“For me it was,” she said with a sigh. “Of course, I dreamed about it, like every other woman, that I’d be swept off my feet and carried away to a castle where we’d live happily ever after and make lots of babies, but I knew that would never happen to me.”
Caleb’s mouth thinned. “It can still happen. Twenty-six is not exactly doddering, for God’s sake.”
She should have felt humiliated, talking about herself like this with a man. And yet she didn’t. She looked at him, then reached up and slid her fingers through his thick hair. His jaw clenched at her gentle touch.
“Caleb, I’ve gone through too much with you to be embarrassed about who I am. There’s no undoing the past—nor do I want to—but this is the present. Right now. And whatever future I may have, I want to remember this night and being with you.”
His fingers circled her wrist and tightened. He did not move her hand away, nor did he pull her closer. He stared at her for what seemed like an eternity, his look that of a man standing on a train trestle facing an oncoming train. Did he jump a hundred feet down, or did he face the train?
Lightning flashed, and the room burst alive with silvery light. Thunder growled. Overhead the rain beat a steady rhythm. She watched his face, the play of the fire and the lightning over the rugged angles of his square jaw and dark eyes. His black gaze burned her.
“There are no castles. No ‘happily ever after,’ and no babies. Not here, not with me. Can you face that tomorrow?”
If she could face losing Caleb, then she could face anything. “I want you.” She reached up and touched his cheek, then lifted her body closer to his. “More than I’ve ever wanted anything in my entire life.”
She brought her lips closer to his, felt him stiffen. Disappointment and fear made her hesitate. If he rejected her now, left her wanting like this, how would she ever handle it? Desperation drove her on, determination and instinct led the way. “Kiss me,” she whispered. “Make love to me.”
His fingers tightened painfully on her wrist; his eyes narrowed. A groan rose from deep in his throat; low and guttural, a wild, animal-like sound that made her heart slam against her chest.
He moved so fast then, dragging her against him, covering her mouth with his, it was impossible to think. Desire exploded through her, and all she could do was feel. Sensation after sensation poured through her, heat and light and color; a swirling kaleidoscope of sights and sounds and smells, every one of them Caleb. The pleasure she’d felt only moments ago turned to sheer, aching need. She wound her arms around his neck, giving herself up to the feel and taste of him.
She arched into him, wanting him closer, needing him closer. She felt weak yet powerful at the same time. A power that no man had ever shown her before, a power she would never know again. There was only Caleb. That’s all there ever would be.
The rug pressed against her back, and he lay beside her, his long, muscular body like a taut bow over hers. His mouth moved over hers, hot as liquid fire, and the flames spread through her as if she were dry kindling. He kissed her relentlessly, moving over her face, her ear, her neck, then lower still. He released the top buttons of the shirt she wore—his shirt—and his fingertips caressed the soft rise of her breast. Impatient, she worked at the buttons of his shirt and pushed the fabric out of her way, then ran her hands restlessly over his chest. His muscles bunched with tension, and the coarse feel of his hair against her smooth fingertips heightened her awareness of him and excited her at the same time.
She lowered her mouth to the skin under her hands. It was hot, slightly salty and incredibly male. And when she tentatively touched her tongue to the circle surrounding his nipple, he sucked in a sharp breath.
“Sarah—” his voice was thick “—you positive you’ve never done this before?”
She rubbed her cheek against his chest and smiled. “I’m sure I would have remembered.”
And Caleb knew he’d never forget. Her touch, her amazingly soft body, her sweet, feminine scent. A hunger he’d never dreamed possible built inside him, so rtrong, so intense, it nearly had him drawing back. He’d asked her if she could face the morning, but could he?
And then she touched him again and all coherent thought was gone.
With a growl, he tucked her beneath him, struggling to hold on to the last thread of control. He didn’t want to frighten her; the thought that he might hurt her scared the hell out of him. “Sarah,” he said hesitantly, “this is a first for me, too.”
She stared at him though passion-filled eyes. As his words sank in, confusion knotted her brow. “You’ve never done this before?”
In spite of himself, he smiled. “I’ve done this before. What I mean is, I’ve never been with a, that is, I never—”
“Made love to a virgin?” she finished for him.
“No.” Why did Caleb have the feeling the roles were suddenly reversed? That she was the one teaching him? An awkwardness he hadn’t felt since he was a teenager crept over him. “I’m not sure how it will be for you.”
“Caleb,” she murmured, “there are some things a woman knows, not only with her mind and body, but with her heart.” She touched his cheeks with her fingertips and held his worried gaze. “And I know. With all my heart, I know it will be wonderful.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.” He covered her hand with his own. “God knows, I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t.”
She pulled him to her, parting her lips with a sigh as he gently kissed her. A longing tore through him he’d never felt before, a need that went far beyond the physical. Another first, he realized in stunned amazement.
He tasted the whiskey she’d sipped only minutes ago, and the warm, sweet thrust of her tongue sent his blood pulsing through his veins. Her hands moved over his shoulders and neck, then through his hair, and the touch of her fingers over his scalp sent a wave of pleasure through him. Never had a woman made him feel like this before; no fantasy or dream could have come close. He moved to the curve of her jaw, the hollow of her throat. He touched her pulse there with his tongue, felt the erratic beat of her heart. His own heart hammered against his ribs, a primitive, wild rhythm of life. She was his, if only for the moment, for the night, she belonged to him.
Sarah rejoiced in each new sensation, every nuance. Her body sang an unfamiliar tune with a clarity and depth that stunned her. She felt shaky and hot, and it seemed as if the storm had moved into the room, into their bodies. They were all one, part of each other, a melding of nature and man, of man and woman. She shuddered with the power that coursed through her, the energy, the need to fill and be filled.
She moved beneath him, anxious, impatient, desperately wanting his hands on her body, on her skin. His lips moved over her; the light scrape of his chin on her neck sent tiny electric currents shimmering through her. Her breathing grew heavy and fast, and a yearning from somewhere deep inside of her increased to a sharp ache.
“Touch me,” she murmured, certain that if he didn’t, she would surely die.
“I intend to, sweetheart.”
Suddenly he straightened, rising to his knees and pulling her with him. She gasped at the unexpected move, but before she could utter a protest, he dragged her mouth to his and kissed her roughly. Her head swam and her bones felt as if they were melting. She swayed when he pulled away again and looked down at her.
Desire darkened his eyes as he unfastened her top button. Her breath caught as his fingertips brushed over her sensitive skin. She wanted to help him, but found she couldn’t lift her arms. He moved slowly from button to button, deliberately, and the anticipation heightened her excitement. Her breasts grew tight and heavy.
The blouse slipped off her shoulders, and with a quick flick of his fingers, he removed her bra. The cool air slid over her naked skin. He was staring at her, the hard, angular lines of his face defined in the firelight.
No man had ever looked at her this way, with such raw, open passion. She became fully aware of how large he was beside her, how vulnerab
le she was, yet she wasn’t frightened. His masculinity only heightened her own sense of femininity, and she felt a power she’d never dreamed possible.
She wanted to know everything, to experience a lifetime in one night. She hadn’t time to be shy or coy, every minute was as precious to her as her next breath. She reached out to him, took his hands in hers, then guided them to her breasts. She heard his intake of breath, felt the shudder that passed from his body into hers. And when he lowered his head to her and his lips moved over the curve of her soft flesh, she moaned.
It wasn’t possible to feel such pleasure, she thought dimly. But it was, and she did. His mouth closed over her hardened nipple, and his tongue, hot and wet, circled the pearled tip. Pleasure exploded inside her, and she arched toward him, raking her hands through his hair as she cried out. He cupped her buttocks in his hands, nearly lifting her off the floor. She clung to him, gasping for breath as his mouth worked magic on her, making everything outside the two of them disappear.
A blissful, exquisite ache swept through her, centering between her legs. It wasn’t enough. She wanted, needed more. She ran her hands over the hard, muscled planes of his arms. His skin was hot and damp under her fingertips. When she moved her hands lower, reaching for the snap of his jeans, he jumped.
“Did I do something wrong?” she asked, pulling her hand away.
“Ah, sweetheart, no.” He lightly brushed his cheek over her breast, and the sensation of his beginning beard sent off sparks inside her. “You are right on…so right…”
He straightened then and lifted her body to his. The fire lit their bodies and they knelt, torso to torso, bare skin to bare skin. Sarah sighed her pleasure at the contact, and yet it still wasn’t enough. She leaned closer, circling his neck with her arms, and felt the hard proof of his arousal pressing at the juncture of her thighs, exactly where the tension coiling inside her had centered. She moved against him instinctively, with a rhythm as old as time. He groaned deeply.
He moved so quickly it was a blur, and suddenly she was on her back again. He knelt over her, his breathing ragged, his eyes fierce. His hand moved to the snap on his jeans. She heard the soft hiss of a zipper.
“Caleb,” she whispered his name, beckoning him. Golden light shimmered on his damp skin. Fire burned in his gaze.
The sound of his name on her lips nearly sent Caleb over the edge. He felt a hunger so intense, so powerful, he had to clench his fists to regain control. And though he desperately wanted to take her now, to drive himself into her, hard and fast, he knew he couldn’t. With a restraint he couldn’t have imagined he possessed, he drew in a shaky breath and loosened his hands.
She lay like a goddess in front of him, the firelight dancing on her flushed, bare skin. Her soft breasts rose and fell with her shallow breathing, and her hair, fanned around her face, came alive with sparks of red and gold and silver.
“You are beautiful,” he said, his voice husky and thick.
She smiled shyly and looked away.
“No,” he whispered. “Look at me.”
She lifted her gaze to him again, her blue eyes shining. He bent over her and pressed his lips lightly to her, then slid his hand down slowly, gently cupping each breast before moving down to the zipper on her skirt. He could have simply lifted the fabric and entered her, but he wanted her naked beneath him. In one fluid movement, the skirt was gone.
Her legs were long and slender, and he ached to have them wrapped tightly around him. He slid his hand over the curve of her hip, then dipped his fingers under the waistband of her panties, tugging them out of the way. He looked down at her long, sleek body, and pleasure pounded through him like the heavy beat of a drum.
He bent over her, kissing her lips, her chin, then nuzzling one soft breast. He slowly moved his hand between her legs, opening her to him while he caressed the sensitive flesh with his finger. Sarah gasped and arched upward, calling his name sharply.
“Relax,” he crooned, stroking her as he tested her body’s barrier. She moved against him, nearly crying. She was hot and moist and tight, and just the incredible feel of her was more than he could stand.
He couldn’t wait any longer. He moved quickly, peeling off his jeans, then positioning himself over her. Their eyes met. “I’ll stop anytime you say,” he said raggedly. “It might kill me, but I’ll do it.”
“If you stop, I’ll kill you,” she said fiercely.
He smiled, then eased himself into her.
Lightning flashed, illuminating the room, thunder shook the roof. Sarah saw the fierce, wild expression on Caleb’s face as he entered her. Sweat creased his brow, and his muscles bunched tightly. An urgent, driving need consumed her. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and surged upward, meeting his body with hers.
The pain lasted only a moment. Pleasure rushed in quickly to take its place as he moved deeper within her. She cried, not from the momentary pain, but from sheer joy. He kissed her tears and her cheeks and whispered to her, but she was too overcome with emotion to understand what he said.
He moved slowly, gently, and the tension built to a fever pitch. She met him with every move, with every kiss, the urgency like a living thing inside her. She heard him groan when she ran her hands down his back and over his firm buttocks. It amazed her that her touch created the same response in him that his did to her. She moved her hands eagerly over him, exploring every valley, every angle of his tightly muscled body, delighting in the reaction her touch elicited. He grew harder inside her, larger, and she moaned in ecstasy, lifting her hips madly against his. The tension grew, tighter and tighter, higher and faster…
“Caleb!”
Her senses exploded and she clung to him, sobbing his name. He thrust deeply, moving faster, until she felt his own body stiffen and convulse. He groaned, then pulled her tightly against him and buried his face in her neck.
It was impossible to speak, so they listened to the sound of their hearts beating and the rhythm of the rain.
She lay cradled in his arms for what seemed like a long time, but perhaps it was only minutes. As her skin began to cool, she shivered. Caleb reached for the woolen throw blanket on the couch and settled it over them, wrapping them up in a cocoon of warmth.
She wanted to thank him, but the words seemed childish and inadequate for what had just happened. Making love had answered so many questions; it had unlocked mysteries and transformed fantasy into reality. She felt enlightened, alive.
She felt like a woman.
And he certainly felt like a man. Amazed at her boldness, she ran her fingers down his broad chest and over his muscled thigh. He sucked in a sharp breath at her touch, then circled her waist with his arm and hauled her against him.
“You’re amazing,” he said, nuzzling her earlobe.
“Me?” She shivered at the erotic slide of his tongue over her ear. “What did I do?”
“You really don’t know, do you?”
She shook her head. “Tell me.”
He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. “I’ve never met anyone like you. Not in my entire life.”
She frowned. “That’s not necessarily good.”
“It’s good.” He pressed his lips to her shoulder. “Better than good, Sarah. A hell of a lot better.”
Warmed by his compliment, she snuggled closer. “You’re good, too.”
He raised one eyebrow. “Good, huh?”
“Better than good,” she whispered. “A hell of a lot better.”
He chuckled. “You’re a vamp, Sarah Jane Grayson. A dangerous woman.”
Dangerous? She delighted in his description of her, ridiculous as it was. She was hardly a woman of the world, but with Caleb, she almost believed it. For this one night, she would believe it.
And deep down, she knew that she was changed forever. She would never be the same Sarah Jane Grayson again. Nothing would look the same, feel or sound the same again.
With a sigh, she slid her hands through his hair and pulled his lips to her
s, kissing him with all the passion he’d awakened in her. She felt him grow harder, and she marveled at her ability to evoke such a response.
Tomorrow she knew she would leave him, that she might never see him again. But there was tonight, this moment, and she intended to live minute by minute, heartbeat by heartbeat, whisper by whisper.
Jaw set tight, hands white knuckled, Caleb gripped the steering wheel of his Jeep and nearly flew over the dirt road leading in to the cabin. The storm had moved on during the night, but a few puddles of water remained in the numerous ruts dotting the road. He splashed through each one, spewing water and mud in his wake.
He’d been gone too long, dammit. He glanced at his watch and cursed again. Ten o’clock. He’d intended to be back by nine and have Sarah out of here, but his phone call to Mike had taken longer than he’d expected, and on his way back, Mrs. Wells, the fourthand fifth-grade teacher, had been stranded on the side of the road outside of town with a flat tire. He could hardly have left her there, but changing the tire had cost him precious time.
Still, he had no reason to be concerned. He’d tracked down Howard and his men first thing when he’d come into town, and they’d been having breakfast at the caf&e2;. When Caleb had made his call from a phone booth in front of the post office, Howard’s truck had still been parked out front, and the men hadn’t come out.
The name Victor Howard had rung all kinds of bells when Mike had pulled up his file in the computer. He was an agent all right. Twenty years with the FBI. His record was nothing exceptional, but he’d moved up the ranks by saying yes to the right superiors and stepping on anyone who got in his way, which, in Sarah’s case, had included changing computer files and creating a fictitious business and identity. There were two charges by civilians of excessive force, both cases eventually dropped.
But Caleb still didn’t know why Howard was after Sarah. The connection was undoubtedly Robert. The journalist had obviously stumbled onto something that Victor wanted kept quiet. Caleb was certain Victor had killed Robert to shut him up and then, worried that Sarah might know something, as well, Victor had gone after her. When she’d fallen over the cliff, Victor must have thought she’d died, but had found no body when he’d come back to double-check. He’d underestimated Sarah, Caleb thought with a grim smile, and no doubt the man was furious she’d gotten away. He wouldn’t stop until he found her.
Midnight Bride Page 9
