Wilderness Passion (19 page)
Libby couldn’t suppress a chuckle, her eyes lighting up with happiness. “Do we have to wait until next May?” she baited, a blush staining her cheeks.
Dan grinned. “No,” he said seductively, gathering her up in his arms. “As a matter of fact,” he continued, lifting her upward and walking toward the bedroom, “we can start on that project right now. Are you game?”
She threw her arms around his neck, laughing with him. “I should hope so, Dan Wagner!”
“Good,” he said, leaning over and kissing her soundly. He placed her on the bed and then lay down beside her. “I wasn’t going to wait anyway,” he growled.
Her golden hair was nearly dry, tumbling across her shoulders as she rested against his body. Her brown eyes danced with mirth as she leaned her chin on his chest “You won’t get any argument from me,” she declared, pressing her hips against him, delighting in his male response.
Their playful attitude suddenly changed. Dan stared down at her, realizing that, only hours before, Libby could have died. She would not be in his arms now—alive, warm, vital and loving. His blue eyes darkened and he leaned down, inhaling her wonderful female fragrance, brushing her cheek with his. “I love you,” he whispered hoarsely, on the brink of tears. “I love you more than life, Libby.” He embraced her tightly, forgetting how strong he was, wanting to make her a part of him forever.
Tears streaked down her cheeks as she met and matched his feverish kiss, hungrily pressing her lips to his conquering mouth. “Love me,” she whispered achingly, “love me, Dan. Oh, God, I almost lost you....”
“Shh,” he whispered against her lips. “We’re alive and we’re safe, beautiful druidess.”
She shivered beneath his touch. It was as if they were loving one another for the first time. His callused fingers moved upward, nudging away the terry-cloth robe from her shoulders. A soft gasp escaped her lips as he brushed her straining breasts. She trembled as his mouth settled over each hardened peak, white-hot fire coursing through her body. His hand drifted lower, caressing her hips, thighs, parting her legs ever so slightly. A gasp of pleasure broke from her lips as his touch ignited a fiery hunger deep within her yearning body.
She ran her fingers across his broad chest, down his lean waist and hips, feeling him tense. The urge to show him her fierce love for him was boundless. Their bodies met in a deluge of passion amid the primal beauty of the wilderness that they both loved so fiercely. Libby arched her hips, begging him to become one with her, to celebrate their life together. Inhaling his male scent, she placed several hungry kisses on his mouth, telling him of her starving need for him alone.
Dan cupped her face, drinking in her golden gaze. He pressed a long, aching kiss upon her parted lips, telling her of his unquenchable love. He felt her quivering with desire for him as he gently entered the moist, welcoming depths of her body. He delighted in the expression of utter love in her widening eyes. This time he wanted their natural emotional outpouring to consume them until every cell in their bodies tingled with pleasure. He brought her into rhythm with himself. The thought that their love could plant the seeds of a child within her increased the sense of tenderness he felt toward Libby in those precious moments. She tensed, clinging to him, a cry of joy on her lips as she experienced the gift of their oneness. Moments later he stiffened, thrusting deeply into her, wanting to give her a child born of their love for one another.
Dan lay spent, pulling Libby close to him, his arm protectively around her. She nuzzled beneath his chin, a sigh of contentment escaping her well-kissed lips. Her fingers grazed the damp carpet of hair covering his broad chest. She delighted in the strength of his musculature, a smile lingering on her features.
“If you get any better, I think I’ll die of utter bliss,” she whispered.
He hugged her fiercely for a long, long time. “You can faint from bliss but not die,” he corrected gently. “We came too close to losing one another.”
Libby silently agreed. She rose up on one arm, gazing at his peaceful features. The love she felt for him burned fiercely within her body, within her joyous heart. She tucked her lower lip between her teeth, trying to decide how to tell him how she felt.
Dan reached out, stroking her golden hair. “What?” he inquired huskily.
She smiled with her brown eyes. “How did you know I wanted to say something?”
It was his turn to smile. “I can sense it. Or maybe I saw it in your beautiful eyes. What is it, my lovely druidess?’’
She traced a pattern on his chest with her fingertip, eyes lowered, suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. “This is going to sound funny...” She took a deep breath, meeting his tender gaze. “I’ve never wanted children until now, Dan. But I want our children. God, how I want to feel life within me—life that we created together.”
He murmured her name reverently, holding her fiercely against him. The minutes slid by in silence, both Libby and Dan content in finding peace in each other’s arms.
Dan framed her face with his hands, gazing up at her adoringly. “Did you know that druids married within their own religious clans?”
Libby shook her head solomnly. “No. I thought they were celibate.”
Dan laughed deeply. “Hardly, lady. A druid could only marry a druidess, and as husband and wife, they tended the sacred groves together.”
“And did they have children?” Libby asked, smiling and enjoying his closeness and warmth.
“Sure did. Only they didn’t call them kids.”
She tilted her head, mystified. “What on earth would they call them, then?” she demanded.
Laughter lurked in the recesses of Dan’s eyes. “Sprouts.” And then he broke into laughter, rolling on his side and holding Libby.
She couldn’t stop giggling, burying her face against his broad shoulder. “You’re crazy!” she muffled out.
“Mmm, crazy in love with you, my lovely druidess,” he growled, placing a kiss on her parted lips. She tasted of honey, of life itself. Dan raised himself up on one elbow, drinking in the sight of her radiant features. “And I promise you, we won’t have little sprouts that will grow into trees. We’ll have healthy children who will love this land as much as we do,” he whispered huskily, sealing that promise with a kiss.
* * * * *
New York Times
bestselling author Lindsay McKenna brings you into the line of fire with
Operation Shadow Warriors…
The Alpha Platoon. A unit of Navy SEALs stationed in the unforgiving heat of Afghanistan…who just learned that their newest team member is a woman. But Bay Thorn has a spine of steel—and the chops to prove it. Without a team to back her up, however, she’s dead in the water. And her only ally is Gabe Griffin, a lone SEAL who is lethal, dangerous and unbearably attractive.
Between the open hostility from Bay’s team and the harsh Al Qaeda territory, Gabe is a lifeline for her. But mutual respect quickly grows into mutual attraction. And with each day and every assignment, the longing only deepens. They mustn’t speak of it. Mustn’t act on it. Because in this line of work, falling in love can get you killed….
Available wherever books are sold!
Be sure to connect with us at:
Harlequin.com/Newsletters
Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks
Trained to kill, but built for love…
New York Times
bestselling author Lindsay McKenna
Captain Morgan Boland is at the top of her game, as is navy SEAL Jake Ramsay, her former lover. Then a military computer selects them to partner in a special op. The mission can’t be compromised by their personal history—and they have truckloads of it.
But the Afghan assignment might provide the discipline they need to finally get it together—outside the bedroom, that is. A lot has happened over the two years since they last went their separate ways. And there’s way more to Morgan than Jake has ever given her credit for.…
Available now!
www.LindsayMcKenna.com
Be sure to connect with us at:
Harlequin.com/Newsletters
Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks
ISBN-13: 9781460334379
WILDERNESS PASSION
Copyright © 1984 by Eileen Nauman
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical,
now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and in other countries.