Wolf Island (24 page)

“It’s
too risky. What if something goes wrong? What if the cops can’t protect you?”
He poked a finger in the middle of his chest for emphasis. “What if
I
can’t protect you?”

“I
understand how you feel, I really do, but I’m going to tell Sheriff Dutton that
I’ll do it.” Stubbornness laced Abby’s firm voice.

Devlin
slid his hands down her arms and clasped her fingers. He brought them up to his
mouth and kissed her palms. He looked into her eyes; he studied the delicate
curve of the shell of her ears, the sweep of lashes around her eyes. “Abby,
listen to me. I couldn’t stand it if something happened to you. I never, in my
wildest dreams, thought I would ever find someone like you, someone who would
actually love me. And there is no damn way I’m going to let you go through with
it.”

Abby
smiled, moved closer to him, and put her arms around his neck. She rested her
head on his chest and placed a hand over his heart. “I don’t know what I would
do if something happened to you.”

Her
softly spoken words swirled through him like a long, warm ribbon. No woman had
ever offered to protect him. He was a big man, and this little British woman
intended to slay the dragon for him.

“If
I couldn’t feel your heart beating, listen to its rhythm, I don’t think I could
go on.” Her husky voice broke with warmth and concern. She brought her head up
and looked at him, but kept her hand over his heart. “Dev, in just a few short
days you’ve changed my life. You’ve given me my life, and no madman is going to
take it away from me.” Her tone rang with calm assurance. “You haven’t thought
about yourself. I love you for wanting to protect me, but you’ve forgotten
about how
I
feel.”

Her
words surprised him. “I haven’t forgotten how you feel. I know you’re scared
and --”

“No,
that’s not what I mean.” She touched her hand to his cheek. “Have you ever
thought about me protecting you? I don’t want anything to happen to you.” Abby
gestured toward the kitchen door. “That doll is as much about you as it is
about me. He may be after me, but he did that to get to you. And it’s working.
Don’t you think for one minute that he’s going to give up. No matter how much
protection you or I have, he is going to keep coming until he finds a way to
get to us. He won’t quit.”

“I
agree, but that doesn’t mean you have to assist directly in bringing him down.”

“Yes,
it does. This is the perfect opportunity. Just think about it a minute. After
this weekend, he could be back in the institution -- for good this
time -- and we could get on with our lives.”

He
knew she loved him, but would she want to stay here on this small island and
live with him, be his wife? “Are you going back to England once it’s all over?”

“Do
you want me to?”

“You
know I don’t.”

She
smiled. “Then why not just come out and ask me?”

·
        
* * * *

The
sheets felt cool against her back. By the time they reached the bed, he had
stripped off her robe until she lay naked in his arms.

Devlin
stood over her and shucked out of his jeans. His throbbing erection sprang from
his nest of dark curls.

He
pulled her to a sitting position so her legs wrapped around his waist. Her
breasts rubbed against the hair on his chest. Warm. He felt so warm, his
muscles firm.

Her
nipples responded in kind to the stimulation. She felt them tighten, and
instinctively she massaged them against his skin. Devlin held her face between
his hands and started kissing her. Feather-light kisses at first, a press of
lip, a nibble, a bit of tongue. Then gradually he deepened the kisses and
sucked her lips into his mouth, licking the corners, teasing her with his
tongue, but pulling back when she tried to move closer.

“Dev,
stop teasing me.”

“I
like teasing you.” He trailed kisses down her neck to her breasts. His hot
breath wafted over her nipples, and she desperately needed him to kiss her
there, but he rubbed his lips around them.

He
kissed the sides of her breasts, the delicate skin underneath, but avoided her
nipples. “God, you taste so sweet here.” His tongue licked her skin and his
lips nipped at her breasts, sending fingers of lust down into her groin.

A
soft red haze settled over her brain. She opened her eyes and looked at the
ceiling. Shadows flickered, and she felt like she was floating on a cloud with
nothing but the sun’s warmth touching her body.

Only
the sun was Devlin. No matter how much she urged him, he made her wait until
she couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Dev,
please.” His tantalizing male scent grew stronger; the whiff of soap, the spicy
aroma of his skin tickled her nose and stirred her desire to a fevered pitch.

He
lifted his head and peered deeply into her eyes; his sexual magnetism closed
around her, over her, inside her. “Soon.”

Her
fingers sought out his hair, his shoulders, and his neck while he continued his
sensual assault on her breasts. Her patience morphed into impatience, then into
desperation, until her nipples ached. Badly. The pain was exquisitely sweet.

Finally,
blessedly he closed his hot, wet mouth over her.

Firmly.

She
arched her back and her neck as a rough gasp scraped from her throat. He sucked
first one nipple then the other into his mouth and ravaged them with his
tongue. She felt her nipples prod and press against his mouth, wanting more.

Devlin
lifted his mouth from her breasts, and she felt the cool air blow over her damp
skin. “Better?”

“Yes.
Now it’s my turn.” Abby found the spot beneath his ear and kissed it, laved it
with her tongue, then tasted his neck in open-mouthed kisses.

She
swirled her tongue inside his ear and pulled the lobe into her mouth. The taste
of him infused her like a dense fog and stroked the love she held inside her.

Abby
stuck her tongue into the hollow of his throat and smiled in satisfaction when
she heard him groan. She worked her way down his warm, muscular chest until her
seeking tongue found his nipples. She raked them lightly with her teeth, then
drew them into her mouth.

She
felt his hand kneading the back of her neck; she heard the thumping of his
heart in his chest and tasted the glistening film of sweat that beaded his
skin. Her head spun with thickening desire.

Abby
swept a hand down his abdomen and felt the strength there. She wrapped her
fingers around him and felt his lifeblood pulse into her hand. She looked up at
him. “Lie back for me.”

His
eyes made a quick study of her face. “Abby, are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Devlin
lay back on the bed with his knees bent and his magnificent arousal rigid
between his legs. Abby took her time and drank in the sight of him.

She
wanted to memorize every inch of his body, every nuance of emotion. Slowly, she
kissed and suckled her way down.

He
groaned and his hands clenched the sheets in tight fists. Devlin arched his
neck, and she watched him swallow hard.

“Abby.
Abby. Oh, God, that feels good.”

She
felt a rush of female satisfaction, of control over the man she loved. She had
never thought she was very good in bed, but with Devlin she put aside her
inhibitions and enjoyed her sexuality.

But
most of all, she wanted to give him as much pleasure as he had given her.

When
she took her mouth away, he pulled her close and feasted on her. “I can taste
my body on your tongue.” He kissed her again and let his hands roam. Abby ran her
hands around his sides and caressed his fanny. She rubbed her mound over him,
trying to guide his penis inside her.

He
flipped her over onto her back. A devilish grin creased his mouth. “Oh, no. Not
yet. It’s payback time.”

Devlin
started at her forehead, planting kisses over her face, her eyes, the underside
of her jaw, where there seemed to be a bundle of nerves that he stroked to life
with every touch. Sensations jumbled together, raced down her neck, and
suffused the lower half of her body.

He
spent some time working on her mouth until she thought the desire she felt for
him would overwhelm her. His kisses fired her blood, made her want. Oh, how
they made her want. More. And more.

Devlin’s
lips worshipped her breasts, and he suckled her until her nipples were tender
and throbbing. He moved his mouth over her stomach, slowly, his breath warming
her already hot skin, fanning the passion until little flames ignited all over
her body and the heat grew to a heavy ache between her legs.

He
explored the inside of her thighs with a sweep of his tongue, a delicate bite.
He straightened one leg, then the other, and kissed the backs of her knees.
That one gentle, sexy act nearly pushed her over the edge.

Before
she could catch up with him, his breath blew over her mound. Probing fingers of
desire swirled, gathered, and beat violently in her blood. She grabbed at his
shoulders, urging him upward.

“Dev,
I need you inside me. Now. Please.” She hardly recognized the sound of her own
voice. She had never wanted a man so much in her life.

His
hands parted her curls, and he rubbed the tip of a callused finger over her.
She arched her back and fought against climaxing without him inside her.

“Let
it go. Let me feel you come.”

“No,
not without you.”

His
mouth ravaged and persuaded until she teetered right on the edge. Light from
the fire made his skin look golden, his hair so black it appeared blue, and the
glow of the flames played through the strands. His eyes were intensely green,
greener than she’d thought possible. The pupils expanded until nearly all of
the green in his eyes disappeared.

All
the while, he watched her. “Look at me, Abby. Don’t turn away. I want to see
everything you’re feeling. I want to know the exact moment you fall apart.”

Then
Devlin plunged inside her. She felt the tip of his penis nudge her womb; she
felt the strength of him massage every part of her femininity. Every stroke
encouraged her to let go; every kiss was an alluring request for her to ride
the wave, to allow him to toss her over.

A
jolt of pleasure swept through her veins. The rush of heat and the quick, hard
rush of orgasm had her lifting her hips to get closer, ever closer.

She
felt him go rigid inside her, felt his body tense and listened to the sweet
sound of his moan of ecstasy as he yanked her out into the velvet darkness.

Abby
snuggled against Devlin’s side. He lightly stroked the tips of his fingers up
and down her back, his breathing easier now, but sweat still dampened his skin.
The covers bunched at the end of the bed. For the moment, all was right with
their world.

“I
could use a shower.” Devlin kissed the top of her head. “Care to join me?”

She
smiled and let a strong wave of love roll through her. “Hmmm, yes, as a matter
of fact. Will you wash my back?”

“I’ll
wash more than that.” He chuckled and climbed from the bed. “I’ll get the water
hot. Come on.” He gave her a light pat on her fanny.

“I
will. I’d just like to lie here a minute.”

Abby
sprawled in the bed until she heard the rush of water and the opening and
closing of the shower door, indicating Dev was inside and waiting for her.

Her
body tingled in all sorts of interesting places. The flavor of Devlin’s kisses
still lingered on her tongue, and the smell of him rested on her skin. She wasn’t
as sore tonight as she’d been the day before. She grinned and enjoyed the
wicked thoughts dancing through her brain. Dev wasn’t the only one who could
enjoy a body slick with water.

She
felt the arousal climb as she thought about having Dev love her in the shower
again. She wanted it fast and hard this time. No slow seduction. Just a wet,
greedy mating.

Abby
rolled out of bed and headed for the shower.

Chapter Fourteen

The
following morning, the day of the festival arrived sunny and bright. A gentle
breeze blew over the island, ruffled the leaves of the trees, and whisked
through the grass.

Abby
watched Devlin as he dressed in his Musketeer costume, complete with sword and
plumed hat. She sat on the bed, her robe wrapped loosely around her.

He
slipped on the white shirt with billowing sleeves and caught her looking at
him. “I could use some help over here.”

Abby
grinned. “That’s what you said a few minutes ago, and I ended up helping you
right out of your clothes.”

Devlin
looked down at the shirt, frowned, then cut his gaze over to her. “The buttons
are really small.”

Abby
laughed. She scooted off the bed and walked over to him. His shirt was already
buttoned. “You tricked me.”

He
gathered her into his arms. “Uh-huh. Any objections?”

She
shook her head. “No.”