Carae's Touch (Long Line of Love, #4) (26 page)

"And maximum?"

"I'd be inclined to view any amount beyond two a total blessing. I'd ideally like to have four or five."

"Five kids?" She'd never planned on having more than two.

"If that's too many, I'll settle for two. But twins only count as one," he warned.

She hesitated. "Caren just discovered that she can't conceive," she said.

He sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that. I assume you're telling me because you'd like to do something to help."

She nodded. "Yes. I would."

"That's something we'll have to discuss, but I need you to bear in mind that I'm not getting any younger and I'd like to have our kids first."

"If we have five kids, I can't imagine wanting to have another one—even to help Caren. What if we have twins first and then one for her?"

"Maybe...provided we're talking artificial insemination. There's absolutely no way her husband or anyone else is getting near you in an intimate manner."

So much for her offer to help Caren in a way Adam would find acceptable. "You've been invading my thoughts," she said.

"You're projecting emotions so powerful that's not necessary," he countered. "I understand your desire to help her, but there are limits, Carae."

"Let's think about it and discuss it later."

He shook his head. "Anything beyond artificial insemination is going to be out of the question. Period."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Carae."

"Yes, I did, but aren't you forgetting something?"

"That it's your body?"

She nodded.

He shook his head again. "Once we're married, it'll also be mine—just as mine already is yours. So are we going to be on the same page with this?"

"If you're going to go all caveman and possessive on me..."

"What?"

She shrugged. "Within limits, possessiveness can be sexy—at least on you."

"And?"

Being married to a man who found it so easy to read her was going to be a challenge. She reached out to loosen the band holding his hair behind his head. When it fell over his shoulders, she stroked her fingers through it. "And caveman looks good on you, sweetie. I like you."

"Like?"

"Okay, caveman, if you want to quibble, I love you."

"How much?"

"Far more than you deserve."

"I'll work very hard to deserve it and you, Carae."

She believed him. "Good because I do love you so much I can almost taste it."

"The feeling is mutual. Are we on the same page about helping Caren?"

She sighed and then nodded. "We're on the same page. Artificial insemination or no go."

"Thank you, beautiful brown eyes."

"You can thank me by not invading my thoughts, buster. Seriously."

"I promise."

"Hmm. I've heard that song before," she said.

"I can't always help it, Carae, but I will do my very best."

"Hmm. I suppose I'll have to be content with that...maybe. Now are you going to actually give me the ring or have you decided to keep it yourself?"

He drew far enough away from her to slip the ring on her finger before pulling her into his arms and rolling onto his back with her on top of him. "Now, how do you plan to show me how much you love me?" he asked, sliding his hands down her back to cup her rear.

"By having your babies and loving every minute of making them."

"Babies as in more than two?"

"I think that can be arranged," she whispered and bent her head to press her lips against his with a passion and tenderness that promised a lifetime of love and devotion.

"D
on't despair. When you least expect it, the hurt from Sam will dissolve and you'll fall head over heels in love again. It could happen at any time in any place. Just make sure you're ready to accept and embrace it when it happens."

Autumn Walker's mother's words flashed into her mind the moment she walked into the condo association meeting and saw him.

The man who caught her attention was tall, with long legs, wide shoulders, a narrow waist, and a taut ass. He might have stepped right off the cover of one of the Native American capture romances she and her friends had devoured as teenagers. She could easily imagine him bare-chested with long, very dark, silky hair pulled back from his face and hanging down his back as he sat astride a horse without a saddle.

Two women, who she suspected were more interested in spending time in his bed than they were in discussing proposed changes in condo fees, commanded his attention.

She stared at him, feeling herself going wet. What woman wouldn't want to be up close and personal with a man who was so sexy just the sight of him generated capture fantasies?

What she wouldn't give for the courage to strut across the room and join the two women clambering for his attention. She sighed. If only she were tall and slender with mounds of flowing locks like the women vying to hold his interest. But the handsome, sexy male who looked as if he'd just finished posing for the cover of a romance novel wasn't likely to be impressed with her five-foot, five-inch plump body or her dark brown skin. He probably preferred the tall, slender, blue-eyed blondes gazing so adoringly up at him.

Almost as if he felt her eyes on him, he suddenly turned his head, glanced briefly in Autumn's direction, looked away, and then did a double take. He arched a brow and locked his gaze with hers.

Embarrassed at having been caught staring, Autumn still couldn't look away from his dark, sexy, probing gaze. Her heart raced and the erotic imagination she'd struggled to control since her divorce quickly flooded her mind with visions of standing naked before him while he ran his big hands all over her body. Her cheeks burned at the delicious thought of feeling his smooth palms spanking her naked, dark ass cheeks until they burned with heat.

Oh to feel him lubing her up before he gripped her hips and fucked her ass, slow and deep. She bit her lip, going wet as she mentally savored the thought of him cupping his hands over her breasts as he thrust in and out of her rear.

She wore a pretty pink dress with a skirt that ended just below her knees. He could easily push it up to expose a hot pink thong. Once he pushed that skimpy piece of fluff aside he'd have easy access to both her ass and her pussy.

He arched a brow while the corners of his sensual lips slowly curved upward into an appreciative smile. His gaze shifted down to her breasts for several long moments before he looked into her eyes again.

Autumn caught her breath. Was she imaging things or did she detect a hint of interest in his gaze? He had definitely checked out her breasts.

Both blondes glanced at Autumn. One touched his arm. The other placed a hand against his chest.

I guess they're telling you he's off limits. As if you need that warning.

The object of all three women's desire turned his attention back to the women at his side.

Autumn released a sigh of disappointment, still unable to tear her gaze away from him. He was so sexy.

He spoke briefly to the two women before turning his attention back to Autumn.

She swallowed and stared into his almost hypnotic eyes. He must be interested in her.

The women spoke to him again, seemingly determined to reclaim his attention.

Briefly turning his gaze back to the women, he flashed a smile and spoke to them.

Autumn watched in amazement as he then quickly strolled towards her, ignoring the women's efforts to keep him at their sides.

She swallowed and moistened her lips while her heart hammered against her ribcage.

He stopped a foot or so in front of her. He extended his hand. "Hello." He had a deep, sexy voice.

"Hi."

"I'm Seneka Elkhorn."

Seneka Elkhorn. Nice name. Nice voice. Nice body. Sexy as hell man.

She held out her hand.

A shiver of anticipation danced down her spine when his fingers closed over hers. She imagined him whispering sweet nothings in her ear in that deep, velvety voice as he caressed her bare skin with the big warm hand cradling hers.

"And you are?"

She blinked. "I'm sorry. What?"

"What's your name? Mine's Seneka Elkhorn."

Get a grip, woman and stop gawking as if you've never met a drop-dead gorgeous hunk. "Autumn Walker."

His eyes lingered on her bare left hand. "Autumn is my favorite time of the year."

"Oh...is it?"

"Oh yes." He smiled. "I see you're not wearing a ring, but is there a Mr. 'She's All Mine So Back Off' lurking somewhere?"

She'd never been happier to be divorced and commitment free. She shook her head. "Not anymore."

His smile widened. "No? This must be my lucky night."

His lucky night? Lost in a haze of erotic fantasies, she racked her brain for some witty remark that would titillate and entertain him while making him want to get to know her.

She stole a glance at his left hand. Bare. Thank God.

The association president went to the podium. "Good evening, everyone. We have a number of issues on the agenda so please find seats so we can begin."

Autumn stifled a groan. Why did the blasted meeting have to start on time? She reluctantly withdrew her hand from his. "I guess I'd better find a seat."

He slipped a hand under her elbow. "Yes. Let's do that."

His fingers on her bare skin sent a tingle through her. She turned back to face him, hoping she'd managed to conceal her emotional turmoil from him. "I see a seat—"

"A seat?" He nodded toward two empty seats on the other side of the room. "There are two over there. Join me?"

She hesitated. Contemplating flirting with him as they waited for the meeting to start was one thing. Sitting with him might be too close to a line she'd never crossed before. Her divorce from Sam still stung. The reason he'd divorced her hadn't changed enough to make a difference in her life.

"Autumn," his fingers tightened on her elbow. He leaned down until his lips were a breath away from her ear. "I won't hurt you," he promised softly.

She stared up into his dark eyes. Why did she feel as if he'd read her mind and knew of her hurt? "What?"

"You can trust me, Autumn."

Trust didn't come easy. Sam had broken her heart, injured her pride, and damaged her self-esteem. When Sam left her, she'd decided lost love hurt and that love in general was overrated. Since then she had managed to remain romantically unscathed by channeling all her time and energy into preparing her students for careers in math and science.

Some of her students had done very well. She found satisfaction in celebrating their triumphs with them. Her life wasn't exciting. It was safe. Safety was important.

He caressed her elbow.  "You can trust me, Autumn."

Her desire to accept his word and trust him gave her pause. She knew nothing about him except that she found him more sexually exciting than any man she'd ever met. He seemed to want to spend at least an hour or so in her company. An hour wouldn't make much difference to him but it might act as a balm to her wounded ego.

She smiled up at him. "Okay."

"Great." He gave her a slow, warm smile before he led her over to the two empty chairs on the other side of the room. Once she was seated he sat so close to her, his thigh pressed against hers.

She attempted to draw her thigh away from his.

He responded by shifting in his seat in a manner that allowed him to press his thigh against hers again.

She inhaled sharply and glanced at him.

He arched a brow and ensured she was even more aware of him by sliding an arm along the back of her chair. He leaned so close she felt his breath on her cheek. "Relax, Autumn. I don't bite—at least not in public."

She blushed and turned her attention back to the front of the room. If he touched her, she wasn't sure how she'd respond.

He didn't.

Nevertheless, she spent the entire meeting wondering if he were as aware of her as she was of him. His thigh pressing against hers seemed to indicate he was yet each time she stole a glance at him, his attention was on the podium. Later, she couldn't remember how she'd voted on the proposed condo fees.

After the meeting ended, he turned to look at her. "So you're all for increased condo fees?"

"What makes you think that?"

He shrugged. "You raised your hand when the president asked for a show of hands of those in favor of the higher fees."

"I did?"

His lips twitched. "You did."

"Oh...hell!"

He laughed. "It would probably have passed anyway. Now for a really important question, do you have any plans for the rest of the night?"

"No.

"Will you have a drink with me?"

The thought that she might somehow parlay the drink invitation into a night of wanton and uncommitted sex, excited her senses and helped relax her inhibitions. "I'd like that," she admitted.

"So would I." He smiled.

He smiled a lot and lord what a warm, intimate smile. He was so handsome it was difficult not to stare at him.

"Are you ready, Autumn?"

After three years of celibacy she was more than ready to subject herself to any situation that would increase the possibility of their ending up in bed for the night. As improbable as she'd thought it before the meeting started, she was now convinced he shared her sexual interest.

She nodded. "Yes, I'm ready."

"Great." He rose. "Do you have any objections to Patty's?"

Patty's was an upscale bar two blocks from their condo complex. She'd had drinks there twice with friends. "No, I don't."

"Do you mind walking?"

Walking would extend their time together. "It's a nice night for a walk."

He nodded. "It's a very nice night, Autumn."

The steady glance he gave her left her in no doubt that he felt her presence increased the beauty of the night. She smiled.

He extended his hand towards the exit. "Then let's go."

* * *

T
hey walked to Patty's without speaking. Surprisingly, she felt comfortable with him and with the silence.