Paradise (19 page)

His calloused palm caressed her stomach before casually moving up to cup her aching breast. Her temperature hit a hundred and twelve.

“Ah,” he sighed. “Just how I imagined you’d feel, all tender and firm and feminine.” He flicked his tongue against her lips. “Open for me. I have to taste you again.”

Quickly, before he changed his mind, her fingers raced to unbutton his shirt. Thank goodness he’d only fastened a few or she’d be forced to rip it off.

Without warning, he rolled her onto her back, wedging a knee between her legs as his mouth took possession of hers. Eddie kissed like he did everything else -- with enthusiasm and gusto.

Surprised at first by the intensity of his onslaught, Robbie easily gave over to his passion. She wanted him, fiercely. The flames licking at her pulsing core threatened to devour her.

Circling his broad shoulders, she entwined her fingers in his hair, pulling his mouth deeper to hers. His tongue roughly explored, twirling with hers until he coaxed it back into his mouth where he closed his lips and sucked it hungrily. Lightning, hot and razor-sharp, shot through her, and she struggled to hang onto her sanity.

She’d been half asleep this morning when he’d kissed her, and she’d wondered all day if her memory of his kisses was accurate. Could they have been as heart-stopping as she imagined? There was no doubt now. Kissing him was like being caught in a tornado. Everything was whirling, and there was only Eddie to cling to.

She spread her legs and the full weight of his pelvis settled on hers. Without releasing his mouth, she bent her knees, cradling him tightly. His hard erection pulsed against her mons, sending more shockwaves of pleasure through her.

Eddie broke the kiss. “Oh God.” He leaned back, bracing his hands above her shoulders, a look of panic etched on his face. “You are on the pill, aren’t you?” he rasped. “I did see you pack them, didn’t I? I don’t have anything.”

She leaned up and kissed the underside of his chin. “Yes. It’s okay,” she whispered. “I’m on the pill.”

He slid his open mouth down her neck. “Thank God. Oh babe, you’re delicious,” he murmured, tunneling a hand under her sweatshirt. “So soft. You’re so soft, so smooth.”

In one quick motion, he leaned back on his knees, taking her with him. Gripping the bottom of her sweatshirt, he whipped it over her head and tossed it across the tent.

In contrast to the speed he used to strip her, his measured slowness as he laid her back was unexpected. His amber eyes gleamed as he shrugged out of his shirt and stared down at her naked skin in the dim lantern light.

“Beautiful, so beautiful,” he rasped, hovering over her. Her nipples, already puckered, begged for his touch. Instead, he stroked the underside of her breasts, leisurely massaging them with his thumbs.

“I’ve wanted to do this since that first night when we were caught in the rain. That skimpy t-shirt and bra you wore hid nothing once they were wet.” His thumbs circled her areolas, teasing but avoiding the tight buds.

“I don’t know why I talked you into changing, except that if you hadn’t, I would have been doing this to you that night. And I shouldn’t have. I shouldn’t be doing this now, but God help me, I can’t stop.” He lowered his head and took a hardened peak between his teeth and tugged.

She arched off the platform, barely able to utter his name in surprise. He pulled again, and she couldn’t hold back the moan of pleasure.

Moving with infinite care, he took her other engorged tip between his teeth and again tugged. This time she rewarded him with a soft cry for his efforts. He slid up and took her mouth with a deep possessiveness, stroking her lips with his tongue before gliding his mouth over her jaw to suck on her ear lobe.

“Did you like that, babe? Tell me. I want to make this good for both of us.”

“Oh, yeah, that was…good,” she gasped, wondering when she lost the ability to speak.

Releasing her, he leaned back on his haunches, eyes gleaming with satisfaction. Reaching for the waistband of her sweatpants, he swiftly removed them. His eyes darkened as he surveyed her naked, heaving body.

His hungry, primal look sent an unmistakable message, and she answered in the only way she knew. Extending her arms, she silently pleaded for his return.

“You’re everything I imagined, only more,” he whispered.

He leaned over and entwined his fingers with hers, then studied their hands as if judging a fine wine. Pulling them to him, he lowered his mouth and gently kissed her wrists, then the backs of her hands, before pressing his lips to each of her knuckles in slow progression.

“I noticed your hands when you held little Drew. So gentle, so covered in baby drool.” His dark eyes danced in merriment before a scorching stare focused on her fingers locked in his.

“Your hands are stunning. Long, graceful, expressive. You talk with them, you know. You wave them around, especially when you’re excited or enthused.” His voice grew husky and his hold tightened. “I want them on every inch of me.”

He turned them and placed her palms on his chest, directly over his taut nipples. His thick fingers wrapped around her wrists, holding her hands in place.

Her breath caught in her throat at his invitation, but inexplicably, she hesitated, staring at her fingers poised so intimately on his chest. This was what she wanted, what she had plotted for, but the intensity of his gaze, the passion of his words instinctively warned her that the stakes were much higher than she anticipated. These were not the actions and words of a man who’d be satisfied with a one night stand.

“Hey you, no second guessing now. You wanted this. And now I want it as much as you. Touch me, Robbie. I want to feel those silky hands stroking me.”

His deep voice was little more than a whisper, but it reaffirmed her need to have him. When he spoke like that, she could almost forget her plans and promise him anything he wanted. As if watching a movie in slow motion, she gently circled her palms over his hard pecs. A sharp intake of breath alerted her to the intensity of his emotions. The crisp hair tickled as she softly massaged him. With each caress, his skin grew hotter to her touch, his breathing more ragged.

“That’s it, babe. Touch me. Explore me. Learn what my body feels like.”

Her gaze moved from his chest, up his neck, past his chin. His eyes were closed as if savoring the contact. The expression on his face took her breath away. Contentment, mixed with pleasure and a heavy dose of desire.

She slid her hands up to cup his jaw and bring his mouth to hers. “Kiss me, Eddie. I’ll die if you don’t kiss me right now.”

And he did. A long, searing, open-mouthed, wet one.

“Now, that’s a kiss,” she murmured as his mouth traveled down her neck and below her shoulder to hover over her breast.

Her nipples were already tender from his previous attention and tingled in anticipation. He opened his mouth wide and gently sucked one breast, taking in the generous mound. She cradled his head, offering him more, anything he wanted. Low moans filled the tent, and she realized in surprise they came from her.

He treated the other breast to the same attention, kissing it, exploring it with his tongue, drawing out her pleasure and then he went still. “Not yet, baby, not yet,” he gulped through labored breaths. He leaned forward to take her chin between his hands. “I want to play with you a whole lot more.” He trailed kisses down her jaw.

She clung to him, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders and her legs around his waist. He was still wearing his jeans? How did that happen? He had her brain so tied up in knots she hadn’t realized he wasn’t naked.

His mouth trailed wet kisses down her throat. He murmured something.

“I have to know what you’re thinking. Talk to me. What are you feeling?”

Cripes, even in the middle of passionate foreplay, he’s still chattering
.

“Do you like this?” The tip of a hot, wet tongue circled the shell of her ear.

She stopped struggling with his jeans and listened, really listened to him.

“Talk to me, babe. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

If her hands hadn’t been tangled in his pants, she would have given herself a head slap. Eddie talked all the time. Now, he wanted her to, to tell him what she felt, what she wanted. She went still as the thought took hold.

Of course. Eddie was aroused by sound. By words. He was telling her how to excite him, how to stimulate him. She just hadn’t read between the lines.

“I’m thinking you’re the best Crocodile Hunter I’ve ever been with.”
Hmm, how was that?

He pulled back. “You’ve been with other Crocodile Hunters?”

Hmm, not a great opening volley.

“The only Crocodile Hunter I want to be with is right here, and I’m going to learn every itty, bitty inch of him with my hands, my lips and my tongue
.”

“Oh God, Robbie,” he groaned, lowering his mouth to her neck.

She gave herself a mental high-five. She could do this verbal foreplay thing. “Especially my tongue.” She tangled her fingers in his hair. “So soft.”

Another groan told her she’d hit her mark. He sucked deeply at the sensitive spot at the base of her neck.

“Keep doing that. It’s incredible.” She skimmed her hands down his sleek back, feeling the hard muscles bunch at her touch. “Your body is beautiful, Eddie, I want to touch all of…Will you take off these damn jeans?”

He chuckled against her neck. Reaching behind him, he unhooked her arms, but she struggled to maintain her hold.

“It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere,” he soothed, kneeling in front of her. “You told me to take off my damn jeans.”

She sat up and nearly came at the erotic sight of Eddie, kneeling between her naked, spread-eagle legs, her breasts throbbing for his attention.

“I’ve a better idea.” He grasped her hands, placing them on his waistband. “Why don’t you take them off?”

Her temperature rose another twenty degrees. She could clearly see the outline of his erection beneath the zipper. She lowered her hands to caress him through the soft, faded fabric. Heat radiated and warmed her fingers. She felt him watching her, waiting. Controlling her own need, she sought to draw out his pleasure.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” she whispered. “Tell me what you’re feeling right now.”

He looked down at her from heavy lidded eyes, a faint smile played across his lips before he pursed them and expelled a deep sigh.

“I don’t want you to stop. Keep stroking me.” His fists clenched at his side. ”Unzip my jeans, babe. Touch me. I need to feel you.”

Robbie reached up with one hand to unfasten the button while her other hand continued to caress the length of him. Careful not to catch any hair, she lowered the zipper and reached to fondle him. His shaft was long and thick, pulsing in her hands. Remembering, she voiced her thoughts.

“You’re beautiful, so smooth and hard.” She gently stroked him, barely able to maintain a coherent thought. “I’m so hot and wet for you right now, I can’t think of anything except having you inside me. I want you, Eddie. Please come inside me.” She leaned back on her elbows, pulling his cock. Slowly, he followed, but stopped short of covering her. His erection pulsed firmly in her grasp.

“Am I doing it right? Am I saying what you need to hear?” she whispered as he kicked off the jeans and pressed her thighs further apart. “It’s what I feel. It’s what I’m thinking.”

“Oh, babe…”

* * * * *

He reached between her legs, gently separating her tender flesh. Moist heat greeted his touch. She moaned low and long, encouraging him to continue his exploration.