Alaskan Adventure (Destination: Desire) (5 page)

Every moment became erotic, every inch of her skin sensitizing as she lathered soap between her palms and slid them over her body. Her nipples pebbled to the point of pain, and she wanted his hands and mouth on them. She turned away from the spray and worked shampoo into her hair, then leaned her head back to let the water rinse the soap away. Rivulets flowed over her face and down her neck and shoulders. She slipped her fingers up her stomach, over her breasts, and into her hair to help get the shampoo out.

“God, that is the sexiest pose I’ve ever seen,” he growled.

Opening her eyes, she saw green fire in his gaze. A flush of lust ran beneath his tanned skin and his chest rose and fell in quick pants. He still looked like a lion, but now one who hunted its prey. A shiver went through her at the thought. She was more than ready for him to pounce.

“Why don’t you undress while I finish up?”

He shrugged out of his jacket and whipped off his untucked shirt. Bending over meant he could unlace his boots and kick them aside. His khakis came off so fast she was surprised he didn’t end up with fabric burn on his legs. And, then, there he was in all his naked glory, and damn, he was even more built than she’d guessed. A light dusting of golden curls stretched between the flat discs of his nipples and arrowed down to below his navel. His cock was a hard, thick arc that made her mouth water. She wanted to slide her tongue down the long, smooth length of him and suck him in her mouth.

Leaving the water running, she stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel. “Make it quick, Warren. I don’t want to wait.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice, Kirby.” He swatted her butt as he slipped past and hopped under the spray.

She made a face at him and he winked back. When he ducked under the water, she got an amazing view of the most fabulous ass she’d ever seen on a man. She dried off slowly, letting herself look her fill as he moved. Heavy pecs, broad shoulders, a tight six-pack of abs and muscular thighs. She might drool. And his body wasn’t even the best part of his physical perfection. No, it was his sinful smile that made her heart pound the hardest.

Leaning back against the doorjamb, she let the towel drop to the floor unheeded and just watched his hands move. Heat spiraled within her, and she pressed a palm to her belly. His gaze burned into her, and she let her fingertips drift down her midriff until she could dip into the thatch of hair between her thighs. His eyes widened and a strangled noise erupted from him.

She chuckled, the sound low and smoky. “You’re taking too long, Gabe. I guess I’ll have to get started without you.”

The shower shut down a second later. He didn’t even bother drying off, just stepped out and hauled her into his arms. His mouth slanted fiercely over hers, his tongue shoving between her lips. The fire within her exploded into an inferno, an uncontrollable need that made her dig her nails into his shoulders. He backed her toward the bed, and they went down in a tangle of limbs. She moaned at feeling the exquisite weight of him on top of her, and the dampness of his skin glued them together. The rough silk of his flesh, the crisp curls on his chest stimulated her flesh. She skated her hands over the flexing muscles of his back, into the delineated valley of his spine.

He dipped down and closed his mouth over her nipple. A gasp straggled out of her, and her back bowed. His stubble burned into the sensitive skin on the underside of her breast, and when he bit the tight tip, she cried out in utter want. She parted her legs and wrapped them around his waist, trying to get him where he could do the most good. “Now, Gabe. Inside me. Now.”

The blunt head of his cock rubbed along her slick sex, and she lifted her pelvis in invitation.

“Shit.” He froze over her.

“What?” He was
stopping?
He had to be kidding her. She was going to kill him.

A muscle ticked in his jaw, but he moved his hips away. “I don’t have any condoms with me. I mean, I have some in my room, but not on me. Do you?”

“Shit.” She threw an arm over her eyes, her body throbbing in unrequited lust. “I’m dying here.”

“We can’t have that,” he teased. When she lifted her head to glare at him, his grin was as roguish as a pirate’s. “I’ll just have to get creative.”

He nudged her legs farther apart and slithered down to settle his torso in between them. He parted the lips of her sex, and blew a stream of air against her hot, damp core. Moaning, she squirmed while he chuckled darkly. Oh Jesus. He was going to—

Her lungs seized when he shaped his lips around her clit and sucked hard. Pinpricks of sensation shivered up and down her skin. His fingertips stroked over her wet flesh, circling, toying with her until she writhed on the mattress. Her heart pounded, beads of sweat gathering on her forehead to trickle down her temples. He plunged his fingers into her, filling her, stretching her.

“Gabe!” Her fists balled in the comforter and she could feel orgasm building, like a rising tsunami wave that threatened to consume her.

But she didn’t want to just lay back and take what he was giving her, she wanted to participate, wanted to make him feel like he was going to die from pleasure too.

She slipped her fingers into his damp hair and tugged. “I want to taste you, Gabe. I want—”

He groaned and maneuvered around so she could do just that. They lay on their sides facing each other upside down. Her top leg curled over his ribs, leaving her open for his exploration. The tip of his erection brushed against her lips, and she parted them to take him in. The musky scent and taste of him made her whimper. She slid her tongue down the length of him, using her hands to work his shaft in the same rhythm his hands and mouth set for her. He groaned and quivered, his hips pushing his cock deeper. The combined sensation was enough to fry her nervous system. She was so close to the edge of oblivion, and she wanted to take him with her when she went flying. She drew on him harder, flicked the tip of her tongue against the bulbous crest. The way he jerked and gasped told her how much he liked that, so she did it again. And again.

In response, he hooked his fingers inside of her and rubbed over just the right spot. It was more than enough to make her break.

They came at the same time, groaning as climax exploded over them. Stars burst before her eyes as she sucked him, as her body tried to turn itself inside out. Rhythmic pulses squeezed her sex around his thrusting fingers, and great shudders wracked his form. They continued to work each other, wringing every last drop out of the experience. He seemed as unwilling to stop as she was, and aftershocks of orgasm quaked through her. Euphoria hit her in a blinding rush, and her entire body tingled. She sighed, letting the sweetness of it flood her. There were long moments of silence broken by the sound of their bellowing lungs and the whoosh of blood in her ears.

Finally, he pulled away, scooting around until he lay on his side next to her, his head propped in one hand. “You okay?”

“Ah, yeah.” She flopped onto her back and let out a long, satisfied breath. “
That
is how an O-face is supposed to be.”

A belly laugh rolled out of him. “Thanks, I think.”

“You’re welcome.” Somehow she found the energy to lift a hand and pat his arm.

His gaze slid over her, then he frowned at her chest. She glanced down and saw the abraded flesh on her breasts. He rubbed a thumb over his chin, the short hairs making a scraping sound similar to sandpaper. “Sorry about that.”

She huffed. “Did I complain?”

“Not that I noticed.” He shrugged. “But I’m not at my most observant when a gorgeous woman has her mouth on my favorite body part.”

“Well, if I didn’t complain, don’t apologize.”
Duh.
She didn’t add that last part, but she was pretty sure he heard it anyway because he snorted.

“Uh-huh. Still. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He dropped a light kiss in the valley of her cleavage.

“I think I’ll survive,” she said drily. “But you can make it up to me later. With condoms.”

Chapter Four

Gabe strode into the dining room with a lot more energy than he should have after a day like today, but getting one’s rocks off in spectacular fashion with an incredibly smoking hot woman could do that for a man. He grabbed a tray and loaded up at the buffet stations. The menu rotated on a seven-day schedule, and it was salmon and mashed potato night. Cheesecake for dessert. A cup of coffee completed the meal and he turned to see if he could find his family.

Yep, there.

Anne already sat at a table with his parents and Bridget’s teenage boys. Actually, he wasn’t sure the youngest qualified as a teen yet. He looked maybe eleven or twelve. The oldest of the three hadn’t quite gotten over his gawkiness, so Gabe would peg him at maybe fifteen. He would have assumed those three would be back with their own parents instead of his, because he’d already heard that Bridget and her husband had returned safely to the ship. Despite the cast on one leg, she’d told the captain her family was going to finish the cruise. She’d spend her time enjoying the lounge chairs on board while her guys adventured.

Gabe set his tray at the one empty space left at the table, conveniently located next to Anne. As he sat down, she glanced at him with a smile, then did a slight double-take. He stroked his fingers over his clean-shaven jaw. Her grin turned absolutely sinful. He quirked his eyebrows, but neither of them said a word. She went back to her conversation with his father and Gabe glanced up to see his mother eyeing him speculatively. He took a sip of his coffee to cover his expression. Mom was wily, and still had the ability to read him like a book no matter how old he got. While he had no issues with people knowing he’d slept with Anne—and hoped to do it again very soon—his parents would meddle, and he’d rather avoid giving them the excuse. Also, he hadn’t discussed with Anne how public she wanted this to be. She wasn’t shy, but that didn’t automatically mean she wanted to advertise her affairs.

Her arm brushed against his when she forked a bite of fish into her mouth. Goose bumps broke over his flesh, that electric awareness running through him. Watching her chew and swallow was a lesson in erotic torment as he vividly recalled the feel of her lips on his body. He jerked his gaze away before his pants grew uncomfortably tight.

A deep sigh drew his attention across the table. Bridget’s youngest had a look of abject misery on his face. Gabe’s eyebrows rose. “What’s up?”

The kid took a swig of his soda. “My mom is sleeping in their room, but we were too loud and woke her up, so Dad told us to go for a walk. We did that until dinner, but I think we should maybe stay busy until bedtime.”

Well, that explained how they’d ended up with the Warrens for dinner. Gabe glanced around the table. His parents looked a little tired, but a full day of babysitting high-energy teens could do that. Even though it was going to suck to miss out on a potential evening with Anne, Gabe smiled at the boys. “Why don’t you just hang out with me?”

His mother protested, “We can—”

He just gave her a look. Whether she liked it or not, the retirees needed a break. She sighed and met his father’s gaze. Dad shrugged and nodded, then took a big bite of mashed potatoes, signaling his unwillingness to discuss it further. He agreed with Gabe on this one. Mom pursed her lips and returned her attention to her meal.

Anne piped up. “I can stick around too, if you like.”

Okay, so he wasn’t going to get any sexy time with her, but he’d take any time he could get. He
liked
her. She could annoy him faster than anyone he’d ever met—and that included his family, which was saying something—but she also made him laugh and made him think. Two very large indicators of people he enjoyed being around.

“Sounds good, thanks.” He squeezed her shoulder just for the pleasure of touching her. Then he addressed the boys. “We’ve got a games room, and I think they’re playing a movie in there tonight.”

“What movie?” The oldest teen perked up a bit.

Gabe winked. “Whichever one I decide to put on. Want to help me pick?”

The middle kid made a face. “We’ve played all the video games though. We have those ones at home.”

“But there are board games too,” Anne interjected with a challenging lilt to her voice. “Bet I can beat you at Monopoly.”

The kid narrowed his eyes. “Nuh-uh.”

“We’ll see, won’t we?” Her shoulders moved in a delicate shrug.

They finished up dinner and dessert, said goodbye to his parents, and trooped the kids over to the rec room. The place was mostly empty of passengers, who seemed to have turned in early. Crowds weren’t as much a problem on smaller cruises like this one, which Gabe liked.

He also learned that Anne was
amazing
with kids. Of course, she made her living as a PE teacher with children around this age, so she had experience, but the evening wouldn’t have been the same without her enthusiasm. The boys got swept up in her fun, and they spent several hours playing board games, but then she broke out her secret weapons. Charades, Hang Man and Forfeit. He’d played the first two before, but in Forfeit, she’d take something from each player and then demand a particular stunt be performed before they could get their forfeit back. This was an instant hit with the boys because she was wickedly creative in her stunt demands.

Of course, he’d also found himself sitting through most of the game with no shirt on because she’d claimed it as his forfeit item. She’d taken her sweet time working her way through the boys’ items. The flash of desire in her gaze every time she looked him over drove him wild, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Wickedly creative, indeed.

But he’d get his revenge. Sooner or later.

Sooner, he found, as they sat next to each other on a sofa to watch a movie. It had taken a while for the boys to agree on a film, but now they sprawled on their stomachs on the carpet, chins propped in fists. Which meant there was no one to pay attention to Gabe when he laid his arm along the back of the couch and teased the tiny curls at the back Anne’s neck. He stroked her soft skin, sliding across her nape in slow sweeps. She shivered, goose bumps breaking over her arms, and he would swear he could see the outline of her nipples.

Ah, nice. He loved how quickly she responded for him.

“What
are you doing?” she hissed.

He pitched his voice low enough that the boys wouldn’t be able to hear over the volume of the movie. “Shouldn’t that have been my question when you stole my shirt and then ogled me?”

“Stealing something was part of the game.” Her golden eyes went wide and innocent.

He gave her a skeptical glance. “And the ogling?”

“You’re welcome.” Her smile was so sunny and sweet he had to smother a chortle.

He scooted a little closer, so their sides were plastered together from chest to knee. A slow burn of lust kindled in his gut. Teasing her meant teasing himself, and having her near felt far too good. But the proximity gave him a longer reach for toying with her. He slipped his fingers down the side of her throat and skimmed along her collarbone. Her breath caught and her hand came down on his knee, tension running through her body.

When he traced the neckline of her T-shirt down to its low vee, she pinched his thigh. Hard. He winced and pulled his hand back to the top of the couch, but then tugged on her hair in retribution. Not enough to hurt, but enough to make her shoot him a dirty look. Then something calculating flashed across her expression and her smile was enough to send any sane man running. Apparently, he wasn’t sane because he stayed right where he was. The hand on his knee shifted inward, and her nail ran along his inseam, getting dangerously close to his cock before her fingers danced in patterns on his thigh.

Sweat broke along his hairline, and his dick was a rigid bar in his pants within moments. He swallowed, reviewing computer programming language in his head to distract himself from what she was doing. It did nothing to cool his ardor. Finally, he grabbed her wrist and shuddered, his cock chafing against his fly.

She leaned over and whispered in his ear, “I can hide it. You can’t. I win.”

Indeed. There was no evidence of her desire on display, unlike him. No need to admit defeat though. God, he loved how they challenged each other. Her take-no-prisoners attitude amused the hell out of him. He choked off a laugh, threaded his fingers through her silky locks, and hauled her forward into a quick kiss. At least, he meant it to be quick. The moment their lips met, clung, he couldn’t resist a second taste. Her hands balled in his shirt, but she didn’t try to push him away.

His heart pounded and he nipped at her lower lip, the tart-sweet flavor of Anne sliding over his taste buds. Her scent filled his nostrils—no perfume, just pure woman. She tilted her head, sucking his upper lip into her mouth. Every muscle in his body locked tight, and his dick throbbed painfully. Okay, this had to stop, or he was going to forget where they were and do something really stupid, like mount her right here on the couch.

Breaking the kiss, he pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. They were both breathing hard, and her pupils were dilated with lust. Her lips were swollen and red, and he wanted her so badly it might kill him.
Why
had he volunteered for babysitting again? Another mark against his sanity.

The oldest teen had glanced back to see what they were doing. The kid grinned impishly, winked and turned back to the film. Thank God. If it had been the youngest who’d seen that, there might have been a tween-style blushing, giggling fit.

Anne sighed and shifted to face forward, resting her head against Gabe’s shoulder. That felt nice. It wasn’t enough with his body screaming for sex, but he forced himself to relax into the sofa. It took a few minutes for the hot desire to stop pounding through his veins and his heart rate to settle back to normal. He tried to concentrate on the film, which was some superhero teen flick. Not his normal choice, but not too bad.

Anne turned her face into his shoulder, her breathing taking on the slow, steady rhythm of sleep. Apparently, the movie wasn’t as exciting for her as it was for the boys. Or the day had taken more of a toll than he’d guessed. He curled his arm around her, cuddling her close, a mixture of concern, protectiveness and tenderness tangling within him.

When the credits started rolling, he squeezed her gently. “Hey, sleeping beauty.”

“Hmm?” Her lashes fluttered, but then her eyes snapped open and she went from dead to the world to completely awake in a split second. “The movie’s over?”

“Yep. Want me to tell you how it ended?”

She grinned unabashedly, clamored to her feet, and stretched. “Nope, not interested.”

Snorting, he stood and went to turn off the electronics for the night. Then they took the teens back to their parents’ cabin. If they could escape quickly, Gabe was hoping he might be able to talk Anne into continuing what they’d started during the movie. The family had one of the few two-bedroom suites on board, designed for those who came with children. They had age-limits for how young a kid could be on this cruise line, since it specialized in outdoor adventures rather than onboard activities.

Bridget’s husband, Mark, answered the door, looking a bit worse for the wear. His hair stood up in furrows, and stress lines bracketed his mouth. The guy had clearly had a rough day. Gabe was glad his parents—and he and Anne—had been able to make it a little easier for him. The boys filed past their father, and he hugged each of them in turn. “Go brush your teeth, okay? Then you can say good night to Mom.”

The teens disappeared into the second bedroom, and Anne asked, “How’s Bridget?”

“She’s okay.” Mark ran a hand through his hair, mussing it further. “She just took another round of pain meds, so…groggy and not entirely coherent. They got her fixed up though. Luckily, the break was clean and set well. Her other ankle isn’t even sprained, thank God.”

Gabe nodded. “I’m glad to hear that. I was worried.”

“Me too,” Anne added.

“She’s bruised from the shin down on that leg, but nothing serious. She can get around on her own with crutches, though I’m guessing she’ll spend the next day or two in bed.” Mark tilted his head, a wry smile curving his lips. “Then again, knowing Bridget, she’ll beat me out of bed in the morning.”

Anne shrugged demurely. “Girls are badass like that.”

The sounds of a squabble burst from the boys’ bedroom, then Bridget called out faintly to ask what was going on, and Mark winced. He looked to Anne. “I’m so sorry to ask, but would you sit with her while I get the boys settled?”

“Sure, no problem.”

Gabe noted he was not invited. Not that he blamed Mark. He wouldn’t want some other guy hanging around his bedroom for no reason.

Anne glanced at him, shrugging as if to say, “what can you do?”

Since he couldn’t outright ask her if he was invited to her cabin later, and he had no idea how long it’d take to wrestle the kids into bed, Gabe figured his chances of getting any tonight were dwindling to nil. Cock-blocking appeared to be the theme of the evening. Ah, well. There was always tomorrow night, if Anne was game.

He offered an easy smile. “Well, I’ll see you all in the morning. Have a good night.”

With that, he took himself off to the cabin he shared with a brand new crewmember. His usual roommate had taken the opportunity to spend the summer guiding in the Australian Outback with his new Aussie girlfriend, which meant Gabe was stuck with a wet behind the ears college grad. The guy was nice enough, but he worked in the kitchen and spent most of his time talking about how he wanted to be a
real
chef someday…or analyzing the hotness factor of various female crewmembers and passengers. Gabe mostly ignored him.

Maybe he could get some freelance programming in tonight. He had a new software application he was working on. It wasn’t as fun as what he’d hoped to be doing, but the evening wouldn’t be a total wash.

There was no one in the staff hallway, which was barer than the guest areas, the carpet less plush, the wall sconces less fancy. Anne was glad she didn’t see anyone, because she’d rather not explain why she’d wandered down this hall. It had taken her over an hour to escape the rambling, slightly drugged Bridget and her never-going-to-bed kids. Then she’d run into Gabe’s parents getting ice once she’d left the cabin. After Anne offered a quick rundown of the evening, Peggy had given her a speculative glance and told her which room was Gabe’s. Then the older woman had grinned, shot Anne a little wink, and grabbed Vince to drag him off to bed. Anne had debated all of thirty seconds before she went in search of Gabe. She wasn’t sleeping anyway after her nap during the movie, so she was hoping he was as wide-awake as she was. Maybe they could wear each other out.