TIS THE SEASON...FOR ROMANCE (WESTMORELAND/MASTERS/JEFFERIES) (38 page)

She crossed the room to Corey and wrapped her arms around his neck. “But when I do talk with my daughter face-to-face, I will be completely honest with her Corey. It might bother her to know that her father and I didn’t share the storybook romance she assumed, but Larry and I loved each other in another way. It was based on friendship and not passion.”

“And you think you know about passion?” he asked, reaching out and pulling her closer to him and leaning down to nuzzle the part of her neck that was exposed.

“Umm, I know all you’ve taught me. First as a young woman of eighteen and then now.” She eased even closer to him and loved the feel of his aroused body part pressing against her. There was just something with a woman knowing she was desired by a man; especially this particular man.

“Want to learn some more?” he asked, whispering in her ear and then proceeding to suck on her earlobe.

His action sent desire sliding through her. “What’s there to learn? Seems pretty automatic to me. You touch me and I respond.”

“Umm, touch you in what way, sweetheart? Like this?” He leaned back and reached out to cup her breasts in his hands. He had encouraged her not to wear a bra around the house and she’d taken him up on it. Now the feel of his hands through the material of her blouse was torment of the most heated kind.

And when he lifted her blouse and his mouth went to her bare breasts and began sucking, she felt the pull deep in her womanly core. Corey’s mouth should be outlawed.

“Corey?” she managed through an intense groan with the feel of her inner muscles clenching.

“Umm?”

“What about dinner?”

He lifted his head and smiled at her and the lustful look she saw in his eyes basically gave her his answer, but she wanted to hear him tell her anyway. He had such a way with words.

“I happen to like this meal right here. My favorite appetizer.”

“But it always leads to other things.”

“I know,” he said, dropping to his knees in front of her and tugging down her skirt past her hips as he did so. He leaned back on his hunches, met her gaze and smiled. He looked pleased to see that she wasn’t wearing any panties. She’d discover not to bother around Corey and had learned to get undignified and unladylike real quick where he was concerned.

“I don’t think you know just how much I love tasting you.”

She shook her head, chuckling. “I have a pretty good idea, trust me.”

Another lustful gleam appeared in his eyes. “But just in case you have any doubt…”

He pressed his face to the center of her legs and breathed in her scent and Abby thought it was one of the most erotic things that a man could do. But he didn’t stop there. He tilted his head to place a kiss on her belly and then proceeded to lick around her navel and dipped his tongue into the indention before licking around it again.

She grabbed hold to his shoulders as sensations began spiraling inside of her and she knew it would be much later before they sat down for dinner. But she had no complaints.

Corey leaned back and glanced up at Abby. Curly black hair seemed to billow around her face before falling past her shoulders. The eyes staring back at him was filled with heated passion, all the passion any one man could ever want and need. And at that moment he knew he needed her in his life, for the rest of his life. Somehow they would work out the details of where they would live later. He would be open to the thought of living with her in Boston part of the year if that’s what she wanted. He just wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and refused to be separated from her ever again.

Figuring since he was down here on his knees, that now was just as good a time as any, he asked. “Will you marry me, Abby?”

Her eyes widened and he could tell she was surprised by his question. And then he saw it, that one lone tear that slid from her eye. Was that a tear of happiness or one of regret as to what her answer would be?

The hands gripping his shoulders tightened and she pulled in a deep breath and smiled said. “I wonder how many women have received a proposal from a man in this position.”

He chuckled. “What’s wrong with this position? I am on my knees.”

“Yes, you most certainly are. And I’m naked.

He shrugged. “So, will you marry me?”

A wave of love surged through Abby. What were the chances of this happening? The man she had fallen in love with at eighteen, the man she’d live without for thirty-two years, was now back in her life at fifty. Very few people find love the second time around and with the same man.

“Yes, Corey Westmoreland. I will marry you. I’d be honored to be your wife. I love you and I will always love you.”

Corey came to his feet and pulled her into his arms and held her, burying his face into her neck, needing the comfort he found there. Moments later he pulled back and met her gaze. “We’ll go shopping for a ring the next time we’re off the mountain. Do you have an idea when we can have a wedding?”

“Umm, what about around the holidays?”

He nodded. He would have preferred sooner but he’d take it. “And will you return to Boston until then?”

She threw her head back and laughed. “And give up this? Fresh air, peace and quiet, a beautiful Montana sky, and Corey’s Mountain? Are you kidding? I will need to go back in a few weeks though, and talk face to face with Madison. But I plan on returning just as quickly as a plane can get me back here.”

“What about that business you own?” he asked, smiling from ear to ear.

“I plan to keep Abby’s Manor but I have a competent staff who can continue to manage things for me. Any other business I have I can handle when I return in a few weeks to see Madison. So as far as I’m concerned I’m all set.”

She reached out and placed her hand on his cheek. “My place is with you, Corey. I’ve been without you in my life for thirty-two years and I refuse to live a single day without you again.”

He reached out and pulled her to him where she belonged and where he was determined that she would always stay. He lowered his head and kissed her, mating with her mouth in a way that had his aroused body part pressing hard against his jeans. He then remembered she was naked with her skirt at her feet. He pulled back and swept her into his arms.

She smiled up at him as he moved through the house. “Should I ask where you’re taking me?”

“To the bedroom to finish what we started in the kitchen.”

As intent on seizing this very special moment as he was, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled his mouth down to hers. He stopped walking and gave her the kiss she wanted.

And moments later when he lifted his head, he stared down at her and whispered in a low voice. “You are my heart and Corey’s Mountain will always be our home.”

“Yes, always.”

He carried her up the stairs to the bedroom and placed her in the center of the bed. Then he stepped back to remove his clothes, knowing as usual that she was watching his every move.

And then he joined her on the bed, and needing to be skin to skin with her he pulled her into his arms. She yielded everything to him and when his head dipped between her legs to finish what he’d started in the kitchen, she cried out his name.

His hands clamped tight to her thighs as his mouth had its way with her; taking his time to taste her the way he enjoyed most, over and over again. And when he felt her body began to shudder, he continued to give her pleasure.

“Corey, please…”

He felt her body explode beneath his mouth and he pressed his tongue inside her deeper as he held on to her quaking thighs. And when the last shudder had passed through her body, he eased up over her, and placed his aroused erection at the entry of her wet womanhood and then slid inside, enjoying the way her tight body clenched the head of his penis. She was hot. She was ready. And she was his.

He began to move inside of her, thrusting in and out, he whispered just how much he wanted her and how much he loved her. She writhed beneath him, groaned his name and wrapped her legs around him to keep him inside of her.

Not that he was going anywhere, Corey thought. And no sooner had that thought filled his mind, he felt a rush like no other fire through his blood stream. He threw his head back and almost felt the veins pop in his neck.

Moments later he slumped against her and then shifted their bodies so they could lie side by side while he held her in his arms and their bodies still intimately connected.

This was where she belonged, in his arms on Corey’s Mountain. For always.

* * *

The Westmoreland Saga continues when Madison Winters sets out in search of her mother.

Stone Westmoreland had an eye for the ladies…

And charm that never failed. He was an experienced player who played for keeps. So who would have guessed that prim and proper Madison Winters could rattle his nerves without even trying? She had him feeling all protective, and all sexed up, too. Before he knew it, Stone had volunteered to help Madison find her mother, who’d gone missing in the mountains.

Stone was willing to play the knight in shining armor, but only if it meant the hard days of trekking through the wilderness would result in the ultimate payoff - passion-filled nights under the Montana starlit sky with the delectable Miss Winters…

THE MADARIS FAMILY REUNION GETAWAY CRUISE TO PUERTO RICO, THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND THE BAHAMAS

Saturday, April 30, 2011 to Saturday, May 7, 2011

Cruise Theme: SWEET SIXTEEN

Come help Brenda Jackson celebrate 16 years as a published author!!

Also, special tribute in memory to the King of Pop – Michael Jackson and his music, so bring your glove and dancing shoes!

And returning by popular demand the Bachelors Auction!!

VISIT BRENDA’S WEBSITE FOR DETAILS

www.brendajackson.net

JANUARY
WRAPPED IN PLEASURE
(COMBINATION MADARIS AND WESTMORELAND NOVEL)

FEBRUARY
RAVISHED BY DESIRE
(REISSUE OF A LITTLE DARE AND THORN’S CHALLENGE)

MARCH
HOT WESTMORELAND NIGHTS

APRIL
SENSUAL CONFESSIONS
(A MADARIS NOVEL)

MAY
SPONTANEOUS
(A JEFFRIES NOVEL)

JUNE
HIDDEN PLEASURES
(A STEELE NOVEL)

JULY
IN TOO DEEP
(A SILHOUETTE DESIRE ANTHOLOGY)

AUGUST
STAR OF HIS HEART
(BOOK 1 OF KIMANI LIMELIGHT CONTINUITY)