Once upon a Dream

by Nora Roberts

  The air rose up between them, hot and thick, filling their lungs, making their breathing labored. Annie’s body was on fire. Each touch brought fresh heat, threatening to sear her flesh, melt her bones.

  Ben struggled to hold back, keeping relief just out of reach. Seeing her like this, without a shred of control, was the most erotic thing he’d ever experienced. He could feel his own control teetering on the very edge.

  Somewhere in the deep, dark recesses of his mind was the fear that he had driven them both too far. The last thing he wanted was to take her like a savage. But even as the thought formed, it was gone. As was every other thought save one. He had to have her now, this minute, or die. For there was a beast inside him, clawing to be free.

  “Annie.” He breathed her name against her lips as he entered her.

  He saw her eyes go wide, then flutter closed.

  “Look at me, Annie.”

  Her eyes opened, and he could see them glazed with passion.

  “I want to see you. I want you to see me.”

  As he began to move, she gave a moan and wrapped herself around him, moving with him, taking him higher, then higher still. Then they were sailing, skimming the waves until, caught in a whirlwind, they found themselves spinning out of control.

  It was the most dizzying ride of their lives.

  “Are you still alive?” He pressed his mouth to the hollow of her throat.

  “Mmmm.” She touched a hand to his cheek, then let it drop limply against the pillow.

  They lay, still joined, their breathing shallow, bodies slick.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be so rough.”

  “Me either.”

  He leaned up on one elbow to look down into her eyes. They were crinkled with unspoken laughter. Ribbons of gold played across her face, giving her the look of a gilded angel.

  He trailed a finger across her cheek. “That was…amazing. You’re amazing. But then, you probably already know that. I’m sure you’ve been told that by dozens of men.”

  “Hundreds.”

  Again he caught that quick smile and he was able to smile with her. He pressed his lips to her forehead and felt himself beginning to settle down. It was amazing how this simple act had quieted all the nerves. What he felt now was a sense of peace. Of contentment. It was something he hadn’t felt in years. And it occurred to him that it was all because of this woman in his arms.

  “Am I too heavy?”

  “No.” It was the truth. She found the press of his beautiful body on hers to be pleasurable. She liked the feel of his long legs on hers. His hair-roughened chest brushing hers. Those arms, so strong they could break her in two, holding her as gently as though she were made of spun glass.

  When he rolled to one side, and gathered her against him, she almost moaned in protest. Instead, as he ran a hand along her spine, she found herself purring like a kitten.

  He lifted a finger to trace the curve of her brow, the softness of her cheek. Now, feeling pleasantly sated, he could take the time to really look at her. “Do you know how beautiful you are, Annie?”

  “Tell me.” Her breath was warm against his throat. He found himself thinking that if she kept her mouth just there, he might go quietly mad.

  “When I first saw you standing in the kitchen, I was sure I’d bumped my head harder than I’d thought and that you were just a figment of my imagination.”

  “When did you decide I was real?” She skimmed a hand along his side, and he found the scrape of her nails against his flesh the most exquisite torture.

  “When you threatened me with the knife. The minute I touched you, and felt that heat, I knew you were real.”

  She sat up, her hair falling over one eye in a most seductive way. “You felt it, too?”

  He merely stared at her. “So. It was the same for both of us.”

  “I thought…” She shook her head. “I thought at first that I was imagining it. But when it happened every time we touched, I knew it couldn’t be all in my mind.”

  “As long as we’re in the mood for confessions, I’ll tell you one more thing.” He reached up to play with a strand of her hair, twisting it round and round his finger. “I wasn’t at all sorry when neither of our cars would start. I’d already begun to think it might be a fine idea to stick around for another day.”

  She felt the curl of pleasure along her spine and wondered if he knew what his touch was doing to her. “And here I thought you were angry because you had to miss your business meeting.”

  “I should have been. Any other time I would have been.” He tugged gently on her hair, drawing her face closer to his. “But the thought of spending another day in the company of the intriguing Annie Tyler certainly cushioned the blow.”

  He cupped a hand to the back of her head and guided her mouth to his. Against her lips he muttered, “Why don’t we go for seconds?”

  “So soon?”

  “You mean you’re already bored with me?”

  She laughed. “I mean, I didn’t think you’d be up to such a feat.”

  “You bring out the best in me. Or maybe it’s the beast.” He drew her down on top of him and ran a hand along the length of her. “What do you think?”

  “Why, Mr. Carrington, what a surprise.”

  “Yeah. I’m just full of them.” He tangled his hands in her hair and pulled her close for another kiss.

  This time, he promised himself, he would move slowly and give her the care she deserved. But as their kisses heated and their heartbeats started racing, all his good intentions disappeared. They were hurled once more into the eye of the storm. All they could do was cling desperately to one another, until they reached the next calm shore.

  “Sorry our coffee got so cold. I hope this will make it up to you.” Ben was barefoot and naked to the waist, wearing only his grandfather’s old pin-striped slacks, which he’d hastily pulled on. He handed Annie a flute of champagne, then climbed into bed beside her.

  “Mmm.” She sipped, then looked up at him with a smile. “This more than makes up for it. Besides”—her laughter came again, quick and light—“it seems we got a little sidetracked before we could drink our coffee.”

  She was wearing his tennis sweater for warmth. The deep V at the neck revealed the cleft between her breasts.

  Across the room a cozy fire burned on the hearth.

  On the bed between them lay a tray of assorted snacks. She spread a thin wafer with cheese and held it to his mouth.

  He plumped the pillows behind him and leaned back, sighing with contentment,. “Do you know, Annie, I can’t remember when I’ve had a better time.”

  “I was just thinking the same thing.” She shook her head, sending dark waves tumbling. “Wouldn’t you think the loss of power, combined with the malfunction of all our gadgets, ought to have us wild with anxiety? Instead, here we are, feeling as relaxed and refreshed as though we’d been on a month’s vacation.”

  He nodded. “I really ought to be feeling at least a little guilty about my missed appointments. But I don’t.” He drew her close for a slow, lazy kiss, enjoying the taste of champagne on her lips.

  She spread more cheese and offered him another bite, then made a second one for herself. He topped off her flute with more champagne before filling his own.

  As she sipped she wondered if it was the alcohol that made her lightheaded or the man beside her.

  He had his hands on her again. It seemed he couldn’t help himself. He loved touching her. Her hair. Her skin.

  He leaned close to press a kiss to the slope of her shoulder, where the oversized sweater had slipped to reveal a tempting expanse of flesh. “I’ve been meaning to tell you. You look much better in this than I do. And I’d be willing to bet my grandfather never looked this good in it.”

  “I’ll bet your grandmother would disagree.”

  He chuckled. “You’re right. There were times when the two of them looked at each other that I could almost hear the sizzle. She’d smile, he’d wink, a
nd the rest of us just seemed to fall away, leaving them alone in their own little cocoon of love.”

  “That’s so sweet.”

  “Yeah.” He took the flute from her hand and set it on the night table beside his.

  “Wait. I’m not finished.”

  “Neither am I.” He turned to her, and she saw that the dark, hungry look of a pirate was back in his eyes.

  “I meant the champagne.”

  “I know what you meant.” In one smooth motion he tugged the sweater over her head and dragged her into his arms.

  Then there was no need for words as he took her on another fast, dizzying journey into that place where only lovers can go.

  8

  ANNIE FELT HERSELF drifting on a cloud of contentment. There was something heavy pressing her into the mattress, and it took her a moment to realize it was Ben’s leg, tossed possessively over hers. His arm was around her, pinning her to the length of him.

  It felt good, so right, lying here beside him, feeling the warmth of his body seeping into her pores.

  They had stayed the night in this big bed, alternately loving, then dozing, then waking to love again. Looking back on it, she marveled that they had indulged themselves like two greedy children, wanting more, and then more. At times their lovemaking had been as comfortable as if they’d been old lovers. At other times they’d been caught in a torrent of emotions, tossed and buffeted like driftwood in a hurricane. Taking each other with a savageness that left them both dazed and breathless.

  It occurred to Annie that the night had seemed to spin on forever. Without a clock, they were completely unaware of the passage of time. Even now, with the sky outside the window still in darkness, she wasn’t certain whether it was midnight or almost dawn. But her stomach told her it had been hours since she’d eaten.

  She tossed aside the blanket and started to sit up. A hand closed around her wrist.

  “Does this mean you’re tired of me already?”

  She turned to find Ben watching her with that dark intensity that always seemed to touch her heart in a special way.

  “I’ve decided to throw you over in favor of food.”

  “Oh, yeah? Maybe I can tempt you with this.” He dragged her close and brushed a kiss over her lips.

  At once she felt the heat and was amazed that even now, sated from a whole night of lovemaking, he had the ability to arouse her so easily.

  “Mmmm.” She nibbled his mouth. “Very nice. But I can’t live on love alone.”

  “You really know how to hurt a guy. How about this?” He took the kiss deeper and ran his hands along her spine, lighting fires with each touch until she sighed from the pure pleasure of it.

  “Well. Maybe I could stand a few more minutes of this.”

  “I’m happy to oblige.” He dragged her down until she was pinned beneath him. Then he pressed his mouth to her throat and heard the little hum of delight. “How about an hour?”

  “Okay. As long as you promise not to stop doing what you’re doing.”

  “I promise.” He chuckled, then moved his mouth lower, until he heard her gasp of surprise. “You see. I’m a man of my word.”

  But she was already beyond hearing. Under his ministrations, she’d slipped into that dark cavern of pleasure, and he was only too happy to follow.

  “I can’t remember ever feeling like this.” Ben lay on his side, cradling Annie against him.

  Her hair lay in dark curls against the pillow. He played with the ends, loving the way her eyes stayed steady on his. He would gladly drown in their depths.

  The bed linens were tangled around them. They were both pleasantly sated, though they knew it was only a matter of time before passion would rise up again to thrust them back into the whirlwind.

  He touched a hand to her mouth. “I’ve never believed in love at first sight. But I don’t know what else to call this.”

  Annie felt her heart bounce once and fall nearly to her toes, before leaping to her throat. She’d been thinking the same thing, but had been terrified to speak the words aloud.

  She touched a hand to his cheek. “This has been the most amazing night of my life.”

  “Mine, too. And what I feel for you isn’t just lust.” He gave her one of those heart-stopping smiles. “Though I must admit the lust part isn’t bad either.”

  She chuckled until he brushed his lips over hers. At once she felt the jolt to her already charged system.

  Would it always be like this? she wondered. Would he always have the power to make her heart jump through hoops with a single kiss?

  “But there’s more here, Annie.” With a finger he traced the outline of her lips. “There’s the fact that I love everything about you. The way you talk. The way you laugh. The way you’ve chosen to live your life. I especially love the way you handled this awkward situation, with no power, no conveniences, and no way to leave.”

  She brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. “If you hadn’t been here with me, I’d have run the twenty miles to the nearest town. I’m basically a coward.”

  “Not you, Annie. Aren’t you the woman who gave up her life in New York for the unknown here in Maine, just because your grandmother needed you?”

  “But that’s not the same as this. I stayed because you’re here with me, Ben. I would never have stayed here alone through all of this.”

  “But that’s just it.” He linked his fingers with hers, loving the way their two hands looked. Hers small and soft. His large and slightly calloused from his work on the sailboat. It had felt so good to work with his hands again after years in a confining office. “We’re here together. And we’ve found something special. I know it’s sudden, Annie, but I don’t want this to end. I’d like us to find a way to stay together.”

  She sighed. “You make it sound like some sort of fairy tale. We meet, we fall in love, and we live happily ever after.”

  “Why not? We’re two adults. We know what we want. Why can’t we make it happen?”

  Why not? she wondered. At any other time she could probably come up with a dozen different reasons why this wouldn’t work. But at the moment, with his hands linked with hers, his hard, firm body pressed against hers, and her head spinning from his touch, she couldn’t come up with a single one.

  He lowered his head to whisper against her temple, “Do you feel the same way about me, Annie?”

  She nodded, too overcome at the moment to speak.

  He tucked a finger under her chin and lifted her face so that he could look into her eyes. “What’s this? Tears? Over me?”

  “I…feel so silly. But I never thought…” She sniffed. “I never thought I’d feel this way about anyone. Ever again.”

  “Neither did I. Oh, Annie. You’ve made me believe in the impossible.” He drew her close and pressed his lips to her temple. “This is too wonderful for words.”

  Then he showed her, in the only way he could, just how much he cared. With slow, deep kisses and soft, whispered sighs, they took each other to a higher, sweeter place than they’d ever been.

  “What’s this?” Annie stepped out onto the patio to see Ben closing the lid on a wicker basket.

  “Our lunch.” He looked up, then gave a smile of approval. “You’d better watch out. I might decide to make you lunch. In that outfit you look good enough to eat.”

  “You like it?”

  He watched as she slowly twirled. The dress of ivory voile had short, fluttery sleeves and a softly fitted waistline, then fell in a long, straight column to her ankles. To fill in the deep V of the neckline, she’d pinned a cameo brooch to a velvet ribbon tied at her throat. Her dark hair was swept up and held with mother-of-pearl combs. The effect was stunning.

  “I’m beginning to really love wearing your grandmother’s clothes. I think I’ll actually be sorry when my own are dry and I have to go back to wearing jeans and sweaters.”

  He traced a finger down her arm, watching the way her eyes heated at his touch. “I think I’ll be sorry, too. I li
ke looking at you in these old-fashioned things.”

  She gave an exaggerated flutter of her lashes. “Maybe it’s because I’m just an old-fashioned girl at heart.”

  “You’re making a joke. But in truth you are.”

  “And how would you know?”

  He brushed his lips over hers, and though he thought he was prepared for the jolt, it still managed to catch him by surprise. “I just know. Every time I touch you, every time we kiss, I know you, Annie Tyler. As though I’ve known you for a lifetime.”

  Strange, she thought as he picked up the wicker basket and caught her hand, but it was true for her as well. She felt as though she’d been waiting for this man, and this moment, all her life. And that everything that had happened before had been in preparation for this very special time.

  “Where are we going?”

  “On a picnic.”

  “Where?”

  “There’s a little sandy cove. It’s ringed with rocks and very secluded. But it has a great view of the bay.”

  “Sounds like fun.” She linked her arm through his and they started out.

  They crossed the overgrown lawns of White Pines and slipped into the cool darkness of a pine forest.

  Annie breathed in the fragrance of evergreens as they made their way between huge boulders and around fallen logs. Then, just as suddenly as they’d entered the forest, they emerged into a sun-dappled cove overlooking the bay.

  “Oh, Ben. This is wonderful.” Annie stared around, enjoying the spectacular view of water ahead of them, the towering forest at their backs.

  She slipped off her shoes and followed him across the sun-warmed sand to a shady spot between two egg-shaped boulders.

  “When I was a kid, I thought of this as my secret place.” Ben opened the basket and lifted out a blanket, which he shook and lowered to the sand. “I thought of these two rocks as giant dinosaur eggs. I used to climb them and balance on the very top, staring out to sea. All alone here, I was master of my universe.”