Riptide (44 page)
“Ha!” she laughed, wrapping her long legs around his hips, her arms around his neck. “You
really
thought—
there’s
a sneaky, devilish spy, out to have her wicked way with me.”
He smiled against her wet hair, his heart filled to bursting, the sensation becoming more and more familiar. “That too,” he murmured against her mouth as he slipped into her wet, welcoming heat. “Crazy that I agreed to help Aries because I was becoming bored. I wanted, needed, a little excitement in my life. I could have come straight to Sacramento and found you.”
Had he ever in his life had a rational conversation in the middle of sex? Nick thought, amused, turned on, and blindingly, ridiculously happy.
“That certainly would’ve saved time,” she told him cheerfully, her inner muscles clenching around him. Neither dared to move. It would be over in a second. Nick was grateful that she wanted to hold the sensation as long as possible. “But look at the adventure we would’ve missed.”
“Ninety percent we could’ve done without.”
“Which made what we did have that much sweeter,” she argued. And Nick realized that fiery arguments with Gabriella Visconti for the next fifty years were definitely conducive to his continued good health.
“I’m sorry you lost your brother,” he told her gently, sliding his hands beneath her sweet ass. “We’ll find out what really happened so you can have closure. But I have brothers to spare. I’m happy to share. You’ll love Logan and Zane, and I know they’ll adore you. Jonah certainly does already.”
She started to move, slowly, as if they had all the time in the world. “You’re okay with him?”
“It’ll take some adjusting, a lot of filling in the gaps … but yeah. I think we’ll be good.” No matter what had happened before they met, Jonah was still his friend. They’d build on that. If— No. They’d find him. Jonah Cutter had already proven he was a survivor.
There was a sharp, loud rap at the door. They both froze. Hell, had he remembered to lock the door?
“Nick?”
Jonah
. Nick let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Get lost,” he yelled back, and grinned down at Bria when he heard Jonah’s laugh as he walked with loud purposeful steps away from the door.
“I’m glad.” She rubbed his chest in maddening circles that made all sorts of exciting promises. Her hips picked up the pace too.
Nick anticipated—Joy. Laughter. Exasperation. And makeup sex.
He imagined his life without her. And the image was a blank white canvas. He imagined life with her, and everything was in glorious, vibrant color.
“Family’s important,” she told him.
“So I’ve been told.”
“We’ll be good for each other,” Bria assured him, nibbling a path across his jaw.
“You think so, do you?”
She nodded, her hair brushing his throat, her still-soapy, wet breasts sliding maddeningly against his chest as she moved. “I’m fire to your ice. You make me more—” Her voice was filled with the humor he loved. “Temperate, let’s say. And I make you more— temperate as well, I guess. You cool me down, and I fire you up.” She kissed him tenderly on the mouth.
“I don’t want to cool you down. I love you hot and fiery and standing toe-to-toe with me.” He decided that Bria quiet and methodical wasn’t who he wanted her to be right then. He drove inside her to the hilt.
She took up the rhythm, her heels pressed against his flexing ass. “Did you just say you love me?”
“Want me to repeat it in Italian?”
She put both hands on his face, and stared at him, her heart in her eyes. “
Sì.
”
Turned out, she
was
his princess after all.
St. Martin’s Paperbacks Titles by
CHERRY ADAIR
Undertow
Riptide
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE AT ITS BEST!
Praise for the novels of Cherry Adair …
“Adair leaves readers eager to dive into the next novel in her Cutter Cay series.”
—
Booklist
“
Undertow
is the beginning of an exciting and witty new series enriched with fun characters and action-packed drama. I literally could not put it down!”
—
Fresh Fiction
“Adair returns to her romantic suspense roots with an underwater treasure hunt that is thrilling and hazardous! Nonstop action plays off the treachery and danger. When you add in the sensuous sizzle, you have the full Adair package.”
—
Romantic Times
(4½ stars)
“Grips readers and never slows down as the protagonists struggle with perils, including to their hearts, with every nautical mile they sail. Fast-paced, Cherry Adair opens her Cutter Salvage series with a strong sea saga.”
—
Genre Go Round Reviews
“Full of action and suspense! Cherry Adair did such a great job making the reader feel as if they were part of the experience. I felt like I was right there diving into the water looking for the buried treasure with Zane and Teal.”
—
Hanging with Bells Blog
“A relentless page-turner with plenty of enticing plot twists and turns.”
—
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
“[A] fast-paced and intricately plotted tale of danger, deception, and desire that is perfect for readers who like their romantic suspense adrenaline-rich and sizzlingly sexy.”
—
Booklist
“Adair has done it again! The chemistry between Hunt and Taylor is red-hot, and the suspense is top-notch.”
—
Rendezvous
“A very sexy adventure that offers nonstop, continent-hopping action from start to finish.”
—
Library Journal
“Get ready to drool, sigh, and simply melt.… Fascinating characters, danger, passion, intense emotions, and a rush like a roller-coaster ride.”
—
Romance Reviews Today
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
RIPTIDE
Copyright © 2011 by Cherry Adair.
All rights reserved.
For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
ISBN: 978-0-312-37198-2
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / September 2011
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
eISBN 978-1-4299-5976-6
First St. Martin’s Paperbacks eBook Edition: August 2011
The Cutter Cay trilogy continues …
Look for
VORTEX
ISBN: 978-0-312-37195-1
From
New York Times
bestselling author
CHERRY ADAIR
Coming in summer 2012
from St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Table of Contents
St. Martin’s Paperbacks Titles by Cherry Adair
Praise for the novels of Cherry Adair …
Table of Contents
St. Martin’s Paperbacks Titles by Cherry Adair