Free And Cowboy Makes Three (Cowboys To The Rescue 2) by Martha Shields Page B

and led her rapidly through the casino. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pressed her close against his side as they waited for the elevator. They stepped in alone. Jake pushed the button for the nineteenth floor. As the chrome doors slid closed, he hauled her into his arms and covered her gasp with his mouth.
    The shock of his lips on hers, hot and demanding, sent Claire’s thought processes into a tailspin. She wrapped her arms around his neck because her knees had suddenly turned to jelly. Opening her mouth to his questing, forceful tongue, she felt heat flow through her, warming even the frozen fingers that dug into his hair. Just when she was ready to climb up his body and crawl inside, the faint ding of the elevator tugged at her awareness.
    His lips curved against hers. “I know you have a thing for elevators, Mrs. Anderson, but we really should move this into more private quarters.”
    Before she could form a coherent answer, he guided her down the carpeted hall and unlocked the door to their suite. He threw it open and lifted her easily into his arms.
    She threw her arms around his neck. “What are you doing?”
    “Carrying you across the threshold.” He shoved the door closed with one foot and strode into a huge room with floor-to-ceiling windows. He stopped in the middle of the gray carpet, his dark eyes searching hers in the light the bellman left on. “I’m not going to hurt you, Claire. At least, not any more than I have to under the circumstances. Trust me, all right?”
    Claire took a deep breath, then nodded. As she did, she realized she meant it. She hesitantly ran her fingers back through his hair. “I do trust you. I have no idea why, but I do.”
    His smile held obvious relief. He strode into the luxurious bedroom and kicked the door closed. Then he slowly lowered her feet to the floor, but didn’t let go. “I’m going to do my damnedest to make sure this night is so wonderful it’ll still bring a smile to your face when you’re ninety—even if it kills me. Which it damn well might.”
    He lowered his mouth to hers and began a torture so exquisite Claire couldn’t find enough air to breathe. Though he’d rushed her to the room, now that they were alone he built their passion slowly, methodically, mercilessly, until she wanted to scream or cry or pummel his chest.
    During the next several hours, she did all three. She barely noticed when he took her innocence, so enmeshed in his web of passion she couldn’t feel anything beyond mind-numbing pleasure.
    When Jake finally allowed his own release, Claire was certain they would both vanish in a puff of smoke, like a magician with a magic wand.
    She smiled faintly as she drifted off to sleep, wrapped in her husband’s arms. There’d been magic, after all.
     
    Hunger pangs finally woke Jake, but it was the naked curves of a woman’s back pressed against him that made his eyes pop open. He relaxed again as he recognized the thick chestnut hair of his wife.
    His wife. The realization made a smile creep across his face.
    It had been three long years since he’d wakened with the warmth of a woman in his arms. The few encounters he’d had since Melissa were brief affairs, purely for physical relief. He never stayed overnight with those women, leaving soon after the short burst of passion was spent. He’d always left with no regrets, with no desire to wake with the scent of lovemaking sweet in the air.
    But those days were gone now. He would wake up with this woman every morning for the rest of his life.
    His smile widened. After last night, he was definitely looking forward to it.
    He tenderly lifted several strands of hair from her face. As he tucked them behind her ear, she murmured something sleepily and snuggled closer against him. He stirred to life as her bottom wiggled against him, but he firmly put thoughts of renewed passion out of his mind. She’d be sore this morning, for more reasons than losing her virginity.
    A virgin. Jake