Sweet Promise (18 page)

"No regrets?"

"No, none. That was wonderful, Sean. The most beautiful experience of my life." Her smile faded a fraction. "What about you? Are you sorry?"

"Hardly." The worry left his face as his slow smile grew. The sight of it made Joanna's insides flutter. "What we just shared happens to be the greatest experience I've ever had also. I've known a lot of women intimately, Joanna," he added when she frowned doubtfully. "And I enjoyed making love with every one of them. I won't lie to you about that. But it was never like this. I've never felt this.. .this.. .joy before."

"Oh, Sean." Tears filled Joanna's eyes, and she reached up and framed his face tenderly between her palms. It wasn't a declaration of love but it was very close, especially for Sean. It was more than she even dared to hope for this soon, and her heart felt as though it were about to burst with sheer happiness. It was all she could do to keep from blurting out her love for him. "I'm so glad," she whispered in an emotion-choked voice. "So very glad. I... I couldn't have stood it if you had regretted making love to me."

The sensuous smile that tugged at Sean's mouth held just a touch of devilment. "Does this feel like regret?" he asked lazily.

"Sean!" Joanna gasped, her eyes going wide as she felt his body stir within her. "So soon? How can you.. .1 mean, I thought..."

He chuckled wickedly and nibbled at the tender skin just behind her ear. "Easy. I've been going out of my mind wanting you ever since this trip started. It may take all night to satisfy my hunger." His lips trailed moist kisses over her throat, across her cheek. His tongue flicked maddeningly at the corner of her mouth, and Joanna turned her head, blindly seeking. "In fact," he whispered huskily against her lips. "I don't think I'll ever get enough of you."

Joanna moaned a little sigh of ecstasy as his lips closed possessively over hers. Looping her arms around his neck, she returned his kiss with all the fervent love that swelled her heart and gave herself up to the spiraling passion he so easily aroused.

Much later, as she drifted off to sleep in Sean's arms, spent and satiated, Joanna's last drowsy thought was,
Who says dreams don't come true?

Chapter Ten

T
he ethereal lavender light that heralds the coming of sunrise seeped in through the porthole. Joanna smiled and blinked languorously, watching the misty glow ease the shadows from the cabin. As sweet memories came creeping in with the dawn she sighed in utter contentment.

Sean lay beside her, his head on her pillow. She could feel his deep, even breathing against her shoulder, the heavy weight of his arm draped across her waist, the radiant heat from his body. Closing her eyes, she savored the tactile pleasure.

Sean stirred, mumbled something and hooked his leg over hers. Smiling, Joanna rubbed her silky smooth limb back and forth against his calf, delighting in its hairy roughness.

She rolled her head on the pillow and gazed at him, and felt her heart give a little bump against her ribs. His face was softened in sleep, his lips slightly parted and slack, making him look endearingly vulnerable. Overnight beard stubble created a bluish smudge along his jaw and upper Up, and his hair was mussed and untidy, lying across his forehead in tousled ebony curls. Pleasure came washing over Joanna at his nearness, at finding herself there, where she had never thought she'd be. He was so handsome and so male... and she loved him so.

Waking up in bed with a man was a new experience for Joanna. Because Arthur had insisted they keep their relationship secret, the time she had spent with him had been brief—furtive little meetings stolen now and then, that had lasted only an hour or two at most. Joanna had not liked the situation, but Arthur had claimed that it would jeopardize his position with the college if it got out that he was involved with one of his students. It wasn't until later that she'd realized it had merely been a clever means of keeping his various girlfriends from learning about one another.

That all seemed so long ago, Joanna thought with lazy contentment, feathering her fingertips over the silky hair on Sean's forearm. So unimportant now.

The circle of sky beyond the porthole changed to crimson and gold. Seconds later a splinter of sunshine beamed across the carpet like a tiny spotlight. As much as she hated to, Joanna knew she ought to return to her suite before the other passengers began to stir. It would be a bit awkward if anyone she knew saw her sneaking in at dawn, still dressed in her evening gown.

She lifted Sean's arm from her waist, eased her leg from beneath his and scooted gingerly over to the edge of the bed. Cautiously sitting up, she swung her legs to the floor, but the soles of her feet had barely touched the carpet when an arm hooked around her midriff and hauled her backward.

Joanna uttered a soft cry and slumped back against Sean's bare chest.

"Going somewhere?" he inquired in her ear. He nuzzled aside her hair and nipped at her neck with tender savagery.

"I... I... Back to my suite."

"Wanna bet?" His tongue bathed her flesh with loving strokes. "You're staying right here. Where you belong."

Joanna shivered as he trailed a line of nibbling kisses down her neck and over her shoulder, then back up to that sensitive spot behind her ear. Playfully, he drew a wet circle with his tongue and warmed it with his breath. "Ah...Sean...stop...I have to...have to..." Joanna's faltering thought processes shut down when Sean moved sensuously against her back. The feel of silky chest hair feathering across her skin set off a delicious tingle, and Sean chuckled wickedly when he felt her shiver.

"Have to what?"

"
To...to
..."

"Whatever it was, forget it." His free hand came around her and cupped her breast. He fondled it gently, testing its shape, its weight, its softness. "All you have to do is stay here with me. In bed."

"Oh, darling, I—" She gasped as he grazed his palm slowly over the tips of her breasts. "I can't... I have to go back to my suite to change clothes," she protested breathlessly.

His arms tightened around her midriff, and with a jerk, he rolled with her, bringing her over him and onto her back. Braced on his forearms, he grinned down into her startled face. "You don't need clothes for what I have in mind."

His tone was teasing, but his dark eyes smoldered with desire. Despite the night they had just spent together, the look kindled fires deep inside Joanna and brought hot color flooding into her cheeks. "And just what is it you have in mind?" she asked, striving for lightness.

"Oh... a good morning kiss, a room service breakfast—" he lowered his head and nuzzled the tender underside of her jaw "—a leisurely shower, together if we can both fit into that cubicle..." Joanna gasped as excitement shot through her, and she felt him smile against her neck, but he continued with his list of activities in the same casual tone. "... a little talking, a lot of loving, maybe a nap later." He raised his head and gave her a slow, sexy smile. "Not necessarily in that order, you understand."

Simmering heat flooded Joanna's body and pulses throbbed. "You have a one-track mind, Sean Fleming," she scolded with mock indignation, but her voice was low and husky, not quite steady.

"Uh-hmm," he admitted with such cheerful relish Joanna couldn't help but laugh.

But her laughter faded quickly as Sean's sensual gaze grew more intense. His night-black eyes roamed over her face, touching her lips, her flushed cheeks, the silky arch of her brows, before finally meeting hers. Joanna felt her bones melt beneath that hot, hungry stare.

"Don't go," he urged in a low, raspy voice. "Spend the day with me, darling."

Love welled up inside Joanna, swelling her chest with a sweet pressure. How had she ever gotten this lucky? she wondered. Placing her palms in a light caress along his cheeks, she rubbed her thumbs over his chin and the corners of his mouth and smiled tenderly when she felt the rasp of whiskers against her skin. "There's nothing in this world that I want more," she vowed in the softest of voices. "But first, I really must go back to my suite. I'll just be gone a few minutes."

Sean looked as though he were about to argue, then his gaze dropped to her mouth. "All right. But first I get my good-morning kiss."

Joanna saw the determined glint in his eyes. "Now, Sean, I don't think—"

He silenced her weak protest with his mouth. The kiss was warm and firm and deeply arousing. With exquisite, gentle insistence, Sean's lips moved back and forth over hers, stoking the fires, coaxing, expertly building her passion to a fever pitch. Soon Joanna was moving restlessly, breathing hard, her hands clutching at his shoulders.

All thought of leaving fled.

Sean's mouth left hers to trail a line of kisses downward. "Your breasts are so beautiful," he murmured against the pearly flesh. "So white and firm."

"They're... they're too small," Joanna gasped in weak denial and shuddered as his tongue lathed the rosy crest and left it beaded in desire.

"No, they're perfect. They just fit my hand," he insisted, curling his fingers around the satiny swell to prove his claim. His mouth closed around the rosy crest and he drew on her with a slow, sweet suction.

Clutching his hair, Joanna moaned and arched her back. She blushed hotly all over as he lavished attention on both her breasts, but his whispered accolades filled her with pride and joy.

The loving torment continued as his hand swept down over her abdomen and smooth, slightly concave stomach to the triangle of silky curls at the apex of her thighs. Without hesitation, he homed in on his target. "You're lovely here, too." His stroking fingers underscored his words. "So moist and warm and welcoming."

He made her feel beautiful. Womanly. Desired. Unselfishly, he adored her with his fingertips, his eyes glowing as he noted what pleased her, what made her eyes go soft and smoky. With exquisite care and tenderness, he stroked her feminine portal, giving her untold pleasure, sending her to the edge of mindless passion.

Joanna shuddered, her fingers digging into the taut muscles in the back of his neck and shoulders as he found the core of her womanhood and kneaded it gently with his thumb.

"Oh, Sean. Sean. Sean." His name was a breathless chant on her lips. A plea. A command. A siren's song. Obeying its call, Sean moved over her, taking her mouth in an ardent kiss as he fitted his hips to hers, his firmness to her pliancy.

Joanna wrapped her long legs around him, her soft cries of love fining the room, as with long loving strokes, he took her to that glorious realm she had known only in his arms.

The end came quickly, an explosive burst of rapture that left them both spent and trembling. Eyes closed, Joanna held Sean close and ran her hands languidly over him, absently brushing away the sheen of moisture from his back. Their hearts thundered in unison. Their lungs labored for air.

After a moment Sean summoned the energy to move and rolled from her onto his side. Draping an arm possessively across her waist, he closed his eyes and kissed her shoulder. "Mmm, what a heavenly way to say good morning," he mumbled drowsily.

"Uh-huh. And a very effective method of getting your own way," Joanna scolded.

She tweaked the hair on Sean's chest, but he merely grunted and burrowed deeper into the pillow, neither admitting nor denying her accusation. Smiling, Joanna watched him, her eyes tracing lovingly over his handsome face, exulting in its nearness. She felt saturated with happiness, utterly content.

For a time Sean did not move or speak, and Joanna thought he had fallen asleep until suddenly he emitted a long, agonized sound.

"What is it? What's the matter?"

"I just thought of something."

"What?"

"Matt's going to kill me," he groaned.

"Matt?" Joanna's amused chuckle held surprise and skepticism. "Don't be silly. Why should Matt care?"

"Because you're part of his family now, and Matt Drummond takes care of his own." Sean opened his eyes and looked at her quizzically. "Didn't you know that?"

Joanna shook her head. "But...but I'm his stepdaughter, not his daughter."

"To a man like Matt, there's very little difference. And men tend to get a bit paranoid and protective where their daughters are concerned. Hell, if he'd known about that lecherous professor of yours he'd probably have given the man the beating he deserves."

Joanna raised up on one elbow and gazed at Sean with eyes as round as saucers. "Really?" It stunned her to think that Matt would be that fiercely protective of her. Would her own father have resorted to physical violence on her behalf? Joanna doubted it. Oh, he would have sought revenge by some covert method, but he would not have actually soiled his hands on the man.

"Yes, really," Sean assured her, smiling at her astonished expression. "Matt happens to be very fond of you. When you graduated from college with honors he was as proud as punch. He even cut short a meeting with the Secretary of State to make it to your graduation ceremony."

Dazed, Joanna fell back on her pillow and stared up at the ceiling. She and Matt had made their peace with each other years ago. Since that time she had come to admire and respect him, to like him as a person, but for some reason their relationship had never developed beyond a sort of cautious, polite friendship. Certainly she had never suspected that Matt harbored any paternal feelings for her.

But, as Joanna thought about it, a pleased smile began to grow on her face. She found that being regarded as a cherished daughter by a man like Matt Drummond was very pleasant indeed. It gave her a warm feeling she hadn't known since her father's death.

"Why are you so surprised?" Bracing on his elbow, Sean propped his head in his hand. With deep absorption, he watched his other hand chart the long curve of her hip and thigh.

His intent gaze made Joanna suddenly aware of her nakedness. Though she knew it was ludicrous, all at once she felt painfully shy. Rising partway, she reached for the sheet to cover herself.

"Oh, no you don't." Sean chuckled wickedly and pushed her back down onto the pillow with gentle but firm pressure. "It's too late for modesty now, my sweet. Besides, there's not an inch of that beautiful body I haven't already seen. Or kissed." Holding her gaze, he smiled a slow, devilish smile and skimmed his hand up over her waist and the gentle flare of her ribs. "Now go ahead, answer my question."

"Matt... Matt and I got off to a bad start four years ago," Joanna replied unsteadily. She drew several deep breaths and struggled to ignore that marauding hand, the heel of which was now pressing rhythmically against the side of her breast. "We, uh, we worked it out, and we get along fine now, but, well... I, uh, I guess I just never expected him to care all that much about what happened to me."

"It's not really so surprising, when you consider how much he loves your mother. You're Claire's daughter, a part of her, and in Matt's book that makes you a very special person." Sean abandoned his sensual teasing and touched her chin with his fingertips, turning her head toward him. Smiling tenderly, he looked at her in a way that made Joanna's breath catch and said in a low, husky voice, "And I happen to agree."

He placed an infinitely soft, lingering kiss on her mouth, then pulled her close and settled her head on his shoulder. Joanna nestled against him with a happy sigh. Feeling utterly content, she absently threaded her fingers through the forest of black hairs on his chest, and after a moment a pleased smile began to build on her face. "Matt is crazy about Mother, isn't he?" she said, in dreamy satisfaction.