Hours later, Evan burst into the room where she and the cook were still working. “Rissa, you’re still here?”
“Yes,” she answered, looking at her watch. “I guess I’d better be going. I didn’t realize how late it was.”
“You can’t leave. Have you looked outside?” he said.
Rissa hurried to the window and looked outside. The snow was much deeper than it had been before. “Oh, my, I need to get out of here.”
“You’ll never make it,” he said. “Stay here tonight.”
Rissa immediately rejected that idea. There was no way she was going to spend the night under this man’s roof. “No, I’ll be fine. As long as I get home before dark,” she said grabbing her coat and heading out the front door.
The snow crunched under her boots as she sprinted for her car. She started it to let it warm up and cleared the windows so that she could see.
“Rissa, please stay,” Evan pleaded with her. “The roads are bad.”
“No, Evan. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”
“At least let me drive you home in my SUV,” he said.
“Nope. I got it covered,” The last thing she wanted him to see was the modest trailer she shared with her mother. Better to keep her private life just that - private. The fact that he had taken over her thoughts was enough.
Jumping into the car, Rissa put it in gear and steered cautiously out of the driveway. The city streets were not bad at all but the further away from town she traveled the worse it became. And then, about halfway home, it happened. She felt the back tires skidding sideways, tried to steer to correct it. She over corrected and then made the worst mistake any driver could on slick roads—she stepped on the brakes. That sent her skidding sideways across the road and into a snow bank. The abrupt stop slammed her head against the window and everything went black.
“Rissa. Rissa!” Someone was faintly calling her name.
“Rissa, sweetheart, are you okay?” It was Evan and he was patting her cheek lightly.
“Evan?” she asked, wondering what he was doing in her car. The last thing she remembered… And then she groaned.
“Honey, come on. You lost control of your car,”
Suddenly, a gust of frigid air filled the car and Rissa was wide awake. Evan was helping her to her feet and then he picked her up and carried her to the black SUV parked in the middle of the road. Inside it was warm and smelled of leather and spices and…yes, Evan. Rissa realized she knew his scent without even thinking about it.
“I want to go home,” she said, sounding like a little girl.
“I’ll get you home,” he promised, touching her face, her hair and catching her hands in his. “I just want to make sure you’re okay first.”
“I’m okay. I think I hit my head,” she told him stroking her locket with her fingertips.
“You did. You’ll have a nice little bump, but there’s no blood.”
“Please take me home,” Rissa whispered, not caring what Evan thought of her right now. “I just want to go home.”
“Okay, sweetheart. Just relax,” Evan said, making sure she was buckled in and then buckling his own seat belt.
He put the large vehicle in gear and steered it around her little car. “There’s no cell service out here so as soon as I get back into town, I’ll call a tow truck and get your car out,” he said.
His voice calmed her and she leaned her head against the cold glass of the window and closed her eyes. Suddenly, she was aware that they were skidding, sliding and Evan was fighting the wheel just as she had done earlier. A tree loomed much too close and she knew they were going to hit it. She braced herself for impact but when it came, it still shook her so that it rattled her teeth.
“Okay, don’t panic,” Evan said, although his voice and hands were shaking. “Let me see how bad this is.”
When he returned to the vehicle, he was scowling. His frown softened when he saw Rissa huddled in the passenger seat. “Stuck.” he said quietly. “Stuck in a snow drift up past the bumper.”
“Can you dig it out?” she asked. “I can help.”
He shook his head. “It’s snowing so hard, it would build up again as fast as we cleared it.”
Rissa thought for a moment. “Well, at least, we can stay warm in here.”
Evan nodded and then looked at the dash. “Not for long. I don’t have that much fuel.”
“Can we walk?”
“To where? We’re halfway to your house…” He stopped abruptly and his gaze moved past her out the passenger window.
“What?”
“Yes, we can walk. Come on,” he slammed the truck door and slogged through the thigh deep snow to her side. A cold blast of air hit her again when he opened the door and he pulled her down into his arms. Then he turned her to the right and pointed. “There. See those cabins?”
“The lake cabins. They’re all boarded up for the winter,” she protested.
“I’ll get us inside. At least we’ll have shelter and maybe even some food.”
Together they started toward the cabins, which seemed to her to be miles away. The snow was almost to her waist and so heavy that they had to stop several times just to catch their breath. Finally, they reached the first cabin, which was locked up tight. The second and third proved no better. Rissa was not looking forward to walking back to the vehicle.
Finally, they found a cabin with wood stacked neatly on the porch and Evan made a decision. “We’re going to break in.”
“But…”
“Rissa, we can’t stay out here all night. We can't hike it, and I have no cell service. We’ll freeze. I’m breaking in. We’ll leave a note. I’ll pay for any damages.”
Rissa put her hands over her face when she realized that Evan was going to break one of the lower panes of glass in the back door. One quick jab of his gloved hand popped the glass out. It clattered to the floor. With an evil grin, Evan reached inside and unlocked the door. He led her inside and hugged her close. She clung to him, happy to be in out of the cold.
“I’m starting a fire,” he announced. “Find a quilt or blankets or something so we can get warm.”
Teeth chattering, Rissa hurried through the small cabin, located a bedroom and found a quilt and two soft blankets. She carried them into the living room where Evan already had sparks glowing in the fire place. Spreading one blanket on the rug, she wrapped the quilt around her and sat down behind Evan.
“Take your clothes off,” he instructed.
“Excuse me?” Alarm shot through her.
“Your clothes are wet,” he said, stacking kindling carefully onto the tiny flame. “You can freeze to death in wet clothes. Take them off so they can dry by the fire.”
“What about you?” Rissa asked.
“I’m doing the same thing,” he told her. “As if to prove his point, he stood up and began undressing.
Rissa knew he was right, but she couldn’t think of a more dangerous situation than being alone and naked with Evan all night. She would have been better off just to have stayed at his house. Keeping her eyes on the growing fire, Rissa began taking off her clothes under the quilt. She handed them to him, blushing furiously when he took her bra and panties and spread them out to dry.
Soon the fire was crackling merrily, putting out precious heat. Still wrapped tightly in her quilt, she scooted closer, trying to soak up as much warmth as possible. Evan, wrapped up in the other blanket, sat close beside her.
“Wonder if they left any food?” he asked.
“I’ll go find out,” Rissa volunteered. Her nerves were frazzled. She wanted to be by herself for a moment and assess the situation.
Clinging to her quilt, she went into the kitchen and rummaged through cabinets. She found a can of beans and a few odds and ends but nothing really caught her eye. Then she opened a small door at the end of the kitchen to discover a pantry.
“Jackpot,” she announced, finding a tin of crackers, a jar of peanut butter and some bottled water. Wh
en she turned around, Evan was right behind her.
“Jackpot, indeed,” he said with a laugh.
“We’re gonna owe these people big time,” she said when they returned to the fireplace.
Even though the fire was roaring by this time, Rissa could still feel the cold if she ventured too far from it. In companionable silence, they sat side by side on the rug, leaning back against the sofa to eat.
“This is sort of like camping out,” Evan said.
Rissa agreed and then asked, “Won’t your family be out looking for you?”
Evan shook his head. “I’m a big boy. They don’t keep close tabs on me. Won’t someone be worried about you?”
Rissa laughed. “I called my mom when I left your place. She told me to stay put and that Maggie was coming over to stay with her. I lost my cell signal before I could tell her I was coming home anyway. She thinks I’m at your place.”
“And that’s where we should be,” Evan scolded. “But you’re so stubborn.”
“Stubborn? Moi?” Rissa said with a shy smile.
“Yes, stubborn,” Evan laughed and then he put more wood on the fire. “Getting warm?” he asked softly.
“Sort of,” Rissa confessed. It was dark outside the windows and she was suddenly glad he was there with her.
“If we huddled together under one blanket, we’d get warmer,” he said, not looking at her.
Again, Rissa knew he was right. “Couldn’t we put some of our clothes back on?” she asked.
Evan ran his fingers across her panties. “Still wet.”
At last, she gave in, knowing this could turn out to be either the worst mistake she ever made or a night she would never forget.
“Come on,” he whispered, holding open his blanket, welcoming her into the circle of his arms.
She paused for a moment, then something inside of her broke open. She had been fighting him, fighting herself, fighting this...but why? For one night, she didn't want to fight anymore. She slid over to him.
Rissa let herself be held close, resting her head on his shoulder. She was more than aware of his strong arms holding her tightly but even more aware of the way their bodies fit together perfectly. She was about to say something when he caught her chin in his hand, turned her head toward him and kissed her. The thought flew out of her head and she melted into him, sighing softly as her arms linked together at the back of his neck. The kiss deepened and he pulled her even closer, maneuvering her onto the floor. Now she could feel the crisp hairs of his chest against her bare breasts and she moaned when his hands slid downward, pulling her even closer.
“Evan,” she whispered when they came up for air. Her whole body was flooded with liquid fire. It had been so long since she’d given in to desire like this.
In response he kissed his way down her neck and across her chest to catch one of her nipples between his lips. Flicking it with his tongue until it was stiff, he moved his mouth to the other and it was his turn to moan when she tangled her fingers in his hair, thrusting her body toward him, silently urging him to continue. When one of his hands moved between her thighs, she gasped.
“Are you okay?” he asked, resting his head on her breast.
“It’s just that…,” Rissa was shaking so that she could hardly speak. “It’s been so long.”
Evan kissed her again, this time his mouth covering hers, his tongue slipping playfully between her lips. His fingers were doing magical things between her legs and she found herself parting them readily for him. He moaned when he discovered her moist center and probed at it gently, causing Rissa to gasp again and shudder with pleasure. Soon, he found her most sensitive spot and stroked it, bringing her to a quick, hard orgasm, waves of release crashing over Rissa like she’d never experienced before. Her moans of pleasure filled the room and she worked her body against his hand, making the most of the moment.
He kissed her mouth one last time as her shuddering subsided and then licked his way downward. She found herself pushing gently on his head, guiding his mouth to where she needed it most. And then his tongue found the exact spot that would bring her the most pleasure. Again, she could do nothing but ride out the waves of pleasure that caused her to groan in release and grind her body against his face.
And then, Evan was kneeling between her legs, his body nothing more than a silhouette against the roaring fire. “Rissa, you are so beautiful,” he whispered. “You’re all I’ve dreamed about, all I’ve thought about for days.”
In response, she kissed him, tasting herself on his mouth. With one hand, she guided him to her liquid center. He hesitated at the last moment, looking down into her eyes.
“Please,” she whimpered, urging him to take her. “Please, Evan, don’t stop.”
Once he was inside of her, he turned into a raging bull which was exactly what she craved at that moment. She clung to him with her arms and legs, calling his name, taking everything he gave her and reaching for more. He continued thrusting deep and hard until he felt her pulsing around him. With a low growl that sent Rissa spiraling even further out of control, he gave her everything he had, shuddering and bucking wildly until they were both spent and exhausted.
Afterwards they lay together, legs entwined. Evan propped himself up on one arm and looked down at her, tracing her lips, nose and eyes as if trying to memorize every inch.
“Rissa, did you ever feel like your life was in a rut?” Evan asked,
“Yes,” she answered truthfully.
“I mean, like everything was planned out and you thought it was headed in the right direction? But then, suddenly, something happens and everything is turned upside down?” he explained.
“I think so. After my divorce I was devastated. Then I realized I never should have married him, realized I was destined to have a different life.”
He nodded and kissed her nose. Then he tucked the quilt around her and moved to the fireplace to put on more wood. She found herself looking at him, very aware of his masculinity, very aware of his strong lean body lit by the flames. And she found herself wanting to be close to him again.
“Evan, please come back to me,” she whispered when he had stayed by the fire for a while.
He did as she asked, joining her under the covers, taking her into his arms again. This time, it was Rissa who initiated the kiss. It was she who explored him with her hands and then her mouth. And when he was more than ready for her, Rissa brazenly straddled his body, taking him deep inside and controlling his pleasure just as he had done with her earlier.
“Your body is perfect,” he breathed, his hands cupping her breasts. “All woman.” He moved his hands to her backside and pulling down her even harder against him. “All mine,” he growled, thrusting upward into her savagely.
Their bodies worked together perfectly, moving faster and faster until they reached the pinnacle of desire at the same time. Their cries of release filled the room, his fiery and deep, hers softer but just as insistent. After their love making, Rissa drifted off to sleep in his arms.
Chapter Five
When Rissa awoke, sunlight filled the room. For a moment she had no idea where she was but about that same time, Evan came back into the cabin, fully dressed and covered in snow.
“Hey, sleepy head,” he said with a grin and kissed her forehead. “How’s that bump?”
Rissa winced when he touched the bruise on her forehead and then was suddenly aware that she was still naked under the quilt. Delicious memories of the night before came rushing back to her.
“What time is it?” she asked, trying to focus her attention elsewhere.
“It’s not as late as it looks. The men grading the road woke me up. They’ve cleared the road and I talked them into pulling our vehicles out. We can go whenever you’re ready.”
“And I can be ready in two seconds,” Rissa said, happy that this...ordeal?...was almost over. Without even thinking, she threw off the quilt and began reaching for her clothes. And then she remembered Evan was sitting there watchi
ng. “Do you mind?” she asked.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said with a grin and left her alone.
Rissa dressed quickly, noting that she was tender in a few spots and smiled to herself when she remembered why.
Outside, the air was cold and Evan helped her through the deep snow to her car. “I’m going to go check on my mom and change clothes,” she told him. “Then I’ll be back to put the final touches on the menu.”
“Okay,” Evan said, closing her car door. “Be careful.”
At home, Rissa let her mother think she had spent the night in Evan’s mansion. There was really no time to explain what had happened, and she made sure that Maggie knew how appreciative she was for staying over. When she took her shower, she realized her locket was gone. It worried her and after getting dressed, she looked for it in her purse, her coat pockets and the car. It was nowhere to be found. Putting that problem aside, Rissa headed back into town, her mind on the final arrangements for Evan’s party.
Parking in her usual spot, she hurried up the steps and was ushered in by the same maid who usually met her at the door. They said good morning and she gazed in wonder at the transformation that had taken place in the front hall. Just like outside, it had turned into a beautiful, sparkling, Christmas wonderland of greenery and red and silver.
“Is Evan in the library?” Rissa asked, excited to get his opinion on the decorating that was taking place.
“Yes, ma’am but…” the maid began.
Rissa did not hear another word. Evan was indeed in the library and so was Tiffany. In fact, they were kissing deeply, with Tiffany sitting in his lap, clinging to him in the same way that Rissa had done the night before. Rissa’s mouth went dry, her knees grew almost too weak to hold her up, and her hands began to shake. At that moment she knew, too late, that she loved this man. in spite of her own common sense.
She felt as if her whole world had suddenly imploded. What they had shared the night before had been perfect, magical, everything she had ever dreamed it could be. But, obviously, it was just fun and games for him. Anger flooded her bringing hot tears to her eyes. Her fingers reached for the locket which was no longer there.
Star-Crossed Curves: BBW Erotic Romance Boxed Set Page 45
