N. Walters - Touch of Topaz

“I already have.” He raked his fingers through his short hair and let out a large sigh. “Look, you’re tired and you need a few days rest.”

“I can do that at home.” She glanced around the cabin. “Probably better there than here.”

His eyes narrowed, and if his jaw clenched any tighter she was afraid he might damage his teeth. “I know it’s not what you’re used to.”

It struck her that she’d hurt his feelings. That he thought she was rejecting the cabin because it was rustic.

“Don’t be an idiot, John. It’s got nothing to do with the cabin. It’s lovely and has a rustic charm. But I have to get home.” It was sweet of him to want to give her a few days away. Really it was. But she didn’t have the time for it.

She ignored the pang of regret that gripped her and carried on. “We need to get back on the road.” She glanced at her watch. It would be late by the time they reached the city so she would cut herself some slack in the morning and go into work late.

“No.” His one-word reply brought her internal plans to a screeching halt.

“What do you mean, no? If you don’t want to drive, just give me the keys and I will.” She held out her hand, but he ignored it.

“No, I’m not taking you back to the city tonight.” He clasped her shoulders and pulled her toward him. She placed her hands on his chest to keep some distance between them.

“I don’t understand, John. Why not? Your job is finished and it’s time for both of us to get on with our lives.” She swallowed hard at the thought of never seeing him again.

The weeks they’d spent together had passed so quickly. Having a full-time bodyguard should have been an ordeal, but having John around hadn’t bothered her half as much as she’d thought it would. He’d slid seamlessly into her life until he seemed a part of it.

And that was the biggest danger of all. She could easily come to depend on him, and that just wouldn’t do.

“You’re right about that.” His fingers flexed around her shoulders. “The job is over so I can finally do this.”

He swooped down and caught her lips with his. His tongue plunged into her mouth and staked a claim. Heat suffused her body, racing in hot streams to her breasts and between her legs. Her fingers curled inward around his shirt and held him tight. His tongue boldly stroked hers. Not to be outdone, she did the same as their tongues dueled for supremacy.

When she finally tore her mouth away, she was breathless and more confused than ever. “This is insane.”

He shook his head. “No. This is the only thing that makes sense. I want you, Topaz.” He shrugged off his jacket and tossed it over the back of the sofa. Then he reached for her coat.

She took a step back and held the coat closed. “This is not a good idea.”

He cocked his head to one side and studied her. His eyes were burning with lust. She felt scorched by his gaze. “What are you so afraid of?” His gentle tone was at odds with the sexual tension that gripped him. His large body practically vibrated and she was torn between running from him and throwing herself into his arms.

He was the only man she’d ever met who confused her to such an extent. She had plans. Ambitions. And they didn’t include having a husband or a significant other, at least not yet. And even when the time came, she would settle down with a nice, ordinary man—a businessman—one she could easily understand. Not someone intense and demanding like John Knight.

“I can practically see the wheels turning in your pretty head. You’re already pulling away from me and putting up walls between us. Once we hit the city, you’ll find every excuse not to see me again.”

He tugged on her coat until she was forced to fight him or let him have it. She didn’t want to fight, so she let him have her coat. The time had come for one of them to be sensible about the situation. “You know as well as I do that great sex doesn’t make a relationship.”

“So you’re not denying that the sex was something special?”

Topaz shook her head, turned away from him and headed to the large picture window overlooking the front of the cabin. It was too dark to see much of anything. John stepped in behind her, his large body reflecting in the glass. She was a tall woman, even more so in her high heels, but he was so much broader than she.

She knew just what his body looked like naked, how his muscles rippled and moved when she touched him. She rubbed her hands over her slacks, ignoring the sexual tingles that threatened to distract her.

“So what do you want? A night of hot sex for old times’ sake? We’re both consenting adults. We can do that just as easily in the city as we can here.” Better to remove all emotion from the issue and keep it strictly physical.

John wrapped one massive arm around her and pulled her back against his chest. His erection pressed against the small of her back, tangible evidence that he wanted her. Her knees turned rubbery and she locked them to keep from melting against him.

He leaned down and nuzzled her ear. His teeth tugged at her lobe and hot shivers threatened to send all her common sense running for cover.

“Yeah. I want a night of smokin’-hot sex. I want you naked and spread across my bed. I want to taste every inch of your body. Touch it until you’re shaking with need and calling my name. Then I want to fuck you until you scream with pleasure.”

His graphic words were seducing her more with each passing moment. Her breasts ached for his touch and her panties were already damp. With each passing second, Topaz was finding it harder to breathe. Even though they were both fully dressed, the heat from his body soaked into her.

She swallowed hard. “So, we’re agreed. One night of sex and you’ll take me home in the morning.” She had a feeling that this night would haunt her for the rest of her life. She also knew she’d regret it to her dying day if she didn’t take the chance, throw caution to the wind and make love with John.

His arm tightened around her. “No, we’re not agreed. I want more than just sex, Topaz. I want to take care of you. I want to wake up in the morning next to you.” His tongue trailed over the whorls of her ear and his hot breath made her skin sizzle. “And I don’t just want it for one morning, but for all the mornings to come.”

She tugged at his arm and he released her. She gripped the windowsill, almost afraid to turn around to face him. “I’m not looking for a relationship, John.” And she wasn’t. She’d been burned by a man when she was young and foolish and in love. She’d been played for a fool and was determined it would never happen again.

Not that she thought for one minute John was after her family connections or money. He was much too proud and independent for that. In fact, she knew he’d be insulted if he thought for one moment that had even crossed her mind.

No, that wasn’t the problem.

A man like John didn’t settle down to a wife and family. His entire life had been about action, about living on the edge. He’d be bored with domestic life in no time at all. She wasn’t about to let him have her heart just so he could destroy it, whether or not he meant to. Deep inside, she knew that she could love John, and that made him dangerous to her well-being. She had to keep him at arm’s length to protect herself from emotional hurt.

“I wasn’t looking for one either.” His voice was rough and slightly angry.

She flinched at the reminder that she was right in her assessment of him. He didn’t want the emotional attachment. It was fine to say he wanted to take care of her, to have a long-term relationship. But she didn’t think she could survive something like that. Her plan had always been to find Mr. Right and settle down and have a family. She wanted the security of being part of something special. She wanted what her parents had. What her sister Emerald had found.

John’s expression was more serious than she’d ever seen it, and that was saying something as the man rarely smiled. “But I’m not about to turn away from this thing between us.”

“John,” she began, but he placed his hand gently over her mouth.

“Don’t say no. Give me tonight and tomorrow. After that, if you want to go back to the city, I’ll take you back the next morning.”

Two nights and one day. Could she do that and not fall in love with John? Could she have sex with him and protect her fragile emotions?

She wasn’t sure. But now that they were here, she wanted this time with him. Loving him might hurt, but she knew she’d have to live with regrets if she didn’t stay.

The tension around John had kicked up another notch. He looked ready for anything. She wished she were half as self-assured.

“Okay.” The word came out of her in a rush and some of the tension seeped from the room. This was crazy. She knew it was, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. Her life had been a roller coaster for months now. Why not end this chapter of her life with one hell of a big bang? She almost laughed aloud at her unintentional pun.

“Okay,” he repeated and reached for her.

She expected him to take her straight to the bedroom, strip off her clothes and make love to her. After all, that’s what this was about.

Instead, he took her hand and led her down a short hallway to a bathroom. He flicked on the light to reveal a dated space with faded blue paint and chipped linoleum flooring. But the one thing the room had going for it was a large claw-foot tub.

John released her, put the plug in the tub and started the water running. “You take your time and soak while I bring in the luggage and fix us something to eat.”

He leaned down and kissed her. This kiss was a complete contrast from the earlier one. Their lips barely touched, the caress as gentle as a summer breeze. It left her feeling off balance and unsettled.

She should probably resent his heavy-handedness. And on one level, she did. But she also couldn’t help being pleased he’d gone to such trouble to get her here. It certainly fed her female vanity. Then there was the off-the-charts attraction between them. If she was honest with herself, she wasn’t quite ready to let him go yet.

He pulled back from the kiss and brushed his hand over her hair. Then he was gone. As his footsteps faded and she heard the door of the cabin open and close, she stared into the mirror that hung over the small sink, ignoring the crack in the upper right-hand corner. Her eyes were huge and her lips were moist. She touched her mouth, almost able to still feel his lips on hers.

What was she getting herself into?

John did his best to ignore the sound of water splashing just a few yards away. The only thing separating him from a naked Topaz was his own self-control and a rather flimsy door.

He’d taken the liberty of packing some supplies in anticipation of bringing Topaz to his cabin, so they had plenty of food for their stay. He thought about opening a can of soup and slapping together some sandwiches, but he really wanted to feed her well tonight. Not only because she hadn’t been eating much lately, but also because eating could be a very sensual experience if done correctly.

He enjoyed cooking and often whipped up interesting meals for himself and his twin. But he’d never cooked for a woman before. When he dated, he usually took them out to eat or ate at their place, as he didn’t like having someone he just met in his home. Call him paranoid, but he liked his privacy.

But Topaz was special. He wanted her in his home. Hell, he’d move into hers if it would make her feel more secure. He didn’t care as long as he was with her.

He’d already whipped the cream for the strawberries, which were washed, cored and waiting in a bowl in the refrigerator. The water for the pasta was boiling and the sauce was simmering away. Everything was under control.

He wiped his hands on a towel and grabbed one of the glasses of wine he’d poured. The red had a full flavor he knew Topaz would enjoy. He went down the hallway and knocked once on the door before letting himself in.

There was a cry and a splash as she sat up in the tub and pulled her legs to her chest. The steam had dampened her hair and the fine ends were stuck to her nape and forehead. “What are you doing? Get out.”

Her eyes flashed with heat, some of it anger and, he hoped, some of it arousal. John crouched by the side of the tub and held out the glass. “Thought you might like some wine.”

Her skin looked so soft and touchable. He reached out with his free hand and stroked his fingers down her arm. Several beads of water skimmed her flesh before dripping back into the tub. He wanted to lick them from her skin.