Last Kiss (6 page)

He must never know…

She sank into the carpeting as helpless sobs ripped through her. She barely knew him, but she had the strange sense that they’d known each other forever. Never had she met a man whom she’d felt immediately comfortable with, whom she’d felt she could tell almost anything and he wouldn’t bat an eye. Alexei seemed to understand her better than she did herself. What a cruel twist of fate it was to meet The One just as her life was ebbing.

She stifled her sobs with her hands, crying until she could cry no more. Her throat ached and her headache had intensified though it wasn’t unbearable for her to reach for the pain pills she carried with her everywhere.

Not yet.

Dr. Peach had told her this would probably be the way she’d die. The tumor that was slowly destroying her brain would take first her sight, her consciousness, and her life in short order. There was nothing she could do, the tumor was inoperable and, this time, it would kill her.

The last time she’d dealt with this demon was almost four years ago. After a long and painful round of radiation, chemotherapy then finally surgery, Dr. Peach had declared her cancer free. But she hadn’t made it to that magical, five-year mark, had she?

So close and yet so far.

She bit her lip, hard. She’d come to Dirk’s house to have one last fling with a handsome man. At the time of her diagnosis three months earlier, she hadn’t been dating anyone and, after the diagnosis, she hadn’t felt it fair to become involved with a man knowing he’d only lose her. No one knew how long she had left to live.

This time it really was it.

She rubbed her eye with the heel of her left hand. She couldn’t complain… Well, she could, but who’d listen? With the first diagnosis, her chances had been less than fifty-fifty and she’d defied the odds and survived four years. It had been a wonderful… no, make that magical four years and she’d relished every moment of it.

She’d been lucky to have the financial resources to live as she wished thanks to a trust from her paternal grandmother. She’d traveled, seen almost everything she’d wanted to see, spent time with friends, volunteered for various charities, and now she was writing the final chapter to a wonderful life.

What would you give for one more day?

Anything, anything at all.

She sniffed, tears threatening again at the thought of Alexei. No, it was better that she left now, before he knew she was ill. For a while he’d wonder what happened to her, why she’d left without a word, but this was for the best. She never wanted him to know she was sick. She wanted him to remember her as she’d been last night, hale and hearty, laughing in his arms.

She braced her hands against the carpet and pushed upright. Keeping her eyes closed, she leaned back against the bed, needing a moment of darkness to steady herself. As long as she kept her eyes closed, she could fool herself into being normal for a few seconds longer. Whenever she’d closed her eyes, it was always dark, right? But it was when she opened them that her world was forever altered…

She blinked, her heart in her throat.

The room was lighter.

She blinked again, barely daring to believe her eyes. Outside the window, a gray rain was falling and the sun was struggling to break through the dissipating clouds. Stunned, she struggled to her knees and crawled across the ocean of carpeting in pursuit of the faded patch of sunlight streaming through the windows. She was barely aware of the faint whimpers escaping her throat as she reached the door, her palms pressed against the cool glass as the sunlight, stronger now, cascaded over her.

Tears dampened her cheeks as her vision wavered. She blinked away the wetness and the scene sharpened. The rain slowed to a fine mist and the sun broke through the clouds, illuminating the gardens outside her windows.

Her gaze darted madly, flitting from the brilliant roses to the tangled mass of spiky columbines. The fat cherub in the center fountain continued pouring water from a big vase, a silly grin on its face. Rows of brilliant green hedges glistened with rain in the strengthening light as a feeling of joy clutched her heart.

I’m not going blind. It was the rain, only the rain.

Laughter bubbled and she tilted her head back. Tears streamed down her face and the sun was warm on her face as she gave silent thanks for another day.

* * * * *

He couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Alexei glanced over his shoulder in time to see Elaine duck under an overhanging branch, her seat sure and steady in the saddle. Her horse, a soft gray mare, walked easily behind his as they rode into the dark Colorado night. The air was cool but her thick sweater should keep her warm enough.

He looked forward. Until he could warm her, that is.

When he’d arrived at her room, mere moments after sunset, she’d thrown herself into his arms as if she’d feared never seeing him again. He was pleased by her reaction. It reminded him of the woman she’d been before. Always open and loving, this incarnation of his love was far more guarded than she’d been in any other lifetime. Then again, she was older than she’d ever been as well. He pondered that for a second. In this lifetime, she’d lived to be older than in any other lifetime. Maybe, on some cosmic level, she’d been waiting for him as well?

He liked that idea a lot. Soon, it would be time to tell her about their lives together. For now, he still had work to do. The more attached she became to him the smoother the transition would be when it came time to enlighten her.

Or so he hoped.

He pushed the thought away. He would succeed; the universe couldn’t be so cruel as to take her away from him again. This evening he wasn’t going to worry, for he was about to show her the eighth wonder of the world and he couldn’t wait to see her reaction.

The trail grew steadily rockier, but the horses handled the path with ease. No doubt they’d followed the trail to the grotto on many occasions.

A few minutes later, a rocky outcropping surrounded by trees came into view. He pointed his horse to a sheltered area between some tall trees before speaking. “We’ll dismount here.” He reined in his horse and dismounted before turning to assist her. Born to the saddle, he’d ridden since he was three years old.

“Are we still on Dirk’s property?” she asked.

“Yes.“ He slid his hands around her waist and guided her to the ground. “We’ve barely scratched the surface of his holdings. However, our destination is just ahead.”

She tipped her head back, her expression teasing in the moonglow. “So secretive.”

“Just wait and see what I have in store for you.” He wiggled his brows in a mock-lecherous look.

She blinked, then her eyes narrowed. “That street goes both ways, my friend.”

“I’m counting on it.”

He retrieved a backpack and pulled stakes from a side flap. Pounding them into the ground, he staked the horses so they had room to graze. When done, he slid the pack on his back, adjusting it until it was comfortable. “Come.” He held his hand out toward her.

She laced her fingers through his and he led her into the woods.

“It’s dark, how can you see?” she asked, stumbling over a branch.

“Follow my steps and you’ll be fine. I’ve been here many times and I know the way by heart. Don’t worry, I won’t lead you astray.”

She gave a throaty laugh. “That’s too bad as it’s exactly what I was hoping for.”

He gave her hand a squeeze as they neared the rocky outcropping that sheltered their destination. Sliding around a cluster of bushes, Alexei led her into the darkness of a narrow crevasse in the rock.

“Where are we going?” There was tension in her voice.

“Patience, it’s well worth the journey.” He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

They traveled twenty feet, twisting and contorting around knobs of rock in the tight passage. He led her around a narrow corner and the trail opened into wonderland. He stepped to the side allowing Elaine to follow. He heard her intake of breath as she stepped into the light.

They stood on a small ledge overlooking a large hot spring. The ochre red walls glowed in the flickering light from dozens of torches illuminating a spring ten feet below. Large flat rocks hung suspended over the water, forming a series of ledges and steps enabling people to move about the pool. Heat radiated from the spring as steam drifted upward in lazy tendrils. Overhead, the sky was laid out like black velvet strewn with millions of diamonds. The ochre rock walls soared twenty-five feet over the base like an oddly rounded coffee cup contained the heat from the spring.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” she said.

Alexei smiled, pleased with her response. “I’ve been to almost every country in the world and I, too, have never see anything like it.” He looked at her awed face. “Come, let us partake of its delights.”

He led her down a winding path of stones that led to the floor. Elaine scampered to the edge of the pool and dropped into a crouch to dip her fingers in the water, a look of extreme pleasure on her face. “This is amazing. How deep is it?”

“Thirty, forty feet or so.” He slid the pack off his back as he walked to a large, flat rock. Through the soles of his boots, the warmth radiated to the bottoms of his feet. “It is amazing and the best part is that we’re all alone.”

She rose and sauntered to him as he set the pack down. “How fortuitous.” Her fingers wrapped around the bottom of her sweater and she pulled it up slowly, torturing him as she exposed each delectable inch before finally pulling it over her head. Beneath the bulky wool, she wore a scanty emerald green bra that barely covered her breasts. “It’s getting warm, don’t you think?” She asked, her expression mock-innocent.

“Yes.” He licked his lips. “It’s getting warmer every minute.” He sat, making himself comfortable, eager to see what she would do next.

She spread out the sweater on a heated rock before continuing her journey toward him. Her deft fingers undid the button on her jeans, then unzipped them. She stopped before him then raised one foot, placing it square between his legs, inches from his arousal.

“Can you help with my boots?”

He smothered a smile as he tugged the laces with one hand while the other slid as far up her pant leg as possible to touch the softness of her skin. Her eyes narrowed as he removed one boot, then her sock, stopping long enough to give her instep a slow rub with one finger.

A smile curved her mouth as she lowered one foot and raised the other. He repeated the process, this time lingering over the fine bone of her ankle. He smiled as she shivered and pulled her foot away, careful to move away a safe distance before shimmying out of her pants. Her panties matched the bra, and they were ridiculously skimpy. He licked his lips as he devoured her with his eyes.

“Like what you see?”

He looked at her face. “What do you think?”

She approached and dropped her gaze to his crotch. He felt his cock leap under the heat of her gaze. “I think you’re enjoying yourself, or at least
he
is.”

He reached for her, pulling her into the vee made by his legs, then pressed a noisy kiss to her stomach. “What am I going to do with you?” he mumbled against her sweet skin.

She laced her fingers through his hair and tugged his head back, her gaze dark, slumberous. “Everything, I hope.” Dropping her head, she caught him in a kiss that was sizzling and loaded with promise. Her tongue tangled with his as her taste exploded through his nervous system, setting his senses on high alert.

She released him and moved away, and he had to restrain himself from reaching for her again. He wanted more, much more, but they had time for that. All the time in the world.

Her gaze never wavering, she reached up to release her sable hair to fall in thick, soft waves on her shoulders. She ran her fingers through the silk and he caught the scent of herbs and knew it was her he smelled.

“Come join me?” she asked.

“In a minute.” He wanted time to gather himself before joining her in the pool. In his current state, he’d be on her in a minute and he didn’t want that. He wanted it to last and last.

She nodded and turned away, presenting him with a nicely rounded backside framed by her thong panties. He swallowed hard as she walked, an unselfconsciously sexy sway in her gait. She approached the edge and, without a pause, dove into the water with very little splash.

He released the breath he’d been holding. She was lethal and he adored every inch of her. He rose and made quick work of emptying the pack. He laid out a blanket and a bottle of wine swaddled in a thick layer of insulated material. Next was an assortment of cheeses and meat with crisp crackers. A snack for her later as he knew he wouldn’t need one.

All he needed was her.

She was splashing around the pool as he pulled off his clothing, laying out his garments as she had on the heated rocks. Stepping to the ledge, his gaze locked with hers before he dove into the water to claim her.

Chapter 6

Despite the heated water, Elaine shivered as she watched his nude body cut through the pool. Already she could feel her nether regions filling with desire, her breasts aching and there was a strange tightness in her chest that threatened to steal her breath.

Alexei came to the surface without a sound. His head rose from the water, inches from her. They’d removed their masks last night and yet, each time she saw him, she was astounded by his masculine beauty all over again.

Wet black hair was slicked back on his head and streamed over his broad shoulders. His dark chocolate brown eyes were flecked with gold and framed with sooty lashes. His nose was straight and smooth, his nostrils flaring slightly as he filled his lungs with air depleted from his underwater journey. His skin was olive-toned, unusual for a Russian unless he had Romany in his background.

Her gaze drifted over the exposed expanse of his chest. Yes, she could certainly see him as a gypsy. Under the lightly furred skin, his chest muscles were sharply defined. His mouth was firm and set in a straight line as he regarded her with a serious expression, his chin jutting out.

“Give me a kiss,” he demanded.

He wanted to be in charge, did he? She hid a grin. “Okay, I’ll give you a kiss, but first you have to close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“Because I said so.”

His eyes narrowed as he considered her words.

“I’ll make it worth your while…” she teased.

His eyes widened, the spark of desire deep in their chocolate depths. He closed them, a faint smile of anticipation smile curving his handsome mouth.

Elaine moved closer to her lover. Raising her hand, she dripped water on his shoulder yet didn’t touch him, her eyes greedily taking their fill of Alexei. She moved behind him and placed her hand on his shoulder, guiding him down until the ends of his hair floated on the surface of the water.

On the top of his left shoulder, she saw a small hook-shaped scar. She pressed her lips to the old wound and caught the shudder that ran through his big body. A sense of power invaded her at the thought of bringing this man to his knees.

She leaned in to whisper, her lips brushing his ear. “Regardless of what I’m about to do to you, you cannot touch me, do you understand?”

He opened his mouth as if to object and she silenced him by nipping on his lobe. His breath sounded loud as he sucked in air, her movement taking him by surprise. He nodded.

“Good.”

She took his hand and led him to the edge of the pool nearest a small waterfall. A cool mist filled the air from the falling water, a sharp contrast to the heat of the water below. She settled him on a low rock, the water rising to just below his nipples.

“Close your eyes,” she whispered.

After he obeyed, she moved behind, trailing her fingers over the expanse of his shoulders. The heat radiating off him was astounding. Never had she met a man who was so consistently hot. With trembling fingers, she removed her bra and tossed it to the side.

Elaine curled her arms around his shoulders, pressing her erect nipples into his back. Relaxing her knees, she sank, her breasts never losing contact with his back. He groaned as she rose, repeating the motion in reverse.

She looked over his shoulder and into the clear water. His hands were clenched on his thighs and from the thick thatch of hair stood his cock.