LIKE ELLEN to take the initiative. Chance wasn’t going to turn her away again. The gentleman in him he’d left in that hovel days before. He was going to accept what was offered. All of Ellen.
He would inhale her, touch her, have her. Totally take what he’d desired for weeks.
His body was tense with anticipation. With one hot kiss his manhood stood ready. He craved everything about her.
With her still in his arms he walked around the fire to the blanket. She wrapped her arms around his neck as they went. Cupping the back of his head, she held his mouth to hers. Her tongue caressed, twirled and mated with his, mimicking the very things he wanted to do to her.
Chance hadn’t planned this. But he wanted it. Needed her.
She was right. They had spent the last few days fighting for their lives. He didn’t want to battle himself or her about the attraction between them. Now it was time to feel her against him for the pleasure of her, not for the need to survive. Chance eased her down his body and brought his hands up under her shirt tracing the lines of her body. Stepping away, he pulled her shirt over her head and dropped it to the stone floor.
She was stunning, standing before him. The flickering firelight touched her in places he had every intention of savoring. He cupped one of her breasts. Slowly, he pulled his hand away, caressing the breast from beneath. Ellen shivered, adding to his delight. He reveled in her soft sound of pleasure.
The pads of her fingers drifted over his chest then downward to the edge of his pants and around to his side. She slipped a finger beneath his waistband and moved it across his skin.
His manhood tightened. Strained against the front of his pants.
She grabbed a handful of material and pulled him to her.
Chance took her mouth again. This time she brought a leg up his, circling it with hers. He broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. “I desperately want you but I can’t make any promises.”
“Tonight isn’t about promises. It’s about being alive. Enjoying life.”
She hadn’t said it but he knew her too well not to know she cared deeply for people and that meant she didn’t take relationships lightly. Should he let this continue? For his sake? Hers?
A hint of a smile came to Ellen’s lips. “Remember what I said that day when I was polishing the girl’s nails? A moment of pleasure is better than none. If something happens to you, I’d always regret not having you like this.”
That brick wall Chance had built around his heart had just taken a battering. He couldn’t let her get hurt. “This isn’t some storybook adventure that’s going to end in a happily-ever-after.”
“Have I ever said that’s what I want?”
She hadn’t, and for some reason it stung that she didn’t expect it.
Her hands ran up his ribs and down his arms. “What I’m saying is that I want you. I know you want me. I feel it.” She flexed forward. “There might not be another time. We may not get out of this. I don’t want any regrets. Not being with you would be a great regret.”
Chance knew about regrets and disappointment. He’d experienced both a number of times in his life. With his mother. His sister. His ex-wife. Ellen wouldn’t be one of those. He would see to that right now.
Cupping her face with his hands, he gave her a gentle kiss. “You deserve a big comfortable bed and someplace clean.”
“I don’t care as long as you are there.”
Bam. There went another chip in the wall.
Pulling her against him, Chance savored the feel of her bare breasts against his chest. His mouth found hers again then moved over her cheek to kiss the hollow behind her ear. She tilted her head as if asking for more.
He found her waistband and unfastened the button. Deliberately, he pulled the zipper down. Her pants fell to her feet and she pushed them away. His mouth left her ear to travel over the ridge of her shoulder and down to the tip of one breast.
His mouth took it, sucked. Running his tongue around the nipple, he teased.
A soft, sensual sigh filled the air as Ellen combed her fingers through his hair.
Chance pulled away and blew over the damp mound he was giving attention to. Ellen’s moan turned to a groan.
His length twitched. How much longer could he stand not having her? What would she sound like when she found release?
Cupping the other breast, he took it into his mouth, giving it the same attention as he’d lavished on the first. She held his head, encouraging him. Chance’s mouth left her breast to kiss his way up her neck and capture her lips. The meeting of mouths was wild and hot.
Her hands went to his pants and released them, pushing them over his hips to the ground. She didn’t hesitate before she wrapped her hand around his staff and gently stroked. If she kept that up he would combust before they made it to the blanket.
Chance moved back and she released him. “I’ll lose control if you touch me.”
“I don’t care.” Her voice was husky, which did nothing to ease his need.
“But I do. You deserve more.” He kissed her deeply. One of his hands followed the curve of her shoulder, skimmed her breast to brush the line of her hip. The palm of his hand skimmed over her stomach before his fingers teased the curls between her legs.
She tensed in his arms.
He slid a finger between her folds and pulled away.
Ellen shook, making a delicious sound of protest.
Chance cupped her center then slowly pulled a finger between her folds. Her stance widened as her tongue entered his mouth. She clung to his shoulders. Using one finger, he went deeper, finding the wet, hot opening of her desire. He dipped the tip of his finger inside. Ellen hissed close to his ear. Bringing her leg up around his, she offered him clear passage. He took it, pushing his finger completely into her. She bucked, going up on her toes.
He removed his finger and pushed into her again. Her hips flexed against him. She clawed at his back. Retreating, he thrust again. This time Ellen pushed down on his hand. Pulling his finger away, he entered her again. Her head fell back. Her hair was wild around her shoulders as she cried her pleasure and withered against him.
It took all Chance had within him not to throw Ellen to the ground and hammer into her.
Instead he held her, watching the soft look settle over her face as she eased to earth once more. The experience was something he’d never had with a woman before. It left a feeling of satisfaction he wasn’t familiar with but desperately wanted again.
Was that another brick being knock away?
Ellen relaxed against him. He removed his finger and grasped her waist. Their gazes met. Hers was dewy. She gave him the tiny smile of a woman who’d found something special. He stood on top of the world because he was the one who’d given it to her.
That was an awesome responsibility. Did he want to carry that? Could he take that gamble?
Ellen placed a hand in one of his, went down on the blanket and pulled him to her.
Chance didn’t resist. He couldn’t.
“You deserve some attention.” Her voice was deeper and even sexier than before.
“It’s not necessary.”
There was a look of concern in her eyes for a second then her lips turned upward. “Oh, but I think it is.”
Ellen wanted to give Chance some of the pleasure he’d given her. She wasn’t inexperienced but nothing she had felt before compared to what Chance’s touch had done to her.