“I don’t care if you tell me your name.” His eyes searched hers. “But I need you to understand one thing. I’ll abide but whatever you wish, but you have to know I’ve wanted you from the first moment our eyes met on the plane.”
His frank admission set her blood on fire. Her breast tightened, aching to be touched.
Firelight reflected on his glasses made his blue eyes seem to flicker with heat. It was what now roiled inside her, a fierce driving need.
“Let the good time roll,” she whispered Louise’s admonition.
He blew out the taper and tossed it aside. Taking off his jacket, she closed the distance between them, working on his tie as his mouth sought hers.
He breath was hot, tasting of whiskey. Holding the tie in both hands she pulled him with her as she stumbled back, both dropping onto a chaise lounge.
“God, you don’t know how many times I’ve wanted to taste you,” he muttered, capturing her mouth—hard, demanding, unrelenting. He slipped his hand inside her dress, chuckling with pleasure to find she wore no bra. “I was trying to determine what you might be wearing under this dress. I couldn’t take my eyes off you.” Yanking the fabric over her shoulders he appeased his hunger, pleasuring her with teeth and tongue. Caroline delighted in his exploration, with each kiss wanting more.
She pressed fumbled with the buttons of his pressed dress shirt, yanking it from the confines of his dark trousers. She started for his buckle next and he grabbed her hand.
“I want to taste you…all over.”
Caroline dropped her head back, arching against the hot kisses trailing down her body. He lifted her dress, shoving it upwards until it pooled around her waist. She felt his tongue touch her belly, just before he nipped the edge of her panties with his teeth.
Lifting her hips, her clit throbbed with need. Tossing aside the thin fabric, he knelt at her feet and smiled. Taking off his glasses, he handed them to her.
“Don’t break those.” He grinned, then slid his hands over her thighs, parting her with skilled fingers.
Caroline dug her heels into the cushions, lost in a euphoric bliss. He drew her higher, his every breath causing her to whimper with need, until at least she came in an explosive climax. He leaned over, kissing her with an intimacy she’d never before experienced.
“Tell me what you want,” he said softly, nuzzling the sensitive spot below her ear.
“You,” she said, tossing all reason aside. “Inside me…now.”
His fiery blue-eyed gaze met hers as he stood and pulled a packet from his wallet. Holding it in his teeth, he held her eyes, shimmying from his pants and sheathing himself.
Caroline took him in, thick, full—more than ready, as was she.
“I don’t usually do this,” she said in a fleeting effort to make sense of how brazen she’d become. She held her arms up to him, sighing as the full weight of his glorious body rested against hers. She felt the need in his kisses, yet a gentleness too, that made him want her even more.
“Are you okay?” he asked, pushing slowly deeper until they were fused as one.
She nodded, framing his face, sharing a kiss that felt as though she’d known him forever. She might already be losing her heart to this man. He’d been a gentleman at every turn. Backing down, not pressing himself on her. Even now, he seemed to be a considerate lover. But, somewhere inside of her the truth fought to break through this sensual fantasy. This could never last. They were from two different worlds. Millions of miles apart.
Why, then, did he feel so right?
Caroline clung to his shoulders meeting him thrust for thrust. Thrilled by the human need driving them, creating a pace as though they’d been together for years. She wanted it to go on forever. But the sad truth was clear. It couldn’t.
She sighed as her body surrendered, tightening around him, coaxing a pleasured groan from him as he drove into her with relentless determination until at last he tumbled over into his own release.
They’d just had hot and sweaty sex. His belly pressed gloriously against hers as he lifted on his elbows to search her face. “I don’t want this to be over,” he said as though reading her mind.
Caroline brushed a shock of hair from his brow. He was a gorgeous man. Louise had been right about that. And there was no doubt that if she left it up to her body, they’d be going another round of the horizontal mambo—or whatever worked at the moment. “There might be a few people wondering where we’ve disappeared.”
He shared her smile and eased to his feet drawing her into his embrace. “I want to know more about you—everything about you.” He brushed his knuckles down her cheek and leaned forward to place a soft, kiss on her lips.
For the first time in ages, Caroline allowed her heart to believe in the realm of possibility.
“For starters, you could tell me your name.” He grinned.
She handed him his glasses. “Unbroken. And by the way, that wasn’t an easy task.” She adjusted her clothing, glancing up at him. “You should get dressed. Anyone could come looking for us any minute.” She spied his boxer briefs and held them out to him.
Caroline slipped into her panties and feeling deliciously tender, scooped up her shoes and walked to the open window.
Below, she could hear voices just beyond the garden. But no rain. No wind. No storm. Just stillness.
She smiled, feeling his arms go around her waist and allowed herself a moment in his protective embrace. She would cherish this moment forever. But cold reason cautioned it wouldn’t last.
“What do I have to do in order to get you to tell me your name?” he said quietly, kissing her temple.
The tour group emerged from the trees, heading toward the house.
“Caroline,” she said softly, wistful that by saying it aloud, there was no more mystery. No fantasy.
He pulled her close, hugging her tight. “I know what you’re thinking and this isn’t over by a long shot, Caroline.”
Chapter Five
Gavin followed Caroline down the stairs, each holding a candle to navigate the darkness. They met the others filtering back inside the house void of light.
Caroline distanced herself and quickly found her friend. Gavin helped Patrick, the hosts, and a few others find the boxes and set to the task of lighting candles. The ambience was romantic and a little unsettling. Some of the guests pledged their support and left to check on their own homes.
Patrick caught up with Gavin near the bar. “So, from the absence of your tie, I take it you hooked up with your mystery woman?”
“I need to speak with you…in private.”
Patrick shrugged. “Sure, just let me check in with Savannah.” His friend nodded, and pointed to the back porch.
Gavin grabbed his drink and turned, running headlong into the pill box hat lady. She was much shorter than he remembered. But her eyes, an unmistakable amber drew him in.
“Auntie Iris, boy. We’ve not been formerly introduced,” she said holding out a petite hand. “You had some night, haven’t you?”
Gavin pressed his lips together sensing there was little reason to lie to this woman. He’d bet her gifts of the supernatural variety were not unlike Miss Bonnie’s.
“Bayou Bonnie and me go way back, Dr. Beauregard.” She eyed him with a demure smile.
Yep.
“You been touched by her, haven’t you?” She narrowed her gaze.
Okay, even telepathy had its limitations.
Gavin glanced up at Caroline seated in a corner embroiled in deep conversation with her friend. He could guess what the topic was. He brought his gaze back to his new friend-or so he hoped—dressed as though she’d just come from Sunday church.
“Hoodoo aint so very far from the Lord’s work, son. Now you tell me, what do you know about Rhianna?”
He started to refute that it was Caroline, not some woman named Rhianna that touched him.
The old woman rolled her golden eyes, punctuating it with a sigh. “Your friend, she be touched as we
ll.” Gavin fought to recall anything beyond the scent of Caroline’s skin and her body soft and warm beneath his.
“Lightning. I saw it from the window. Saw the wind, too. No one else saw it, ‘cept you, your friend, and me.” Auntie pointed her finger at him. “Lotsa wind. Lotsa hanky-pankie comin’ with that lightning. Am I right?”
“Amongst other things,” Gavin muttered. Frankly, the weather had been the last thing on his mind.
Auntie nodded, making a tsking sound in her throat. “She’s here, then. You and your friend, be watchful Rhianna, she a powerful witch.”
Gavin frowned, finding it hard to believe that what happened between them was inspired by anything other than a slow-burning desire that had been simmering since they locked gazes.
“Your desire is what fuels her, boy. Something else set her free. But she found the two of you and felt the fire.” She looped her arm though his. “Come on out here a spell and let Auntie tell you about Rhianna.”
They joined Patrick on the back porch overlooking the garden maze. “Auntie,” he said politely, then glanced at Gavin.
Thunder rumbled low and menacing. Flashes of pink-colored lightning illuminated the dark clouds rolling in.
“She comes with the storm,” Auntie started, looking out at the stormy sky. “Legend says that many years ago, Rhianna came to these parts. She was evil, luring men to her quarters—married or not. Said a man who had relations with her would lose his soul to her.”
“Relations?” Gavin asked.
“Sex. It was said she to lie with her would kill a man.”
“That’s some pretty powerful stuff, Auntie,” Patrick mused, glancing at Gavin.
She narrowed her eyes. “Do not mock the Cajun witch. She is powerful still. The darkest voodoo she practiced. Many souls were lost to her. Made her strong.”
“I don’t understand. There are countless storms around here all the time. Why is it I’ve never heard of her—not even from Bayou Bonnie—and she’d have told me if I’d been in danger<’ Gavin said.
Auntie shook her head. “Conditions must have been right to have broken her free. Years ago, a group of widows scorned by her treachery, banned together and using hoodoo magic imprisoned her spirited—end her evil ways.” Auntie looked to be deep in thought. “She’s detected a passion powerful enough to awaken her.”
Gavin cleared his throat, avoiding Patrick’s darted look.
“She’s prowling out there. Hungry.”
“Spirits get hungry?” Gavin asked.
“She needs sex to keep her strong,” Auntie said in a whisper.
“I grew up right here with my granddad, and why is it he never said a word about her?” Patrick asked.
She glanced at him, her expression somber. “Because if one knew, they would also know never to say her name out loud for fear of waking her.”
“How was she imprisoned?” Skeptical, but curious and battling with it was possible that what happened between him and Caroline was consensual or –good lord—spirit-induced.
“They banished her spirit into the trunk of an oak tree that stands down by the cabins. Smack dab in the middle of the road. Did it so all who saw it would remember her evil ways and keep their noses clean.”
Patrick’s brows knit. “I used to climb that tree. Maybe that’s why grandad always shooed me away from it.” He thought a moment more. “I don’t remember seeing a tree tonight? Did you see it, Auntie?”
“I wasn’t thinking about it until now,” she said.
A bluster of wind tore open a set of the screen doors along the back of the house. Startled, Gavin and his friends watched as another set blew open, each set opening in succession in a frenzied wind. A shaft of lightning streaked across the dark sky.
“Nash best be sending the remainder of his guests home soon, or she will make this place a den of sin.” Auntie rose and toddled inside waving to her young driver. She paused to speak to the hosts, then hurried out.
Gavin followed Patrick inside and scanning the room realized that Caroline and her friend had left.
“I’m getting Savannah home,” Patrick grinned. “I got all the magic I need at home.”
Dr. Ingler spoke to the remaining guests. “Due to the outage, and before things get worse, we’re going to bid you all good night and close tonight’s festivities. Please feel free to pick up several pamphlets explaining how to support the preservation league. Hand them out to friends and colleagues. Thank you all for coming.” In a surprising twist, Dr. Ingler pivoted on her heel and grabbing her husband’s face, kissed him in a very public display of affection.
Gavin thanked his hosts and hurried to his truck. Parked next to him was a black Mercedes, its smoke-tinted windows concealing the activity causing the car to rock. He turned the key, aware of the desire roiling inside his gut. He glanced beside him at the car, heard a woman’s cry of pleasure. He backed out of the lot, hands firm on the wheel, batting away the images of Caroline in her half-dressed state holding her arms out to him. At this rate, he was prepared to dive into the cold lake—gators and all.
***
Her body tingled. Like a bad sunburn Caroline’s skin felt warm to the touch. Blowing out a cleansing breath, she welcomed the bubble bath that Louise had suggested. She was glad Louise had agreed to leave. When she saw Gavin walking with Auntie Iris to the porch, she saw the chance not to have to face him again. She didn’t want to admit to herself that the minute he left her, she wanted him again. No man, not even her rugged cowboy had made her feel a need so fierce. Worse to consider, was the thought that what if there was nothing else between them except this electrifying sex? Should she regret tonight? Regret that she let her sexual need overcome her reason? All the way home, her friend had tried to rationalize what had happened.
“Honey, it’s been a long time. He’s an exceptionally fine-looking man. What’s so hard to understand?” She glanced at Caroline. “Why are you beating yourself up over this?”
“Because it’s not me” Caroline argued. “It happened too fast.”
“The plane.” Louise kept count on her fingers. “The dock. The phone. The gala.” Her gaze bounced from the road back to her. “We’re renting his family’s summer cottage, Caroline. Fate has no time frame. Besides, you heard what the guy at the Tea room said.”
“So, I’m supposed to let a bunch of tea grounds run my love life now?”
The conversation had continued after they arrived home and uncorked a bottle of wine.
“Forget about everything else. How was it?” Louise asked.
Caroline halted the swirling battle in her mind, superseded by the memory of his hands on her, the weight of him pressing against her. The magnificent scent of his cologne on his hot flesh. How he’d held her after, telling her it wasn’t over.
“Holy cow.” Louise said her eyes wide. “I wish you could see the look on your face right now.”
“I didn’t say it was bad. Just that it happened too fast. I wasn’t thinking. It was almost…animalistic.”
“Okay, now you’re just being mean, girl,” Louise said.
The sound of Gavin’s truck roared down the lane beside the house. Caroline’s gaze met her friends.
“You should go talk to him,” Louise suggested.
“I should go take a bubble bath.”
“Or you could go do that.”
Caroline had chosen the latter. Now as she slipped into her boxers and cami, draping a cardigan around her to fight off the goosebumps on her flesh, she parted the curtain, looking ouyt over the backyard.
Louise had gone to bed with the idea of reading.
Caroline slipped on her flip flops and passing her friends open door stopped. “I am counting on you to offer your best wisdom, right now.”
“As if he has a single, good-looking brother?” She closed her book and looked at Caroline. “ I won’t wait up.”
Caroline’s heart thundered in her chest. The tap of a tree branch blowing in the wind startled her. “Am I doing th
e right thing?”
“Don’t think anymore. Follow your heart…or whatever. You’ll know soon enough.”
She hugged her friend and a few moments later found herself walking in long strides across the backyard. The grass was cool, wet between her toes. Her flashlight bounced along the ground ahead of her. The wind rushed through the trees as she approached the cemetery plot and she hugged her sweater closer.
The air inside the cloister of trees was thick, humid and yet she felt chilled to the bone, her nerves on edge. Need thrummed in her veins, her blood ran hot. In short, she was a hot mess.
Hearing a sound ahead of her, she lifted her light. In her path stood Gavin, shirtless in his trousers. His dark hair was tousled, and behind those panty-dropping sexy spectacles, his blue eyes held hers in a smoky gaze.
“I was just coming to see you,” he said, arms resting at his sides, making his broad shoulders and rock hard body look dangerous, forbidden. “We should--”
“Talk.” Caroline swallowed.
A bolt of lightning zig-zagged across the sky. Caroline screamed and ran into his arms.
“Cottage?” he leaned down to speak over the wind that had come up.
Rain began to fall in fat drops, splashing her face. “The boat,’ she said.
At that, he scooped her up like in some scene of an old movie and carried her onto his boat.
His plan was to tell her about what he’d discovered about the legend of Rhianna, but more to see whether she had misgivings about what had happened between them. If she wanted to pursue this encounter and see where it took them.
Gavin closed the sliding door, shutting out the driving rain. He turned to offer her a nightcap and she captured his face in a kiss that tossed all discussion out of the window.
Hurricane Season Page 7
