The Ultimate Treasure

by Anne, Melody

  “Yes, yes, I do,” he gasped.

  “Hmm. I better check and make sure everything is in working order, Mr. Storm,” she said with a mischievous smile. Hot damn, he was definitely going to marry this woman!

  Trying desperately not to rush over and attack her, Lance forced himself not to move as she sidled over to him. Leaning her head back, she lifted one hand and rubbed it down the open V of his shirt, which had never looked so damn sexy as it did resting against her glorious breasts.

  “It’s a bit warm in here, don’t you think?” she asked as she took a few steps closer to him.

  “Hell yes, it is,” he exclaimed, more than ready to rip off his clothes. He was already sweating, but it had nothing to do with the temperature of the room. It was all due to the magnificent, beautiful woman who was enjoying their game of doctor.

  “Hmm,” she murmured as she trailed a finger down his chest and brushed over the thickness throbbing in his pants, before pulling back and lifting her pen to jot something down on her notepad. “I’m detecting a fever.”

  “Yeah, I definitely have a fever,” he said on a groan.

  She circled him, and he craned his neck to follow, but she pushed his face forward so he couldn’t see her. Then she pressed her glorious body against his back and reached around him, her hand cupping his erection which was about to rip the seams of his pants.

  “This definitely feels swollen,” she said, her hot breath rushing across his neck.

  “Yes, and in pain,” he said through clenched teeth.

  “We’ll have to see what we can do about that,” she told him.

  She let him go, and he wanted to let out a cry of disapproval but then she pushed against his back, and he obediently moved forward. She led him to the large chair in the corner of the room and turned him around before pushing him so he landed on his butt, his feet outstretched.

  “Let me get a closer look,” she said. She dropped down to her knees and leaned forward, giving him a glorious view of her full breasts before the material of the shirt covered them again. He was seconds away from reaching forward and shredding the material.

  As if reading his mind, she looked up and licked her lips, smiling at him. “Good patients get rewards. Bad ones don’t get help,” she told him with a tsk.

  Her fingers reached into the waistband of his pants, and she told him to scooch up. He pushed off the floor and she tugged, bringing his pants and underwear down, making his erection spring free.

  Lance was mesmerized as she knelt between his thighs, her painted lips open in an appreciative gasp as she stuck out her tongue and licked them while reaching out and taking his thickness in her hand. He dribbled some of his excitement and she smiled, never breaking eye contact as she leaned over and ran her tongue in a circle around his pulsing erection.

  Lance couldn’t look away as she laid gentle kisses on the tip before moving down the length of him, her tongue coming out and forging the path for her. He moaned in tortured happiness.

  “I think I see the problem,” she purred.

  Lance couldn’t process her words, couldn’t figure out what she was trying to say. He was too lost in the pleasure of what she was doing as her hand moved slowly up and down his shaft while she continued licking the tip.

  “We’ve got to get this swelling to go down,” she continued before she closed her lips and sucked, making a sound in her throat that rumbled through him. She didn’t stay there long, preferring to torture him as her mouth popped off and her hand continued rubbing along his length.

  “Please, Lexie . . .” he begged. He reached down and cupped her head in his hands as he tugged her to him. He needed her mouth.

  She smiled at him one more time before opening those beautiful lips and taking him in, his tip reaching her throat where it tightened around him. She bobbed her head, moving steadily up and down his shaft while one hand squeezed him and the other moved to his stomach so she could run her fingernails across his shaking skin.

  He leaned his head back for a minute, emitting a guttural sound before he had to look at her again. She took him deep before looking up, meeting his gaze. The passion in her eyes nearly had him coming.

  Pulling away with her mouth, she continued stroking his length as she kissed his tip and then groaned. “You taste so incredible,” she purred.

  “I’m gonna come before we get to the good part,” he said, trying to talk his body out of doing just that. She winked at him.

  “This isn’t the good stuff?” she questioned with a twinkle in her eyes.

  “Oh, baby, it’s all good,” he quickly assured her. “But I need to be buried inside you.”

  “Mmm, how about both?” she suggested before closing her mouth over him again.

  Lance felt that stirring deep inside him and knew he wasn’t going to last if she didn’t stop quickly. He wanted to let go, wanted her to take every drop from him, but he also wanted to taste her before he ripped that shirt away and buried himself deep.

  Lance decided he was in her hands, and he quit fighting the build-up. Her head moved faster as she took turns bobbing up and down on him, then sucking his head and licking her way from root to tip. Her hands were slippery as she alternated between her mouth and fingers.

  He got lost in the fantasy of it all as his hands fisted in her hair, holding her close to his body. He groaned as his stomach began shaking. She popped off him, and he was about to pull her up and thrust inside her.

  “Come in my mouth,” she demanded before taking him deep.

  Letting out a roar of pleasure, his body took over. The first spurt of pleasure shot from him, his thickness pulsing in her mouth as she moaned around him. She circled her tongue around his head, and he pulsed over and over again.

  She took it all as he unleashed on her, his fingers tugging her hair, his body hard and unrelenting. She slowed her movements before releasing him, running her tongue up and down his length again in languid movements.

  After a few breathtaking moments she continued holding him as she looked up and smiled. His heart thumped, waiting to hear what she would say next.

  “Hmm, it appears that didn’t alleviate the problem,” she said, lifting a finger to her lip and sucking the tip, making him pulse in her hand. “Looks like I’ll have to try something else.”

  “Hell yes!” he told her. He tried to grab her but she scooted back, then stood, rubbing her hand against her thigh, lifting the edge of his shirt up to the sweet spot before letting it fall again.

  He was done with the teasing.

  Lance jumped up and stalked her as she walked backward toward the bed, her eyes on fire, her nipples peaked and poking against the white material. He reached her as her legs bumped into the bed, and he grabbed her arms, not hesitating before he leaned down and kissed her with uncontrollable passion.

  She shook against him as she raised her arms and circled them behind his head. But her turn to be in control was over. It was his show now.

  He reached behind him and unclasped her fingers before pushing her backward. Startled, she let out a cry as she fell onto the bed. Lance was right there, and he crawled over her, sitting on her thighs.

  “I love the uniform, but it’s got to go,” he told her. Her legs were trapped and before she could do a thing, he grabbed the folds of the shirt and pulled. It ripped down the center, the buttons flying across the room.

  Her eyes heated even more. She reached for him again, but Lance tsked at her. “My turn, remember?” he said with a wicked smile.

  He tugged the shirt off her, then grabbed her hands and used the shredded material to tie them above her head. She looked at him in shock.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Anything I want,” he said with a purr before he secured her arms to the bed and then dropped down, finally able to worship her breasts.

  She didn’t argue
anymore as he molded her breasts and nipples with his fingers, mouth, and teeth. She was writhing in pleasure beneath him as he ran his tongue down her smooth stomach until he reached her hot center.

  He didn’t stop until he made her come twice, not even when she begged for mercy. Only then did he climb back up her body and look into her glorious eyes as he sank inside her. Home. He was home.

  Lance gripped her sweet hip and pulled her to him as he thrust in and out of her body, knowing it would never be enough. They both lost all meaning of time as the night faded into the morning, and he loved her over and over again.

  He would never let her go — whether she was willing or not.

  Chapter Nineteen

  It sure is nice to have you back home and so happy,” Richard said to his son as the two of them stood in the heated barn. Richard was supervising as Lance chopped firewood. Though the lodge had gas fireplaces in practically every bedroom, Joseph insisted on a real fireplace for the living room, and he wanted it going practically twenty-four/seven. He said it brought ambiance.

  Lance figured that was because his uncle wasn’t the one slaving away chopping wood to keep the dang thing burning. All the kids had to do that chore. Of course, Lance was in such a good mood this trip, he actually didn’t mind that much. He wasn’t going to tell anyone that though, or he’d be chopping every day instead of his siblings and cousins taking their rightful turns.

  “This isn’t such a bad holiday, and Uncle Joseph is even merrier than usual,” Lance said with a chuckle.

  “It might have to do with the fact that you brought home a woman for the first time, and not just any woman, but one that fits right in with the family,” Richard said knowingly.

  “Don’t get started on that, Dad,” Lance said with a laugh. Though Lance had already decided he was going to marry the woman, he liked making his family suffer a bit. His father and uncles deserved it. All the kids had figured out long ago they were meddling old men. Payback someday was gonna be a lot of fun for them, they’d determined.

  “Are you putting on the wedding pressure?” Crew asked as he and Ashton stepped into the barn, walked up beside their dad, and leaned against the wall.

  “I wouldn’t dream of that,” Richard said innocently.

  “Ha,” all three boys said in a chorus.

  “We’re not as blind as you think we are, Dad,” Ashton informed the man.

  “But since the heat is directed at Lance we don’t mind so much,” Crew added.

  “You guys could actually help me cut wood instead of plotting with our father,” Lance grumbled.

  “We don’t want to take the pleasure away from you. You’re doing a fine job,” Ashton said, not looking like he was going to budge anytime soon.

  “I’ll remember that when you’re the one out here,” Lance threatened.

  “We’re only here a few more days. I won’t have another turn,” Ashton said with a smirk.

  “Ass,” Lance told him.

  “Aren’t you two just adorable when you bicker?” Crew said with a laugh.

  “Shove it,” Ashton and Lance said together. They really did think on the same wavelength.

  “I have to say, though,” Crew said as he looked at Lance, “you and Lexie seem pretty serious. When we heard you were bringing a woman here for the holidays I thought it would be a hooker you hired since a nice girl wouldn’t put up with your ass for any length of time. But I like this one. Don’t let her get away.”

  Lance dropped the axe and looked at his brother in surprise. Crew didn’t often get serious, especially about women, but even though he wouldn’t admit it out loud, he liked that his family cared about Lexie. He wanted them to love the woman he married. That was another change in his life — valuing the opinion of those he’d grown up with. He didn’t want to delve into how much he’d changed over the past few years.

  “A hooker cost too much,” Lance said with a smile. Though he wouldn’t mind fleshing out his thoughts, there was no way he was going to in front of his dad. That would give the old man justification in his meddling ways.

  “Just remember this is Savvy’s sister, so if you don’t have honorable intentions, things could get messy quickly,” Crew told him.

  “I know that,” Lance said, getting a little irritated.

  “Sometimes it helps to be reminded,” Ashton piped in.

  “Are you playing the protective older brother?” Lance asked with a laugh.

  “I care about her,” Ashton admitted. “And I love and fear my wife. If you mess with her sister, she’s going to come after us both.”

  “That’s a good point,” Richard said. Lance had almost forgotten about his father’s presence as he conversed with his brothers.

  “Look,” Lance said as he gave all three men a good stare, “I like Lexie and have no intention of hurting her. Just because you guys are all settled and shit, doesn’t mean I need to get the third degree from you.”

  “I used to be an ass,” Crew said, surprising Lance. “As we all did. I met Haley and that all changed. But sometimes when I think about the way I treated women, I’m surprised I survived so long. Now that I’m a dad, I’m really mortified by my past behavior.”

  “Considering I’m older and wiser than you, you should be taking my advice instead of the other way around,” Lance said.

  “Ha,” Richard broke in as he laughed. “None of you ever listened worth beans, so that’s funny you’re trying to pull the older brother card.”

  “We might have had our moments, but in the end we’ve always respected you, Dad,” Crew said.

  Richard’s brows came together as he looked at three of his sons. They all shifted on their feet before Richard continued.

  “I love you and I’m proud of you, but you could all accept advice a bit more graciously,” he lectured.

  “Yeah, maybe,” Crew admitted.

  “It took a while to figure out that the right woman was better than a lot of women,” Ashton said with a laugh. “I thought I’d be losing out by settling down, but damn, I’m away from Savvy for a couple hours and I need to find her again.”

  “That’s ’cause you’re whipped,” Lance said with a laugh. There was no way he was going to admit he already missed Lexie. She was shopping with her sister, and he had been listening for their car for the past couple hours.

  Crew and Ashton looked at him like they could read his thoughts. Dammit. This sibling stuff could really grate on the nerves sometimes.

  “Are you going to ask her to marry you?” Richard asked point-blank.

  Lance didn’t want to lie. He did plan on asking her to be his wife. He just didn’t know when — he also wasn’t sure of her answer. The two of them were having fun, and the sex was phenomenal, but she was skittish on commitment, more than he had been. He decided to give a partial truth.

  “The scary thing about relationships is that all we see are roses and diamonds in the beginning. That’s when we’re happiest, before any real problems set in. Then boom!” he said, raising his voice. “The roof collapses and you wonder how you ended up with this stranger you don’t really know or like.”

  “Are you telling us you’re psychic and can predict the future?” Crew asked with a laugh.

  “Just saying what I’ve seen time and time again,” Lance said.

  “That happens when you settle. But when you have the right one, nothing is insurmountable,” Ashton pointed out.

  “Maybe,” Lance said. He might have to do a follow-up conversation when his father wasn’t there smirking with that all-too-knowing grin on his face.

  “Why in the hell can’t you just fess up? We see the way you act around this woman. We know you’ve been tamed,” Crew said with a laugh.

  He used the excuse that he didn’t want to make his dad giddy by admitting how he truly felt about Lexie, but he wondered if that was all it was.r />
  Was there a small part of him that feared what he’d been thinking was actually true? Did he think this relationship would stand the test of time? Or was he waiting to see if he would do something to screw it up and then tell himself he’d gotten away free and clear? Lance wasn’t sure what to think. He just knew he was uncomfortable with his brothers’ and father’s knowing gazes pointed his way.

  “I can admit there’s something different about her, and that I . . . I like being with her,” Lance finally said.

  The barn was uncomfortably quiet for several heartbeats after he opened his big mouth. He waited for the ribbing to begin, but his brothers looked serious as they gazed at him like he was already stepping up to the altar.

  “I’m not a lost cause,” he said, unable to stand the silence any longer.

  Ashton smiled. “That’s to be determined,” he said. “I will give you this advice though,” he continued. “If you wait too long, that girl will slip through your fingers and you’ll wonder what in the hell happened. Trust me, I almost lost my woman. I can’t imagine my life without her.”

  “Ditto,” Crew said.

  Their father stood there without having to say anything, but Lance was sure his old man was giving himself a silent pat on the back. His boys had grown up, even if they had done it while kicking and screaming like toddlers.

  “Either help me finish this or get out,” Lance said, but it was done with a smile.

  And he also breathed a sigh of relief when they left him alone. He had wood to chop and had to keep his ears open for Lexie’s return. It had only been a few hours and he missed her. Yeah, he was in trouble — and he didn’t care.

  Chapter Twenty

  Lexie stood in the backyard, the sky bright with the moon behind the clouds, snow falling from the heavens and making the temperature outside almost unbearable. But she wasn’t ready to go into the house yet.

  She was worried — very worried. She’d spent the day shopping with her sister and some of the other women in the house, and she’d thought about Lance non-stop. Of course the ladies had quizzed her, but she’d sidetracked them by asking about their kids.