Strands of Love (5 page)

She swallowed hard when he released her hands and cupped her
face. “And I know, Samantha Calloway, that you are very, very beautiful.”

She closed her eyes, not wanting to admit how much she loved
the sound of her name on his lips. He grazed her cheekbones with his thumbs and
she felt his breath on her face a scant moment before his mouth touched hers.

Tender but thorough, was the only way to describe the kiss
that followed. His tongue traced her lips before dipping inside to taste her.
And she didn’t object. Maybe she was tired of fighting, of being alone, but she
knew she couldn’t fight the attraction between them any longer. Nor did she
want to.

She truly believed they’d let her go home in three days and,
after that, she’d probably never see him or Jace again. Why shouldn’t she get
something out of this? Something that made her feel good and gave her some
memories to hold close on the long, winter Texas nights ahead. She had no idea
what would happen with the farm. She could still lose it. But she was here now
and could enjoy this minute.

Maybe it was crazy. No, scratch that,
it was crazy
.
Darian was basically a stranger who’d kidnapped her. Yet, she didn’t feel
threatened in any way. If anything, she felt protected. It was a strange
feeling. Sure, her father and brother had loved her, but she’d always been
expected to stand on her own two feet and handle whatever came at her. She was
a Calloway.

Darian deepened the kiss, his tongue sweeping over the
inside of her mouth, stroking hers and encouraging her to play. Sam threw
caution to the wind and embraced the moment.

She slid her hands over his broad chest, loving the way the
firm muscles hardened beneath her palms. He groaned, low and deep when she
sucked on his tongue and angled his head to deepen their kiss.

Large hands cupped her bottom and then she was lifted right
off her feet. He rubbed her against his erection, wringing a moan from both of
them. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, wanting to get
closer.

He pulled his lips from hers and dropped heated kisses along
her cheek, down her jawline and around to her ear. “Let me have you.” His deep,
erotic plea made her cream her underwear.

She couldn’t speak so she simply nodded. He carried her, not
to the bed, but to the soft fur rug in front of the hearth. He knelt on the
floor with her still in his arms. He held her easily even though she was five
eight and no lightweight. Darian made her feel feminine and desirable in a way
she’d never felt before.

He captured her earlobe between his teeth and tugged
lightly. Rivers of pleasure shot through her body, making her breasts tingle
and her pussy spasm.

“So beautiful,” he crooned as he laid her on the rug in
front of him and tugged at her top. She raised her hands, allowing him to draw
it away. His breath caught as he stared down at her breasts. She might be a
tomboy, but she loved nice lingerie. The bra she was wearing was white, but it
was made of stretchy lace that enticed more than it really covered.

He thumbed her distended nipples through the thin fabric and
she shivered. He smiled and pinched them lightly and she gave a small cry of
pleasure. Darian tugged at the straps, pulling them down her arms until her
breasts popped free.

He gave a low growl of pleasure before dipping his head to
taste them. His tongue was wet and warm as he swiped it over one hard tip and
then the other. She moved her hips as a growing need began to consume her. She
was hot, her skin sensitive wherever he touched her.

“Samantha, such a beautiful name.” He nuzzled one firm mound
before capturing the nipple and sucking it into his mouth.

Her fingers tunneled into his hair, holding him to her. His
hair was longer than hers, falling to his mid back while hers was just past her
shoulders. Somehow it suited his masculine face, enhancing the features.

Sam was suddenly self-conscious. She knew she smelled of
horse and sweat, not exactly feminine or inviting. Darian must have felt her
tense because he released her breast and sat back on his heels. “What is it?”

She tried to shrug it off, but he sat there, patiently
waiting. “It was a long ride,” she began.

“Are you sore?” Concern made his eyes darken.

She shook her head. “It’s not that.”

Darian leaned down and kissed her, his lips tender, his
voice soft and seductive. “Then what is wrong?”

“I smell like a horse,” she blurted out.

He frowned. “I don’t understand.”

Really, was the guy obtuse? “Maybe I should get a shower or
a bath or something.” Okay, her cheeks had to be blazing red. They certainly
felt hot. The sensual mood from moments ago was quickly slipping away and she
crossed her arms across her chest, suddenly very aware of being half naked.

“Sam,” he began and shook his head. “You smell earthy, like
sunshine on a hot day.” He leaned down and sniffed her neck. “Spicy and
slightly sweet.”

“Really?”

“Do you think I smell bad? That I should bathe?” he
countered.

She shook his head. “No, you smell earthy and male, like
leather and horse and the forest.” And it was true. His scent was intoxicating.

He nodded. “It is the same with me. I love how you smell.”
He took her hands and moved them away from her body, spreading her arms wide
and exposing her breasts to his view once again. “And how you look.”

She smiled at him and he smiled back. Beneath his gaze, her
breasts seemed to swell and the tips puckered even tighter. His smile grew
wider.

Darian reached for her bra. “How do I remove this?”

She thought it was a strange question, but answered. “Back
closure.”

He reached behind her and struggled for a moment or two. It
was as if he’d never removed a woman’s bra before. And maybe he hadn’t. He was
so damn sexy and good-looking, women probably got naked the second he showed
any interest in them.

She shoved that thought out of her head when her bra came
free and he set it aside. He cupped the full mounds before sliding his hands
down her torso. “You are incredible.”

And for the first time in her life, she truly felt that way.

Darian didn’t question the amazing gift he was being given,
but he was incredibly grateful for it. Sam was in his room, all sleepy eyed and
sexy, and she wanted him. Her skin was pale and smooth beneath her short tunic,
a sharp contrast from the darker, tanned flesh on her arms and neck. Her
breasts were the color of fresh cream and just as enticing.

“If your name is Samantha, why did you say it was Sam when
we first met?” He liked Samantha. It sounded as beautiful as she looked spread
half naked on his rug.

“Sam is what everyone calls me.”

He could tell she didn’t want to talk about it and he didn’t
want to risk breaking the intimate mood between them. He nodded his agreement.
“Then I will call you Sam.” He deliberately placed his hands on the top closure
of her pants. It wasn’t hard to figure out how to open them, even if they were
different from what he was used to.

He shifted so he could pull her pants down her thighs. She
was wearing a lacy covering over her sex, made of the same material that had
covered her breasts. He wondered why she bothered at all they were so thin. He
removed her footwear and pants, leaving her in her lacy garment.

Sam crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s not fair that I’m
almost naked and you’re not. Take off your vest.”

He was more than happy to comply with her demand. He
shrugged out of the garment and tossed it aside. Sam shivered.

“You’re cold.” He berated himself for not taking her to his
bed, but he loved how she looked all but naked, spread across the thick fur
rug. He moved to the hearth, grabbed the flint and quickly lit the kindling.
Within seconds it caught and he soon had a cheerful blaze going. He turned back
to find her watching him with a bemused smile on her face.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

He frowned and moved back to her, settling between her
thighs. “You were cold.” It was as simple as that. She needed something and it
was his job to provide it for her.

Sam didn’t quite know what to make of Darian. She shivered
so he made a fire. And he wasn’t trying to score points to get her into bed.
She was already pretty much naked and a sure thing. Therefore, the only reason
he’d had for doing it was because he thought it would make her more
comfortable.

The wood crackled and the heat warmed her skin, but his
thoughtful gesture warmed her heart.

He traced a finger along the band of her panties where it
ran across her hips. Then he moved lower, traced the fabric toward her pussy.
The crotch was already wet. She’d never met a man who turned her on as fast as
Darian did. Okay, his brother had the same effect on her as well, but she
wasn’t going to think about that now, not with Darian hovering over her, his
broad chest and shoulders naked and gleaming in the firelight.

She’d seen well-built men before. Most of the men she knew
worked their farms and ranches and they worked hard. There was no shortage of
muscles among them. But Darian looked as though the hand of a master had
sculpted him. Defined pecs and washboard abs that would stop traffic led down
to a trim waist. She reached out and touched him. His skin was so warm it was
almost hot.

He captured her hand and slid it upward until it was
covering his heart. Desire blazed from his eyes, but he didn’t seem to be in
any rush. He lifted her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing the palm
before taking her index finger inside and sucking on it.

Her pussy clenched and she sucked in a breath. Oh God, she
wouldn’t last long at this rate. “Darian.” His name came out more as a moan, a
plea.

He licked the side of her finger and playfully nipped at the
tip. “Hmm.”

“Take off your pants.” She wanted to see all of him, wanted
to touch him.

Darian slowly stood, rising to tower over her. His eyes
never left her as he unfastened the tie at his waist. He bent down and yanked
off his boots before slowly peeling the leather pants down his thighs and off.

He wasn’t wearing any underwear.

Sam swallowed hard. Oh my, but he was fine. She’d never seen
a man like him before. His thighs were rock hard, but it was what hung between
them that really caught her attention. His cock was fully erect and pulsing
with life. The mushroom-shaped head was large and slick. He wrapped his big
hand around his cock and pumped. She’d never seen anything quite so erotic. It
made her entire body hum with pleasure.

Darian knelt back down and moved between her thighs. He
planted his hands on either side of her shoulders and leaned down. “Let me love
you.”

Love. She did her best to ignore the word even as it made
her heart pound faster. He couldn’t love her. He barely knew her. This was all
about sex, mutually satisfying sex, but sex nonetheless.

“What’s wrong?” He leaned down and kissed her forehead, her
cheeks and her nose.

Sam shook her head and placed her hands on his broad
shoulders. “Nothing.” Darian frowned and started to speak, but Sam didn’t want to
talk, not anymore. She wanted to feel, to get lost in the sexual desire that
threatened to drown her.

She pulled Darian down and kissed him, letting her tongue
slide past his lips and into the heat of his mouth. And oh what a talented
mouth it was. He kissed her like no other man ever had, like there was nothing
he’d rather be doing. He took his time and explored every crevice and corner.
His cock was hard against her belly and she reveled in the attraction that made
every nerve ending in her body tingle in anticipation.

Darian released her lips and moved lower, working his way
down her neck and over her collarbone to her breasts. He teased each nipple
until the tips of her breasts were pebbled. Her hips moved restlessly beneath
him and she moaned when the hard ridge of his erection rubbed against her
panty-clad clit.

Darian raised his head and smiled at her, his pale-blue eyes
smoldering with desire. He moved lower, his long hair brushing her bare skin in
a sensual caress. He paused at her panties and gently rubbed his finger over
the crotch. She hissed out a breath, eager for more.

Taking his time, he pulled her panties down and off, tossing
them aside. She was totally bare now, but she wasn’t self-conscious, couldn’t
be with the way he was looking at her. She knew her body was toned and strong
from years of backbreaking work on the farm, and her looks were okay—straight
black hair, dark-blue eyes and a slender nose—but she’d never had a man look at
her the way Darian was.

He wrapped his hands around her thighs and spread them wide,
staring at her pussy. When he licked his lips, she almost lost it. Most guys
she’d been with hadn’t been much for foreplay, but Darian was different. If
anything, he was going a little too slow. She wanted him. Now.

He lowered his head slightly and lifted her hips at the same
time. Hot breath fanned over her slick core before he used his tongue to
explore and taste. Sam gripped the thick rug beneath her and held on tight as
her entire body arched into his touch. He lapped at her slick folds, eventually
finding her swollen clit. He circled the hard nub of nerves before teasing it
with his tongue.

“Darian.” She squeezed her eyes shut, not sure if she’d
survive the next few minutes.

“Come for me.” The plea in his deep voice sent her over the
edge and her body splintered from the pleasure. She cried out, but he didn’t
stop. He continued to suck and lick her pussy until she couldn’t take any more
and managed to push him away.

Totally drained, she lay there, eyes closed, listening to
the crackle of the wood from the fire. Darian stroked her legs, her stomach and
her arms, his touch soothing rather than arousing. Yet she was very aroused.
Her pussy ached to hold him, to feel him powering in and out of her.

Her eyelids fluttered open and she stared up at him. He
looked like some pagan god come to life with his long, blond hair falling
around his shoulders and his broad, tanned chest flickering in the firelight.

But his heavy cock was all aroused male. As she watched, he
lifted her, angled her hips toward him and positioned the broad tip at her
opening. She reached for him, needing to touch his skin, to have that
connection with him.

A muscle in his jaw tightened as he slowly pushed inward,
past the initial resistance of her body. Her nails dug into his skin, leaving
deep half-crescent shapes on his forearms. There was no past, no future, only
this moment.

He filled her slowly, one delicious inch at a time, until he
was seated to the hilt. Perspiration gave his skin a glow and every muscle in his
body tensed as he waited for her to adjust to his invasion. He looked like a
living sculpture. His breathing was as harsh as hers, both of them fighting the
urge to move, enjoying the first moment of joining, of discovery. His cock was
thick and long and filled her completely. Her vaginal muscles rippled around
his hard length as he stretched her to the limits of comfort, but not beyond.

It was exciting and arousing and, if she was being honest, a
little scary. She was having sex with a man she barely knew, but one who
attracted her on many levels. She pushed aside all her doubts and focused on
the here and now.

He didn’t speak and neither did she. The moment was too
perfect to risk spoiling with words. Darian leaned down, the motion pushing his
cock even deeper. She moaned and he captured her lips. He didn’t kiss her. He
consumed her, his tongue dueling with hers, sliding in and out, mimicking the
sex act to come.

Her hands slid up his arms to his shoulders and she held on
as he began to move. He rocked slowly at first, but quickly picked up steam.
“Hold me,” he commanded and she wrapped her arms around his neck, shoving her
hips toward him, needing to reach the glorious climax she knew was just out of
reach.

She’d never come twice in a night before, but knew Darian
was different. If any lover could make it happen, he could.

Darian thrust faster and harder and only his grip on her
waist kept her from sliding across the rug and onto the stone floor. The fire
continued to crackle, her heavy gasps and his grunts the only other sounds that
broke the silence. The air around them was warm and perfumed with the scent of
leather and wood smoke, the earthy smell of sex, of male and female coming
together.

“Sam.” He yelled her name and his entire body stiffened as
he came. He reached between them, found her clit with his thumb and lightly
rubbed it, pushing her over the edge again. She clung to him, wanting the
moment to last forever. He gave another groan and wrapped his arms around her,
holding her so tight she could barely breathe.

Gradually, she became aware of the room once again. The rug
was thick, but lying on the floor was beginning to get uncomfortable. She
shifted position as much as she could with a large male lying half on top of
her. Darian raised his head and smiled at her. She smiled back until he slid
out of her. Sam couldn’t suppress the low moan as his cock stimulated her
tender pussy.

Her thighs felt wet and she froze. They hadn’t used a
condom. What had she done?

Darian felt the change in her. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“You didn’t use a condom.”

He looked at her as though he didn’t have a clue what she
was talking about. “You know. Protection.” She sat up. “Where’s the bathroom?”
Not that cleaning herself up would help. The damage was done. “I’ve never had
unprotected sex before so I’m safe.” She only prayed he was too.

“Safe?” Darian was frowning at her, a slightly lost look in
his eyes.

Angry with herself and with him, she scooting into a seated
position and wrapped her arms around her legs, pulling them close to her chest.
“You know. Safe. I don’t have any sexually transmitted diseases. Do you?” she
demanded.

He shook his head. “There are no such things in our world.”

Of course there wasn’t. For a moment there, she’d forgotten
all about his crazy “this is another world” beliefs. “Sure,” she muttered.
Staring into the fire, she prayed he was safe and she didn’t end up with some
STD. “The worst that can happen is I’ll get pregnant.”

Heavy hands fell on her shoulders and she looked up at him.
Darian frowned. “Would that be so bad?”

Would that be so bad?
She couldn’t believe he was
asking her such a thing. “You’re telling me you’d be happy about an unplanned
pregnancy?” No single guy who’d just had hot sex with a virtually unknown woman
would be happy about that.

Darian smiled and nodded. “You would look beautiful carrying
my child.”

Sam was totally taken aback. This was getting just a little
too strange for her, but she couldn’t suppress the flash of pleasure she got at
the idea of a blond-haired boy or maybe even a dark-haired girl like herself. A
family. It was what she wanted most in the world.

She needed some time alone. “Bathroom?” she asked again.

Darian rose and offered her his hand. She thought about
grabbing her clothes and tugging them on, but that would require more energy
than she had. The day had been long and she was suddenly very tired again. The
sexual sparks between them had held it at bay for a while, but it was back with
a vengeance.

“This way.”

She took a step and stumbled, and he scooped her into his
arms, carrying her to the corner of the room where a door was set into the
wall. He opened it and carried her inside. It was a fairly large room with a
deep wooden tub, but there were no taps. He set her down in front of a wooden
cabinet with a wooden basin on top of it. The basin was filled with water.
Again, there were no taps.

Darian stood next to her, arms crossed across his massive
chest. His cock was still semi-erect and it didn’t look as though it would take
much effort on her part to have him fully aroused again. Her body responded but
she ignored it. She’d already done something stupid. No reason to compound it.