and his hunger grew fiercer.

  She groaned against his mouth as he scooted back enough to slip his hand over the cup of her breast and squeeze the sensitive flesh. Her nipple poked against her bra and he rubbed his palm against her, making her squirm on the counter in front of him.

  Slipping his fingers beneath the bra, he nearly came in his pants, feeling her hot flesh in his hand. She cried out in his mouth when he squeezed her nipple, and then she began shaking in his arms.