Burned Deep (26 page)

“Yes,” I said. “If that's what you want. If it'll make you feel better. Yes.”

He nodded, looking greatly relieved. “Thank you.”

I pushed back my chair again and stood, facing the windows. It was a blue-black night, with gray around the fringes as a light fog ribboned through the dense forest. The creek water ran steadily over the jutting rocks, creating whitecaps on the rapids. The shrouded moon dispersed silver hues through the clouds. It hadn't rained in days, and I figured the monsoon season had finally abated. Though a sultry climate remained.

Dane crossed the room to stand behind me.

“I didn't scare you, did I?” he murmured against my temple as his arms slid around my waist.

“No. It just seems that these complications are merely warnings. If these guys are so powerful, wouldn't they—”

“I'm not sure what they plan to do. That's why I want you to let Amano do his job. And once we have all of the security up and running, I'll figure out what's really going on and that'll be the end of it.”

He sounded so certain that I couldn't lob any sort of challenging thought his way. I honestly didn't think that, now that he'd pinpointed the issues and possible culprits, he'd allow anything else to go wrong at 10,000 Lux. He was powerful, too. Anything standing in his way was but a roadblock to bulldoze through. I had complete confidence in him.

His lips brushed over the column of my neck and then he placed kisses along my shoulder. I watched him as my gaze lingered on the glass pane before me, the reflection of us a sensual one. He practically engulfed me with his large, muscular body, his strong arms encircling me.

Maybe there were menacing things happening. I knew to tread lightly. I knew to follow Dane's instructions. Yet I couldn't imagine any sort of personal threat. No one knew about my involvement with him. Hell,
I
wasn't fully sure of my involvement with him. There was still so much to learn about the man. I didn't even know when Dane's parents had died or from what cause. And I was so new to the Lux that I didn't know much about it and couldn't be used for confidential information.

I'd definitely be the last person on anyone's radar at this point.
If
they got personal. So far, Dane was right. The program at the Lux was being jacked in ways that didn't prove bodily detrimental to Dane or anyone else. I had a very strong suspicion that was because whoever was responsible—one or all five members of the investment group he'd cut out—didn't want major setbacks because they still wanted a piece of the pie.

If the Lux failed, they wouldn't gain anything. If, however, they could convince Dane to call a truce and let them back in … They wouldn't want to have wreaked too much havoc that would prove counterproductive to them in the long run was my best guess.

I latched on to this reasoning, mostly because it seemed the incidents were just nuisances. Again, costly for Dane and troublesome for his launch. But certainly possible to overcome. If someone was really out for bitter revenge, they'd mess things up significantly. Wouldn't they?

“I know you're not going to give up on fixing things at the hotel,” I said.

His warm breath teased my skin as he said in a low voice, “I'm not giving up on this, either.”

 

chapter 14

Exhilaration shimmied through me. “Thank you for confiding in me. I needed to hear more about you.”

His mouth swept up to my earlobe. Just below it, he nipped softly. “I need
you
.”

Those rock-hard arms tightened. I felt his erection and it completely undid me.

“Dane,” I whispered in the quiet room. My heavy eyelids dipped. “Whatever you want.”

It was all I could think to say. I needed him just as much. Craved him in the most overwhelming way.

He kissed my neck as his arms unlocked and his hands swept upward, palming my breasts. His touch wasn't gentle. It was insistent. Greedy.

A sharp moan fell from my lips.

“I told you I've been patient,” he said. “As much as I could be when it comes to you.”

“And now?”

His hands shifted to my waist and he turned me around. His mouth sealed with mine and he kissed me deeply, passionately. Thank God he held me, because my knees all but knocked together and every inch of me went boneless against his masterful commanding of my body, my senses.

My arms wrapped around his neck and I clung to him as he continued the kiss. One hand splayed across my lower back. The other swept downward and cupped my ass, squeezing the cheeks and pressing me firmly against his erection.

“Dane,” I repeated breathlessly as his lips tangled with mine, “I want to feel you inside me.”

He guided me to the sofa in front of the fireplace, still kissing me. His hands moved to my hips and his fingers curled around the satin at my legs, gathering it up as he sank onto the cushion and I straddled his lap. His hands slid under all the luxurious material and caressed my skin.

As he kissed me deeply again, I lost all touch with reality. Nothing existed but him. Not even trouble at the Lux.

His palms glided over my belly and ribs. Then shifted from beneath the nightgown. One cupped the side of my face, his fingers sweeping through my hair. The other massaged my breast, his thumb teasing my nipple tight. His kisses were hot and passionate, stealing my breath.

He kept my head to his, our lips seductively twisting as he threaded his fingers in the thick strand of satin at my shoulder and tugged the material down my arm. Half the bodice slipped away with it and his hand caressed my breast. A soft moan fell from my mouth at the intimate touch. His head dipped and his tongue fluttered against my taut nipple, making it even harder. He suckled deep and my moan turned into a sharp whimper.

“Oh, God, Dane.” My fingers combed through his lush hair as his tongue curled around the puckered peak. Then he drew it into his mouth again. My pulse jumped. Every inch of flesh tingled. He didn't let up, and the tension built as he left kisses along the tops of my breasts, across my collarbone, up my neck, and over my jaw.

“Do you feel how hard you make me?”

I rocked slightly, his erection full and tempting between my legs. Especially given the loose material of his pants and the fact that I'd stripped off my panties when I'd changed into the nightgown. No need to complicate matters with extra clothing. I knew what I was getting myself into here.

“I think you're teasing me,” I murmured. “You should be inside me already.”

“Now who's the impatient one?”

“I haven't exactly been playing hard to get. Just cautious.”

“I understand why now. And I'm relieved you got over your aversion to being touched—by me only, of course.”

“Of course.” I kissed him, tasting the distinct flavor that was his alone. A combination of heat and wintermint. Pinot grigio laced his breath and it was even more enticing.

His hands slid under the satin again and he lifted the garment up and over my head, gently laying it on the cushion next to us. His eyes roved my body, fire blazing in them. Flickering flames from the candles cast shadows over his devilishly handsome face as he stared at me with awe and raw need.

“Stop looking and start touching,” I coaxed.

“You're breathtaking.” His palms skimmed over my thighs and to my hips. “Lift up slightly.”

I did and he worked around me to shove his pants down his legs and kick them off. I yanked off his shirt and tossed it aside, marveling over his perfection.

“God, I want you,” he said in a gruff voice.

“I'm not on the Pill. Not much call for it, you know?”

I heard the hint of disappointment in his tone as he said, “Sofa table behind me.”

I stretched forward and snagged a foil packet from the accent table that was covered with a gorgeous arrangement and several interesting curios.

“Do you always use condoms as decorative items?”

He plucked the little square from my fingers and set it next to us. “Smart-ass.”

I laughed softly. “Guess by coming here I made myself a sure thing.”

“No. But I had to be prepared this time. I couldn't let the opportunity slip away again over something like this.”

I gnawed my lip a moment and then ventured, “You'd rather forego the condom?”

“Yes. That's not a good idea, though, since you're not on the Pill.”

“Right.” Regret swept through me. I would have preferred to forego the condom as well. Any type of barrier, really, when it came to him.

Despite the necessary conversation, Dane was still hard. I wrapped my fingers around his base and pumped slowly, eliciting a guttural sound from deep in his throat. His fingertips grazed my flushed skin, along my arms, and up to my shoulders. He brushed my hair off them, so the plump waves cascaded down my back.

In a lust-roughened tone, he asked, “Are you ready for me?”

“Yes.” There was no hesitation on my part. Not even the hint of
tread lightly
that I'd experienced earlier. I knew what I wanted, without a tinge of doubt.

He ripped open the packet. I released him and he rolled the condom down his thick shaft. I positioned myself as his cock slid over my slick folds, back and forth, teasing me further.

“No fair,” I complained.

“I want you to go slow.”

“That might not be possible.” I was dying to feel him—all of him.

My hips pressed down and he penetrated my opening, just an inch. Enough to make me gasp. And send white-hot adrenaline through my veins. Slow be damned, I had to have him.

I lowered myself while straddling his lap. He sensed what I was up to, though, and caught my hips in his large hands, keeping me from my prize.

“Dane,” I hissed as I gripped his shoulders to steady my suddenly vibrating body.

“I know how tight you are. I don't want to hurt you.”

I brimmed with excitement, wet and wanting him. The tension was almost unbearable.

“Now's not the time to be all gallantlike. Now's the time to fuck me.”

I dropped my hips; he sank in deep. I cried out from the intense sensation of him filling and stretching me.

“Oh, Christ,” I said on a long sigh. “Oh, God.”

He hadn't even moved inside me yet but I felt the tremors run from head to toe. And then the pleasure erupted in my core and I called out his name as I came.

My fingertips pressed into solid muscle. My chest rose and fell with heavy pants of air. Within me, the sizzling of nerve endings and the throbbing of unadulterated need burned brighter than ever before.

“Shit,” I ground out. “That keeps happening with you. I can't control it.”

“Don't bother trying. I like it.”

“Fuck me.
Please.
”

My hips rolled, even as he gently tried to restrain them. His jaw was set in a hard line. His emerald irises glowed brilliantly.

“Dane,” I insisted.

He looked a bit dazed. A bit … twisted up. As though I tested
his
control.

The thought made me smile. “Hey,” I said, still all breathy and lusty. “You want to make me come again, right?”

“You have no idea how this feels.”

“Yes, I do. And I desperately,
desperately
need more.”

His teeth clenched. Then he said, “You might be the death of me.”

“Doubtful.”

He guided me into a slow, sexy rhythm that set my pulse racing. He was huge inside me, and buried so deep, I was sure it'd take mere seconds for another orgasm to hit.

“This is so good,” I whispered against his lips. “So amazingly good.”

“Just get used to me for a minute.”

“I came the moment you were inside me. There's no
getting used
to this, Dane. It's exciting, thrilling. So fantastic.”

He let out a strained laugh. “I haven't even done anything yet, Ari.”

“I know. That's what makes it even crazier.” And anticipation over all of his experienced moves had me teeming with the need to demand more from him. But I wasn't exactly well versed when it came to sex talk. When it came to asking for what I wanted. I didn't know how to describe it other than to say I needed him to go absolutely wild on me. Unleash all his passion.

Did that scare me a little? Naturally. But I didn't want him to hold back.

“You said nothing's off-limits,” I reminded him. Sort of a cheap shot, but I really was desperate. And he was being much too careful. “You're not going to hurt me or break me.”

“Maybe not, but the way you're squeezing me so damn tight, chances are good I'll come before the party even gets into full swing.”

I bit back a gloating smile. I was making
him
crazy out of his mind.

I let him keep up the sensual pace awhile longer, cataloging the way he felt, the heat coursing through me, the way his fingers tensed as he gripped my hips. The way his chest heaved as sharply as mine and his breath came in heavy pulls.

Without my even having to encourage him further, he picked up the tempo, thrusting into me a bit more forcefully. Exhilaration skipped down my spine.

“Yes,” I mumbled. My eyes locked with his. “Dane. Just like that.”

Damn it.
If only I had the words to express how incredible he felt. If only I knew how to tell him
exactly
what he did to me. How fiercely he lit me up.

“Lean back,” he quietly commanded. His hands moved to my wrists and he led me to flatten my palms on the tops of his strong thighs. I arched and my head fell back, my hair spilling over his legs. “Yeah, that's right. Perfect.”

Then his hands roved my body, up my arms to my shoulders and down my front, resting in the dip of my waist as he pumped into me, a bit heartier, pushing the air from my lungs.

“Oh, God.” My eyelids fluttered closed. His hands slid up my body again, cupping my breasts and massaging roughly. Sparks ignited low in my belly. I rocked in time with him, meeting his demanding thrusts.