Authors: Jerrie Alexander
“Should we take Diablo?” she asked.
“He’ll never forgive us if we don’t.” He looked down at his dog. “Come on, boy.” Marcus adjusted his Glock and followed Chris outside.
The walk down the dock felt good. His hand itched to slide around her shoulders and pull her closer. Instead, he thoroughly scanned the camp. The breeze was light, and for late afternoon, the cove was quiet. The angle of the sun banked off her face and hair, giving her an unnatural glow. He liked Chris, probably too much.
“So, you’re not mad at me anymore for scaring you?” He sat on the bench, stretching his legs out in front of him.
She joined him, sitting close with their thighs touching. “Hard for me to be mad, since I was in the wrong. I let myself get caught up in the beauty of the lake. It was a dumb move, and you reminded me this wasn’t a weekend getaway.”
Marcus put his arm around her. He wanted to tell her that after this was over, he’d bring her back for a vacation if she wished. That thought ended when she slipped off her shoes and climbed down to sit on the edge of the dock.
“I have to dip my toes in.” She scooted even closer to the edge of the dock then stuck her feet in the lake.
“You probably shouldn’t wiggle your toes too much,” he teased as he moved behind her. He spread his legs, placing her between his thighs. Diablo trotted to the end of the dock and drop down like a log.
“Why not?”
“This lake is known for monster catfish. I’d hate to have one think you were dinner.”
“Stop it. I’m not afraid of a fish.” She leaned against his chest and sighed.
Marcus kept their surroundings in mind, but at the same time, he memorized the sound of her sigh. When this was over, and she was safe and at peace with the world, he might never hear it again.
They stayed until the sun dropped out of sight. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news.”
“We need to go inside.”
“Yeah.” He stood to help her up just as Diablo ran straight past them and took a long leap into the water.
Chris squealed with laughter as water splashed on them both. “He’s a water dog,” she said in between peals of laughter.
“News to me.” Marcus joined her laughter as Diablo discovered the water was shallow. He jumped on every leaf that drifted past. After a few minutes, Marcus picked up her shoes and guided her back to the front of the dock. Diablo came bounding out of the lake, stopped and shook water everywhere. Marcus caught him by the collar and said, “Grab a towel and toss it to me.”
Chris did better than toss a towel. She returned with two and helped dry the big mutt. She knelt and even wiped the dog’s paws.
“I hope he appreciates you.” Marcus found himself laughing again when Diablo rewarded her with a face lick.
“He knows who loves him.”
She was wet, muddy, and radiant looking up at him. The sun had almost disappeared, but Marcus felt the sunshine in his soul. “Now you’re the one with wet feet.” He scooped her into his arms.
“Marcus,” she whispered against his neck. “Look at me.”
He turned his head toward her, and she kissed him. Her hands filtered through his short hair and her fingers gripped his head, holding him to her. All rational thought abandoned him. He took control, exploring the sweet taste and warmth of her mouth.
How they managed to get themselves and Diablo inside would forever remain a mystery, but Marcus closed the door, locked it, and then turned her to straddle his hips. Her legs wrapped tightly around him.
“Am I always going to be the one who makes the first move?” She nipped at the corners of his mouth, driving him crazy.
“You talk too much.” He took the towels from her and tossed them into the kitchen sink. Then he caught the corners of her blouse and lifted the soft material off her, dropping it where they stood.
All that separated him from her lush, full breasts was a flesh-colored bra. He considered ripping it off. She laughed and quickly removed it, adding it the growing pile on the floor.
“You’re a mind reader, too?” he asked, lowering his head to stroke her nipple with his tongue.
“Maybe.” Her voice had deepened, lusty and short of breath.
“Then what am I going to do next?” Before she could answer, he slid his hands under her bottom and lifted her up so that her nipple was within his reach, pebbled and ripe for him. He sucked the tip into his mouth, rolling and nipping. When she moaned, he swapped to the other breast. Jesus, the woman smelled and tasted like heaven.
“You’re going to put me down,” she whispered.
“I don’t think so.”
“I can’t undress you until you do.” She relaxed her legs.
“You’re going to undress me?”
“I am.”
“Hold that thought.” He swung her back into his arms. The sun had completely disappeared, so he snapped on the kitchen light and then carried her up the stairs to the only bed in the house. He slipped his hands under her arms and slowly slid her down until her feet touched the floor.
“That gun was in the way while my legs were wrapped around you. Why don’t you put it on the nightstand?”
“Done.” He did as she requested and then reached for her, wanting to get back to enjoying her beautiful breasts.
Chris took his arms and pushed them to his sides. “No touching while I’m at work.” Her tone was firm, but her eyes sparkled with fun. “Okay?”
“Okay, but I’ve never been into the master and submissive lifestyle. So if you think you’re going to spank me, you should know that I’ll spank back.”
“I might be bossy, but I’m not into pain.” Her small hands slipped under his shirt and up his chest. She caught his nipples and tweaked them. She lifted his shirt over his head, one inch at a time. “You’re a gorgeous man, Marcus Ricci.”
“We’ve had this conversation. You’ve cornered that market.”
“You really don’t know.” She raked a fingernail across his nipple. “I like that.”
“How much longer do I have to stand like a kid waiting for the principal to tell me I can move?”
“Such impatience.” She went to work on his belt.
His erection had been pushed against his zipper far too long, and he sighed with relief as she pulled his jeans down. Standing with his hands to his sides proved to be more difficult than he’d imagined. Chris, naked from the waist up, was like setting a glass of water in front of a man dying of thirst and telling him he couldn’t have a drink.
“Sit on the bed so I can get your boots off.”
He complied and considered letting her try to remove them. Instead, he toed them off then smiled up at her. “You didn’t say I couldn’t use my legs or feet.”
With that, he wrapped his legs around her and pulled her on top of him. She landed with a squeal.
Laughing, they forgot her mandate. He rolled her under him, sat back on his knees, and made quick work of the rest of her clothes. He stopped and feasted his eyes on her. Marcus trailed his hand across her creamy skin, pausing at her core. She lifted her hips, enabling him to easily slide a finger inside her wet heat. Her gaze dropped to watch him. Damn, he wished he was better at saying the sexy stuff she probably wanted to hear. Instead, he went with the truth. “It should be against the law to cover this body with clothes.”
“You talk too much.” She turned his own words on him and then cupped his face with her hands. “I need you to make love to me. Now.”
“But—” There was so much more he wanted to do for her.
“Now.”
“I try to never argue with a lady.” He quickly covered himself and returned to her. “You’re the boss. Remember?” He pulled her astride him.
Chris rose above him, grasped his erection, and guided him to her body. Slowly, she lowered herself until every inch of him was seated deep inside. Her eyes closed, and her head tilted back. For a few seconds, neither of them moved.
She leaned forward. Brought her lips to his. That one simple movement of her hips sent him barreling toward the edge. No way was he coming too soon. He’d count backward, study the pattern on the curtains, or repeat his license number in his head. This was about her pleasure.
She rocked back and forth, her hips undulating slowly at first. She moaned and picked up speed, giving Marcus the cue to move. He caught her hips in his hands and met her stroke for stroke. Her hair swung free and her eyes closed as she lost herself in pleasure. Pleasure he could give her.
“Marcus,” she whispered, bearing down on him, her contractions pulsing around him.
Her spasms broke his restraint. He tightened his grip and pounded into her until nothing existed but the two of them. His groan filled the room as he exploded. She collapsed on top of him, as both of them gasped for breath.
In the silence, they were one.
It had happened too fast. Next time, he’d make love to her nice and slow.
Diablo’s growl brought Marcus crashing back to earth. The loft gave him the perfect view of the cabin floor except for the back door. The dog was on his feet facing that direction. He didn’t have to tell Chris to stay quiet. She’d slipped off the bed and moved out of the line of vision of anyone on the lower level. Marcus slid on his jeans quietly and palmed his Glock.
“What is it, boy?” No way did he want the dog involved in a fight. He’d worked too hard to wipe those ideas from Diablo’s mind. He walked to the railing but saw nothing. “I’m going down.”
Whatever had disturbed Diablo had to be outside. The cabin was one big room with no place to hide except the bathroom. He jogged downstairs and looked around. Nothing. “Chris,” he said. “I’m going out.”
“Hang on. I’m coming.” She hurried down the stairs to join him, grabbing her gun from her purse after handing off his things.
“Come,” he called Diablo to his side. “We’ll be right back.” A trip around the cabin then down the dock and back revealed nothing. The dog didn’t sense danger, so they went indoors.
“No telling what he heard. I didn’t see anything.”
“Might have been the cat I saw up at the store.”
“Could have been.” Marcus’s gaze locked on her chest. She’d obviously pulled a T-shirt from her suitcase without paying much attention. The outlines of her breasts and nipples made his mouth water.
“I like it when you look at me like that,” she virtually purred the words.
“I’d like it if you never put that bra on again. Would I sound crude if I say that I can’t get enough of your body?” His zipper dug into his growing erection.
“Interesting.” Her gaze dropped to the bulge in his jeans. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“We really should work on the files.” He closed the distance between them, slid his hands under her shirt and lifted her breasts in his palms. “Perfect fit.”
“You think?” Her hands slipped around his shoulders.
“We’ll work extra hard later.” He started to pick her up again, but she slid her hand down the front of his jeans. She found plenty to hold on to, because he was hard as a rock again.
“Where were we?” she asked.
It occurred to him, in a fleeting thought, that he couldn’t remember feeling this strongly about a woman in years. She’d found a tiny opening in his heart and had walked right in, bringing fun, humor, and gut-wrenching need back into his life.
She nipped the tip of his nipple, snapping his attention back to her. “I’m trying to seduce you. Focus.”
Chapter 20
Chris woke to the aroma of coffee brewing. The bedside clock read seven fifteen, making her wonder how long Marcus had been up. Had he rested at all? She’d slept like a rock, having been thoroughly satisfied and weak. She stretched her arms overhead and pointed her toes. She discovered a few sore places that hadn’t been there before last night. Marcus was an inventive and voracious lover. A grin spread across her face. He wasn’t the only one who’d been brazen. Somewhere around midnight, she’d lost count of the number of orgasms she’d had.
Marcus might be quiet in public, but in bed, he held nothing back. How would he act toward her after last night? The first time they’d made love, he’d reverted to the stoic private investigator. It was as if he’d hidden behind the job. He wasn’t the kind of man who hopped in and out of bed with women. Could she give him the space to figure out how to move on?
The only way to find out was to join him. She showered, braided her hair into a rope hanging down her back, and dressed.
She met him coming up the stairs. “Good morning.” She’d worked hard not to deliver that sentence as a question.
“It is, for a fact.” He kissed her, put a cup of coffee in her hand, and then led her down the steps.
A heavy rock floated off her shoulders. Her heart relaxed. His brown eyes had a twinkle in them this morning, replacing the hard edge they usually wore. Different aromas mingled and filled the air. What better combination could a girl have to start the day than fresh coffee, Marcus after a shower, and frying bacon?
“Hungry?”