How could she deny them that? They couldn’t go on living in treetops in the woods forever. She knew how eager Tanin and Ellie were to have a family, and yet at the same time, they both feared it. How could they raise children when Tanin constantly kept two steps ahead of the law?
America seemed the answer to many of their prayers and Storm had the feeling that a few of them would take the opportunity offered and set sail with Burke.
Was she being foolish in not considering the same?
She paced the small confines of her quarters, the questions haunting her mind.
She hadn’t expected to feel as tied to Burke as she had these last few days. They spent endless time together and made love every night. Her days had suddenly become more joyous. She smiled more, laughed more, enjoyed life more. Burke had a good sense of humor and he was a man of intelligence. Their discussions always stirred and challenged her mind.
She had actually panicked when she suddenly realized that he would leave and she would once again be on her own. She had admonished herself to keep her distance, to only enjoy his company but not let herself feel.
She had, however, felt from the very first time he had touched her, kissed her, and that was what started it all. She had experienced emotion for the first time since her husband’s death and it had felt so very good.
Suddenly her emptiness was gone and life once again seemed worthwhile.
It actually wasn’t a sudden realization. It somehow just happened without her knowing it. She hadn’t wanted to feel for the American. She hadn’t believed she could. He was not the type of man she ever imagined herself interested in.
She had never expected to be interested in a man again. This attraction was a complete surprise and confused her, but then Daniel had told her once that love never made sense.
Love.
It wasn’t possible that she could love the American. Or did she refuse to acknowledge her feelings? Did she really think she could be intimate with the man and not feel?
She plopped down on the bed, annoyed.
Answers certainly weren’t forthcoming and she was growing tired of fighting with herself. A simple interlude had turned complicated in so many ways, and she didn’t have the slightest idea how to uncomplicate matters.
She was grateful for the distraction of the rap at her door—until she saw who it was.
“Burke,” she said on a sigh.
“Don’t sound so happy to see me.”
If only he could feel the catch in her stomach and the flutter in her heart, he’d know exactly how she felt on seeing him.
“You’re angry with me,” he said, approaching her.
She stood and moved away from the bed. “No, how can I be when you offer a future to many who thought they had none. It is kind of you.”
She sensed his next words would be that he offered her the same, but she didn’t want to hear that, not now.
“I’m tired,” she said, moving farther away from him. “I will see you in the morning. Remember we leave at dawn.”
He nodded and turned to leave, then swerved around and walked over to her.
She braced for the kiss she knew he’d deliver and steeled herself against responding. She couldn’t fall into bed with him again, she couldn’t. She lost herself completely to him when she did and she couldn’t allow herself to do that anymore.
He reached for her face, cupped it in his warm hands, and kissed her until she thought she would go insane from the want of him.
She kept her hands fisted at her sides, her back rigid and her heart cold.
He brushed his lips across hers. “Is it a challenge you want?”
She opened her mouth to answer and he plunged in, his tongue taking complete charge and sending spears of passion stabbing pinpricks of pleasure over every inch of her body.
He scooped her up in his arms and had her on the bed in no time. His hands worked magic beneath her clothes, not once attempting to remove her garments or his.
“Only if you want me, Storm,” he whispered in her ear. “I will love you only if you want me to.”
She thought to push him off her. Her hands went to his chest and rested against hard muscle. One push, one simple push, and he’d be gone.
He waited, his arms supporting his strength as he hovered over her. And there in his dark eyes where his hunger for her was always obvious, she caught a spark of intense love.
It jolted her heart and soared her passion and she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down on top of her.
Their passion was much too heated to waste time in removing clothes, so garments were shifted out of the way, bodies entwined, and movement fast and furious.
She feared her cries must have surely echoed out into the night, for the pleasure he brought her was so great, she could not control her moans. He must have thought the same for he captured as many as he could with kisses.