Like a wild animal ready to mate, he ditched the jeans and crawled up her body until his swollen shaft was pressing against her. Returning to the succulent nectar of her mouth, he fed, his tongue probing deep before withdrawing, again and again. A slow, increasing beat of pleasure gripped them both.
“Are you ready for me, Holly?”
Her breathing was fast and shallow and she only managed to nod. Her hips pushed against him. “It’s so hot...there.”
“It’s about to get a lot hotter.” He smiled at her through the darkness. Removing a silver patch from inside his wallet, he tore it open and slipped the condom on. With his hand, he positioned his heavy erection at her core. She was so wet. And she was right about the heat. He couldn’t remember ever being so turned on by a woman. He wanted to take her hard, give in to the lust that gripped him, sink into her womanhood, feel her grip him with her silky wet core and send them both to the moon. Some sixth sense axed that idea. She was small of stature and he didn’t want to hurt her. Slowly, inch by excruciating inch, he entered her, his hands fisted to maintain control. Suddenly, she grew very tight inside and cried out, pushing at his shoulders. All movement stopped. He drew back and their eyes locked. He saw her look of discomfort and was shocked. This was not happening.
“Holly, tell me you’ve had sex before.”
She shook her head. “I never wanted anyone but you. There was no one else I felt drawn to. No one I wanted to be with. Please don’t be mad.”
His nostrils flared; his jaw clamped down so hard it was sheer luck his teeth didn’t shatter from the force. For a second he considered pulling out before it was too late. Even through the shock, he was still highly aroused. She’d saved herself for him. She had never been with another man. Holly moved her hips, pushing up and against him and hurting herself in the effort. It would take more than that. It would require him to do his part. Another look into her beautiful face and Chance knew he would see this through.
He cupped her face in his hands, drawing the sweetness from her lips. “There will be a sharp, deep pain, sweetheart. But it won’t last long. I’ll do everything I can to make it pleasurable for you.”
“Its okay, Chance. I want this. I want you.”
Lowering his face to hers once again, he kissed her gently, gradually building back up to the passion of moments ago. When he felt she was ready, he pushed in all the way. Her single cry was swallowed by his mouth.
It was done.
There was a feeling of euphoria, and his passion could no longer be held in check. She was frantic and sexier than ever as he poured every bit of his experience and expertise into making this moment a good memory for her. Then she embraced him, sobbing, panting and crying out his name. Her climax ignited the spark that sent him over the top and beyond. It went on and on until finally, fighting for breath, he pulled her head to his shoulder, his arms holding her against him.
“Holly?” he said, kissing her neck and jaw where it was still moist from their passion. “I need to know that you’re all right.”
Through the ambient light of the passing storm, he saw her smile. “Wow.” She raised her head and kissed him. “Thank you, Chance,” she whispered against his lips.
Silence filled the room. The only sound was Holly’s soft, steady breathing and the guilt that screamed in his head. Who would have thought Holly would still be a virgin? Chance wasn’t sure what to do. This was a first for him. But his protective instincts were on full alert. He would do what was needed to protect her, to keep her safe even from her own heart. She was his. Totally and completely. A fierce pride rumbled through him. But it didn’t stop him from remembering there were issues preventing them from being together. Issues he had no clue how to solve.
She ran a veterinarian clinic and was raising a baby. He was a SEAL and never had any intentions of doing anything else. He didn’t want a wife to go through three-quarters of the year alone, waiting for her husband to come back, hoping he would. When he came home, he couldn’t tell her where he’d been or what he’d been doing. With any luck, he would have a few months before he’d be gone again. Sometimes not that long.
It was an impossible situation. Wade was selling the ranch. If Chance wasn’t cleared to active duty, what would he do? He’d never been the type to sit around on his ass.
Lightning flashed and Holly snuggled closer. He’d never held a woman after sex. Once he and a date got what they’d come together for, one of them always left with an “I’ll call you” thrown over a shoulder on the way out the door. He had to admit, holding Holly, the way she was curled up in his arms, felt good. He could get used to this.
This was all too crazy. Something had to give. He just didn’t know what.
When Chance awoke the next morning, Holly was already up. There were mouthwatering smells coming from the kitchen. He headed for the bathroom. When he came out from taking his shower, his clean clothes were laid out on the mattress. The bedding had already been stripped and was no doubt in the wash.
Shuffling into the kitchen, he saw Holly was frying bacon and eggs. Her back was to him. He went to her and put his arms around her. She turned in his arms and pulled him down to her. No words were needed as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.
Then drawing back, she said, “There’s fresh coffee. I didn’t know if you took cream or sugar. The sugar is next to the coffeepot. If you need cream, you’ll have to find a cow.” By the time he poured a steaming cup of black coffee, she was setting the bacon, eggs and toast on the table.
“Holly,” he began as he pulled out a chair. “About last night—”
“No. We are not going to do the guilt-trip thing. It happened. It was beyond wonderful. I don’t expect anything from you and I’m not asking for anything. Now eat your eggs before they get cold.”
“I don’t want to let this drop. Last night was special, but you should have told me you were a virgin.”
“Why?” she asked, pouring a cup of coffee with a steady hand. “Would you have done something different?”
“Maybe.”
She rose from her seat, leaned over and gave him a kiss full of passion edged with temptation. “I don’t think a first time can get any better. Thank you, Chance.”
Chance still didn’t feel right about taking her virginity. Hell, he hadn’t intended to make love to her, but as usual with Holly, things had gotten out of hand. All he knew to do now was keep a close watch on her, be alert for any signs of regret and be there for her if any remorse made its presence known.
“Now eat your eggs before they get cold.”
He closed his mouth and realized it had been gaping open. “Yes, ma’am.” And he attacked the best breakfast he’d ever had. Somehow, from Holly, he expected nothing less.
Twelve
The clinic was back in business and playing catch-up. With the new equipment installed, they had never been busier, which was a good thing for lots of reasons. The number one reason was because it kept her busy. Holly didn’t have time to dwell on what had happened with Chance. He’d made it clear he wanted her then and forever but on the heels of that, he’d left for his hearing and wasn’t sure when he would be back.
Holly didn’t know what to expect after they made love. Obviously they had taken their relationship to an entirely new level, but they hadn’t worked out how to overcome the barrier between them. Probably because there was no answer.
Holly never thought it was possible to love anyone as deeply as she loved Chance. She knew he wasn’t the type to settle down, marry and raise a family. If that had changed, he could find somebody a lot better than her. Someone who could give options of whether or not he wanted kids, where they lived and how they wanted to enjoy their life together. She couldn’t offer him any of those things. She had a clinic and couldn’t walk out and leave Kevin holding the bag. She had pledged her help just as he’d promised her the same. And she had a baby girl to raise. A very special, very beautiful baby girl. And even if Chance actually asked her to come with him, she would have to say no. It was his life, the one he’d chosen. It was not hers. That was something she couldn’t let herself forget, regardless of how much she wanted to be with him. Regardless of how much she loved him.
She knew that his hearing had been scheduled for yesterday at 1:00 p.m. No phone call yet. What could that mean?
She finished the last farm call around four that afternoon and she still didn’t want to go home. She knew when she did she would feel Chance’s absence as she had every day since he left. Emotionally it had been a very difficult week and she was still on pins and needles. Would they reinstate him or set him free?
Amanda had taken Emma to visit her parents, promising to have the baby home by six. Holly didn’t know how, but she’d swear that Amanda knew something had happened between her and Chance. Was Holly that transparent? She supposed it didn’t matter that Amanda was suspicious. She appreciated her friend’s help and understanding.
She’d overheard Cole tell the general manager of the ranch he didn’t think Chance was coming back. But Chance had promised he would. She believed him because not believing Chance was unthinkable.