Riding the Storm (45 page)

who
can
shut
it
down.
Since
returning
from
New
Orleans,

I’ve
been
constantly
reminded
of
the
best
sex
I’ve
ever
had,
and
tonight
I
couldn’t
handle
things
any
longer.”

He
sighed
deeply.
There.
He’d
said
it.
He’d
been
honest

and
upfront
with
her,
although
it
had
nearly
killed
him
to

admit
such
a
thing.
Even
to
his
ears
his
predicament

sounded
almost
like
an
addiction.
His
blood
was
pumped
up
a
notch.
Every
muscle
in
his
body
ached
at
the
thought
of
making
love
to
her
again
and
a
part
of
him
knew
the
look
in
his
eyes
was
just
shy
of
pleading.
He
might
even
go
so
far
as
to
follow
the
Temptations’
lead
and
sing
out
loud,

“Ain’t
Too
Proud
To
Beg.”

It
was
all
rather
pathetic,
but
at
the
moment
there
wasn’t
a
damn
thing
he
could
do
about
it.
Jayla
Cole
was
under
his
skin…at
least
temporarily.
Just
one
more
time
with
her

should
obliterate
this
madness.
At
least,
that’s
what
he

hoped.

He
watched
her
as
she
tried
to
make
up
her
mind
about
him,
but
patience
had
never
been
one
of
his
strong
points
and
he
couldn’t
help
asking,
“So
are
you
going
to
let
me
in?”

Silence
filled
the
air.

Moments
later,
Jayla
sighed
deeply.
Her
mind
was
in
battle

over
what
she
should
do
versus
what
she
wanted
to
do.

She
knew
what
she
should
do
was
send
Storm
packing

after
reminding
him
of
their
agreement.
But
what
she
really
wanted
to
do
was
give
him
what
she
knew
they
both

desired.

Just
one
more
time,
she
decided.
What
could
possibly
be
wrong
in
giving
in
to
an
indulgence
just
one
more
time?

However,
more
than
just
once
would
be
a
complication
she
didn’t
need.
Her
heart
hammered
hard
in
her
chest.
She

knew
once
he
stepped
inside
and
closed
the
door
behind
him,
that
would
be
the
end
of
it…or
the
beginning.
But
as
her
body
began
to
slowly
tremble,
her
control
began

slipping.
She
knew
that
tonight
she
needed
him
just
as

much
as
he
seemed
to
need
her.
He
was
right.
This
was

madness.

“Yes,”
she
finally
said,
taking
a
step
back.
“You
can
come
in.”

He
entered
and
closed
the
door
behind
him.
Locked
it.
The
click
sounded
rather
loud
in
the
now
awkward
silence

between
them.
That
small
sound
was
enough
to
push
her
heart
into
overdrive,
making
it
beat
that
much
faster.

“Thirsty?”
she
asked,
deciding
she
should
at
least
offer
him
a
drink.

“Yes,
very.”

She
turned
toward
the
kitchen
and
was
surprised
when
he
reached
out,
gently
grabbed
her,
pulled
her
close
to
him
and
wrapped
his
arms
around
her.
“This
is
what
I’m
thirsty
for,
Jayla.
The
taste
of
you.”

When
her
lips
opened
on
a
breathless
sigh,
his
tongue

swept
into
her
mouth
as
if
he
needed
to
taste
her
as
much
as
he
needed
to
breathe.
His
lips
were
hot
and
demanding,
and
his
tongue
was
making
love
to
her
mouth
with
an

intensity
that
overwhelmed
her.
Helpless
to
do
anything

else,
she
looped
her
arms
around
his
neck
and
held
on

while
the
heat
of
him
consumed
her,
breaching
any
barrier
and
snatching
away
any
resistance
she
might
have
had.

Too
late.
He
was
inside
and
intended
to
fill
her
to
capacity
in
more
ways
than
one.

She
pushed
good
judgment,
initial
misgivings
and
any

lingering
doubts
aside.
She
would
deal
with
them
later.

Right
now,
being
in
Storm’s
arms
this
way
was
most

important
and
demanded
her
full
concentration.
And

everything
about
him—his
scent,
his
strength,
his
very

sensuality—permeated
her
skin,
seeped
into
her
blood
and
sent
her
senses
spinning.

When
he
tore
his
mouth
away
from
hers,
she
drew
in
a
long
audible
sigh.
She
looked
up
at
him
and
the
air
surrounding
them
seemed
to
crackle
with
ardent
awareness.
He

reached
out
and
traced
a
slow
path
down
the
center
of
her