Under the Millionaire's Mistletoe(9)

He doubled back after a long while and she realized they were headed  back to Crystal Bay. Disappointment rose up in her as she realized she  wasn't ready for the ride to end. For the magic to be finished. Lifting  one hand from the handlebars, Sam pointed into the distance and she  shifted her gaze to follow the motion. Her breath caught as she saw the  town of Crystal Bay, sitting on a crescent-shaped harbor, spreading back  through the trees. In the surrounding darkness, the town's Christmas  lights shone from a distance like jewels strewn across the ground. She  smiled and felt a stirring of something magical rise up around her.

Soon, they were roaring down Main Street and Anna wondered if everyone  they passed was speculating. Sam's motorcycle was well known and she was  guessing that her long, red hair hanging out from beneath her helmet  would be enough for most people to identify her. The question was, did  she care?

No. At the moment, no, she didn't care. She loved the feel of being on  the powerful Harley with Sam. It was a moment snatched out of time. They  couldn't speak, so they couldn't argue. They were wrapped so tightly  together, each of them could feel the heat of the other's body.

Her own heartbeat was hammering in her chest and she thought she felt a  matching rhythm coming from Sam's body. Anna swallowed hard and rested  her head against his broad back. Her grip on him tightened as the  rumbling of the engine vibrated her body and jolted every  already-sensitive nerve ending.

Christmas lights blurred into a stream of color as they whizzed past.  Shoppers hurried along crowded sidewalks. Pine garlands were strung  across the street from lamppost to lamppost. Carols pumped from one of  the stores they passed and she smiled behind her helmet. The giant  Christmas tree in the town square glittered, while overhead, stars  slipped in and out from behind clouds.                       
       
           



       

She didn't know why he'd taken her on this ride, but she was so glad he  had. Anna felt alive in a way she had never known before. She wanted  this night to never end, but of course, it did.

He slowed the motorcycle down as they pulled into the driveway of his  home. Light spilled from the windows onto the lawn in golden patches and  Mrs. Soren's car was gone from its usual parking space.

They were alone and instantly, Anna felt tense. It had been so  liberating, riding behind Sam, tearing along the coast. But now they  were back and nothing had really changed between them. There was that  amazing sense of chemistry that burst into life whenever they were  together. But at the heart of things, they were on opposite sides of a  figurative wall.

He hit a button on the handlebars and as one of the garage doors opened,  he steered the bike inside. An overhead light came on with the opening  of the door and when he shut off the engine, the silence was deafening.

Reluctantly, she released her death grip around his waist, ignoring the  empty feel of her arms. She reached up to pull off her helmet and shook  her hair back. Her voice was soft and nearly breathless as she said,  "That was amazing, Sam. Thanks."

"You're welcome." He climbed off the bike, then took both helmets and set them on a nearby bench.

She was still sitting on the black leather seat, afraid to stand up for  fear her legs wouldn't support her. The engine was off, but her body was  still vibrating. In fact, it felt as though every cell she possessed  was electrified. Her gaze locked with his and she took a long, slow  breath.

In the pale light, his blue eyes looked gray and stormy. She was willing  to bet that the same wild passions were shining in her own eyes.

"Sam-"

"Anna-"

They spoke together and then closed their mouths in sync. Anna was edgy  and she knew it. There were too many thoughts running through her mind.  Too many emotions clamoring to be noticed and acknowledged. Carefully,  she swung her leg over the back of the bike and stepped down onto the  gleaming garage floor.

She swallowed hard. "You know, maybe I should just go now."

"Don't."

Her gaze snapped to his. Every breath was a challenge. Her heartbeat was  so frantic that she could hear the roaring pound of it in her own ears.  A damp, hot ache settled between her thighs at the same time tension  gathered in her chest. She wanted to whimper with the force of the want  nearly choking her. But acting on what she-they-were feeling wouldn't  solve anything. Wouldn't change anything. It would only make things  worse.

"Sam, you know as well as I do that I should leave."

He shook his head. "I don't want you to and I don't think you do either."

"It's not about want." Unfortunately, she added silently.

"It's all about want," he answered, walking toward her with slow, deliberate steps.

Every step that brought him closer to her sounded like a gunshot in the  quiet. Anna's pulse was racing and her breath was now chugging in and  out of her lungs. When he was close enough to touch her, Anna  instinctively leaned in toward him. Her better judgment was being tossed  aside. While a still-rational corner of her mind warned her that she  was making a mistake, a much more powerful voice within told her to take  what he offered. She knew then she wouldn't be leaving. Not until the  desperate ache inside had been eased.

He scooped both hands into her hair, cupping her head in his hands, then  he drew her closer, lowered his head and kissed her. Anna was done for.

Plain and simple, Sam Hale swept all common sense right out of her mind.  He silenced that warning shriek inside her and awakened the part of her  that wanted. Needed.

She was blistered by the heat racing through her. She welcomed it, moved  into him and wrapped her arms around him. Nestling as close to him as  she could, Anna gave him everything she had.

Their tongues tangled in a fierce dance of desire. Breathing became  secondary to the rising tide of passion erupting between them. Hands  moved, explored, claimed. Bodies melded and whispered words of hunger  rattled through the silence.

Finally, he tore his mouth from hers, stared down into her eyes and demanded, "Come with me."                       
       
           



       

She met his gaze, saw exactly what she needed to see and knew that  denying him wasn't an option. Because she didn't want to leave. She  wanted to feel as alive as she had on the back of that motorcycle-alone  in the dark with him.

"Yes," she said softly. "Now."

Hand in hand, they raced across the yard, Sam's longer strides forcing  Anna to run at his side. She laughed shortly, the sound escaping into  the night and dissolving like soap bubbles.

He opened the back door, drew her inside and closed the door behind  them. Swinging her up against him, he held her so tightly she could  hardly breathe. Yet she didn't care. All she cared about was his mouth  on hers, his hands stroking up and down her back in a proprietary manner  that absolutely thrilled her.

"You taste so damn good," he murmured, breaking away to nibble at the base of her throat.

She sighed because she didn't need words to tell him what she was thinking, feeling. He just knew.

He slid his hands up under her shirt, skimming his fingertips across her  skin until she was shivering in his arms. Then he smiled down at her  and said, "Not in the kitchen, damn it. Upstairs. In my bed."

Here was her last chance, that tiny voice in the back of her mind  whispered. Last chance to back out before she made what could be an  incredible mistake. She stared up into those amazingly blue eyes of his  and nodded. "Yes, Sam."

He grinned, swept her up into his arms and headed for the hallway.

"I can walk," she said on a laugh.

"Your legs are too short," he countered. "I'm faster."

"Good point." She snuggled into him, kissing his neck, the underside of  his jaw. Her hands slid across his chest and she felt the pounding of  his heart beneath her palms.

He took the stairs at a dead run and rushed her down a dimly lit hall so  quickly that she noticed nothing. Then he was stalking into his bedroom  and Anna took a quick look around.

Boldly masculine, the furniture was big, dark and heavy. Deep blue  drapes were pulled back, allowing the moonlight to pour through the wide  windows to lay across a bed big enough for four people to sleep  comfortably.

But sleeping wasn't on her mind.

He set her on her feet and instantly reached to pull off his shirt. Anna  watched and took a short, sharp breath at the first sight of his broad,  bare chest. Muscular and tanned, he actually rippled when he moved and  she wanted nothing more than to be held against that expanse of warm,  golden skin.

In seconds, they were naked. Sam tugged the navy blue duvet off the  mattress and then they were tumbling onto the cool, crisp sheets. He  seemed to be touching her everywhere at once. Her body was humming with  sensation and her mind fogged over as he dipped one hand to her core and  cupped her heat.