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  *

  Kari had asked Slade twice if he wanted to stop and rest. Twice he’d told her no. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but the sun had disappeared a long time ago. Not even a sliver of moon lighted their way. Kari figured Slade must be part nocturnal creature since he didn’t stumble once over the rocky ground. There were millions of stars in the sky, but she doubted she’d be so sure-footed without a full moon to guide her.

  She clutched his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his waist, trying to become one with him to make his load easier. After asking him several questions about Truckee and the area in general, she’d stopped talking. He didn’t need to waste his breath answering her questions when he needed his strength to walk.

  She wondered how many other men would be so generous as to carry her two miles. No one she knew, that was for sure. So far, her experience with the opposite sex had consisted of boring dates and groping hands. The loss of her virginity certainly hadn’t been earth-shattering…more like an is-that-all-there-is moment. Subsequent lovers hadn’t been much better than the first fumbling boy.

  Slade shifted his hands beneath her legs, drawing her farther up his body. Her breasts rubbed against his back. They’d done that practically every step of the journey. Despite the layers of clothing between Slade’s back and her breasts, the constant movement as he walked kept her nipples hard.

  It wasn’t the right time to think about sex, but Kari couldn’t help her thoughts. She hadn’t been this close to a man in a long time. She couldn’t remember ever being this close to a man as attractive as Slade. His soft hair tickled her cheek. The light sheen of perspiration on his skin released a musky, male scent that made her toes curl. She imagined opening her mouth over his neck, picking up the salty taste on her tongue…

  “Not much farther,” Slade said.

  His comment snapped her hormones back under control. “Good,” she croaked. Kari cleared her throat and tried again. “Good. I’m sure you’re ready to drop me.”

  “Nah. You aren’t so bad.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  She caught a flash of white teeth as he grinned at her over his shoulder. “Would you rather I say you feel like a sack of potatoes?”

  “Actually, I do feel like a sack of potatoes. My legs are numb.”

  “Too long in one position. Be careful when I put you down.”

  Slade’s Jeep came into view a few minutes later. Kari sighed from relief. She wanted nothing more right now than to stretch.

  “I’m going to set you on the hood,” Slade said. “Your legs probably will buckle if you try to stand.”

  “Okay.”

  Tiny pinpricks darted down her legs to her feet when she released Slade. She groaned. “Oh, wow.”

  Slade stretched his arms high over his head and twisted from side to side. “Feels like a million needles in your legs, huh?”

  “At least.” She shrugged off the backpack, letting it fall behind her, then began rubbing her thighs to get the circulation moving again.

  “Here, let me do that.”

  Slade stepped between her legs. He touched her right thigh, gently massaging the cramped muscles. Kari bit her tongue to keep from groaning again…but not in pain this time. Slade’s fingers made the pinpricks disappear, yet caused a totally different type of feeling deep inside her core.

  He worked all the way down her leg to her ankle before switching to her left leg. Kari watched his face the entire time. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, letting her make out his features. He seemed intent on his task, as if he wanted nothing more than to touch her.

  Her clit began to gently throb.

  “You don’t…you don’t have to do that.”

  “I don’t mind.” Slade looked into her eyes when his hands reached the top of her thigh. “I don’t mind touching you at all.”

  Slowly, he leaned forward until his lips covered hers.

  Chapter Five

  Brenda paced across the warped wooden floor. Where was he? He’d left this morning, saying he’d be back in two hours tops.

  Two hours had passed at least twelve hours ago.

  Hugging herself, she turned in a slow circle and looked at the run-down cabin. It was damp and cold and lonely. The dirty windows were bare of curtains. The few pieces of furniture were old and smelled musty. A far cry from her opulent bedroom in her parents’ suite at the hotel.

  Brenda shivered. She pulled her denim jacket closer to her chest, but that did little to keep out the cold. The few logs that had been piled by the fireplace had quickly disappeared. She had no way to get any others, and the fireplace was the only source of heat. The few candles she’d found in a kitchen drawer had been burned. Darkness would soon fill the small cabin.

  She had to get out of here.

  Knowing there was nothing she could do tonight, Brenda curled up in a corner of the lumpy couch. She pulled the moldy quilt over herself and closed her eyes tightly. Tears seeped from between her lashes and dribbled down her cheeks. Tomorrow. Somehow, she’d get out of here tomorrow.

  *

  A soft caress. The gentle slide of wet flesh. A flick of tongue. Warm breath on her cheek.

  Kari absorbed all the feelings and sensations of Slade’s kiss. Heat spread through her body. Her mind whirled. Her stomach fluttered. Moaning softly, she gripped his upper arms and parted her lips.

  She heard him inhale sharply. The next moment, he cradled her face and tilted her head. His gentle, exploring kiss turned fierce. He nipped her bottom lip, then soothed the bite with his tongue. Kari felt that tender lick all the way to her womb. His tongue darted into her mouth, giving her a deeper taste of him.

  Mmm, he is definitely an incredible kisser.

  The kiss ended with a slow lick of her lips. Kari struggled to open her eyes. Her heart pounded as if she’d been the one who had carried over one hundred pounds for two miles. She looked up into his face, silently cursing the darkness that didn’t let her clearly see his eyes.

  “Very nice,” he said, his voice hoarse.

  Kari nodded. She couldn’t possibly speak now with desire clogging her throat.

  A sudden breeze blew across them, making her shiver. The temperature had dropped significantly since sunset. She hunched her shoulders when another shiver passed through her body.

  “You’re cold. I’m sorry. I should’ve started up the Jeep right away so it’d get warm.”

  “I was warm as long as you were kissing me.”

  His teeth flashed in a wicked smile. “Is that a request for another kiss?”

  She hadn’t meant to be so direct, but since he’d asked… “I wouldn’t object to several more kisses.”

  “Sounds like a hell of an idea to me.”

  He covered her lips with his. Kari moaned again and gripped the front of his T-shirt. Slowly she released his shirt and let her hands travel over his shoulders and chest. Broad, firm, muscled. Her fingertips wandered down his flat stomach and around his waist. He had the type of body that most men would envy.

  And most women would love to caress.

  He kissed her jaw, her cheek, the side of her neck. Kari tilted her head, giving him better access to the sensitive area beneath her ear. Holding her waist, he pulled her closer to the edge of the hood. Kari’s breath hitched when she felt the hard ridge of his cock between her thighs.

  “Yeah,” he breathed into her ear as he shifted his hips from side to side. Each movement brushed her clit. “You’re warm here. It feels good.” A tug on her earlobe with his teeth sent a chill down her spine. This time, she enjoyed the chill…and wanted more.

  The sound of a zipper broke the stillness. Kari glanced down and watched Slade part her sweatshirt. His hands tunneled beneath her T-shirt. Despite the quickly cooling air, they were warm.

  He ran his fingers up and down her sides. His thumbs brushed the underside of her breasts. “Do you want me to stop?”

  She shook her head.

  Kari felt the tightening of her bra w
hen Slade unfastened it. His warm palms cradled her breasts as he kissed her again. His lips sipped at hers, his tongue caressed, while thumbs and forefingers plucked at her firm nipples. She almost purred, the pleasure was so intense.

  He ended the kiss with a gentle nip of her bottom lip. “Your breasts are bigger than I thought.”

  “Is that bad?”

  “Hell no.” A rasp of his thumbs made Kari inhale sharply. “They’re perfect. I’d like to spend several hours playing with them.”

  He squeezed her breasts, flicked her nipples with his thumbs. Kari arched her back, pressing them harder into his palms. “Oh, yes. I love that. More.”

  Placing his hand on the small of her back, he pressed his cock firmly against her mound. “Do you feel that?”

  “Mmm, I certainly do.”

  “I want to be inside you.”

  “I want that too.”

  “Don’t you think—“

  “No, I don’t want to think. I only want to do this.”

  Kari tugged on his shirt until he was close enough to kiss. She held the soft cotton in one fist. Her other hand slid down the front of his body until she grasped his hard flesh through his jeans. He was thick and long and more than filled her hand. She smiled to herself at the sound of the groan deep in his throat.

  “Isn’t that better than—“

  She didn’t get the chance to finish her question. Slade’s lips swooped down on hers in a ravishing kiss. He held her jaw with one hand while arching his shaft firmer against her pussy. His tongue dove into her mouth. Kari drew his tongue deeper, sucking it the way she would his cock.

  “My God, you’re hot,” he growled.

  He pushed her backward until she lay flat on the hood, her widespread legs dangling over the front. Slade removed her shoes, then unfastened her jeans. One tug and jeans and panties disappeared.

  He slid his thumb over the slick folds between her thighs. “Damn, your pussy is dripping.”

  Kari gasped when he touched her clit. “Right there. Oh, yes, right there.”

  He moved his thumb faster over her clit and added his fingers to the loveplay. They slid over wet flesh, journeyed through swollen folds. “Is this what you need?”

  “I need… Oh!” She gasped and lifted her hips. Slade certainly knew how to touch a woman to make her head blow off. “I need you inside me.”

  “Not until you come. I want to watch.”

  He’d barely said the words when the orgasm sped through her body. She bucked against his hand, drawing out every last bit of sensation she could. A climax normally didn’t happen so quickly for her. She didn’t know if she’d come so fast because it’d been a long time since she’d had sex, or because Slade had magic fingers.

  She’d bet on his magic fingers.

  Slade watched Kari’s eyes drift closed. He loved watching a woman after she’d experienced a climax. Her chest rose and fell rapidly with her heavy breaths. He couldn’t see her skin clearly in the darkness, but knew it was flushed and dewy with perspiration. Her nipples would be hard pebbles, her pupils dilated. Her clit had retreated back inside its hood. Slade continued his gentle caressing, hoping to coax it back out so he could make Kari come again.

  He’d like to spend the rest of the night making her come again and again.

  The subtle shifting of her hips proved his touch was affecting her. More cream oozed from her pussy. Slade lifted his hand to his mouth and licked his fingers.

  “Damn, you taste good,” he rasped.

  “Please tell me you have a condom in your wallet.”

  “First aid kit in my backpack.”

  She grabbed the pack and dragged it closer to Slade. He fumbled for the kit, silently cursing when he couldn’t find it quickly. His cock lengthened, thickened, making demands that he couldn’t ignore much longer.

  He finally found the kit and flipped it open. He unfastened his jeans, pulled his shaft from his briefs and sheathed his hard flesh. With one movement, he thrust inside her to his balls.

  Kari moaned loudly. “Oh, yes, yes! That feels so good.”

  Slade gritted his teeth, not daring to move yet for fear he’d come too soon. “You’re tight. And wet.”

  “And you’re huge.”

  Clutching her hips, he began to pump his rod into her channel. “Not huge, just above average.”

  “There’s nothing average about that horse cock.”

  Slade couldn’t help it. He laughed. He was so turned on, his cock was so hard it almost hurt, and she made him laugh. “Are you complaining?”

  “What, you think I’m crazy? I love it. More.”

  Not one to disappoint a lady, Slade moved faster. It wasn’t enough. Taking Kari’s hand, he pulled her into his arms and gripped her buttocks so he could drive deeper. Now he could get all the way inside her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, and kissed him.

  Perfect.

  Pleasure grabbed his balls. His rod jerked. Slade released a fierce growl as the climax rushed through him.

  Closing his eyes, he rested his forehead against Kari’s. “Damn.”

  “I’ll go along with that.”

  He swallowed hard and wondered when he’d be able to speak again without his voice sounding breathless. “You didn’t come again.”

  “You won’t hear one word of complaint from this gal.”

  Slade kissed her once, twice. “Spend the night with me and I promise you’ll come again.”

  She smiled. “Sounds like a hell of an idea to me.”

  Slade laughed at her repeating the same words he’d uttered before they’d had sex. “Then we’d better go before we freeze our asses.”

  *

  Unlike the drive from Truckee earlier this evening, Kari enjoyed the ride back to town with Slade. Although mostly silent, the silence was comfortable this time instead of thick with tension.

  That wasn’t true. Kari felt a different type of tension in the air…the one that spoke of naked bodies, entwined limbs, and rumpled sheets. Although they’d already had sex, her body still hummed with desire. She could hardly wait to get Slade in bed where they could take their time, learn each other’s bodies. She wanted to drag her tongue down his chest, over his stomach. She wanted to take that magnificent cock in her mouth, feel it swell as she sucked it.

  A thrill whooshed down her spine at the thought.

  The mental picture of Brenda lying near the wolf wall flashed through Kari’s mind. It still bothered her that her vision had been so wrong. That had never happened to her. She’d had dozens of visions since her first one and they’d always come true. She’d never been able to stop whatever was about to happen to the person in her vision. This time, she’d wanted it to be different. This time, she’d wanted to save Brenda before anything bad happened to her.

  Apparently, she had nothing to worry about.

  Kari laid her hand over her churning stomach. If I have nothing to worry about, why do I feel this gnawing feeling inside that Brenda is in trouble? And not kidnapping trouble, but life-threatening trouble.

  “You’re quiet,” Slade said into the silence.

  “Just thinking.”

  “Would it sound like my ego talking if I said I hope you’re thinking of me?”

  Kari chuckled. “Yes, it would sound like your ego.”

  “Rats.”

  This time Kari laughed out loud. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone but Charlie Brown say ‘rats’.”

  Slade grinned. “I could’ve said something more…colorful, but I’m trying to show you I do have manners.” His grin faded and he glanced at her. “Seriously, what are you thinking about?”

  It would be useless to say she’d been thinking of Brenda again. She and Slade were growing closer. She didn’t want to do or say anything to hinder the new feelings developing between them. Instead, she said what she thought he’d want to hear. “You.”

  He held out his right hand, palm up. Kari placed her left in it and entwined their fi
ngers. “So what, exactly, are you thinking?”

  “About how handsome I thought you were the first time I saw you in The Café. About how you didn’t complain once when you had to carry me. About our kisses and how they make me feel.”

  “And how do they make you feel?” he asked, his voice low and husky.

  “Warm. Breathless. All fluttery inside.”

  “Is fluttery good?”

  “Fluttery is very good.”

  He raised their hands to his mouth and kissed the back of hers. “It’s been a long time since a woman has affected me this strongly.”

  “I feel the same way about you.”

  The lights of Truckee appeared when Slade topped a hill. “How about if I buy you dinner before we head to my place?”

  Kari’s stomach growled loudly as if answering his question. He chuckled. “I guess that means dinner is a good idea.”

  “It’s been a long time since lunch.”

  “For me too.” He pulled into the parking lot of The Tarot Café and turned off the ignition. “There are several great restaurants in town, but this is my favorite. Plus Synda and Leandra are good friends.”

  “You’re the expert on the restaurants. I’m easy.”

  “Mmm, that sounds promising.”

  Before Kari could respond to his remark, Slade opened his door and stepped out of the Jeep. She smiled to herself as she opened her own door. She liked the teasing Slade much better than the angry, suspicious one she’d met earlier today.

  She joined him in front of the Jeep. Slade glanced down at her feet. “Can you walk okay?”

  “Yeah, if I go slowly. You did a great job with the first aid.”

  Taking her hand, Slade led her up the steps to The Café. A tall, slender brunette greeted them when they entered the restaurant. She smiled and gave Slade a quick hug. “Hi.”

  “Hey, Leandra. Do you have a table for a couple of hungry people?”

  “Absolutely. Follow me.”

  She led them to the same table near the fireplace where they’d sat this afternoon. Kari listened to the easy banter between Leandra and Slade as they spoke for a few moments. They were obviously very good friends.

  Leandra handed each of them a menu and said she’d be back with glasses of water. Once she left, Kari opened her menu. “Do the owners hold this table especially for you?”