SEDUCTIVE SUPERNATURALS: 12 Tales of Shapeshifters, Vampires & Sexy Spirits (220 page)

The mysterious Rose had finally shared her secrets. And, more importantly, she had delivered the truth to him about the circumstances of the death of his father.

A stillness fell on the room as the late day breeze ceased to blow, and both Taylor and Jackson sat quietly, alone with their thoughts, the only sound in the room their slow, steady breathing. Their rhythms eventually synchronized so that only one sound disturbed the silence.

With eyes still closed, Jackson moistened his lips. “Taylor.”

“Yes?”

“It suits you, I suppose.”

“I don’t mind if you call me Rose.”

There was an underlying sensuality in the sound of her words and, with great effort, Jackson finally opened his eyes. He felt dazed at both the phenomenon he’d experienced and the marvel of the true story of his father’s death.

As his gaze fell on her face, Jackson blinked with wonder. The final rays of the afternoon sunlight had formed a radiant halo behind her head, and her mahogany hair glowed with a gentle, warm fire. Her emerald eyes gleamed like cat’s eyes, cautious but willing to trust.

“Rose?”

“Yes?”

No longer plagued with the seriousness of his mission of revenge, he allowed his feelings for her to resurface. In a rush, the deep, lonely ache disappeared, replaced with a feeling of hope.

The faint possibilities of joy crept back into his consciousness, and a staggering weight ascended, leaving him feeling buoyant with freedom. In an instant, he realized his life was forever changed. Forever changed by his lovely Rose.

“Do you want me to leave?” Taylor asked, her tone now apologetic.

“Actually, I was thinking about adding a bucket or two of hot water to the tub and inviting you to join me.”

Gladness bubbled in Taylor’s laugh and shone in her eyes. She rose from her chair and knelt next to the tub, leaning her face close to him.

Reaching out with one hand, Jackson cupped her chin to draw her closer to him. As his lips pressed to hers, he caressed her mouth, coaxing the sweetness from them and drinking deeply.

After a long, delicious moment she gently pulled away.

“What’s wrong?” he whispered.

“Nothing. I just wasn’t prepared to...I was afraid to hope that everything would be all right between us.”

Jackson smiled. “I wasn’t prepared either. All I know is how I feel—how you make me feel.” Firmly, he clutched both Taylor’s hands in his.

As she held his gaze—her lovely green eyes now as calm as the sea on a windless summer day—she tucked her chin, closing her eyes.

“Jackson…”

“Tell me what’s wrong.” The sudden apprehension he felt in her intruded on the tender moment, and he watched her face lose its brightness and grow serious.

Two deep lines of worry appeared between her eyes as she opened them to stare back at him, struggling with whatever she was thinking about.

“The other problem with my being here,” she began, “is that I’m not at all sure if I’m going back to my own time...or if I’ll be staying here.”

“I see.”

“Every time I’ve asked my father if he knows, I never get a straight answer.”

“And what do you want to happen?”

“I really hadn’t allowed myself to wish one way or the other, but now...now, I want to stay.”

“Then stay,” he responded matter-of-factly, “as long as you can. The one thing I think we’ve both experienced is the power of determination, right? Well, we have this moment, this night. And you’re here now.”

She nodded, her fingers tightening against his hands.

“I’ve spent the last few years on a mission of revenge, only looking to the end result of that mission. I never allowed myself to enjoy any particular day, to just forget what my life was about and relax, stop worrying. Never, at least, until we shared that afternoon at the beach.”

He watched her cheeks grow rosy pink.

“It was the first time in a very long time,” he continued, “and I took a chance and let myself feel what it was actually like to truly experience the day, truly experience being with someone. I want to feel that again. And I want to feel it with you—whether this is meant to be the last time we’re together...or the beginning of a lifetime together. Sweet Rose, that’s how I feel.”

A soft and loving curve touched her lips as she released his hands and slowly stood.

“I’ll bring the water. Make room for one more.”

Forever Rose: Chapter Twenty-Six

Jackson drew his knees to his chest to make room for her as Taylor brought over a bucket of water from the wood stove and poured it into the tub. Waves of hot water soon sent fresh clouds of steam into the early evening coolness.

Taylor sat on a chair at the foot of the tub and slipped off her shoes. She watched Jackson’s left eyebrow rise a fraction of an inch, and his eyes glowed with an inner fire.

“Shall I light some candles? It’ll be getting dark soon.” She blushed at her own excitement, anticipating the delight of feeling Jackson’s skin next to hers in the warm water.

He nodded.

Her hand trembled as she fumbled with the box of matches on the table. Taking out a thick kitchen match she tried three times before finally succeeding in striking it into a flame.

First she lit a thin hand-rolled wax candle, then used it to light the other candles scattered on the tables next to the tub.

“That’s nice,” he murmured, “but you should hurry before the water cools.”

Reaching behind her back she unbuttoned her dress. In one smooth movement, she let it fall to the floor, now standing before him wearing only a pair of pink silk French-cut bikini panties.

Returning his widening smile, she shuddered with pleasure and slid off her panties, leaving them on the floor and quickly stepping into the tub. The water was hot enough to send goose bumps up her legs, and her nipples hardened even more with the flush of contrasting temperature. Easing into the water and facing him, she pulled her own knees to her chest. The water felt delicious and she breathed in the soothing, fragrant vapors rising from the bath.

“No wonder you looked so comfortable, this is heaven,” she murmured.

Jackson grinned back at her. “It is now.”

“I agree.”

She watched as he reached for a bar of soap and slowly began lathering a washcloth. “Since I’ve already bathed, why don’t you turn around and I will very generously wash your back, my dear.”

She obeyed, her shoulders relaxing at the touch of the soaped cloth on her back. In sensuous circles, he rubbed her skin, then draped the cloth over the side of the tub. His hands massaged her soapy shoulders and neck.

“Lean back a little. Let me wash your hair.”

Straightening her elbows and placing her palms on the bottom of the tub, she leaned back. Next she felt him pouring water over her hair with great care and gentleness. He soaped and massaged her hair and then, supporting her neck, he rinsed away the soap.

Moaning with contentment, she said, “That felt wonderful, you have such a gentle touch.” Sitting up, she smoothed her hair back and squeezed out the excess moisture, then stretched like a contented cat.

Jackson extended his legs along her hips and gently pulled her back against him, wrapping his arms around her protectively.

“And this feels even more wonderful,” she said softly.

He hugged her snugly and then slightly shifted his position so that her body was cradled between his legs, his chin resting on the top of her head.

She felt so secure in his embrace. Heaven indeed.

In the warmth of the water, it was difficult to feel the distinction between their bodies. Skin melted into skin. Their bodies molded against each other as each curve nestled against a corresponding curve.

She felt him as he moved and lay his cheek against her head. After a moment, he loosened his hold, freeing his right hand and soon she felt his fingers run deliciously up and down her forearm causing shivers of delight as his fingertips grazed her breast.

Her pulse quickened as his hand abandoned her arm to fondle first one breast, and then the other. Gently, his hand outlined the circle of each breast, then squeezing and massaging each, caressing each nipple until both were swollen and sensitive. His touch was light and painfully teasing, and she let out a long, audible breath, never wanting him to stop.

She felt him shifting their position again, so he rested on one hip, then eased her more deeply into the water as one arm wrapped around her torso securely. Curled against the curve of his body, she rested her cheek against Jackson’s shoulder, permitting herself to totally relax.

Then his free hand slid down her stomach to her thigh, gently moving down the length of her leg as far as he could reach.

He stroked her leg, kneading his fingers along the back of her thigh, massaging and teasing until she moaned. Returning his hand again to her belly, he paused there, gently rubbing in a circular motion, slowly expanding the circle until his fingertips touched the mound of hair at the juncture of her thighs.

She bit her bottom lip in anticipation of his touch.
Yes
. She knew she was already slick with wanting him. Currents of desire radiated from between her legs and the focus of her world narrowed to include only her own ache for his intimate touch. She focused on the all encompassing sensation of true passionate desire and a delicious quiver signaled the ecstatic eruption that would come.

Finally his fingers came to stop as though he was waiting for her and she beckoned his touch by covering his hand with hers and gently guided his fingers to the core of her desire, not wanting another moment to go by without feeling his touch…and when his fingertips reached her clitoris she gasped with pleasure. Intimately, she directed his fingers to massage the essence of her passion in soft, kneading circles, her own fingers guiding him as they touched together, massaging, pressing…then dipping their fingers together she felt how slick she was, his fingers following hers, entwined now as they circled and massage…and she pressed his fingers with her own, leading him, guiding him, showing him exactly how to touch her.

Her body squirmed, writhing gently with the movement of the shared sensuous massage, her arousal growing with every circling movement as they explored her body together. She moaned as Jackson’s tongue found her ear and nibbled its edge hungrily.

“I need you, Rose,” Jackson whispered, his breath hot against her ear.

Before she could respond, he increased the pressure of his massage, then slipped a finger inside her as he pressed his palm against her, moving in ever slowing circles. Fully aroused and in divine agony, she felt the swell of ecstasy build to an overwhelming intensity and deep within, an erotic throbbing began its runaway journey as she eagerly followed it over the edge until the flames of passion consumed her, sending wave upon wave of rapture through her. She rocked against Jackson’s hand, her own pressing against his…with each delicious spasm, hoping to clench it forever between her thighs.

The physical satisfaction of her release was almost more than she could handle, and a tear of happiness found its way down her moist cheek. She wiped it away with a wrinkled fingertip and rolled over in the water so that her body lay on Jackson’s, his hardness nestled in the soft of her belly.

With her hands on his shoulders, slowly she pulled herself up to claim his lips, giving herself to the passion of the kiss, sending echoing spirals of ecstasy through her.

Jackson moaned into her mouth and she could feel his arousal throbbing against her. Reluctantly she pulled her lips from him, saying, “Please...let’s move to the bed. I want to make you feel what I feel,” she pleaded.

Jackson nodded and reached for a towel. As they both stood and stepped out of the tub, she reached for him, cradling his desire in both hands, squeezing and stroking him, wanting him to feel the intensity she had felt…he moaned and hugged her close to stop her, and quickly dried her back.

Gently pushing him away she took the towel from her shoulders, putting it between them. “Let me dry you a little,” she said huskily, toweling his chest and stomach, then dropping to her knees. Quickly she dried his feet, legs, and thighs.

Then she cradled his erection with the towel, grasped him and drew him fully into her mouth.

She felt Jackson’s knees quiver as she pulled her mouth away to tease the tip of him with her lips. When he was fully engorged, she left his shaft and kissed her way up his flat stomach, making her way through his inky black chest curls to his swollen and hungry mouth. The passion of his kiss sent the pit of her stomach into a wild swirl as she felt herself getting wet all over again.

Again, he moaned, this time a deep, primal sound, and she felt a shiver ripple through him. Effortlessly, he slipped his arm under her legs and carried her to the feather bed and, without releasing her, he turned back the quilt and sheet, then gently placed her in the bed.

Jackson climbed into the bed and gathered her into his arms, holding her snugly. She buried her face against his neck, exploring its curve with her tongue, quickly stoking the fire of their passion.

Nudging him onto his back, she lay on top and reclaimed his lips—divine ecstasy, simultaneously sweet and smoldering—and her lips burned with his fiery possession. While they kissed, she rubbed her body against his hardness until they both groaned with wanting and she could feel the slickness between her legs.

When at last she pulled her mouth from his, she swiftly slid upward to straddle him, briefly rising to her knees to position him between her molten legs, guiding him in, her fingers lingering to touch herself where he had touched her, then, sinking against his arousal she moaned with pleasure. His hardness electrified her, and she ground her hips against his in immediate, uncontrolled desire, wanting to feel nothing but him inside her.

A bright flame sprang into his eyes as he grasped her hips with both hands to restrict and lessen her movements. “Please,” he begged, “slow down...I want to enjoy you for a while.”

She controlled her thrusting hips and slowed to a more bearable rhythm, lifting up a little to lean forward, bringing her breasts within his tongue’s reach. “Please…”