Her eyes widening, Kai heard the sensual promise in his threat. She let out her breath when he let go of her and moved a few inches away.
“It’s Sunday tomorrow. I’ll be by to take you to church, and then we’ll go for a buggy ride,” River informed her.
Indignant over his highhandedness, Kai eyed him with determination. “Now, just a minute, Mister. You can’t come barreling back in to my life and think you can take it over again,” she warned him in a brittle tone.
River’s eyes gleamed with a predatory light, his hands snaking out and sliding around her waist, and he drew her up roughly against him. “Now, you listen to me. You can lie to yourself all you like, Kai, but you can’t lie to me. I can read your eyes, read your kisses, and your body wants mine just as I want yours.” His voice strained with anger and frustration.
The harshness of his tone warned her how serious he was, and she lowered her lashes so he could not read the truth of what he said in her eyes. When she heard him growl, she raised her lashes and gasped as she saw his mouth once more lowering to hers.
God, why is she being so damn stubborn? River thought with irritation. He just wanted to shake some sense into her. Instead, his arms tightened around her, and he roughly slammed his mouth down on hers. This time he was going to force her to admit the truth. By God, he would.
A whisper of a sob tore from her throat as once again she started to drown in the rapture tumbling through her. She clung to him tightly as their tongues mated in glorious wild, hot passion.
After a time, River lifted his mouth just a fraction from hers. “Say it, Kai. Tell me you want me.” His words rough with lust, he waited for her to tell him. He growled when she remained willfully silent. “I could take you right now, Kai, and you would let me. Admit it, damn it.”
No matter how right he might be, Kai knew if she did tell him he would be relentless in making them lovers. She refused to utter a word.
Furious at her obstinacy, he shoved her roughly away. “Fine, Kai, fine. There are plenty of other women,” he warned her in a harsh, menacingly tone.
The threat cut her to ribbons. “What…what do you mean by that remark?” But she already had a very good idea that she knew exactly what he meant.
He smirked at her. “I mean, there are other women who wouldn’t mind becoming my lover.” There, swallow that, he thought with satisfaction and could see she didn’t like the idea one little bit.
“I don’t believe you,” she snarled at him, but she’d lied. She did believe him, and it hurt terribly.
“Just because you don’t want me doesn’t mean other women won’t,” he said with assurance, and with a casual shrug he turned away, went down the steps and silently counted.
Her muddled emotions tore at her as she watched River walk away from her. She did not want him to be another woman’s lover. Quickly, she spoke up before he went through the gate. “What about church tomorrow?”
Five, six. He turned around. “Don’t worry. I won’t press my company on you. I’ll see you around, Kai. It was nice seeing you again. Friend.” He kept his tone light as he turned and jumped into the buggy, picked up the reins and set the horse moving. Knowing with a certainty the word friend would aggravate her, and that’s exactly why he’d said it. He snarled. Friends? Who’s she trying to kid? Damn irritating woman.
Letting out a heavy sigh, he pushed his annoyance away. He hated treating Kai this way, but since she was being so maddeningly mulish, she didn’t leave him much choice. He just hoped it would not take her too long to come around. He didn’t think he could survive this pent-up sexual craving too long.
Chapter Seven
Long after River left, Kai still lay awake in her bed. She did not want to believe his threat to find another woman to become his lover, but she did. It devastated her. She didn’t want any other woman knowing his kisses, his hands or the passion he could give them.
They were hers, damn him. What was she going to do? She could not let him take another woman as his lover. Yet if she didn’t become his lover, he would. Her fist came down and thumped the mattress in frustration. He’s only joking, that’s all. He didn’t mean the threat. It was his way of forcing her to become intimate with him again. That was all, she told herself firmly.
Well, it wasn’t going to work. She would show him that his threats wouldn’t change her mind. Reassured now, she felt the hurt ease out of her heart. He was downright sneaky, that was for sure. She should have remembered that fact from years ago. Well, now she did, and she wouldn’t be fooled into believing his threats again.
With a sigh of relief, she settled down to sleep and closed her eyes. However, she couldn’t stop thinking about those overwhelming, mind-altering kisses they’d shared. Glory be, such sensually wicked kisses, and she’d enjoyed everyone one of them immensely.
They were so much more intense and blazing than they had been all those years ago. Even the feel of his tight, hard body pressed so intimately against her own felt so different. His body had changed so much from the youth he was then to the man he was today.
Power and strength lay beneath his clothing, and even though she wished she could explore every inch of his manly body, she couldn’t let herself. Lord, how she wanted to. With her imagination growing, she undressed him in her thoughts and had her wicked way discovering the changes in his powerful, sensual body.
* * * *
With her father at her side as she stepped into church, Kai could still feel the heat on her face from her sinful dreams last night. As they moved down the aisle to their pew, she stumbled slightly when she saw River and also noticed who sat next to him. It tore a painful path through her heart when she saw him smiling so warmly at the other woman.
Darn him, he hadn’t wasted any time. She wanted to slap the smile right off his face, grab hold of his ear and tear him away from Maryanne. It took a tremendous effort, but she tore her gaze away from them. She slipped into the pew next to her father and kept her eyes straight ahead. She felt so angry and wounded that she came close to tears and blinked repeatedly so they would not fall.
Before he even saw her, River sensed Kai arriving and out the corner of his eye he watched her sit down. He couldn’t miss seeing the devastation in her eyes and felt riddled with guilt for hurting her. But hell, he wouldn’t be doing this if she wasn’t so damn stubborn. He held no interest in Maryanne at all. Even though she was an attractive woman, she did not hold a candle to Kai. No other woman did.
Well, until Kai admitted she wanted him, he would not go near her. She would to have to come to him. He might have to spend every damn night in the depths of sexual frustration until she did, but he was determined that he wouldn’t approach her again even if it killed him. When the minister started speaking, he turned his gaze to him and let his mind drift.
Last night when he’d kissed Kai, he had been nearly overwhelmed with the sexual heat inside of her. She’d always been passionate, but now she felt like a volcano ready to burst. He wanted to be the one who would send it exploding. A sensual smile curved his lips just thinking about the fiery eruption that would blow up between them.
In the past, he’d enjoyed the few female conquests he’d experienced, though the coupling had been over quickly and soon forgotten. A quick tumble and nothing more. He definitely knew that there would be nothing quick about making love to Kai, and it would not be so easily forgotten.
No, it would be long, slow and highly sensually arousing. He felt himself start to harden and forced his thoughts away from such sexual contemplation. Good grief, he was sitting in church, damn it all. He sneaked a peek at Kai out the corner of his eye and let a smile play over his lips.
He could see that she looked down right aggravated if the scowl on her brow was anything to go by. Good. It was a perfect start, and hopefully she would be coming to see him soon. Satisfied, he turned his gaze back to the minister and tried to concentrate on his words.
The longer she thought of River, the more Kai silently fume
d, and as every second ticked by the angrier she became. How dare he do this to her? And of all the women, how could he pick Maryanne? She wanted to throttle him so much that she twisted the cords of her reticule tightly into knots. So, he really intended going through with his threat, darn him. Well, she would see about that. Her thoughts fled when she saw everyone gaining their feet and quickly rose to her own and started to sing along with everyone else.
Dear me. She’d been so deep in thought she hadn’t heard a word the minister said, and now the church service was nearly over. Well, once it was she intended to have a word with a certain man, and he’d better listen to her or else she would clout him over his thick head.
When the service finished, River led Maryanne down the aisle. Feeling Kai’s gaze burning into his back, he knew she was good and mad. He could not have been more pleased. Her reaction showed him that she cared and didn’t like seeing him with another woman. He stepped outside with Maryanne at his side and smiled warmly at her when she started to speak to him.
“Thank you for sitting with me, River. I was wondering if” Maryanne was about to ask him to Sunday lunch when someone rudely cut her off, and she turned a furious gaze on the culprit.
Kai caught up with River and Maryanne, her eyes spitting with anger when her gaze met River’s. “Come along, River, lunch is waiting.” Not giving him a chance to argue, she grasped his arm and tugged him away.
Not at all surprised by her behavior, his eyes twinkled with mischief and humor. He felt immensely satisfied that Kai wasn’t going to wait a moment more in making her decision. “I don’t remember having any plans to share lunch with you. In fact, I remember quite clearly we weren’t seeing each other again, friend.”
“Oh, just shut up, you darn aggravating man. If you think I’m going to let Maryanne, or any other woman, become your lover, well, you have another thing coming.” She growled as her anger boiled out of her.
He tugged her to a stop, and when she looked up at him, he eyed her with annoyance he wasn’t even close to feeling. “Are you saying that you’re willing to become my lover then?”
“Why are being so darn insistent?” Drat it, she just knew he would ask her that particular question, and she was filled with resentment.
River rolled his shoulders but did not break eye contact with her. “You of all people should know why. Just tell me if you are or not.”
“And what happens if I don’t agree?” She was putting off her answer as long as possible, still not sure what she should do.
With a casual shrug he turned back to look at Maryanne. “Well, there is always Maryanne or someone else.” He swung back to her and could not miss seeing the turbulence in her eyes as well as the sheen of anguish. He silently cursed himself for causing her pain.
“Fine. All right, I’ll be your darn lover. Happy?” Kai’s voice quivered because she could not deny that she could never stand the thought of letting another woman share this man or his passion.
Ecstatic when she finally agreed, all he wanted to do was crush her in his arms. Instead, he pulled her along beside him, eager now to get them somewhere alone so he could show her just how damn happy she made him and would definitely make him once they were both in bed.
Chapter Eight
Quickly opening the door to the little house behind his father’s home, River pulled Kia inside and slammed it shut. Without wasting time on words, he took her in his arms and kissed her passionately. As their tongues dueled together, he felt the hot, potent fire hit him in the groin.
Breathless from River’s reaction, Kai didn’t even have time to utter a protest or ask a question. She instantly recognized the place River had bought her to in the past, and so many memories came rushing back. Her arms went around his shoulders as his mouth captured hers in an overwhelmingly provocative kiss.
As his mouth continued to plunder hers, with his eyes opened slightly, River propelled her backward across the parlor and through the open door of the bedroom at the back of the room. He withdrew his arm from around her and pushed the door shut. With one more lingering kiss, he lifted his mouth from hers and stared down at her with a wicked smile.
Her mind whirling as she took little panting breaths, Kai looked up at River. She could see his eyes shining with desire and longing. “You...you want to become lovers right now? Right this very minute?” The whispered words came out incredulously.
River cupped her face. “Kai, sweet Kai, I have wanted you forever. There’s no point why we shouldn’t. Let me love you, Kai. Let me love you.” He watched her eyes grow even brighter, and with a growl rumbling in his chest, he crushed her to him. His mouth covered hers in a wild, ravenous kiss.
He couldn’t wait a second longer to have this woman. He burned and ached to rediscover every inch of her soft, silken body and finally bury his aching flesh inside her. While he continued to kiss her, his hands were busy unbuttoning the back of her gown.
Kai was shocked at his haste but unable to object or find an argument to put this moment off. Letting out a ragged sigh, Kai decided to stop trying to fight the inevitable. Her tongue twirled with his as she felt the heat and desire for this man flow through every nerve of her body, sending longing and need, increasing with every beat of her heart.
River managed to undo her dress, and he could not have been more pleased that she wasn’t wearing a corset, just her underwear and petticoats. He pushed the dress down her arms and let it pool at her feet. Next, he pulled the ribbons on her camisole free, lifted his mouth from hers and dragged in a ragged breath.
He took a small step back. With shaking hands, he parted the camisole and sucked in his breath. He admired two of the most luscious breasts he had ever had the pleasure to gaze upon. They were pearly white and topped with light pink nipples. “Oh God, Kai, they have changed so much.” Reverently, he cupped one in his hand. His thumb stroked over the nipple, and he watched it tighten.
All Kai could do was tremble as River stood admiring her. A soft sob tore from her throat when he held her breast. Her eyes searched his face and saw the longing and admiration on his features. Her limbs trembling, she lifted her hand and pulled on the string tie at his throat.
His head lifting when Kai undid his tie, River reluctantly took his hand from her breast and cupped her face as his eyes held hers. “Tell me, Kai. Tell me you want me, want this.” He knew if she didn’t he would stop. It might kill him, but he wouldn’t take her unless it was really what she wanted.
Her breathing became shallow, and Kai knew if she uttered one word of hesitation, River would stop. For just a ragged breath, she thought about it but knew she wouldn’t. “God help me, River, but I do want this. I want you to give me everything, River. Everything.”
A growl of half relief and half excitement rasped from his throat. River did not waste time. First, he tore off her hat and pulled the pins from her hair. Next, he stripped off her camisole, her petticoats and lastly her bloomers, tossing them carelessly around the room.
He stepped back to admire what he’d uncovered, and the sensual vision before his eyes nearly bought him to his knees. Kai was so damn beautiful and so sexually desirable he could feel himself nearly ready to explode. With iron willed control, he knelt down and slipped off each of her shoes. Reverently, he slid her garters and stockings down her legs and dropped each of them beside him.
It had been so long since River had seen her body. Now that she was completely naked, Kai couldn’t help feeling a little shy and uncomfortable. When he gained his feet, she waited breathlessly as he started ripping off his clothes in haste. As he threw each piece of clothing carelessly around the room, she could only stand there and admire each part of his body that he exposed to her.
She swallowed when he finally stood naked and fully aroused before her. Dear God, this wasn’t the body of the youth she’d once touched and tasted. No, this was a man fully grown. She drank in the sight of his wide shoulders and chest, sleek, smooth and hard. Slim hipped, powerful thighs and, God help
her, what she saw between his thighs was monstrous.
His arousal was so much thicker and longer than she remembered it ever being. She wet her lips and drew her eyes up to his. “I...ah don’t think this is a good idea after all.” Her whispered words floated between them.
Unembarrassed, River stood proudly, feeling Kai’s heated gaze slowly moving over him. He took his own sweet time studying and admiring the changes in her body, and he acknowledged them with appreciation. He loved every glorious inch of her. When their gazes finally met, he could see the worry clouding her eyes.
He reached out and drew her into his arms. A groan of pleasure rumbled in his chest as his hot, hard flesh met hers. “Don’t be frightened, Kai. I promise you, darlin’, that you’re going to find only pleasure in my arms.” His mouth came down and brushed lightly over hers. “You’re beautiful, Kai. I knew you would be,” he said softly before he kissed her again.
As soon as her nakedness touched River’s, the worry and concern slipped away. Her arms went around his waist, and a strangled whimper wedged in her throat when he continued to kiss her. Even his light kisses held a potent fire behind them, and she was powerless against what they were doing to her.
It nearly killed him to hold himself back, but River knowing he could not rush Kai, no matter that his body screamed for intimacy. He needed to put her at ease before they went any further. If he didn’t, she would be too tense and too worried to enjoy their first time together.
He kept his kisses soft as he let his hand slide slowly over her shoulders, down her back and up again. When she started to relax would be soon enough to rediscover every delicious inch of her and discover all the changes in her lush little body.
With every passionate kiss she received from River the aching need grew inside her. She felt her breasts grow heavy waiting for his touch, and moisture gathered between her thighs. She could not stand this gentle seduction any longer. She wanted more, needed more. Her tongue twirled with his more aggressively. She cried into his mouth when he swept her up in his arms without breaking the kiss.
McPartland, Mysty - Playing Doctors and Nurses (BookStrand Publishing Romance) Page 3
