by Anne, Melody
“No. Thank you very much. The meal has been quite pleasant,” Ian said, and the waiter disappeared, leaving them alone.
Rachel picked up her snifter and sipped the smooth liquid, feeling just the slightest effect from the evening’s alcohol. She in no way wanted to become drunk. She wouldn’t allow herself to blame her decision to sleep with the man on alcohol. She wanted to remember every second and have no regrets about it.
“You have guessed wrong. It seems that neither of us has a gift for reading other people,” Rachel said as Ian stood from the table and held out a hand to her.
“I think we will be much better at other things,” he replied as he slowly pulled her into his arms.
Here was the moment of truth. Was she really going to follow through on her plan? He was giving her plenty of time to change her mind as he looked into her eyes. She either lifted her mouth to him, or turned and walked away. She could do that.
The night could be about nothing more than a great dinner and some amusing conversation, or she could take what she wanted.
The moment seemed to stretch on forever as he waited for her cue on what to do next. She respected that he was a man of honor — that he wasn’t going to just take what he felt he deserved.
To stay or not to stay, that was the decision.
Chapter Thirteen
Lia
Shane’s perfected dive barely left a ripple in the crystal-clear water as he surfaced, droplets pouring down his face as he pulled Lia tightly to him. The only thing on his mind was the fact that they were both in this cool paradise, and they were both naked. He grabbed hold of her tightly — no hesitation on his part as his mouth met hers.
His lips coaxed Lia’s open and devoured her. This was no chaste meeting of mouths; it was a possession of the highest, and she was powerless to stop it. Who did she think she was fooling, anyway? He left her breathless.
She wanted him, even after all this time. She had tried dating other men, had even tried to sleep with one of them, only to find herself feeling absolutely nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. She’d called a halt.
Only one man turned her blood to lava, made her desire him from deep within her soul, and that man was Shane.
His hands slid slowly around her back, and she didn’t even feel the movement as he led them toward the surrounding land, where he could stand and then use his hands to glide across her body. She should at least try to stop this, but why?
They both wanted it more than they wanted rescuing, so what was the use in pretending otherwise?
“You are mine, Lia. I have given you room, I have been patient, but you want me just as much as I want you, and my patience is finished,” he growled low in his throat before his lips covered hers once again.
She should protest his high-handedness, and she would — in just a few minutes…
Shane’s hands slid from her waist and gripped her round behind, pulling her up his body so his straining erection was pressed just outside of her core.
She wanted to wrap her legs around him and feel the sweet bliss of him deep inside her. She was a fool to deny both him and herself. The real world would still be there tomorrow, but right at this moment, she was with him, with the man she’d wanted for so long, and hadn’t had nearly long enough in their brief fling in Vegas two-odd years ago.
“Tell me you want me, Lia!” he demanded of her.
No. She wouldn’t go that far. She was still waging war within herself and she wouldn’t give Shane the satisfaction of submitting to his will. She did want him — wanted him so much that she ached all over — but she wouldn’t tell him that.
“I won’t sink inside you until you admit that you want me,” he said, leaning back, his intense gaze not relenting.
“No.” The word tore through her. Why did she have to be so stubborn? Why couldn’t she give in just one small inch? Was there no reason for it? Did she want to see how far she could push him and still have him come back for more? So many people who knew her would think she was that frivolous and self-absorbed. No, it wasn’t that. She was simply trying to protect herself from another devil-may-care lothario who couldn’t see beyond her looks and her spirit.
“What?” his expression was unreadable as he gazed at her, his hands still gripping her backside tightly, her body still pulled flush against his. One little word and he’d sink inside her.
She couldn’t make herself say it. She stubbornly looked back at him as she rocked her hips. She was saying yes with her body; wasn’t that enough?
“You would rather suffer than admit you still want me?” he asked incredulously.
She kept silent.
When he let her go, she couldn’t stop the whimper from escaping her throat. She wanted him so much, her body felt like it was going to go up in flames. Just tell him, she screamed at herself.
But she couldn’t.
“You will cave, Lia. I have no doubt,” he said, using a practiced confident grin to mask his disappointment.
The tip of his finger moved from her throat to down between her breasts, and then disappeared in the water while it circled her stomach. She couldn’t breathe as she waited for him to touch her where she most needed it.
Instead of lowering, his hand rose again and skimmed her breasts, barely running over her achingly hard nipples before lifting and rubbing along her bottom lip.
“When you finally come to me and admit what we have, I will lay you down and nibble every inch of your skin. I will suck those taut nipples into my mouth until you scream, and then I will sink inside you and make you come over and over again.”
Lia felt herself sinking at his words. She was grateful to be in the water because her knees would no longer lock together. One word and she could have all of that. Shane smiled at her, knowing the torment she was going through.
Without another word he dived into the water and swam to the other side of the natural pool, swimming beneath the breathtaking waterfall and disappearing from her view.
Anger filled her as he left her trembling and unfulfilled. Who in the hell did he think he was?
“I hope you’re having a great time pleasing yourself!” she yelled before climbing from the water.
All appeal in her swim now lost, she climbed onto a rock to dry off, not even attempting to cover herself. To hell with him. It would be good for him to see what he’d just turned down.
Of course, she’d been the one to turn him down. But that was just a technicality. She’d been saying yes — just not out loud.
When her body was dry and she still didn’t see Shane, she got up and dressed. She wasn’t waiting around for him. Her stomach was growling, her body still on fire, and she thought the best thing possible for the two of them was some time apart.
Too dang bad they were stuck as the only two people on this small island.
Even knowing she was a bit of a fool to wander off into the foliage alone, Lia didn’t care. She had her temper to protect her. She hadn’t seen any signs of predatory animals so far, so she was sure she was fine.
She left the bag as she made her way back down the trail they’d come in on — well, the trail that Shane had cleared. Her stomach was complaining and she was in desperate need of something sweet. She didn’t care at this point what she had, though, as long as she got something into her empty stomach.
It seemed that all her hungers were going unsatisfied at the moment.
Walking around, she didn’t know how long she’d been away from the waterfall, but she managed to stumble upon a few fruit trees. Excitement filled her as she reached for the ripe mangoes. The day was already turning around.
As she took her first bite of the fresh fruit and the juice dripped down her chin, a big smile crossed her face, and she sighed. Yes, things were certainly looking up.
At least that’s what she thought until she heard the resounding clap of thunder. And then the skies opened up on her.
Chapter Fourteen
Rachel
Rachel clutched the c
hilled bottom of her cognac glass as she leaned against the balcony — was her hand imparting any heat to the crystal? Probably not, and if she wasn’t careful, she’d shatter the thing.
Her eyes were frightened as she struggled with her choice. Or was she really struggling? She’d drunk a little too much, but it was giving her the courage to do what she wanted to do in the first place. She knew it was foolish, but she also knew that when the morning light hit, she would only have regrets if she were to walk away from the invitation in Ian’s eyes.
She wanted this man she’d met just that day — wanted him with a desperation that bordered on obsession. She’d never before felt such intense desire for a stranger, but as her evening with him had continued, she’d found herself enamored with his words, his accent, his beautiful obsidian eyes — everything about him.
Wanting to feel his body against hers, she gave him a look that was sure to let him know what her decision was. Thankfully, Ian wasn’t a stupid man. But then, if he were, would she be so attracted? Of course not.
Setting down his cognac, he closed the distance between them in a heartbeat.
“You are trouble, Rachel,” he said as his hand lifted and he ran a finger across her lips. Her breath rushed out in a heated sigh, and his eyes darkened even more, making her think of a starless midnight.
“I can be,” she whispered as she arched her back, pressing her breasts against the hard contours of his chest. Yum was all she could think as her body went flush against his, her softness meeting his steel-like musculature.
“Are you sure this is what you want? I don’t think I can stop once we start,” he said, his gaze boring into her widened eyes.
Was she sure?
“Yes, this is exactly what I want,” she said with a confidence she hadn’t known she possessed.
Without a further word, Ian wrapped his arms around her and lowered his head. Rachel had been expecting heat, hunger, passion — she got all of that and more.
He was like a man possessed as his lips claimed hers, taking ownership and telling her with nothing but the whisper of his tongue that she belonged to him right now. For tonight, she was all that he was focused on, and she hoped the clocks somehow froze and this would never end.
When Rachel was about to melt at his feet, Ian pulled back, his eyes blazing. Lifting his hands, he traced a finger beneath the collar of her shirt, the soft pad of his index finger lightly tracing her collarbone and trailing across the top of her chest.
Still looking into her eyes, he lifted his hands and slowly began unbuttoning her blouse, one button at a time, as if he weren’t in the least bit of a hurry. It was torturous. She wanted his hands on her skin, not on her clothing. She reached up to assist him, but he caught her hand and shook his head with only the slightest tilting to his lips.
Not knowing why she was obeying him, Rachel dropped her hands and leaned back against the tall railing, allowing him to continue with his achingly slow removal of her clothes.
Finally, the last button was undone, and instead of instantly removing the shirt, he parted it only a couple of inches, then placed both of his hands on the shirt and ran them downward, his knuckles rasping against her skin, brushing the edges of her breasts for only the briefest of moments.
“Please, Ian,” she begged, wanting his hands on her bare skin, his mouth tasting her flesh.
“What do you want, Rachel?”
Oh, the low timbre of his voice sent a thrill to her core, heating her body, and demanding satisfaction.
“Please touch me,” she cried as he ran his knuckles against her skin again, still not taking hold of her peaked nipples.
“I am touching you, Rachel,” he said as he gripped the edges of the shirt and pushed it back, sliding it down her arms, and letting it drop to the deck.
“Touch me more,” she demanded, feeling the warm wind blow against the lace of her bra, making her nipples harden even further, stretching out against the delicate material that barely covered them.
Rachel felt a woman’s power as his eyes flared while looking at her body. He wasn’t as in control as he wanted her to think.
Impatience taking hold, she quickly lifted a hand before he could stop her and unclipped the front clasp of her bra, freeing her aching breasts, and groaning as his gaze and the wind rolled across her nipples.
“You are unbelievably perfect,” he said in an awed voice, making her knees shake. She wasn’t ashamed of her body, but the reverent way he was gazing at her made her feel like a goddess.
“I would really like to give you my opinion on how you look, but you’re wearing far too many clothes,” she said huskily, hoping her voice was teasing, but knowing she sounded too aroused to pull it off.
Ian grabbed his shirt and ripped the material, not taking time to unbutton it. The sound of material tearing only heightened her arousal. Then, in an instant, all that was hiding him from her view was a pair of tight black underwear that he looked good enough to model in.
“Oh, yes, Ian, you are most certainly beautiful,” she gasped as she gazed at his impressive manhood straining through the material.
She reached out her hand to remove that last barrier, but he grabbed her and smiled. “Ladies first.”
Rachel wasn’t going to argue. She unzipped her skirt and slid out of it, then lifted her fingers to take down her panties, but he stopped her again.
“No. You are astonishing just as you are,” he said, his gaze slowly caressing her body.
He grabbed her hips and pulled her to him, the sweet sensation of his hardness pressing against her stomach. Then, with no effort at all, he lifted her, setting her on the wide ledge of the balcony with her back against the high railing and tugging her hips forward as he pressed tightly against her, his long, thick staff resting against her heat.
She wiggled against him, her breasts brushing his chest, her nipples pulsing with the need to be touched. She didn’t know whether she asked him aloud or not, but his head moved, his lips trailing down her jaw and then lower, his tongue going in circles around her breast.
“Please,” she called, needing him to end this torment. Why wouldn’t he give her what she needed so badly?
He circled his tongue around her dusky aureoles several times, wetting her skin, then moving back as the warm wind blew across her, making her stomach tighten.
Finally, when she was ready to grab his head and force him to do what she wanted, he opened his mouth and sucked her nipple inside, his tongue sweeping across the hardened peak, making her head fall back as she groaned in pure bliss.
“More!”
She couldn’t ever remember feeling so much pure lust and yet ethereal passion, and she couldn’t help but wrap her legs around his waist. She couldn’t have ever imagined wanting a man so badly. She didn’t take sex casually, ever! But she was grateful in this moment that she was breaking her rules, because she was on fire.
Moving his head, Ian gave her neglected breast equal attention, then lifted his hands and gripped them both tightly as he tweaked her nipples, causing the slightest ache, but soothing them so quickly, all she knew was pleasure.
“Lean back,” Ian commanded.
Rachel didn’t even think of arguing with him. She leaned against the safety rail, gripping it with her hands as Ian’s mouth traveled down her stomach, his tongue making lazy circles against her quivering flesh.
When he reached the top of her panties, she waited for him to remove them, but he kissed her right over the top of the material, his wet tongue swiping the revealing lace. She’d never imagined something feeling so good, but when he reached the apex of her core, and sucked her swollen flesh through the lace, she jumped, her body nearly exploding with one touch of his masterful lips.
Pushing her thighs apart further, his tongue ran along the smooth flesh between her thighs and her core, slipping beneath the edge of her panties and rubbing along the smooth lips that protected her core.
After his hand shifted the lace, his skillful tongue f
inally touched her where she craved it most and ran along her hot pink flesh, making her body orbit to a whole new realm of pleasure. “Yes,” she moaned in praise, her fingers holding on tightly to the rail.
His tongue sank inside her, pushing against her flesh, rubbing her in ways she never imagined wanting to be rubbed. He lifted his other hand, and with a quick rip, her panties fell from her body, leaving her completely bare and vulnerable before him.
“You taste more exquisite than the finest wine,” he said before his lips closed over her heat and sent her soaring. Her body quivered over and over again, for seconds, minutes, hours — she didn’t know. All she knew was that she was flying, and she hoped she never had the misfortune of landing.
Not pulling from her core, he squeezed her buttocks as his tongue continued flicking against her flesh, and instead of dying down, she felt the sensations in her body building again as it reached for pleasure once more.
What was this? She didn’t understand. She’d never been able to come more than once. It always hurt to have this area stroked after she’d already been pleasured. But here she was, lifting higher and higher.
Before this moment, she’d fooled around with men, gone far enough that she’d been pleasured, but never to this extent, never to where she felt as if she had lifted off the ground, and would never land again. Yes, it was time to let go, time to experience what so many others had spoken of. Why would she have waited so long to experience something like this?
Because she hadn’t found the right man to set her free.
“Yes, Rachel, let go,” he called, lifting his head for only a second.
When he plunged two fingers deep inside her core, she flew again, her body gripping his hand as she shuddered at his touch, feeling as if she had been stripped bare.
“Oh, Ian…” she moaned as he pulled back, his lips red and moist from his thorough attentions.
“We have all night, Rachel, but I must feel your sweet flesh gripping me right now,” he said as he stood and quickly thrust inside of her. A sharp pinch ripped through her, but she wouldn’t allow him to know that. She was through being a little girl, and this couldn’t stop.
