Page 61 of Road to Rosalee

‘Wow, a total concoction of yumminess.’

‘Only the best for you.’ He grinned, then added, ‘Oh, and I forgot that I also chucked in a little bit of love. For added flavour.’ His eyes twinkled over the rim of his glass.

Melody couldn’t help the dreamy smile that touched upon her lips, or the warmth that filled her heart to bursting. ‘Ah, that’s why it tastes so good.’

‘Mm-hmm.’

All of a sudden, the loud growl of an engine at its peak approached, then an old Holden Kingswood sped past like a lost rally car, the chassis almost dragging along the ground, the passengers crammed within it hooting and hollering.

Eyes wide, she turned to Zai, who was already chuckling. ‘Did I seriously just see that?’

He nodded, slowly. ‘You sure did.’

‘Where in the hell would they be going in the middle of nowhere?’

‘Looks to me like thata way.’ He jutted his thumb to the left of them. ‘Apparently it’s a short cut to Alice Springs, or so the mob over yonder likes to think. God love ’em.’

She cracked up with laughter, as did he. The vodka was going straight to her head, and legs, and …

As their laughter subsided, another sensation settled into place, one filled with hunger and need. This was dangerous. They were way closer than they should be. She stared down at her toes. Then, desperate to move before she made a move on this tower of manly man, she stood and wandered over to the banister, pretending to gaze out at the scenery as she caught her breath.

Oh crap.

With a start, she spun to find he’d come up behind her. He rested his hands on either side of the railings, trapping her to the spot. She went to tell him to stop because she was still a married woman – he needed to know, now, before anything happened. She wanted to do this right from the get-go so there wasn’t anything that had the power to tear them apart … but he brought a finger to her lips and traced them with such tenderness. It was the most intimate of touches, one that stole any bit of restraint she had left. She quivered, then inhaled sharply when he dropped his hand back to his side.

‘Do you want me to stop?’

Too breathless to say it out loud, she slowly shook her head.

‘Good. Because I don’t want to.’ He grabbed her hips and pulled her close. ‘Because you, Sweet Melody, are the sexiest woman I’ve ever met.’ His voice was low, husky and rasping. ‘And I don’t think I can get through another day without making love to you.’

She found her voice, but it was trembling. ‘Are you sure this isn’t just lust, or vodka, or both, talking?’

‘Hell no. I want to taste you, breathe you in, drink in your secrets, learn every inch of you. What makes you quiver, what makes you gasp, so I can do it over and over again, all day long, and well into the night.’ His smile was slow and sexy. ‘We have almost twenty-four hours before we have to be back at work, and I want to make the most of it, with you.’

He was so damn convincing, and so damn arresting, that she had no other choice but to succumb – there was no way her legs would carry her away from him, no matter how hard she tried to take steps. This was the moment she’d been fantasising about since she’d first laid eyes on him.

Dipping his head, he brought his lips to hers, demanding her tongue with his, while confidently directing her towards the back door of the cottage. She walked backwards and he came with her. They bumped into the wall. Then she rose up onto her toes and he drew her closer still as he opened the door, spun her inside and then closed it behind them, making sure to lock it – he clearly didn’t want them to be interrupted.

‘You’re driving me crazy, beautiful.’ He pinned her to the door, his hands holding her wrists high above her head, his gaze gripping hers. ‘I want you so bad it hurts.’

‘I want you too.’ His touch sent fire rippling through every cell in her body. Nerves danced in her belly, as did this addictive warmth. ‘But we … I …’ She stammered and stumbled over her words. She didn’t want to stop him, or this.

He brought his mouth to hers again, the intensity of his caress surging her body to life. His heated kisses continued over her collarbone, feathery, silk-like, and then he brought his mouth to where her pulse beat desperately in her neck, pressing kisses there. Sliding his hands around her waist, he pulled her to him hungrily. She entwined her arms around his neck, wrapping her legs around his waist. He carried her to his bedside before she brought her feet back to the floor. Holding his desire-fuelled gaze, she helped him tug his shirt over his head then slid her hands up and over his chest, exploring each and every muscle ridge, then tracing the tribal tattoo that fanned over his right shoulder. He went still, closing his eyes for a few breathless moments, and when he brought his gaze back to hers again, the craving within them awakened a feminine roar from deep inside her.

She needed him, all of him, now.

He gently pushed her backwards onto his bed then, after ridding himself of his jeans and underpants, climbed on top of her, carefully bearing his weight. His long, thick hardness pressed into her as he slowly stripped her of her clothes, taking his time to drink all of her in. Then, with both of them stripped bare, his hands and mouth explored her every inch, his gentle caresses mixing with firmer touches, sending her to places she’d never been before. When he finally brought his skilful mouth between her legs, waves of pleasure washed over her, giving rise to endless goosebumps and moans of absolute bliss. He quickly brought her to the brink and once she was there, stopped, teasing her by kissing the insides of her thighs.

‘Please, Zai. I need you inside me.’ The growling voice didn’t resemble her own as she drew him up and to her. ‘Now.’

He did as she asked. Her fingernails dug into his back, marking him, as he pressed into her. Her breath hitched, vision blurring, as he filled every piece of her perfectly. He found a tingling rhythm and she rode it with him, bringing her hips to his, harder and faster. Soon she was on the edge, as was he. She wrapped herself around him and they breathed into one another. With a few more thrusts, he met her at the pinnacle and they balanced there, together, both of them shuddering, breathless, groaning. And then, when she couldn’t hold on any longer, she released and tumbled into him, faster and deeper than she’d even fallen before. And the most beautiful thing was he was right there to catch her, holding her so tightly as they fought to catch their breaths, yet so tenderly, allowing her for the very first time in her life to feel real love and respect.

As day turned to night, Melody found herself wandering in and out of sleep. It was as if the outside world didn’t exist anymore. And if only that were really so – she’d be more than happy to stay here, with Zai, forever. She had never felt so satisfied in all of her life – mind, body and soul.

After making love for the third time, they’d lain together for a long time, a tangle of legs and arms, neither of them feeling a need to fill the beautiful silence. Her head now resting on his chest, her tender thoughts harpooned her to him in the most intense of ways. Forget about falling – she’d totally plummeted, hard and fast, and was deeply in love with this amazing man. She took great enjoyment in the sound of his heart beating against her cheek, as well as the feeling of his fingers sliding featherlike up and down her back. Tingles shot all over her, invigorating her very core, making her want so much more of him. His kisses had held all the promises she’d always longed for in a partner, tenfold. She was totally lost to this man, and she loved it. No longer did she feel like she was aimlessly wandering the earth, trying to find her place, her purpose. He was her landing place, her home.

But as dreamy as it all was, the reality of the situation was that she had to tell him about everything, now. He deserved to know her truth.