Max Harris wasn't the kind of guy who engaged in one-night stands. But Sabrina Tyrell was bringing him around to a new way of thinking. He'd noticed her when she'd arrived by boat on Amelia Island last Tuesday. It wasn't that she'd been alone instead of with a group like most of the other women who visited the luxurious island resort. She'd stepped off the dock and onto the sand and closed her eyes. There was a frankly sensual appreciation of the earth in her body. It had been powerfully arousing to him.
They'd spent the past five days together doing everything from wind sailing to scuba diving. For the first time since he'd started working, Max didn't want his stay at the resort to end. He wondered if Sabrina felt the same way, but didn't want to ask.
He had a meeting in Chicago early on Monday and tonight was probably the last time he'd see Sabrina. And he wasn't going home until he'd done more than kissed her luscious lips. He wanted to explore the sensuality hidden in her eyes. To see if the passion she'd brought to wind sailing rivaled the passion he sensed she'd bring to his bed.
Their lives were literally worlds away. She thought he was a CPA from Chicago, which was true in one sense, but he was more than that. As CFO of Harris Resorts, he did more than keep the books. He traveled regularly to the various resorts owned by his family and to others as well, to check on the quality of the services. Such as this luxurious restaurant, where he'd invited Sabrina to dinner, to share his last evening at the resort — and, he hoped, the rest of the night as well.
"Thanks for dinner, Max," she said, interrupting his thoughts.
"It was the least I could do after you showed me the finer points of wind sailing."
He couldn't remember ever being so attracted to a woman. Tonight she wore a slim-fitting sundress that brought out her tan and made her shine like the sun. Her hair was caught at the nape, and he wanted to free it. He liked seeing her brown curly hair free about her shoulders.
She had the healthy look of a woman who loved the outdoors. She was fit and in shape, but not in a sculpted muscular way. Her breasts were full and her hips gently curved. Her long legs were accentuated by the strappy high-heeled sandals she wore tonight.
"Most men don't like to take advice from women."
"Well, my father always said, he who doesn't ask for help ends up looking like a fool."
Sabrina's eyes were deep, unfathomable pools in the candlelight. He burned to know her secrets. To unravel the mystery that was Sabrina so he could get her out of his system.
"I can't imagine you looking like a fool."
"It's happened more often than I'd like to admit," he said.
A warm breeze stirred the flame of the candle on the table between them. It felt as if they were the only two people on the island tonight. Though they were at an exclusive restaurant, the dining area was comprised of small balcony alcoves that provided intimacy.
Max was glad he'd brought her here tonight. She was a woman used to fending for herself, but tonight he wanted to pamper her and cherish her. To give her something he sensed she'd never had before. Because that's what she'd done for him.
"What time do you leave tomorrow?" she asked.
"I have to be back in Jacksonville by six."
"In the morning?" she asked.
"No, evening. You?" he asked.
"I don't leave for three more days," she said. "Want to take a catamaran out tomorrow?"
He nodded. "Sure, but let's concentrate on tonight."
"Okay." She pushed the wild rice around on her plate and toyed with her fish instead of eating it.
"Did you like the mahimahi?" he asked.
"Yes. I'd never tried it before," she said, her voice cool and distant. "Thanks for recommending it."
"Why are you suddenly treating me like a stranger?" he asked.
She stiffened and placed her fork on the table. "It's just that I don't know you in this setting."
"I'm still the same guy you've spent the past five days with."
"I know, but here you fit in and I don't. I've never been to a place as fancy as this. I'm not used to such luxury. I feel like I don't blend in."
"You're right," he said.
Her mouth turned down and she glanced out at the starlit ocean. "I'd hoped you hadn't noticed."
He grasped her chin and turned her face toward his. "You could never blend in here. You stand out like an exotic flower. Beautiful and bright, full of life and promising sensuality. Every man in the place wants to be with you, every woman wishes she were you."
She blinked and turned away again. Her skin was soft to the touch but then he'd known it would be. He also knew her stomach was just as soft and very sensitive. He'd used the flimsiest of excuses to touch her the past few days but tonight there would be no excuses and no mistaking his intent.
A slight blush covered her cheeks. "I wish you wouldn't say things like that."
"Why not? It's the truth."
"Only you see me that way."
"Then see through my eyes," he said. He'd originally approached Sabrina on his first day of vacation because he was attracted to her. But she'd made it clear she wanted to be treated like a buddy and not a woman. Last night, he'd kissed her and made it obvious she was more than a buddy to him. He'd given her time to get used to him but he was out of time. Tonight was their last chance to explore the hidden current of desire that ran strongly between them.
"I'm afraid," she said at last.
"Of what?"
"You make me want to be someone I'm not," she said.
"Have I asked you to?" Because he realized he wanted to unleash her sensuality but not change the woman she essentially was.
"No. But I've always dreamed of being an adventurous woman."
"What kind of adventure?" he asked. Because she was the most daring person he knew. She'd swum with sharks in New Zealand and climbed sheer rock faces in Utah. When she'd told him of her daring he'd had a moment of fear for her. That this beautiful vibrant woman may have died before he'd had a chance to meet her.
"Did you mean it when you kissed me?" she asked.
"You know I did."
"How can I be sure?" she asked.
Her doubts were clearly written on her face. She wanted him but he knew her well enough to know she was the kind of woman who didn't give herself easily.
"Because I'm a man."
"That sounds very chauvinistic."
"Only to someone who hasn't spent time with me."
"It's strange to think how well I do know you," she said at last.
"It's kismet, Sabrina," he said. Saying it was lust wasn't what she needed to hear from him. And in a way he did believe in fate. Just not in love. He'd never believed in any of the softer emotions because in his experience those were the ones others had exploited to manipulate him.
"The last time I trusted fate I ended up flat on my face."
"I'm not asking you to trust fate," he said.
"No?"
"No. I'm asking you to trust your instincts."
"Which instincts?"
"The ones that are telling you to indulge in your most daring adventure."
She stared at him. "If I do, I'm not going to let you take control."
"What do you want from me, Sabrina?" he asked, realizing she might have been biding her time this week.
She glanced around the deserted balcony, then leaned across the table. The flickering light of the candle accentuated the planes of her face. "I want you, Max. Just you, for this one night."
Sabrina didn't know what she'd expected from Max. Since they'd met five days earlier at this resort on Amelia Island, he'd been eager to spend time with her. But becoming her love slave for an evening might be asking for too much.
A moment ago, she'd steeled her nerves and taken the plunge, doing what she'd secretly wanted to do since she first met Max. She'd propositioned him, letting him know that she wanted to spend more than just the evening with him. She wanted the whole night, too.
He arched one eyebrow at her. "That's just what I had in mind, darling."
Max Harris was the kind of man who could use the word darling and not sound ridiculous. Tall, tanned, and very fit, he'd seemed at home on the ocean and beaches. It was only tonight that she realized he fit just as well in the world of the wealthy. She'd saved for 18 months to be able to afford a week's stay at this exclusive resort. Max was first-class all the way, from the tips of his hand-sewn Italian leather shoes to the Armani evening suit he wore with a graceful ease that told its own story.
"Good," she said.
Amusement lit his stark features. He reached across the table and drew his forefinger down the side of her face, lingering at the pulse beating at the base of her neck. "I promise it'll be better than good."
"What if I want to be in charge?" she asked around a tight throat. Her nipples had beaded at his first hot touch. She wanted him to keep touching her. To move his fingers lower, past the strap of her sundress, under the bodice to the naked flesh waiting for him.
"Darling, whatever you want."
What had he said? She was deep in a fantasy where this man would do whatever she asked. Thank God they were all alone on a private secluded balcony because she felt as if she was about to melt into a puddle. "Anything?"
He rubbed his forefinger again on her neck and she felt gooseflesh spread down her arm. She slid forward on her chair so that he could caress her easily.
"I'm interested in your pleasure," he said.
A tingle started at her center and spread throughout her body. No man had ever said those words to her. She shifted in her seat and tried not to let him take complete control of her.
She had an objective. The moment she'd met Max, she'd had the feeling that he might be the one man with whom she might be able to experience the "big O." She'd experimented with different guys, but this time she wasn't taking any chances. She was more than mildly attracted to Max, and he seemed like a guy who knew his way around a woman's body. Instinctively, she felt that the passion she sensed within Max when they wind sailed together would cause sparks if they spent time together between the sheets as well.
"I think we had the same objective in mind, but there might be a few differences in opinion over the exact activities."
He removed his touch from her and she felt suddenly cold. She worried that she might not be able to protect herself from caring for him. It had become really clear tonight that Max moved in a world in which she'd never be comfortable.
"Whatever the activity, I can guarantee your pleasure, Sabrina."
His voice caressed her the same way his finger had. Brushing over her skin to spread slowly throughout her body, fanning fires his touch had ignited. Until her pulse beat a little quicker. Her skin felt ultra sensitized. The warm ocean breeze enhanced those feelings, playing over newly awakened nerve endings.
While she wasn't normally aggressive around men, she'd decided this luxury vacation was a once in a lifetime chance. And she wanted more than a few nights' accommodation at the five-star resort. She wanted a red-hot affair with the kind of man passionate dreams were made of. She didn't believe that dream man existed until she'd seen Max Harris.
She'd met him the first day she'd stepped off the boat on Amelia Island. The way he'd looked at her made her feel like a beautiful woman in a way she never had before. She knew how to hold her own with surfers, fishermen, and other outdoor enthusiasts because she owned a surfing and fishing rental shop in Ft. Lauderdale. But none of them ever made her feel special the way one look from Max did.
The waiter cleared their dinner plates. Max ordered dessert and wine for both of them, speaking with the waiter in fluent French.
She had some doubts. She wasn't cultured or sophisticated like Max so obviously was. Her planned seduction of her wind-sailing, bodysurfing buddy needed some adjusting. She scarcely recognized this GQ guy in a suit that without a doubt cost more than the rent on her apartment. Mentally she knew it was the same guy but appearances had really changed.
"Do you like raspberries, Sabrina?" he asked.
She nodded, suddenly incapable of speech. What had she been thinking? Her stomach fluttered and she felt more nervous now, sitting on this secluded balcony with Max, than she had when she'd been in the water with the sharks.
"I thought you would."
His voice made her want to close her eyes so she could let her ears focus on him. He called to all of her senses. Made her want to indulge each of them slowly on their own. Let his voice brush over her skin so close she could hear each word against her as he spoke. The humid warmth of his breath, the subtle touch of his strong lips, the rough edge of his teeth.
She opened her eyes and found Max staring at her. She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"
"Not a word. I was too busy enjoying you."
"Don't say things like that," she said. She already liked him too much. And she didn't want to like the man. Lust was okay, but liking could lead to caring and then to hurt. Because she knew that Max and she weren't meant for more than a vacation fling — a one-night stand. She only hoped her heart would listen.
"Why not?"
"Because you make me believe in fairy tales again."
"Which ones?"
"Happily ever after," she said.
She reached for her wineglass as an uncomfortable silence filled their table. She could hear the surf breaking on the beach below them. The cicadas called and the wind rustled the palm trees against the side of the building.
"I thought all girls believed in that," he said.
"Girls do. Women know better."
"Who taught you that lesson?" he asked.
"None of your business," she said.
"What if I make it my business?"
She thought about it. He had no idea what she'd be giving up. Her chance at finally experiencing real pleasure in a man's arms. But there was no way she'd ever tell Max that she'd once been so foolish as to love a man who loved only his bank account. A man who thought she was a cheap distraction and not worthy of his real emotions.
"Then I'd be happy to sail with you tomorrow but I won't stay with you tonight."
"That secret means more to you than passion?"
Her back stiffened. "Yes."
"Keep your secrets," Max said, knowing that discovering the mysteries of Sabrina’s body would be enough for him. Since he'd come to Amelia Island, Sabrina had definitely proved a distraction. And a temptation that he didn't have to resist — tonight.
His life waited for him in Chicago. A life that included a father who was pressuring Max to marry a society debutante and take over as chairman of Harris Resorts. He'd come to this Florida resort as much to think about the future as to relax, and instead of doing either he'd found Sabrina Tyrell.
The waiter brought their dessert: berries and cream, and a nice wine. Max poured a small amount in his glass.
Keeping his eyes on Sabrina, he swirled the glass and let the scent of the wine surround him. He lifted the glass and took a sip. "Very good. Full-bodied and robust — shrouded yet promising."
"Me or the wine?" she asked as the waiter filled both of their goblets.
He liked her best when she remembered she was a strong woman. He must have thrown her for a loop this evening because it was the first time he'd seen a hint of vulnerability in her.
"Both." She was a strong woman unafraid of her own desires. Which was what he was counting on. While some men thought sex was created for only their pleasure, Max had learned a long time ago that his pleasure hinged on his partner's. Only when she'd been well satisfied would he feel the kind of gratification he craved.
She took a sip of her wine as the waiter moved away. "I could say the same about you."
He was ready to leave this table behind. To pull her to her feet and hold her in his arms. One kiss be damned — he wanted all of her curves resting against him as he caressed her. Seduction took patience, he reminded himself.
"Serge," Max said to the waiter.
"Sir?"
"Please close the door to the main dining room on your way out and leave us undisturbed."
"Yes, sir."
Serge departed, closing the door behind him. Once again the feeling of being the only two people in paradise assailed him. He wouldn't mind playing Adam to her Eve. How far would Sabrina trust him?
He'd never been so tempted by a woman. Never had one messed so completely with his control. He'd been hard off and on for the past five days and tonight it seemed that was finally at an end. For all his sophistication, he thought wryly, he was still only a man.
"I wouldn't have guessed you could be so commanding. What else are you hiding, Max?" she asked. There was a teasing glint in her eyes that only added to the tightness of his groin.
"Nothing. I'm an open book." Or at least he liked for everyone to think he was. He'd learned a long time ago that the poor-little-rich-boy role only made him feel like a whiner. If there was one thing Max didn't tolerate it was whining, especially from himself.
"Why is this the first time I've seen this side of you?" she asked.
"I've never pretended to be anything but myself. Maybe you weren't looking hard enough?"
She took another sip of the wine, this time tracking her tongue across her lips after setting the glass down. Her full lower lip was moist and beckoning. He wanted to kiss her again. Had waited too long for this moment.
"Perhaps," she said.
"But you were looking?" he asked, needing reassurance. Maybe because he knew that if one night was all they'd ever have, he wanted her to be very sure of herself.
"Does your ego really need stroking?" she asked, rubbing her finger over the rim of her glass.
He longed to feel her finger on him in the same motion. Rubbing against his chest and down lower. Using her long-fingered grip on his most intimate flesh.
He groaned. Blood had flooded his groin the moment she'd said stroke. To hell with seduction and a slow sensuous dance, he needed her. Now. "No, but I do."
"Good. I assumed you had something specific in mind when you asked Serge to leave us alone."
"I did."
"What?" she asked. He sensed her hesitation.
Was this new to her? What kind of men had she known that she'd be so unsure now? "Come over here and I'll tell you."
"Why?"
"Don't question. Just come here."
"I'm not used to being ordered around."
"I promise you won't object to what I have in mind."
She stood and walked toward him. Her walk was the embodiment of her sexuality. If she hadn't been unaware of it he'd have thought she was a first-class man-eater. But after spending so much time with her, he realized she moved in a way that was comfortable for her. If every man who saw her was left aching and wanting, that was his problem.
She stopped by his chair. He circled her wrist. A slender gold bracelet with a dolphin charm adorned her tanned skin.
He tugged her off her feet and onto his lap. Finally she was in his arms. She smelled faintly of some floral perfume, and her breath when she sighed smelled of the wine they'd drunk.
"The night seems endless," she said.
"Are you ready to enjoy it?"
She wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted her face to his. "What do you think?"
"That you are one hell of a surprise, darling."
He took her mouth the way he'd been wanting to since he'd left her at her room last night. Deeply, leaving no part of her mouth unexplored. She tasted of the wine and faintly of her dinner, but he thrust his tongue deeper into her mouth trying to find the essence that was Sabrina. Needing to embed her taste so deeply inside him that once they parted he'd never forget this, or her.
Her tongue was shy but determined. Max tilted his head to allow her better access. Her fingers burrowed into his hair, her nails scraping the back of his scalp. He shifted her in his lap.
The skirt of her sundress was straight and narrow and earlier he'd loved that it hugged her hips lovingly, but now he cursed the tight material. Because he wanted — no — needed to feel her skin.
He rubbed the line of her spine, slid one of the straps of her sundress down her arm. She moaned deep in her throat. The sound scorched him. He slid his mouth down the length of her neck. Her skin was warm to the touch and he felt her pulse race as he suckled her nape.
Her hands were busy moving down his chest and caressing him through the barrier of his shirt, enflaming him further. Reaching beneath her, he lowered the zipper of her sundress, and used his teeth to tug the silk fabric away from her skin. She was as lovely as he'd expected, a little fuller though. Her breasts were round with large nipples. His hands shook as he looked at her. His legendary control hung by a damned thread.
He brought his hands to her feminine flesh, touching her with a soft hand. She shivered. He couldn't wait another minute to taste her. To see if her breasts would be as sweet as her mouth had been.
He blew gently on her flesh and watched her shiver. The nipple beaded lightly under his breath and he couldn't wait another minute. But she wasn't quite ready for his mouth yet. She was too still, watching him.
"Something's missing," he said.
He reached over to the dish of cream that had come with the berries and took a bit on his finger. He rubbed it into her areola. She gasped and her fingernails bit into his arms. He bent and licked at her. Tasting the sweetness of the cream and the even sweeter flesh beneath it.
Soon licking wasn't enough and he took her hardened nipple into his mouth, suckling her. Searching for something from her body that he hadn't been aware he'd been missing until this moment.
He brought his left hand up to caress her other breast. Sabrina was breathing hard now and Max felt as though he was going to explode if he didn't get inside her. But not here. Not now.
He lifted his head.
"Don't stop," she said.
"I want you naked, Sabrina. I want you in my bed so I can take my time with you."
"Please, Max. I've never been this close before. Please… don't stop."
"Close to what?" he asked.
Great. Now she had to say it. She'd been caught up in the moment earlier or she'd never have mentioned it. She began to feel self-conscious. Her breasts were bared, making her feel voluptuous. His hands were still caressing her skin but his eyes were on her face and not her body. He was the most sensual man she'd ever met. She'd never felt a tenth of the desire she'd experienced with Max with any other man.
"You can tell me, darling," he said, in a husky whisper that made her shiver.
She swallowed and looked out at the sea, not at him. "The big O."
"I can promise you more than an orgasm," he said, smiling sexily.
She gulped. As much as she craved adventure she wasn't too sure how far from the ordinary she wanted to go. While the thought of even making love on this balcony was enough to titillate her, anything too kinky might not.
"Relax, Sabrina. I only want to be the first man to show you what your body was meant to experience." He scooted the dessert plate across the table, and moved his wineglass out of the way.
She'd never realized how much bigger and stronger Max was than her until he easily shifted her on his lap. Moving her so that her back rested against the table and she straddled his hips. His hands were large, nearly spanning her waist and she felt delicate and feminine when he held her.
He wedged one hand under the skirt of her dress. "I hate this slim pain-in-the-ass skirt."
"Why?"
"Because I can't get my hands under it."
"Want me to help you?"
"Unless you want me to give it a slit, I think you better."
She laughed out loud. His frustration was so plain. The guys she'd dated would have torn her dress and not thought twice about it. She stood and then realized what she was about to do. She wanted more than a quickie on the table. Max meant more to her than just physical pleasure and she had to remember that.
"Why don't you scoot your chair back?"
He stood and moved his chair away from the table and positioned it to face the ocean. The candle still flickered on the table providing the only light on the balcony. She felt primitive and restless.
"Is this what you had in mind?" he asked.
She nodded. "Don't get too comfortable."
"I don't think comfort comes close to describing what I'm feeling."
"Good. Take off your shirt."
"When did the stakes change?" he asked, but was already shrugging out of his suit jacket. He draped it over the back of his chair as if they had all the time in the world.
"When I realized that I'm not waiting for you to give me what I want. I'm taking it," she said, as he removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. Finally he was bare chested.
"I like aggressive women."
She liked him. She'd seen his chest before, so it came as no surprise to her that he was hard-bodied and sculpted. But tonight that was just one more element in the many that were making her feel like a new woman. "I'm not surprised."
"Your turn," he said, sitting back in the chair.
If she removed her dress… No guts, no glory, she thought. She tugged the bodice of her dress up, the cloth felt too restraining. She found the side zipper quickly and tugged it down. The dress fell off of her in waves and pooled at her feet.
He whistled between his teeth. She cocked her head at him and slid her hand slowly down her body. Loving the feel of her bare skin. Never had she been more comfortable with who she was than in this moment. She reached the waistband of her lacy underwear.
"Leave your panties on," he said. The words were not husky but almost a growl. "Come here," he commanded.
She went to him. His hands spanned her waist, pulling her forward.
"Put your legs on either side of my hips," he said, against her breast. She remembered his mouth on her before and braced herself for the sensation again. The rhythmic tugging of his mouth stoked the fire that had been burning since he'd removed his shirt.
Even through the barrier of his pants she could feel him, hot and hard between her legs. She caressed his chest and abs, moving toward her goal. She paused at his waistband. His hands swept down her back, grasping her buttocks and pulling her down on his lap.
"Still ready?" he asked, dropping biting kisses on the globes of her breasts. He took her hips in his hands and pulled her more fully against his hard-on.
"Oh, yes."
He returned to her breast, scraping his teeth lightly along her hardened nipple. She shivered and pressed her aching center to the hardness between her legs. She held on to the back of his neck, half-afraid he'd leave her like this. Aching and needing.
Her hips rocked slowly — involuntarily. There was no real rhythm to her motions, just a convulsive seeking of something that only he could give. He took control of that rocking, rubbing the crown of his penis against her mound, through the barrier of his pants.
She fumbled between their bodies trying to free him. His hands left her hips and his mouth left her breast. He grasped her chin and forced her to look at him. His pupils were dilated and she knew he wasn't stopping.
"The first time is just for you," he said
He took her hips again, his hands cupping each cheek of her bottom. She felt him hot and hard underneath her. His mouth returned to her skin, this time suckling at the base of her neck and chill bumps spread throughout her body.
She didn't know if she could take much more, she jerked her mound over his hardness. But he forced her to a more sedate pace, moving her hips in a circling counterpoint to his thrusts.
She moaned once and her hands tightened on him. She was so close. Everything inside her was building to the breaking point. Suddenly she felt every muscle in her body tense. The world narrowed and she dug her fingers into his shoulders, shuddering.
"Oh, Max."
He lifted his mouth from her shoulder and took her lips with his. She rocked a few more times and then fell against him. He wrapped his arms around her, his hands slowly sliding up and down her back.
Her breasts were still sensitized and the warm planes of his chest made her want more. Though she'd found completion she needed him. Needed to be filled with Max so that she'd know they'd both shared something. Suddenly she wished this wasn't their only night together. This past week they'd become friends, but tonight they would become lovers. All at once she realized that her feelings about Max were more than caring friendship, and she didn't know if he'd ever feel that way about her.
"Was it everything you expected?" he asked.
Falling in love, she wondered. No, he meant the big O. "More."
"Good. Let's get dressed and go to my room. That was only the beginning." He lifted her from his lap and standing in front of him she felt vulnerable.
She didn't know if she could do it. Make love with him all night then wave him off in the morning. There was a reason she'd never done this before, she realized. Knowledge was too late in coming, though, because her body still pulsed and there was no way she was going to be able to say no to him or to herself.
He shrugged into his shirt, buttoning it and slowly reclaiming that air of sophistication that had knocked her off-kilter earlier.
"Uh, Max?"
"Yes."
She tugged her dress up and closed the zipper. "Just one thing before we leave here."
He put on his suit jacket and slid his tie into the pocket, waiting for her to speak.
"Next we're going to try a little role reversal."
"I don't mind being on top," he said, grinning.
"I meant I'll be in charge."
Max had never surrendered control. Never. It wasn't so much a macho thing for him as a survival thing. Only those who ruled themselves could rule others. He'd learned that lesson at a very young age. He'd been steadily climbing the ladder of success at Harris Resorts because as his father said, there were no free rides.
That didn't mean he wasn't a man. He was still aching hard and he would give anything to feel her creamy warmth around him. Saying no simply wasn't an option.
Taking Sabrina's elbow, he led her off the balcony and through the dimly lit restaurant. It was a shock to see other diners. He'd become used to being with just Sabrina and he needed that isolation again.
He wanted to get her alone so he could bring her around to his way of thinking. For all her strength she was an easygoing woman. As he knew from spending the better part of the week with her.
Taking action made him feel better, but Sabrina stopped him once they were outside. She pulled her arm free of his touch and he missed the feel of her warm skin under his. Damn. Leaving wasn't going to be as easy as he'd hoped.
But then few things in life were.
The night breeze surrounded them and he could smell the ocean. He tipped his head back and reached deep in his soul for a semblance of normalcy. Reached deep into his memory for some image of Sabrina's face other than the way she'd looked as she'd climaxed in his arms just a few minutes before.
But the memory was indelibly etched there. Her head tilted back, her eyes wide, lips parted, skin flushed. He hardened even more. Painfully so.
He groaned.
"Max?" she asked, gently, touching his arm.
The walkway from the restaurant to the guest rooms was lit with tiki torches. The hibiscus bloomed nearby. He knew he was avoiding Sabrina but if he looked at her again, the first time they had sex would be in the tropical bushes lining the path. The control she wanted him to cede to her was already thin and losing ground by the minutes.
"Why are we stopping?" he asked, his voice rough to his own ears. Sounding more like a growling tiger than a human being.
She dropped her hand from his arm. "Because I don't think you understood me."
"Believe me, Sabrina, I understood."
She smiled at him, but he saw the strain in it. He knew she was going to say something that his aching body wouldn't like. If he were half the gentleman he'd always pretended to be then it wouldn't matter.
"Then I'll take the lead and we're slowing down," she said.
Just go along, his body screamed. But honesty was something he never let go of. If he were only going to have this one night with her he wanted it to be as pure and honest as it could be. "I don't know if I can let you."
"You want to go back to your room alone?" she asked.
"You've never struck me as a tease," he said, dying a little at the words because he knew she didn't owe him anything. He wanted her in his bed out of desire not debt.
"You always struck me as a man of your word," she said carefully.
He closed the distance between them. Stopping only when less than an inch of space separated their bodies. Glancing down he noticed her breasts strained the bodice of her sundress. And her breathing was short and shallow. Walking away from him wasn't something she wanted to do, he thought. "I haven't given you my word."
"No, you haven't."
She turned away. Didn't move from him, but he felt as if he were suddenly out in the cold. "Why is this so important?"
She glanced over her shoulder at him. "I've always felt like your equal until tonight. You're from a different world than mine. You've seen me aching and vulnerable. You gave me so much pleasure I thought I'd die from it. And now…"
"You want to see me the same way," he said.
"Yes."
"I want to be inside you so badly, Sabrina, I'm willing to say whatever it takes to get you back to my room. But I don't know if I'll be able to let you take control."
"Is it a big issue for you?"
He didn't want to tell her but, hell, the fact they were having this conversation was probably giving her plenty of indication. "Bigger than you'll understand."
"Tell me."
"Hell, woman, I don't want to talk. This is our only night together."
Her eyes misted and she looked away. "I know. Maybe that's why it's so important to me to keep this equal."
He rubbed her shoulder. He wanted to hug her to him but truly he needed to be buried deep inside her before he could do anything other than react like an instinctual man around her. Even her scent taunted him with each humid breeze that blew.
Did he want to let her go? Was he willing to be vulnerable to her?
"Ah, hell," he said, drawing her back into his arms.
She held herself stiffly until he bent and dropped a feather kiss on her nape. She relaxed back against him.
"Why are you making this so complicated? We only have this one night."
"Why do we only have this one night? I know we live apart but…" She pivoted in his arms, not leaving him, just turning. Her slender fingers rested against his chest. "Do I not fit in your world?"
"No, you don't," he said. The words were the truth. She didn't fit into his world. She rocked it. She made the normal world look like an alien landscape and he knew if it wasn't for the guarantee of only one night he wouldn't be here now. Because Sabrina made him feel and experience emotions that scared him.
"Then you have a choice to make," she said.
"I've already made it," he said. Realizing that she wasn't going to let him keep her an arm's length away set him free. For this one night he wanted to forget his calm controlled life and just feel.
"Very good," she said. But the wicked gleam in her eye couldn't hide the sadness underneath. He wanted to reassure her but couldn't. Wanted to offer her comfort but didn't. Wanted to show her that she was worlds above the others he knew and decided that was one thing he could do.
"I'm yours," he said.
She took his lapels and lifted herself on tiptoe. Kissing him the way they do in dirty movies. Her tongue in his mouth, her hands on his butt blocking out everything except the lust that had been raging silently while they'd discussed everything and nothing.
"I have plans for you, Max. Plans that I can only put into motion with you."
"I'm intrigued."
"When I'm done with you, you will be satiated."
"Promises, promises," he said lightly, but inside he quaked. That other part of himself, the one that he hid under his control, wasn't a man he was sure of and he hoped he'd be able to let her have what she wanted. Hoped he'd be able to experience a night in her arms and then do what he had to do. Do what was necessary if he was going to have any peace for the rest of his life. He was going to have to walk away and not look back.
"You still with me?"
"Yes."
"Then follow me," she said, leading him by the hand.
And like a tempted man, he did.
Sabrina knew next to nothing about seduction, but Max inspired her. Her body still pulsed from her earlier climax but she was empty deep inside. Empty in a way she'd been most of her life, but she sensed that Max could be the man to finally fill that need.
She led him to her room because she was a coward, and leaving him during the night was something she didn't think she could do.
Earlier she'd made her plans. She had the trappings of romance in her room. A huge sage scented pillar candle that reminded her of the outdoors. About six of her own soft feather pillows from home because she liked a lot of pillows. And lastly, a box of condoms she'd bought from the hotel gift shop that afternoon.
"Close your eyes," she said to Max.
He did.
She entered the room and lit the sage candle, as well as a few smaller tea lights she'd brought with her. Having only one night together meant for her that the fantasy had to be real. And Max was too much a realist to pretend to feel something for a woman he'd be leaving in the morning.
His nostrils flared and she wondered if sage reminded him of the outdoors, of the time they'd spent together, the way it did for her. She knew where he was concerned she was weak, so she straightened her backbone and took his wrist, leading him into her room. She nudged him down on the bed and crossed the room to open the French doors, which led to a balcony that overlooked the ocean.
"Let's get a few ground rules out of the way."
He leaned back on the bed, eyes still closed but looking like a pasha in some harem of old. The feather pillows were piled beneath his back. He adjusted one or two until he was comfortable. Taking control seemed like a distant dream.
"I'm all ears," he said.
"I will tell you what to do — you will do it."
"I believe I understand, darling."
She wouldn't have guessed that one could be dominant from a resting position, but he was. "Open your eyes and get up from the bed."
He did as she asked and she realized this was never going to work. She longed to see him naked but ordering him to do anything beyond that was something she couldn't do.
"Max." Damn, her voice sounded shaky to her own ears.
Crossing the room toward her he stopped only when his chest brushed against hers. Each inhalation of breath caused a riot to her senses. She needed him.
"Yes?"
"This love slave thing. I can't do what I'd originally planned."
"I want to be inside you, Sabrina," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders.
"Uh… could I order you to make love to me?" She wanted to add, like a woman you love, but didn't.
"That would make me the happiest man alive. Is that what you want?"
She nodded. He lifted her off her feet and carried her to the bed. He placed her in the center and stepped back. The light of the candles played over his skin. The high planes of his cheekbones and his square jaw appeared stark. "This isn't going to be a slow steady seduction. I can't wait that long. I can promise you pleasure so intense you'll never forget it or me."
He stripped off his clothes, not with finesse and flare as he'd done earlier on the balcony when removing his shirt. His movements were quick and jerky, his objective was clear. Nudity — now.
His shirt, jacket, and tie were cast aside. His hands went to the fastening of his pants. She reached for the side zipper of her dress, as he kicked off his shoes.
"No, leave on your clothing," he said, toeing off his socks.
He pushed his pants and boxers down his legs and stood in front of her magnificently naked. His chest was hard and sculpted. Each rib delineated by hard muscle. Her gaze followed the line of hair on his chest that narrowed and tapered until she found the part of him she craved.
Her most feminine flesh clenched. She wanted him inside her now. She craved him. She lifted her arms toward him as he knelt on the bed and leaned over her. His mouth took hers in a deep hungry kiss. His tongue thrusting deep in her mouth, curling around her own and tickling the roof of her mouth.
She moaned and tried to reciprocate but was powerless to do so. His large hands held her head still for the kiss. The rest of his body didn't touch hers. She felt the heat from his skin but at a distance. She twisted, trying to bring their bodies in contact and succeeded for only a minute. He lifted his head from hers, his gray eyes intense in the flickering candlelight.
The ocean breeze blew into the room, stirring the embers of the fire burning in them both. "What do you want?"
"Everything," she said.
He lowered the side zipper of her dress. Freed her arms from the spaghetti straps and then lowered her bodice. Her nipples were tight and hard. She wanted his mouth on them again. Wanted to feel that fierce suckling again but instead he lowered his furry chest to her torso, resting against her. His weight was still supported by his strong arms.
She moaned and shifted beneath him. Trying desperately to press her breasts against his warmth.
"More?" he asked.
"Yes," she said.
He rotated his upper body, keeping a light contact with her hardened nipples. She liked that he knew his body well enough to wait for her. But she wanted him writhing and craving more the same way she did.
She scraped her fingernails down his back, stopping only when she reached his muscled buttocks. She held him firmly and pulled him down onto her body. At last she felt him hot and hard against her entrance. Blocked by the barrier of her silk dress and panties.
She wanted to touch him. Needed to feel him alive and pulsing in her hand. She reached between their bodies, to enclose him in her hand. He moaned deep in his throat and sat back on his heels.
"Spread your knees," she said.
He followed her command. She stroked him from root to crown and back again. His throat corded and she knew she had brought him closer to the edge. He reached between them and pushed her dress and underwear down her legs. Sabrina kicked the clothing from the bed.
Max grabbed the box of condoms from the bedside table and quickly sheathed himself in one.
"Now," he said.
She could only nod, her throat too tight to speak.
He surged up her body and flowed over her. A warm blanket of masculinity. He tested her readiness with one finger and then two, stretching her body's entrance with a gentle touch.
"Hold on to me," he said.
She did. Wrapped her arms and legs around him as he slid into her. He was large. Larger than any man she'd had before, filling her completely. He paused as if sensing her body adjusting to him.
Then he tipped her head back so their eyes met. He didn't say a word, just watched her as he began to move. His hips thrusting into hers, his chest rubbing against hers. His soul reaching out to hers and catching her up in a delicious ride that went beyond the physical and into the realm of spiritual.
She felt herself building again toward climax. Max's breathing was heavy and his hands settled on her hips, lifting her higher for his possession. He thrust deeper, harder, and she felt the end nearing. He drove deeper than he'd been before and light burst inside her head. Every muscle in her body contracted.
Max shouted his release and then collapsed on her. Sabrina loved the feel of his weight on her, crushing her into the mattress. He rolled to his side after a moment, taking her with him. She bit her lip to keep from saying the words she desperately needed to. To keep from asking him if he had to leave tomorrow and why one night was all that she could have with the man of her dreams.
"I don't want to return to Chicago in the morning," he said.
No guts, no glory, she thought. "Uh, Max?"
"Yes, darling?" he said, brushing a feather-soft kiss against her head.
"Do you have to leave? Does this have to end now?"
Max slid from the bed, picking up his trousers on the way to the balcony. Behind him, he heard the bed linens rustle as Sabrina moved. His mind supplied an image of her bare skin, tousled hair, and troubled eyes.
He'd been telling her half-truths since the day they'd met and now it was time to make a decision. While it was true that she didn't fit into his life, he knew that she'd never understand that this week and this one night of passion made him long for things he knew he wasn't meant to have.
He paced to the balcony railing and braced his weight on his hands. The ocean looked vast and endless beneath them. For a moment he was tempted to say the hell with it, take Sabrina, and sail away from civilization.
He wasn't sure he could trust something that happened so quickly. Right now it felt as if he'd never be able to get enough of Sabrina. He'd never experienced this depth of emotions before. It frightened him as little else had in life.
"I didn't want to ruin the rest of the night," she said after a long pause, her voice sounding strained.
Those words struck him like a knife in the back. Sabrina didn't have the barriers for this kind of thing. A one-night stand, Max decided, should only be conducted with a woman he didn't like and respect, and that sure as hell wasn't the case with Sabrina. He wasn't prepared to take responsibility for her hurt and disappointment. Not when he was mired in the same troubled emotional minefield himself.
"You didn't," he said, half turning toward her and lifting his arm.
She came to him, burrowed close against his warmth. She wore only his dress shirt with one button fastened. She was temptation itself and for the first time he understood what Adam felt in Eden all those years ago.
"I thought it would be easier than this," she said after a few minutes. He'd thought so, too. Somehow saying goodbye to her was the one thing he'd never imagined being hard.
"I'm probably being too sappy," she said.
"No, you're not."
She glanced up at him. "You keep surprising me."
"In what way?"
"You're not like the men I know. You asked me for advice, actually listened to me, put my pleasure before your own… you are making it really hard to remember the fantasy doesn't exist."
Her hair curled over his arm. He liked the sensation of that silky mass against his bare skin. Longing to take her back to bed and love her until the world went away, he dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
"Love?" he asked. He knew the answer without her saying a word. Could tell by the way she rested her head right over his heart.
She shrugged. He could only guess that she had the same roiling emotions in her as he did. Possibly she was afraid to take the chance and end up hurt, too.
He'd never loved a person. He cared for his parents but he'd always been too driven, too determined to make it on his own to really let them inside. And they'd always been remote — more involved in their own lives than their children's. Only Sabrina had breached those walls and he wasn't sure what to do with her now.
"We both wanted only one night," he said, as much to remind himself as her.
She glanced up at him. Her brown eyes, dark unfathomable pools of emotion, searched his for answers to unspoken questions. "I've changed my mind."
Max wasn't so sure. He'd started out this evening because she'd kept him on his toes the past week. Enticing him with her curvy body, zest for living, and love of the outdoors. But somehow he'd never glimpsed the vulnerable woman underneath until now.
He wasn't sure he could be strong enough to keep from hurting her. And he knew that their lives wouldn't mesh easily together. He couldn't leave Chicago. And she wouldn't leave Ft. Lauderdale. He couldn't imagine that free spirit cooped up in the city.
"Did I speak out of turn?" she asked at last.
He stepped back. "I'm not the man you think I am."
"You are."
"I'm not."
"Remember how you told me to see through your eyes? You need to do the same thing."
"I can't. I'm not sure you've seen the real me. What if all I can give you is what we've just had?"
"There's more in you, Max Harris."
"I'm not sure. I'm 35 — too old to change my ways."
"Even on the chance of a lifetime."
"We've only known each other less than a week."
She nodded, crossing her arms over her middle, like she was protecting herself. Damn. He wanted to be the one to keep from hurting her.
"I understand," she said.
He doubted it. She was the one woman he wanted more than anything in the world but he couldn't risk seeing disillusionment in her eyes. And he knew she'd be disappointed in the life he had to offer her.
A life that consisted of long, cold winters and more time spent indoors than out. A life filled from dawn to midnight with work and meetings. A life filled with a man who could never express his emotions.
"Come back to bed," she said. There was a sadness in her eyes and her body.
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"You promised me this night."
He followed her back to the bed. Made love to her through the night like a man who'd been told he'd die in the morning. As the first fingers of dawn crept across the room, he slid into her warm luscious body from behind. Holding her tight against him, not taking time to grab a condom, needing this one last remembrance of her in his memory for years to come.
When their breathing stilled he got out of bed and dressed quickly before he gave in and stayed. Sabrina watched him from the bed, large brown eyes tracking his every move.
"I'm not going to wait for you forever, Max. But if you decide to take a chance on living and loving, call me."
In the six long weeks since she'd left Amelia Island, Sabrina had adjusted to a different way of life. Though she still loved Max and missed him, she'd grown. And she had the added bonus of a new life growing inside her. She only wished he'd been able to believe in the very thing she'd disdained for so long.
She'd never expected to feel swamped with emotion the way she had. She'd never expected to stumble over the man of her dreams on a luxury vacation. And the very last thing she'd expected was to get pregnant with his child.
There was no mystery as to when she'd conceived. She remembered Max sliding into her that last time — the one time that night that he hadn't worn a condom. The New Moon Surf Shop, her beach rental place, thrived. Spring had come and it seemed everything was in bloom. But this year the scent of orange blossoms and the sight of tanned college men weren't cheering her up.
She walked on the beach every day at sunset after closing up the shop. It gave her a feeling of peace at the end of the day. A time for her to commune with her thoughts, and with the life within her.
A man walked toward her, interrupting her thoughts. As he came closer, she realized that he looked like Max — so much so that her heart almost stopped.
Then her heart clenched and she knew that it was him. Why had he come back now? She'd tried to contact him through the hotel on Amelia Island but they'd refused to give her his address. She'd resigned herself to happy memories and never seeing him again. And having his baby.
"Sabrina," he said, stopping right in front of her.
"Max, what are you doing here?"
"I…"
He couldn't possibly know about her pregnancy. She'd only had it verified this afternoon. It was all she could do not to reach out and touch his face. He looked tired and his eyes were strained. He needed her, she thought. He'd probably never admit it, but she'd been good for him.
"This isn't a vacation anymore," she said quietly. Still grappling with the fact that he was here when she needed him. The pregnancy had been a shock to her. And though she was excited to be a mom she was a little scared at the thought of doing it all herself.
"We can't have one more night," she said.
"Hell, I don't want one more night. I want all your nights."
She sucked in her breath, waiting. But he didn't say anything else. Maybe she was dreaming. She'd had a vivid image of Max last night in her bed. But, of course, that had been more sensual in nature. Seeing him again made her remember other things about him she'd forgotten, like the way his mouth lifted a little on the left when he spoke. Would their child do that, too?
"Damn. I never thought this would be so hard." He ran his fingers through his thick black hair. She remembered how rich it had felt under her touch.
She started to speak but he covered her lips with his fingers, shaking his head. A strange excitement was singing through her veins.
"It took me about two days to realize I was wrong in leaving you, but I'm stubborn so I didn't admit it until you'd checked out of the resort. It took me another three weeks of pleading, ordering, and bullying before I could convince them I wasn't a stalker and I needed your address."
"You're not stalking me?" she asked, with a little laugh, afraid to see where this was leading.
"Nope. I'm catching you."
She smiled slowly, as she realized why Max was here. "Good."
He grabbed her in his arms, holding her tight against him, pressing small kisses into her hair. "The past month without you has been the longest of my life. I'm not going back to Chicago without you."
Chicago sounded scary. She was still adjusting to the fact that Max loved her and she was having his baby, moving across the country would be fine with Max by her side. "I'm not the same girl I was on Amelia Island."
"You're not?" he asked, lifting one eyebrow.
She cupped his jaw with her hands and looked up at him. "No. I want the fairy tale, Max."
"White knight and the whole shebang?"
"I'm afraid so."
"I don't know if I can do that. I'm not one of those guys who can talk about his emotions. I never have been. Coming here is a big deal for me."
"Oh, Max," she said, touching his face. "It is for me, too. But I'm through running and hiding from what I want in life."
"What do you want, darling?"
"I want you by my side as my husband. I want to be your equal and I want you to be mine."
"I want the same thing."
"I love you, Max."
He hugged her close, his hands sweeping down her back. Holding her so tightly she could scarcely breathe. He did love her, she thought, happiness spilling through her.
"I'm so glad. I knew this would work out."
If he'd slapped her she wouldn't have been more shocked. She pulled away from him. "Nothing's worked out."
Confusion knit his brow. In his eyes she thought she saw something more than confusion. Maybe desperation. "But we want the same thing."
"No, I need to live with a man who cares as deeply for me as I do for him. A man who can tell me how he feels."
"What difference does that make? I'm here for you. I'm devoted to you. Will words really make that big a difference?"
"Yes," she said. She wrinkled her nose to keep from crying. Ah, hell, she had to get away before she took him back. She started down the beach, running as her emotions got the better of her. But it was too late. Running from her emotions wasn't working. She stopped, even as she heard Max running to catch up to her. She sobbed as the tears burst through.
Losing Max on Amelia Island was one thing. She'd expected him to leave. But he'd come back and in a few minutes given her hope that they could have the dream. That they could be a family.
She knew for the baby she should stay but she didn't want to raise her child with a man who couldn't confess his deepest feelings to her, who couldn't open his heart to his mate.
Max's hand fell heavily on her shoulder and he tugged her around to face him. "You can't leave."
"Give me a reason to stay," she said, wiping at the tears making hot tracks down her cheeks.
He bent his knee until he knelt at her feet in the sand. Holding her hand in his he looked up at her and her heart stopped beating for a second.
Staring up at her he gave his head a rueful shake.
"Dammit, lady, you rocked my world. You made me question things about myself that I've always taken for granted. I'm sorry I couldn't say those words to you before, but you have to know I feel them."
"Do you think you could learn to say them? Maybe with practice?"
"For you, Sabrina, I'll try," he said, smiling sexily.
"I love you, Max."
She knew the depth of her love. It was stronger than anything she'd ever experienced and she knew that Max felt it, too. Could see it in his gray eyes.
He took a deep breath and tugged her into his arms. "Do you promise not to leave me?"
Those words cut past all her defenses. "You know I won't."
He took a deep breath and pulled her even closer in his arms. She felt the words more than heard them.
"I love you, Sabrina. I can't imagine life without you," he said, his words a raspy whisper against her ear. Hugging her around the waist with a fierce desperation she wouldn't have thought him capable of.
"Me, too," she said, crying again, but this time because of the fierce happiness sweeping through her. She realized she hadn't told him about the baby yet. How would he feel?
Before she could speak, he lowered his head, kissing her like she was water and he'd been in the desert a long, long time. She realized that they'd been searching for each other. Each of them flying through life with only half a wing until they found each other.
"Uh, Max?" she asked, when he lifted his head.
"Ready to go someplace more private?" he said with a smile.
"Yes," she said with a laugh.
"I'm not going to let you out of bed for the entire weekend," he said, wickedly.
"I'll hold you to it, but first I have to tell you something."
"Good news?"
She wrinkled her brow. Did he suspect? "Yes."
"A baby?"
"How did you know?"
"I think my body knew I wasn't letting you go way before my mind figured it out," he said with a laugh.
"Oh, Max!"
He whooped and lifted her off the ground, spinning her in his arms. Sabrina held on tight. She'd found her once in a lifetime man and she wasn't letting go.
The End