Stormbound with a Tycoon

by Shawna Delacorte

  A fine mist tickled lightly across their faces, but neither of them made any effort to start back to the cabin. The mist turned to drizzle then quickly became a shower, forcing them to abandon the embrace that had held them in a shared time of intimate warmth and caring.

  He took her hand and set a fast pace along the trail back toward the cabin. His intention was serious, but his manner was light and fun filled. “Come on…we’re going to be soaked to the skin if we don’t hurry.”

  She laughed, enjoying the spontaneous moment. “We’re too far from the cabin to even hope to get back there in time.”

  He came to an abrupt halt and pulled her into his arms, a teasing grin playing across his lips. “Then it won’t do any harm if we stop long enough for me to do this.” He captured her mouth with a sensual kiss that spoke volumes about his passion.

  Eight

  Jessica and Dylan burst through the door of the cabin bringing a rush of wind and water in with them. They had run nearly a mile through what had become a steady rain, pausing on the porch only long enough to remove their muddy boots and shake the water from their jackets.

  “Soaked is right!” She hung her wet jacket on the coat hook, then went straight to the bathroom and grabbed a couple of towels. She tossed one to Dylan and used the other to towel dry her hair.

  “I can’t believe how quickly it went from sunny sky to rain.” He wiped the water from his face and ruffled the excess water from his hair. “Is that normal for here?”

  “Yes, it can be. When there’s a series of storms coming in off the ocean, they can turn the weather around pretty quickly.” A shiver darted through her body, a combination of her wet clothes and the cool air inside the cabin. “We need to get some heat in here to take the chill out of the air, then I’m going to climb into a hot, steamy shower until I’m thoroughly thawed out.”

  He pulled her into his arms and nibbled playfully at her earlobe. “That hot, steamy part sure sounds good.” He dropped his voice to a low, seductive whisper. “Mind if I join you?”

  She closed her eyes and allowed the warmth of his touch to flow over her, cutting into the chill. “Hmm…that sounds like a very practical idea.” A sexy grin played around the corners of her mouth. “And we’ll be conserving hot water, too.”

  Every time they came in physical contact, her reason and self-control seemed to vanish in a puff of smoke. She had never experienced anything like Dylan Russell and she still wasn’t sure exactly how to handle the way he made her feel. The excitement tingling inside her remained cloaked in caution. She had never felt about anyone the way she felt about him, but a nagging uncertainty continued to tug at her senses. Each passing minute went toward confirming the love she felt, but the nagging caution told her she didn’t have a clue about his true feelings. He said and did all the right things, but she had no idea what was going on inside him.

  “I’ll start a fire—” he gave her a quick wink “—then join you in the shower.” He brushed a tantalizing kiss across her lips, then released her from his embrace.

  She watched for a moment as he crumpled a newspaper in the fireplace, placed the kindling on top of it, added a couple of logs and struck a match. A tremor of sweet anticipation rippled through her body. She turned her attention to the shower and the unspoken promise of another night of unbridled passion.

  She dropped her wet clothes to the floor and stepped into the inviting spray. The water cascaded over her body. The steam rose around her creating a sensual cocoon. A few minutes later the shower curtain parted and Dylan joined her in the steamy swirl.

  He stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her body. He kissed the side of her neck, then across the top of her shoulder. His hands skimmed down her rib cage, along her hips and across her stomach before finally cupping the underside of her breasts. The feel of her wet skin added to his already stimulated condition. Every glimpse of bare skin, every seductive touch, the rise and fall of her breasts with each breath she took…no woman had ever attacked his senses the way she did. Just being in the same room with her filled him with a longing unlike anything he had ever experienced.

  Things he had thought could never be a part of his life suddenly seemed possible. Was it too much to hope for? He slid one hand from her breast down her stomach to her inner thigh. The heat of her excitement radiated to his fingers as he stroked her womanhood. She trembled, a physical sensation that ran through her body and resonated to his as it invaded the feeble hold he had on his control. Her soft moan reached his ears, an earthy sound that stimulated his already heightened senses. He inserted a finger between her feminine folds, stroking the core of her being.

  She gasped, then drew in a sharp breath as she leaned back against his body. His arousal pressed against her lower back. A throbbing intensity churned deep inside her. She stretched her arms back until she was able to run her hands along the outer edge of his muscular thighs. Her legs trembled as she fought to keep them from buckling under her. His magic touch evoked the deepest emotions and most intense sensations. She jerked her head back and allowed the shower spray to wash over her face and run down her body.

  Her entire being quivered until the convulsions consumed her and her legs gave out. Dylan caught her and cradled her to him. The steam swirled around them while the spray splashed down, enveloping their bodies in a sensual cloud. He placed a tender kiss on her lips then held her tightly in his arms as the water cascaded over them.

  He stroked his fingertips across the smooth skin of her bottom while dipping his head to tease her hardened nipple with his tongue. He drew it into his mouth and suckled. It was a couple of minutes before he found enough of his voice to be able to speak without gasping for air.

  He tucked her head against his shoulder, her wet hair clinging to her cheek. He smoothed it away. “Do you think we’ve been here long enough to have chased off the chill?”

  “I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly warm enough.” She placed a soft kiss on his chest. She reached for his hardened manhood, sending a tingle running up her arm. Her voice took on a husky quality. “Besides, if we don’t get out of here soon there won’t be any hot water left.”

  He turned off the water, then gently moved her hand away from his arousal. His voice was half teasing and half serious. “If you don’t stop that I won’t be able to get out of this bathtub for a while.”

  They stepped out of the tub. He grabbed a couple of large towels, wrapping one of them around her. He placed a loving kiss on her lips before drying himself off. They each dressed quickly, Jessica choosing a warm robe and Dylan pulling on some sweatpants and a sweatshirt, then they settled in front of the fireplace. The heat radiated into the room, infusing them with warmth and wrapping them in the softness of shared emotions.

  It had been an eye-opening twenty-four hours for Jessica. She had made love with the most exciting man she had ever known and had admitted to herself that she had fallen in love with him in spite of the fact that she hadn’t wanted to. But the most surprising of all was the real person she had discovered behind the playboy persona he presented to the world. Her thoughts turned to what he had told her about Rose and Stanley Clarkson. She had felt the tension running through his body as he told her about what had happened. It was blatantly apparent how difficult it had been for him to talk about it and even more so about how deeply it had affected him.

  A warm feeling settled over her. He had chosen to share that very personal part of his life with her, something he had never told to anyone else. She had never felt more close to anyone than she had to him at that moment, a closeness that came from a deep emotional level totally separate from the physical desires that jumped into high gear whenever he looked at her.

  It had filled in the missing pieces to the preconceived concept she had carried of him. It had given her insight into the whole man, not just the image. She had a clear picture in her mind of what she wanted, and that picture was a portrait of Dylan. She snuggled into his arms and rested her head against hi
s shoulder. She felt safe, protected and cared for. It was a feeling she didn’t ever want to lose. A little tremor reminded her that all was not perfect. Maybe she knew what she wanted, but she didn’t have any idea if he had made any provisions for her as part of his future.

  Dylan held her cradled in his arms. He kissed her forehead and her cheek. “You’re very quiet.”

  “I was enjoying the fire, the warmth—” she looked up into his eyes “—and just being here with you.”

  “Me, too.” He wasn’t sure how to respond to her statement. He had never felt so comfortable with another person. He wanted her to be a part of his life, a part of his future. He didn’t want to lose her. But he didn’t know what to do. The magnitude of everything that had happened to him, everything that had gone on inside him, during the past few days, had nearly overwhelmed him. But the one thing that scared him the most was the idea of a commitment to a relationship. He had been that route before and it had been a disaster.

  His fears pulled him in one direction while his desires tore him in another. And in the middle of this tug-of-war existed confusion far beyond anything he thought possible. A shiver of apprehension darted up his spine. He held her tighter. If only he could figure out the right thing to do.

  The gentle patter on the roof said that the rain had tapered off to a light shower. They had dinner, then continued to bask in the glow of the fireplace as daylight faded away to be replaced by night.

  “Jessica…” He trailed his fingers through the silky strands of her hair.

  “Hmm?” She looked questioningly at him.

  Dylan pulled her body hard against his. He wanted to tell her how much he cared about her, but the words stuck in his throat. He ran his hands inside her robe and across her bare back. He pulled her over on top of him. Instead of talking, he captured her mouth with an intense kiss, the heated passion exploding the moment their lips touched.

  Her tantalizing taste filled his mouth and infused him with a need for much more. The kiss deepened. His tongue brushed hers. His ragged breathing matched hers in every respect. His fingers tickled across the silky fabric of her panties, then he slipped his hand inside the elastic band and stroked the curve of her bottom. It was so much more than sex, so much more than merely the physical. The magnitude of just how much more continued to frighten him.

  Jessica’s breathing became more labored with each passing moment. She ran her fingers through his hair while reveling in the sensations of his kiss and the tingling excitement of his hands caressing her body. Her heightened senses responded to each and every touch, no matter how light or brief. He pulled her robe open and slipped it off her shoulders.

  He rolled over taking her with him until his body covered hers. He smothered her face with a flurry of kisses. His lips found the tautly drawn bud of her nipple. His excitement grew as he took it into his mouth. His hardened sex pushed against the fabric of his sweatpants.

  Dylan tried to sit up as he gulped in a lungful of oxygen in an attempt to bring some control to his arduous pursuit. He drank in her beauty. The fire of passion glowed in the depths of her eyes. He devoured the enticing sight of her kiss-swollen lips. The flickering light from the fireplace enhanced the curve of her perfectly formed breasts as they rose and fell with her ragged breathing. The pounding in his chest sent the blood racing hot and fast through his veins, the rush resonating in his ears.

  He yanked off his sweatshirt and tossed it on a chair. He took a deep breath as he rose to his feet, but it did nothing to calm his raging passions. With nearly frantic motions he managed to rid himself of the sweatpants. His legs quivered as the intense sensations swept through his body.

  Jessica stared up at Dylan. The hard planes of his taut body glistened in the soft firelight. He was the most perfect specimen of male physique she had ever seen. Her pulse raced almost out of control. Everything about him shot her heartbeat into high gear. She had never been so brazen with any other man. The sexy glint in his eyes promised untold pleasures. She had also never made love on floor pillows in front of a fireplace in a mountain cabin. It was all so decadent, so uninhibited…and so very thrilling. She arched her hips and started to remove her panties.

  “Let me do that.”

  His thick words and husky voice confirmed his obvious physical arousal. He sank to his knees, then snuggled his body between her legs. He trailed the tip of his tongue from the notch at the base of her throat to the valley between her breasts, sending a tremor of delight across the surface of her skin.

  A quiver of anticipation rippled through her body. There wasn’t any more guessing about what it would be like to make love to Dylan Russell. She knew…beyond a shadow of a doubt…that no one was more exciting or satisfied her needs and desires more completely.

  He teased each nipple, then kissed the underside of each breast before continuing to trail the tip of his tongue down her stomach to the elastic band of her bikini panties. He nipped at the band with his lips, then secured it between his teeth and inched the panties down. A moment later his warm breath tickled through the downy softness covering her womanhood, sending a heated rush of desire coursing through her veins.

  His most intimate of kisses exploded inside her causing her to cry out. She couldn’t think straight. Reason and logic evaporated in an incendiary gust. Her entire body pulsed with excitement. He was everything she wanted…the only thing she wanted.

  Dylan slipped her panties down her legs and tossed them aside, then quickly moved to cover her body with his. His frantic, almost-out-of-control desire for her swept aside more prudent thoughts of taking precautions. His rigid sex penetrated her feminine folds, filling her with the entire length of his arousal. The breath caught in his lungs. He paused a moment, savoring the exquisite sensations as her heat tightly encased his need.

  He smothered her face in a frenzy of kisses. His hips rose and fell with the strong rhythm of his strokes. His ardor increased when she wrapped her legs around him, meeting each of his downstrokes with an upward thrust of her hips.

  The layers of ecstasy built inside Jessica, filling her with a euphoria that surpassed anything she had ever known. They moved in rhythmic harmony, so in sync with each other’s needs that it was as if they had been lovers for years. She sought out his mouth, the passion of his kisses. The texture of his tongue scraped against hers sending her last vestige of control out the window.

  The convulsions crashed through her body with a heightened level of intensity. She clung tightly to Dylan as she threw back her head and gasped for air. The delicious sensations continued to course through her, reaching every part of her being.

  She tried to speak, but could only manage one raspy word. “Dylan—”

  He recaptured her mouth, cutting off any further attempts to say something. Every nerve ending in his body tingled with an intoxicating rapture. He gave one last deep thrust as he held her tightly in his arms. An earthy growl of pure, unbridled ecstasy clawed its way out of his throat as the hard spasms shuddered through his body. He quickly buried his face in her hair to prevent the words he was very close to saying…the words that revealed his deepest emotions and exposed every last shred of vulnerability he still tried to protect.

  They remained on the pillows in front of the fire, arms and legs entwined, each clinging to the other. Neither wanted to let go, to break the physical connection between them. And the escalating emotional connection pulled them even closer together.

  Dylan tucked a loose tendril of hair behind her ear, smoothed her hair back off her forehead, kissed her cheek, then brushed a soft kiss across her lips. He folded his arms around her again, nestling her head against his shoulder.

  For three days they had been at the cabin together, and in that time she had turned his life upside down and inside out. She had given his life purpose and been the impetus for the plan he had finally worked out for what to do with his future. He felt as if he’d known her forever and had never felt closer to anyone else.

  He allowed the wo
rd love to drift through his mind, at first hesitantly then with greater resolve. But making a verbal commitment to a relationship…that still scared him. He knew he wanted to be with Jessica, that he wanted her to be part of his life. There was so much he wanted to say, but he didn’t know exactly what to say or how to say it. Regardless of how strong his feelings for her were, making a permanent commitment to a lifelong relationship produced a high level of anxiety for him.

  So he said nothing. He held her in his arms, stroked her skin, placed the occasional tender kiss on her cheek or forehead…and said nothing. He thought about love and about Jessica and how it all fit together. His thoughts were interrupted when she shifted her weight and snuggled farther in his arms.

  The fire began to die out. She shivered as the chill settled over them. Dylan looked around at the clothes strewn across the floor, but there wasn’t anything within reach to pull over them for warmth. As much as he disliked the notion of disturbing her, he knew he needed to get up. He gently nudged her.

  “Are you awake?”

  “Mmm…” She stretched and opened her eyes. “I think so.”

  “The fire is almost out. Either I need to put another log on the fire or—” he ran his fingers across the swell of her breasts, then sensually stroked her inner thigh “—we can do something else to create a little heat.”

  She grinned at him, her voice teasing. “Didn’t we already create enough heat in this room?”

  He returned her teasing and shot her a decidedly lustful look. “That was then—” he ran his hand across the curve of her hip, then cupped her bottom “—and this is now.”

  Her spontaneous laughter filled the air. “My, my, my. You seem to have an insatiable appetite this evening.”

  “Maybe we should do something about it.” He captured her mouth with a renewed ardor that spoke of both desire and caring. He managed to maneuver her body without breaking the kiss until he was able to stand up while lifting her in his arms.