“Hey, woman, I’m not playing,” he said sternly, his eyes blazing. “I am a tough guy.”
“I know you are,” she said with mock horror. “And I’m terrified of the big bad monster. But seriously, Ronan, what are you going to do?”
“You think I should go now?”
“You don’t have to tell Travis you’re there. But I’d feel better if you were close by.”
“I’m beginning to think you’ve got the hots for guy,” he muttered irritably.
“Oh, baby, you’ve gotta be kidding! He’s just a boy.” She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. “I gave up boys a long time ago. I like men.”
A low rumble of laughter emerged from Ronan’s throat as he slid off the sofa and onto the floor, carrying her with him so that she landed on top of him, chest to chest and thigh to thigh. His hand slid into the heavy fall of her hair, drawing her head down. “Show me,” he whispered, his voice husky with desire as his other hand glided suggestively up and down her back. “Show me how much you like men.”
“Not men,” she corrected, nipping his lower lip. “Just one man.”
“Show me,” he said for the third time.
“My pleasure.” Straddling his hips, she teased and tormented him until he was on fire for her. “More?” she purred.
“I’ll take all you’ve got, darlin’.”
“And then we’ll go to Vermont?”
“Anywhere the hell you want.” He growled low in his throat as her hands caressed him. “Just finish what you started.”
Chapter 33
Sara woke with a start. Sitting up, she turned on the bedside lamp, her gaze darting nervously around the room. She had been dreaming of Travis, reveling in the touch of his hands, the pleasure of his kisses, the way he said her name, almost like a prayer. He had needed her in a way no one else ever had and although she didn’t understand it, she had found his need extremely sexy until, suddenly, he didn’t want her any more because she was human and puny and he was strong and immortal. His words of rejection had brought tears to her eyes until she was sobbing because she wasn’t good enough for him. And then, abruptly, something had awakened her. An unshakeable feeling that she was being watched.
Throwing back the covers, Sara went to close the curtains, only to let out a soft shriek when she saw a figure in the window. She laughed out loud when she realized it was only her reflection in the glass.
After quickly closing the curtains, she let out a long sigh of relief. She’d been having trouble sleeping for the last week or so. Trouble concentrating on what was going on around her. Lost in her own thoughts, she kept reliving the time she had spent with Travis, daydreaming about the future they would never have, missing him more with every passing day.
She was tired of endless parties. Tired of pretending she was having a good time, that she was interested in the latest gossip. Tired of pretending to be thrilled when one friend got engaged and another got married and a third had her first baby. She was bored out of her mind. Bored with living back home. Bored with her friends. Bored with Dil.
Hard as it was to believe, she missed the excitement of being with Travis, of living on the edge of danger, which made her wonder if there was something wrong with her. She had been terrified when Jarick kidnapped her, knew she could have been killed.
Surely there must be some happy medium between being utterly bored and moments away from a hideous death!
Padding across the floor, she slid into bed.
Just before she drifted off, she thought she heard Travis’ voice whispering her name.
A phone call from Dil woke Sara the next morning. She glanced, bleary-eyed, at the clock, wondering what was so urgent that he’d called before nine. “Hello?”
“What are you doing, sugarplum?” he asked.
“I was sleeping,” she said, yawning. “What are you doing?”
“I’m parked out front. I thought we’d go for an early breakfast.”
“Now?”
“Come on, sleepy head. It’s a beautiful day.”
“Oh, all right. Knock on the back door and ask Lucy to give you a cup of coffee. I’ll be down in twenty minutes.”
Throwing back the covers, Sara went into the bathroom. After a quick shower, she brushed her teeth, tied her hair back into a ponytail, then pulled on a pair of white shorts and a red tank top, stepped into a pair of sandals, and hurried downstairs.
Dil was waiting for her in the kitchen. “Gee, hon, you didn’t have to dress up on my account,” he said with a laugh.
“This is what you get when you come calling before ten,” she said with a shrug. “Where are we going for breakfast?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Lucy, please tell my folks where I’ve gone.”
“Yes, Miss Sara,” the cook said with a broad smile. “Have a good time now, hear?”
Sara wondered what had put Lucy in such a jovial mood as she followed Dil out the front door.
As Dil had said, it was a lovely day. He had the top down on his Maserati and she sat back in her seat, enjoying the beauty of the countryside as it flashed by.
She frowned when Dil pulled turned off the highway and drove into a wooded area some distance off the road.
“I don’t recall any restaurants out here,” Sara remarked, glancing around.
“It’s new.” He parked the car, got out, and opened her door. “Come on.” Taking her hand, he led her toward a patch of lush green grass surrounded by tall trees.
Sara’s eyes widened when she saw the white wicker picnic basket sitting on a blanket beside a chilled bottle of champagne. She felt suddenly apprehensive as he indicated she should sit down. Dil had always
