She gasped in pleasure as his mouth covered her breast, wet and hot, causing ripples and tingles throughout her entire body.
The afternoon sunshine danced through the thick pine boughs overhead, raining golden shafts of light onto their bed of pine needles. Even as Libby was slowly, deliciously losing her mind beneath his masterful caresses, she noticed the way the sunlight danced in his dark hair, whispered along the taut tendons and muscles of his back. And as he moved away from her breasts, his tongue licking and teasing first her flat abdomen, then lower to her thighs and finally at her very core, the sunshine overhead disappeared, instead burning brightly within her. She writhed beneath him, his expert caresses sending her falling, tumbling into a vortex of sensation, convulsing with wave after wave of pleasure so intense she feared she would die from the glory.
“Please,” she whispered, wanting him inside her, filling her with his love. With a groan, he moved over her, plunging into her. She gave a small cry and wrapped her legs around his narrow hips, pulling him deeper within her.
His rhythm was slow at first, letting her savor the gliding motion of his heat against hers. She looked up into his eyes, and she saw his love there in the glittering dark depths, the love he refused to acknowledge, the love he refused to welcome into his heart. He could deny his feeling for her all he wanted, but she saw it and it filled her up as completely as his body filled her physically.
Tony was lost…lost in her moist warmth, lost in the sweet taste of her, the scent of her. He wanted to move slowly, linger over each exquisite sensation, but his control was gone. Her hands moved frantically over his back, her legs wrapped tightly around him, urged him to pick up the pace. He plummeted into her wildly, frenzied with need, shaken with the tremors that possessed him.
He felt her tighten around him, felt her body convulsing as she gasped in surrender, and suddenly he was there with her, emptying into her warmth, shattering his reality, discovering that in filling her, he filled himself.
Afterward, they lay in each other’s arms, their nakedness feeling completely natural in this secret room of sorts that nature had provided as a retreat in which they could hide.
She fell asleep first, cradled in his arms, her heartbeat conversing with his own. Her body molded to his, her soft breath warming his neck. Tony closed his eyes, trying desperately to erect the barriers that had always kept him safe before. She’d somehow gotten through the fortress he’d always kept around his heart. She’d managed to touch him in the place he’d always guarded so possessively. And the most frightening thing of all was that he didn’t know what he was going to do about it. With a heavy sigh, he allowed sleep to overtake him.
* * *
He awoke at dusk, the reds and oranges of the setting sun dusting the woman in his arms in fiery hues. His skin was cooled by the evening air everywhere but where her body touched his, and in those places was a warmth that pierced through to his heart. Her beauty astonished him; her strength awed him. She was everything he would want, if he wasn’t so sure it was best he remain alone.
As he stared at her, her eyes fluttered open and she smiled, the soft, gentle smile of a woman in love. “Hi,” she whispered, reaching her hand up and laying her palm on the side of his face.
“Hi,” he answered, and his heart seemed to stop beating for a moment as he gazed into the honest blue depths of her eyes.
“Tony…”
He placed a finger to her lips. He knew the words she was about to speak. They shone from her eyes, and he didn’t want to hear them. “Don’t say it. For God’s sake, don’t say it.” He gently extricated himself from her and reached for his T-shirt. As he dressed, he was aware of her gaze on him, level and probing.
“By not speaking of it, it doesn’t go away,” she said, reaching for her own clothes. When they were both dressed, she touched his shoulder. “I love you, Tony.”
He closed his eyes. He hadn’t wanted to hear the words. He hadn’t wanted to accept the responsibility for her feelings. “Libby…I’ve made it clear from the very beginning that I’m not in the market for a relationship.” He sighed tremulously, not looking at her. “I should have maintained some control over the situation. I guess I led you on,” he finished inadequately.
“You didn’t lead me on,” she protested softly. “You made no promises, you inferred nothing. I did only what I wanted to do. I guess I didn’t want tomorrow to come without you knowing how I feel about you.” She paused a moment then continued, “And I think if you look in your heart, you’ll realize you love me, too.”
Tony took a deep breath, knowing if he was going to put an end to this, it had to be now. “Libby, I love how we make love together, but I think you’re mistaking lust for love.” His words affected her like a slap across the face, and he fought the impulse to take her in his arms and erase the look of hurt that streaked across her features.
“I don’t believe that,” she answered, her gaze still level, forcing him to finally look away.
“Libby, I quit my job on the force so I wouldn’t become like my father. I promised myself I’d never marry so I couldn’t do to a woman what he did to my mother.”
“But you aren’t your father,” she protested, once again touching his arm. “And I’m not your mother.”
He looked at her searchingly. “But how long before you become her? How long before you fade into the shadows, let unhappiness eat you up inside?” He shook his head firmly. “No…I won’t allow history to repeat itself. I’ve always been alone, and I’ll remain alone.”
“You’re a fool, Tony Pandolinni,” she answered, her blue eyes flashing as anger swiftly usurped the hurt. “You’re a damn fool to turn your back on what we’ve found together.” These were the last words she spoke. She curled up on her side, but he knew she didn’t go back to sleep.
This is for the best,Tony thought.When we get back to Kansas City, we’ll go our separate ways. Eventually she’ll find another man to love, to build a life with.
She had an incredible capacity to love. And he would go back to his solitary life.
It was all settled, all decided. He was absolutely certain that he’d done the right thing, made the right decision. What he couldn’t understand was why in making the right decision, he suspected he was closer to being his father’s son than he’d ever been in his life.
