CHAPTER 20

Dalian reluctantly broke the kiss, more shaken than even she appeared to be, although from the sound of her ragged breathing, he doubted it, or was that his breathing that was ragged? It was hard to tell. They both seemed to be panting in unison. He opened his eyes. She was watching him, her gaze clouded with desire. He slid his hand from her nape and stroked her cheek. Once again, she closed her eyes, her lips parting slightly. He was certainly not one to refuse an invitation. The experiment was over, his case was proven, and now he intended to enjoy the victory of being right. His radar wasn’t broken.

He pulled his foot from the fence and turned toward her, slid an arm about her waist and pulled her flush against him. The other hand that had been stroking her cheek returned to her nape, tangled in her hair, and tilted her head to meet his need. His mouth captured her gasp and his tongue began that age-old lover’s duel, but he wanted his tongue to caress more than hers. He wanted it to light her skin afire with desire; one that she couldn’t deny. He broke away from her mouth, slid his tongue along the side of her neck, and then caught her earlobe between his teeth, nibbling softly. Kat’s head fell instinctively to the side, and a groan of desire escaped. Her hands clung to his sleeves like a swimmer to a life preserver; but it was no use. She was drowning, fast.

As if sensing her dilemma, Dalian slid his hands down her back and cupped her rear, pulling her in tighter still. She moaned in acquiescence and Dalian felt himself suddenly sinking. He picked her up and moved backward until he felt the fence bump into his hands, and then released his grip from her rear and grabbed hold of the top of the rail, leaning into her. If his shirt was her life preserver, the fence was his.

His mouth made a return voyage and claimed her lips in another breath-stealing kiss. Kat wrapped her arms around his waist and clutched his shirt with what strength she had left. Never had she felt such intense heat pounding through her body. It was as if someone had bound the two of them together and lifted them over a roaring flame of desire.

“I can’t...” Kat panted, when his lips finally broke from hers.

Dalian stiffened, lifting his gaze to meet hers, “Can’t what?” he asked, his own breathing heavy.

“I can’t breathe.”

Dalian took a quick, unsteady step back, but Kat’s hands were still clutching his shirt and he dragged her with him. She collapsed into him, her legs giving way. He reached down and scooped her into his quivering arms and, on unsteady legs, made his way toward the barn. With a barely balanced sway, he kicked the door open and moved toward an empty stall, carefully laying her down upon the fresh bed of hay. He knelt over her, examining her with his eyes. “Are you okay?” He asked, stroking her face.

“I’m fine,” she whispered. “I think.”

“You need to explain better than that. You’re extremely flushed.”

“So are you,” Kat whispered.

“But I can breathe.”

“It’s just that I’ve never felt anything so intense before and it took my breath away, literally,” Kat breathed. “I’m okay now. I think. I’m sorry I worried you.”

Comprehension dawned and Dalian grinned, and then stretched out beside her, “I’ll admit I was having a hard time too. Damn, but you’re the most powerful presence to enter my life, Kat. I’ve never experienced anything like I did when I kissed you. Guess that means my radar isn’t broken.”

“No,” Kat grinned. “I’d say everything about you is in working order.”

“How would you know?” Dalian purred. “You haven’t even tried out the whole package yet.”

“Yet?”

“Hell yes, yet!” Dalian grinned, planting a quick kiss on her lips. “You don’t think I’m going to let you get away, do you?”

“I don’t think I’d get far,” Kat murmured. “You’re like a gigantic magnet, do you know that? I felt drawn to you from the minute I saw you.”

“Same here.”

“I guess it’s time to stop running.”

With a suddenness that startled her, Dalian jerked upright and flipped atop her. His legs were spread eagle on either side of hers and his hands were positioned beside her head. His arms, rigid with the exertion, were holding his muscled frame elevated above her. He grinned and she laughed.

“If I wasn’t lying here beneath you, I’d say you were preparing to do pushups.”

“I am,” he said and laughed when her eyes widened. “You shock easily, do you know that?”

“I don’t know why I would. It’s not like I’m an inexperienced teenager,” Kat said. “I guess I’m just not used to someone as flirtatious as you coming onto me so strongly.”

“Women flirt, men pursue.”

“You’ve definitely been doing that,” Kat said softly. “How much do you weigh?” She asked suddenly in a deliberate change of subject.

“I don’t know exactly. About one hundred-eighty-five.”

“All muscle, no doubt,” Kat murmured in such an admiring tone that Dalian laughed.

“Would you mind not laughing?” She asked, concernedly. “You quiver when you laugh. Exactly how long can you hold yourself upright like that?”

“Afraid I’ll squash you?”

“Like a bug,” Kat admitted. “I only weigh one-hundred-twenty pounds, and can only bench press forty. If you pass out, I wouldn’t be able to get you off of me.”

“If my muscles tire, I’ll roll away,” Dalian said, bending at the elbow and lowering slowly. He stopped a mere inch from her mouth and grinned before dropping the rest of the way and placing a thorough kiss on her lips. “One,” he said, when he raised himself.

Kat laughed breathlessly. “How many pushups do you do a day?”

“At least fifty,” he said, lowering himself again. “Two,” he counted, after another searing kiss; however, instead of extending his arms again, he collapsed, pinning her helplessly beneath his weight against the bed of straw.

Author's Note

All of my books are available on Amazon: Kindle, Hard copy, Lending Library (author, Barbara Woster)

Reviews

[Peter Rogerson]

I find it difficult commencing a book at Chapter 20, though I did think there might be a surplus of commas in the first sentence.