"Very fast.” Her voice was little more than a pant of air.
"Good.” Because fast was really the only option this first time—she'd made very sure of that.
He pressed her forward over the back of the sofa and gently kicked her feet apart. As she braced herself, he slid a hand over her back and rump, enjoying the feel of her soft skin under his rougher fingertips. Then he was delving into the warm, wet part of her that he ached to become a part of. He caressed her, toyed with her, for several minutes. Then he slid his touch into her, stretching her, readying her, as her muscles pulsed around one finger, then two. She pushed back against him, riding his hand with increasing urgency. Her skin was feverish, flushed with desire and need, and the smell of her arousal tested his strength, his will, until he was all but shaking with the need to drive himself into her.
He pressed his thumb against her clit, stroking her, teasing her, inside and out, until her breathing was little more than gasps of pleasure. As the tremors of her orgasm assaulted her body, he grabbed her hips, holding her still as he thrust deep inside her. She groaned, a rich sound of gratification he could only echo. But as much as he wanted to, he didn't immediately move, just enjoyed the moment of being deep within her, her flesh pulsing around his, her scent filling his every breath. Then the urgency of moon bloomed, and he began to rock, gently at first, then harder, faster. He claimed every inch of her, delving so deep her whole body shuddered with the force of his movements.
She was moaning, twitching, and the sounds of her pleasure had the red tide rising, until it became a wall of pleasure he could not deny. He came, a hot, torrential release whose force tore a groan from his throat and made his body rigid.
But the moon and he weren't finished yet. Not by a long shot. When he regained his breath, he withdrew and tugged her around to face him. Her eyes were afire with a mix of hunger and annoyance, though what she was annoyed with he had no idea. Before she could say anything, he claimed her lips. He kissed her, caressed her, licked every inch of her, until her scent and her taste were once more imprinted on every fiber of his being, inside and out. He made love to her, over and over, until the long hours of the night began to fade into the dawn of a new day.
Then he left her, but only because she demanded it.
Chapter Four
Savannah woke to the shrill, annoying, and very consistent sound of ringing. She muttered an obscenity and hugged her pillow over her ears, willing the noise away so she could get more sleep.
But it didn't stop. She tossed the pillow aside in frustration and groped for the offending noisemaker.
"Hello?” she said, voice as groggy as she felt.
"You forgot to set your alarm again, didn't you?” Kel said, her tone far too chipper for the early hour.
She squinted at the clock. So okay, it wasn't actually as early as she'd presumed, but considering she'd crawled into bed at five, it meant she'd only managed four and a half hours sleep.
And that was nowhere near enough. Not after all the energy she'd spent over the long, and admittedly glorious, night. Cade might be many things, but a bad lover certainly wasn't one of them.
She yawned and then realized Kel was saying something else. “What?"
Kel sighed dramatically. “I said, Ronan's been drafted into helping that caramel-eyed floozy collect names, and that starched boss of hers is sitting in your office demanding to know where you are."
Cade was up already? Good God, the man had stamina. She blew out a breath and threw the bed covers off. “Tell him I'll be there in ten. And have a cup of coffee ready for me."
"Will do."
She replaced the receiver and padded down to the bathroom for a quick shower. It was only when she was getting dressed that she realized Cade still had her mauve bra. In the rush to get home before the town started waking, she'd forgotten to ask for it back. Then she remembered the way he'd raised her underwear to his nose, remembered his expression that suggested her scent was the sweetest aroma he'd ever discovered. Heat tingled across her skin, and deep down, longing pulsed.
Last night had been as hard and as fast and as detached as she'd hoped it would be—and the best darn sex she'd had in a very long time. She and Ronan were good together, but there wasn't that spark, that vital something that made the sex between her and Cade so very intense. She and Ronan were just good friends, and that's exactly how they made love.
And I can hear you purring all the way from my side of town. Neva's amused thoughts whisked into her mind. I'm gathering last night went well?
Very well. Unfortunately, though, I'm not going to make it for breakfast. I've been called into the office.
You're the boss. Can't you make them wait?
Amusement ran through Savannah. In this case, no.
Well, damn. I wanted to hear all the juicy details.
And there'd been plenty of those last night. In that small bedroom, and later, in the communal room. Her juices, his juices ... She pulled her thoughts away from the enticing images of his na**d, sweating body, and said, I'll come into the diner tonight for dinner. You can pick my brain then.
I'm not going into the diner today. My feet are balloons, and Duncan has commanded me to stay home with my feet up. She gave an unladylike snort. Normally I'd tell him where to shove such a command, but unfortunately, he's right.
Savannah grinned. Duncan was often heard saying that the sweet woman he'd sworn his love to had turned into a harpy with a sharp tongue. Yet the whole town knew how much he adored her. Savannah plopped down onto the bed and shoved on her boots. It had to be wonderful to be loved like that, she thought wistfully. To have a man who loved you so much that he'd lay his life on the line for you.
Your turn will come, Sav. It's only a matter of time.
Yeah, so she kept telling herself. Only, she had a horrible suspicion that fate had already given her one chance, and that maybe there were no more chances left in the barrel for her.