“I was going to tell you today. You can ask Winnie. That’s what we were just talking about.”
“You could have told me this morning,” he pointed out. “When we were combing.”
Too true, she knew. She was such a coward. “That wasn’t the right time.”
He chuckled softly and she felt that wicked laugh in her belly. “Why not?”
“Because I was thinking about other things.”
“Like what?”
“Like what I’d written in those letters.” Like kissing him, and rolling around in the sand with him, and feeling his wonderful bare ass beneath her hands, and the hardest part of him pushing in and out of the softest part of her. She’d been thinking about licking him from one end to the other and savoring the smell of him and wrapping her legs around his waist.
Levi’s gaze darkened. “You mean like how much you want me?”
She gave an embarrassed chuckle. “I think we’ve pretty much established that.”
“Do you remember what I told you last night?” he asked, sidling closer to her.
Her gaze searched his. “A-about what?”
He backed her against the wall and planted a hand on either side of her head. He was about to lay siege again, Natalie realized, and he was bringing the heavy artillery. “About not wasting any more time.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Want me to tell you where I went before I dropped by the post office?”
He nuzzled her neck and her breath hitched in her lungs. Longing knifed through her and heat slickened her folds. Her nipples pearled beneath the thin fabric of her bra. “Wh-where?”
“The drug store. I might not be a Boy Scout, but baby, I’m prepared.”
LEVI STARTED to back her into the bathroom, but Natalie retained just enough sense to halt him. “Not in there,” she said between kisses. She’d just tossed her cookies—literally—in there. “Here,” she said, dragging him toward Winnie’s storeroom.
She looped her arms around his neck and, with a little jump, wrapped her legs around his waist. Levi determinedly pushed inside the small, darkened room, then closed the door with his foot.
“Lock it,” she mumbled against his mouth.
“They’re not coming in. I told them we’d need some privacy.”
Natalie chuckled, suckling his bottom lip. “Sounds like you thought of everything.”
Levi kissed her until every bone in her body felt as though it had melted. He dragged her shirt up over her head and tugged the strings of her bikini top loose with his teeth. He growled low in his throat. “Do you have any idea how many times I’ve dreamed of doing that? This damned bikini drives me nuts. You drive me nuts.”
Pleasure bloomed in her chest as she dragged his shirt from the waistband of his jeans. “You’ve always had a pretty depraved effect on me, too. As you well know.”
“Wanna know a secret?”
“You know all of mine,” she pointed out. “I think knowing one of yours is only fair.”
Levi drew back and his heavy-lidded gaze met hers. She saw desire and need and something else…something more elemental and altogether dangerous. “I wanted it to be you. I would lie there at night in the barracks and picture you doing the things to me that you’d written. It was your face I saw when I read your letters. It was you I wrote back to.” He released a shaky breath. “It was you, Nat, all along.”
“Oh, Levi,” she said, her heart in her throat. He had no idea how much that meant to her. How deeply that “secret” he’d just shared affected her. She felt the backs of her eyes tingle.
Levi kissed one lid and then the other, then his mouth slipped lower until it covered her own. His lips brushed hers once, twice, and then it was as though something snapped between them. The tentative grasp on control gave way and suddenly he was kissing her until she thought she couldn’t breathe and ultimately, didn’t want to if it meant he’d stop.
Clothes vanished—her bikini top, his shirt, her shorts, his jeans. Her bikini bottom and his boxers later, they were rolling around on the floor of Winnie’s pantry—bits of flour and sugar everywhere—completely naked and completely, totally happy. She landed on top.
Levi bent forward, pulled her nipple into his mouth and suckled her. “Damn, you taste good.”
“Not as good as you feel,” Natalie told him, smiling at the sugar smudge on his cheek. She leaned down and licked it off, then purposely settled her sex over the hot ridge of his arousal.
Hot, hard and huge. Her lids fluttered shut as sweet sensation bolted through her.
She couldn’t believe this was finally happening. After all these years, all of her pining for him, her letters…he was finally going to be hers.
And it couldn’t happen soon enough.
She didn’t want slow and easy—they’d have time for that later.
She wanted him now. “Prepare yourself,” she said, widening her eyes meaningfully.
Levi laughed, but did as she instructed, smoothing the protection into place. A second later, Natalie hovered above him, then sank slowly onto the long, hard length of him. The air left her lungs in a soft hiss as she seated herself firmly onto him.
Levi’s fingers dug into her hips and he bared his teeth in a feral sort of smile that was strangely sexy. Their eyes locked, and in that moment, everything inside of her seemed to click into place. She looked into his eyes and saw her future children, her happiness, her very world. This was happening here and now for a reason, Natalie realized as she bent forward and licked a flat, masculine nipple.
Levi flexed beneath her, pushing deeper. His hands slid around and shaped her rump, almost possessively, and the sensation was nothing short of amazing. He was hot and hard, soft skin and lean muscle and, for the moment, completely, utterly hers.
And that thought simply did it for her.
Natalie leaned back and worked herself up and down the length of him. Her clit tingled and her breasts grew heavy and her neck suddenly didn’t feel as if it could support her head, but none of that mattered because she was close, so very close to—
Levi upped the tempo beneath her, bucking deliberately. He bent forward and took the crown of her breast into his hot mouth and laved her nipple with his tongue. He palmed her other breast, abrading the sensitive peak, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger.
Little sparklers started dancing behind her closed lids and her belly grew impossibly hot and muddled. The first flash of impending climax quickened in her womb and she felt Levi harden even more inside of her.
She rode him harder, up and down, up and down, pushing, reaching, desperate for the release she’d waited so very long for.
“Levi, I need—”
“Me,” he said, going deeper, holding her hips as he took over and pistoned in and out of her. “You need me.”
Oh, yes, Natalie thought. She did. She needed him. Loved him. Had always loved him. This was what she’d been waiting for. Him. Inside her.
Harder and faster and harder still, he kept on, pushing into her heat, pummeling her sex, nailing her swollen clit with each relentless thrust.
He pushed again, one, two times, three, then squeezed her rear, and she literally came so hard her back felt as if it would break from the impact.
She stiffened above him, her mouth opened and a long, keening cry, ripped from her very soul, tore from her throat. Levi bent forward and caught that scream of release with his mouth, ate it and savored it. She felt him pulsing deep inside of her, then he suddenly went rigid and joined her in the wonderful world of Orgasm Land.
Breathing hard, Natalie collapsed on top of him. She could feel his heart pounding beneath her chest and there was something so affirming about that steady thump-thump-thump that tears inexplicably burned in her eyes.
At last. And it was everything she’d ever dreamed of and more. So much more.
His long, talented fingers stroked down her back, then up again, and tangled in her hair. She could feel him testing the strands against his f
ingers, curling the length of them around his hand.
“This makes me want to drag you back to my cave and never let you go.”
Natalie grinned and kissed his chest, then gave her feminine muscles a gentle squeeze. “This makes me want to let you.”
“That was amazing,” he said, his voice a bit rusty.
“I won’t be lodging a complaint.”
His breathing slowed and he continued to play with her hair. “Do you have plans for tonight?”
She drew a half-heart on his side. “Not until you ask me to do something.”
His chuckle made her cheek vibrate. “Come out on the boat with me,” he said softly. “Me, you and the moonlight. What do you say?”
Yes, yes, yes. “So long as you’re prepared, I’m there.”
Levi’s laugh stirred her hair and that sexy chuckle settled warmly around her heart. “You bet.”
10
Dear Levi,
This morning I woke up and my first thought was of you. I imagined your naked body twisted in my sheets and your head resting against my rumpled pillow…
LEVI TOOK Natalie’s hand as she climbed aboard the boat. “Did you tell your dad we were doing this?”
As though it were the most natural thing in the world, Natalie leaned forward and pressed a kiss against his cheek. “Of course not. He would just worry.”
“Natalie.” He didn’t think anything would go wrong, but he hated the idea of keeping her father out of the loop.
“I’ve brought my cell phone,” Natalie told him. “If he calls me and asks where I am, then I won’t lie. I’ll tell him the truth.”
Fair enough, he supposed. Still, John really needed to face this obsessive fear. He and Natalie lived in a bayside community, a stone’s throw from the Atlantic. She worked in and around the shore all the time. He was going to have to give her some room; otherwise Levi could see a problem developing.
“How’s your uncle Milton?”
“He’s doing better,” Natalie said, settling onto a bench seat. She dropped her bag at her feet—he’d told her to plan on spending the night—and had the pleasure of watching a beautiful smile move over her raspberry lips as he pulled away from the dock. “And it’s been good for Dad to be there, too. He and Uncle Milton have been playing chess and watching Andy Griffith reruns. He needs other interests besides—” She frowned, seemingly struggling to find the right word.
“You,” Levi supplied.
She grinned. “That works, yes.”
Truth be told, he could hardly fault her father. He seriously suspected that, given the time, his interest would be solely focused on her as well. He could easily see his world narrowing down until only she was in view, until all he could think about was the shape of her smile, the sound of her laugh, the achingly beautiful curve of her cheek, those adorable freckles on her small nose, the way her long hair naturally curved to the shape of her pert little face.
And then there were the other things…The things that made him go hard.
The exact shade of her dusky nipples—a deep rosy hue. The gentle swell of her naked hip, the ripe feel of her wonderful ass in his hands. The way her dark-brown eyes went all soft and heavy-lidded when he was inside her.
Today had been…beyond his wildest dreams.
Getting the letter had been nice, having his suspicions confirmed a perk. But taking her in Winnie’s storeroom had been, hands-down, the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Reading her letters, Levi had known that she wanted him. That she literally ached for him. But having all that passion, the complete surrender of any reservation, manifest itself in his arms…Sweet Lord.
He was ruined, Levi thought.
He’d never—never—known sex could be anything like what they’d experienced. They hadn’t just made love or merely had sex—they’d connected on a level beyond anything he could have ever imagined. They’d exploded together.
Just looking at her right now made him go hard. His fingers actually shook on the wheel and it was all he could do not to drop anchor and drag her down to his little bedroom.
And he would. In due time.
Until then, he wanted to recreate one of her fantasies. She’d once told him that she wanted to make it on his boat, to feel him rocking above her as the boat rocked below.
He was so willing to accommodate.
Despite the fact that time was so very short, Levi had every intention of fulfilling each and every fantasy that she’d written to him. For this single moment in time, he had the ability to make her dreams come true and, though he couldn’t offer her forever, he could offer her right now.
“How’s Adam doing?” Natalie asked. “Winnie mentioned that he’d been distant when she’d visited yesterday.”
Levi settled in behind the wheel. “He’s going stir crazy,” he said. “He’s not healing as quickly as he’d like to and that’s frustrating. Then there’s the emotional trauma he claims doesn’t exist, but I know better. He’s lost part of his leg. He’s in mourning for that, whether he’ll admit it or not.”
Levi couldn’t begin to imagine what his brother was going through. Though he knew Adam would eventually do everything he set his mind to, Levi didn’t think he’d factored in sufficient time for the recovery period.
“As for Winnie.” Levi made a face. “They’ve always had a very competitive relationship and he’s respected that about her. He’s probably worried about losing face. And…she’s always had a thing for him, right?”
Natalie nodded. “I knew that Adam was aware of it, but not you.”
“We’re brothers,” he said by way of explanation. “Anyway, if I were in his shoes, I’d be worried about no longer holding her interest, if you catch my drift.”
Natalie’s eyes widened. “You mean because of the accident?”
“Exactly.”
“That’s absurd.”
He smiled and shook his head. “That’s a man.”
Natalie grew thoughtful for a moment, and he watched her worry her bottom lip. “Winnie would never be so shallow. She hates what happened, Levi—we all do.” She shook her head. “But she’s in love with him. Her feelings aren’t going to change because he’s lost part of his leg. He’s the one who keeps insisting that he’s the same person. He can’t play it both ways. He’s either the same or he isn’t.”
Levi chuckled. “Have fun telling him that.”
She nodded pertly. “I will.”
Levi aimed the boat out toward the middle of the bay and felt the familiar peace that always settled around him whenever he was on the water. The sun was sinking low on the horizon, painting the ocean in various shades of shimmering blue, pink and orange. Without warning, Natalie’s arms came around his waist and she rested her cheek on his back. Something in his chest tightened and expanded, making it momentarily hard to breathe.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she said, sighing contentedly.
Though he’d been on many different bodies of water, Bethel Bay would always be the standard by which he judged them. He tugged her around and slung an arm over her shoulder, feeling more content than he could ever remember. “It is.”
“I love Bethel Bay. It’s got everything, you know? It’s small enough to know most everyone, but big enough to have a little culture. And the view.” She gestured to the shoreline and the vast expanse of blue water. “Second to none.”
They were treading into dangerous territory and he knew it.
Natalie drew back so that she could look at him. Excitement glittered in her eyes. “You should come to my walking tour Friday night.”
“What?”
“I do a walking tour of the downtown area every Friday night. Go over the history of the town. Talk about the rum runners and the smugglers who used to frequent our little burg. It’s quite fascinating.”
Seems like he remembered Adam saying something about that. Come to think of it, maybe Adam would like to go. One of the things his physical therapist had mentioned
was getting more exercise. “Would you mind if I brought Adam along?”
“Absolutely not.” A concerned line wrinkled her brow. “Are you sure that it wouldn’t be too much for him?”
Levi related what the physical therapist had said. “He’s got the temporary prosthesis. He needs to move.”
“Then bring him.” Her gaze locked on his. “And I was kind of hoping you could come to my place and spend the night. It’s selfish, I know, but…”
“I’d planned on inviting myself over,” Levi admitted as a rush of pleasure skittered through his chest. He gave her a little squeeze. “You can be selfish with me anytime.”
A shadow darkened her eyes. “Not true,” she said. “You leave Saturday, right?”
He knew they needed to talk about this, but that didn’t make it any easier. He didn’t want to talk about leaving her when he’d just found her. But at the same time, he had a job to do. Being a Ranger—it was who he was. He was part of a team—a brotherhood of men who were committed to doing things for the greater good. He couldn’t just change that…even if he were tempted. And God help him, he was. “I do.”
“What time?”
“I fly out at nine, but will need to leave the house no later than six.” He swallowed. “You know how that goes.”
“So we’ll need to say our goodbyes Friday night, then.”
He nodded. “I’m afraid so. Unless you want to ride to—”
She shook her head. “No, I don’t think so,” she admitted shakily. “That’s, uh—That’s family time.”
He understood. Speaking of family, his had certainly celebrated the fact he was seeing Natalie. His brother had wasted no time in telling his mother, who’d happily given her blessing. “She’s a lovely girl, your Natalie,” she’d told him, smiling with approval.
Your Natalie. Those two little words had affected him more than he would have ever imagined. She was his. How in the world was he going to leave her?
Time to change the subject, to talk about something more pleasant. Like his plans for the evening. “Are you getting hungry?”
Uniformly Hot! Volume 1 from Harlequin: Letters from HomeBreaking the RulesComing Up for Air Page 10
