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Authors: Gina Ardito

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BOOK: Chasing Adonis
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As if sensing her delight in their power play, he leaned
forward and captured her nipple in his hot mouth. Darts of pleasure pierced her
as he suckled and licked the hard nub. With his glorious mouth distracting her,
it took all her focus to continue teasing him, and she rocked back and forth
while still maintaining her up and down motion. Soon, focus evaporated as pulsing
heat throbbed from her very core, spiraling inside her like a tornado.

Her movements became quicker and faster while Shane thrust
up hard from beneath her. A titanic wave crested within her, and she rode it
with the skill of a born surfer. Tilting her head back and forth as her hips
undulated to some inner rhythm, she clamped every muscle in her abdomen on the
instrument of sweet torment plunging in and out of her fevered flesh. His arms
tightened around her at the exact moment her own crescendo curled, and with one
last ascent, she hurtled downward into a swirling vortex of tremors and
scattering stars.

Spent, she collapsed against Shane’s chest, listening to the
steady thrum of his heartbeat, and allowing the warm afterglow to consume her.

“I’m sorry,” he said suddenly, turning her warm afterglow to
a dousing with ice water. “That shouldn’t have happened.”

 

Chapter Twenty-One

 

Adara’s spine stiffened to steel as she sat up and glared at
Shane. “You’re what?”

“I’m sorry,” he repeated. “This shouldn’t have happened.”

“Why the hell not?”

His eyes scanned from side to side in confusion, as if
seeking answers from the talking head interviewing the latest starlet on some
late night talk show on the television. “Because you’re vulnerable and fragile
right now, and I took advantage of that.”

“Let’s get a few things straight, Shane.” Unfolding her
legs, she climbed off his lap and stood over him, hands resting on her hips.
Despite the blond hair cascading down her flesh, naked, her breasts heaving,
she more closely resembled the warrior princess than Rapunzel. “In the first
place, you didn’t take advantage of me. If anything, I took advantage of you.”

“How do you figure that?”

She sighed and sat on the edge of the coffee table. “For the
last three days—no, correction—

for the last two years, I’ve lived
like a Ping-Pong ball. Ever since that bastard killed Terry, some invisible
paddles have been bouncing me around wherever they please. Even after Cherry
was put away, I still found myself looking over my shoulder, waiting for
something to happen. I always knew he’d find a way to reach me again. Now, with
you tonight, I gained back something I’ve missed for so long…”

“An orgasm?”

“No, you fool,” she said with a light laugh. “Control. I
gained back control of my life. Even if it was for just a little while. From
the moment I sat down out here beside you,
I
made the decisions.
I
decided
to make love with you.
I
kissed you first.”

“No, you didn’t.
I
kissed
you
.”

She shook her head. “If it soothes your masculine pride to
think so, fine. But
I let you kiss me
. And everything else that just
happened between us—from the minute I pressed my thigh against you to this
minute right here and right now—happened because
I allowed it
. I wanted
to make love with you. I allowed it. And…I…don’t…regret…it.”

“Well, I do. I’m sworn to protect you. The last thing either
of us needs right now is the distraction of a love affair.”

“Who said this was a love affair? We’re two people who reached
out to one another in a moment of need.”

He shook his head. “This can’t happen again, Adara.”

“Why? Are you afraid I’ll fall in love with you or
something?” His solemn expression confirmed that was exactly what he feared,
and she leaned back on her hands, laughing. “Don’t sweat it, Shane. I promise
not to fall in love with you, okay? I’ll never fall in love with any man.”

“Oh? How can you be so sure? I mean, it’s not like you’re a
devout lesbian.” Blazing eyes ran up and down her nude figure, making her blush
with memories of the last half-hour’s activities. “At least I don’t think so
anyway.”

If he meant to get a rise out of her with that crack, he was
in for a rude awakening. She giggled instead and reached for her T-shirt where
it lay amid a puddle of clothing on the floor. Best to put up some shields
before revealing anything more. “I’m as hetero as you are. I just don’t ever
intend to fall in love, that’s all.” She tossed him his pants and briefs.
“Here. Put these on before your mama comes out and sees what we’ve been up to.”

His face blanched as white as an almond, and he quickly slid
into his underwear. “And you think you can control it? Falling in love, I
mean?”

Wriggling into her shorts, she exhaled a puff of air to blow
a stray wisp of hair out of her face. “I saw what it did to my mother when my
father deserted us. I know what it did to me. I won’t let myself fall for that
‘happily ever after’ crap. No matter what men may say between the sheets, I’ve
learned they don’t stick around when times get tough.”

“You can’t blame all the men in the world for whatever
happened between your mother and father.”

She held up her hand. “Don’t. Don’t play amateur
psychiatrist now, okay? And don’t ever label me as ‘vulnerable’ again. I won’t
play victim. It’s not my style.

“Now, I believe I was in the middle of my list of reasons
why I’m not sorry we made love when you tried to change the subject by
analyzing me. So, as I was saying, I don’t regret it because I was in control
of the situation. Secondly, it was a tremendous release of pent-up tension. I
don’t know about you, but I feel more relaxed now than I have in ages. And
lastly,” she leaned forward to stare into those gorgeous baby blues and
whispered, “I’ve wanted to make love with you since I first laid eyes on you.”

His brow furrowed, knitting his dark brows, and she giggled
again. Her candor must have surprised him. “I guess you didn’t expect to hear
that, huh?”

“Uh, no.”

She shrugged, slapping her hands atop her bare thighs. “I
don’t believe in hiding my feelings, Shane. It’s a waste of time and energy.
And I’m pretty short on both these days.”

He finally cracked a smile. “Me, too.”

“So? Knowing how I feel, are you still sorry about what
happened between us?”

“I’m a cop, Adara,” he said on a sigh. “I’m not supposed to
let emotion cloud my judgment like that.”

“You may be a cop, but you’re also human.”

“That shouldn’t matter.”

“Bullshit.”

“No bullshit. Truth. Ever since I’ve met you, I’ve let
emotion rule my head. My C.O. knew it, my partner knew it, hell, even you knew
it and took advantage of it tonight. But I can’t let my emotions get the better
of me again. Too many lives are at stake if I trip up.”

Her gaze strayed to the hall where two innocents lay their heads.
Regret hovered over her like a dark storm cloud. “You’re right. This isn’t a
game. Our actions affect Pauline and Tyler, too. I’m sorry I forgot about them.
Even temporarily.” She winked as she rose from the table. “But I can’t promise
that what just happened between us won’t happen again. I enjoyed it too much.”
Bending slightly, she kissed his cheek while he continued to stare at her in
awe. “I’m going to take a shower and turn in. Goodnight, Shane. And thanks.”

As she walked down the hall, she sensed his eyes burning
like lasers into her back.

Pffffttt
! She blew a wisp of air from between pursed
lips. He was sorry. Imagine that. She’d heard a lot of things from lovers after
sex, but thank heaven, “I’m sorry” wasn’t one of them—before tonight anyway.
Well, she certainly disavowed him of that idea.
Sorry
. Hmmmph.
Incredible…

She closed the bedroom door and padded softly into the
bathroom in the dark. Once she closed that door behind her, she clicked on the
light and fan then slowly opened the tap on the faucet. Hoping not to wake the
sleeping occupants in the next room, she kept the water pressure to a mere
trickle when she stepped behind the vinyl curtain. Her mind still meandered
over the conversation in the living room while she soaped and lathered the
day’s events from her skin.

She’d meant every word she’d said. She didn’t regret what
had transpired between them. While their lovemaking wasn’t a planned thing—she
hadn’t spent hours coming up with ways to seduce Shane—she enjoyed their
passion too much to play repentant fool after the fact. And she wouldn’t allow
him to play that part, either. Not when there was no good reason for it.

The hot water dancing over her shoulders reminded her of the
shivers his tongue and lips had evoked when he’d touched her. And the aroma and
flavor of him when she’d taken him into her mouth. She could still taste him on
her tongue and debated whether she really wanted to brush her teeth to remove
that last impression of their special time together.

In the end, dental hygiene won out over reminiscing. Still,
she thought as she stood before the mirror, gargling, she couldn’t wait to
taste him again. And she promised herself she would. Very soon.

 

~~~~

 

Shane watched her walk away, his gaze intent upon her
sashaying hips and the expanse of curvy leg flashing beneath the T-shirt’s hem.
Her white bra dangled from her fingertips like a flag of surrender.

She’d surprised him. Correction, she’d shocked the hell out
of him.

Must be that Xena, Warrior Princess personality coming to
the forefront again.

Although, now that he thought about it, she was absolutely
right about one thing. He hadn’t felt so relaxed in eons. Then again, good sex
always soothed his tension. Mind numbing sex, however, the kind he’d just
experienced with Adara, damn near relaxed him into a coma. He sank into the
sofa cushions and closed his eyes, inhaling the honeysuckle scent of her that
permeated the slipcovers.

He’d given her back some control. Funny, she’d taken all of
his away. Not that he blamed her for what happened. He was responsible for his
own downfall. And he’d enjoyed every minute of it. Still, he didn’t dare let
his guard down again on this trip. Neither of them could afford the
aftereffects.

At least, she’d sworn she wouldn’t fall in love with him.
All to the better, really. Because once she testified at Cherry’s second trial,
they’d never see each other again. The Federal Protection Program would furnish
her with a new identity, a new home, a new life. A life that didn’t include
some former cop who’d lost his job for running off with the star witness in a
murder trial.

A sharp pang of loneliness clawed his belly, but he ignored
it and turned his attention back to the television. No matter how hard he
concentrated on the screen, though, the talk show host’s genial dialogue faded
into background noise as Adara’s words took center stage in his head.

“’…And thirdly, I’ve wanted to make love with you since the
moment I laid eyes on you…’”

He took one last look at the closed bedroom door down the hallway,
and his mind pictured her lush, nude body beneath the spray of steaming water.
Leaning against the sofa back, he sighed.

Ditto, Adara Berros. But now that you’ve found your way
under my skin, how the hell am I ever going to let you go?

 

Chapter Twenty-Two

 

Adara awakened the next morning with a strange sensation of
extra warmth, like a heating pad turned to “High” against her belly. Alarmed,
she opened her eyes and found Tyler scrunched up against her. He must have switched
beds in the middle of the night.

With a sigh of contentment, she wrapped a hand around his
skinny waist and reveled in the surge of love that flowed between them. Such a
sweet little boy.

“Hi.” His squeaky voice was even higher first thing in the morning.
“Is it okay if I sleep with you?” He snuggled closer, rubbing a hand over her
forearm. “Grandma snores.”

Swallowing a giggle, she offered Tyler a serious expression.
“Of course it’s okay. But let’s keep Grandma’s snoring between you and me.
Deal?”

With an elfin grin, he fidgeted his bony rump against her
belly. “Deal.”

“Good. Because you know what’ll happen if you tell?”

“What?”

She poked her fingers in his ribs, eliciting a series of
high-pitched squeals of laughter. “The Tickle Monster will get you.”

“I won’t tell,” he screeched while squirming away from her
wriggling fingers. “I promise.”

Instantly, she stopped, allowing him a chance to catch his
breath. “Good man.”

After a quiet moment, the boy reached up to touch the
medallion hanging from the chain around her neck. “Is that a picture of your
daddy?”

Looking down, she saw Tyler’s finger tracing the outline of
Apollo’s head. “No,” she said on a laugh. “That’s Apollo, a god in Greek
stories. Every day, he rides a golden chariot across the sky bringing the sun
to earth.”

Tyler’s eyes widened. “For real?”

“Of course not, silly. But long ago, before there was
science, people believed that everything that happened on Earth, happened
because of different gods. There was a god of the sun, the sea, thunder, fire,
just about everything they couldn’t otherwise explain. There were goddesses,
too, for things like the moon, love, wisdom, even the rainbow was caused by a
goddess.” She flipped the medallion over to show him the temple engraved on the
back. “This is the Parthenon, a place where the Greeks would go to say thank
you to their gods and goddesses for all the good things on Earth. The medal is
called a
fludee
.”

“It’s pretty,” he said. “Where’d you get it?”

“My mother. She said as long as I wore this, I would be
protected by the gods.”

He dropped his gaze to the sheet, his fingers still
clutching the medallion. “I wish my mommy had one.”

BOOK: Chasing Adonis
11.46Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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