Crimes of the Heart (11 page)

His chuckle came out raw and strangled, vibrating against her side as he joined her. “No one has ever said that to me before.”

Turning to face him, she sensed his awe at her declaration. “I should have told you that years ago. I never had the nerve to though.”

Silently, she brushed back his hair. Delight pooled inside her at the unmistakable light shining in his eyes. The ruthless quality that had become a part of his expression softened. She longed to capture this moment in time.

Tentatively, she placed her palm on his chest, feeling the wild tempo of his heart. “I want to touch every part of you.”
Especially deep down inside
.

A smile pulled up the corner of his mouth. “Be my guest.”

Inching closer, hip to hip, she settled her lips over his. His clean, soapy scent acted as an accelerant to the flames burning within her. She increased the pressure, slicing apart his mouth with the tip of her tongue. He must have liked it; he groaned.

Time fell away, her reservations, too. His arms surrounded her, reminding her of an anchor she could cling to. The hungry black space in her heart seemed to decrease as his warmth, strength, and caring enveloped her. The persistent hollow sensation behind her rib cage halted its constant woeful strum.

A ray of hope bathed her. Only Devon Marshall could make her forget who she was and all her unfulfilled dreams. Only Devon could sweep away the ugliness in her life and make everything shiny and new.

His hands caressed her body, reaching far below the flesh to the true person, the vulnerable romantic. And his whispered endearments were a balm to her shattered soul. As if by magic, he plucked the hidden chords craving to sing out in joy and acceptance. He can make me feel loved, if only for this short span of time in his arms.

When he entered her, she’d never felt more wanted and feminine. With words, strokes, and blazing looks, he coaxed her to match his ascent to the heavens. She willingly followed.

Spiraling upward in a haze of passion, she neared the peak. But he halted, perching her atop the crest. She noticed he shared the same sweet agony. Then he snatched her up, allowing her to soar higher still. In one heart stopping instant, she knew they met, trembling uncontrollably, and then pitched headlong together into wondrous, blissful paradise.

Several long minutes later, he stirred, and then rolled to his back, bringing her with him so now she lay on him. His heart thundered beneath her ear, matching hers. She snuggled close in pure contentment.

“Devon?”

“Ummm?”

Sleepily, she asked, “Next time do you think we could finally make love in a bed?”

“Let me help you mount,” Devon whispered seductively in her ear as he pressed into her from behind. His thick, hard shaft dug into her, causing a tingling sensation to spring to life once again.

She must have moved; the saddled horse before her shifted restlessly in the late morning sun. A combination of leather, horseflesh, and her husband’s clean scent drifted to her in an intoxicating fragrance.

“I was just going for a ride.”

Devon nuzzled her neck. “Mmmm, tastes like champagne.”

Shivering at his nibbling assault, Jewel recalled the delicious interlude in the middle of the night when he’d dribbled the bubbly liquid all over her, and then quickly sipped it from her body. She’d repeated the erotic procedure on him, bringing him to the brink several times.

“Would you like to come?” she barely managed to squeak out.

His low, hearty chuckle sent thrills scattering along her nerve endings. “Why, Mrs. Marshall, are you propositioning me in broad daylight?”

Gasping, she spun around. Facing him in this sensual mood wasn’t a very good idea. But his insinuation had caught her off guard. “You know exactly what I mean.”

The sparkle in his eyes and the cocky grin on his face brought out the roguish qualities in him. The effect on her was devastating. A low curl of heat twirled in her middle.

Jewel shook her head as if to ward off any more of his sly enticements. He stepped closer, touching her from shoulders to thighs. Her knees nearly buckled, but she held her own. For how much longer she could accomplish that impossible task was another story.

“If I remember correctly, dollface, you asked me that a few times last night.” He leaned nearer so now his lips brushed her ear lobe. “And the answer is the same as it was then. Yes, I’d love to come deep inside of you.”

Biting back on a moan, she squeezed her eyes shut. A quiver shot through her, and then another. Last night the sensualist in Devon reemerged. With words and deeds he’d reminded her. First, he’d toyed with the contrast of the cool champagne and the burning heat of his lips, mouth, and tongue. Next, came the silky negligee whispering across her skin, lingering on her twin hard peaks, and then dipping between the junction of her legs. In the shower less than an hour ago, he’d joined her, using the slick bar of soap to glide over every square inch of her.

“You’re trembling,” he pointed out as he gathered her in his arms. “Are you remembering making love in that big bed?”

The husky timber of his voice revealed his own titillating memories. Another shiver racked her body as his hands slid down her spine. “If I wasn’t so sore I’d drag you back to that soft feather bed and wouldn’t let you go for the rest of the day and night.”

His groan rumbled beneath her ear and she reveled in arousing him just by promises alone. “And I’d let you, too.” He paused, clearly collecting himself. “So why go horseback riding if you’re sore?”

Grinning, and then dropping a quick kiss on the arrow of skin exposed above his buttoned white shirt, she pulled back, saying, “I haven’t ridden in so long I can’t let this chance pass me by. Don’t worry, it’ll only be for a half hour.”

Looking down into her joyous expression, Devon didn’t have the heart to deny her this pleasure, nor any other she desired. Last night he’d been caught in the web of passion and didn’t want to be released anytime soon. Just being near her kept him in a constant state of anticipation, a condition he welcomed.
Every part of me is alive for the first time in twelve years. All because of Jewel.
“Is that invitation to join you still open?”

She nudged her fist in his middle. “See, I knew you knew what I meant in the first place.”

Wiggling his eyebrows, he asked, “Hey, can’t blame a guy for trying, can you?”

She shot him a provocative look under her long, dark lashes that nearly brought him to his knees. A brilliant flare of heat blazed a trail through his veins. He swallowed hard.

“I’ll make you a deal.”

“Anything,” he quickly answered, thinking she just might give in and quench his burning need for her, if only for a few hours.

“You can come along if you massage
all
my sore muscles later tonight.”

Devon felt his blood pressure rise several degrees. “It would be my pleasure, dollface.” His voice was so husky and low he wondered if she even heard him.

On tip-toe, she whispered in his ear, “Oh no, it will be all mine.”

***

Fifteen minutes later, riding down the ribbon of old country road behind Jewel, Devon tried to concentrate on anything but his very distracting, very sexy wife.

Trees swayed gently in the slight breeze, their yellow, bronze, and red leaves a colorful reminder of autumn. The warmth of the sun cast away any chill in the air. Earthy scents tickled his nostrils. The horses’ hooves rhythmic clopping on the narrow patches of dirt were music to his ears.

With all the beautiful Vermont scenery surrounding him, Devon still couldn’t take his eyes off of his wife for more than a minute or two.

The graceful way she sat in the saddle and moved in perfect harmony with her mount brought long ago memories of riding with her to the surface. Back then, he’d been the stable boy and she his secret lover. The stark yearnings of that time and place rushed back and he nearly ached with it. He’d longed for so much and had gotten so little.

Shaking off the disturbing emotional tug, Devon focused on his mission from then. From the time his father died when he was ten he’d planned on righting some wrongs. His course set, he’d pursued his goal until he’d fallen for Jewel. After that everything had changed; his instincts blurred, pulling him away from what he had to do.

The thought of hurting her had stopped him from using her to his advantage. Her innocence struck a chord deep inside him and he refused to expose her vein of vulnerability. Also, for his own selfish reasons, he declined to shatter the trust she felt in him. No one had ever believed in him like she had.

Now, he focused on achieving his goal. He’d altered his plans for her once. But not this time. This time he had to find the truth and set the record straight, for himself and for Sean. Surely she wouldn’t deny her son that.

Just a few feet up ahead of him, Jewel coaxed her horse to turn in a half circle so now she pointed in the direction from where they’d come. Drawing beside her, he halted, his thigh brushing hers. He bit back a groan. Instantly, he noticed her glowing face and sparkling eyes. His heart swelled in his chest. “Enjoying yourself?”

“Definitely.” A soft smile played around her lips, causing his gaze to linger on her mouth still swollen from his kisses.

“Well, when you get back home you can ride every day if you want.”

She gasped. “You’re kidding, right?”

His mount shifted. Devon pulled him back. “Just as soon as the repairs are done on the stables, which should be in a couple of days, I’m going back to Texas for my horses. By next week they should be safely in Connecticut.”

A frown marred her brow. “You’re leaving?”

He detected a thread of pain in her question. Concerned, he said gently, “I have a business to run. I told you that already. I travel the country checking on sites, bidding for new custom homes to build, and making sure everyone who works for my partner and me is doing their job.”

Ducking her head, she shrugged. “I just thought it wouldn’t be so soon.”

His middle dipped; he sensed she was remembering the last time he’d left her. Before he could say or do anything, she nudged her heels into her horses’ flanks, propelling the animal into a slow walk.

To Jewel the sunlight seemed to lose its brilliance and the once warm breeze turned chilly. She shivered. The joy of being on a horse once again faded. A bleakness entered her middle. He’s leaving.

She’d braced herself for the inevitable, but didn’t realize how soon it would occur. He slipped back into her life so easily, and then would disappear just as quickly.

He’d said the horses would be back by next week, but what about him? How long would he stay away? How long would it take for her to heal this time? And how long would it be before the emptiness stopped throbbing inside her, if ever? An image of her lonely mother always waiting for her father to return from business came to her. Like mother, like daughter.

The sound of his horse nearing hers penetrated her dazed mind. When Devon drew level with her, she felt the tension pulsing from him. His large hand covered hers as she gripped the leather reins.

“Let’s stop for a while.” His voice held an impatient edge.

She nodded, hoping to get whatever was to come over and done with. Following him off the narrow strip of road and into a small, grassy clearing, Jewel halted beside a large, gnarled oak tree. As she dismounted, he wrapped his hands around her waist and assisted her to firm ground. For a moment, her wobbly legs refused to support her.

“Whoa, now,” he said gently, tightening his hold.

Grateful for his strength and understanding, she leaned back into him. “I’ll be all right in a minute.”

Several seconds ticked by as she relished touching him, her back to his front. Then a troubling thought intruded. She couldn’t get used to this. He wouldn’t always be there for her. Dragging herself away from him, she ducked under his arm in order to tend to her horse.

Devon stepped near, reaching out. “I’ll take care of it.”

She hesitated, and then gave in. He made short work of leading both animals to a dense patch of grass and tying their reins to a nearby branch.

Leaning against the rough bark of the oak, she rubbed the quavering muscles in her thighs.

“I’d offer to do that for you, but right now I don’t think I can trust myself near you.”

Looking up at him sharply, she detected the way his heated gaze lingered where she massaged. Warmth suffused her body, making her highly aware of the swift rush of desire invading her veins. Liquid fire replaced her blood. “Devon,” she said in a throaty whisper.

Closing his eyes, he raked a hand through his hair. “I’m holding on by a thread, Jewel.”

Accepting his warning, she relented. “I know.”
Me, too.

He blew out a breath, and then focused on her. “About my leaving…”

She winced as if a cold bucket of water had just been dumped over her head. “There’s no need to rehash it.”

A cloud seemed to descend over his features, dark and ominous. “Damn it, Jewel, don’t go pulling that crap with me. Don’t draw a curtain down between us. I’m not going to stand for it, not anymore.”

Blinking in disbelief, she stared at him. A muscle jerked along his clenched jaw and his eyes, now a dark, dangerous green, glared at her. He’d never challenged her before, never pushed the boundaries of the fragile teenage love they’d shared.

With stark clarity, she realized they both had changed drastically and dealing with each other from here on out would be a scary path filled with new dilemmas and many potholes.

“Don’t look so incredulous, dollface, I have my limits.”

Trying to get back to a more even keel, she shot him a tremulous smile. “Maybe it’s frustration.”

“Oh, believe me it is, sexual and otherwise. The gloves are coming off, understand?”

Jewel gulped hard, noting the grimness clouding his features. Reaching behind her, she clutched the tree, feeling the abrasive wood scrap her fingertips.

“Growing up you had it all, and I had nothing.”