Intimate Stranger

by Jan Springer

  He had tried to keep his promise, but sometimes while working undercover promises had to be broken. But he’d make it up to her. He truly would. Soon the undercover work would come to an end and he could downplay the seriousness when it all came out. It’s why he hadn’t wanted to start a family yet. It was dangerous work to expose an illegal transplant organization. But once his part of the assignment was over and the head of the group nailed, he would only have to testify. Then they would be free to go on with their lives.

  Suddenly she broke the kiss, grabbed him by his hand and boldly pulled him down the length of the wharf, onto the sandy beach and into the tall blades of grass that grew beneath the towering wooden deck. In here they were out of the wind. In here a bunch of fat candles were nestled along the crisscross of beams and on the grass one of her puffy quilts. A thermos with two mugs and an arrangement of cheese and fruit sat in the middle.

  “I took the liberty of assuming you might want some hot chocolate and a batch of food to give you energy before you make love to me.”

  “Wow, you sure are getting demanding for my services aren’t you, baby? I haven’t even got my land legs and you want me performing for you.”

  “Performing inside me.”

  She laughed and pulled him down on the quilt beside her. In the flickering candlelight her face was flushed, her nose red from the cold, and he didn’t miss the open box of condoms nearby.

  His breath became erratic as she started taking off his jacket.

  “Looks like I’ll have quite a bit of performing to do tonight in order to get through that box.”

  She grinned. “They’re flavored. We’ll start with the chocolate ones first.”

  “Are you sure I can perform? It’s pretty nippy out here,” he teased, inhaling at the lust searing through his body like an untamed animal. Hell, he could be thrown into a bathtub full of ice and he’d still be hot for her.

  “I’ll warm you up,” she whispered.

  Her eyes glowed with love and she leaned into him, her sweet, warm lips melting over his, her soft, warm body stretching over him, bringing him quickly down onto the quilt with her on top of him.

  Wow! She usually let him take the lead. This was different. He liked this side of her. She was aroused tonight. Very aroused. He needed to rein her in. Just a little. Nice and teasingly. Get her frustrated enough so her climax would be that much sweeter.

  He slowed the kiss and sipped on her bottom lip. She followed suit, but he could feel the pent-up passion lacing the length of her body in the tight, barely controlled way she held herself back. He shifted his legs a little. Just enough so one of her thighs dropped against his hard erection. He grinned into her mouth as she moaned her approval.

  Lips that tasted of sweet wine, he found himself thinking as he concentrated on tasting her mouth. He loved kissing her. Enjoyed the soft press of her lips against his. The taste of woman. The velvety slide of her moist tongue against his. The throb of heat pulsing through her mouth and body. He slid his hands beneath her thick cardigan, finding a soft blouse. Lifting it, he touched feminine flesh. She sucked in her tummy as he flattened his palms on her breasts. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as the kiss became frenzied again.

  One of these days he’d suggest they do oral. Maybe even some anal. But for now he would stick to vaginal penetration, just the way she liked it.

  There was no hurry. They had all the time in the world to explore each other. All the time in the world. He loved her so much. So much, he literally ached inside his heart every time he thought about her.

  Suddenly she broke the kiss and her hands flew to his jean button.

  “Your mind is drifting. Am I not kissing good enough?” Her eyes were literally glowing as she pulled down the zipper.

  “I’m thinking of ways to please you,” he hissed.

  “Mmm, I love the sound of that. Lift your hips, stud.” He did as she instructed, raising his hips. She giggled and moved off him just enough so he could get his pants and underwear off, swallowing when he realized her face was mere inches from his cock. There was an odd sparkle in her eyes as she studied the length of his shaft. Was she thinking of going down on him? Should he suggest it? Should he reach out and clasp the back of her neck and angle her head down and see if she would take him?

  A split second of disappointment slipped through him when she didn’t take him. The disappointment vanished the instant her hands grabbed the base of his shaft and her fingers dropped down to knead his scrotum.

  Oh yeah, this felt good.

  “You like?” she whispered, her eyes locking with his.

  He groaned his approval as lightning raced through his balls.

  She wiggled her eyebrows and said, “I’ve been reading erotic romances. Downloaded them off the net. They’ve given me some ideas.”

  Erotic romance?

  “What kind of ideas?” He could barely speak as her fingers created ultimate pleasure in his swollen balls.

  “Ideas on how to pleasure my man.”

  “Does it have any ideas on how to please my woman too?”

  For the briefest moment her fingers stilled and surprise flashed in her eyes. Obviously the idea of him reading and learning how to please her hadn’t occurred to her.

  Then a slow, shy smile lifted the tips of her cute lips and it seemed as if a whole new world of understanding opened up to her. He swore he saw her tremble with excitement. Those erotic romances must be some books, he mused.

  “If you want to read them, I can give you my electronic book reader. I ordered it a while ago and never had the chance to use it until you left and I got bored.”

  “You’re making up for it fast, babe,” he chuckled.

  She smiled and continued to squeeze his sac, but this time just a bit harder with one of her thumbs pressing against the sensitive spot between his anus and testicles.

  Fuck! That really felt incredible! He almost lost control as his body tightened with arousal. Almost ripped her clothes off and started making love to her.

  He fought for the control, found it. Okay, so he would let her have free rein. Wouldn’t tease her into slowing down. Wouldn’t sexually frustrate her and then bring her to climax. It would be all about her pleasing him tonight.

  She pressed a little harder on that sensitive spot, and holy shit his hips flew right up off the quilt as fire seared through him. She giggled. He cursed as she let go of him and concentrated on opening the thermos.

  It was a hell of a bad time for a drink, he thought, and almost reached out and stopped her, but then she grabbed one of those chocolate-flavored condoms and he realized she had something else up her sleeve.

  He cursed under his breath as she ripped open the foil package with her teeth. Teeth he wished would nip at his cock head. In the past he’d broached the subject about oral, but she’d looked disgusted at his suggestion and he hadn’t brought it up since.

  “A little hot chocolate will keep your mind off what’s going on down there between your legs.” She smiled and handed him a cup. He took a sip. It was warm and sweet.

  Oh to hell with hot chocolate. To hell with her book ideas. He wanted her now.

  It was as if she knew what he was thinking for she suddenly moved faster. Taking the condom, she slid it over his plum-shaped, purple-flushed cock head. Her fingers shook slightly and he realized this was the first time she was doing the honors to him. He’d always taken care of this business. He’d always been in charge because he knew she was sexually shy. Hell she’d been a virgin when he taken her on their first date.

  He’d been surprised when she confided that fact to him after they’d had sex. But he really shouldn’t have been amazed that she’d still been a virgin at twenty. During her teenage years she’d lived pretty much in seclusion with her uncle on this island. In the morning he would boat her to school and in the afternoon he would be waiting for her when she came out. During journalism classes she said she was a book worm, concentrating totally on her studies and not
on guys, preferring to limit her dates to kisses. If things heated up, she gave the guy the boot.

  Thankfully she hadn’t given him the boot.

  Happiness and lust gushed through him. What a nice combination, he thought as she returned to that erotic rub beneath his sac. She’d picked up something new in those books she’d been reading, that’s for sure. Keep reading them, girl, he mused, and growled at the agonizing joy her touches created.

  “Hmm, I don’t think you’ve ever been so hard,” she chuckled. She was breathing harshly while she fumbled with rolling on his condom. Definitely inexperienced with a condom, he thought, but she had plenty of time to learn. For an instant he wanted to tell her to forget the safe sex. Wanted to tell her he’d changed his mind and he didn’t want to wait for them to have babies. But the protection was suddenly on his cock and he craved her big-time.

  “I want you now, Em,” he growled.

  Relief splashed through her face at his words and he knew she was thankful to relinquish control back to him. He noticed her lips were plump and moist from his kisses. Her eyes sparkling with lust and love. Felt the warmth of being so loved flow through him like a roaring wave.

  “Me too. I want you inside me. Make love to me, Steve. Love me.”

  Shit. How could he resist when she asked so desperately? He couldn’t. He had her out of her clothing in record time.

  To hell with any more foreplay, he thought as he slid his hand between her legs. She was already aroused. Her eyes were glazed and her face flushed. The tip of her pink tongue peeked out from between her lips. She always did that when she was ready for him.

  One slip of his finger into her pussy proved it. She was wet with heat. Being aggressive and bold with him had turned her on.

  Wetting his finger with her cream, he rubbed her engorged clit until she moaned her appreciation. Until she was writhing and panting. Her breasts heaving with her every breath. He had her at the edge within seconds.

  Urging her onto her back, she spread her legs, lifted her knees and dropped them sideways. He came over her, between her legs, his arms holding him up as he brought his lower half onto her. His cock easily slid into her channel and her velvety muscles clenched around him with welcome.

  She moaned as he entered and he groaned at her ultra-tightness.

  Have mercy but she felt fantastic! Hot and moist and tight. And he felt so hard he wanted to scream from the suffering. Coming down on her, he found her mouth and kissed her. She tasted so sweet and found his senses drowning, felt his heart pound from the intensity of his love for her.

  Lifting his hips, he thrust his cock into her vagina again, making her gasp at the quickness and the roughness. Usually he was gentle with her, but tonight she had him aching as he’d never ached before. It brought out his roughness. Brought out his need for relief and release.

  What they had together was powerful. A strong love. Good sex. A relatively easygoing relationship, except for her shyness. But she’d get over that with time.

  Gripping her hips, he held her steady and began the erotic plunging he knew would bring them satisfaction. He strained into her. Plunging and groaning as the pleasure crescendoed. His body ached for release but he waited until he felt her pussy tighten around him. Waited until she moaned and shuddered with an orgasm.

  Seconds later he joined her, enjoying the pleasure and love and warmth that raced through him as he made love to her. A love so deep and so strong he knew it would last forever.

  “Hello? Open your eyes.”

  The sweet voice seemed to come from somewhere far away, and yet Chance knew she was close. Her ocean scent wrapped snugly around him and he inhaled deeply, allowing her wonderful smell to cascade into every pore. He savored it. Memorized it. Something special for him to hold.

  “Are you still alive?” Emily whispered.

  Those words sent a chill up his back, forcing him to pop open his eyes and his heart smashed painfully against his chest as he discovered Emily standing over him, her teasing gaze piercing through the lingering mist of his sleep.

  “You were dead to the world, Mr. Donovan. I came up a couple of times but you were sleeping like a log. I thought maybe you’d died or something when you didn’t answer.”

  She smiled down at him and perfect dimples caved in her lovely cheeks, making Chance’s heart do an unbelievable number of flip-flops.

  “I hope you don’t mind my coming up?” She suddenly looked worried that maybe she’d offended him by invading his privacy.

  “Not at all,” he answered, wanting to put her at ease but finding himself far from it as he became very aware of the way her warm body heat scrambled through his jeans and flirted with his skin.

  “Are you up for some lunch?”

  “Lunch?”

  She was kidding, wasn’t she?

  “It’s already past one.”

  Disbelief roared through him. How the hell could it be this late?

  “Oh! Wow! I’m sorry. I haven’t slept like this in years.”

  Emily laughed a hearty laugh that clutched at Chance’s soul.

  “It’s the ocean air. You’ll get used to it.”

  He stretched his arms lazily and caught her watching him. In the past, she’d told him she loved his sleepy look when he first woke up in the morning. Was he only imagining that hungry gaze now? That sexy look that told him she wanted him to make love to her? Of course it had to be only wishful thinking because she didn’t know his true identity.

  He was someone else now. A Humpty Dumpty who’d been put together after falling apart. Only this time around he had a few screws missing because he must be insane to accept the job his wife had offered him last night.

  “I’ve already slept half the working day away. Not a good way to impress the boss,” he replied, not eager to move off the bed with her sitting so close to him.

  He wondered what she would do if he reached up and caressed her cheek the way he used to do. Would she realize it was him? Or would she think he was some sex-crazed maniac? Of which he was if that hot dreaming he’d been doing was an indication. All she had to do was look between his thighs and she’d know he was hot for her. He found himself willing her to do that. Instead, she was looking away from him and that’s when he noticed she’d brought in his duffel bag from the boat he’d come in.

  Shit!

  “I brought your duffel bag up from your boat.”

  Chance blinked. Had she gone through the bag? Did she see what he had in there?

  “Don’t look so shocked, Mr. Donovan. I didn’t snoop. But I think everything in your duffel might be soaked so I left you some of my husband’s clothes. They should fit you. The clothes you’re wearing are quite wrinkled.”

  He glanced down at his rumpled appearance.

  “I guess I fell asleep in them.” While I was waiting for you to go to sleep so I could get what I came for and leave, he added silently.

  “I’ll go and make some lunch. Oh, and as you probably noticed, the bathroom up here has no shower so you’ll have to use the one downstairs in the hallway between the kitchen and living room.”

  She stood from the bed and turned to leave.

  “Um, Mrs. McCullen?”

  “Please call me Emily, Mr. Donovan.”

  “And you can call me Chance. Thanks, Emily, for putting up with my bad sleeping habits. It won’t happen again. I’ll get straight to work.”

  “That’s something I’d like to discuss with you over lunch. See you in a bit.”

  He listened to her light footsteps as she descended the steep wooden stairs. What did she want to talk to him about? He peered at the duffel bag she’d set beneath the east window. If she’d gone through his belongings, she wouldn’t be acting so bright and cheerful. She’d be firing questions right, left and center.

  Had she changed her mind about hiring him? Did his sleeping in ruin his chances of sticking around? He shook the questions aside. What the heck was he thinking? He couldn’t hang around Emily. It was too danger
ous. Especially for him because she was already interfering with his survival instincts. He hadn’t even heard her tiptoeing around up here, and to make matters worse, he’d slept through his best opportunity for searching the lighthouse.

  Chapter Four

  Emily was placing the burgers onto the buns when she heard the shower taps shut off. While he’d slept, she’d been cooking and baking, replacing the food Chance had eaten last night. During that time she’d been trying to figure out who he was. Why did he seem familiar and why did he use her emergency key to gain access to her home in the middle of the night?

  A shy man, as Daniel had described him, wouldn’t show up in the middle of the night unannounced. He would have called, and he certainly would have knocked, in daylight. Which led her to the conclusion Daniel hadn’t told her the truth about this guy. And she would get to the truth as sure as her name was Emily McCullen.

  Closing her eyes, she remembered the sleepy, sexy look on Chance’s face early this afternoon when she woke him up. Déjà vu had splashed through her yet again when he stretched those long, muscular arms. She’d found herself imagining his arms wrapped around her waist as he pulled her against his hard erection. That’s another thing she’d noticed seconds before he opened his eyes. The thick bulge between his thighs and the intoxicating heat sweeping through her body as she found herself wondering exactly how big he might be. Truth told, she hadn’t seen a man’s cock since her husband. And his cock had been big and long and oh-so thick.

  Skip certainly didn’t parade around here naked. Actually, he never slept over either. God, was she making a mistake in marrying a man she’d never had sex with? What if he wasn’t a good lover?

  Emily frowned.

  Heck, who was she kidding? No one would live up to Steve’s lovemaking skills. Maybe Mr. Donovan…correct that…Chance’s cock might be as big as Steve’s, but unless she found a way to get him out of his pants to see—

  She nearly gasped out loud when she heard the door to the bathroom squeak open and a second later Chance Donovan stepped into the kitchen, barefoot and clad only in a snug pair of jeans and the thick denim shirt that had once belonged to her husband.