MARY J. DRESSEL BOOKS Welcomes You!
Romance With a Sensual Touch
From Chapter 19 PG Rating
“Eryn, I need you so much,” he whispered. “Last night was over too soon. Let us do it better this time.”
Better? There was a better? She thought it was the best it could be already. But she wiped that thought from her mind immediately!
His breath was warm, moist in her ear, and she felt an arousal that she didn’t want to feel, that she wanted to feel, didn’t want to feel. Damn! If she could just make up her mind. There must be a way for her to distract him without him realizing that’s what she was doing. “Uriah, I’m hungry. Let’s go make something to eat.” The growling of her stomach came at the perfect time.
“Let us satisfy our hunger right here.” He turned her to face him, that sensual look in his sensitive eyes. How would she get out of this? Why in hell would she want to? The “good” conscience won!
When she started to leave he took hold of her arm, mercifully staring into her eyes. Towering above her he gently wrapped his fingers around the nape of her neck and with his other hand, tipped her face upward toward him.
“I want you…right now, right here. I’m hungry too, sweet Eryn.”
With that said he kissed her lips ever so tenderly, not releasing her except for an occasional breath. It was hard, impossible, to ignore his lips covering her mouth, sucking gently on her bottom lip, tracing the top of her mouth with his tongue. All that exploring allowed him to lay claim, owning her lips, her emotions, her soul, and he knew it.
And so did she!
Eryn quickly became lost in his lust, losing the battle of trying to keep her emotions in line. Trying to keep her body from melting right there on the floor. I can’t, won’t respond again, it’s not fair, she thought, hoping she could do it. Pulling out of his grasp, hopelessly out of breath, she said, “Uriah, we have to talk.”
Unfortunately for her, he was oblivious to her words.
“Stop!”
“I can’t!”
He didn’t release her. All that was released was the heat of his very own body penetrating her thick clothes. His lips, warm as they may be, caused her to feel heated all over, barely in control of her breathing. Her hands wanted, needed to touch him, but she was afraid. She’d be happy when she learned what she was afraid of. “You promised you wouldn’t do this again, please stop.”
“I promised I wouldn’t force you, hurt you.”
“Well, you are hurting me!” Having to reject him hurt more than any attack could.
“Oh, Eryn, this has got to hurt more than giving in to me… It’s only you, only me. Nothing else exist except us.” Pulling her even closer, he whispered, “This is our world again, we’ve found each other. Sweet Eryn, I love you, we need each other.”
She couldn’t take much more of his begging words, she would break if she didn’t get out of his strong, warm arms. “No, not right now.” If he thought there was a chance of loving her later maybe he would go away and leave his tender, loving lips off her.
As suddenly as he held her, he let her go. “What do you want to talk about? You already know what I want to talk about.” He traced her lips with his finger, the wanting, lustful look remaining in his eyes.
She never knew a man’s feelings to show in his eyes as Uriah Prescot’s did. Something good in her inner being, soared.
Eryn moved away from him and walked directly to the stairs, hiding from him the steady beat of her excited heart. “Who built this log house?”
“I did,” said Uriah. “Why?”
“Who decorated it?”
“I did. Why?”
“I love everything about it,” she said, looking at him with an erratic smile before hurrying down.
Uriah sat on the bed, holding his head in his hands, trying to quiet his body before he faced her again, for the look of her inflamed him and he had to keep in control. He knew she would like the place and its decor, he did it completely for her and no one else. Gradually, the pace of his racing pulse slowed down. Slowly, his heart went back to its normal beat. The perspiration evaporated from his chest, back, everywhere perspiration could be. His legs got their strength back and he could once again see her, only to have his body enticed one more time at the very sight of her.
She actually was hungry as she went to the refrigerator. It was stocked with more food. “Where’s this food coming from? You can’t have all this in the back of your truck, Uriah,” she said when he stepped off the step.
“I went shopping.”
“You left me here while you went shopping? Did I sleep that long?
Will you take me with you the next time?”
“I don’t know. That’s another thing for me to think about,” he said, a wry twist on his lips.
“And I need some clothes, I want my clothes.”
“What’s wrong with the clothes in the trunk? You used to love those clothes.”
“This is not 1882, and I’m not that person anymore. You seem to keep forgetting that. Don’t you?”
“You are that person, Eryn, you’re the one that keeps forgetting.” His voice mellowed and he looked at the floor. “You are her.”
Eryn wanted to go to him, but she wanted to run from him, too. What am I supposed to do? she wondered. Suddenly she wasn’t hungry anymore. The gorgeous, summer like day drew her outside to the porch where she sat on the rattan sofa. It was beautiful though chilly, apparent by the chill bumps creeping over her skin. In the distant east she counted the seven mountain ridges. The gold and red foliage was brilliant. Where is this going to end?
Before turning to go she stood on the walk, spellbound. She was afraid to
venture any farther, this time. There would be more times, she knew that. Tonight, the stars were glimmering in the evening sky. Moonlight was gradually rising in the east. The smell of smoked meat filled the pure air, and a whip-poor-will sang for its mate in the eventide.
Tranquil! A feeling of tranquility floated over her from her head to her toes, from the inside to the outside. There was no other word to describe it. Tranquil!
The photograph was nearly crinkled from the tight clench she had upon it, actually afraid for it to end, but hoping it would.
She turned to walk inside and a breeze blew her hair across her face. Reaching for the door she stepped inside, but the lantern blew out, causing her to fumble around trying to find her way. What sounded like a deep sigh stopped her in mid-step. Moonlight filtered in through the opened door, casting shadows on the wall. Through the dimmed light something in the corner looked like the figure of a man, a man with broad shoulders. She sucked in her breath, then caught a glimpse of the lantern before another cloud appeared. Haphazardly, she reached for it, searching in her pocket for a match. Two were left and from somewhere a light breeze blew the first out. She struck the last one, thankfully accomplishing her feat, and the lantern glowed.
Quickly swinging around, no one was there. As quickly and nonchalantly as the first time, the same thing happened again, but this time she found herself back in the old man's book store, unscathed in the process. The crinkled photo went back where it rested for who knows how long, and she closed the album. Kneeling low to slip beneath the planks, she blew out the lantern, closed her eyes and stepped out.
Standing upright in the cool night air, feeling the wet dew, smelling the dampness, told her she was back to normal, whatever that was. The fog had come in so rapidly, so thick, that it moistened her skin like a spray. Her eyes didn't open until she heard Cole's voice.
Stuttering was all that came out of her mouth as she tried to speak. "You won't believe this! I went through some kind of time warp. I was in this very same town but it was 1882, I saw a newspaper! I was in the past. I was in another time!"
She so wanted to turn and run to him, let him take her into his house and do what he could do so well. But she couldn't, for Grandpapa was waiting, waiting. Faster now, walk faster she told herself. Don't look back, but she had to look back, just one more time she had to look back. The sight she witnessed tore her heart apart. Uriah, her knight, stood staring, watching, crying. The daisies, one, two, three, slipping from his fingers, falling to the ground. One more glance. "Good Bye, my brave knight, good-bye... I will always love you," she whispered, as she climbed into the carriage.
Twenty years-- Twenty years plus a Century...
They entered through a long hall creatively decorated with simple, antique wood furnishings. Candles glowed in the hallway that led to a small mahogany desk. As she walked toward it the clerk raised his eyes, staring at her with a look...a look so seductive, it caused tingles to tiptoe down her spine. She didn't notice his face turned pale and his knuckles turned white as he gripped the edge of the desk.
In a flurry he went to meet her--so wanting to take her hand, taste her lips, touch her soul, but he didn't. Still, he escorted her to the desk, not removing his eyes from her beautiful face.
"You don't remember me, do you?" he said, his voice quivering...
When the waiter left, Eryn looked up, seeing Uriah standing in the foyer looking through the doorway at her. His hair was loose and combed behind his ears, falling past his shoulders to the middle of his back. Seeing him standing like that brought familiar feelings back to her. She couldn't place the feeling or the reason she trembled. All she knew at this very moment was she sure liked the look of him.
That sly, ominous smile was on his face; he stood with arms folded, one hand stroking his mustache as if in deep thought. The light reflected off a ring on his finger, a ring that looked too familiar, but she couldn't be sure from this distance. He was wearing a loose pair of Levi jeans, a light blue cotton pullover shirt, and a gray leather vest. The smell of leather, still lingering on her memory from the short episode that just took place in her room.
When he realized her gaze was upon him he turned and left. Eryn suddenly couldn't wait to leave Enchantment, the town that had drawn her in. Her gloomy emotions were as crestfallen as the hidden sun on a cloudy day....
She undressed, slipping the gown over her head, feeling it slip easily over her toned body. The lace at the bottom brushed the floor, flaring out in the back. It reminded her of something she had seen in old, fashion catalogs.
The hazy moon went behind a cloud leaving the night as black as black. A branch scraped across the window pane, startling her. She shrugged it off, guiltlessly admiring herself in the mirror. A perfect fit, she thought. She sat down at the dressing table, brushing out her hair. In her mind she saw a reflection of Uriah Prescot. He was smiling at her, standing in a field of daisies, but he looked younger. A clang against the window caused her to jump. As she leaned over the window seat to look outside, her gown slipped from her shoulder, and before the moon went behind another cloud, she thought there was a movement near a tree in the backyard. When the moon reappeared she looked to the same spot, but saw nothing. Was there a musky fragrance riding on the air, maybe a hint of spice, too?
