He licked his lips. “Oh, you’re speaking again. I said you need to slow down.”
Taylor tightened his lips. He’d fucked her twice. Big deal. Once he didn’t remember. The second had happened so damn fast, he’d exploded inside her before he knew it. Hell, so what? That didn’t stop him from wanting to do her again. This time, he’d take his time and taste every inch of her flesh, savor her passion. He’d bury his face between her thighs and not come up for air until she was a puddle of weakness from orgasmic pleasure.
He ached to feel her beautiful mouth wrapped around his hard cock again, sucking him dry. Shit, he was such a goner. “Dianna! Stop. We need to rest. At this rate, we’ll use up our water.”
She stopped, flopped down on the thick green of the jungle floor and turned to glare at him. “The sooner I escape you, the better.”
“Then you’ll go on alone. I’m resting.”
“You always have to have your way.”
“Look, what are you so peeved about? Because I fucked you or because I’m not in love with you?”
“You’re such a bastard. I don’t want or need your love.”
“Ah, so you’re mad because I fucked you.”
“I’m not mad because of that.”
“What then? You want me to do you again? I’m sure as hell willing.” He fumbled with his zipper. “Come and get it, sweetheart.”
“You’re a jerk.”
“I am, but I’m the jerk you want.”
“Keep your zipper zipped. I’m not interested in another quick tumble.”
Taylor grinned and looked around, noting the next rain clouds headed toward them. “We need to find shelter for the night. Once the rain reaches us, it’ll get dark fast. Then we can work on stretching out that quickie.”
She hissed.
He laughed.
Fifteen minutes later, Taylor halted and pointed. “Look up there? That looks like some sort of an abandoned jungle house.”
“What? No.” Dianna narrowed her eyes. “It’s a big tree with vines wrapped around it. It looks bigger and house-like because of all the thick vegetation.”
“Oh. Well, crap.”
“But I see what looks like a cave, over there.” She pointed to her left.
“Where?” Taylor stepped beside her. “Ah, you’re right.” He took off in the direction of the questionable shelter.
“Taylor, wait! Don’t just charge in there. There might be an animal in it, or snakes.”
Taylor ignored her, shoved the vines aside that nearly concealed the entry, ducked and took a long look. “Wait here while I check it out.”
“No. I’m coming with you.”
He grabbed her upper arms, and squeezed her shoulders. “Are you insane? There could be a wild animal in there, or snakes.” He waggled his brows. “Maybe a Redback spider or two.”
“Yeah and there might be scorpions.”
He sobered instantly. “You had to say that? You’re waiting here. Give me the flashlight.”
Dianna shoved the flashlight into his hand. “Fine. I’ll wait here. Go get bitten by something.”
“Shut up.” Taylor entered the opening and shined the light around. “It’s nice and dry,” he shouted. “We’ll be comfortable in here.”
“Can I come in?”
“No. I’m still looking around.” A few minutes later he yelled, “Hey! Holy hell!”
“What?” Dianna charged inside, breathless. Terror gripped her heart. “What is it? Did you see something?”
“See? No. But I hear something.”
“What?”
“Listen. I think it’s a waterfall. You hear it?”
Dianna grinned. “It is a waterfall.” She grabbed his hand. “Come on. We can take a bath.”
“Wait. Wait!” He jerked her to a halt. “Let’s make camp first, then we’ll hunt down the waterfall.”
They set up a makeshift camp, spreading out the sleeping bag and the fur coat. Dianna looked around. For temporary shelter, it wasn’t bad. The rain pounded outside, but inside the cave, they’d remain dry. The floor was loose, reddish, sandy dirt. With the ground so soft, Dianna figured they’d actually get some rest for a change.
The walls of the cave were bumpy, but at some point in time, Aborigines had left their mark. Centuries of culture and art splattered the bumpy stone walls, leaving a trail of colorful, vivid history behind. She eyed the white handprints in assorted sizes, the drawings of kangaroos in exaggerated shapes and warriors with spears, dark-skinned people settled around campfires.
Dianna wondered how many centuries ago they’d left their drawings behind.
“Interesting, huh?”
She nodded at Taylor and returned to straightening the fur coat. Tonight, she intended to bask in sleep.
Thirty minutes later, they’d tracked down the waterfall.
Dianna eyed the cascading falls. The inviting pool looked clear. “Where do you suppose the water comes from?”
“Don’t know. Maybe from an over-flooded stream from all the rain.” Taylor dropped his bundle of clean clothes. “When we’re finished bathing, we can wash our clothes and stretch them out to dry on the big rocks over there.” He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside, then stripped to his boxers.
“Whoa. Wait. What are you doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m not showering in my clothes.” He dropped his boxers and stepped to the edge of the pool.
Dianna stared, her jaw gaping. “It isn’t very big.”
Taylor cut his gaze to where her eyes were fastened. “You have to give it a reason to…shit, it’s big enough when it needs to be.”
She jerked her eyes away from his cock and met his fierce gaze head on. “I wasn’t talking about…that.”
“That is what you were looking at.”
“I meant the waterfall isn’t very big.”
“Uh-huh.”
Dianna licked her lips. In spite of her determination not to lower her gaze, it fell back to his shaft and soft sac. She looked up quickly. “We can’t just strip?”
Taylor waggled a brow. “What’s a matter? Never been skinny dipping?”
“Not since I was a kid.”
“Why not?”
“It isn’t civilized.”
“Jesus, Dianna, who the hell wants to be civilized? Live a little. Come on, princess, strip. No one’s going to see but me.”
“No.”
“Shy? You’ve had a good look at me. I want a better look at you. Besides, I’ve pretty much seen and touched all there is to see and touch. I swear I’ll control my impulse to pounce. Come on, fraidy cat.”
“I’m not afraid.” Dianna reached for the hem of her shirt. She hesitated. “Turn round.”
Taylor folded his arms across his wide chest and shook his head. “Nope. I wanna see every inch of your skin.” His eyes blazed with lustful intent. “I wanna taste you all over, princess.”
Speechless, Dianna tugged her shirt over her head and flung it aside. Acutely aware of Taylor’s burning gaze on her breasts, she saw all his attention had latched on her nipples.
“You know, you have the most incredible, mouthwatering nipples. I love the rich coral color.”
“I thought you didn’t like my breasts.”
“I said nipples, not the same thing as breasts. However, I’m getting used to the sight of your breasts…they’ll do.”
“They’ll do? What? Because nothing else is available?”
He gave her a cocky grin. “A starving man never complains about the meal in front of him.”
“Or what the cook uses to heat up his meal?”
He frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Ah, well.” She dropped her thong on the ground and spread her legs wide. “If I had a blow dryer, I’d heat up your snack.”
“Shit, leftovers again?”
Dianna blinked. “Bastard.”
Taylor lunged toward her, and before she could make an attempt to escape, he picked her up and
tossed her into the pool. She rose out of the water spluttering and slinging wet hair out of her face. “No fair,” she cried. “You cheated.”
“Uh-huh. I intend to cheat again.”
Dianna swallowed hard. Her breath caught in her throat when he stepped into the pool and stalked slowly toward her. She couldn’t help staring at his cock. It stood up straight as a flag pole. She wondered ridiculously what he’d do if she saluted it.
“Taylor,” she whispered. “I don’t think this is wise. You don’t even like me.”
“My cock likes you.” He glanced down, then lifted his gaze to her face. “It likes you very much. And it’s hungry. Are you going to refuse to feed Harry?”
“Harry?”
He locked his hard fingers onto her shoulders and dragged her closer. “Make Harry happy. Harry hungry.”
Dianna giggled. “You’re an idiot.”
She knew very well Taylor would probably turn back into the ass he was, but right at this moment, she didn’t care. She needed him. More, she wanted him.
He pulled her into his arms and placed her hand around his throbbing cock. “It’s burning for you, princess.”
“Just one thing…is this time for revenge or a mercy fucking?”
“Fuck revenge. Fuck mercy. I’m not giving you any clemency, and I’ve had my taste of revenge. It sucks. This time is all about you and me.” He rubbed his mouth against hers, slowly deepened the kiss.
Dianna caught her breath as his tongue tangled with hers. She never knew when he lowered her to the soft bank of the pool. She felt only his body surrounding hers, the light touch of his fingers on her breasts, rubbing her nipples, the wet drag of his mouth on her skin as he kissed his way to her aching channel.
She dug her fingers in his sleek shoulders when he entered her in a single thrust. Locking her legs around his lean waist, she moaned and matched the rhythm of his slow thrusts. “Ride me hard,” she urged.
Taylor nodded and set a fierce, faster rhythm that stole her breath. Dianna didn’t know how much time passed or how long they stayed in the pool. Hours later, Taylor carried her to their bed. She knew it was nearly dawn before he pulled out of her for the last time and rolled onto his back.
He turned, spooned his body around hers, and wrapped a sinewy arm around her waist. “Sleep,” he whispered against her nape. “I’ll wake you when it’s time to leave.”
Dianna felt too limp and exhausted to reply. She wondered what morning would bring, if Taylor would still treat her as his lover or his enemy.
She didn’t want to think about it. For now, he was her lover and she wanted to savor this time. She closed her eyes and surrendered to the weightiness of sleep pressing down on her.
* * * *
Sleep didn’t come so easily for Taylor. Touching Dianna, loving her the way he’d just done had been a huge mistake. Making love to Dianna for the last several hours made him wonder just what kind of fool he was.
Okay, surely she wasn’t expecting a proposal. It was just sex. Granted, it was great sex, but—
She edged closer against him. Her sweet ass was flush against his limp dick and balls. Oh yeah, right, like his cock was going to stay soft. Already the idiot rope was swelling, stretching toward her. Right. It knew a good thing when it got close. “Stay down, boy.”
Dianna wiggled her butt against his shaft.
Boing!
Yep, full stretch out the gate. His cock throbbed against the crease of her butt. Hell’s bells. He slid his fingers down her belly, past the sweet nest of curls covering her feminine sheath, and dipped inside.
Dianna moaned and opened wider for him. Hell, did she have to be so damn cooperative? She wasn’t making it any easier for him. Well, yeah, she was making it real easy, but, fuck—Okay, he wasn’t about to miss an opportunity to roll her beneath him and play hide the sausage. He shoved his dick inside her and moaned. She opened her eyes, a dreamy smile on her lips. “Still haven’t had enough yet?”
“Does it feel like I’ve had enough?” He thrust hard, riding her fast and furious. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you, princess. You make my balls ache.”
Dianna bucked beneath him, her hips rising to meet his pounding invasion. “I love you, Taylor Spencer. You make everything inside me ache.”
Taylor captured her mouth and, with one last penetrating thrust, exploded inside her hot, sleek channel. Slowly, he released her mouth and looked into her eyes. “Dianna.” Breathing hard, he buried his face against her neck. “Dianna,” he whispered her name again, his voice as ragged as his breathing. “This has nothing to do with love. I don’t love you. It wouldn’t work between us.” Reluctantly he pulled out of her. “It’s morning. We need to get dressed and get the hell out of here.”
Dianna propped herself up on her elbows, her face pale and tight.
He saw the strain in her eyes, the hint of tears. “Don’t cry. It was just sex. That’s all it’s been between us all along. You have an itch. I have an itch. Together we manage to do a fair job of scratching each other’s itches. Sex, Dianna. Just sex.”
“Just sex?” Her voice wobbled. “I thought it was a little more than just sex.” She got up, jerked on her clothes, and started packing their meager supplies.
Taylor fastened his jeans and yanked up the zipper. “It’s just like a woman to want more than a man is willing to give. Why can’t you be satisfied with plain, simple sex?”
Her eyes flashed with temper.
“Okay, it was great sex. Hell, baby, you’re hot. Any red-blooded male would wanna fuck you.”
“You aren’t endearing yourself to me, Taylor Spencer!”
“Well shit! Okay, so I wanted to screw you. The thing is you wanted me to fuck you, too. We’ve scratched our itch. Now, it’s over. I would think you’d be happy I’m letting you off the hook without emotional complications. You don’t have to worry about this lower-class male wanting more than he’s entitled to.”
Dianna blinked. Grabbing her small bundle of clothes, she rushed out of the cave. Taylor raced behind her, hot on her heels. “Slow down, Dianna. It rained hard all night. The ground might be unstable in places.”
“What you aren’t entitled to is giving me orders,” she flung over her shoulder. “Just leave me alone, Taylor. You don’t want me, fine!”
“I didn’t say I didn’t want you.”
She whipped around. “You don’t get one without the other!”
“What does that mean, for Christ’s sake?”
She backed up. “It means no more free pussy, you jerk.”
“Bullshit!” He stalked toward her.
Dianna backed up another step. “Stay away from me.”
He grinned, a savage twist to his lips. “Stay away from you? Hell, Dianna, you’re the one who can’t keep your hot little hands off my dick. Don’t act like you care so damn much. Hell, honey, you get an itch, come on over, I’ll fuck you anytime you want me to.”
“What, I’m just another Amy? Come to you, we rent a cheap motel, spend a couple of hours rolling on the bed?”
“Sure. Why not? You can slip into the bed right after Amy leaves.”
“I hate you,” she cried. “You’re right, you’re a loser. But you know what? The best thing you ever lost is standing right here in front of you.” Tears streamed down her face. “If I have any itches in the future, don’t you worry, I’m sure I can find someone to do the scratching for me. You don’t know a good thing when you have it.”
“I told you, the best piece I ever got was great. You were okay, honey, but not the best.”
Dianna stared at him helplessly. “Yeah. I get the picture.”
The ground trembled beneath their feet. Her gaze shot to his. Dianna lurched unsteadily. Her eyes widened.
“Shit! Run, Dianna!”
She gasped. “I don’t think that’s going to work.” Dianna took two steps. The ground moaned, shook and rumbled as violently as an earthquake, then simply crumbled from beneath her feet.
Taylor leaped toward her, but he was too far away to grab her flailing arms. She toppled over the side, caught in the violent mudslide. One minute she was there, the next, she was gone.
Taylor scrambled to the edge of the landslide, rubbed an unsteady hand over his face and looked down. Nothing. Nothing but a ton of mud and rocks, broken and splintered trees, an endless spillway he couldn’t see to the bottom. “Dianna,” he shouted. “Answer me!” The absolute silence ripped at his guts. His heart pounded. A knot twisted in his belly. “Dianna,” he whispered, but there was no one to hear or answer him.
Taylor stared blankly into the steep ravine. It was a long slide of rocks and tons of red mud. “Dianna!”
He slipped and slid his way down the endless path. His heart hammered. His pulse beat as wild as native drummer with exciting news. His stomach churned. Dead! Dead! Every heartbeat throbbed out the message to his brain. Dianna was dead.
“Please. Please, be alive.”
He reached the end of the mudslide and paused to look around. His chest heaved with ragged breaths. Where was she? She wasn’t at the bottom. So where the fuck was she?
Taylor looked around desperation beating frantically in his pulses. Then he saw her. At least, he saw her arm sticking up out of thick mud halfway up the mudslide. Somehow he’d missed it on his way down. “Oh, God. No!”
He climbed up the steep slide. Taylor slipped and fell so many times he began to wonder if he’d ever get back up it. Finally, he reached her and fell to his knees. Breathing raggedly, Taylor clawed at the thick, red mud. He dug and dug until he could pull Dianna free. He swiped her nose and mouth clean as much as he could. He felt for the pulse in her throat. Nothing. Quickly, he stretched her out on the ground, pinched her nostrils tight, and breathed life into her lungs.
The sound of her ragged cough sent a shaft of pure joy through his heart. “Dianna.”
She blinked and moaned. “I can’t breathe.”
Taylor laughed softly. “You’re breathing, baby. Your mouth and nose has mud in it. Do you think you can stand?”
“No. My leg hurts.”
“Which one?”
“Left.”
Taylor unfastened her jeans and gently pulled them to her ankles. “Jesus Christ.”
Too Close To The Fire/Too Hot To Handle (Montana Men 3) Page 12
