by Liv Brywood
She stumbled backward toward the bed. He crawled across the floor like a wild panther stalking its prey. Everything about the feral intent in his eyes added to her growing intoxication.
When he crawled onto the bed with her, she fell back into the pillows. Without giving her a moment to catch her breath, he parted her thighs and delved between them to swirl his tongue against her delicate folds. She cried out as he lashed his tongue against her with wicked strokes.
Her hands clawed at his back, leaving long scratches in their wake. He clamped his hands around her thighs and pulled her closer. No one had ever taken her with such deliberate passion. She soared as each balmy stroke pushed her closer to the edge.
“Please,” she begged. “Oh, God.”
He found the hard nub of ultra-sensitive flesh and sucked lightly. She screamed as she plunged into an all-consuming orgasm. Tremors of erotic release racked her body as blazing, unfurling waves of release flowed through her to liquefy her limbs.
She collapsed against the bed and tried to clamp her legs shut. Even the slightest breath was enough to fan the flames.
“I need you,” he groaned.
“I—”
Before she could respond, he eased between her thighs. He pushed damp strands of hair from her face before lowering down to kiss her senseless. Tenderness gave way to passion as he slipped his tongue between her lips. She parted for him and arched as he slowly eased to fill her with every inch of his cock.
They moved in perfect unison. Every caress transmitted the intensity of his need. He held himself aloft with one hand while using the other to tease and coax her to greater heights of ecstasy.
With each deep thrust, she coiled herself tighter against him. Her legs wrapped around his waist. Slick with sweat, she could hardly hold onto him. But she did. She couldn’t imagine being anywhere else but in his arms.
As his breath came in shorter and shorter gasps, she rolled her hips to meet his. His gaze locked with hers and the intimate connection sent her tumbling into bliss. He followed her in an explosive rumble of growled release. Heat flooded her core as he shivered against her.
For several minutes, they lay wrapped in each other’s embrace. When he finally rolled to lie by her side, she scooted into the crook of his arms. He trailed his fingers in lazy circles across the edge of her breast.
“What are you thinking?” she asked.
“Nothing. You?”
“Nothing,” she lied.
Her heart filled with love and longing. She’d only just met him and already she mourned the eventual loss she’d face. Maybe falling into bed with him hadn’t been such a good idea.
As he wrapped an arm across her belly, she swallowed back all the questions she wanted to ask him. He hadn’t promised her anything more than a night of pleasure, so she really had no hold over him. She sighed and prayed she wouldn’t lose her heart to him.
***
Jack tossed and turned well into the night. Guilt ate at his soul. Sasha wasn’t a one-night stand kind of woman. She was wife material and he wasn’t looking for a commitment. In fact, the very thought of being tied down to another person sent him into heart palpitations.
He slipped out of bed and padded into the en suite. After splashing cold water onto his face, he stared at his reflection. What was he doing? He’d never met someone as sweet, kind, and loving as Sasha. And she was sexy as hell too. The perfect package for someone who wanted a white picket fence and a den full of fur-ball babies. She deserved a man who could settle down and enjoy a sedentary lifestyle. They were opposites in every way that counted, but damn if she wasn’t a sultry goddess in bed.
As he brushed his hands across the stubble on his cheeks, he heard a sound from the bedroom. He reluctantly headed back into the room. Sasha stretched like a cat. Her curvaceous hips rolled to one side as she turned to face him. A thin length of sheet covered her waist, leaving her exposed. With each step, he battled the temptation to climb into bed with her and make love to her again.
“Hey, sexy,” she said.
“Hey.”
“Come back to bed.” She ran her hand across the empty space in the bed beside her.
Instead of accepting her invitation, he sat on the edge of the bed.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing.”
“It sure seems like something’s wrong,” she said. “Come cuddle with me.”
Against his better judgment, he listen to his bear’s growled demands and crawled into bed with her. After she’d settled her back against him, she wrapped his arms around her chest. Spooning with her ripped a hole in his resolve. God, what he wouldn’t give to be able to shut his brain off for five minutes.
“Talk to me,” she murmured.
“I’m not a forever guy.”
“A what?”
“A guy who wants to live in the same house with the same woman year after year,” he said.
She tensed in his arms.
“I’m a one-night stand, wham-bam, thank you ma’am, kind of guy.”
“I don’t believe that,” she said.
“You hardly know me,” he said.
“True, but I know enough to know that you’ve got a heart. The kind of guy you think you are wouldn’t be here right now. He would have already snuck out of the room.”
“Maybe I was about to do that when you woke up.”
“No,” she said. “You were coming back to bed. Besides, this is your room. If anyone should be fleeing, it should be me.”
He smiled and pressed his face into her hair. What a woman. Maybe one day he’d get old and lose his wanderlust. If that ever happened, he could see himself with someone like her.
“Wonder how I knew you weren’t leaving?” she asked.
“I’m mildly curious,” he said.
“You were still naked.”
“Maybe I was coming back to get my clothes.”
“Nope. You would have scooped them up and hightailed it out of here before I had a chance to wake up.”
“It sounds like you have some experience with the love it and leave it type,” he said.
“When I was younger, I wasn’t very good at reading men,” she said. “I’d meet guys who knew how to say exactly the right things to get me into bed, and then I’d wake up wondering where they’d run off to the next morning.”
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said.
“I learned something else too,” she said.
“Oh?”
“I learned that sometimes it’s okay to spend a short amount of time with someone. Sometimes that’s all you’ll have, and that’s fine as long as you know when going into it.”
He wasn’t sure how to respond.
“We only have one week together, right?” she asked as she rolled to face him.
“Yes.”
“Then why don’t we just enjoy it for what it is and not worry about forever.”
He searched her face for any signs of disappointment or regret, but found none. Maybe she was a practical woman who knew exactly what she wanted. That was one hell of a refreshing change.
“If that’s what you want…” His voice trailed off.
“I just want you here in bed with me.” Her eyes sparkled. “I have a feeling about you.”
“Oh boy.”
“No, not the ring-on-my-finger kind of feeling,” she said. “I have a feeling you’ll make a very inspiring muse.”
“Really?”
“You’re already giving me all kinds of ideas.” She flashed a naughty smile. “Some might be a bit too dirty for Mrs. Bran’s liking, but I’m sure I could find a way to tone it down.”
“Hmm…” He pulled her tight against him, reveling in the way her curves molded against his hips. “Maybe I should tone it down too.”
“Don’t you dare,” she whispered. “As my muse, you’re required to inspire every inch of me.”
“Am I?”
“You are.”
“Well then, I have a
few tricks up my sleeve that you might enjoy,” he teased.
“Show me.”
She lay back on the bed and flung her arms over her head. The motion made her breasts sway in the most enticing way. He groaned and rolled to cover her with his chest. As he kissed her warm, pliant lips, she moaned into his mouth. He ran through his arsenal of sensual skills and decided to start with a Tantric skill he’d learned during his travels.
“There’s something I want to try with you,” he said. “I learned this technique while I was backpacking through Rishikesh, India.”
“What were you doing there?”
“There’s a huge yoga festival there every February. I always try to time my trips to coincide with a celebration or holiday. You learn so much about a culture during those times,” he said.
“That sounds so interesting. I’d love to travel someday,” she said.
“It’s one of the most rewarding ways you can spend your time,” he said. “It’s my second most favorite thing to do.”
“And your first?” she asked coyly.
“Tantra.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready for five hours’ worth of sex.” She grinned. “I might need a nap first.”
“Sting, hmm?”
“Yeah,” she laughed. “When I heard him say he had sex for five hours straight, all I could think was: ouch!”
“He didn’t mean intercourse the whole time,” he said. “A lot of people in the Western world have a misconception about Tantra. It’s so much more than just sex. Most of the meditations and practices have nothing to do with sex.”
“I’ve only ever heard of Tantric sex, so I don’t know about any of the rest of that,” she said. “But I’ll try anything once. So lay it on me—or not. Don’t lay it on me if we’re not having sex. I don’t know what we’re going to do so…I’m going to just stop talking now.”
“Relax,” he said. “The first and more important thing to do is to learn how to breathe.”
“I already know how or I’d be dead,” she said.
“We’re going to try heart breathing together.”
“That sounds kind of New-Agey,” she said.
“Trust me.” He locked gazes with her and held it. Within seconds, her expression transformed from one of skepticism to one of intrigue. “Let’s sit together.”
After sliding off the bed, he helped her to the carpet. He sat first.
“Sit in my lap, facing me,” he said.
“I thought we weren’t going to have sex.”
“We might. We might not. It’s not about that; it’s about our connection,” he said.
For a moment, he wondered if he was making a mistake by trying this meditation with her. But as she settled into his lap and wrapped her legs around his waist, he knew he was on the right path.
“Now, just focus on your heart,” he murmured. “Feel the soft tempo beating, pushing your life force throughout your entire body.”
She closed her eyes. A gentle relaxation slackened the corners of her mouth. The tension in her face was replaced by a radiant sense of peace. He closed his eyes and breathed in time with his heartbeat. After he’d connected to his own life force, he opened his eyes to find her regarding him with a blissful expression.
“Now put your hand on my heart,” he said. “And I’ll put mine on yours.”
As she lay her hand on his chest, his pulse kicked. It didn’t regain its peaceful rhythm until he placed his palm against her.
“Now what do we do?” she asked.
“We breathe together until we feel completely connected.”
With each inhalation, love blossomed in his heart. And with each exhalation, he poured that love into hers. He’d never felt such an intense connection with anyone until that moment, and he couldn’t help but wonder...at the end of the week, could he leave for Bali and never look back? Or would he be making the biggest mistake of his life?
Chapter 5
After spending almost the entire day in bed in a state of Tantric ecstasy, Sasha didn’t want to move a muscle.
“Are you sure we have to get up?” she asked.
“We should at least make an appearance today,” he said.
She rolled onto her side. As he pulled on his clothes, she lamented the loss. He shouldn’t even be allowed to wear clothes. Talk about a crime against humanity. His chiseled arm muscles and rippling abs should be on display, like a modern-day David. Oh well, maybe she’d get to see him—all of him—again later.
“Are you going to work on your project today?” he asked.
“Yes. I have a date with my clay.”
“Should I be jealous?” he asked with a sexy grin.
“Maybe.”
When she slid out of bed, he stopped to rake his gaze across her body.
“Hmm, now I’m reconsidering my position,” he said.
“And which position would that be?” she asked.
His slow, sensual smile sent waves of wanton heat straight to her core. She padded across the room. When she reached him, she slid her fingers across his abs. She traced every ripple and curve until her fingers tingled with tactile memory. The spark of an idea took hold as she considered his perfection. Maybe he deserved to be rendered in clay.
“If you keep touching me like that, we’ll never get anything done,” he murmured.
“I know.”
She stood on tiptoes to kiss his rugged lips. He cradled the back of her head in the palm of his hand as he consumed her with a scorching kiss.
“I’ll see you at dinner?” he asked.
“I may take a break to come out and see your sculpture,” she said.
“I’d love that,” he said.
As he released her, she sighed. He strolled toward the door and gave her a sizzling look before disappearing into the hall. She waited a few minutes to follow. Although she’d loved every minute she’d spent in his bed, she needed a shower and fresh clothes.
After sneaking into her room, she reluctantly washed his scent from her body. Her bear grumbled at the loss, but the mind-blowing sex had been enough to keep her satiated—for now.
She got dressed, and then hauled a twenty-pound block of clay onto the work table near her window. Movement outside caught her attention. She peeked out to find Jack standing halfway between the B&B and the barn. He waved. She smiled while returning the gesture. He turned and strolled through the snow. She watched him until he disappeared into the barn.
What a sexy, intriguing man. They’d talked for hours in between their passionate bouts of lovemaking. He’d traveled the world and knew so much about other cultures. She’d listened to his low, gravelly voice until she couldn’t keep her eyes open. But she had to stop obsessing about him. He wasn’t interested in a committed relationship. He’d been perfectly clear about that fact and she had no right to expect more from him.
She turned to regard the clay. Did she even have the right to mold it into an approximation of him? Would casting a permanent memory of him do her any good? She always kept photos of her work, but in this case, wouldn’t holding onto him hurt in the long run?
She sighed as she grabbed a bowl from her tool kit. After filling it with water, she returned to the table. Come hell or high water, she had to get this piece done. Maybe she wouldn’t complete an exact replica of Jack, but she could still use him as inspiration.
As she molded the gray clay into an approximation of a human form, she ran through a variety of options for making the piece unique. She couldn’t just create a man. Mrs. Bran would expect a more intricate piece. But what could she do?
Stumped, she slid her fingers across the block. As she kneaded and worked the clay, the magic of creation took over. She didn’t stop molding the cool clay until she’d formed the head and torso of a man. The careful manipulation took hours to complete, and although she hadn’t fully worked out where she was headed with the piece, it was at least taking some kind of form.
As she swiped the back of her hand across her forehead, her
stomach growled. She couldn’t ignore the hunger pangs anymore, so she cleaned up the workspace. She headed downstairs and found Madison in the kitchen. Her hostess shoved a tray of raw biscuits into the oven before turning to greet her.
“Hey, hon,” Madison said. “I was considering sending a search party up for you.”
“I’m finally making some progress on my project,” Sasha said.
“Great. What are you creating?”
“I’m not one hundred percent sure yet, but I think it’s going to be a statue of a man.”
“Really?” Madison asked. “Anyone in particular?”
“No,” she responded quickly as heat flooded her cheeks.
“I thought you may have found some inspiration here,” Madison said.
“Um…”
“I know I did. I met Mack here when I applied for the manager position,” Madison said.
“You did?”
“Yep,” Madison said. “It was lust at first sight. Don’t tell him I told you this, but we couldn’t keep our hands off of each other. I think Curvy Bear Ranch is so full of love that it’s impossible for a single person to leave here without a mate.”
“Have a lot of shifters found their mates here?” Sasha asked.
“Uh-huh,” Madison nodded. “All of my sisters-in-law came to the ranch for various reasons and never left.”
“You should start a matchmaking service.”
“I tried that once.” Madison chuckled. “It turned out all right, but I’ve been barred from meddling with relationships.” Her tone dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “But I might make a few suggestions here and there.”
“It’s hard to find love when you’re a shifter,” Sasha said. “Even if you find the right man, things seem to get complicated when you have to reveal that you turn into a five hundred-pound bear.”
“I remember when I found out Mack was a shifter. After I got over the shock, I realized that it didn’t matter. I’d fallen in love with him already and there was no denying that we belonged together.”
“I’d love to find someone like that one day,” Sasha said wistfully.
“You will,” Madison said. “You never know when the perfect mate will walk into your life. Be on the lookout, because you may have already met him. And he may be out behind the barn with a blowtorch right now.”