STORY EXCERPT

The woman standing at the door looked familiar to Michael, but he couldn’t quite place where he’d seen her before. Intrigued, he watched as a flush ran up her neck and into her cheeks, giving her a rosy, pink color. He allowed his eyes to travel down her body and back up, amazed to see the points of her hardened nipples stabbing out from her thin shirt. Realizing she still hadn’t said anything, he smiled at her before speaking. “Can I help you?”

“Um, well, I brought you this pie to welcome you to the area.”

Michael looked down as she thrust the wrapped plate toward him. Reaching to take it from her, he allowed his fingers to brush over her own. He couldn’t help but notice her own hands were trembling when she pulled them away.

“Well, thank you very much. My name’s Michael Barrows. What’s your name, and how did you know I was here visiting?” Michael was amazed. He didn’t think her cheeks could get any redder, but they did.

“I’m Ariane Blue Hills, and I’m a friend of your sister.”

Michael smiled at her in pleasure. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Ariane. Won’t you come in for a moment?”

Michael stepped back and allowed her to cross in front of him into the cabin. She seemed nervous as she walked a few feet into the room and then turned to look at him. He’d closed the door once she was inside and then leaned against it, still holding onto the pie. “Of course, that’s where I remember you from. You were coming to take Maddie shopping after the fire at the cabin. I passed you coming up the drive as I was leaving.”

She looked shocked at his words. “Wow, that’s some good memory you have. I didn’t think you even looked at me that day.”

“Oh, I looked at you.” He grinned at her. “I looked very closely at you.” Michael crossed the room in front of her and sat the pie down on the kitchen table. He turned back to his guest, amused to see that her blushes seemed to be taking over her whole body. Her breathing had quickened, and her nipples were even more prominent, pushing through her top.

Maybe he could find more ways to relax on this trip than he thought. What harm could there be in having a little fling while he supervised the building of Maddie’s house? This little lady piqued his interest, with her long blond hair and green eyes the likes of which he’d never seen before. She was small and petite, but still curvy, just the way he liked his women. Plus, she was clearly attracted to him. Smiling wickedly at her, he stalked toward her slowly. She backed up a pace for every step he took until her back pressed up against the front door to the cabin. Michael kept moving forward until their bodies were almost touching.

“Thank you very much for the pie, Ariane. I’m sure it’ll be delicious. Perhaps you’d like to come back later and share it with me?”

Ariane turned her face away and stared down at the floor when she answered him. “Oh, I couldn’t do that, but I do hope you enjoy it.”

She fumbled with her hand behind her for the doorknob. “I guess I need to be going now. It was a pleasure meeting you, and I hope you’ll enjoy your stay here while you visit your sister.”

When Ariane failed to grasp the doorknob behind her, Michael stepped closer and put his arm around her, turning the knob himself. He smiled when he realized that she held her breath when he got close. “Well, Ariane, I hope to see a lot more of you while I’m here.”

She raised startled eyes to his gaze. “Umm, well, maybe. We’ll have to see what happens. I really have to go now.”

Looking embarrassed, Ariane ducked under his arm and scampered through the open door and down the porch steps. He chuckled quietly as she made her escape.

Smiling, Michael watched as she disappeared into the woods. Sighing, he couldn’t help thinking that maybe he should leave that alone. She seemed awfully young and naïve. He wouldn’t want to overwhelm her into doing something she might not otherwise do, and he certainly didn’t want to do anything that would embarrass Maddie and Remus. Besides, it’s not like he could offer her anything but a brief fling. She sure as hell wouldn’t fit into his life in Texas. He reached down to adjust the jeans that had become too tight. Still, there was something about her that made him want to go running after her and bring her back.

Regretfully, he put her out of his thoughts and headed for the Jeep to make the drive to Maddie’s house. Sure, he could have walked through the woods, but it would be dark by the time he headed back to the cabin and nothing could make him trek through the woods in the dark. Daniel Boone he was not.

ADULT EXCERPT

Michael stood and let his gaze slide over her body. As he watched, a blush crept over her. He walked over and traced the flush of her cheek with one finger. “You’re even more beautiful this way.” When she didn’t say anything, Michael leaned over and brushed his lips softly against hers. He smiled when he heard her little gasp and sucked on her bottom lip. One of his hands cupped the back of her head, threading his fingers into her long, blond hair. Tilting her head slightly, he closed his lips over hers. He devoured her mouth, his tongue tracing her lips before licking them open. His heart rate tripled when he felt the first, tentative strokes of her tongue in his own mouth.

Abandoning her lips, he kissed his way down her neck, nibbling as he went along. Her body shuddered when he ran his lips along the sensitive skin of her shoulder. Raising his head, he gazed into her eyes. “I want you,” he whispered.

Ariane swallowed hard and put her hands on his shoulders. “I want you, too,” she whispered back. She seemed hesitant at first and then ran her hands over his hard, muscled chest. Michael couldn’t stop the small groan that escaped when her light touch skimmed over his sensitive nipples. The sound seemed to fascinate her because she returned her fingers to trace around the tiny nubs. Smiling, she ran her fingers down to his abdomen and then hesitated, a new flush blooming across her cheeks.

Michael grasped her hand and pressed it against the bulge in his jeans. He held his breath when her fingers gripped him through the denim and squeezed gently. His cock felt like it was going to explode as his body shook with the desire that ran through him. A brief thought that he shouldn’t be doing this ran through his mind, and then he firmly pushed it aside. Nothing could make him back away from her now.

Ariane gasped when Michael pulled her firmly against his body, pressing his erection into her soft skin. Her body trembled when he let his fingers glide over her breasts. Bending, he took one of her dark, pebbled nipples into his mouth, teasing it with his tongue, while his other hand lightly rubbed and tugged on her other side. When a small squeak escaped from her lips, Michael scooped her up into his arms and carried her over to the bed. After setting her on the firm mattress, Michael picked up his wallet, pulled out a foil packet, and placed it on the bedside table. He reached for the fastening of his jeans and began to pull the zipper down. He smiled at the look on Ariane’s face as she watched every move his hands made. Her eyes grew big as saucers when he pushed his jeans and underwear down his legs, allowing his cock to spring free. It stood long and thick from the juncture of his thighs.

Ariane swallowed hard and looked up into Michael’s eyes. “Michael, I don’t think, I mean I can’t, well, it’s not going to work.” Her voice sounded fearful.

Michael stepped close, took her hand, and placed it on his cock. “Shhh, love, it’ll be fine. I promise you I’ll never do anything to hurt you.” Slowly, he moved her hand up and down his shaft, biting his lip to keep back his groan. Her hand felt wonderful, like a piece of him that had been missing was now found.

“It feels like silk,” Ariane said.

At the sound of her voice, Michael looked down at her face. Her eyes were full of fascination, the fear gone from their depths. Gently he removed her hand and then pushed her toward the head of the bed, stretching his body out beside her. He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her gently, while his hand moved slowly up her thigh. Her body jumped when he reached the protective covering of the entrance to her sex. For a moment, he merely played with the soft curls, running his fingers through them and getting her accustomed to his touch. He felt elated when she spread her legs, allowing him greater access.

Watching her face carefully, he allowed his finger to slide into her velvety depths. She closed her eyes and pressed her head back into the pillow, her hands gripping his shoulders almost painfully. He knew from the look on her face he wasn’t hurting her. Exploring gently, he found her clit and began to massage it slowly. She immediately squeezed her thighs together, trapping his hand inside, while her eyes flew open. “Did I hurt you, Ariane?” Michael asked.

Her voice was breathless when she answered. “No, you didn’t hurt me. “I need to, um, I should probably, oh, God, I need to tell you something.” Her face was pure crimson.

Michael kept up the movement of his finger, knowing from her squirming that she was enjoying his efforts. “What is it? What do you need to tell me, love?” He stiffened when he realized what he’d just said. Oh, my God, I called her love! Where the hell did that come from? Did she realize what I said?

“Michael, I’ve, um, well, I’ve never done this before.” She looked at him with wide, frightened eyes. It was like she was afraid of his response to her admission.

For a moment Michael froze, even the movement of his invading finger stopped. On one hand he was horrified and didn’t think he had the right to take her virginity when he knew he couldn’t offer her anything more. But the part of his brain that he didn’t understand, the part that didn’t seem able to let her go, was elated. It thrilled him to think that he’d be the first and only person ever to enter her body.