SEDUCTIVE SUPERNATURALS: 12 Tales of Shapeshifters, Vampires & Sexy Spirits (212 page)

“The water is perfect. I don’t think I can resist getting in—the water’s really warm here,” she said.

“Well, I think we’ve resisted long enough,” he told her. “Avert your eyes, wench, I’m about to shed my clothes.” She obediently turned away but not without a smile. Impulsively shedding his trousers and under drawers, tossing them and the blanket up onto a dry rock, he entered the water, then playfully splashed her back to signal when he’d immersed himself.

She turned and splashed back. “Gaze to the horizon, kind sir, and I shall join you.”

He waited until he felt a splash then turned at stared at her. Her brown hair was the color of polished rosewood, and slicked back from her dive into the water. Even from several feet away he could see her long eyelashes glistening with delicate drops of moisture. The color of her sea green eyes nearly matched the color of the still water of the pool—she looked like a mermaid. He imagined the taste of salt on her skin, of his tongue finding its way from the base of her slender neck to the vee above where her breasts lay hidden beneath the water’s surface.

Watching her eyes, knowing his own held the heat of desire, she didn’t retreat as he made his way slowly through the water toward her.

* * *

In the protected cove, it was as though she and Jackson were isolated from the rest of the world. Nothing else existed. Maybe time
was
an illusion. Here she lived only in the present—no future, no past. In this perfect new world, Jackson no longer considered the self-destructive path of murder. In this ideal now, there were no mysteries to solve, no truth to discover. All that mattered was to discover each other. Succumbing gratefully to the delicious awareness of awakening passion, she took a step forward in the water and right into the arms of Jackson Hoyt.

He gathered her into his arms, holding her weightless body snugly. She gasped at the shock of pleasure as her soft curves molded to the contours of his lean body. Skin to skin in the warm water, they were instantly one. Liquid heat surrounding their bodies, and liquid heat within. Did he feel it too? Did he feel as out of control as she did?

Burying her face against his throat, she felt his pulse quicken against her cheek, and her own defenses weakened with every beat of his heart. Acutely aware of his growing hardness pressing into the soft flesh of her belly, she felt the tide of passion rise within her, a tremor heating her depths, a quiver building between her legs. Timeless moments passed as her doubts and fears sweetly drained away.

Gently she pulled her face away from him, just far enough to enable her to look up into his eyes as he gazed down at her. Her fingers were happily lost in the wet curls of his long black hair as she studied his expression carefully. The gaze he returned was soft, once again waiting for her to decide what came next.

“Sweet, Rose,” he whispered, his mouth brushing against hers as he spoke her name, tasting the salt on her lips with the tip of his tongue.

Parting her lips, she pulled him to her and kissed him with a wild hunger, a little shocked by her own eager response to the mere touch of his lips. Shivers of delight flamed within as blood pounded in her brain, leapt from her heart, and made her knees tremble as she gave herself freely to the passion of the kiss, to a kiss that was so much more than she’d imagined a kiss might ever be.

Jackson’s hands seared a downward path to explore the soft lines of her back, her waist, her hips, and then his hands lowered further to gently cup her bottom, caressing the soft flesh like a cat kneading a pillow. Lifting her off the sandy floor, he encouraged her legs to encircle his waist as he then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer still.

Again, she pulled away from him, this time to reassure him that she was willing to follow this perilous leap of her heart.

“Jackson,” she whispered hoarsely, “make love to me.” She wanted him to know she wanted him, and completely.

His hardness now perfectly repositioned between her open legs, she knew her folds were slick with readiness and all she could think about was having him inside her. She inhaled sharply at the contact, then trembled with pleasure as the tip of him pressed between her legs, just nudging against her, so gently, still waiting. She watched his face, watched his blue eyes darken with desire as his hands moved to massage the small of her back…then his fingers shifted to encircle her waist as he repositioned her, finally pulling her down until she felt him buried deeply inside her.

She gasped and looked at him through half-closed eyes, focusing on the hardness of him within her—almost more pleasure than she could stand—as she squeezed against him, wanting to feel every part of him.

Her lips parted and she tried to breathe slowly, wanting to enjoy him, to watch his face as he too seemed to be tumbling out of control, lost in her fiery imprisonment of his body now deep within hers…then she began to move, her knees now pressed against his hips, struggling to find a way to slide up and down against him, wanting to feel the movement she knew would be as delicious as she’d imagined.

Soon his hands helped her move in a natural, primal rhythm that fulfilled her cravings—passionate lovemaking just as she’d imagined it could be. Sliding up and down against him pressed against her clitoris, and she felt the unmistakable wave of an orgasm building.

Her world existed of nothing but this amazing present—only this moment, this indescribably pleasure…so perfect, so right. Their movements were in synch, moving faster now, her hips rocking and finding new ways of feeling every inch of him inside her, stroking and squeezing him, him pulling out a little and then rubbing against her as though somehow he knew exactly how to move, all the while staring into her eyes.

Then the crescendo began, waves of pleasure building even stronger inside as she gave in to the heat and the tremble deep inside just as she saw his expression change, his eyes closing almost in pain as the orgasmic waves crashed within her and they simultaneously soared to an awesome, shuddering ecstasy. Even in the water she felt his release—electricity seemed to arc through them as she was consumed by the most powerful orgasm she’d ever had, ever imagined. Wave after wave of pleasure continued and she wanted it to go on forever.

A moan of rapture slipped through his lips as he opened his eyes and moved his mouth over hers, devouring its softness. She clung to him, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist, never intending to let go, holding the moment as long as she could, the orgasm finally subsiding as the waves of pleasure quieted. In a few moments their kisses became softer, more tender as she felt him soften inside her, her legs still wrapped tightly around his waist.

A third time, she pulled away from him to gaze into his eyes. Would she see truth there?

Jackson returned her gaze and she quickly became lost in his soulful blue eyes. His black hair, now damp, seemed even longer. It gleamed in the sunlight and flowed from his face like a crest. Soft, unruly tendrils caressed his forehead and the sides of his neck. He was simply gorgeous and he had no idea. As she stared at his handsome face it seemed as though he might be searching for words, but found none. Instead of speaking, he brushed a gentle kiss across her forehead, then touched his lips to each cheek.

Taylor sighed deeply and drank in the tenderness of each kiss. A deep feeling of peace entered her being. This, this was the passion she’d searched for, longed for. This was the magic she’d imagined could be hers with the right man. Her eyes closed now, she cherished the afterglow, relishing the amazing sense of completeness within her. Was this the fulfillment she’d wished for on that night in the garden? Snuggling into Jackson’s strong arms, she nuzzled his neck and nibbled at his earlobe. This man was delicious enough to eat.

“Jackson?”

“Yes, sweet Rose...”

“How do you feel?”

* * *

He responded wordlessly by holding her closer to him. He never wanted to release her, determined to capture the timeless moment forever. Was that possible? She had been well worth waiting for and his body ached from satisfaction, surprised at the flood of emotions he felt. Uncontrollable joy. Shuddering ecstasy. The burn of passion’s still smoldering embers. Possession.

But, did he possess her...or did she command him? Doubts threatened to diminish his elation, and he knew the solution to his questions was knowledge. He had to find out more about her. Bewitching as she was, he couldn’t afford to blindly trust her.

That, she would have to earn.

Loosening his embrace, he held her away from him and scrutinized her face. Slowly and seductively, his gaze slid downward to her still-hard nipples. She shivered as he gave her upper body a raking stare.

“I feel wonderful...and you look beautiful—like a sea fairy that has just enchanted an unsuspecting sailor.”

She met his smile, and boldly returned his stare. She wiggled out one of her hands from his embrace and touched his lips, following its edges with her fingertips.

“Unsuspecting? Not a chance.” She dipped her hand into the water and splashed him playfully. And as he wiped the water from his face, she seized the moment to slip from his grasp. She dove underwater and swam away, beginning a frisky game of tag.

Having worked off their nervous energy in the water, both made their way to the sandy shore. Leaving Rose knee-deep in the water, Jackson stepped ahead to retrieve the blanket from the rock next to their clothes. Then he spread it on the warm sand, careful to avert his eyes from her alluring, glistening naked body, as she joined him.

* * *

Out of the water, Taylor felt unexpectedly awkward, even shy. After the magical aqueous intimacy, stepping onto solid ground somehow brought an unwelcome feeling of reality.

“Why don’t you dry in the sun for a bit. I’ll be right back.” Jackson grabbed his trousers and drawers and made his way around the bend, she guessed to relieve himself.

Grateful for a few moments to think, she walked to the blanket and stretched out. He had seemed a little confused as well, avoiding her gaze. Surprised by their sudden shyness with each other out of the water—after such intimate contact—why would they flinch from seeing each other naked?

The noon day sun quickly evaporated the clinging moisture, and she brushed the salty remains from her skin. Her nude body, without him there, seemed no longer such a good idea. After all, he’d taken his clothes with him and she assumed he’d return dressed.

So, she quickly dressed and sat cross-legged on the blanket, waiting for his return.

“Ah, the mermaid has legs, I see.” Jackson joined her on the blanket, matching her seaward gaze. Scooting closer to her, he put his arm around her waist and pulled her towards him.

Dropping her head on his firm shoulder, she sighed. She could get used to his touch. Pushing away any notions of resistance, she allowed herself the indulgence of another seemingly endless, timeless moment. No future, no past. Only the present reality, clear and tangible.

No questions, no suspicions.

“What are you thinking, Rose? I’m not used to this silence,” he teased. “Talk to me.”

“Just enjoying the moment, I guess. It feels as though time has stopped. At least I want it to.”

“I’m glad we made love.”

“I’m glad too,” she reassured him. Was he sensing the fleeting moment? Would thing change now between them?

“Rose, why won’t you ever answer me directly? You bent my ear with your questions on the ride here, but I never feel like you reveal anything about you, about where you’re from, what your future holds. It feels like you’re hiding something...are you?”

Taylor stiffened in response as her heart swelled with emotion. She wanted to answer truthfully. She couldn’t. Not yet. But she couldn’t lie. Not now. It would simply be too painful to concoct an elaborate tale to the man she was…what…falling in love with? Taking a deep breath, she searched her mind for a compromise.

“It’s not what you think,” she began. “I just can’t tell you everything about me, or my past. I know it’s not fair, that it seems like I’m concealing circumstances that normally would be unimportant...it’s just...”

“It’s all right. I don’t need to know everything.” He gave her waist a squeeze. “I just want to know you, Rose. Are you really just visiting San Diego? Ida told me you were different than her other girls.”

She suppressed her surprise.
He thinks I’m a prostitute?
Perhaps she had mistaken his passion for the typical male libido simply seizing an opportunity. She turned away as she blinked back hot tears. How could she know for sure what had really brought them together? Had it been just carnal attraction after all?

“Rose...”

As casually as she could manage, she responded to his inquiries. “Well,” she began, “I’m sort of on vacation, on holiday…though I didn’t really mean to even be here. I decided to stay when Ida offered a room to me. She’s been very generous.”

“Then you’re friends?”

“Well, we just met here, actually, though we’ve become friends. She’s been like a mother to me.”

“You said before that your mother died when you were a baby. Your father never married again?”

“No,” she said pensively. “I always wished he had, even though he never seemed lonely to me. He used to tell me how special my mother was to him, and how he knew that she would be his only love—at least in that lifetime.”

They sat silently for a few moments, each in deep thought.

Then Taylor continued, wanting Jackson to know more about her father. It seemed important, somehow. “He believed that people sort of ‘found’ each other—if they were lucky. And he always said that he and mom were soul mates that would find each other again...in another place, another lifetime.”

* * *

“And you believe this, too?” Jackson had read of such absurd sounding spiritual beliefs, but had never discussed them with anyone who really believed such nonsense. His Midwestern upbringing left little room for thoughts of the world being made up of ethereal beings—people who lived again and again. He shook his head in bewilderment, determined to change the subject.