Riding the Storm (19 page)

prayed
that
she
wanted
the
same
thing
that
he
did.

He
watched
as
a
smile
touched
her
lips.
She
then
reached
out
to
run
her
hand
down
his
chest,
past
his
waist
to
settle
firmly
on
his
arousal
that
was
pressing
hard
through
his

pants.

He
swallowed
hard,
almost
forgetting
to
breathe.
His
mind
was
suddenly
filled
with
scenes
of
all
the
things
he
wanted
to
do
to
her.

She
met
his
gaze
and
in
a
soft
voice
whispered,
“I
want
you
to
make
love
to
me,
Storm.”

Four

S
torm’s
knuckles
gently
brushed
across
Jayla’s
cheeks

just
moments
before
his
mouth
descended
on
hers.
The

words
she’d
just
spoken
were
what
he
wanted
to
hear,
and
at
that
moment
he
needed
to
taste
her
again.

He
was
swamped
with
conflicting
emotions.
A
part
of
him
wanted
to
pull
back,
unable
to
forget
she
was
Adam’s

daughter,
but
then
another
part
of
him
accepted
and

acknowledged
what
she’d
said
was
true.
She
was
old

enough
to
make
her
own
decisions.
Even
Adam
had
pretty
much
conceded
that
before
he’d
died.

He
slowly,
reluctantly,
broke
off
the
kiss
and
took
a
deep

breath.
Her
eyes
glinted
with
intense
desire
and
he
was

suddenly
filled
with
a
dangerously
high
degree
of

anticipation
to
give
her
everything
she
wanted
and
needed.
Without
saying
a
word,
he
took
her
hand.
Together,
they
got
out
of
the
coach
and
went
into
the
hotel.
The
walk
across

the
lobby
to
the
elevator
seemed
endless,
and
all
Storm

could
think
about
was
what
he
would
do
to
her
once
they

were
alone.
That
short
dress
she
was
wearing
had
driven
him
crazy
all
night.
More
than
once,
his
gaze
had
been

drawn
to
her
bare
legs,
legs
he
wanted
wrapped
around

him
while
they
made
love.

“My
room
or
yours,”
he
asked,
moments
before
the
elevator

door
swooshed
open
before
them.

Their
eyes
met
and
held.
“Whichever
one
is
closest,”
she
said
as
desire
continued
to
flicker
in
her
eyes.

“That
would
be
yours.”

They
stepped
into
the
elevator
and
after
the
door
closed
behind
them,
he
leaned
against
the
wall.
They
were
alone
and
he
tightened
his
hands
by
his
side.
The
temptation
to
pull
her
into
his
arms
and
devour
her
mouth
again
was

unbearable,
and
when
she
swept
the
tip
of
her
tongue

nervously
across
her
top
lip,
his
stomach
clenched
and
he
swore
beneath
his
breath.

“I
want
you
so
damn
much,”
he
had
to
say.
The
scent
of
her
perfume
was
soft
and
seductive.

“And
I
want
you,
too,
Storm.”

That
statement
didn’t
help
matters,
either.
He
had
wanted
to
pull
her
into
his
arms
the
moment
the
elevator
came
to
a
stop
on
her
floor,
but
taking
a
deep
breath,
he
held
the
door
as
she
stepped
out
off
the
car
before
him.
Holding
hands,
they
walked
silently
down
the
corridor
to
her
hotel
room.

Intense
sexual
need
was
closing
in
on
him.
He
had
to
admit
he’d
never
wanted
a
woman
this
badly.

When
they
reached
her
room,
he
leaned
against
the
wall
as
Jayla
opened
her
purse,
pulled
out
her
key
and
inserted
it

into
the
lock.
She
opened
the
door
with
ease
and
walked

into
the
room.
He
didn’t
waste
any
time
following
and

closing
the
door
behind
them.
She
flipped
a
switch
that

brought
a
soft
glow
of
light
to
the
room,
then
turned
slowly
to
him,
meeting
his
gaze.

They
didn’t
say
anything
for
a
brief
moment;
then
he

reached
out
and
pulled
her
into
his
arms.
His
mind
told
him
to
take
things
slowly
but
the
moment
he
touched
her
and

desire
swept
through
his
body,
he
threw
the
thought
of

taking
things
slowly
out
the
window.
The
only
thing
he
could
think
of
was
lifting
her
short
dress
and
becoming
enfolded
in
her
feminine
heat.

He
tightened
his
arms
around
her
as
his
mouth
greedily

devoured
hers
and
his
chest
expanded
with
the
solid
feel
of
her
breasts
pressing
against
it.
His
tongue
again
made
a

claim
on
her
mouth
while
his
hands
skimmed
across
her

backside,
making
him
intensely
aware
of
just
how
shapely
she
was.
He
deepened
the
kiss
and
a
hoarse
sound
of

pleasure
erupted
from
his
throat.
Moments
later,
he
broke
off
the
kiss
and
pulled
back.
He
wanted
her
with
an
intensity
that
bordered
on
desperation.

“You
sure?”
he
asked,
wanting
to
make
certain
she
knew
exactly
what
she
was
getting
into.

“I’m
positive,”
she
said,
drawing
up
close
to
him.