In Love and War (10 page)

Dylan was shaken, stunned.
What the hell just happened here?
He’d been sexually active since age sixteen, had even thought he was in love a couple of times, and yet, this felt different. No way. He didn’t want this. It was too damn soon. They were still trying each other on for size, for Christ’s sake. He didn’t believe in falling head over heels or whirlwind romances. He’d silently scorned and ridiculed guys who claimed it happened that way for them—
saps
. He’d listened to their anecdotes with skepticism, unable to accept the possibility. Well, this was a kick in the ass. Finding himself in the same situation was the perfect way to prove him wrong. Irony loved giving life lessons.

It was a full five minutes before either spoke. They lay together, Ariela snuggled close in his arms. Dylan dipped his head and pressed a soft kiss to her temple, having finally come to terms with the startling discovery of his deepening feelings. Call it whatever he liked, he was becoming emotionally involved.

“How are you doing? Okay?” he asked.

She laughed. “Okay? I’m fantastic
, but still recovering. God, that was so necessary.”

He chuckled. “No kidding. I’ve been saving up.”

“I appreciate it.”

Dylan toyed with her hair
. He liked how it looked spilling around her face and across his chest. It gave him an idea.

“Wait here.” He leaped up and ran out of the room.

***

Ariela
tugged the sheet up around herself and snuggled into the nearest pillow, pushing her irrational fear of the future aside in favor of happiness now.

He was holding his phone when he came back.

“This is the perfect time to snap a few. Any objections?” He gave her a hopeful smile.

Ariela considered the question
then shook her head. “Just promise me you’ll keep these to yourself.”

“I promise
.”

He had her sit up then he draped the sheet in a suggestive way. He wanted one breast exposed. After careful deliberation about which breast, he posed her and snapped his picture.

“Take a look.” He showed her. “That is one sexy picture.”

“That’s not bad,” she
admitted with surprise. “And no one else gets to see this—ever.”

“
I agree.” Dylan took the phone back. “Do a few more?”

“What did you have in mind?”

“I think it’s time to lose the sheet.” Before she could stop him, he snatched it away and stepped up onto the mattress, straddling her legs as he looked down on her. “I’ll call this one
Afterglow
.”

P
laying up to the camera, she informed him, “You’re hard again.”

He
leered back at her. “What do you expect?”

“I expect you to show me a little more of the world. Someplace hot and exotic might be nice.”

He grinned and sank to his knees, reaching over to set the phone on the nightstand. With a growl that sent Ariela’s heart rate into an excited gallop, he dropped on top of her and they rolled across the mattress.

*
**

Dylan couldn't get enough of Ariela that night. He would have felt bad about robbing her of a decent sleep if she hadn't reached for him just as often until exhaustion finally took its toll. When he eventually woke, he found he was still pinned beneath her. It didn’t look like she’d moved after collaps
ing on top of him the last time.

He glanced over at the clock. It was half past eleven, closing in on noon. The morning sunshine had already retreated while they slept, moving off the bed. The light was indirect now, unlike earlier when he’d woken to full, radiant heat and planted himself between her thighs with a luxurious moan. He was astonished at how much he wanted her. The craving never abated, no matter how many times they fed the carnal beast.

Dipping his chin, he kissed the top of Ariela’s head. She smiled and shifted, her hand traveling automatically to his groin. He thought she was going to stroke him back to life again, but her fingernails went to his balls instead and worked lazily through the hairs. Now he really groaned.

“You know the saying that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?” he asked.

She released a sexy sigh. “Um hum.” Flexing her fingers, she drew her nails across his sack from underneath.

God that felt good
.

“They lied
.” He gave her back a grateful rub. “A good ball scratch will do the trick.”

Ariela jiggled with laughter on top of him. “I’ll remember that.”

He gave her a squeeze. “Please do.”

Ariela's smile was
warmer than the sunshine when she turned her head to look at him.

He smiled back.
“How are you feeling? I’ve put you through your paces.” Reaching down, he stopped her hand before she could scratch him raw.

She answered
with a playful wriggle and a musical laugh. “I’ve never felt better.”

“Thank you for last night.
” He chuckled, lightly tugging a lock of her hair. “And this morning.”

“Any regrets?” She pushed herself up and straddled him. When the sheet slid to her waist, Dylan cupped her breasts.
He stared at her as if she were crazy. “Hell, no. You?”

“That’s another big no.” Ariela dipped down for a quick kiss then bounded out of bed. “I get the bathroom first,” she called, rounding the doorway.

Dylan sat up and kicked free of the remaining covers, rubbing his eyes and face. He was in trouble, deep, scary trouble. However, his anxiety blew out like a candle when Ariela, all wonderfully curvy and naked, waltzed back into the bedroom.

Her eyebrows
arched up at the look in his eyes. She smiled. “You’re awfully appealing all rumpled in the morning.”

He chuckled.
“I was thinking the same thing about you.” Dylan rose to his feet and enjoyed a long stretch. Coming back to ease, he grabbed his keys and phone from the bedside table. “I need water, coffee, breakfast, and juice, in that order. Come on. Let’s get dressed. I’m buying.”

Chapter 9

After a late breakfast, they stopped at the kennel and collec
ted Max. The dog was so wound up Dylan needed Ariela’s help to wrestle him into the car. They decided to take the golden retriever to the lake nearby so he could burn off his excess energy.

Dylan took a Frisbee out of his trunk and
man and dog played fetch for twenty minutes while Ariela twisted back and forth on a nearby swing, content just to watch them. She laughed at their tug of war, loving how they both growled and frisked around.

How many ways was this man going to win her over? Did she ever stand a chance with him?
Probably not. So who was he really—the serious journalist, the daring flirt, the pet owner with a heart of gold, or the incredibly giving lover? Or were those qualifiers merely facets of the whole irresistible gem? How could she protect herself when she was already dazzled?

She
guessed their game of fetch was over when she saw Dylan rub his shoulder after his last throw. When Max trotted back, Frisbee in his mouth, his master caught him by the collar and clipped on the leash.

“You ready?”
he called to her.

Nodding,
Ariela untangled herself from the twisted chain and bounded up to join them on their walk.

Her heart melted when Dylan h
eld out his hand to her. She reached for it and they wandered the paths again, circling the lake. Their stroll was companionable, silent. She didn’t feel compelled, and it seemed neither did Dylan, to ruin the peace with unnecessary chatter.

When Max tugged them to the water, Dylan eased up to allow him to drink. Of course, as soon as Dylan bent to kiss Ariela,
Max took advantage of their inattention to wade in deeper. They managed to haul him back before he completely immersed himself, but the dog was wet enough now to make the drive home unpleasant. He was far from dry when they got back to the parked car. Leaping onto the backseat, Max left dark doggie prints all over the upholstery. The smell of wet dog was so pungent, Ariela was glad when Dylan suggested they roll the windows down for the drive.

Twenty minutes later,
Dylan pulled into the parking space in front of his house and killed the engine. Turning to her with wide eyes, he said, “Sorry, I just assumed you were coming back here with me. I guess I should have checked first. Are you okay with this or would you prefer something else?”

Smiling,
Ariela reached out and gave his cheek a playful little pat. “This is fine. I believe I booked you for the entire weekend.”

He laughed.
“Is that right? Well, I’d better not disappoint or it’ll be my head.”

“
Satisfaction guaranteed?”

His eyes were twinkling now.
“That’s a motto to live by. How am I doing so far?”

“
Be sure to leave a customer comment card on the nightstand. You might just see a raise in your future.”

Dylan leaned in and kissed her on the forehead.
“I kinda like you.”

Ariela kissed the tip of his nose.
“You’re growing on me too.”

A piercing bark nearly burst their eardrums.

“Max!” Dylan yelled back. “You want to give me a heart attack?” He turned to Ariela. “I think that’s our cue.”

Climbing out of the car,
Dylan lifted the handle on the rear door and was thrown backward three steps when Max blasted through it.

He looked stunned when he shut the door and met Ariela’s eyes over the roof of the car.
“Here I thought he’d mellow out after the park.”

“I’ll get him.”
Ariela ran to the gate and waved Max through. He seemed more than happy to run around the yard, sniffing and raising his leg on all his favorite spots. “I think he’s just glad to be home. I’ll bet he settles down now.” She closed the gate behind Dylan.

Once inside,
Max headed straight for his bowls in the kitchen. He took a long, noisy drink before making himself comfortable on the sofa.

Dylan looked at Ariela and shrugged. “So, what
should we do? Feel like playing a little backgammon?”

She perked up.
“Backgammon? Wow, it’s been years. Sure, I could whip your butt.”

He cracked a skeptical smile. “We’ll see.” Dylan went to his bedroom
and came back with a handsome, wooden, inlaid board that he opened on the table.

His left eyebrow twitched in an intriguing way.
“I think we need cocktails.”

Ariela looked up from placing her pieces.
“Maybe. What do you have?”

“I’m not sure. Let’s scrounge.”

She followed him to the cabinets where they did a thorough search. She even checked the refrigerator and freezer. You never know. Dylan cheered when he pulled a few assorted bottles out of his forgotten liquor stash.

They settled on lemonade and rum then returned to the
table with their glasses.

“Are you ready to lose?” Dylan asked with a cocky grin.

She stared boldly back at him. “Are you?”

He nodded at the dice.
“Roll.”

Dylan easily won the first few games. He was an aggressive player, always willing to attack whe
re Ariela was more conservative and held back. A few times, she got burned because she couldn’t roll herself back into the game until he’d already taken the majority of his pieces off the board. After that Ariela switched to a running game, racing for the safety of home. It worked, reversing her fortunes. Dylan was forced to revise his strategy, and though he never won again, their games were closer.

“So, you haven’t talked much about this past week
.” Ariela tossed her dice.

“Because it wasn’t very interesting
.” He made his move, narrowly missing one of her vulnerable pieces. “You’re lucky,” he said, pointing to it.

“Just remember the word retribution, my friend.”

Dylan laughed. “You’re talking to a writer here. Are you sure you want to take me on in vocabulary too?”

Ariela smiled as she considered it.
She was pleased Dylan seemed to enjoy the more spirited games best too, especially when neither could tell how they’d end. It was the intensity of those particular matches that brought out their playful sides, and they taunted and teased each other constantly. Time and time again, to Ariela’s complete surprise, considering how competitive Dylan had begun, he would encourage her to take out one of his pieces, rather than make the kinder move. It always worked in her favor, yet he congratulated her just the same.

After yet another defeat, Dylan tucked his dice away and took hers out of her hand.

Startled, she looked up at him. “Are we finished?”

“Depends on what you mean by finished.”

The guy could write a book
on innuendo.

Snorting,
Ariela smiled. “Backgammon.”

“Ah. Then, yes, we’re finished.” Dylan grabbed Ariela’s hand and drew her up and around the table.
He slid his chair back and pulled her down on his lap, caressing her cheek.

She f
elt the brush of his thumb across her ear and pressed into his hand even as she sank into his kiss, humming low in her throat. Driving her fingers into his hair, she gripped his head and let herself go.

Her brain was fogged, in a good way, when she slowly d
rew back. “Mm, you have the softest hair.”

“Do I?” he asked absent
ly, his attention on her torso.

His hand slid under her shirt and cupped her breast.
The heat of his palm surrounded her. There was a slight pinch on her furling nipple. Responding to it, she turned into him. When their lips connected again, she drew him in, sucking on his tongue.

His eyes were all pupil when he eased back. “What do you think?” It was the tone of the question, deep and seductive, that thrilled her, not necessarily the words. The teasing kiss to the corner of her mouth had already wiped her head blank of everything else.

“Was that a proposition? You've got me so stirred up I didn't catch it. How much blood do you think is left in my head just now?”

Dylan chuckled. “Enough.”

She stretched up and kissed him on the forehead. “We still have things to talk about.”

He tweaked her n
eglected nipple through her bra. “Such as?”

Ariela stood
so she could straddle him, leaving her feet to hang down the outsides of his calves. Open this way, the bulge of his erection was hard against her. She rolled her hips a few times, rubbing herself on him with a groan. What was she doing?

Biting her lip she finally asked, “Is this just sex?
If it is, I’d like to know.”

Dylan smiled. “My pants aren’t even unzipped.”

“Don’t make me hurt you.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a squeeze. “If all I wanted was sex, I wouldn’t have called you again, or e-mailed you, or kidnapped you from your office when I got home. I’m willing to spend some serious investigative time on you
—see how it plays out. Then I’ll know how to write this story and predict an ending. Can you live with that for the time being?”

“I was just wondering.”

“So you’re saying I’m an acceptable candidate now?” he asked with a disarming grin.

“Now that you’re not ducking bullets and mortar fire? Yeah, I’m willing to revise your
status.”

“I appreciate
it.” His eyes rolled closed as she ground against his swollen fly again. “So we’re in the exploratory stage then, right?” he asked, a gruff catch in his voice.

Ariela nodded. “That’s right, oh, very right
.” She enjoyed what his hands were doing on her breasts and the way his lips moved along her neck and shoulder.

“Good, because there’s a lot more of you I want to explore.”

Dylan lifted her right off his lap and set her on her feet. Talk about a turn-on. Ariela gave him a saucy smile and whipped up her shirt, flashing him. Then she took off running, Dylan right behind her. He caught her just outside the bedroom. Scooping her up, Dylan carried her to the bed and dropped her into the center of it.

***

They stripped at record speed, their clothes flying in all directions then Dylan crawled over the top of her and settled down, teasing her with his lips while his impatient erection poked her in the thigh.

Ariela pulled him hard against her and asked, “Will I ever get enough?”

“I hope not.”

Dylan nuzzled and licked along Ariela’s neck and throat, then backed off so he could get to her nipples, smiling when they puckered for him.

“Time to test the waters.” His hand wandered down her ribcage, slowed over her belly, flared out to trace her pelvic bone, then curled between her legs. She was definitely ready for him. Ariela’s hips left the mattress, straining for more when he slid a finger inside of her and used his thumb to tease her further.

“It’s not enough. I need you!”
she growled with aggravation.

Was there anything more flattering to the male ego than a statement like that? Smiling, he withdrew his hand, and she
sank back with a ragged breath.

“What if I do this?” He rose up and grabbed her ankles, pressing her legs back and spreading them wide.

“Yes!” she cried, urging him on.

It moved him, more than he expected, and for a moment, all he could do was gaze at her. She was offering herself to him
—every luscious inch, his to enjoy. But he wanted something deeper. He hadn’t realized just how badly he wanted more from a woman until Ariela. He’d been alone, and yes, lonely, for so long. He had close friendships, contacts, but actual physical and emotional intimacy? No. He’d been adrift in a rudderless boat, blown wherever the winds of war and conflict carried him. Forming new attachments only to lose them, sometimes violently, time and time again. Oh, how he craved stability and security. He wanted the ceaseless tension to leave his body. What wouldn’t he give to know how it felt to be completely relaxed and unguarded? When he was with Ariela, he sensed he was closer than he’d ever come to finding what he so desperately craved.

Watching him with a frown of concern, she asked,
“Dylan?”

He let go of her ankle so he could caress her face, her neck, her breast. When she touched him back, he turned into her hand. It was sad, yet funny, how you could miss the gift of touch without ever knowing it.

Dylan slowly dropped to kiss her, their eyes locked. She rose to meet him and their simple kiss became far more poignant than either probably expected.

“Everything okay?”
Fussing with his hair, her question was little more than a nervous whisper.

Dylan leaned in and kissed just below her ear.
“Better than okay.”

Ariela smiled with relief and wrapped her legs around him, drawing him in. He let her take him, conscious of her bare heels pressing into his buttocks, the first intimate brush of their genitals, and finally, that exquisite moment when she closed around him and he was lost in her body
’s warm embrace.