A Fare To Remember: Just Whistle\Driven To Distraction\Taken For A Ride (30 page)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

O
NCE THE DOOR WAS CLOSED
, Pris couldn’t see very well, but that didn’t matter. The next few minutes would be about her other senses—hearing the waves outside, the rhythm of Josh’s breathing, the snap of latex as he put on the condom.

She breathed in the remembered scent of him. That alone would have been enough to arouse her. Then he found her in the darkness, his hands caressing her face, her breasts, her inner thighs as only he knew how.

“I’ve missed you so much,” he whispered, his mouth moving over her throat and down the slope of one breast.

“I’ve missed you.” She stroked the muscled expanse of his back and wondered how she’d survived without being able to do that. Then his tongue swept over her nipple and his hand slid between her thighs, and the pleasure was almost beyond enduring.

When he discovered how ready she was, he groaned. “Pris, forgive me.” He braced himself above her, poised between her thighs. “I wanted to take more time, but—”

She clutched his hips and guided him closer. “I need it, too.”

He probed her heat with an ease created by many nights of loving her. “I thought…I would never…ah, Pris. Sweet Pris.” He dragged in a breath and thrust home.

Heaven. She wrapped her legs around his, holding him tightly inside her to savor the moment. There was no feeling like this, and no other man had ever completed her. Only Josh.

His breath fanned her ear. “I love being inside you.”

“I love having you there.”

“Maybe, if I stay very still, we can hold each other like this for a while before anything happens.” He nipped her earlobe. “Do you think it will work?”

“No.” The tension coiled within her. “Something’s already happening.”

“I should have known.” He brushed his lips over hers. “You always were on the brink from the minute I kissed you. What if I do this?” He rotated his hips.

She gasped. “Keep doing it and you’ll find out.”

“I believe I will.” The movement was subtle but devastating. His chest brushed lightly against her taut nipples and his lips grazed hers. “How’s that?”

She moaned and arched against him. “You’ve developed some…new tricks.”

“You inspire me.”

“And you…you drive me crazy.” The smooth satin shifted beneath her, caressing her bare skin. She began to pant as her climax hovered near.

“Good. Go crazy, Pris.” He rocked forward, launching her into the most explosive orgasm of her life.

Months of pent-up frustration and longing erupted in waves of unbelievable pleasure. She called out his name and clung to him as her anchor in the tempest.

And then he was moving again, stroking quickly, gulping for air until at last he shuddered in the grip of his own climax. Long moments later, he nuzzled her throat. “Better now,” he murmured.

“Mmm.” She hugged him tight. “I’m sure better now.”

“No.” He sighed. “I meant this was even better than I remembered.”

She had to agree. And that meant she had one heck of a problem.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

A
T FIRST
J
OSH
had been grateful simply to have access to Pris’s luscious body, but after taking the edge off his hunger for her, he wished he could feast his eyes on her, too. Back when they were lovers they’d had sex with the lights on, and he had become used to that.

But turning the lights on in the back of the limo would be asking for trouble. He didn’t want any trouble tonight—he just wanted to enjoy every minute he could with Pris.

Once he’d recovered himself enough to move, he kissed her softly. “I’m going up front to get our milk shakes and turn on the heater for a little while, so we won’t get cold.”

“The shakes would be nice, but believe me, I’m not cold.”

“Me, either, yet, but the wind’s picking up out there. I won’t be long.”

Moments later he had the engine running, the heater on and the bag of shakes in his hand as he climbed into the back again. While the door was still open he located Pris sitting on the floor propped against one of the leather seats, but once he closed the door, he had to feel his way.

“Gonna take off your pants again?” she asked in a husky murmur.

He laughed. “There’s only one sane answer to that one.” He put the bag down and peeled off his slacks. Then he picked up the bag and groped his way over to her. “To help you keep up your strength.” He put the bag in her lap.

She opened the bag. “I never drink a chocolate milk shake without thinking of you.”

“Same here.” When he took the cup, he knew it would already have the straw shoved through the lid, because that’s the way Pris did things.

His hand brushed hers, and his fingers came in contact with her engagement ring. “You’re still wearing your diamond.”

“Oh. Well, I can fix that in a jiffy.”

Although he couldn’t see her clearly, he realized she’d wedged her shake between her knees while she pulled off her ring. “Wait a minute,” he said. “You should probably leave it on, so you won’t lose it.”

“I won’t lose it.” She dropped the ring into her shake. “And I definitely don’t want to wear it anymore. Thanks for reminding me about it.”

Saying something had been pure reflex, because he didn’t want to make love to Pris while she wore another guy’s ring. Hell, he didn’t want her to wear another guy’s ring, ever. Too bad, unless he planned to put one there himself.

“It’s not a very expensive ring,” Pris said. “He didn’t think spending a lot of money on a diamond was practical. Mmm, this milk shake tastes great.”

“He discussed the cost of the ring with you?” Josh found the idea ludicrous. Talk about taking all the romance right out of it.

“Yes, and I told myself that meant he was a good money manager. He also bought a life policy on himself in lieu of an expensive honeymoon, but—”

“Hold it. Run that one by me again.”

“Three nights ago he said he had a surprise for me. It was this single-pay life policy on himself. He thought that was much better than the trip to the Bahamas we’d talked about. Instead we’d go camping for our honeymoon.”

Josh groaned and shook his head. “What an idiot.”

“It’s unromantic, I know, but he meant well. He wanted to make sure I’d never be in financial need in case anything ever happened to him.”

Brad’s logic hit Josh right between the eyes. It sounded absolutely stupid to him. And yet it was exactly why he hadn’t asked Pris to marry him six months ago.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“B
UT
I
DON’T WANT
to talk about Brad.” Pris sipped her drink. “The ring reminded me of him, but he’s history. Deciding to marry him was a big mistake, but at least I didn’t go through with it out of fear of embarrassment.”

“That was quite a thing you did, running out.” Josh reached over and rubbed her knee. “Facing your parents tomorrow isn’t going to be easy.”

She’d forgotten that he used to rub her knee when they were in bed talking. And they’d talked a lot. They’d connected on more levels than physical pleasure, but that had been spectacular enough to take center stage most of the time.

“I can face my parents,” she said softly. “I know they love me and want the best for me. Once they realize Brad’s not the person I thought he was, they’ll understand.”

“Are you going to tell them the whole story?”

She smiled. “Um, I’ll tell my mom, and I’ll let her decide how much to tell my dad. I’m getting braver, but not enough to discuss my sex life with my dad.”

Josh laughed and squeezed her knee. “Don’t blame you.”

The gentle pressure was having a predictable effect on her. “And speaking of my sex life, remember that trick I tried once with my milk shake?”

His breath caught. “As if I’d ever forget.”

“Let’s see if you still like it.” Drawing some of the cool shake into her mouth, she put her cup on the seat and moved astride his knees. Leaning over, she discovered he was more than glad to see her.

Pulse racing, she lowered her head and slipped her mouth over his erection, all without losing any of the milk shake.

He moaned. “That’s…incredible.”

As she took in even more of his smooth shaft, his breathing grew labored. “Be…careful,” he murmured. “I don’t want to come.”

She didn’t mind if he did. She liked being in command. The only other time she’d tried this with a milk shake, he’d lost control almost immediately. But that had been after two days without each other, and she’d been happy to give him an extra treat.

Holding him firmly with her mouth, she moved her head slowly up and down.

“Ah…Pris…that’s so good…too good.” He grasped her head and drew her away. “Not this time,” he murmured. “Come here.” He guided her to his waiting mouth and they shared a chocolate milk-shake-flavored kiss.

“Your hair’s coming undone,” he whispered against her mouth.

“I don’t care.”

“You look so sexy with it up like that.” He nibbled her lower lip. “But I wish I could see you with it falling down, too. Especially considering what I have in mind. Can you reach one of those little raincoats?”

“Uh-huh.” She fumbled blindly for the box and pulled out a foil packet.

“You know what to do.”

She did. They used to love this position, especially in the light when they’d been able to watch each other. Drawing back, she opened the packet and rolled the condom on. Then she held on to his shoulders, positioned herself over him and slid down, taking him in up to the hilt.

“I wish we had light,” he whispered.

“Use your memory,” she murmured. And then she made love to him. If memories were all he’d have of her, then she’d make this one special.

CHAPTER TWENTY

J
OSH HAD ALWAYS
cherished making love to Pris, but never more than he did during the hours they spent in the back of the limo. He could have kept it up until dawn, but she began to show signs of getting tired. No wonder. She’d been planning a wedding for weeks, with no rejuvenating sex to keep her going.

Sometime after four in the morning, he gathered her close. Creating a blanket from the train he’d removed from her dress earlier, he urged her to sleep. She insisted that she didn’t want to, but in no time she’d drifted off.

Josh lay in the darkness holding the only woman he’d ever loved and thinking about the series of events that had brought them to this moment. Thoughts whirled in his head, each one more confusing than the last. Finally, needing to move, he eased away from Pris and located his clothes.

When he was dressed, he opened the door and climbed out. Making sure he had the electronic key in his pocket, he locked the doors and headed toward the sound of the waves.

He walked the beach, getting sand in his shoes and feeling the cold salt air on his cheeks. The wind had died, leaving only the crunch of his footsteps and the whisper of gentle waves. A thin line of gray light bisected sea and sky by the time he had everything sorted out. He started back toward the limo.

W
HEN
P
RIS OPENED
her eyes, she had no idea where she was. Then she remembered and sat up to look for Josh. From the faint light coming through the tinted windows, dawn was on its way. Josh’s clothes were gone, so he must have taken a walk. She wondered when he’d left.

Just then the limo door opened and he ducked in, looking rumpled and sexy. “Hi.”

“Hi. Been for a stroll?”

“Yeah.” He came over and knelt beside her, his expression very intent. “Priscilla Adams, will you marry me?”

She blinked. Maybe she was still asleep and dreaming this.

He took her hand. “I called Brad an idiot, but I’m a much bigger one. I wouldn’t marry you because I couldn’t offer you financial security. I called that love.” He cupped her face in both hands. “But love isn’t about financial security. It’s about needing someone beside you, and them needing you.”

Her throat tightened. If only he’d realized that six months ago. “Josh, it’s no good. I made a mess of things, and I have to repay my parents for the—”

“
We’ll
repay your parents. I have the money. We can do it this week.”

“No! You’re saving for your business. That’s your dream, and I won’t let you sacrifice it for me!”

“Pris, don’t you see? You’re my dream. If we’re not together, the rest of it means nothing. I thought I had to have everything proceed according to some master plan, but if I lose you… I can’t lose you. I love you too much.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “I love you, too. But I can’t take your money.”

“It’s nothing. I didn’t know that before, but I do now, thanks to that jerk you almost married.” His gaze searched hers. “And you. You showed me that risks are worth taking. Please…forgive me for… Oh, Pris.” He swallowed. “I can’t live without you,” he murmured, his voice husky. “Please marry me.”

“I will,” she whispered, tears spilling from her eyes. “Oh, Josh, I will, but I’m so worried that I’ll be a financial burden.”

His eyes glowed with happiness as he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Not a chance, my love. In fact, thanks to you, I’m the richest man on earth.”

ISBN: 978-1-4268-7156-6

A FARE TO REMEMBER

Copyright © 2006 by Harlequin Enterprises S.A.

The publisher acknowledges the copyright holders of the individual works as follows:

JUST WHISTLE
Copyright © 2006 by Vicki Lewis Thompson

DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION
Copyright © 2006 by Julie Elizabeth Leto

TAKEN FOR A RIDE
Copyright © 2006 by Peggy A. Hoffmann

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