Chained (10 page)
Authors: Rebecca York
She had imagined this alone at night, but the reality was a
hundred times better than anything she had dreamed up.
She was free to be with him now in a way that thrilled her.
When his tongue dipped farther into her mouth, she felt hot,
needy sensations curling through her body.
He unbuttoned her slacks and lowered the zipper, pushing the
pants down her legs, along with her panties, caressing her hips and bottom,
sending heat rushing through her.
Then his fingers slipped into the warm folds of her sex,
driving her higher still.
He had touched her like that at the ranch. Brought her to
climax. Now she needed more. So much more. But she suspected that he wasn’t
going to rush.
“This is our first time together,” he whispered as he
nibbled at her ear. “When I was guarding you, I used to lie in bed, wanting
you.”
“I wanted you, too. But I knew I’d get us both into trouble.
After we left the ranch, I kept thinking I’d find you again—until I heard that
you’d been killed. I was devastated.”
“But you made a life for yourself.”
“Yes, but it was always missing something important. You.”
“I’m here now. For always.”
She pulled back the covers and climbed onto the bed. As she
stared up at him, he removed his jeans and shoes.
It was like a dream come true. But she knew that it was
finally reality. That knowledge made her heart squeeze.
As he came down beside her, she clasped his shoulders,
pulling him close, her naked body pressed to his, sending her blood pounding
hotly through her veins.
She was dizzy with desire for him.
When he gathered her closer, words of gratitude rose in his
throat. “Thank you for loving me. For saving me. For giving me this.”
“It was for you, for me, for us.”
She made a small sobbing sound as he rolled her to her back,
playing his hands over her throbbing nipples before taking one hard peak into
his mouth, drawing on her as he used his thumb and finger on its mate. At the
same time he stroked his hand down her body again, finding the place that
longed for him the most, driving her almost beyond endurance.
She returned the pleasure, wrapped her hand around his hard,
hot shaft, clasping him tightly, stroking.
He dragged in a ragged breath, raising his head so that his
eyes could meet hers.
“Don’t make me wait,” she pleaded.
He covered her body with his, and she guided him to her.
As he sank into her, she cried out with the joy of their
joining.
Emotions flooded through her as he looked down at her, his
eyes bright with moisture.
He began to move inside her, and she matched his rhythm, her
breath coming hard and fast as they both climbed toward orgasm.
She felt him holding back, felt him waiting for her to reach
the peak of her pleasure, then slipped one hand between them to press over her
clit, giving her the extra touch she needed.
She called out as climax grabbed her and felt him follow her
over the edge into a world that belonged only to them.
In the aftermath, they clung together, both overcome with
the knowledge of what they had almost lost.
“Oh, Matthew.”
“I love you. It’s wonderful to be able to say that.”
She found his hand and squeezed it. “I need to ask you about
something. After you told me about the general being dead and about Decorah, you
disappeared.”
He nodded.
“Because you wanted me to leave?”
“I couldn’t let you hang around, hoping for a relationship
with a ghost.”
“You thought that’s what you were?”
“That was my best guess. But you knew better.”
“Not then. Not until Frank Decorah told me you were alive,
but you were in a coma.”
“Not anymore. Thanks to you.” He rolled toward her, clasping
her to himself, and she held him just as tightly.
“I’m going to need some rehab,” he said. “Which will give me
time to think about earning a living. It was different when I only had myself
to worry about, but now that I’ll have a wife to consider.”
“Wife! Is that a proposal?”
“I should do a better job. Isabella Flores, will you marry
me?”
“Oh, Matthew. Of course.”
“As soon as possible.”
“With my father to give me away.”
“He won’t mind your marrying me?”
“He liked you and respected you. You’re the kind of man he
wanted for a son-in-law.”
He reached for the covers and pulled them up, then folded
her into his arms.
“You told me about wanting to live on a horse ranch.”
“Um hum.”
“We could do that. Maybe somewhere I could get a job at a
nearby hospital.”
“Like I said, I don’t want to make any big decisions yet. We
can stay in Phoenix for a while. As long as I know I have you, everything else
will fall into place.”
Closing her eyes, she snuggled against him. She had dreamed
of being with him like this, and now it was real.
“We have to thank Frank Decorah,” she whispered. “He paid
for you to be in Garrison Care.”
“He would never abandon one of his agents.”
“
Gracias a Dios
.” Raising her head she asked, “How
did he hurt his leg?”
“He lost it on a military mission.”
“I didn’t know.
Dios
. And I made him walk out into
the desert.”
“He’s used to dealing with the leg.” He dragged in a breath
and let it out. “He’s had a lot of sadness in his life. His agents are his
family. His wife died, and he knew he couldn’t take care of his daughter so he
put her up for adoption.”
They were silent for long moments before she turned her head
toward him. “Do you remember I told you about talking to my grandmother’s
spirit?”
He turned to her. “You said you wanted your father to give
you away. I’d like to have Frank there too. As my best man.”
“Yes. I’d like that. We owe him so much. He could have
stopped me from taking you to the vortex, but he was willing to give me a
chance to heal you.” She squeezed his hand. “And we should ask Gloria, too.”
“Of course.”
They were silent for long moments before she turned her head
toward him. “While we’re talking about the important people in our lives, do
you remember I told you about talking to my grandmother’s spirit?”
“Yes.”
“It was probably why I could accept you as a ghost. With my
nana, it was after her funeral. She came to my room and said she wanted to say
good-bye. And also to warn me that some bad times were ahead, but they would
pass, and things would get better. I always wondered when that would happen.
Now I know.”
He hugged her to him. “I think we have her blessing.”
“I think so too. And I know that the best times are ahead of
us. Not just because she told me but because I have the man I always wanted.”
“And I have the woman,” he whispered before he covered her
mouth with his for a long, passionate kiss.
oOo
Rebecca York delivers page-turning suspense.
—Nora Roberts
No one sends more chills down your spine than the very
creative and imaginative Ms. York!
—Melinda Helfer, Romantic Times
Rebecca York will thrill you with romance, kill you with
danger and chill you with the supernatural.
—Patricia Rosemoor
Rebecca York never fails to deliver. Her strong
characterizations, imaginative plots and sensuous love scenes have made fans of
thousands of romance, romantic suspense and thriller readers.
—Chassie West
Rebecca York's fast-paced suspense, innovative stories and
sexy characters set the standard for paranormal romantic suspense.
—Ann Voss Peterson
oOo
A USA Today Best-Selling Author, Rebecca York is a 2011
recipient of the Romance Writers of America Centennial Award. Her career has
focused on romantic suspense, often with paranormal elements.
Her 16 Berkley books and novellas include her nine-book
werewolf “Moon” series. KILLING MOON was a launch book for the Berkley
Sensation imprint. She has written 50 books for Harlequin Intrigue, many in her
popular 43 Light Street series. Her recent releases include DARK WARRIOR for
Berkley and DARK MAGIC for Carina Press. Two Harlequin Intrigues, SUDDEN
INSIGHT and SUDDEN ATTRACTION, will be published early in 2012.
She has written for Harlequin, Berkley, Dell, Tor, Carina
Press, and Pageant Books.
Her many awards include two Rita finalist books. She has two
Career Achievement awards from Romantic Times: for Series Romantic Suspense and
for Series Romantic Mystery. And her Peregrine Connection series won a Lifetime
Achievement Award for Romantic Suspense Series.
Many of her novels have been nominated for or won RT
Reviewers Choice awards. In addition, she has won a Prism Award, several New
Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf awards and numerous other chapter awards.
oOo
Web
site:
http://www.RebeccaYork.com
.
Facebook:
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Twitter:
rebeccayork43
oOo
