She couldnt believe it, and promptly blamed the circumstances for her shocking lack of control. But the connection between her and this man felt like ice and fire at once, and it baffled her. Danger, she told herself. It was just the danger, the sense of impending death making her feel like this, all liquidy andwell, hot.
Its okay, he whispered in that incredible voice, the one that made her feel like melted butter.
She couldnt have it, wouldnt have it, and yet she couldnt seem to let go of him. A whimper sounded, and she was horrified to realize it was her own.
Needing to be free, she fought him.
Shh, youre all right, he told her when she struggled against both him and the unaccustomed feelings swimming through her. With frightening ease, he lay her back on the ground, easily subduing her.
Above them came the booming sound of more falling brick, and it was louder, more terrifying than Amber could imagine. The falling debris hit the top of the desk that was protecting them, nearly startling her right out of her own skin.
They were going to die now.
She had to get out. But she couldnt budge, he held her too close, protecting her body with his.
Dont fight me, he coaxed in her ear. Weve got to stay right here.
No, she gasped, wrestling, listening to the noise of the building crumbling to dust around them, feeling the heat of him as he held her safe no matter how she fought him.
Didnt he understand? Shed lost it, her prized control was gone, and the greater danger lay right here, in his warm, strong arms. I need out! she cried.
You cant. Regret made his voice harsh, but so did determination as he leaned over her, cuffing her hands over her head, restraining her with his superior strength.
Listen, he demanded as she silently fought him with everything she had. Listen to me! He gave her a little shake. The building has collapsed on top of us. If you leave the safety of the desk now, when the ceiling of this basement gives
Not if the ceiling collapses, but when. He didnt have to finish his sentence, but God, oh God, she couldnt bear it, this enforced contact between them. She was plastered to him from head to toe and the opaque blackness only added to the sense of intimacy.
Its stopped, he murmured, relieved, and she felt his cheek brush against hers. Its over.
She waited with what she considered admirable patience, but he didnt let her go. Get off me.
Promise me you wont do something stupid.
Stupid. Oh, that was good. They were going to die when shed never really even lived. She had nothing to show for her life, nothing except for what would soon be a useless bank account. Now that was stupid. Let me up.
Not until you promise you wont disturb the balance of things.
Still helplessly stretched out beneath him, she shifted and discovered he had one powerful leg between hers. Every time she moved, the core of her came in contact with the juncture of his thighs.
Shed been too busy trying to get free to pay much attention, but suddenly she realized she wasnt the only one who was affected by their closeness.
He was aroused.
He was actually hard, for her. It seemed so absolutely amazing. Surreal.
Later she would blame age-old instincts, but whatever it was, it made her hips arch slightly.
In response, he made a dark sound that shot an arrow of heat straight through her. This was life, came the insane thought.
Go for it. Take it.
She moved against him again, tentatively.
He muttered something; a curse, a prayer, she had no idea which, and at the sound, blind desire overcame her. Before she could stifle the urge, she pressed even closer.
Your name, he demanded, letting go of her hands to slide his down her arms. I need to know your name.
Amber.
Daxton McCall. Dax. His hands came up now to cup her face, and a callused thumb brushed over her lips, so lightly she wasnt sure if she imagined it, but it gave her a jolt of awareness that was almost painful.
Suddenly her world was rocking and she was no longer certain if it was another earthquake or just reaction to the insane sexiness of his voice, his body.
Youre shaking, he whispered.
She couldnt stop.
Let me warm you. Gently, tenderly, he scooped her closer, running those big, sure hands over her spine to her hips, bringing her tight against his delicious heathis incredible erection.
It was wrong to sigh over it; so very, very wrong, snuggling up to a man shed never even seen. A stranger for Gods sake.
But for the life of her, she couldnt pull away.
She needed this, desperately. Needed this reaffirmation that they were indeed alive, at least for now.
She was going to live life to the fullest, she promised herself. Every second she had left.
But as a huge thundering crash echoed around them, she couldnt help but scream.
The walls shook, the ceiling shuddered, and they clung together, holding their breath, waiting, waiting, each second an eternity.
No more chances. This was it.
They were going to die.
3
T ERRIFIED , Amber cried out for her stranger, her Dax McCall. She had no idea what she wanted to say, but in that moment, with their world coming apart, it didnt matter.
He understood. Im here, right here, he told her, his body close so she couldnt forget.
Its so loud, she cried, horrified at how weak she sounded.
Youre not alone.
Im scared.
Me, too.
I need
I know. I do, too. Come here, come closer. And he enclosed her in a tight embrace that was so erotically charged, she could almost forget she lay huddled beneath a desk on cheap flannel carpeting in the basement of a building that had collapsed above them.
Her face was buried in his neck, and because it was so warm, so indelibly male, she left it there, inhaling deeply the very masculine scent of him. Were going to die, she said against his skin.
She felt him shake his head.
His denial was sweet, but she didnt want to be protected, not from this. Tell me the truth.
I dont want to believe it.
Neither do I. It was unlike her to talk to a stranger, much less cling to one. Even more unlike her to admit to her real feelings on anything. But the words poured from her lips before she could stop them. I dont want it to end like this. It cant. Ive never really lived, not once, it cant be too late!
He didnt say anything about the loss of her calm, cool sophistication, for which she thought she might be forever grateful. In fact, he didnt say anything at all, he just continued to touch her, maintaining the connection between them.
Dax, I think
Dont think.
But theres so much
Dont.
I cant stop. I cant turn it off.
Youre shaking again. In his voice was a wealth of concern and compassion, two emotions sorely missing in her life. He worried. He didnt even know her, and he worried. Just thinking about it had her eyes misting.
How was it that a stranger could care so much for her in such a short time, when no one else ever had?
That was her own fault, and she knew it. Another regret. She didnt let people in, didnt let people care. Things had to change.
Starting right now. I want to live.
Youre thinking again.
I cant stop.
Let me help.
Yes. Anything.
Try this He angled her head up and met her lips with his.
Far above them, the ceiling groaned and strained under the weight of debris. The ominous, ever-present creaking got louder.
In opposition to Ambers surging, very real fear, Daxs kiss was soft, gentle, sweet.
Stay with me, he whispered against her lips.
His warm, giving mouth was heaven, such absolute heaven, that she gradually did just as he asked, she stayed with him, lost herself in him, drowning in the very new sensation of desire and passion.
A sound escaped her, a mere whisper of the pleasure starting to thread through her body. He soothed and assured, both with that magical voice and even more magical hands, kissing her again and again, until shyly, eagerly, she opened to him, only to jerk at the resounding thunder of more falling debris.
Shh, Im here, he murmured, then dipped his head again.
The shock of his tongue curling around hers was a welcome one, and Amber pressed closer, grateful, desperate for more of the delicious distraction. One of his hands continued to cup her face, stroking her skin, the other drifted down her body, curving over her bottom, squeezing. He rocked her slowly, purposely, against his hips.
But when the ceiling made yet another terrible straining sound, she cringed.
No, dont listen to that. Now his clever mouth was at her ear, his words sparking little shivers down her spine. Stay with me, remember?
As their world crumbled around them, Dax was right there, commanding her attention, drawing her out of her fear. Listen to the blood pound through your body, he murmured, pressing his lips to her temple. Listen to the sound of our breathingdo you hear it? Do you? he urged, willing her to let go of the terror to concentrate on what he was making her feel.
It worked, and when she felt his hot, wet mouth on her skin, she gasped and arched up into him.
Listen to your body craving mine.
Oh yes, yes she heard it now, the blood whipping through her system as he tasted her. She heard the sound of his low, rough groan when she writhed against him. Knowing she was causing his harsh, ragged breathing gave her an incredible sense of power. More, she begged. Help me forget that were going to
Die, shed been about to say, but he simply swallowed the word and kissed it away. He kissed her mouth, her face, her throat, all the while using his hands to stoke the fire. Her blouse fell open beneath his hands, and he treated her breasts to the same glorious magic, sucking and nibbling and stroking her nipples until she begged for more.
The rest happened so fast that afterward she could never fully recall it except as a hazy, sensuous, haunting dream. She tore open his jeans; he shoved them off his hips. He slid his hands up her skirt, groaning when he came to her thigh-high stockings, her one secret luxury. She might have spared a moment for embarrassment, but then he whipped off her panties and slipped his fingers between her thighs, dipping into her wet heat. Touching, stroking, claiming her until she couldnt think of anything but getting more.
Penetration wasnt easy, it had been a pathetically long time for her, but Dax slowed, teasing her aching, swollen flesh with his knowing fingers until she was ready to take him. He was huge, hot and throbbing inside her. Unbearably aroused, Amber tossed her head back, lifted her hips and sobbed as unfamiliar sensations rocketed through her. She was on the very edge, teetering, madly trying to regain her balance, but he didnt allow it.
Let it happen, he whispered, his fingers teasing and urging and tormenting. Come for me, Amber. Come for me now.
The pleasure was so intense she couldnt have held back if shed wanted to. She was wild, completely out of herself, as the orgasm took her.
And took her.
It was endless. Above her, she felt him convulse, heard his hoarse cry, then they fell together, trembling, their hearts pounding violently.
Amber had no idea how much time passed before Dax lifted his head and stroked the damp hair from her face. You okay?
She thought about it and smiled. Yes. Crazy as it seemed, she was definitely okay.
Wrung out by their hollowing, grinding, shattering emotions, they dozed then, still locked in each others arms.
A RE YOU TAKEN ? The minute the words fell out of her mouth, Amber winced. Stupid. And if she hadnt so neatly cut herself off from socializing all these years, she could have done better. I mean
Besides her, Dax laughed softly. I know what you mean. And no, Im not married, I never would have made love to you otherwise.
Theyd made love. Good Lord.
And theyd had two more aftershocks. They sat side by side, still beneath the desk. Mortified as Amber was over what theyd done, Dax had refused to let her leave the safety of their meager protection.
Not that I have anything against the institution of marriage in general, he offered. But I come from a huge family. Five meddling sisters and two equally meddling parents. Ten nieces and nephews. Tons of diapers and messes and wild family dinners. She felt his mock shudder.
It had always been just her father and herself, so Amber could only imagine the sort of life he described. But family or not, she could understand his need to be alone, uncommitted. She herself was alone most of the time, and greatly preferred it to the alternative. Letting someone in meant letting someone have control over her, which was not an option.
Shed had enough of that to last her a lifetime; first with her father, whod been almost maniacal in his desire to curb her every impulse, and then shed repeated the cycle with her ex-fiancé.
She didnt intend to make that mistake again, ever.
I plan to settle down in another twenty years or so. Daxs voice had a smile in it. Maybe when Im forty. Just in time to have a double rocking chair on my porch. Then his amusement faded away. Thats my hope anyway.
If I live.
His unspoken words hung between them. Theyll worry about me, he said after a moment, very softly. I hate knowing that.
She could hear the deep, abiding love he had for the people he cared about, and wondered what it would be like to know she was unconditionally loved that way.
How about you? he asked. Who do you share your life with? Whos missing you right now, worrying about you?
She opened her mouth, but had nothing to say.
What? Too personal? He let out a little laugh and nudged her. What could be more personal than what weve already done together? Come on, now. Share.
No one.
No one what?
Theresno one.
He was quiet for a moment. Probably horrified. I have a hard time believing a woman like you has no one in her life, he said finally, very gently.
It shocked her, the way he said a woman like you. His voice held admiration, attraction, tenderness.
Under different circumstances, she might have laughed. The truth was shed been a wallflower nearly all her life. Only when shed struck out on her own, ruthlessly devouring magazines and books on fashion and style, had her appearance changed so that no one could actually see that wallflower within her. To the world, she appeared cool, elegant, sophisticated.