Love's Last Chance (22 page)

“I’ve never been here before.”

“Kind of like home.”

“Yeah. Very Manhattan.” She smiled.

“So, I’m a little homesick. Don’t laugh.”
But she couldn’t suppress a giggle. “Nice,” he muttered.

The continental menu was extensive. Johnny
reached over and covered her hand with his as they discussed what
to eat. When the waiter arrived, Johnny selected a bottle of
Riesling. The wine came before they placed their orders.

“I’ll have the organic salad with shrimp,”
Dorrie said.

“Porterhouse steak, medium.”

The waiter filled their wine glasses and
left.

Johnny squeezed Dorrie’s hand. “When can you
move in?”

“Move in?”

“My house. It’s big, plenty of room. I have
a surprise for you, too.”

“Live with you, hmm. Hadn’t considered
that.”

“I don’t know what more I can do to convince
you how I feel. I’m an action man, not too good with words.”

She looked at his handsome face and dark
hair curling around his forehead. She’d never seen him in a suit
and tie. The navy blue suit, white shirt, and Kelly green-striped
tie made him appear a bit older, more mature. He was irresistible.
Like I could ever resist him, even in cutoffs or a bathing suit.
Especially in a bathing suit.
She smiled.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. You look great all dressed
up.”

“I’m a businessman. I dress the part. So,
you’re moving in, aren’t you?”

“Can I think about it for five minutes?”

He checked his watch. “Five minutes? Sure.
Go!”

She laughed.

“This was your idea, Dorrie, to talk in two
weeks. You wanted to know how I felt. Whether or not you should
come back to New York. I said stay here and advance your career,
and you’re doing just that. I came to join you. What more can I
do?”

“You’re right. This is fabulous. I need time
to get used to it.”

He lowered his voice. “Take all the time you
want, in my house, in my bed.”

The waiter appeared with their food and
poured more wine. Each dish was presented beautifully. Dorrie’s
mouth watered. The salad had each ingredient laid out neatly on a
bed of mixed greens.

“The salad is to your liking, miss?” The
server asked. After she nodded, he mixed it all together and added
the dressing before giving a small bow and leaving.

“Still eating salad?” John cut off a piece
of steak.

“Old habits die hard.”

“It looks pretty good…for salad,” he said,
eying her plate.

“That’s a huge steak.”

“Here,” he said, slicing off a piece and
offering it to her. She closed her lips around the succulent meat
and pulled it off the fork. Their eyes met. He dropped a kiss on
her nose while she chewed. They ate in silence for a while. Dorrie
buttered a piece of crusty French bread and sat back. “Okay. Take
me to your house.”

Johnny smiled. “Great! I don’t have to order
dessert.” He leaned over to brush her lips with his. Her pulse
kicked up at the touch of his lips.
You’re the one. The one I
wanted all along. I didn’t know it then, but I know it now.
She
touched his cheek, and he pulled away, his eyes glittering with
love and lust.

“What took you so long?” she whispered.

He laughed. “You make me play a guessing
game. I never know what you want.”

“I want you.”

He put down his utensils and beamed at her.
“That’s all I need to know.”

When they finished dinner, the busboy
cleared away their plates. The man serving them asked about dessert
and coffee. Dorrie shook her head, a touch embarrassed.
Bet it’s
a king-size bed.
John looked at her, and a knowing smile
crossed his face. The waiter blushed and left them quickly. The
lovers held hands while they waited for the check. The heat of his
stare burned through the thin fabric of her dress, warming her
blood.

After he paid the bill, John guided her back
to his car with a slight pressure from his hand on her lower back.
Even such a gentle touch stoked the fire for him that smoldered
within. He drove the silent vehicle expertly, pulling into the
driveway of a three-story, Victorian house. Dorrie gasped, and her
mouth hung open when she saw the gingerbread work, the tall
windows, and a big front porch.

“Like it?”

“Where did you find a Victorian in the land
of Spanish architecture?”

“It wasn’t easy. I had three real estate
agents chasing their tails for weeks, looking for this house.”

She turned to him. “You did that for me? You
know Victorian is my favorite style.” She took his face in her
hands and planted a big kiss on his lips.

“I told you. My coming out here is all about
you. I let you get away once by being a jerk. I decided I’d never
let that happen again.”

Goosebumps popped out on Dorrie’s arm as
Johnny took her hand and led her up the steps. “Our house,” he
murmured.

She turned her head sharply at his words.
Am I dreaming? To live in this house with Johnny. A dream come
true. Is marriage too much to hope for?

He took her on a tour of the charming house
with Victorian details in every room.

“This isn’t really an old house. It’s a new
Victorian…if you can say that,” he chuckled.

“Yeah, they don’t have two-hundred-year-old
houses out here. But they also don’t have snow. Works for me.”

“I could get used to that,” he said as they
entered the kitchen.

Dorrie marveled at how spacious it was.
After several years of being crammed into an apartment, having a
big kitchen to share with only John was thrilling. She ran her hand
along the dark granite countertop, then the oyster white cabinets,
too. A soft, light gray on the walls reflected the shiny chrome
fixtures, the stainless steel sink, and the copper pots and pans
hanging from black metal hooks. She opened the cabinets, which were
sparsely filled with a few white ironstone dishes.

“I’m only renting this. But it’s possible I
could buy it…if you like it.”

“Like it? I love it!” She was in his embrace
in a second.

“It’s not a beach house like ole Dracula had
for you…”

“It’s wonderful, Johnny. You don’t have to
compete with Gunther. I’m yours, hook, line, and sinker.” She threw
her arms around his neck and hugged him. He lowered his mouth to
hers and began to work his magic. Passion flowed through her
veins.

“More,” she breathed before returning her
lips to his.

He broke from her and grabbed her hand.
Leading her up the stairs, he turned to the right on the second
floor. The door opened onto a beautiful bedroom. The walls were a
gentle lemon yellow. The huge bed was covered in a fabric with
stripes of yellow, light turquoise, spring green, and white. Six
fluffy pillows were laid out perfectly, inviting her to rest her
head.

Curtains of the same pattern graced long,
elegant windows. An old-fashioned dresser, painted white, had an
ornate mirror stretching from one side to the other. A pair of
small, white nightstands flanked the bed. Each had a short,
ruffled, milk glass lamp.
Perfect for reading.
The room
sparkled. There wasn’t a speck of dust anywhere.
He must have
had it cleaned today. Johnny’s not a neat freak.

“Like it?” He shot a worried glance at
her.

“It’s gorgeous. I love it!” She leapt onto
the bed, bouncing and laughing. He followed her, pulling her under
him for a seductive kiss. She softened.
My prince. Who knew this
womanizer could change?

“You’re full of surprises.” she said, when
they broke for air.

“I’m not done yet.”

The importance of the house faded as Johnny
continued his assault on her mouth. His hand crept up to cover her
breast, and she pressed her hips against his.

“If you do that,” he breathed.

“What?”

He bent his head to kiss her neck while he
continued to massage her. “You feel real good,” he mumbled.

Dorrie pulled his shirt out and slipped her
fingers underneath. She skimmed her hand over his skin, pushing
into his back muscles, making him groan.

“How do I…” he asked as she flipped over. He
unzipped the lavender cotton dress all the way down to her butt,
allowing it to fall away from her shoulders. He unsnapped her bra
and rolled her back over to face him. He slowly slid the garment
down, followed by her bra, leaving her wearing only lacy pink
panties. His eyes created heat as they studied her bare beauty.

“You are gorgeous,” he said.

Dorrie tugged at his tie. John sat up long
enough to pull it free and unbutton his shirt. He shrugged it off
his shoulders in a few seconds, and then his T-shirt, revealing his
muscled chest, covered with brown hair.

She drank in his image like a starving
person inhales food. She’d always loved to look at his body, but
was shy. She didn’t want him to think his looks were the most
important thing to her. So she’d sneak a peek from time to time.
Now, she stared openly, mesmerized by the masculine sexiness that
poured off him.
Johnny’s always been sex on wheels.
Flattening her palms on his chest as he pulled her closer, she
inhaled his delicious scent, mixed with a spicy aftershave.

Dorrie reluctantly lifted her fingertips to
his cheek. “Smooth.”

“Don’t want to leave any beard burn on you,
honey.”

She raised her eyebrows, making him chuckle.
He placed his hands on her chest.

“A perfect fit,” he muttered, squeezing
gently then moving in on her peaks. His mouth descended as he eased
her down on the bed. “Let me taste you, baby.”

Dorrie lost her hands in his hair and rained
tiny kisses on him while he made love to her breasts. She closed
her eyes as fire sped through her veins. A growing urgency between
her legs made her squirm. She needed him. Inching her hand between
their bellies, she pulled his belt loose and unzipped his
pants.

“Anxious, aren’t we? What’s your hurry?” He
raised his head.

“I want you.”

“Not nearly as much as you’re going to want
me in a few minutes.” He snickered.

She reached in and wrapped her fingers
around his hard shaft. “I see I’m not alone.” She laughed.

“Surprised? You always make me hard.” Johnny
slipped his hands around her waist and down her back, maneuvering
his fingers under the waistband of her panties. He gripped her
behind then dipped a finger between her thighs. She arched into him
and closed her eyes, tightening her hold on him.

“Hey, take it easy!” He removed her hand
then went back to exploring her soft flesh.

“You make me lose control,” she
murmured.

“Everything’s my fault.” He laughed, nipping
at her neck and slipping his finger inside her.

“Oh my God, Johnny. Please.”

He pulled her hips flush up against him and
moved slowly back and forth as he kissed her breasts, rolling her
nipples. Talking stopped as the heat between them threatened to
ignite the sheets. John shed his clothes while Dorrie quickly
peeled her underwear down and kicked them off.

He parted her knees and pulled her ankles
around his waist. She lifted, locking them behind him. He rubbed
himself up and down her warm flesh, spreading her wetness before he
slipped inside her. She groaned loudly and arched her chest into
his.

“God, Dorrie,” he said, closing his eyes and
moving in and out, in a steady rhythm.

She clutched him to her, moaning into his
neck. She unhooked her ankles and raised one leg higher so he could
penetrate her completely. John ran his hand down then up her calf
and closed his fingers around her thigh, holding her position as he
increased his pace.

Their bodies rocked, completely in sync.
Dorrie closed her lips on the fleshy part of his shoulder as
passion sent her temperature soaring. She bit down as gently as she
could as need spiraled up and up, ripping orgasmic release through
every inch of her body. Her hips undulated, moving with Johnny. He
raised his head, his eyes dark pools of passion.

“Hope I didn’t hurt you?” she said,
breathing heavily.

“Can’t feel anything above my waist, babe.”
He grunted as she clenched her muscles around him.

“Feel that?” She cocked an eyebrow.

He laughed. “Hell yeah! Do it again.” She
did it twice more, and he increased his pace, sweat breaking out on
his forehead. As he thrust harder, desire began to build again in
Dorrie. He pounded into her again and again, groaning her name.
Suddenly the fire inside her became unbearable.

Tension built, coiling up like a tightly
wound spring. John lowered his lips to her peak, sending her over
the top. She called out his name as pleasure shot through her body
all the way to her toes.

Taken over by her orgasm, she didn’t hear
him chuckle for a moment or two. She slid her hands over his butt
and squeezed. He looked into her eyes just before she pulled his
mouth to hers. She wanted him in every way. Her lips and tongue
ravaged his. His hand closed around her waist, holding her still as
he uttered a loud groan and stopped. He lowered himself down on
her, supporting some, but not all his weight.

She closed her arms around him, stroking his
back. His warm breath tickled her neck as his fingers stroked the
side of her breast. “I love you, Dorrie,” he whispered.

Truth poured from her, uncensored. “I love
you, too. Say you’ll never leave me. I couldn’t bear it.” She
cringed when she realized what she’d revealed. Ever since Gunther
had deserted her, she had been terrified of that happening again.
Her fear of abandonment kept her from forming any close
relationships, always keeping each new man at arm’s length. Then
she saw Johnny again, and she was a goner.

“Never. Never, sweetheart.” Her eyes watered
and emotion closed her throat. She tried to hold back, but her body
was too relaxed to exert her normal self-control. Tears slipped
down her cheeks.