Promoted to Wife (Destiny Bay) (20 page)

“Rick, I don't think ...”

He reached down and slipped one sandal from her foot. “That's right,” he said, eyes dark and sure. “Don't think. It only complicates things.”

She watched, paralyzed, as he slipped the sandal from her other foot, his hand caressing her as he worked. '

He was so sure of what he was doing. Her gaze couldn't stay away from the copper expanse of his shoulders, so hard, so tight and strong. One hand moved of its own accord and she touched him, drawing in her breath as her fingers came in contact with his smooth, hot skin.

“Stay with me, my beautiful lady,” he murmured hus
kily as his lips hesitated over hers. “Don't leave me now.”

She knew better than to let him kiss her, but somehow
she couldn't resist the strength of his temptation. “Rick...” she gasped against his hard mouth as it took hers.

She felt his hunger, his longing, his demand, and her
mind began to spin. She couldn't think any longer. All
her misgivings seemed confused. And yet, some deep sense of survival kept her fighting for escape.

“Rick, let me go,” she moaned, out of breath and
reeling.

“No,” he said harshly, rubbing his rough cheek to her
silky one, his eyes closed, his breathing ragged. “Not
now, Terry.”

His hand was on her thigh, moving under the skirt of her blue sundress, and she was beyond thought, moving instinctively, struggling to get away from the terror of what his lovemaking would do to chain her to him. Sud
denly his fingers hooked on the elastic band of her bikini
panties, and as she arched, trying to get away, he slid the filmy garment down over her hips. The next thing she knew, she was staring at it as it circled her ankles. And
then, with a flick of his wrist, it was gone.

She was naked under her sundress, and she'd never felt
so vulnerable before in her life.

“Oh, Rick,” she whispered, her eyes wide and help
less. “I ... I don't...”

“Trust me, Terry,” he murmured, his hands sliding up her legs beneath the dress. “I won’t hurt you
.”

Her resistance melted. His fingers tantalized with tin
gling magic, and she moaned, no longer protesting the boldness of his exploration.

“God, you're so beautiful,” he whispered as he uncovered her to the light. “Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll make sure this is right for you.”

She felt a shudder go through him, and suddenly she realized he was holding back, leashing his desire, for her sake. In that moment she knew she wanted to please him more than she wanted anything else in the world. Wordlessly, she pulled him close, showing him with her body that her doubts had gone.

He took her invitation at face value. With a sudden movement he pulled her dress down off her shoulders and her breasts spilled out, full and quivering and eager for his touch. His groan was deep and wrenching, and he took her with both hands, pressing her back against the bed, rubbing her nipples high and tight until she gasped with pleasure.

His naked body was so magnificent, she winced. The long, smooth muscles, the poised control, the untamed potency—everything about him shouted arrogant power, a power she could capture in her hand, in her body, and hold for her own. She stared at him, stunned by his beauty as he lowered himself to her again.

“I can't wait any longer, Terry,” he growled urgently against her ear, moving, pressing, molding her to him. “Are you ... ?”

“Love me, Rick,” .she whispered, wrapping him in her smooth legs. “Now... yes, now!”

Fusing together, they rode it out clutched in each other's arms, gasping at its intensity, awed by a sense of
wonder neither had ever felt before.

Sweet agony. Unbearable need. Wild impatience. And,
finally, the crashing surge of fulfillment.

Moments later Terry was still spinning, dizzy from
the passion they'd shared. When she opened her eyes she
found Rick leaning over her, smiling down at her. She
searched his eyes. What was he thinking? Had he been
disappointed in her?

“Lord, woman,” he said, his voice low and amused. “I
knew we'd be good. I didn't know we were destined to
write history.”

It was all right! Joy splintered through her like morning sunbeams. She began to laugh, and he laughed with her, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight. They laughed long and loud, until they were exhausted,
and still they clung together, as though they would never
let go again.

Now they really had something to celebrate, and when
they could finally bear to pull apart, Rick got
out more champagne and poured their glasses to the brim.

Both naked, they sat together on the bed and enjoyed
the incredible bond of warmth that seemed to flow be
tween them. They knew it was only a matter of time
before they would make love again, but they savored the mo
ment for now.

Neither of them had much to say, but they couldn't
stop looking at each other, smiling, touching, as though
they'd discovered some new treasure that had been waiting to be found all these weeks, and now they couldn't get
over their good fortune.

A shout roused Terry from her enchantment. She looked out the porthole and saw two men greeting one
another with a handshake before moving out of view.
Suddenly she realized how close they'd been to the gen
eral traffic of the marina.

Horrified, she turned to Rick. “Do you think we
rocked the boat?”

His grin was full of little-boy delight. “Are you kid
ding? We rocked the heavens, darling. And just inciden
tally, I'm sure we also rocked the boat.”

She bit her lip and glanced out the porthole. “Do you
think anyone saw us?”

“If they were looking.” He chuckled when she red
dened at his words. “What do you think they assumed we
were coming out here for, to teach you navigation?”

She laughed, and he laughed, and he reached out to
touch the tip of her breast, and in moments they were
down on the bed again, preparing to rock the boat, and
she didn't care a bit.

This time their lovemaking was slow and sensuous. Rick handled her as though she were made of some
thing precious and breakable—until she demanded firmer
treatment. But through it all, she felt loved, protected. Almost worshiped. And when they were lying side by side, spent again, there were tears in her eyes.

He was almost too much, too wonderful. He was spoil
ing her for the real world. But she loved him and she couldn't imagine ever loving anyone else. That was her
fate.

She was crazy in love with him and she knew it was hopeless. She closed her eyes and tried
to squeeze the sadness back. She knew he wasn't hers to keep. He belonged to a different world beyond her
reach. She was a fool to love him. But she couldn’t help it.
 

Rick was staring at
the teak ceiling, filled with an emotion he'd never had
before. He wasn't sure what it was, he only knew he
wanted to do something to keep Terry by his side, to show the world that she was his and his alone. There was
a fierce possessiveness growing inside him, and he had an
impatient urge to act on it.

He wanted to marry her.

He'd never wanted to marry a woman this way before in his life.
Even with Claire it had
been a partly a duty rather than a need. He'd gone along with it because he’d been crazy about her and it had seemed like the right thing to do, the time
to marry, and he'd had no more pressing plans. Every
other woman in his life had been connected with him so casually, he could hardly remember their names. He'd assumed most of his life that he was incapable of any
thing deeper.

And now this. He wanted to marry Terry. He felt
slightly dizzy when he looked at her. What was she going
to say when he told her?

“Hey,” he said, pulling her around to face him. “How
do you feel?”

His smile was irresistible.
 

“Like a princess,” she mur
mured teasingly, “whose frog turned into a handsome prince after all.”

He laughed and dug his fingers into her thick hair. She was so adorable. He was determined to lock her up, to tie her to him.

“Grow your hair long for me, Terry,” he murmured, tugging on it. “I'll put you in a tower, like Rapunzel, and keep you all for myself.”
 

My lover, he thought to himself. My wife.
 

“I'll ride into the forest and call your name and you'll lower your long beautiful hair for me to climb.” He nipped at her ear. “And then we'll make magnificent love and I'll hold your heart captive, like a small wild bird. ...”

Terry smiled back, but his words had conjured up a sudden picture she didn't like. She knew that a lot of rich men kept mistresses in expensive apartments in the city, sitting alone and waiting for their “man” to spare them a moment of time, living for nothing else. She wouldn't be surprised to find out that Rick had done things like that before himself.

But not with her, she thought fiercely. She was nobody's love slave. The Rapunzel image didn't fit with her sense of self.

“Haven't you heard?” she said back, being careful to maintain the light, teasing tone. “Rapunzel’s joined the modern age. She's been climbing down the castle wall herself to picket for equal rights for princesses.” She gave him a playful punch in the ribs. “You may come riding out and find only a rope escape ladder hanging where Rapunzel's hair ought to be.”

Rick stared at her. He thought she knew what he'd been implying when he'd compared her to Rapunzel. Surely she could tell how he felt, how much he wanted to bind her more closely. She'd understood, and she'd
turned the Rapunzel image around to tell him subtly that it would never do-—that she didn't want to be tied down.

For just a moment her eyes reminded him of his ex-
wife's and he flinched. Her rejection hit him like a slap in
the face, and something hard and cold closed around his
heart.

But he wasn't about to come out into the open with it.
“How about Sleeping Beauty, then?” he suggested
lightly. “And you come awake only when I kiss you.”

“How about Little Red Riding Hood?” she countered,
flirting with her eyes. “Somehow I see you more as a Big
Bad Wolf than as any of those wimpy princes.”

He laughed, though there was a burning sensation in the pit of his stomach. She didn't want to be tied down to marriage. He knew that. But he wanted her. And he was
just selfish enough to go after what he wanted. “The
smart money's on me,” he muttered to himself.

“What?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.

“How about a swim?” he said to cover his tracks. Ris
ing from the bed, he held out a hand to her.

“In bathing suits?” she asked as she let him pull her
up.

“Unfortunately, I think we'd better,” he answered, smiling at her. He pulled her close and filled his hand with her breast. “Swimming nude would bring about a bit more comment than rocking the boat ever could.”

He kissed her hard, a kiss full of regret and anger as
well as passion, and she felt the new elements, but
couldn't analyze them. They swam and rested and ate at
a wonderful restaurant and came back to the boat and
made love again. It was dawn before they fell asleep, and
noon before they made it back to Mar Vista. It had been a wonderful day, but it was time to get back to the real
world.

CHAPTER TEN:
 

Koalas Need Mothers Too
 

“Are you a mommy?” Jeremy's eyes looked hopeful.

Terry hid a smile. “No, I'm not.”

The little boy sighed and picked up his koala bear. “That's too bad. I need a mommy. Aunt Julia said so.”

Terry turned from her list-making and looked at him.
“Did she tell you that?”

He shook his head. “She was telling Daddy.” He shrugged and started off. “My koala needs a mommy
too,” he added wisely as he disappeared from the room.

Terry watched him go, frowning. Little boys shouldn't have to search for mothers.

But she didn't want to think about that. She'd been
gliding on happiness lately. Thinking about reality would
bring her down off that cloud.

In the time since Terry and Rick had spent their day at the marina, she'd tried to keep her mind on only two
things—the charity ball—and Rick. They didn't have
many opportunities to be alone, but they grabbed every chance they got. And whenever that happened their time together made up for all the loneliness in between.

One of the first things she did when they got back was
get rid of Angelina. That doll had been a thorn in her
side from the first, and now that she knew how she felt
about Rick, she was ready to take action.

She'd knocked determinedly on his bedroom door.

“Come in,” Rick had called.

Opening the door, she found him leaning back on his
bed with a book in hand.