Of Love and Deception (12 page)

What Cruz did next—sinful. His hands greeted her thighs and slid her skirt up. He pressed into her, one arm wrapped around her waist while the other caressed her, stroking from behind, slipping lower, between her legs, creating sensations deep within her lower belly. A tiny moan escaped her.

“Mm,” she hummed as he dipped between the soft flesh, rubbing her sensitive spot, and slowly working a finger into the heated wetness he created.

“Dang…” he worked his finger deeper and stopped. Without warning, he pushed Daniella forward and slipped her off his lap.

What the hell?

Startled, Daniella covered her breasts with crossed arms, suddenly embarrassed and alarmed.

“You let me get this far. Last time you almost left, but I stopped you. Then I didn’t hear from you for a few days. What happens this time? How far does it go before you walk out… or I hear from you?” Cruz stood.

Unprepared, Daniella didn’t move. She willed her legs not to give out and swallowed hard at the lump forming in the back of her throat.

Two steps forward, and he reached around and drew her into his chest. “Talk to me. Tell me what you want.” He grasped her hands and pulled them around his waist, then cupped her face, tilting her head, feverishly taking her lower lip and biting it, sucking it. He moved to her neck—his tongue laved her skin and astounded her. Her emotions went crazy.

Releasing her head, he pulled back, removed his shirt and dropped his pants. Daniella suddenly felt nervous. His boxer briefs were still on when he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, and touching his lips to her chest. She stood motionless as he went down, kissing her abdomen while he tugged her skirt down. 

Cruz came back up and weaved his hands into her hair, clenching it and tilting her head. “I don’t want to be friends, either.” One hand glided down her neck, stopping at the center of her chest right over her heart. He whispered against her ear, “I want this. Not for one night, or for a week. And certainly not for a contract. I want to take you for my own.” He shifted his pelvis, pressing into her abdomen, his taker wanting to take, full and ready.

Oh, jeez! Please don't stop.
She melted.

Daniella couldn’t refuse him, not after the last incident. Her heart was already beating, pumping every bit of his life into her very own, intoxicating her with every kiss, poisoning the independent person within, bonding his very existence with her own. The possibility of him slipping away, deserting her, removing his person, was a terrible thought that crossed her mind.

Breathless, she rasped, “Take… me. I'm… I'm yours for… for the taking.”

With each slip of his hand, each stroke over her abdomen, her breathing surged with fear and desire, rippling through her chest and throwing her hormones into frenzy. He only made it worse when he guided her up the steps into his bedroom.

He laid her down and gently slipped off her laced panties. In his eyes, she could see a deep desire burning fiercely. With bittersweet fervor, he captured her lips again. The sweetness of his mouth drove a passionate urge inside of her. Not wanting the emotions to end, she slipped her hands along his chest, down ripples of his abdomen, and… he gripped her hand and stopped her.

Before she could speak, he was down the middle, spreading her legs, sliding his finger, pushing deeper. “Ohh-kkay,” she stuttered as he continued his sweet assault, slipping between her open thighs, sliding his tongue in one long, slow stroke, parting the silky flesh. He did it again and again, moaning several times as he continued.

Daniella clenched the sheets and arched her back as Cruz slowly came up, stroking and kissing her abdomen. He lay over her, his arms under her shoulders, he held her head in his hands. His eyes steady, he eased himself, just barely entering her. He held her firmly as he gently and slowly worked his way inside of her. It took a while before he finally filled her entirely, and he never looked away from her. She knew her mouth was agape, but her eyes never left his.

He caressed her breasts, kissed her shoulders and her neck as he settled inside her. His breath warmed her cheek, and he let out a sound so primitive and masculine. Slowly, he rocked in and out, gently and aggressively.

Daniella whimpered with pleasure, raising her pelvis off the mattress as his driving thrust forced her hips back down. He stayed deep inside of her and then pulled back, only to repeat the motion. Just when she was about to lose herself, he lifted her without disengaging, and penetrated deeper into the very heart of the secret spots she never knew existed. He held her hips, steadied her, controlling each movement, forcing her to halt when she wanted to keep grinding.

Holding her, frozen in the moment, he arched inward, dipped his head, sucked half of her breast into his mouth, fondled her nipple with his tongue and rolled back on the bed.

Daniella was now on top of him though he still gripped her hips. He swayed her back and forth, embedding himself deeper with every thrust of his pelvis and just as he was breaking into her ecstasy, his breath, harsh and uneven, he said, “Marry me.” Then he rocked into her.

“Oh, uhh. Oh… mm-mary… y-you. Oh GAWD! OOhh… huh—” The bliss of orgasm sizzled through her, and she shuddered….

Skin slapping against hers, he called out, “Daniella. Damn. I… I…” His head dropped, and he breathed harder. His hips jerked a few more times, and with a final thrust, she could feel the warmth of his release.

Drenched in sweat, hair clinging to her face, Daniella tuckered out and fell on top of Cruz’s sweaty body. His words played in her head, but she didn’t have enough energy to ask him about it. She just lay there and listened to the rapid thud of his heart winding down while he continued to caress her. He brushed the sticky strands of hair away from her cheek and kissed her forehead over and over again. A smile stretched ear to ear as she closed her eyes.

9
-
Little Miss Nosey Pants

The sweat on Daniella’s body sent an icy chill down her spine. She woke to find herself on top of Cruz. One of his arms rested on the middle of her back, while the other lay tucked beneath his head. Daniella stared at him. His jaw was not too square, nor too round and his skin was smooth. She examined his mouth, the full luscious lips she wanted to kiss again and again. His cheekbones were square, masculine, and he had eyelashes any female would give her right arm for.

She rolled off him, her back to his, and yanked the sheet up to her chin. Cruz grunted and shifted positions. The warmth of his skin pressed against her back and he draped a hand over her abdomen.

Inside, Daniella got those warm fuzzy feelings and a new sensation she had never experienced. It was a naked feeling, not in a physical sense, but one of opening her soul and letting him touch her spirit. It was like sharing her personal thoughts, fears, and the hopes and dreams of wanting a future with him that made her feel naked.

Turning slightly, she glanced at his peaceful face and watched him sleep. She wanted to crawl up inside of him, never come out.
Okay, maybe not inside, but alongside him.
Her mind reeled. How the heck was she supposed to get any sleep? If she hadn't been so conscious about everything, if she were brave, she would run her fingers along his smooth skin.

Must get sleep. Inhale. Exhale. Sleep, sleep, sleep, dammit!

It was no use. Daniella couldn't sleep. She sighed, and arched her back as another rush of cold chill whirled along her flesh. Her body trembled.

Cruz stirred and scooted closer. “Hey. You okay?”

“Mm-hm. Just chilly.”

The bed shifted as Cruz sat and pulled the burgundy comforter up but not over them.

He ran his hand along the curve of her hip. “Turn around.”

She rolled onto her back and warmed instantly at his touch.

Cruz was on his side, elbow bent with his head propped against his palm. He stroked her cheek while she stared into the depths of his blue eyes, visible only by the light of the moon streaming in through the white curtains. The turn of his lips warmed her heart, and she smiled.  He grasped her hand, and in slow strokes, he brushed kisses over her palm. His gaze never wavered.

The blaze of lust ignited, stirring the fire back to life within the intimate place between her thighs. With a quick brush of his tongue, he wet her bottom lip. Butterflies surged out of control in her stomach, a sensation so magnificent it was nauseating. With sweet fervor, he captured her lips. The deliciousness of his mouth drove a passionate urge deep inside of her. Not wanting the emotions to end, she slipped her hands along the ripples of his abdomen, up to his chest, and stopped at the back of his head where she held tight.

Cruz stroked the skin of her naked belly. “Mmm,” he groaned as he trailed kisses down her abdomen.

Flickers of tingles pulsed through her, and she sucked in a lungful of air as spasms of delight rocketed through her. He peppered a sensual path of kisses up the center of her tummy, paused, and then nibbled around her breast.

She examined the smooth bronze expanse of streamlined muscle tapering down to a taut, flat abdomen. Lifting a hand, she traced his nipple and continued a path along his sides, until she reached his tight toosh. 

When Cruz slid not one, but two fingers slowly between her parted thighs, she moaned. She was just about to reach down when he rotated his hips and slid between her legs, parting them further with his own. He sat up on his knees, grasped her thighs, raising her bottom half, and with slow rocking motions, he slid into her. Slow and deep, he swayed as he shifted her up and down.

The depth, the sensation, urged an instinct she hadn't known she possessed. She twisted, cooed and writhed against him. He thrust harder, deeper, and let out a guttural wail while she panted with sheer pleasure.

Both collapsed, satisfied.

Laying on his side, one arm bent with his head perched on his palm, Cruz caressed Daniella's cheek, pushing back long strands of stray hairs clinging to her damp skin. He leaned down, kissed her forehead and plopped his head down against the pillow now bunched up under his arm. His free hand slipped away from her cheek, and he lightly glided a finger down her neck, chest and settled his hand against her hip, urging her to move closer.

Rolling to her side, she rested her head on his pillow, nose to nose with him. They both smiled, snuggling together, as they closed their eyes.

Daniella woke with a start. She felt an instant chill, suddenly aware the warmth of Cruz's body was no longer there. She rolled over just in time to catch him walking naked toward the bedroom bath.

Overwhelmingly sexy. Even his silhouette... larger, more dominating
.
What an incredibly male! 

~~~

Cruz's touch lingered. All day, Daniella lay on her couch replaying the scenes of last night. Every touch, every sensation he created within her, down to the last sweaty moment. The explicit details, the magnitude of emotions... it was almost painful to be away from him now.

Could it be… am I… is he… are we…
 “I’m in love. Wow. This is crazy.”

Cruz gratified Daniella’s heart in all the right places. Happiness, blissfulness, togetherness—all of the ingredients for love, or disaster.

Did he say he loved me last night? Or did I imagine it? And he said ‘Marry me’. But was it only for that moment? Those moments we were drawn together? Yeah, that’s probably it.

~~~

Careful not to give away the fact that she was sore, or that her overnight weekend strained every muscle from her hips on down, Daniella measured every step she took. Her pace was slow, but if she tried to speed up, the muscles in her thighs tightened. 

Today's challenge: go the entire day unnoticed by the cheer squad. The last thing she needed was her female groupies questioning her about her weekend.

“Daniella?”

Fat chance!

“Daniella, wait!”

Great.

Two steps forward and she was in her office. She rounded the desk and sat down,
carefully.

“What's wrong with you? You walk like you were riding a horse all weekend,” Lori said. She perched her elbows on the counter and cradled her cheeks.

Daniella tried to hold a straight face, but Lori made it a difficult task with her eyes beaming and prodding for the truth. “Maybe I was. Or possibly I strained the muscles in my thighs working out.”

“Liar.”

“What?”

Lori dropped her hands and pulled herself up on the counter top. “You heard me. If you were riding a horse, it wasn't the kind with four legs.”

Daniella stood. “What. Are. You. Doing?”

“Oh, just getting comfortable.” Lori rolled on her side, stretched her legs and propped her head on a half-bent elbow. “Do tell. I'm not leaving until you tell me a good bedtime story.”

“Lori! It's not bedtime and you're—”

“Daniella Kurtz?” The muffled voice of a man interrupted. Not just any man, but that of the poor delivery guy buried behind a bouquet of four dozen red roses.

“Oh, I'm definitely not leaving!” Lori scooted further on the counter, and patted her hand on the open space. “Right over here, Mr. Delivery man, right over here.”

He heaved the arrangement up on the counter, and wiped the sweat off his brow with his sleeve. “Ooph… I'm supposed—”

Daniella waggled a finger close to her lips. “Ah, ah. No need to tell me I'm supposed to open the card. I think I've got that part down by now. Thank you, though.”

Deliveryman trailed out of the office and mumbled, “Good day, Ma'am.”

She smacked Lori's contemptuous hand away from the card. “Oh no you don't! That is none of your business my friend.”

“Well? When are you going to tell me?” Lori scooted up, stuck her nose in the flowers, and inhaled. “They sure smell purdy. Must be from a handsome chap.”

“You know who they're from,” Daniella said, irritated. Lori wasn't about to budge until her inquiring mind was satisfied.

Lori beamed. “Must have been some weekend. Four dozen roses. Red to boot. You must have ridden that buck all night long, filled his loins with the fruit of your loom.”