Lure of the Fox

by Anna Lowe

  “You’re not too bad at this.”

  “Liar,” he said, not the least annoyed.

  “You are. Look.”

  She swung her right arm out, and Jake immediately pulled her into a turn. His eyes grew brighter, clearer. Freer of whatever dark place they had been. His hands slipped lower, pulling her hips closer to his. Closer still, until she became aware of something besides the need to settle Jake down.

  Mate, her fox yowled. Need my mate.

  A fire kindled inside her, hunger for more than a dance, and the way Jake’s eyes shone at hers hinted he was thinking the same thing.

  Which probably meant it was time to stop dancing before her fox got any bad ideas. But she didn’t want to stop dancing. She didn’t want to stop enjoying Jake. So she danced on, eyes closed, breathing in his woodsy scent. Feeling light years out of the military and like a normal civilian for a change. A person allowed to do anything she wanted. So why not enjoy a little dance? Heck, why not touch? Why not kiss?

  She turned her head slowly, sniffing his neck, gradually turning toward his lips. She was vaguely aware of her fox sneaking closer and closer to the surface — but somehow, she no longer gave a damn.

  “Ella,” Jake started to say.

  She shushed him. She was good with her body, and he was good with his. Both of them were better with actions than words.

  So kiss him, her fox murmured.

  Which was dangerous, but her resistance was worn down to nil.

  Kiss him, an inner voice insisted, not giving her any time to think.

  She turned a little more until his lips were right in front of hers. Full, shiny lips that weren’t saying anything close to no. She rolled to the balls of her feet and slowly, carefully let her lips close over his.

  Her fox groaned. So good.

  Jake’s hands tightened along the sides of her waist, and his thumbs stretched high, making her hungry for more.

  She moved her lips, forming a silent, I want this. I need this.

  I deserve this, her fox agreed.

  Alarm bells went off throughout her mind, but she pulled a switch, silencing them. Damn it, she did deserve this.

  Jake’s lips eased open, inviting her in, and she deepened the kiss. Deeper and deeper, running her tongue over his. The outside world became a blur, and she went deliciously dizzy, clinging to him. Feeling lost — and found — in his embrace.

  Chapter Ten

  Jake closed his eyes during the drive back, savoring the taste of Ella’s kiss. Not just the one under the banyan tree, but the other two as well. One came when she’d pulled him over on the walk back to the Jeep. A nice, long kiss that had him pressing her against the white picket fence of the Wo Hing museum — the place with all the paper lanterns glowing in the dark. The light coming from them was a soft shade of red — more the color of desire than the color of alarm. And before he knew it, his hands were sliding over Ella’s perfect ass, and his brain was shutting down.

  He’d barely managed to break it off and amble casually down the sidewalk again, keeping her nice and close. But when they got back to the pink Jeep, it was him ducking into another amazing kiss. A deep, hungry kiss that made his blood rush. Before he knew it, he was gliding a hand along her waist. Ella squeezed her body against his and whimpered, assuring him he wasn’t the only one thinking of venturing past first base. But then a car beeped and a guy called out, laughing.

  “Go for it, brah!”

  He’d scowled at the guy’s taillights. He didn’t want to go for it with Ella. He wanted so much more.

  “Cute little wahine you got there,” the jerk’s buddy called.

  “Not little,” Ella muttered. “Asshole. Him, I mean — not you.”

  Which made it that much easier to smile, pull apart, and get in the car.

  So he’d gotten three kisses altogether, and any one of them could have gone down in the record books as the best kiss of all time. Part of his mind — the part wired directly to his cock — wanted to fast-forward to all the other things he and Ella might get up to once they got back to their room…

  Honeymoon suite, the bad-boy part of his mind emphasized with a wink.

  …but if there was one thing he’d learned in the army, it was to relish good times while they lasted, because you never knew when the shit might hit the fan.

  “Jake,” Ella whispered as she turned the vehicle onto the main road.

  He kept his eyes closed. Crap. Was she about to change her mind?

  Her fingers closed gently around his, and she rested their clasped fists on his thigh. He took a deep breath, cementing that moment into his mind. Whatever Ella said next didn’t matter. Only that feeling of completion did, no matter how fleeting it might be.

  “Great kiss,” she whispered.

  He exhaled and tried not to grin like a fool. “Great kiss.”

  Their fingers remained intertwined the rest of the drive back, dancing around each other the way he wished their bodies could do, and they only broke apart briefly to get out of the car.

  Jake nearly paused there, tempted to go for another kiss. But Ella seemed intent on reaching the privacy of their suite as soon as possible, and a guy didn’t mess with a woman’s momentum. Not at a time like that. So they walked — power-walked — hand in hand through the lobby and over to the elevator. A peek in the mirror made him grin. They really did have the honeymooner thing down pat.

  The elevator binged cheerily as it rumbled upward, and still, Ella didn’t say a word. Her hip bumped his side, though, and her hand slid along his back. He kept his arm looped over her shoulders, and the crackling energy between them intensified.

  Honeymoon suite, his body cheered when they reached their floor.

  He pushed the door open for Ella then followed her through. Housekeeping had been in, leaving them a bucket of ice and a bottle of champagne. Ella walked past it on her way to the balcony, fingering her silver chain.

  “Nice night,” she murmured in the moonlight.

  Jake dipped his hand in the ice bucket as he passed, trying to cool down. “Nice night.”

  Ella was over by the railing, and he resisted the urge to step behind her and squeeze close. Or did she want him to do exactly that? But, no — that would make him come across as a rutting bull, so he stood beside her instead. Their bodies overlapped a tiny bit, his hip touching her left side, her hand closing over his as they took in the view. Boats bobbed on their moorings, moonbeams rippled over the sea. The sound of a piano drifted up from below, and phosphorescence glowed where waves rolled over the sand. But mostly, Jake sniffed Ella’s scent and watched the breeze make her hair sway. Her body heat reached out toward him, inviting him closer. When he ran a hand lightly up her back, Ella’s chest rose on a deep breath. Either she was getting ready to holler at him, or she liked the feel of that.

  Her lips cracked open, and she sighed.

  He lowered his hand, tracing her spine until he reached the swell of her ass. Still no holler, so he ran one finger up again.

  “Jake,” she whispered, letting her ass bump his hip.

  He swept his hand downward, getting as far as her tailbone that time. His vision tunneled to just her back, leaving everything else a blur. They were six stories up, and the crest of the nearest palm tree did a slow hula. Jake had to give Maui that — the island screamed sensual no matter where you looked. Not that he needed that with Ella tilting her head, making her hair cascade to one side.

  He bent to kiss the back of her neck. Slowly, gently. Ella reached around and cupped his cheek, pulling him closer. Closer…

  He let his lips explore her soft flesh. The balcony was dotted with huge planters full of fragrant flowers, but Ella’s scent was deeper than that of those flirty blossoms. Tougher, in a way, like a desert rose. He inhaled deeply, getting high on her.

  “Mmm,” Ella murmured, melting into his touch.

  Jake closed his eyes and forced himself to go slowly. He touched her, exploring the topography of her body. Her sto
mach was flat and hard with muscle, her breasts soft and smooth.

  “Nice,” she whispered, covering his hand with hers and guiding it higher.

  Both of them held their breath when his fingers found her nipple, where he traced a breathless circle. The soft button became a tight bead as he whisked his fingers around and around.

  “Jake…” Ella arched slightly, and he opened his mouth, kissing her neck. She lifted and curled her arms backward, giving him more access until he had both hands on both breasts, kneading softly.

  Yes…yes…

  Ella didn’t say anything, but her breath came in pants that coaxed him on.

  Tell me what you want, and I will do it for you, he wanted to say. Tell me how to make you feel good.

  She caught his right hand and guided it downward, skimming over her belly until he was cupping her mound. She slid sideways at the same time, pushing her ass against his groin, making his cock ache. And when she nudged his hand lower, he just about moaned.

  Touch me. Touch me there, her unspoken command said.

  The curve of her body guided his hand lower, and he rubbed until she was dancing under his hand. That made her dress rise an inch, and he fantasized about seeing more. Touching deeper. Licking her there. He kissed his way to her ear, where her scent was most intense.

  She held back the whimpers and moans any other woman would mutter, because Ella didn’t do those things. No showing emotion, no sign of weakness. But the movement of her body screamed lust and desire. Her ass ground against him, and her hands clutched at his shirt, pulling the tail out of his pants.

  Want you so bad, her body cried when she turned in his arms and smothered him in a deep, lusty kiss.

  Her chest expanded, and her nipples peaked so hard, he could feel them through the fabric of his shirt. Just as he thought Ella would wrap her legs around him and let her carry her inside, she broke off the kiss and gulped for air.

  “Jake…”

  Her chest heaved, and he gulped. This was it. The stop moment he’d been dreading all along.

  “I want this as much as you do, but…”

  “But what?” he asked, gripping her hips. If she ordered him to let go, he would, but hell — it would take a mental crowbar to do so.

  “I can’t do this. We can’t do this.”

  He shook his head. If she had said, I don’t want this, he’d have backed away and given her space. But her hands remained fisted in his shirt, her body pressed against his, her eyes full of hope. And eyes didn’t lie. Especially not Ella’s.

  “What’s stopping us?”

  She shook her head and looked around desperately, hinting at some outside force, some pressure to resist. But what could that possibly be? They weren’t in the army any more. No one would judge her for hooking up with him. So what was it?

  “I’m dangerous for you,” she said.

  He snorted. Danger lay in overseas assignments and enemy domains. Danger lurked in the shadows, but not in the heart. How could this intense feeling of need be anything but good?

  “Sometimes I think I feel most alive when I’m in danger,” he muttered.

  Ella’s eyes darkened briefly before she broke into a weak smile. “I can relate to that.”

  He rolled his hands over her shoulders, aching to pull her nice and tight against his chest. He could count the number of people who understood him on one hand, and except for Ella, they were all men. And how many people understood Ella the way he did? Very few women, he’d bet, and even fewer men. Which made them perfect for each other, right?

  The palm trees moved more quickly, urging him on.

  “You know the only other time I feel alive?” he ventured.

  She shook her head and waited.

  “When I’m with you.”

  His pulse hammered in his veins, and his senses felt sharper than ever. Every deep breath felt like a cleansing of the soul and a step into the future.

  Ella’s mouth cracked open, but then she swallowed. “I mean it, Jake. I’m a danger to you. Trust me.”

  Trust me was Ella code for Don’t ask. He tucked his chin until his forehead rested on hers, trying to puzzle that out. “You got a long-lost mafia uncle who’ll put a hit on me?”

  She shook her head, making his head move too. “No.”

  “So what is it? You want this, right?”

  Her breath stuttered in and out. “I want this more than you know.”

  He doubted it. It wasn’t just the ache in his cock that made him want her. His heart begged for her, too.

  “I wish I could explain…” she murmured.

  But she didn’t explain, and he didn’t press her, because pushing Ella only made her push back.

  He lowered his head to her ear and nibbled at the lobe. “Come on, Kitt. You’ve lived dangerously before. You can do it for one more night.”

  Her hands wandered aimlessly over his chest, and the twitch of her fingers hinted at an inner battle.

  “One more night…” she whispered.

  He combed her hair back and kissed his way from her ear to the corner of her mouth. “Would be a shame not to put the honeymoon suite to good use.”

  She snorted then caught his chin with her hand. “What if I said yes to one night?”

  Jake didn’t say a word, sensing that question was aimed at herself. He let the slide of his hands answer in a different way, though.

  I promise I’ll make it really, really good.

  “What if we agree to wild, raging sex?” Ella went on.

  He dipped his chin in a nod that didn’t begin to communicate the please, please, please bottled up inside.

  “What if we both agreed to keep it to just one night?” she asked.

  He doubted he could do that, but hell. He gave a quick nick of a nod. It was a hypothetical question, right?

  Ella took a deep breath and looked down. At his chest? At the bulge in his pants? Was she trying to see through to his heart? He wished she could, because then she’d know he was for real.

  “Promise me tonight is just tonight,” she said, fisting his shirt.

  He held his breath, not ready to promise that much. Luckily, she skipped right ahead to her next demand.

  “Promise me we’ll deal with tomorrow when we get there.”

  That, he could do. “I promise.”

  The words came out in a low, growly rumble, and Ella’s eyes shone. They stood staring at each other for a full ten seconds before her lips twitched. And somehow, like a secret signal, that set everything off.

  Their lips crushed together, their bodies meshed. Ella tasted him deeply, exploring his mouth while he kneaded her perfect ass. It was just like their first night together, all that time ago. The animal intensity, the raw desire. But it was totally different, too, because instead of divesting her of camo fatigues, all he had to deal with was that dress.

  “Hang on,” he murmured, hitching her hips higher.

  She split her legs around his waist and let him carry her inside. She didn’t release his mouth, though, and they ended up bumping into the walls and the couch a couple of times. But Ella was tough — and hungry — and didn’t mind one bit. The second they were in the bedroom, she dropped her feet to the floor and yanked at his shirt.

  “Gotta lose this, soldier.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said, though she was the one doing most of the work. And quick work too. She got his belt loose and his pants off, then palmed his cock hard.

  Oh, yes, her wide eyes said when she shoved his boxers down, letting him spring free.

  Jake could have gone down over her right there on the floor, but she was still dressed.

  “Nuh-uh,” he murmured, holding her hands back before she pulled the dress over her head. “I’m doing that.”

  Ella didn’t take orders well, but she seemed okay with that one. “Be my guest, McBride.”

  He turned her so her back was up against his chest, facing the floor-to-ceiling mirror along the long side of the bed.

  �
�Aw, no fun,” she protested when he pulled her hands clear of his cock. He had to if he was going to do anything but tear that dress off with his teeth.

  “Oh, it’ll be fun,” he rumbled, nodding to the mirror. “Watch.”

  Ella stuck her chin up in defiance, but her eyes sparkled with lust. The mirror showed her — fully dressed, if not for long — plus him, buck-naked but sheltered behind her so his monster erection didn’t show, thank God. Behind them in the reflection they could see the rest of the suite and all the way out to the rippling shadows of the night.

  He slid his hands up and down her body, teasing her by bouncing too quickly over her breasts. Then he collected her hair in one hand and revealed the clasp at the back.

  “You know what?” he murmured while he figured out how to undo the damn thing.

  “What?”

  “Getting you out of a dress is even better than getting you out of fatigues.”

  She chuckled and tapped her foot impatiently. “It’s slower, though.”

  “Slow?” He pulled the dress over her shoulders and tossed it aside. But damn it, underneath that, she wore a thin, silky thing. Another layer?

  She chuckled. “Told you. Slow.”

  “Slow can be good,” he said, running his hands over her tattoos. Someday, he’d ask her about the patterns. But right now…

  “How can slow be g— Oh!” she cried out as he tweaked her nipple through the silk. Her eyes glassed over as she watched in the mirror.

  “See? Good,” he whispered. His cock surged against her, echoing the point.

  The undergarment was the smoothest, silkiest thing he had ever touched, a sea of shining ivory except where the points of her nipples stood out. He gathered the fine silk in his hands, working it just high enough to reach her panties and push them down. Ella helped with a wiggle of her ass that he didn’t dare comment on. Jesus — he would never utter a word to any of the guys at Koa Point, but man, had they misjudged Ella if all they saw was her tomboy side. Under all that was a sensual woman with moves that could blow a man’s mind.