Free Storm the Author's Cut by Vanessa Grant Page B

breasts, gently grazing. Her breasts floated in the water and he moved his fingers along their undersides, stroking... stroking. Her nipples hardened as he moved against her. When he bent down to gently touch one erect nipple, she shuddered in his arms, groaning, drawing his head down.
    Fire burned in the water, and passion. Luke caressed her body, drawing it against his, driving her to wilder needs. He sent her restless in his arms, then quiet. When she moved her hands on him, enjoying his smooth male hardness, he groaned his pleasure aloud and she learned the joys of pleasing him.
    The storm raged within them and around them. When the wind howled surrender in the trees, Laurie opened herself to Luke and became one with him.
    Later, the wind gentled, sensing their mood. Luke lifted Laurie from the water and carried her along the path to the cabin. He lowered her wet body to the cot he had slept on earlier. She reached up and touched his shoulders, running her hands gently down his torso.
    "Watch it," he growled in the darkness. "You could wake the beast again."
    "I like the beast," she whispered.
    "Wait," he insisted. He moved away from her, building up the fire in the fireplace. When the flames danced in the stone fireplace, he spread out a sleeping bag on the floor near the blaze.
    When he came back, he reached down to lift her and she laughed, loving the feel of his arms on her.
    "I can walk."
    "I like to carry you."
    Her arms were around his neck, her breast crushed to his chest. He bent to touch his lips to her eyes, her mouth. "You feel so good," he whispered.
    When he laid her on the sleeping bag, he leaned over her, watching the play of flames on her body.
    "Magic." He bent to kiss the tip of each breast gently. "You're magic." He drew his fingers gently along the side of her neck, then down, caressing her breast so that it ached for his touch, down again along her hip and her thigh. His touch drugged her with pleasure and she reached up, needing the sensation of his skin against her hands.
    He trapped her hands at her sides. As his tongue parted her lips to explore within, she arched against him, needing his touch. He released her lips and moved to nibble gently on her earlobe.
    "I'm going to love you," he told her, "until you need me as badly as I need you." His breath touched her ear and she shuddered, needing him.
    He kissed her again, his hands forming her aching breasts, rubbing gently on the aroused nipples. With his hands and his mouth he made love to every part of her body until she was groaning his name, aching with need of him. She pulled her hands from his and touched him, caressing him, loving him so that he could not wait any longer.
    "Now," she begged, urging his body to hers.
    He moved to her. When they were closer than two people had ever been, she cried out his name and he held her as if he would never let her go.
    In the aftermath of their passion, she moved her hand through his hair. His face was smooth and sensual, without the hard lines she had seen in the daylight. When he turned, she pressed against his chest.
    He touched her face, tracing it gently.
    "I'm sleepy now," she murmured.
    "Then sleep," he whispered.
    She curled against him and closed her eyes.
    Was it a dream, when he told her that he loved her?

 
     
     
    Chapter 7

     
    At first, the light on her face disturbed her sleep. She turned to burrow her face into a pillow, not willing to wake.
    Then she remembered.
    She was alone in the cabin, thank God.
    She got up nervously. She found her underwear near the kitchen stove, hanging over the chair with her jeans. The jeans were dry and she dressed quickly. Even her sweater was dry. She pulled it on, feeling the need for every bit of covering she could find. Any minute, Luke would come through that door.
    Gone was the wild creature that had possessed her last night. She had done something terrible, betrayed the man she loved, the man she had promised to marry. Somehow, she would have to