The Blackstone Legacy (8 page)

He tightened his grip on her fingers. “How, Kelly?”

“I…I don't want to forget Simeon. And I know once I sleep with you he will no longer exist for me.”

“Simeon is your late husband?” She nodded. “Do you still love him?”

She smiled a sad smile. “I'll always love him.”

“There's nothing wrong in loving him. But he's gone. And if he loved you as much as you loved him, then I believe he would want you to be happy.”

Moisture shimmered in her eyes. “Do you think you can you make me happy, Ryan?”

He made love to her with his eyes. “Only you can make that possible.”

Kelly shook her head. “I don't understand.”

“Not only do you have to love with your head, but also with your heart. Loving has to be both, not one or the other.”

She sniffled, and Ryan reached into a pocket and produced a snow-white handkerchief. Moving his chair closer to hers, he held her chin and dabbed her eyes. Resting his forehead against hers, he kissed the end of her nose.

“You're not the only one hurting, princess. I've been there, too. I fell in love with a girl I'd met in college. After graduating we went our separate ways, then one day out of the blue she called me. I invited her to the farm and she was caught up in the prerace excitement and parties. Blackstone Farms had entered a horse in the Virginia Gold Cup. Miss Fancy Pants was a twenty-to-one long shot, but we still had a lot of faith in her because she had heart. Our horse won, and that night Pop threw a party to end all parties. Caroline and I celebrated in our own special way, and the next day we announced our engagement.

“We had a September wedding, and by December she discovered she was pregnant. That's when everything changed. She became depressed and talked about aborting the baby.” Ryan ignored Kelly's audible inhalation. “I was forced to watch her around
the clock because I thought she was going to…” His words trailed off.

“Take her own life,” Kelly said softly, completing his statement.

He nodded. “She said she hated me and hated living on the farm. She cried that she was being smothered to death and wanted to go back to Los Angeles. Caroline carried to term, but when she went into labor she made me promise to either give her a divorce or she would kill herself. I know I probably could've had her committed, but I agreed on one condition. She could leave, but she could not take my son. I refused to jeopardize his life with a woman who had proven herself to be emotionally unstable.

“I had my lawyer draw up the agreement before she left the hospital. Sean was two months old when she got into her car and drove away. I loved her, Kelly. Loved her enough to let her go so that she could find her happiness.”

Kelly laid her head on Ryan's shoulder. “You've had your share of pain.”

Curving an arm around her bare shoulder, he pulled her closer. “That's true, but I've learned not to wallow in it. There comes a time for healing.”

Kelly knew he was talking about her. She had been wallowing in her pain for two years, accepting it as readily as breathing and sleeping.

“You want me, Ryan, knowing I'm still carrying baggage? Knowing that I'm not ready to offer
you what you feel you deserve from a woman?” She sucked in her breath. “I haven't slept with a man in two years, and what I miss most is the intimacy.” There was a sob in her voice. “Are you willing to accept me giving you my body without offering my heart?”

Ryan eased back, his gaze meeting her tortured one. He did want her, more than any other woman in his past. “You fascinate me, Kelly,” he confessed. “I don't know whether it is your beauty, spunk or your intelligence. And I have no right to demand or expect you to offer me anything. What I will accept is anything you're willing to give me.”

Her lids slipped down over her eyes as her lips parted. Ryan angled his head and slanted a kiss on her mouth, silently acknowledging the terms of their agreement. The kiss ended and they exchanged a knowing smile.

Ryan blew out his breath. “I don't know about you, but I could use a drink right about now.”

Closing her eyes, Kelly sighed softly. “I could use one, too.”

“A
n apple martini?”

Kelly rested her chin on the heel of her hand. “Yes, Ryan, an apple martini. It's the rage in New York City.”

He stared at her animated features, smiling. The tears that had filled her eyes when she had spoken about her late husband had vanished. They had reached the point where their relationship had to be resolved. Kelly wanted him to make love to her, and he would but only when the time was right. What he did not want was anything planned or staged. He wanted spontaneity.

Curving a hand around her neck, he wound his
fingers through her hair. “It must be a girlie girl concoction. A real martini is vodka or gin, not some sissy-tasting apple liqueur.”

Smiling up at him through her lashes, Kelly shook her head. “Girlie girl?”

“Yes,” he whispered against her lips. “You are the ultimate girlie girl.”

“I stopped being a girl a long time ago,” she crooned.

Ryan's hand went from her neck to her back. His fingers trailed down her spine, eliciting a shudder from her. “Wrong, princess. You're a woman-girl.” He lowered his head and kissed the nape of her scented neck.

His mouth longed to follow the direction of his hand down the length of her spine. He wanted to taste Kelly—all over—until he gorged on her lush flesh.

Kelly felt the heat from Ryan's body seep into hers, it igniting an inferno between her legs. Her body began to vibrate with liquid fire, and she gasped softly as her flesh pulsed with a need that bordered on insanity.

Ryan's sensitive nostrils caught the scent of her rising passion, and he stared at the sensuality parting her full lips and dilating her pupils. Their waiter approached the table, carrying their drink order.

Kelly barely noticed the waiter placing her drink in front of her because of the hardness of the thigh brushing against hers. Her whole being was flooded
with a desire she hadn't known she possessed.
It's been a long time,
she mused. It had been a long time since the mere presence of a man had her quaking with desire.

Reaching for the icy glass with the pale green liquid, Ryan took a sip of Kelly's drink. It slid down his throat, cooling it before a warming spread in his chest. “Nice.”

She picked up his tumbler filled with the concoctions for a Rob Roy, taking furtive sips. She grimaced. “Now, that's strong.”

Handing Kelly her martini, he said, “It's definitely not Kool-Aid.” He put the tumbler to his lips and drank deeply.

“Ryan?” Her voice was a mere whisper.

“Yes.”

“Do we have to eat here?”

His sweeping eyebrows lifted. “Where do you want to eat?”

“Upstairs.”

“You want to check into a room?”

She gave him a long, penetrating stare. “Yes.”

Long, black lashes concealed the intensity in his gunmetal-gray eyes as he nodded. “Wait here while I register at the desk.”

Kelly nodded, then slumped back to the cushioned softness of her chair. It was about to begin. She was ready to move forward, turn a corner and leave her past behind her. She would always love Simeon, but
she knew she had to take a chance at finding love again, and that would only become possible if she looked forward. She had finished her drink when Ryan returned.

He helped her to her feet, cradling her against his side as he led her toward the elevator. His large hand covered the small of her back, fingers splayed over the roundness of her hips.

A tall, flaxen-haired man who looked as if he'd just left an Icelandic ski slope joined them at the elevator. Rocking back on his heels, he stared at Kelly's bared back.
“D-a-a-m-n-n!”
he gasped, drawing out the word.

Ryan's head snapped around, and he glared at the blond giant. “What's up?”

The man put up his hands at the same time he shook his head. “Nothing, man.”

Dropping his arm, Ryan took off his jacket and draped it over Kelly's shoulders. The doors to the elevator opened and he escorted her into the car. He gave the man a narrow stare. “Aren't you coming?”

Kelly's admirer shook his head. “No. I'll wait for it to come down.”

Ryan punched a button for the fourth floor. “Suit yourself.”

Waiting until the doors closed, Kelly stared at Ryan as if he were a stranger. “What was that all about?”

Staring straight ahead, he said, “Nothing.”

“Were you calling that man out?”

“Nope.”

Shrugging off his jacket she handed it to him. “I'm not cold, thank you very much.”

The doors opened with a soft swooshing sound, and Ryan reached for Kelly's hand. They walked the length of the carpeted hallway to a room at the end of the hall. A brass plate on the door read Skyline. He inserted the magnetic card in a slot and seconds later he opened a door to reveal an opulent suite of rooms.

This suite was designed with walls made entirely of glass. The view through the glass of the Appalachian Mountains and forested areas was breathtaking. Ryan dropped his jacket over the back of chair in the entryway.

Leaning against Ryan, Kelly bent down and slipped off her heels. Her toes disappeared in the deep pile of the plush gold carpeting. She turned into his embrace, sighing as he pulled her to his chest. Tilting her head, she smiled up at him. “It's beautiful.”

The corners of his mouth curved in a half smile. “You are beautiful, Kelly.”

Rising on tiptoe, she pressed her mouth to his, tasting the liquor on his lips. He deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping into her mouth.

Ryan's hands moved to cradle her round face between his palms; he willed himself to go slow. It
had been a while since he had shared his bed with a woman, but nowhere as long as it had been for Kelly and a man. He left nibbling, teasing kisses at the corners of her mouth, over her eyes, along the length of her neck. His lips feather-touched her throat.

“I want you so much,” he moaned against her ear.

Kelly clung to Ryan's neck like a drowning swimmer. “Then take me,” she whispered hoarsely.

Bending slightly, Ryan scooped Kelly up into his arms, carrying her through the sitting room and into a bedroom with a king-size bed. The shimmering glow of the setting sun coming through the wall of glass threw shadows across the bed. Outside the shadows covering the mountains and valleys were reminiscent of the landscape pictures painted by the artists from the Hudson River School.

Cradling Kelly with one arm, Ryan pulled back a duvet and lightweight blanket to reveal a pale-yellow sheet. He lowered her gently to the mattress, his body following hers down. Gazing deeply into her clear-brown eyes, he smiled. Glints of gold sparkled as she gave him a shy smile.

He returned her smile. “I want it to be good between us.” He needed it to be good because…he was falling in love with Kelly.

“Being here with you, having you hold me is good.”

His fingers traced the outline of her delicate jaw.
“Don't worry about anything. I'll protect and take care of you.”

She wasn't certain what he meant by the cryptic statement, but mentally dismissed it as he slipped his hands under the straps on her shoulders, easing them down and off her arms and gasping softly when he stared at her naked breasts rising and falling above her rib cage.

Her breasts were perfect. Not too large or small, they were tipped with dark chocolate-brown nipples. He undressed her slowly, his gaze burning her flesh everywhere it touched. Sitting back on his heels, he removed her dress and black lace bikini panties. Everything about her body was alluring. From her flat belly, curvy hips and long shapely legs to her flawless brown skin that gave the appearance of whipped mousse.

Kelly forced herself not to cover her body with her hands, because there was something about the way Ryan was staring at her nakedness that made her uncomfortable. Rising off the mattress, she went to her knees. “Now, it's my turn,” she whispered, her mouth touching his.

Ryan did not move, not even his eyes, as he permitted Kelly to undress him. His breathing quickened as she slipped off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. Moving closer, her breasts touching his chest, she reached up and pushed the shirt off his shoulders. He did close his eyes once she unbuckled the belt
around his waist. By the time she undid the waistband and unzipped his trousers, he felt the constriction in his chest.

Kelly felt the rising heat from Ryan's body like the steam in a sauna. It intensified the natural masculine scent and the sensual fragrance of his cologne. He pushed her hands away, slipped off the bed and finished undressing.

She stared at the broad expanse of his chest covered with a profusion of black hair. Seeing Ryan like this reminded her of how different he was from Simeon. Wherein Simeon was only several inches taller than she was, Ryan exceeded her five-foot, eight-inch height by at least six inches. Simeon's coloring was dark, while Ryan's was golden-brown. Simeon's body was smooth, unlike the crisp black hair covering Ryan's chest, arms and legs.

She would not let her gaze venture below his waist after she'd glimpsed the thick, heavy organ nestled between his powerful thighs. Ryan wasn't fully aroused, yet he was huge! The mattress dipped when he joined her on the bed. She closed her eyes.

Ryan eased her down to a pillow. “Look at me, darling.” She complied and slowly opened her eyes. Curving his arms around her waist, he shifted her until she lay over his chest, her legs nestled between his. Moaning softly, Kelly buried her face between his neck and shoulder.

“Tell me what you me want to do,” he said in her
hair. “Tell me what I have to do to make you feel good.”

Kelly felt tears prick the backs of her eyelids. Simeon had been the only man she had slept with, and never had he asked what she'd wanted in bed.

“I don't know.” Her voice was soft and childlike.

Ryan smiled. “Do you want me to kiss your body?”

“Yes.”

“All over?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to be on top or underneath me?”

It was her turn to smile. “Both.”

“Front or rear?” She gasped, and he laughed, the sound coming from deep within his broad chest. “We'll save the rear position for another time.”

Reversing their positions, he supported his weight on his elbows. He closed his eyes and lowered his head, brushing a kiss over her mouth and leaving it burning with heat. Kelly found his mouth warm and sweet, moving with a slow, drugging intimacy that left both trembling.

Nothing was rushed. Not the shivering kisses starting between her breasts and trailing lower to her belly. Not his teeth nipping her nipples, turning them into hard buttons. But once he placed his hands against the inside of her thighs, spreading them wider, the sensual assault began.

She arched off the mattress as he searched for the
tiny bud of flesh between her legs, and once finding it he laved it with his tongue until it hardened and swelled to twice its size.

Kelly gripped the sheets, swallowing the moans trapped in her throat. Ryan's mouth and tongue played havoc with her nerve endings as she struggled not to climax.

Cupping her buttocks in both hands, Ryan raised her hips and plunged his tongue into her quivering flesh and drank deeply. He felt Kelly trembling, heard her soft pleas for him to stop, but he ignored her.

It was his intent to brand her with his possession, to make her forget all other men ever existed. He wanted to be the last man in her bed and in her life.

Kelly felt as if she stood outside of herself, watching herself float to a place where she'd never been. The desire streaking through her body was strange and frightening.

“No,” she gasped, her head thrashing from side to side. She didn't want to feel this way, unable to control what was happening to her. “Ryan, please stop.”

He did stop, but only long enough to open the packet containing a condom he had taken from the pocket of his trousers. He rolled it down his tumescence, moved her over again and guided his engorged sex into her body.

Ryan kissed Kelly's taut nipples, rousing her
passion all over again. She groaned with each inch that disappeared into the folds of her pulsing flesh. Once fully engulfed in her heat, he began to move.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

Pulling out.

Pushing in.

Pulling out a little more.

Pushing in a little harder until he established a rhythm that had them both moaning in ecstasy and gasping for their next breath. She rose to meet his powerful thrusts, their bodies in exquisite harmony with one another.

Opening her mouth, Kelly gasped in sweet agony as she felt the waves sweeping over her increase. The pleasure Ryan offered her was pure and explosive. He quickened his movements, his head buried between her neck and shoulders, and it was then that she cried out as love flowed through her like liquid heat.

She climaxed once, twice, then lost count as she was hurtled to another dimension. She lay drowning in the aftermath of her sensual journey when Ryan exploded, his deep moans of ecstasy echoing in her ear.

He collapsed on her and she welcomed his weight and strength. Their shared moment of ecstasy had passed, yet she was filled with an amazing sense of fulfillment.

Wrapping his arms around Kelly's waist, Ryan reversed their positions and smiled. Her face was moist, her mouth swollen from his kisses. He lifted his eyebrows. “Did I hurt you?”

Kelly stared down into the gray eyes that reminded her of streaks of lightning across a summer sky. “No.” And he hadn't hurt her. However, she was certain muscles she hadn't used in a while would be a little sore.

Resting her head on his shoulder, she snuggled closer. She could feel the heat of his large body course down the length of hers. “Thank you, Ryan.”

“For what, darling?” His hand moved up and down her spine in a comforting motion.

“For reminding me what it means to feel like a woman again.”