No More Mr. Nice - By Renee Roszel Page 0,51
quickening with sudden new appetites. She was a woman, and she found herself glorying in that fact for the first time in her life.
Lucas gritted out an oath and muttered against her lips, “I want you so badly I could take you right here in the woods. Is that what you want?”
She clung to him, her eyes tightly closed, as though that would keep out the consequences of right and wrong. She didn’t dare answer, for the sound of her voice might break the spell. She only wanted to stay here, to be held in his arms, know the bold heat of his mouth and his body forever. Without words, she slid one wayward hand down to caress the bulging juncture between his legs. She felt giddy and light-headed.
She sighed against his mouth. “Oh, Lucas—” She broke off, embarrassed to voice her longing, but her hand massaged, and learned the sort of information a woman shouldn’t know about a man she was better off not making love to. She knew he was ready for her, fully capable of satisfying her, right now. And from the fondling she’d recklessly initiated, she knew she would rather die than go away without experiencing the full extent of Lucas’s sexual prowess.
He groaned, and moved a big hand down between her legs to match her movements. She grew limp from the sensual excitement he caused. He held her tightly to him, and Jess could feel the quiver of his muscles through his sweater from the tension of supporting her weight, and of holding himself back. “Jess,” he whispered roughly, “do you want it in the woods, on your back in the leaves?” He paused, kissed her hard, taking her breath away as his fingers massaged, sending jolts of pleasure along her limbs. “I’m not sure it’s fair to you, but hell, we both know we’d be good together. It’s your call.”
She couldn’t believe it, but his stroking, even through her jeans, was rushing her toward climax—on the back of a horse in the woods. She clasped him to her, crying out in lusty little gasps, “Oh—oh—Lucas—don’t stop….” With trembling fingers, she stroked his denim-sheathed erection, delighting in the dangerous intimacy as she spiraled over the brink, quaking, whimpering softly in disbelief.
She just lay in his arms for a long, lovely minute. Weak and tingling with afterglow, she lifted her arms about him, burying her face in his chest. She relished the hammering of his heartbeat and the sexy heat from his body. She’d never met a man who was so hazardous to her moral standards, but ironically, she was far from upset by her lapse. She wanted to remain here—within his wildly exhilarating embrace—forever.
“What are you thinking?” he murmured after a long pause.
She snuggled closer and sighed helplessly. “That’s never happened before.”
“What?” He held her slightly from him. “You’ve never come with a man before?”
Her face grew fiery as she shook her head. “No—I mean, not with my—my clothes on.”
She could feel a small chuckle rumble through his chest. “Or on the back of a horse, I’d guess.”
She looked up into his face and smiled timorously. “Or on the back of a horse.”
He was watching her with a masculine hunger that unnerved her. Still, he said nothing, made no move to kiss her again. It was her decision to make. Did she want him to make love to her, or didn’t she? She saw the heated question in his eyes.
Yes! she wanted to cry out. Yes, Lucas! I long to know the feel of your hands on my body, the touch of your devastating lips tasting private, secret places…. She swallowed again, feeling herself dampen at the mere idea. But she knew her fantasy was far from wise. Lucas wasn’t the kind of man who could ever settle down and be content with a wife and children; he was too driven by power and success.
She’d been through all that with Porter, and she’d have to be the worst kind of fool to let it happen again. With one last look into those dark, questioning eyes, she reluctantly pushed away, uncurled her leg from around the saddle horn and turned her back on him. “I—I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I know you’ll think I’m the world’s worst tease, but you’re right. We shouldn’t get involved.” Reaching forward, she picked up the discarded reins and held them out to him.
He understood her cue, and kneed his horse forward. When they neared Snowflake, he captured the mare’s dangling reins