Page 37 of Prime Time

“I was watching you swim,” he said as he idly stroked her spine with his fingertips.

“I didn’t see you.” Her palms flattened over the sculptured chest and rotated slowly.

“You weren’t supposed to.” Her lobe was captured by nipping teeth and then laved by a capricious tongue. “I sat perfectly still when I saw you come out.” He groaned when her fingernail skated across one flat, brown nipple.

“Among other things,” he grated as she kept up that blissful torment, “you swim very well.”

“Thank you.”

He kissed her as his hand appreciated the line of her thigh. His mouth was hot and urgent, his tongue probing. Her lips closed around it and sucked gently. He groaned again. “God, Andy.” He lifted his mouth only far enough to tease the corner of her lips with nibbling kisses.

Much as she didn’t want to destroy the kindling desire, she wanted to break down any barriers between them, eliminate any misunderstanding. “Lyon … oh … what are you doing? Are you … touching …”

“You feel so good,” he murmured against her throat.

His gentle manipulations were educating her to a level of sensuality she’d never known before. Throwing inhibitions aside, she moved against his hand. “Lyon, please … wait. I want to explain … ah, Lyon.”

“Later, Andy. It can wait.” His lips moved against her nipple before he flicked it with his tongue. Then stroking it to the beat of the erotic rhythm of his fingertips at the portal of her womanhood, he robbed her of logical thought, and her senses took command of her brain. “That’s it. Give it all over to feeling,” he whispered in her ear as he lifted himself over her.

Instinct directed her, though she loved Lyon’s gentle commands. Robert had been a quick, silent lover. She knew a momentary panic that she might disappoint Lyon as she had Robert. What she had discussed during interviews with experts on human sexuality, she’d never been able to relate to herself. She’d certainly never tried a practical application of anything she’d discussed so openly and candidly. Perhaps she wasn’t a whole woman. Perhaps she couldn’t …

But as Lyon’s body sank into hers, and she felt his shudder of gratification, her worries were obliterated by the thrill of having him inside her.

“Andy,” he moaned, “you’re so right.” While his body remained completely motionless he raised his head from her shoulder to look at her. His eyes traveled over her face in the way they had often done. Propping himself up on one arm, his hand moved between their bodies and found her breast. “You take me so well,” he said softly.

Her throat arched and her head went back as he played with the distended bud that swelled even more between his fingers. He dipped his head to reward it. Her response rippled through her body, and he began to move. He touched her in a way she’d never been touched before. Not only physically, but spiritually, and she gave herself up to it.

She knew. In spite of their inauspicious meeting, his mistrust, his sarcasm, his rankling taunts, and the anger they had engendered in her, she loved this man. If she had not, she would have been able to ignore the insults he had heaped on her. She would have disregarded his threats that she tread lightly in her interviews with his father. But because she loved him, his insults had been like mortal wounds to her. His threats had been useless, because she would have done nothing to hurt him. It would have been like hurting herself.

She wouldn’t be with him now, engaged in this sacred rite of loving, if it were not for love. Les had often asked her who she was saving herself for. Now she knew. It wasn’t for want of opportunity that she hadn’t been involved with a man since Robert’s death. It was for want of loving. She loved Lyon Ratliff.

Having defined this emotion, which ran so high each time she saw him and that brought pain each time they hurt each other, she met each thrust of his body lovingly.

“Yes, yes, darling.” His breath was a rattling breeze in her ear. Her arms hugged him tighter, her thighs closed against his. “Andy, Andy, yes … yes. Lift … Oh, God, yes. So good.”

A wellspring was building up inside her, roiling and bubbling like those that fed the river. This fountain was unknown to her. She’d never encountered it before and was shy of it. It threatened to drown her, but she couldn’t fight its rushing current. It engulfed her heart, her throat, her mind, and just before it inundated her, she heard Lyon cry her name. She clutched at him tightly, and they were plunged beneath the surface together.

Long minutes later, lying still interlocked, breathing deeply of the same air in unison, he said again, “Andy …?”

And this time she was able to answer. “Yes, Lyon. Yes.”

“Satisfied?”

“Yes,” she said primly, taking the retrieved bikini out of his hand. The top had been found right away near the filter of the pool. The bottom had been elusive, requiring Lyon to make several searching dives. “I’ll sleep much better now.”

“Don’t bet on it,” he growled, grabbing her from behind and pulling her against his chest.

“Don’t bet on what?” she asked provocatively, running her fingers up his ribs.

“Don’t bet on sleeping.” He kissed her soundly, then pushed her away. “Get inside. You’re going to freeze.” They had wrapped in extra large towels from the cabana and were now sneaking through the dark house and up the staircase. Lyon carried his clothes in one arm and draped the other across her bare shoulders.

She hesitated at the door to her bedroom, but he ushered her farther down the hall to his room. He closed the door behind them, crossed over to the bed, and turned on a bedside lamp.

“At last. Now I can see you in the light.”

He padded over to her and reached for the towel she had tucked between her breasts. She stayed his hands by clasping his wrists. “Lyon, wait. Please.”

Now that she knew she loved him, it bothered her more than ever to think he might not trust her. She couldn’t bear it if he thought the motive for her surrender was anything but love. Any other reason would be so ludicrous, she couldn’t believe he’d think that, not after the fierceness of their lovemaking in the cabana only half an hour ago. But she had to make sure.

---