Authors: Judy Angelo
Ridge gasped, his body shuddering as he clenched his eyes shut and
flung his head back against the tub. Meanwhile, his arms spread wide against
the back of the tub, he clutched the tiled lip, looking like he was clinging on
for dear life.
But Lani did not stop there. She moved the sponge up until she was caressing
that part of him that throbbed at each touch, and as she massaged she leaned
forward to steal a kiss from the man who, by now, was breathing hard like he’d
just finished the hundred-meter dash.
As she kissed him and Ridge kissed back hungrily she released him
and moved her hands up so she could pinch his nipples, bringing them to a
hardness that matched the one down below. Then she drew her lips away.
“Enough,” she whispered. “Now it’s your turn.”
Ridge lifted his head and without hesitation he picked up the sponge
and began to massage her collarbone and then her breasts, sending tingles
running all through her body. Then, just like she’d done, he moved his hands
lower, gliding the sponge over her body then down to that sweet spot between
her legs and there he stayed, stroking her ever so softly with the sponge,
stimulating the sensitive bud down there, sending sparks flying all throughout
her body.
She was panting now, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps as
her eyelids grew heavy and fluttered closed.
The next thing she heard was a growl followed by a splash and as her
eyes flew open she found herself lifted high in Ridge’s arms. He hadn’t said
the word but it was the unmistakable sign that, like her, he’d had enough.
Ridge stepped out of the tub with her in his arms, grabbing a towel
off the rack as he strode out of the bathroom. He threw the big bath towel on
top of the bed then laid her gently, almost worshipfully, on top of it. Then,
although he was still dripping wet, he leaned over her and proceeded to dab at
her body with the ends of the towel, from her damp arms to her legs and then to
her glistening breasts.
But then as his eyes slid down to the shadowy V between her legs he
paused and drew in a deep breath. Then he licked his lips, his gaze hungry.
Lani held her breath. She didn’t have long to wait. As she watched,
near mesmerized, Ridge sat on the end of the towel beside her, right by her
legs, then he lowered his face to her, so agonizingly slowly that she was
tempted to reach out and grab his head. But when he got there it was worth the
wait.
Ridge settled his lips right there, where he teased her with
butterfly kisses that sent thrills rippling through her body. Then, to her
delight, his tongue shot out and he was licking the drops of water from her
skin, teasing her mercilessly, making her head fall back and her legs relax,
leaving her open to his caress.
Ridge took full advantage of her acquiescence. Flattening his
tongue, he licked her till she moaned out loud and this time she did reach for
him, clutching his shoulders, pulling him into her, wanting even more.
He readily obliged, moving his tongue lower to taste her, exploring
her so intimately that her face burned even as she reveled in his caress.
When he withdrew she sighed out loud, her body still singing with
the tune he’d played on her. And now she wanted him even more.
She felt when Ridge climbed onto the bed beside her and then he was
reaching for her, pulling her into his arms. When he pressed his lips to hers
she gladly opened to him, kissing back eagerly, telling him with her response
that she was ready.
She knew he got the message when he raised his body then pulled her
beneath him. She sighed and relaxed, waiting for the crinkly sound of the condom
packet as he ripped it open. It never came.
And now Ridge was positioning himself between her legs, readying
himself to enter her.
Her eyes flew open. “Wait,” she whispered, her hands still clinging
to the solid muscles of his shoulders. “You forgot the condom.”
Ridge froze. Then he looked down at her and when he did his face was
perplexed. “Condom?” he said, his voice hoarse. “I don’t have any.”
She drew in her breath. Then she frowned. “Why don’t you have any?
You had no plans for making love?”
Ridge scowled right back. “You’re my wife. I don’t need a condom to
make love to my wife.”
“And what about babies?” He was so daft. It didn’t matter that they
both had medical reports saying they were clean. That wasn’t the only thing to
worry about.
“Godammit,” he grated. “Don’t tell me you’re going to make me stop
now.”
“But we can’t risk-”
“Christ. You’ve taken me this far-” He broke off, shaking his head. “What
are you trying to do? Kill me?”
“It’s not my fault you weren’t prepared.”
Ridge made an explosive sound and made as if to get up off her but,
quick as a flash, Lani’s hands shot up and she grabbed his shoulders, refusing
to let him leave. Like a revelation it came to her – if she let him leave now,
like this, it would be all over.
“Wait,” she whispered urgently. “Don’t move. Just stay right here.”
Ridge closed his eyes and dropped his head then he groaned. “Why?”
“I don’t want you to go,” she whispered. “Just stay. Please.” As she
spoke she reached around to slide her hands up and down his back, his answering
shudder all the reward she needed.
His face pressed against the side of her neck, Ridge slumped over
her. “Lani, don’t do this to me,” he said, his whisper sounding so broken and
desperate that it made her heart ache. “I beg you, don’t torture me like this.”
Feeling guilty as hell, Lani slid both arms up to gather him to her.
“It’s okay, honey. It’s okay,” she whispered. “We’re doing this.”
He went stiff in her arms. “How?”
She stroked his back. “Ever heard of the withdrawal method? It’s not
the most reliable but whatever happens, we’ll deal with it. Now come on. Make
love to me.”
His face still pressed against her, when he spoke his lips tickled
her neck. “You’re sure?”
She nodded. “Absolutely.”
It was only after that reassurance that Ridge moved again. He
shifted his body, settling it back over hers, positioning his hips so they
rested between her legs.
Lani relaxed under him, opening to him, and when Ridge pressed his manhood
against her moistness she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close, letting
him slide deep inside.
And then he began to move, slowly at first, as if testing her,
seeing how much she could take. But then when she did not pull back he moved
faster, sliding into her, moving with a smooth and steady rhythm that picked up
speed as he stroked. Soon he was thrusting into her, his body seeming to move
of its own accord, his eyes clenched shut, his breathing tight and labored, his
grip tight on her shoulders.
And Lani was moving with him, her body rocking, her hips thrusting
up to meet him. The heat in her body climbed till she was burning up with the
passion that raged between them.
Lani was so caught up in the heat of the moment that when Ridge
pulled away and out of her she gasped. “What?” Her eyes flew open as she
reached for him but he’d rolled away, panting, eyes clenched tight, trembling
like he had the ague.
“Please come back.” She was reaching for him but he put up a hand,
stopping her cold.
“Don’t move.” He spoke through clenched teeth. “Don’t…move.” He was
sucking in deep breaths, looking like he was struggling to stay in control.
How could she have forgotten? Ridge had withdrawn just in time and
she’d been there, like an idiot, calling him back, putting him under even more
pressure.
With effort that seemed almost super-human Ridge drew in a long,
shuddering breath and then he opened his eyes. “I need a shower,” he said, his
voice choking. “A real cold one.”
And then, before she could move, he was up and out of the bed,
leaving her cold and lonely as she lay there, watching him head once more for
the bathroom.
And as she lay there, feeling ashamed at what she’d put him through,
Lani knew in her heart that something had changed, something on her side, at
any rate. She’d opened herself to taking a chance with Ridge, the biggest
chance of all. Right at this moment there was the chance that she was carrying
his baby and, as far as she was concerned, there would be no regrets.
And next time, when they were ready to make love again, things would
be different.
The question was, after she’d made Ridge suffer so, would there be a
next time?
CHAPTER EIGHT
One week and counting.
For the past week Ridge had made sure to stay out of Lani’s way,
even going so far as to deliberately get home late at night after she’d gone to
bed. It was better that way. After the taste she’d given him of her delectable
body, coming home to see her was nothing but torment. How did she expect him to
go on living in the same house with her, see her each night, and not be able to
touch her?
Okay, so he’d touched her, as intimately as you could get, but she’d
put restrictions on him, denying him the ultimate pleasure, taking him ninety
percent of the way and keeping him from that final release. He’d had a hell of
a time holding it in. She couldn’t have known how close he’d come to exploding
inside her.
Thank the stars he hadn’t, but he could make no promises for next
time…if there ever was a next time. And the way she had him climbing the wall
in frustration there’d better not be, because he knew he would never be able to
hold back.
Ridge glanced at his computer screen. After seven o’clock. He was
dead tired but he was too scared to get in the car and drive home. Yes, he
wasn’t going to tiptoe around it – he was running scared, and it was all the
fault of that petite pixie with jet-black hair and ruby lips, the same one with
the slim waist and full breasts that were so hard to resist. Even as he sat
staring at the computer screen he could taste the strawberry tips-
Ridge jumped. The phone. His cell phone was buzzing in his trousers.
He snapped his attention back to the present and dug into his pocket. When he
glanced at the screen he saw that it was Lani.
He tapped the screen. “Yeah, Lani. What’s up?”
“Ridge, are you going to be home soon? We need to talk.” Her voice
was breathless, like she was excited. Or was that worry he was hearing?
“Is everything okay?” he asked, straightening up.
“Everything’s fine,” she said. “In fact, everything’s perfect.
That’s why I want you home so I can tell you about it.”
Everything is perfect. That was the last thing he’d expected her to
say, under the circumstances. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“I’m not going to tell,” she said, her voice turning cheeky, “until
you get here. Now pack up your work and get your butt home.”
Before he could answer she hung up the phone. Well, the lady had
spoken. There was nothing to do but head on home and hear the great news she
had to share.
As soon as he walked into the house Ridge called out her name.
“Lani, I’m home. Where are you?”
“I’m down here,” she called back and as he turned he saw her coming
from the kitchen. She was all smiles which, for Lani, was not the norm.
“So what’s the great news?” he asked, deciding to cut to the chase.
He was never one for suspense.
“You won’t believe it,” she said, coming to stand right in front of
him. “I found the source for a rare plant I’ve been hunting down for ages.” She
grinned up at him. “I’m leaving for South America in two days.”
***
So this was Manaus, the capital of the Amazonas region. Lani flung
her arms wide and twirled around and around in the hotel room. She was finally
here in Brazil, home to a big portion of the Amazon jungle, the habitat that
would provide her with the secret plant potions she craved.
It hadn’t been easy, getting here. When she dropped the bombshell
Ridge was surprised, which was to be expected. What she hadn’t expected was for
him to go ballistic and demand that she stay right there in Texas and send
someone else.
“No wife of mine is going traipsing through some jungle,” he’d
declared. “Do you know how dangerous the jungle is?”
She’d laughed him off. “I’m hunting for plants,” she’d told him,
“not anacondas and alligators.”
“That doesn’t mean you won’t find some along the way,” he’d
practically snarled. “You’re not going.”
“Oh, yes I am.”
“No, you’re not. Don’t even think about it.”
And so they’d had a huge fight that night until, probably realizing
that she would never back down, he’d finally relented. Sort of. He’d finally
accepted that she was going to Brazil but only, he said, if he went with her.
And so, to Lani’s chagrin, she’d acquired a chaperon and not the
most pleasant one either. He’d been a pain the entire flight, issuing warnings
that she could do without. Now that they were at the hotel she had to thank the
stars he’d gone downstairs to consult the concierge, giving her a well-needed
break. Now she could relax.