Raintree: Oracle (Raintree 4)

“You might not admit yet that you love me, but you do want me.”

He didn’t deny it.

“I knew you were trouble from the moment I saw you.” Echo kept her voice low, even though there was no one around to hear. “I walked into the pub, took one look at you and almost gave up then and there.”

“You should have.”

“I’m glad I didn’t.” She slipped her hand beneath his shirt, pushed it high, helped him remove it. Then she moved her hands to his jeans. He didn’t fight her efforts. In fact, he helped.

Soon Ryder was as naked as she was. He laid her on the ground, roughly, but not as roughly as she’d thought he might.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“You’re a damned broken record,” he growled. “This is not love.” With that he was inside her, pushing, claiming. He moved fast and hard, without a hint of gentleness. She welcomed him, cradled him, offered softness and love where he believed there was none.

The breeze that washed over her was warm and smelled of the ocean. Impossible. That was the scent of home...and a very real indication that this was now home. Ireland, Cloughban...Ryder.

“Deny it all you want, love,” she said. “I’m yours. You’re mine.”

At that, he did slow. His entire body relaxed. Echo closed her eyes and tilted her head when he moved his mouth to her neck and kissed there. They were still one, still joined, but now there was more. He was as warm as she was. Warmer. The darkness was still there, but it stepped back. It faded. For her...just for her.

The world didn’t stop, not entirely, but it slowed down. There was only him, and her, and the way they fit together. And pleasure. Oh, yes, there was pleasure, sharper and deeper than any she had ever known. When she tried to tell Ryder again that she loved him, the words were all but unintelligible.

She climaxed quickly, too quickly, screaming as she lost all control.

And then he came with her, and on the fading waves of her own climax visions not her own filled her swimming head.

Fire.

Illusion.

Lightning.

The snarl of an animal.

Darkness.

And beneath it all, light.

Chapter 19

He fought. In his mind, his heart, in the blood that rushed through his veins. Rye was at war with himself. A few minutes ago his life, his plans, had seemed so simple. All he needed was Cassidy. Together they would have anything and everything they wanted...

Now, still inside her, still a part of her, he wanted Echo, too. He wouldn’t call this love; he didn’t believe in love, but he did want her.

Naked, entangled in the center of the stones, he said, “Come with us. You, me, Cassidy... We can have it all.”

She sighed; her warm chest rose and fell. “You’re an idiot. You already have it all.”

He shouldn’t allow her to talk to him that way, but...he let the infraction slide. For now. So much had happened in such a short

time. He was free. Cassidy was safe. Echo was here. His. Knowing who he was and what he’d done, she still offered herself to him. Body, heart and soul.

He rolled away. Touching her was a weakness. “We have nothing, not yet,” he said. “In time, we can rule the world.”

She laughed. Laughed! Then she rose and looked at him. Naked and beautiful in the moonlight, flushed with pleasure, she was tempting. Still. Again.

Her smile remained as she said, “You know, in comic books and movies villains always want to rule the world. But really, what do they expect to do with it once it’s theirs? Ruling the world just sounds like a lot of trouble to me. One problem after another.”