The Adventurer

naps."
    "I do. When I'm lying out in the middle of the woods on a warm afternoon, that is."
    She smiled. "Do you do that a lot?"
    "No." Gideon folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes. In a moment he was sound asleep.
    Sarah watched him for a while, the sweet longing deep inside making her feel unaccountably sad. She wished he belonged to her so that she could touch him; make love to him.
    A few minutes later she pillowed her head on his strong shoulder and fell asleep.
    When she awoke a long while later, Gideon's fingers were on the buttons of her shirt and he was leaning over her with a compelling passion blazing in his gemlike eyes.
    "You want to prove to me that I'm more important than finding the earrings?" he challenged softly. "Let me make love to you. Here. Now."
    Dazed with sleep, sunlight and a sudden, searing sense of longing, Sarah reached up to put her arms around his neck.

6
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    A N ALMOST UNBEARABLE SENSE of excitement washed through Gideon as he watched Sarah awaken with a smile of sensual welcome in her eyes. It suddenly occurred to him that he had been waiting all of his life to see just that look in a woman's gaze. The feel of her arms stealing around him was more satisfying than finding hidden treasure. His hand trembled from anticipation and desire as he touched her.
    "Gideon? What is it?"
    "I want you. So bad I can taste it."
    He winced inwardly at the sound of his own voice. It was harsh and raspy in his throat. He wanted to murmur in her ear; he wanted to charm her; coax her into making love with him; persuade her into sensual surrender. He longed to reassure her—to tell her he would be careful with her, infinitely careful. He would do everything he could to make it good for her.
    But the only words he could get out were the ones that told her he was starving for her. He wondered if he'd frightened her.
    "I'm glad you want me," Sarah said. "So glad."
    She wasn't trying to pull away from him, he realized. She still wanted him as much as she had seemed to want him whenever he had kissed her during the past few days.
    Gideon relaxed slightly. He touched her throat, inhaling the scent of her, and felt her fingers move in his hair. The gentle caress sent passionate chills down his spine.
    When he finally got her shirt open he thought he would lose what remained of his self-control. He lifted his head to stare down at the curves of her small, full breasts. His whole body was tight, hot and heavy now.
    "So sweet." He bent his head to kiss the soft, inviting fullness of her. "Soft. Hot." He caught her nipple gently between his teeth. It grew taut and firm almost instantly and his whole body clenched in response.
    "Oh, Gideon."
    Her leg shifted, sliding alongside his, and Gideon was suddenly impatient with the clothing. He splayed his fingers over her warm belly and slid his hand down to the fastening of her jeans. He hesitated, waiting to see if she would resist this next step.
    She didn't. She simply lifted her hips so that he could push the jeans off entirely. When he saw the scrap of red lace she wore as panties, he thought he would go out of his mind.
    "I've never seen anything sexier in my life," he whispered as he slipped one finger beneath the elastic edge of the delightfully shameless undergarment.
    She laughed softly and buried her flushed face in his shoulder. "Good. I wore them just for you."
    "Does that mean you intended to let me make love to you today?"
    "I've got six other pairs just like these with me. I bought them in Seattle before I came to meet you. I've worn one of the pairs every day since I found you. I never knew when this was going to happen, you see. I wanted to be prepared."
    He was torn between laughter and a frustrated groan. "What about your famous intuition? Didn't that warn you when this would happen?"
    "My intuition is always at war with my common sense when I'm around you," she complained softly. "You make it hard for me to think straight. Things aren't always clear for some reason."
    "I'm glad. And I can't wait to see the other six pairs." He covered her mouth with his own, his tongue surging intimately between her lips. He knew he was seeking advance knowledge of what it would be like when he claimed her completely. The sample he got was enough to make his head whirl.
    His fingers found the hot, flowing warmth of her and he almost came unraveled.
    "I love the feel of you," Sarah said, her eyes narrowing with desire. "Your hands. Yes, please,