Chapter 9

No one was awake as they crept back into the dark house. Like teenagers avoiding getting caught by their parents, they hurried to Chase’s bedroom. Ana entered ahead of him and stopped, closing her eyes to breathe in her surroundings. Intoxicating textures of scent danced with her desire and played in the recesses of her mind. The sensation of maleness enveloped her, passionate, strong, willful, and wild.

She heard Chase close and lock the door, shutting the world out and their passion in. He walked up behind her, lifting her long hair to run his tongue along the side of her neck. His smell filled her, speeding her pulse.

He lowered the straps of the thin shift and it slithered down her body to pool around her feet. His hands moved around her, over her flat belly and then up toward her breasts, his lips moving on the skin of her shoulder, leaving trails of fire in their wake.

Her nipples tightened beneath his touch, the palms of his hands warm and calloused. Her own palms grew moist in anticipation. Chase turned her to face him, his eyes raking over her naked form then back to her face.

“By all that’s holy, Sassy, no woman has ever moved me the way you do.”

“Show me.”

An hour later they both went limp, and Chase wrapped himself around her, the sweat of their bodies making them slick. For a few minutes there was only the sound of their rapid breathing. Then breath slowed and languor set in.

“Chase,” Ana whispered just before she drifted off to sleep. “My love.”

Something he’d never experienced swelled inside him at her words. For a moment it filled him with panic. But the fear vanished in the face of realization. He never expected, never hoped. But amazingly it had happened. He’d fallen in love.