Chapter 16
Was it possible to FEEL this much, Sheridan wondered as she melted into Luis. Her legs tightened around his waist as she opened her mouth over his. Moaning as the kiss reached a fever-pitch intensity. Her blood rushed in her ears. Her heart beat furiously against her rib cage. Her insides turning into molten heat. So hot she had the insane notion she was burning alive. From the inside out as his tongue stroked deftly against hers. One of Luis's hands splayed at dip of her waist. And the nimble fingers of his other hand played with the tiny baby blue string at her back. She sucked in unsteady breaths when he finally released her lips. Her chest heaving. The need for air overwhelming. She clutched at his shoulders. Leaning her forehead against his for several seconds. Until the need to feel his lips on hers again proved too much. She wanted to cry at the sweetness of his kiss as he drew her bottom lip between both of his soft, warm lips.
Her fingers combed the damp black hair at the base of his neck lightly just before she wrapped her arms more tightly about his neck. Loving the heady feeling of being so close to him. Not even a breath's distance between their bodies. Luis groaned at the sensation the contact of her lithe body with his produced. The feeling of her soft skin, chilled by the ocean's waters, beneath his fingertips. Silky skin that quickly warmed under his ministrations. His fingers toyed with the tie at her back. Just the slightest pull, and it began to give way. Ever so slowly. And, in an instant, the eyes tinted purple with desire and want and the tiniest measure of reservation opened. Dazzling him. Making him weak. Powerless to resist her. Any longer.
His steps were slow but deliberate as he carried her back to the shore. And Sheridan whimpered at the loss of contact when he lowered her down to the plush towel below. Luis's brown eyes glittered, almost black, at her as he braced himself on his elbows. Reaching a hand out to sweep her golden hair from her brow and placing a feather-light kiss there. "Luis," she breathed. Holding out her arms and welcoming the solid warmth of him again. She ran her hands up and down his arms. Amazed at the sheer strength brimming just beneath the surface as his muscles rippled with each movement. Luis's lips trailed down the line of her jaw. The hiss of his breath against the curve of her neck making her shiver. The feel of his hands. His touch intoxicating as his hands lingered at her waist. His thumbs caressing her sides absently. She sighed against his lips as he rolled them over. And they were face to face. Nose to nose. Mouth to mouth. Giving and taking pleasure from each other. His hands swept the length of her back. Tracing the ridges of her spine. And her heart lodged somewhere in her throat as fingers undid the final strings at her neck. "Luis," her voice came out in a whisper. An unsure whisper. Her breath stopping as he pulled her to him. "Shh," he soothed. Kissing her temple and rubbing her back comfortingly. "You need me to slow down.I'll slow down," he murmured raggedly against her brow. "Whatever you want, Princess. Whatever you want."
She felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. Amazed at the caring in his voice. The understanding. And she felt totally inadequate at that moment. Woefully inexperienced. Wasn't it she who'd moments-or maybe it was hours ago, she couldn't tell anymore-just told him not to ever stop? She listened to the pounding of his heart as it gradually slowed to a steadier, calmer beat. Wishing for all the world that she could throw all her fears away, and just let him.But she couldn't. Not right here, in this moment, anyway. And that realization had her crying hot, bitter tears. Tears that spilled onto his skin and made his heart ache for her. Ache to kiss them away. "I'm so sorry," she cried in shame. "I did it again. I'm so stupid, Luis. I don't know what's wrong with me. I want you to.I want to.I want to be with you, Luis. So much it hurts," she whispered. Lifting her head to look at him. For the first time. "There's NOTHING wrong with you, Princess. It's a natural reaction. A lot has happened the last several weeks, and it's okay to be scared. Is that all, though? Are you just scared to go further? Or is it something else?" he implored her. "Something else?" she asked in confusion. "Luis.what do you mean?"
Luis sat up. Bringing her with him. She fumbled with the ties at her back for a moment. Then dropped her hands to her lap. Clasping them together nervously. Digging her toes into the sand at her feet and studying the ring on her finger. The cross ring she never took off. "I don't know," he finally said. Shifting uncomfortably beside her as their shoulders brushed. The electric shocks coursing through his veins. "I don't know," he repeated. "Maybe you're afraid what'll happen afterward." "Luis," she said softly. Twisting the ring on her finger self-consciously. "I don't follow." "The future," he supplied. "It's not always a definite thing. Maybe that scares you more than.forget it. I obviously have NO clue what I'm saying here. Forget I even said a word." "No," she sighed. A gentle hand on his arm. "I think you do. And you're right. What happens, Luis, if my father finds us? What happens then? Will we just go our separate ways? My father's a very powerful man," she ducked her head. "He's used to getting what he wants, and in this case, he wants me MARRIED. And not to you," she said quietly.
"Not to me," he muttered under his breath. Surprised at how much that thought bothered him. And the depth of his feelings surprised him. He'd told himself before that he was just helping her out. A friend. An innocent among evil. That he cared about. Very much. But enough that the thought of her married to another man revolted him? Did funny things to his heart? Suddenly, he wasn't sure of anything anymore. Least of all his feelings for the beautiful, vibrant girl beside him. "Would you." "Would I what?" he asked. Resisting the urge to look away from her intense blue gaze. "Nothing," she mumbled. Tucking her knees beneath her chin and looking out at the waves in front of her. Would you fight to be with me, she wondered silently. "Hey," he said softly. Against her ear as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Get rid of the down face, okay. 'Cause we don't have to worry about your father. Or anyone else from Harmony. We're safe. And we have all the time in the world to figure this out for ourselves. Someday you'll be ready," he said with another kiss to her temple. She smiled slightly at the sweet kiss he bestowed on her cheek. His faith in her. "Are you coming?" he asked. Hand outstretched. "We still have a helluva lot of work left to do, Princess. Not to mention.what's for dinner?" he teased. Jerking his hand away with an amused chuckle as she swatted at it in irritation. That amused chuckle turning to outright laughter as she jumped him from behind and rode his back all the way to the beach house steps. "No dinner for you, young lady," he groaned as he climbed the steps with heavy feet. "Ouch! I'm sorry," he grumbled good- naturedly as he nudged the front door open with his shoulder. "Getting a little feisty, aren't we?" "Luigi," she warned. "SHUT UP!"
Was it possible to FEEL this much, Sheridan wondered as she melted into Luis. Her legs tightened around his waist as she opened her mouth over his. Moaning as the kiss reached a fever-pitch intensity. Her blood rushed in her ears. Her heart beat furiously against her rib cage. Her insides turning into molten heat. So hot she had the insane notion she was burning alive. From the inside out as his tongue stroked deftly against hers. One of Luis's hands splayed at dip of her waist. And the nimble fingers of his other hand played with the tiny baby blue string at her back. She sucked in unsteady breaths when he finally released her lips. Her chest heaving. The need for air overwhelming. She clutched at his shoulders. Leaning her forehead against his for several seconds. Until the need to feel his lips on hers again proved too much. She wanted to cry at the sweetness of his kiss as he drew her bottom lip between both of his soft, warm lips.
Her fingers combed the damp black hair at the base of his neck lightly just before she wrapped her arms more tightly about his neck. Loving the heady feeling of being so close to him. Not even a breath's distance between their bodies. Luis groaned at the sensation the contact of her lithe body with his produced. The feeling of her soft skin, chilled by the ocean's waters, beneath his fingertips. Silky skin that quickly warmed under his ministrations. His fingers toyed with the tie at her back. Just the slightest pull, and it began to give way. Ever so slowly. And, in an instant, the eyes tinted purple with desire and want and the tiniest measure of reservation opened. Dazzling him. Making him weak. Powerless to resist her. Any longer.
His steps were slow but deliberate as he carried her back to the shore. And Sheridan whimpered at the loss of contact when he lowered her down to the plush towel below. Luis's brown eyes glittered, almost black, at her as he braced himself on his elbows. Reaching a hand out to sweep her golden hair from her brow and placing a feather-light kiss there. "Luis," she breathed. Holding out her arms and welcoming the solid warmth of him again. She ran her hands up and down his arms. Amazed at the sheer strength brimming just beneath the surface as his muscles rippled with each movement. Luis's lips trailed down the line of her jaw. The hiss of his breath against the curve of her neck making her shiver. The feel of his hands. His touch intoxicating as his hands lingered at her waist. His thumbs caressing her sides absently. She sighed against his lips as he rolled them over. And they were face to face. Nose to nose. Mouth to mouth. Giving and taking pleasure from each other. His hands swept the length of her back. Tracing the ridges of her spine. And her heart lodged somewhere in her throat as fingers undid the final strings at her neck. "Luis," her voice came out in a whisper. An unsure whisper. Her breath stopping as he pulled her to him. "Shh," he soothed. Kissing her temple and rubbing her back comfortingly. "You need me to slow down.I'll slow down," he murmured raggedly against her brow. "Whatever you want, Princess. Whatever you want."
She felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. Amazed at the caring in his voice. The understanding. And she felt totally inadequate at that moment. Woefully inexperienced. Wasn't it she who'd moments-or maybe it was hours ago, she couldn't tell anymore-just told him not to ever stop? She listened to the pounding of his heart as it gradually slowed to a steadier, calmer beat. Wishing for all the world that she could throw all her fears away, and just let him.But she couldn't. Not right here, in this moment, anyway. And that realization had her crying hot, bitter tears. Tears that spilled onto his skin and made his heart ache for her. Ache to kiss them away. "I'm so sorry," she cried in shame. "I did it again. I'm so stupid, Luis. I don't know what's wrong with me. I want you to.I want to.I want to be with you, Luis. So much it hurts," she whispered. Lifting her head to look at him. For the first time. "There's NOTHING wrong with you, Princess. It's a natural reaction. A lot has happened the last several weeks, and it's okay to be scared. Is that all, though? Are you just scared to go further? Or is it something else?" he implored her. "Something else?" she asked in confusion. "Luis.what do you mean?"
Luis sat up. Bringing her with him. She fumbled with the ties at her back for a moment. Then dropped her hands to her lap. Clasping them together nervously. Digging her toes into the sand at her feet and studying the ring on her finger. The cross ring she never took off. "I don't know," he finally said. Shifting uncomfortably beside her as their shoulders brushed. The electric shocks coursing through his veins. "I don't know," he repeated. "Maybe you're afraid what'll happen afterward." "Luis," she said softly. Twisting the ring on her finger self-consciously. "I don't follow." "The future," he supplied. "It's not always a definite thing. Maybe that scares you more than.forget it. I obviously have NO clue what I'm saying here. Forget I even said a word." "No," she sighed. A gentle hand on his arm. "I think you do. And you're right. What happens, Luis, if my father finds us? What happens then? Will we just go our separate ways? My father's a very powerful man," she ducked her head. "He's used to getting what he wants, and in this case, he wants me MARRIED. And not to you," she said quietly.
"Not to me," he muttered under his breath. Surprised at how much that thought bothered him. And the depth of his feelings surprised him. He'd told himself before that he was just helping her out. A friend. An innocent among evil. That he cared about. Very much. But enough that the thought of her married to another man revolted him? Did funny things to his heart? Suddenly, he wasn't sure of anything anymore. Least of all his feelings for the beautiful, vibrant girl beside him. "Would you." "Would I what?" he asked. Resisting the urge to look away from her intense blue gaze. "Nothing," she mumbled. Tucking her knees beneath her chin and looking out at the waves in front of her. Would you fight to be with me, she wondered silently. "Hey," he said softly. Against her ear as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Get rid of the down face, okay. 'Cause we don't have to worry about your father. Or anyone else from Harmony. We're safe. And we have all the time in the world to figure this out for ourselves. Someday you'll be ready," he said with another kiss to her temple. She smiled slightly at the sweet kiss he bestowed on her cheek. His faith in her. "Are you coming?" he asked. Hand outstretched. "We still have a helluva lot of work left to do, Princess. Not to mention.what's for dinner?" he teased. Jerking his hand away with an amused chuckle as she swatted at it in irritation. That amused chuckle turning to outright laughter as she jumped him from behind and rode his back all the way to the beach house steps. "No dinner for you, young lady," he groaned as he climbed the steps with heavy feet. "Ouch! I'm sorry," he grumbled good- naturedly as he nudged the front door open with his shoulder. "Getting a little feisty, aren't we?" "Luigi," she warned. "SHUT UP!"