Fool Me Once (23 page)

She
leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. “Yes, it is,” she whispered,
not attempting to hide the longing in her eyes. “But this is important.” She
looked down at the feather in her hand. It was broad and black. “Thank you for
the gift. Is this from an eagle?”

“Yes.”
His eyes shone. “Clint thought I was crazy, stopping to pick it up, but I
wanted you to be able to touch it. You can almost feel the power in this
feather.” He offered her his hand, pulling her up. “Have you had anything to
eat?”

“No,
I was waiting for you. Do you have time?”

“It
will take at least half an hour for the vet to get here. Maybe more.” He
slipped an arm around her waist, his touch proprietary. “Come on, I’m hungry.”

The
vet arrived as they were finishing their coffee. “At least someone has good
timing,” he observed wryly, nodding toward the vet’s truck.

“Oh,
I don’t know.” She grinned up at him saucily. “The day isn’t over yet.”

Chapter Eleven

“Let’s
see how this little fella is doing.” The vet disappeared into the stall and
Josh turned to Olivia.

“I
wish I could give you a better idea of when I’ll be through here.” He raised
his arms helplessly. “But I don’t know.” He guided her to the door of the barn.
Pulling her away from prying eyes, he ducked behind a stack of hay bales. Dust
motes danced around them, golden in the last rays of the sun. Cupping her face
in his hand, he ran the pad of his thumb across her lips. Unable to form a
coherent thought, she watched as he lowered his head, and met him joyously. His
mouth covered hers, bold and tender at the same time. His touch traced the
outline of her lips and she opened her mouth, aware of a melting pool of heat
growing between her thighs. His broad hands splayed across her back, pulling
her against his growing erection. She whimpered helplessly, greedy for his
touch.

“Josh,”
she murmured, running her hands up into his hair. “Talk about bad timing.”

“Yeah,
but I needed that.” He grinned crookedly and stepped back, taking a deep
breath. “And if you think this is bad timing, guess what? Dirk is arriving
tomorrow.”

“Oh.”
Olivia tried to hide her disappointment. Her dream of several more idyllic days
with him had just gone up in smoke. “I guess you’re pleased about that.”

“Well.”
He looked around distractedly. “I understand the reason that IATO needs a
report on the mission and that Dirk and I have to work on it together, but to
be honest I was hoping for more time with you.” He shoved his hands in his
pockets. “I’ve been meaning to ask you. How long can you stay?”

She
looked up at the face she’d come to love. Forever…that’s what she wanted to
say. “What day is it today? Monday?” He nodded. “I have to be home on Thursday
at the latest. Justine’s wedding is on Saturday.”

“That’s
right, the wedding! I’d forgotten about that.” A few strands of hay clung to
her shirt and he brushed them away, his fingers skimming her breast.

Heat
coursed through her veins like a brushfire at the end of summer. It was the
most intimate contact they’d shared and Olivia couldn’t help wondering what it
would be like to make love with this man. She looked up to find him watching
her, reading her thoughts.

“We’d
be dynamite together, wouldn’t we?” He reached out to her again, and tucked an
errant strand of hair behind her ear. “But I’m beginning to wonder if we’ll
ever find that out.”

Her
voice was little more than a whisper. “We’ll find a way.” The words hung
between them and in that moment she wanted him more than she knew was possible.

The
calf bleated, pulling them back to the business at hand. Olivia looked away
first. “You’d better get back in there, or they’ll wonder what happened to
you.” The sun had slipped below the mountains, and the air was turning cool.
She nodded in the direction of the open barn door. “Go on now. I’ll still be
here in the morning.”

“Do
you promise?”

“Cowboy,
you can count on it.”

* * *

Olivia
filled the bathtub, adding a generous handful of bath salts. Easing into the
steaming water, she relived the events of the past week. Ever since meeting
Josh, she’d been swept along in an emotional whirlwind, ranging from weak-kneed
attraction to blazing anger. His good looks and potent sexuality had been the
initial attraction. That wasn’t surprising. What did surprise her was that the
real Josh–the one she was starting to know–was even more attractive. He lived
his life with quiet confidence and self-reliance that drew her like a moth to a
flame. She slapped the bath water in frustration. And now, just when she was
getting to know him, they were going to be interrupted again. Maybe he was
right. Perhaps they never would get together. It was a concept she didn’t even
want to consider.

* * *

Olivia
stirred restlessly as moonlight spilled into the bedroom. Her silk nightgown
lay across the foot of the bed, colorless in the pale light. She slipped out of
bed and crossed to the window. Beside the river, the leaves of a willow hung
perfectly still, silvered by the moon’s radiance. The beauty of this land took
her breath away, even at night. Her family estate, hundreds of years old, had a
familiar, genteel charm that calmed the soul. But this land was vibrant,
pulsing with energy and possibilities. She smiled softly to herself. She loved
them both.

The
bedside clock, an old-fashioned one with luminescent hands read one thirty
five. The house was still. Had Josh come back from the barn, or was he still
sitting up with the calf? Heart pounding, she slipped into her wrap and opened
her door. The hallway was dimly lit by night-lights. Josh’s door was closed.
Was he there?

There
was only one way to find out. Her hand trembled as she reached for the
doorknob. The door opened silently, and she entered his bedroom.

His
presence filled the room and she gasped silently, her eyes riveted on the
figure that lay sprawled on the bed. His head was turned away from her,
moonlight highlighting the angular planes of his face. His chest rose and fell
steadily, drawing her eyes to the curly dark hair that started below the hollow
of his throat and trailed lower, disappearing tantalizingly under a sheet. Even
in repose, the muscles of his abdomen were starkly defined, and she had to
restrain herself from reaching out and running her hand along the tight flesh.

She
pulled her wrap more tightly around her body, and the whisper of fabric against
her bare skin was dangerously arousing. Standing perfectly still, she watched
him sleep. Who was this man? Was he the smooth talking poker player she’d first
met, or the steely eyed former commando? At this moment he was neither. He was
the man she had fallen in love with, and the sight of him on the bed was so
powerfully erotic that she could not tear her eyes away. The silky fabric of
her robe brushed against her sensitive nipples and she moaned softly as a
delicious heat throbbed in the pit of her stomach. God, but she wanted him.

Her
instinct was to take a step back as he started to roll toward her, but her feet
wouldn’t move.

His
eyes opened slowly and the smile that followed made her heart stop. “Olivia.
You look like an angel standing there in the moonlight.” He sat up and reached
for her, his eyes heavy with desire. “Am I dreaming, or is it really you?”

“You’re
not dreaming.” She opened her robe and it slid to the floor, a rustle of silk
to accompany the beating of her heart. His eyes raked over her body, lingering
on her high, firm breasts, her flat stomach and her long, slender legs. As
though in slow motion, his hand moved to cup her breast, his eyes holding hers
as his thumb caressed her already erect nipple, noting her sharp intake of
breath. His eyes mirrored her growing passion, and he kissed her tenderly,
brushing his lips across hers with a feather light touch that left her gasping
for more.

“Olivia.”
The intensity in his voice made her legs tremble. “I want to make love to you
until you beg me to stop.” A slow, confident smile curled his lips. “If I had
my way, that would be never.”

“That
makes two of us.” She laid her palm flat against his chest, emboldened by rapid
beating of his heart. “Make love to me, Josh.”

Rising
from the bed, he swept her into his arms, grinning down at her. “With
pleasure.” He peppered her face with kisses.

Olivia
stretched sinuously in a patch of moonlight as his eyes devoured her from head
to toe. His hands skimmed over her body, awakening a sensuality that had been
dormant for too long. She writhed with pleasure as he took his time discovering
her most sensitive areas. Finally his mouth found her breast. His tongue
circled her nipple in a slow dance, and the sweet pleasure made her come alive,
her body pulsing with need. “Hmmm. Your skin is sweet.” Moving to the other
breast, his tongue flicked expertly, sparking jolts of desire in the soft flesh
between her thighs. His hand feathered over her stomach, and she held her
breath as his fingers moved lower, exploring the silky thatch of hair at the
apex of her thighs. Crazed by the waiting, she lifted her hips, whimpering as
he slid his finger between the lips of her sex. A deep primal growl rumbled in
his chest as he stroked her knowingly. Every square inch of her body tingled
with anticipation as his finger slid inside her, driving her to the brink of an
orgasm. She opened herself fully to him, holding nothing back. In response, he
kissed her deeply, his tongue probing her mouth in an erotic accompaniment to
his thrusting finger.

“Josh,”
she gasped. “I want to feel you inside me.” She reached for him. He was thick
and hard, and her fingers closed around him with a sigh of pleasure.

“Ah,
my love.” His voice was hoarse as he positioned himself between her legs. “Give
me your eyes.” With a knowing smile, he watched her eyes widen as he guided
himself inside her. For a long moment he remained motionless, holding her with
a tenderness that made her heart ache. Then he began to move, every stroke
heightening her pleasure as he adjusted to her needs.

She
wrapped her long legs around his waist, threw back her head and abandoned
herself to the pleasure of his lovemaking. She felt him holding back while she
adjusted to his size, and when her hands clutched at his hips, pulling him
closer, he started to move with assurance, filling her completely with every
stroke. Relaxing completely, she put herself in his hands as be brought her
closer to release.

“Olivia,
I’ve wanted you from the first moment I saw you.” He lifted her hips and thrust
up inside her. Deep down inside her body a coil of heat started to build,
growing stronger until it spiraled up with an explosion that was unlike
anything she’d ever experienced. Her body shattered, pulsing around him in
waves of pleasure. His eyes smiled down into hers, sharing her pleasure before
plunging into her one last time with an unrestrained shout of joy.

As
their heartbeats slowed, her fingers crept up to his lips. “Did you really want
me?” she asked. “Tell me again.”

“I
wanted you then and I want you now.” The declaration was simple and forthright.
“And I have only one regret.”

She
tried to sit up, but he held her pinned against the bed. “My regret is that we
didn’t do this sooner.”

Falling
back onto the pillows, she nodded her agreement. “What time did you say Dirk is
arriving?”

“Why
you little hussy!” He lay back, feigning exhaustion. “I do believe you’re
propositioning me.”

“Absolutely.”
She slid her fingers into the hair on his chest, following it down his muscular
torso. “If you think you’re going to get any more sleep tonight, you’re sorely
mistaken.”

“Then
come with me.” He pulled her up from the bed, leading her into the shower.

They
emerged from the shower greedy for another round of lovemaking. With hands,
lips and tongues, they took turns arousing each other, each balancing his own
desires against the other’s needs. Their bodies melded together in the pale moonlight,
Olivia’s long, slender limbs an erotic counterpart to Josh’s muscled frame.
Lowering herself onto him, she sighed contentedly, a gurgle of pleasure in her
throat as she threw back her head. He watched her through eyes heavy with
desire, and then slipped his hand between her legs, stroking her expertly until
they erupted together, sharing the moment of passion before they slid down into
the sweet aftermath of total satisfaction.

* * *

Olivia
opened her eyes to find sunlight streaming in the windows. Josh lay beside her,
his head propped up on one hand, studying her as she slept.

“Good
morning, my love.” His fingers brushed against her cheek. “I’m afraid you have
a bit of whisker burn. Care for some more?”

She
groaned theatrically. “You’re insatiable, Josh Morgan.”

“Look
who’s talking.” The heat in his eyes belied his words. “But if you insist…” He
parted her thighs, and she welcomed him with a soft murmur of delight.

* * *

“Good
morning, you two.” Maisie’s quick eyes darted between Josh and Olivia as they
entered the kitchen. “I hear there’ll be three of you for dinner tonight.”
Setting two coffee mugs on the table she poured the steaming liquid before
bustling back to the stove.