Julie Garwood - Come the Spring

own ultimatum by nuzzling her neck again. He loved the feel of her

skin against his mouth. He loved the little sound she made in the back

of her throat, like a gasp but not quite.

Jessica stayed perfectly still for several heartbeats, and when she

slowly turned in his arms, she knew exactly what she was doing and what

it would lead to. Heedless of the consequences, she stroked the side

of his face, stared into his beautiful eyes, and then slipped her hand

behind his neck.

"I want this one night with you . . . just one night."

"Jessica, " he whispered, his voice filled with anguish, "you don't

know what you're saying. . . . Tomorrow, you'll regret . . . " "I

need you, Cole. Love me tonight." He couldn't be noble any longer.

He sought her mouth hungrily, desperate with his desire to make her

completely his.

For long minutes he made love to her with his mouth as his hand cupped

her breast through her clothing. She was tugging at the buttons on his

shirt.

He buried his face in her hair. "Slow down, sweetheart, " he

whispered.

"Or I'll . . . " He wanted the first time to be perfect for her, but

her eagerness so excited him he was finding it impossible to follow his

own instructions.

His hands shook as he roughly removed her clothes, and when he pulled

the straps of her chemise down over her shoulders and saw her beautiful

breasts, he let out a groan. The pain of wanting her for so long

blended with the sheer ecstasy he felt as he slowly came down on top of

her, her smooth skin against his.

Her gasp of pleasure drove him wild. Her caresses became as bold as

his, and when her nails scored the back of his thighs, the feeling was

so exquisite, he thought he would die from it.

He wanted to kiss every inch of her body, and he did exactly that,

spurred on by her cries of pleasure. When his hand slipped between her

thighs, she tried to push him away, but he wouldn't be denied and

within seconds was richly rewarded when she begged him not to stop.

Her passionate response equaled his own. He kissed her navel, smiling

when she inhaled sharply, then moved lower to taste all of her.

"Now, Cole, " she cried out.

She was more than ready to receive him, but he wanted to prolong the

blissful agony until he had so overwhelmed her she wouldn't notice the

pain of his invasion.

She was writhing in his arms as he knelt between her thighs. "Look at

me, " he demanded, his voice shaky with raw passion.

"This is forever."

"Please . . . " "Say it, " he demanded, his eyes piercing hers as he

waited.

"Forever, " she cried out.

His mouth claimed hers for another searing kiss as he moved to make her

his completely. His invasion was gentle but swift, as he thrust

forward, he buried his head in her fragrant hair and closed his eyes in

surrender.

She was exactly as he had fantasized she would be. . . perfect. He

heard her cry, knew he'd hurt her, and stilled inside her, giving her

time to adjust to him. He whispered loving words, but he was so out of

his mind with his own raging need he didn't know if he was making any

sense at all.

How could anything hurt like this and feel so wonderful at the same

time? Beyond control, she wanted to tell him to stop, but she didn't

want him to leave her.

"It'll be all right in a minute, " he promised her.

He sounded out of breath. Then she realized she was panting. She

wrapped her arms around his neck, and the slight movement caused a

burst of pleasure to rush through her. She moved again, heard his

groan, and realized then he liked it as much as she did.

He slowly withdrew and then just as slowly moved forward again.

"Will you stop teasing me? " she cried out.

His laugh was throaty. "I'm trying to be gentle."

"Stop it, " she begged. "I want . . . " He silenced her with another

kiss and then began to move again inside of her. Her passion shook

him. He had never been with a woman who was so honest and open with

her desire, and the fact that she gave herself to him willingly and

with love in her heart was surely the reason he completely let go of

his control.

Determined to make their loving last as long as possible, he tried to

slow the pace. She made it impossible, and when she arched up against

him, the fire surged between them.

Their lovemaking was wild, free, beyond anything he had ever

experienced before. He felt her tighten around him, heard her call his

name, and as she found her own fulfillment, he thrust deep and gave in

to his own.

His surrender was complete, body, heart, and soul. He collapsed on top

of her but couldn't find enough strength to move.

She was quietly crying. He felt her hot tears on his shoulder and

finally lifted his head to look at her.

"I hurt you, didn't I, sweetheart? " He was filled with self-loathing,

condemned himself for being too rough, too savage in his own desire.

It was her first experience, and he should have been more careful, much

more tender . . .

"Jessie, say something." His anxiety pulled her out of her daze. She

opened her eyes and. looked into his, and the warmth she saw there

made her tremble with a burst of love.

"Oh, no, you didn't . . . Well, you did, but it didn't . . . It was

.

. . amazing." He grinned with arrogant satisfaction. God, he loved

her face. Her eyes were still glazed with passion, her mouth was red

and swollen from his kisses. She looked thoroughly sated and pleased

with herself, and how could he not love such a woman?

"Yeah, it was pretty amazing." He reluctantly moved away from her.

"But . . . " She put her hand over his mouth. "Don't, " she

whispered.

"No regrets."

"No regrets, " he agreed.

She rolled into his arms then and laid her head on his shoulder.

Nothing lasted forever.

She squeezed her eyes shut so she wouldn't cry. How she wanted to

believe him. No, he did love her, she knew, until tomorrow or the day

after or the year after, but eventually, inevitably, he would leave.

"I love you too, " she whispered. Until forever.

She had seduced him. Jessica stood by the water's edge and let the

truth sink in. The acknowledgment was promptly followed by another

truth just as shocking. She wasn't sorry. For the rest of her life

she would have the memory of his touch and his loving words to cherish

and hold dear. It would have to be enough.

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed

her shoulder.

He knew something was wrong the minute he touched her, for he felt her

stiffen against him.

"Tell me what's wrong."

"It's morning. That's what's wrong."

"No, you're supposed to say, good morning, not, it's morning, " he

explained as he turned her in his arms.

She avoided his mouth when he tried to kiss her.

"All right, Jessie. What's this all about? " "Last night . . . "

When she didn't continue, he tilted her face up toward him so he could

gauge her mood. She was clearly upset, and he thought he knew why.

"You're regretting what happened, aren't you? " She vehemently shook

her head. "No, I meant what I said last night.

I'll never have regrets." He jerked her up against him and tried to

kiss her again, but she turned her head away, and he ended up kissing

her ear.

"Please don't make this any more difficult than it already is, " she

pleaded. "We had last night."

"We have forever." She stared at his collarbone and tried to stay

determined in her decision. {We should leave now. We'll miss the

train if we don't hurry." He didn't move.

He simply stood there, holding her, while he patiently waited for her

to look up at him again. "We aren't going anywhere until you tell me

what's going on inside that head of yours."

"We had last night, Cole, but now we have to . . . move on." It

finally dawned on him what was happening. "You don't believe I meant

any of the things I said to you last night, do you? That's what this

is all about. You think I told you I loved you so you'd let me touch

you."

"I wanted you, and you wanted me. It was a mutual decision."

"Yes, it was."

"And I have no regrets. I don't expect a commitment from you, and I'm

not giving you one." He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are

you telling me you don't want any strings? " "Yes."

"Son of aţ" She turned away and ran to the horses. Cole followed her,

grabbed her from behind, and lifted her into the saddle.

He noticed her grimace and asked, "Are you going to be all right riding

today? " "Yes, of course."

"Jessie, I know I hurt you last night."

"But I'm fine now." Her blush took some of his anger away. She was so

sweet and loving and exasperating. His hand rested on her thigh.

"Will you please look at me? " She slowly lifted her gaze. The