by Lori Wilde
It didn’t matter. Trent’s hands were curling around her shoulders as he tugged her into his embrace, and his mouth—oh his hot, tasty mouth—was on hers.
Sensation assaulted her. Heat and moisture and musky smells. The taste of nostalgia wrapped around her tongue, and it was as if they’d never been apart.
In the turn of a second, they were teenagers again, kissing in the back seat of his old jalopy. One of those big old American cars of yesteryear with tons of room for making out.
Emma moaned softly and just let the past come rushing up to meet her. She twined her arms around Trent’s neck, heard him groan low in his throat.
“Emma,” he said roughly. “Em.”
It was a kiss to end all kisses. A homecoming sweeter than anything she could ever have imagined. In fact, it was so unbelievably potent she wondered if she was still in her sleeping bag, still sound asleep, and she was simply dreaming of a moment too wonderful to be real.
How many times had she imagined such a reunion? A lot in the days after his family had moved away. Then less as she finished high school and went off to college. After that, her thoughts of Trent had dwindled.
Mostly, she only remembered him after a romantic relationship went sour as she wondered, what if? What if her father hadn’t been so rigid and judgmental? What if Trent’s father’s job hadn’t moved him halfway across the country at just the wrong time? What if she’d defied her father’s orders and written to Trent?
What if, what if, what if?
And now here was the answer, with a whole new question. What if she kissed him all night long?
Emma smiled.
“What’s so funny?” Trent asked, pulling his lips away in the inky blackness.
“I can’t even see your face.”
He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her up tight to his chest. “But you can feel me.”
No doubt about that. His erection was a slab of granite pressing into her belly through the rough material of his denim jeans. Oh yeah, she could feel him.
“Trent, I...”
“You wished on a falling star, and now you’ve got your wish,” he said, and in the darkness his lips found hers again.
She sank into the heated wetness of him, let herself be washed away on a tide of emotions—longing, hoping, wistfulness, passion. So much passion. She’d never felt this kind of irresistible magnetism with any man before or since. He was one of a kind. Trent Colton. And he was kissing her as if tomorrow would never come. As if they could stand here forever, kissing on and on into eternity.
It was a nice fantasy, and she clung to it as surely as her fingers clung to his arm.
“Emma.” He breathed into her mouth, her name heaven on his lips. “Emma.”
He squeezed her tight, and her legs went up around his waist of their own accord. Good thing she was so small, and he was so big. He made her feel incredibly delicate. A fragile flower, cherished and beloved.
Then just like that, he let her go. “I can’t. We can’t. Myrtle and Izzy are asleep right over there.”
“I know,” she replied hoarsely.
“It’s against my personal policy to have sex with customers.”
“It’s against my vow of chastity.”
“What is that all about, by the way?” He chuckled. “If you don’t mind me asking.”
She waved a hand, even though she knew he couldn’t see the gesture in the darkness. “I don’t want to get into it.”
“Some guy did a number on you, and you swore off men?”
“Something like that.”
Trent muttered a curse low under his breath. “Luckily the guy isn’t here, or I’d punch him out for you.”
“He didn’t hurt me nearly as badly as you did,” Emma said. “Why did you break up with me?”
“I was a dirty, riffraff Colton, remember? I’d never amount to anything.”
“Those were my father’s sentiments, not mine.”
“I didn’t think I was good enough for you. Your family was one of the wealthiest in Tarrytown.”
“And now?”
“Now you’ve taken a vow of chastity, and I’ve got a business to run.”
“We could get past those things,” she said, not even aware she’d been considering it.
“The real question is,” he said lightly, “do we want to?”
All the next day, Trent couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss they’d shared in the dark, or what Emma had said. They could get past the superficial obstacles standing between them. After the trip was finished, he was free to have a relationship with her. And a vow of chastity was easy enough to forsake.
What neither of them had mentioned were the bigger differences between them. They hadn’t been able to overcome them when they were young. Emma had come from a well-heeled family. He had been nothing but a C student going nowhere fast. Yes, he’d since pulled himself up by his bootstraps and made something of his life, but they were still too different. He realized it every time he looked at her.
She was so sweet and innocent, even in her late twenties, even though she lived in New York City. Whereas Trent relished the rugged Colorado life. He’d become skilled out here, but he would always be out of his depth with books and society. She deserved the polished white knight on the charger spouting poetry and bringing flowers, and that just wasn’t him.
He concentrated on his job, guiding them down the rapids. Today, they were hitting the highest level white water. Not a big deal for him, but the women in his boat were total greenhorns, and he’d need to keep his wits about him to make sure everyone got through safely.
Early that afternoon, he spied the landmark triangle of conifers that told him the rapids were up ahead. A minute later, they could hear the sound of rushing water. His pulse kicked up as it always did when he got to this point in the river.
He loved shooting the rapids, and no matter how many times he did it, it still felt like the first time. Like kissing Emma.
Even though he was fully focused on his job, Trent managed to keep an eye on Emma. He told himself it was because he didn’t want her to fall into the river again, but he knew that wasn’t the truth. He wanted to see how she’d react to her first real taste of white water. Would she be terrified? Anxiety bit into him. Was she tough enough for this?
A few minutes later, amid the squeaks of terror and squeals of laughter, he got a glimpse of her face, and his question was answered. Emma’s eyes were bright, her cheeks flushed, her upturned face splashed with water, a huge grin spread from ear to ear. She was loving it.
“Omigod!” she exclaimed after they’d passed through the thick of the rapids, and his heart rate was coming down. She turned back to beam at him. “That was the most awesome thing in the world! Way better than any roller coaster.”
“Fantastic!” Myrtle exclaimed.
“It rocks!” Izzy raised her arms over her head.
Trent smiled. “I’m glad you liked it.”
“When’s the next batch?” Emma asked.
“Not for a couple more miles.”
She looked disappointed. “Darn, I’m ready to go again.”
He felt flattered and had no idea why. It wasn’t as if he’d invented the rapids for her entertainment.
No, but you showed them to her. He’d shared his world with her, and she’d responded with more enthusiasm than he’d thought possible.
Trent observed Emma again, and his stomach did a wild little dance.
And that’s when he realized he was falling in love with her all over again.
“White water, totally cool, who knew?” Izzy said when they made camp that evening.
They pitched the tents early and went fishing, catching enough trout for a huge dinner. It was the most delicious fish Emma had ever tasted. Myrtle had taken a walk, and Trent had volunteered to wash the dishes. Emma sat beside Izzy, watching the sunset and feeling utterly blissful. How long had it been since she’d been this happy?
“This is the best
vacation ever,” Emma said. “Thank you for forcing me into it.”
“You’re welcome,” Izzy replied.
“I didn’t give you much credit. I thought you were trying to throw me in Trent’s path so you could win the bet.”
“Me?” Izzy acted affronted, but Emma knew not much fazed her friend. “Would I do something like that?”
“You would.”
Izzy’s dancing eyes met hers. “I did.” She grinned. “So how you doing on the chastity thing?”
“My lock is still clicked.”
“Mine, too.”
“We could just call it a draw,” Emma invited.
“Are you suggesting we abandon the bet?”
Emma shrugged.
“What about Bianca and Madison?”
“They’re already out. This is between you and me.”
“If you want to throw in the towel,” Izzy said. “Go right ahead.”
“But you’re staying chaste?”
“Right up to the bitter end.”
“You really want to win this bet, don’t you?”
“Yup.”
“Why? I mean I know you need money to pay off your credit card, but what you’ll make off the bet you spent on this vacation.”
Izzy pursed her lips but said nothing.
“Did something happen?”
Izzy’s eyes darkened, and if Emma didn’t know better, she would have sworn she saw tears gleaming there. But Izzy didn’t cry easily. She was the toughest person Emma knew. “Izz?”
“It was Eric.”
“The guy you had a fling with last summer?”
Izzy nodded.
“What about him?”
“After we broke up, I realized I had a pattern. I go to bed with guys too soon. Usually on the first date. After that, I bail out quick.”
“You don’t have to. You could change that.”
“Which is why this bet means so much to me. I need to prove to myself that I can forgo sex. That I can have a friendship with a guy before I end up in the sack with him.”
“It’s really that hard for you?”
She shrugged. “I’m highly sexed, what can I say?”
“Not that there’s anything wrong with being highly sexed, but do you think there’s an emotional reason behind why you go to bed with guys so soon? Are you actually afraid of exposing your heart?”
“Like I said, I have no role models of good relationships.”
“So, you beat romance to the punch and take intimacy out of the equation right off the bat and just go straight to the sex.”
“In a nutshell.”
Emma blew out her breath. “Some people might say you’re the smart one. Romance is complicated.”
“Like what’s going on between you and Trent?”
“All I can say is that it’s good I’m not alone in the wilderness with him,” Emma replied. “If I was, you’d win that bet hands down.”
“Hmm,” Izzy said, and a pensive look came over her face. “Is that so?”
The next morning, Emma woke to find Izzy already gone. That was a first; Izzy was such a night owl. She stretched, got a drink from her canteen, and then walked to the river. That’s when she noticed the raft was missing.
She raced up to the tents. One for Myrtle, one for Trent, and one for her and Izzy. Izzy’s backpack wasn’t in the tent. A sense of panic fluttered in her chest. What had Izzy done?
Maybe she’d talked to Myrtle.
Emma went to Myrtle’s tent. “Myrtle, you awake?” she called. When Myrtle didn’t answer, Emma poked her head inside and saw that the other woman’s backpack was gone, too.
“What’s going on?” Trent asked, standing outside his tent, yawning and scratching his head.
“Izzy. She’s taken Myrtle and the raft. They left.”
“Slow down.” He made a calming gesture with his hand. “They probably just went fishing.”
“With their backpacks?”
“Why would Izzy and Myrtle go off without us?”
“So that we’d be stranded alone together, and Izzy could win the bet. Myrtle probably figured it was romantic.”
“You’re serious?”
Emma nodded.
“Well, Izzy’s plan isn’t going to work. I’ve got the satellite phone. I’ll just call David, and he’ll come get us.” Trent disappeared inside his tent, but a moment later Emma heard him exclaim, “Dammit!”
He popped back out of the tent.
Emma’s gaze met his. “She took your satellite phone, didn’t she?”
“She did.”
“Which means she probably took my phone, too. So, what are we going to do now?”
“I don’t imagine she’ll leave us stranded out here forever. Do you?”
“With Izzy?” Emma shrugged. “Who can tell?”
15
“We have two choices,” Trent said after they’d eaten breakfast.
“What’s that?”
“We can either start walking—and I’ve got to tell you it’s a very long hike to the nearest main road...”
“Or?”
“We can just stay here until Angie and David get worried when I don’t check in and drive out looking for us, or until Izzy develops a conscience and comes back.”
“Don’t hold your breath on that last one,” Emma mumbled, repacking the breakfast dishes. “So, if we decide to wait, what are we going to do to pass the time?” she ventured, slanting a coy glance his way.
Trent wriggled his eyebrows. “How important is that bet to you, anyway?”
Emma started laughing. “Not at all.”
The next thing she knew, she was in Trent’s arms.
“Emma,” he breathed.
She kissed him with all the passion that had been stewing inside her for the past ten years.
He threaded his hands through her hair. She slipped her palms up under his shirt. His skin was so warm and hard. Just like the rest of him. She inhaled deeply, smelling his wonderful outdoorsy scent.
The heady aroma of nature’s cologne—water, sunshine, man. Their tongues glided over and around each other. Playing, teasing, cajoling. How long she’d waited for this without even realizing she’d been waiting.
“I’m not casual when it comes to relationships,” Trent said. “I want you to know that.”
“Neither am I.”
“This means something. You mean something to me.”
“Ditto.”
“Emma,” he said, “I feel like I’ve been in a long deepfreeze just waiting for you to come back into my life. I didn’t acknowledge it until now, but somewhere in the back of my mind, in the bottom of my heart, I kept hoping that one day...”
“Me, too,” she whispered. “Me, too.”
She didn’t care about the stupid bet anymore. Let Izzy win. Izzy needed to win. All she cared about was Trent. As soon as they returned to civilization, she’d tell her friends she was out of the bet.
He swung her into his arms and carried her into his tent, then arranged her gently down on top of the sleeping bag.
“Um, do you have protection?” she asked belatedly. She hadn’t even thought about it.
“I have a condom in my wallet. But just one, so we have to be frugal.”
She gave him a wicked smile and licked her lips. “Ah, but there’s other things we can do.”
“What kind of things?”
“Well, for starters, remember the thing you did to me when we first made love?”
“As if I could forget.”
“We could do that again, and I could do it back to you.”
“Woman,” he said. “I like the way you think.”
He reached for her fleece top and pulled it over her head, then he took off his own and tossed both garments to the side of the tent. He made short work of the rest of her clothing—including the chastity belt—and then tucked into foreplay with a serious intent. He kissed and nuzzled, nibbled and sucked. Her lips, her chin, her nipples. Ah, her raw, achy nipples tha
t tingled at his touch, telegraphing a message of urgent desire straight to her womb.
For hours they played. He traced his fingertips over her sensitive belly, and she mirrored his movements, giving back as good as she got. He murmured sweet everythings into her ear, telling her how beautiful she was and in detail describing everything he wanted to do to her. His naughty words lit her up inside, and her hands roved over his body, feeling every sensitive masculine body part.
Finally, when they were both naked, his erection burgeoned, thick and heavily veined.
“My, my,” she cooed. “You’re bigger than I remembered.”
He blushed, and that blush did a strange thing to her heart. He was shy with her. This big, commanding man. Then Emma saw that Trent was trembling.
“What’s wrong?” she whispered.
He shivered from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. “I’ve never felt anything so overwhelming, Emma. It’s clogging me up. I want to be with you more than I want to breathe.”
“You’re with me, Trent.”
“I’m worried I won’t live up to your fantasies.”
She grabbed him by the hair and forced him to look her in the eyes. “You could never, ever disappoint me.”
“What if the sex is really bad?”
“It won’t be,” she said. “It’s with you. Our first time was magic. This time will be, too.”
“Emma,” he murmured and trailed his hand over her bare skin again, tracing enticing little circles all the way down to the where her thighs met.
She spread her legs and let him in, his fingers tickling her. She grew even wetter, which was a total surprise because she hadn’t thought that was possible. She arched her back, wanting him, begging him with her body to give her what she longed for, what she desperately needed. “Come inside me, Trent. Take me now.”
“Not just yet.”
“You love torturing me.”
“I do at that.” He grinned. “But in the very best way.”
Lowering his head, he pressed his lips to her bare belly and kissed his way back up to her straining nipples. She quivered.
“Does that feel good, sweetheart? Tell me what you like.”
“Good.” It was all she could manage.