locked, landing on his back in the cushioning grass. Pulling her above him, he shoved his hands under her top and his fingers ran riot over her back. Around them the air was redolent with the pungent scent of sweet, crushed grass. And Joshua felt his tightly leashed control start to slip.
In a staggering moment he realised that the forbidden attraction he’d been fighting had taken over. It was stronger, more powerful than anything he’d experienced. He surrendered to its force.
Even as the relentless hunger took him, he knew he had to have her. Just once. Before he let her leave Saxon’s Folly.
Joshua’s torso was solid beneath her. She felt safe … not exactly loved … but certainly cherished. It felt like coming home.
“This is in the way,” Joshua murmured.
“This” turned out to be her T-shirt. Alyssa shifted, lifting herself so that he could push it up, then her breath caught as his hand slipped forward … further up … under her bra and touched her breast.
“Ah.” She sighed and her head fell forward against his shoulder.
His other hand fiddled with her bra clasp. It gave. Then his hands were cupping her, shaping her, holding her apart from him. Eager to help, to prolong her pleasure, she braced herself on hands planted on the grass beside his shoulders.
Another gasp—sharper this time—escaped her as his head lifted and his mouth closed on one nipple then the other. Then his fingertips took over from his mouth … massaging … until an achy sweet sensation pierced her.
A hand moved between their bodies in restless little circles over her stomach. Down. Under the waistband of her jeans.
She was panting now. The sound loud in her ears. Alyssa shut her eyes. Patterns danced across her eyelids. He touched her where she was already wet with wanting. Blood rushed through her ears. She felt as if she might pass out.
Then he was rolling again, and she lay flat on her back, while Joshua rose above her. Alyssa kept her eyes closed, focusing on the stroke of his hands as he ran them over the skin that his caresses had laid bare.
“You’re hot and soft.”
The throaty drawl was uttered against the bare skin of her belly.
His hand moved again. She heard the rasp of a zipper.
Alyssa’s eyes shot open. Ohmigod. “What are we doing?”
His lips curved, sensual, satisfied. “Isn’t this what you wanted?”
His words shocked her. “What?”
Maybe it was what she wanted. But she hadn’t even admitted that to herself. How on earth did he know?
“That’s why you came here with me … to be alone.”
“You—” Words failed her. She pulled away from him, disappointment piercing her heart, and tugged her T-shirt down, uncaring that her bra was ruched up. Right now she wanted her breasts … her belly … covered.
“No need to be shy about it. We’re consenting adults.” The dark eyes simmered. “I have to admit it’s a huge turn on to be seduced by a woman who knows what she wants.”
“Knows what she wants … ?” Alyssa stared at him. The smoked salmon … the strawberries … the Pinot Gris. He thought she wanted … this. He’d planned it down to the last detail.
Damn, but she’d been dumb.
She covered her face. How could he have misunderstood so badly? “I wanted to come here because Megan said that Roland had loved it here … that it had been one of his favourite places.”
“Roland.” His tone was peculiar, flat, dead.
After a long moment she pushed her hair back and looked up at him. “Yes, because of Roland.”
He gave a laugh, but it held no amusement. “I thought you wanted something from me.”
She blinked. “Why would wanting something from you involve coming here alone and—” not making love “—having sex?” What kind of woman did he think she was, for heaven’s sake?
“Something you wanted enough to allow yourself to eat strawberries from my hand while your eyes promised me untold delights.”
Alyssa felt the flush start on her chest, spread up her face. But she forced herself to hold his gaze.
“Something you wanted enough to forget your lover.”
Her lover? Oh, yes, Roland.
She bit her lip at that. “And what was I supposed to want so much?”
“The big-break story. The insider’s report on whether we lie to our consumers.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake. I told you I’m not doing that story.”
His intense, disquieting eyes stayed locked with hers. “So if you came on this ride today only because of Roland, why did you kiss me … respond to me … so convincingly?”
Alyssa gulped. How was she supposed to answer that? Tell him that he confused her? Bewildered her? Tied her up in knots? Made her feel emotions she’d never known?
No way was she handing him that much ammunition! He’d never believe her anyway. He’d think it was another seduction attempt. How utterly humiliating….
But his question hung in the air. Why had she kissed him … responded to him so wildly? Alyssa groped mentally for an acceptable explanation.
“Grief?” she offered at last.
“Grief?” He looked poleaxed.
Sorry, Roland. “Yes. Grief does strange things to people.” She was babbling now. She wanted to run away. Hide. “Everyone reacts differently. Being here—” she waved a hand at the waterfall “—thinking and talking about Roland set me off. I’m leaving today. I’ll never see you again. I didn’t think you’d mind. I mean, guys don’t take sex as seriously as women …” She stopped talking as anger ignited in his eyes.
“Didn’t think I’d mind? I suppose I shouldn’t care that it’s just my bloody bad luck to be the butt of my brother’s clandestine girlfriend’s lustful grief attack.”
Alyssa couldn’t think of any suitable response to that.
It was just as well that she was leaving.
Thank goodness she hadn’t agreed to do the story David had wanted her to do. If she stayed any longer, there was a very real danger that she was going to do something incredibly stupid … like fall in love with Joshua Saxon.
They headed home in silence. As the bush gave way to grassy fields, Alyssa scanned the surrounding countryside with nostalgic eyes. Even though she’d come with the express purpose of being closer to Roland, Alyssa knew she would never think of dense green bush and cascading water without remembering the tall, commanding man who rode beside her.
She cast him a sideways glance. A frown carved a deep furrow between his brows. She glanced quickly away before he could catch her looking at him, her silly heart in her eyes.
As they drew closer to the stable yard they heard a commotion.
“What the—” Joshua broke off as they were met by the sight of the black stallion racing up and down along his paddock fence, his tail held high like a banner and his nostrils flared so wide that the inner red tissue showed. In the adjacent paddock horses whinnied frantically, milling around in a tight bunch.
“What’s upset them?” Joshua nudged his horse into a trot.
Alyssa followed more slowly.
The black horse, still galloping along the length of the fence, slammed to a halt at the gate and trumpeted with rage. It was then Alyssa saw the two youths in the paddock, half concealed behind the trunk of a gigantic oak.
“Hey,”