High Stakes Seduction (21 page)

And her need was far more than physical. She loved him. Wanted him. For now. Forever. It was scary this need. She shouldn’t love him this much. It was dangerous. If it all went away tomorrow, she’d be left a broken woman.

“Don’t look so worried,” he murmured, and pressed his lips to her brow. “Being loved is a good thing. A grand thing. The best damned thing of all.”

“I’ve never been in love before. You’re my first. The first man I’ve ever loved.” Once the words were said out loud, she felt them to the depths of her soul.

“You’re mine, Eva St. George,” he whispered. “You’re mine and I’m yours. Remember that always.”

They gazed into each other’s eyes. His shirt was off, hers unbuttoned. All control evaporated. Frenzied, they finished undressing each other, leaving their clothes strewn about the sand.

He positioned himself over her, resting his weight on his forearms and looked down into her face. She smiled up at him. He was so incredibly handsome. Her man.

Her man.

She said the words in her head, unafraid and happy.

He kneed her thighs apart and she opened her legs, letting him in.

Adam made a masculine sound of pure pleasure and sank into her deep and sweet. His eyes glowed hot, his thrusts long, hard and slow. He captured her lips, roughly, but lovingly. Their mouths clung as he increased the tempo of their mating.

“I love you,” she whispered fiercely, “more than anyone or anything I have ever known.”

“More than yoga?”

“Much more.”

“More than surfing?”

“Yes, yes.”

He moved purposefully, the rhythm easy and languid. She whimpered and pressed against him, urging him to pick up the pace, but he only laughed and went even slower. Tension built.

Eva was acutely aware of every breath, every pulse. He cupped her buttocks as he slid in and out, in and out, the ocean tide, building to a crest.

His hands pulled her helplessly against him. Rocking. Rocking. A soft moan escaped her throat, slipped into the night to mingle with his noises. His mouth burned hers, hot and erotic, tender and loving, but he never lost the rhythm. Their bodies were joined, fused, perfectly matched. Each movement elicited more delight, more surprise.

Higher and higher he drove her. The light of love was in his eyes, real and true and forever. She smiled at him and he laughed a laugh that hugged her soul.

At the peak, she cried his name, a chant, a litany, a deep-throated mantra. “Adam, Adam, Adam.”

His body tensed and she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him in as deep as he could go. Release claimed them both in that instance and he followed right with her, dropping into the abyss, free-falling into the sensuous undertow, going under and loving every minute of it. Drowning. Lost. And yet at the same time utterly found.

Spent, he collapsed against her, burying his face in the hollow of her neck.

She drew in the scent of him, breathed deep.

They clung to each other, quivering with sensation, inhaling this new life together. Adam stroked her, murmured sweet nothings until her heart rate returned to normal and her body had stilled.

“Sunshine,” he whispered. “You’ve saved me from myself.”

Eva smiled into the darkness, knowing the truth was that they’d saved each other.

After that, he went to meet Eva at Shady Palms Country Club where they had a noon tee time.

“How’d it go?” she asked, looking as though she’d been golfing there all her life in that cute pink golfing outfit and the clubs he’d bought her.

“He’s looking at some stiff charges.”

“I can’t believe I was so easy fooled.” She shook her head.

“Don’t beat yourself up over it. Barksdale is a master at fooling people. But it’s all over now. He’s in custody and we can put the past behind us.” He took her arm and helped her into the golf cart.

They hadn’t had a chance to talk about their future. There hadn’t been much time for it yet. But Adam was the happiest he’d ever been. He wanted to bring it up, but didn’t really know where to begin. He leaned over to kiss her, felt a shiver of delight run over her body.

“Adam, that’s bold. You kissing me in public.”

“Hey, you loosened me up.” He kissed her again. How he loved his sweet, spontaneous, sunny woman.

“Well, don’t get too loose. Your reserve is part of your charm.”

“It is?”

“You’re the one who’s supposed to keep me grounded, remember.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He chuckled and guided the golf cart toward the first hole. “You know, I was thinking it might be a good time for you to meet my parents.”

Eva blinked. “Really?”

“They’re right over there.” He pointed to an older couple waiting for them at the tee.

“Oh my, oh gosh. I can’t believe you sprung this on me.” Eva sucked in her breath.

“When I called them and told them I’d found the woman I wanted to spend my life with, they insisted on meeting you. They know when I say something I mean it.”

“Adam,” she whispered. “Is this a proposal?”

“Not yet. I’m going to do that up right, but we’re getting there.”

Eva’s heart fluttered. She was so nervous. What were his parents going to think of her? His father was a senator for heavens sake.

But she worried for no reason. The minute they stepped from the golf cart, Adam’s mother enveloped her in a big hug and his father shook her hand. They were so warm and welcoming, she instantly felt at home.

And when the round of golf was over and they were all headed to the country club café for lunch, Adam slung his arm around her, smiling at his folks. “What did I tell you, Mom and Dad. I know a good thing when I see her.”

And as his parents walked ahead of them out of earshot, he leaned down to whisper, “Doing naked yoga.”

“Voyeur,” she whispered back.

“Exhibitionist.”

“Spy.” She giggled.

“Target.”

“Are you as turned-on as I am?”

“More,” he said, and then called out to his parents, “Mom, Dad, we’ll catch up with you at dinner. We forgot there’s somewhere else we have to be.”

Laughing together, they raced to her Jeep, drove back to that secluded beach and proceeded to break all the rules all over again.

Copyright © 2011 by Laurie Vanzura

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