Thorn's Challenge Part 13

With slow, gentle precision, he began withdrawing then reentering her body, over and over again, thrusting gently, firmly, deeply, establishing a rhythm that she immediately followed.

Tara closed her eyes, savoring their lovemaking, wanting Thorn never to stop what he was doing to her, how he was making her feel. Every time he reentered her, the sensations were heightened and shivers of pleasure raced all through her.

Overwhelmed, feeling herself losing control, she reached up and brought his mouth to hers when she felt him increase their rhythm in a beat so timeless it intensified the pa.s.sion between them. Explosive, flashing heat surrounded them, making her dig her fingertips into his shoulders and whisper his name over and over, revelling in the feel of flesh against flesh.

And then Tara felt herself go. Her body shook beneath the force of his firm hips locking her body to his as sensations poured through her.

"Look at me, baby."

She opened her eyes and did as Thorn requested. She met his gaze when she felt her body come apart and watched as his own body stiffened while waves of pleasure washed through him. He increased the pace of their rhythm and whispered, "mine," at the exact moment he threw his head back and spilled inside her, his release flooding her insides.

"Thorn!"

Her body responded yet again as another climax tore into her, this one more volatile, eruptive and explosive than all others, triggering him into another o.r.g.a.s.m as well. He tightened his hold on her as his body devoured her, mated with hers, and loved her.

In Tara's mind and heart this was more than s.e.x. It was the most beautiful and profound joining, and she knew in her heart that for the rest of her life she would love Thorn Westmoreland.

Eleven.

H is is woman was asleep. woman was asleep.

After they had made love twice, he had cuddled her into his arms and watched as her eyes had drifted closed. And he had been watching her since.

She was lying facing him, her front to his, her face just a breath away from his. She was a silent sleeper, barely making a sound as she inhaled and exhaled.

d.a.m.n, she looked and smelled good.

His arousal stirred and the need to have her again sent tremors through his body. This would be the third time, but he couldn't ride her hard the way he had planned. She was sore, and he knew that only a selfish person would put her through a vigorous round of lovemaking after what they'd just shared.

He would go slow and gentle. Reaching out, he slid his hand up and down her body, his caresses lingering on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, the curves of her waist before moving lower to her belly. He pushed aside the sheet that covered her, and, moving his hand even lower, he gently touched her feminine folds, inhaling the sensuous scent, a combination of s.e.x and Tara.

His heartbeat raced, knowing that this part of her, whether she realized it or not, was now his, lock, stock and barrel. He had taken ownership of it. Her body was her body and her body was also his. his. No other man would have the opportunity to sample the treasures that she had entrusted to him. No other man would have the opportunity to sample the treasures that she had entrusted to him.

Feeling the need to join with her once again, he leaned forward and kissed her awake. She slowly opened her eyes and a sultry, tempting smile touched the corners of her lips.

"You want more?" she asked sleepily, coming fully awake.

He smiled. "What gave you that idea?"

She glanced down and saw his aroused body. "That."

A chuckle escaped his lips. "Yeah, that that is certainly a giveaway." He then reached out and placed her on top, straddling him. From the expression on her face, he knew she was surprised by the move. "This way you control everything," he whispered, explaining. is certainly a giveaway." He then reached out and placed her on top, straddling him. From the expression on her face, he knew she was surprised by the move. "This way you control everything," he whispered, explaining.

The hard length of him was standing at attention, which made it easy for her body to move over it and sink down upon it, taking him within her. It felt hot as it penetrated the depths of her.

She smiled. Thorn had been right. This position gave her more s.e.xual freedom and definitely provided him with visual pleasure. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were right there in front of his eyes...as well as his mouth, and he quickly took full advantage.

He sucked and licked her nipples to his heart's content while she slowly moved back and forth, up and down over him, establishing the rhythm and speed of his thrusting. She looked down and watched him devour her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, the sight making her go faster and deeper, stimulating her mind as well as her body in a way she hadn't thought was possible.

And then it happened again, she became absorbed with pleasure so deep and profound she couldn't help but cry out as she increased their rhythm. Her climax triggered his and he moved his lips from her b.r.e.a.s.t.s to her mouth, as waves of pleasure drowned them, leaving them swirling in a sensuous aftermath.

"Are you sure you want to go to the victory party?"

Tara glanced up from putting the finishing touches on her makeup. "Of course I want to go. This is a big moment for you and I'm glad to be able to share in it. Besides, how would it look if the honoree didn't make an appearance?"

Thorn chuckled as he b.u.t.toned up his shirt. "I'm sure my brothers would come up with an excuse."

Tara exhaled deeply. That's what she was worried about since she was certain his brothers were well aware of what they'd been doing closed up in a hotel room for the past four hours. Still she didn't want anyone to think of their intimate activities as something meaningless and degrading.

Thorn had a.s.sured her that he hadn't told them about the deal they'd made and she was grateful for that. It would be bad enough seeing them tonight knowing they knew, or had a pretty good idea of, just what she and Thorn had been doing.

She was sure that most of the time the winner of such a publicized event didn't disappear behind closed doors right after a race. He would usually start partying, which could go well into the next day. Since it was Sunday, a lot of people would pack up to leave after the race, but most stayed over to Monday or well into the following week.

"Ready?"

She glanced over at Thorn. He was completely dressed, and the look he gave her let her know he liked her outfit but preferred her naked in bed with him. She smiled. Leaving the confines of the hotel room was a good idea. Chances were they would be going another couple of rounds tonight.

"I must say, Thorn, you're in a real good mood, tonight," Stone said grinning.

Thorn raised a brow as he glanced at his brothers, Stone, Chase and Storm. The four of them had left the party and stood outside smoking congratulatory cigars, compliments of one of his racing sponsors.

"Yeah, Thorn, it seems that four hours shut up behind closed doors with Tara did wonders for your disposition and mood," Chase added, grinning between puffs of his cigar.

"And I appreciate you helping me to win that bet, Thorn. I told these guys that although Tara was your challenge, you could overcome that little obstacle and would have her eating out of your hands and in your bed in no time," Storm added. "Yeah, victory today was rather nice for you in more ways than one, wasn't it Thorn?"

Tara had decided to come outside and round up the brothers to tell them their parents were on Dare's mobile phone and wanted to congratulate Thorn. She had stopped right before interrupting them, shocked at what she had overheard. There had been a bet between Thorn and his brothers that he would be able to get her in his bed? Today had meant nothing to him but winning a bet?

Backing up so they wouldn't see her, she felt tears of humiliation stinging her eyes. She felt just as humiliated now as she had three years ago when Derrick had embarra.s.sed her in front of a church filled with people. And it hurt worse than before because of the magnitude of love she felt for Thorn. Her love for Derrick had been a young girl's love that had grown from an extended friendship between two families. But her love for Thorn was that of a woman, a woman who, it now seemed, had made a mistake, a big mistake for the second time in her life.

She quickly turned around and ran smack into Dare. He caught her by the arm to stop her from falling. He frowned when he saw the tears that filled her eyes. "Tara, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

She swiped away the tears that she couldn't stop. "No, I'm not okay, Dare, and I don't appreciate your brothers making a bet on me that way. And you can tell Thorn that I hope never to see him again." Without saying anything else she pulled away and went back inside.

After Storm's statement, Thorn's temper exploded and he looked at his brothers for the longest time without saying anything, fighting down the urge to walk across the s.p.a.ce of the veranda that separated them and knock the h.e.l.l out of each one of them.

"I think I need to set the record straight about something. My relationship with Tara had nothing to do with the bet the three of you made," he said through gritted teeth, trying to hold his anger in check and remember the four of them shared the same parents.

"She means more to me than a chance to score after two years." He sighed, not giving a royal d.a.m.n what he was about to admit to his brothers. The way he felt, he would gladly shout it out to the world if he had to. "I love Tara. I love her with everything that's inside of me, and it's about time the three of you knew that."

Stone's shoulder was propped against the building and he wore a huge grin. "Oh, we know you love her, Thorn. We've known it for a while. Getting you to realize that you loved her was the kicker. The only reason we said what we did a few minutes ago was to get you p.i.s.sed off enough to admit what Tara means to you."

"And it might be too late," Dare said, walking up to join the group. He wore an angry expression as he faced his brothers. "Your little playacting may have cost Thorn Tara's love."

Thorn frowned. "What the h.e.l.l are you talking about?"

Dare shook his head, knowing all h.e.l.l was about to break lose and that somehow he would have to find a way to contain Thorn's fury. "Mom and Dad called and Tara volunteered to come get you guys. Evidently she overheard the first part of the conversation. When I saw her she was crying so hard she couldn't see straight and b.u.mped right into me when I came to find out what was taking all of you so long."

Dare shook his head sadly. "She gave me a message to give you. She told me to tell you that she doesn't want to see you again."

Hearing enough, Thorn spun around, and, without giving his brothers another glance, he quickly went back into the building in search of Tara.

"She left, Thorn," Sh.e.l.ly Westmoreland said, frowning at her brother-in-law. "She was crying and came back inside just long enough to get her purse. She left through that side door. Exactly what did you do to her?"

Thorn couldn't wait to give Sh.e.l.ly an answer. More than likely Tara had returned to the hotel and he planned to be right on her heels. He had a lot of explaining to do and he also intended to tell her just what she meant to him.

When Thorn got to the hotel he saw that Tara had not been there, and he started to worry. One of the members of his work crew indicated he had given Tara a lift from the victory party back to the hotel to get her rental car. When hours pa.s.sed and she still hadn't come, his worry increased. Even when his brothers showed up to apologize and discovered Tara hadn't returned, he could tell that it made them feel worse, which, as far as he was concerned, served them right.

He had finally gotten them to leave after Dare had placed a call to the sheriff in Daytona, whom he knew personally. After checking things out, the sheriff had informed them that a vehicle fitting the description of the rental car that Tara was driving had been spotted on the interstate heading toward Bunnell.

Thorn paced the confines of the hotel room. He was angry with his brothers but angrier with himself. He should have spilled his heart and soul to her when he'd had the chance. Now she would a.s.sume that what she had overheard was true and would believe that he was another man who had humiliated her.

He knew he had to let her know how much he loved her and just how much she meant to him. Over the past two years she had been many things to him: his challenge, his sweetest temptation and his woman.

Now he had to convince her that he loved her and more than anything he wanted her as his wife.

Twelve.

T ara woke up early the next morning in her old bedroom. She glanced around. Her parents had pretty much kept things the same, and she was glad that when she'd left home two years ago she hadn't packed every st.i.tch she owned, otherwise she would not have had a thing to wear. Luckily for her, her closets and dresser drawers were filled with both inner and outerwear that still fit her. ara woke up early the next morning in her old bedroom. She glanced around. Her parents had pretty much kept things the same, and she was glad that when she'd left home two years ago she hadn't packed every st.i.tch she owned, otherwise she would not have had a thing to wear. Luckily for her, her closets and dresser drawers were filled with both inner and outerwear that still fit her.

She knew her parents had been surprised to see her when she had unexpectedly shown up last night asking if she could stay for the next couple of days, just long enough to get a flight back to Atlanta. They hadn't asked her any questions but had welcomed her with open arms and told her she knew she could stay for as long as she liked. She had also contacted the rental car agency to let them know she intended to keep the vehicle a while longer.

She sighed deeply. Her parents had always been super and she appreciated them for everything they had ever done for her. Her brothers had returned to college and her baby sister had left that day for an out of town trip with the school's band for a week. In a way she was glad none of her siblings were there to see her go through heartbreak a second time.

Flipping onto her back she knew she had decisions to make. Maybe it was time for her to leave the Atlanta area. A friend of hers from med school was trying to get her to think about coming to Boston to work. Maybe relocating to Ma.s.sachusetts was exactly the change she needed.

"I see that young man of yours won the big race yesterday in Daytona, Tara Lynn. It was in the newspapers this morning and the whole town has been talking about it. You must be proud of him."

Tara smiled over the dinner table at her father. As usual, he had closed his office at noon on Monday and had come home for an early dinner. As long as she could remember, her parents had been members of a bowling league and usually headed for the bowling lanes every Monday afternoon.

"Yes, I'm proud of him," she said stiffly. She knew her parents had figured out that Thorn had somehow played a part in her unexpected appearance on their doorstep last night. She sighed, deciding to tell them an abbreviated version of things, just enough for them to know her relationship with Thorn was over.

She was about to open her mouth to speak when the phone rang. Her father got up quickly to answer it in case it was a parent needing his help with a sick child. He still did house calls occasionally.

"Yes, sheriff, I'm fine, what about you?" Tara heard her father say. She frowned, wondering why the sheriff was calling her father. She then remembered the sheriff and his wife were part of her parents' bowling team. He was probably calling regarding that.

She noticed her father's gaze had moved to her and she raised a brow when moments later she heard him say, "All right. I'll let her know."

After he hung up the phone he rejoined her and her mother at the table. Her mother asked what the sheriff had wanted before Tara got the chance to do so. Frank Matthews leaned back in his chair with his gaze locked on his daughter while answering his wife's question. "It seemed that Deke just issued a special permit."

Her mother's brow rose. "What sort of special permit?"

Before her father could respond, the sound of thunder suddenly filled the house. "My G.o.d," Lynn Matthews said, getting up from the table. "That sounds like thunder. I don't recall the weatherman saying anything about rain this evening."

Frank Matthews shook his head. "That's not thunder, Lynn," he said to his wife while keeping his gaze fixed on his daughter. "Deke issued a special permit for a bunch of bikers to parade peacefully through the streets of Bunnell."

Lynn Matthews's features reflected surprise. "Bikers? What on earth for? Bunnell is such a small peaceful town; I can't imagine such a thing happening."

A smile touched the corners of Frank Matthews's lips when he answered. "It appears one of the bikers, the one leading the pack, who also happens to be the winner of yesterday's championship motorcycle race in Daytona, is headed for our house. It seems he's coming for our daughter."

Tara blinked, not sure she had heard her father correctly. "Thorn? He's coming here?"

Her father nodded. "Yes. It seems he and his band of followers are making their way round the corner as we speak."

Tara frowned, wondering why Thorn and the other cyclists would be coming here and why her father thought he was coming for her. Before she could voice that question, the roar of cycles nearly shook the house.