Authors: Lindsay McKenna
Lifting a strand of her hair, he leaned down and pressed his face against it. Her hair combined softness and strength as she did. There was a faint scent of plumaria, one of the lei flowers of
Hawaii
, to her hair and he realized that she'd washed it last night with that small bar of soap that had the same fragrance. Gently, he laid the strand back across her shoulder. The covers had slipped off during the night, revealing the swell of her breasts, and the towel she'd worn to bed had long since dropped away. They were naked, lying together, sharing their body heat.
Craig watched as Sabra took in a slow, deep breath. She moved slightly, pressing against him, as if realizing he'd moved away from her. The corners of his mouth pulled up in a soft smile. Leaning down, he touched his lips to her smooth, high cheek. He became lost in the fragrance of her, his fingers tunneling gently through her hair, easing her back just enough so he could find her parted lips. In the midst of his spinning senses, Craig heard himself say
no,
the word repeating in his head as Sabra moaned beneath him, her lips opening to receive his questing kiss.
His dreaminess turned to heat as he felt her awaken beneath his exploring kiss. Her lips parted, soft and pliant against him. Sliding his hand around the back of her head, Craig brought Sabra's mouth fully to his. She smelled of heady plumaria, her breath was coming raggedly in time with his own. Unable to stop himself, he closed his eyes and deepened the kiss, his lips moving against hers. This time, he wanted to do more than take; he wanted to share with her. In moments, he'd eased Sabra onto her back and framed her face with his hands. As he opened his eyes, Craig saw the smoky gray of hers looking up at him—filled with a smoldering desire. Desire for him. Nothing else mattered right now. Only her. Only them.
"I need you," he rasped unsteadily, moving his hand down over her collarbone to the ripe curve of her breast, feeling her skin tighten beneath his exploration. He waited, not wanting to force himself on her, not willing to take unfair advantage of their dangerous situation. He could see the sleepiness in her wonderful eyes, along with unmistakable fire. His mind swirling with new and confusing feelings, Craig hesitated, trying to focus on the harsh reality: people just didn't fall in love this fast. Or did they? He remembered Sabra telling him how her parents had fallen in love the first time they saw each other. Briefly, Craig wondered if these feelings could be something like that. Then he forced the crazy thoughts aside. Whatever the possibilities for other people, he knew he wasn't worthy of being loved that way.
Easing his hand around her breast, he saw her lashes flutter closed. Her lips parted even more, and she arched against him. Good. She wanted this as much as he did. Craig wasn't sure of Sabra's reasons, but he didn't want to talk right now. All he wanted to do was worship her, let her know in his own male way how much he needed her. She was offering herself to him, whatever her reasons, and he humbly accepted the gift.
The scorching touch of Craig's fingers as they caressed her breast, finding the tightly raised nipple, made Sabra gasp with pleasure. When his moist mouth covered the hardened bud, suckling her, she gave a small cry and pressed herself hard against him, locked in the strength of his arms. She had awakened out of a torrid dream of him skimming his hand across her naked body, igniting heat and urgency though her. Where did the dream end and reality begin? It didn't matter to Sabra. She'd only wanted Craig to hold her, to love her.
Never had she felt this kind of urgency. Never had a man's touch made her cry out with need, as she pleaded with him to complete her. She clung to his demanding hardness as he suckled her, twisting beneath him as his hands ranged downward, his roughened fingers leaving a trail of fire in the wake of his exploration. An ache built intensely within her, and Sabra moaned. As his hand slid between her damp thighs, she opened to his continued exploration. A wild, tingling sensation exploded through her at his gentle touch. Then she felt him move above her, his knee guiding her thighs farther apart. Never had she wanted a man the way she did him.
Sabra's ragged breathing caught and held deep within her as she felt Craig settle his weight upon her. Mindlessly, she thrust her hips forward. A powerful sensation filled her, and a small cry escaped her throat. She threw back her head, aching to meet him and take him deeply within her. His sliding heat filled her as she began to rock with him, melding into a oneness that left her sobbing and clinging to him. His mouth plundered hers as he thrust hard and deep into her, taking her, claiming her, making her his in all ways. Their bodies were moist, sliding against each other as his powerful thrusts went deeper. Her legs caught and tangled with his.
The fire in her culminated. Sabra felt Craig stiffen against her, his arm crushing her to him. A cry began somewhere deep within her as she tensed against him, feeling the heat unfurl rapidly through her. A wild, dizzying sensation held her captive as a hot river of pleasure coursed through her. She felt Craig's brow press against hers. He groaned, his hands digging into her shoulders as he pinned her against the bed.
A broken smile pulled at Sabra's lips as she relaxed within his grip, absorbing his weight, strength and power. The moments eddied and swirled around them, and she weakly rested her arms across his shoulders.
Ever so gently, Craig took her lips, testing them as if they were some treasured, fragile possession. Undeniable joy flowed through her, along with an overwhelming sense of protection. Barely lifting her lashes, she saw Craig looking down at her through hooded, smoldering eyes. His face glistened with sweat, his mouth strong, his gaze tender as he regarded her in the silence. She smiled a little, then closed her eyes and sighed, content to be in his arms.
She felt his fingers tunnel through her hair and gently begin to massage her scalp in a sensation as wonderful as it was unexpected. He trailed a series of small kisses from her brow to her nose, over her cheek finally coming to rest on her lips. This time his kiss was long and slow, filled with reverence. Sabra returned his kiss with equal heat and felt him smile against her mouth. Before she could ask why he was smiling, he'd eased away from her and brought her on top of him. The smile in his eyes told her everything as she relaxed against him. She placed her hands on his chest and rested her chin on top of them, caught in the unrestrained joy dancing in his dark blue eyes.
Craig tugged the covers back up and over them, then rested his hands on her upper arms. The light he saw in Sabra's eyes was clearly happiness, not regret, and for that he was thankful. Running his fingers across her silky shoulder, he collected her damp hair and smoothed it behind her graceful neck.
"You have the most beautiful hair," he murmured.
"And you're just plain beautiful."
He grinned a little. "I've been called a lot of things in my life, but ‘beautiful' wasn't one of them."
Sabra luxuriated in her position atop him. Feeling his returning strength, she pressed her hips more firmly against his, to show him her appreciation of him. The change in his eyes was instantaneous; then became hooded with desire once more.
"When I first saw you, that was the word that came to mind," she said, her voice a little breathless. She slid her fingers across his brow and gently tamed several rebellious strands of his hair back into place.
"I won't tell you what I thought."
She grinned, caught up in the moment of shared intimacy. "You can tell me. I'm a big girl."
"I know you are," he murmured appreciatively, absorbing her fleeting touch, "but my thoughts were purely X-rated, believe me."
"Hmm." Sabra leaned down, caressing his mouth and feeling his immediate response. His hands ranged downward beneath the covers, outlining her ribs, waist and hips.
"You are incredible," he rasped against her lips. "Beautiful, warm and incredible."
Sabra reveled in his low, husky voice, feeling his words thrum through her as if she were a drum being struck. Every movement of his body, every breath he took she took with him.
Craig brought her close, pressing her against his length. She rested her cheek against his chest, and as he moved his hand slowly up and down her arm, she thought she'd never felt so content in all her life.
Craig took a deep breath and released it. Gently, he eased Sabra to his side and rested his chin against her hair. He knew it must be near noon and they had to get up, though it was the last thing he wanted to do. He wanted to spend the day here, with her in his arms, loving her all over again. Outside the motel room, traffic noise told of the ceaseless coming and going of tourists. The motel was right next to the Lahaina shopping district, where they all came to spend their money.
"Last night," Sabra whispered, gently moving her fingers through the thick tangle of hair on his chest, "I thought we were going to die. I was so afraid, Craig. More afraid than I'd ever been."
"Because of me?"
She eased away just enough to look into his dark blue eyes. "No."
He grazed her lower lip with his teeth. "What then?"
Her lip tingled beneath his butterfly caress, and it took her a long moment to collect her scattered thoughts. "I was caught off guard last night, Craig. I wasn't reacting the way I should have. You took over."
He smiled a little and slid his hand along her flushed cheek. "You sound amazed."
She had the good grace to blush. "Let's just say any doubts I might have had about you are gone."
"You didn't do anything wrong last night, Sabra."
She frowned and slid her hand over his. "I know. I guess…the nightmares you had, Craig, made me question whether you could handle the stress of a life-threatening situation."
"You had every right to question me." Easing into a sitting position, Craig brought Sabra into his arms and pulled the covers up. "Settle back against me, okay?"
She nodded, surrendering to his embrace. Was life really this good? Taking a deep breath, she whispered, "Please, tell me what happened to you, Craig." She stroked his beard-stubbled cheek and saw the pain come back to his eyes. "So many times, I almost asked you," she continued quickly. "I know you didn't want to tell me. But we're in danger here, and we may not make it Craig. Let's share ourselves with each other. I'm not the type for a one-night stand."
"I know that," he said gruffly, capturing her hand and kissing it gently. He felt as if he was drowning in Sabra's compassionate eyes. "Do you know how you make me feel?"
"No," she breathed.
"Like I want to live again," he whispered unsteadily, touching her hair, smoothing it away from her shoulder. "What I have to tell you is pretty bad, Sabra. You may not want to be with me after I tell you all of it."
She shook her head. "No. I'd never feel that way."
He looked down at her grimly. "We'll see. I've never told anyone about it. I was too ashamed, I guess." His mouth quirked, and he looked up at the ceiling, holding her a little more tightly against him. "After I tell you, I know you'll leave me…."
Craig hesitated. Once Sabra realized just how much of a coward he'd been, she'd surely leave his side, her eyes filled with accusation and disgust. Still, the gentle touch of her fingers grazing his jaw suggested otherwise. It was a chance he was going to have to take, he decided. As he forced the words between his lips they came out in a rasp.
"I was stationed at
Camp
Reed
three years ago," he began. "A Marine Recon, Lieutenant Cal Talbot, busted up his leg on one of those rocky, cactus-strewn hills during war games. I was at the weather desk at Ops when the call came in. The wind was really gusting—maybe thirty or forty miles an hour—coming in off the Pacific. Talbot's team was calling for immediate pickup because he was bleeding to death. He'd not only broken his leg, he'd cut into an artery. They'd applied a tourniquet trying to stop the worst of the bleeding, but the situation was grim.
"I volunteered because his last name was Talbot, like mine. My copilot, Brent Summers told me we should do it—that it wasn't every day I could save one of my relatives out in the field." Craig scowled, nervously running his hand up and down Sabra's velvety arm. "He wasn't a relative, of course, but Summers and I tended to be high risk takers, so we went for it. When we reached the area, I realized the high-tension electric lines were too close to the pickup area. I couldn't land, because they were on the side of a very steep hill, and we could see that the Recons couldn't move the officer to better ground."