logged more frequent flyer miles than any pilot, searching for Chad,” Dane pointed out.
“Don’t you see? This is the first chance in months, the first real possibility somebody may have seen him!”
Dane thought she was building this up too much, and obviously so did Quinn. But Dane knew that when Kayla focused on something, there was no stopping her. It took a considerable effort for him to quash the reaction that had become nearly automatic over the past couple of years. He’d promised her he would give this a full, honest shot. One last time.
Then it would be over, one way or another.
“All right,” he said. “We’ll both go.” He glanced at Quinn. “Assuming there’s room in this plane of yours.”
“There’s room,” Quinn said. “But it’s still not a good idea. It could well be a wasted trip.”
“Won’t be the first,” Dane said. He saw Kayla wince, and he sighed. “Sorry. I meant what I said. This gets every chance to work.”
So if I have to walk away, I can walk away clean, knowing I gave it as much as I could.
He hated that those were the words that formed in his mind, but he couldn’t deny them. It was the truth. For all the sweetness rediscovered last night, it hadn’t really changed anything. If Kayla couldn’t or wouldn’t give this up, or at least relegate it to second place in her life, then he would have to walk away again. No matter that it would nearly kill him to do it.
He was tired of being that second place holder himself.
It simmered in him as they headed back to her place to pack a small bag in case what needed to be done couldn’t be done in a single day. He’d brought his own things back inside; they’d never made it out of his car anyway.
By the time they got there he was at a near boil. He wanted her to be crystal clear on what she was risking, what she was on the verge of throwing away. Last night’s slow, sweet reunion had been one thing, but he was in no mood for slow and sweet now. He was fighting for his life, for their life together, and the kid gloves were off.
He grabbed her the moment they stepped inside. He kissed her fiercely, demanding her full attention. After a moment of startled surprise she gave in, kissing him back as if she understood.
But then this was Kayla, and she always understood.
As if that kiss had been the spark to tinder, the fire they’d always shared leaped to life. But he wasn’t satisfied with that; he threw fuel on the flames, tearing at her clothes, needing, demanding, until she was with him, yanking at his shirt, his jeans.
They went down to the floor right there, no niceties this time. In seconds he was inside her. He felt her nails dig into his back at the sudden invasion, but it wasn’t enough. He wanted her clawing at him, wanted her as mad, as desperate as he was, wanted to stamp himself on her so completely she would never, ever be able to forget this moment. He wanted her tied to him forever, and he used his body to tell her in the only way he could express it right now.
He clenched his jaw and held back, even as she began to go wild beneath him. She locked herself around him, as if she knew exactly what he wanted and that made it what she wanted, too. He rolled to his back, taking her with him, giving control over to her now, wanting her to show him she was as hot as he was. He needed to see it, to feel it, and somehow all the fear and frustration that had been growing in him for so long seemed wrapped up in that need.
As if she knew, she rode him with an eager ferocity that nearly drove him out of his mind, and in the last seconds, when he knew he couldn’t wait any longer, he rolled them back and drove deep, heard her cry out, felt the first clenching of her body around him, then let himself go as her name ripped from his throat.
* * *
Inside the small airplane, Kayla sensed Dane’s tension, knew the effort he was making to keep his promise to her. It made her feel better and worse at the same time;
“Don’t you see? This is the first chance in months, the first real possibility somebody may have seen him!”
Dane thought she was building this up too much, and obviously so did Quinn. But Dane knew that when Kayla focused on something, there was no stopping her. It took a considerable effort for him to quash the reaction that had become nearly automatic over the past couple of years. He’d promised her he would give this a full, honest shot. One last time.
Then it would be over, one way or another.
“All right,” he said. “We’ll both go.” He glanced at Quinn. “Assuming there’s room in this plane of yours.”
“There’s room,” Quinn said. “But it’s still not a good idea. It could well be a wasted trip.”
“Won’t be the first,” Dane said. He saw Kayla wince, and he sighed. “Sorry. I meant what I said. This gets every chance to work.”
So if I have to walk away, I can walk away clean, knowing I gave it as much as I could.
He hated that those were the words that formed in his mind, but he couldn’t deny them. It was the truth. For all the sweetness rediscovered last night, it hadn’t really changed anything. If Kayla couldn’t or wouldn’t give this up, or at least relegate it to second place in her life, then he would have to walk away again. No matter that it would nearly kill him to do it.
He was tired of being that second place holder himself.
It simmered in him as they headed back to her place to pack a small bag in case what needed to be done couldn’t be done in a single day. He’d brought his own things back inside; they’d never made it out of his car anyway.
By the time they got there he was at a near boil. He wanted her to be crystal clear on what she was risking, what she was on the verge of throwing away. Last night’s slow, sweet reunion had been one thing, but he was in no mood for slow and sweet now. He was fighting for his life, for their life together, and the kid gloves were off.
He grabbed her the moment they stepped inside. He kissed her fiercely, demanding her full attention. After a moment of startled surprise she gave in, kissing him back as if she understood.
But then this was Kayla, and she always understood.
As if that kiss had been the spark to tinder, the fire they’d always shared leaped to life. But he wasn’t satisfied with that; he threw fuel on the flames, tearing at her clothes, needing, demanding, until she was with him, yanking at his shirt, his jeans.
They went down to the floor right there, no niceties this time. In seconds he was inside her. He felt her nails dig into his back at the sudden invasion, but it wasn’t enough. He wanted her clawing at him, wanted her as mad, as desperate as he was, wanted to stamp himself on her so completely she would never, ever be able to forget this moment. He wanted her tied to him forever, and he used his body to tell her in the only way he could express it right now.
He clenched his jaw and held back, even as she began to go wild beneath him. She locked herself around him, as if she knew exactly what he wanted and that made it what she wanted, too. He rolled to his back, taking her with him, giving control over to her now, wanting her to show him she was as hot as he was. He needed to see it, to feel it, and somehow all the fear and frustration that had been growing in him for so long seemed wrapped up in that need.
As if she knew, she rode him with an eager ferocity that nearly drove him out of his mind, and in the last seconds, when he knew he couldn’t wait any longer, he rolled them back and drove deep, heard her cry out, felt the first clenching of her body around him, then let himself go as her name ripped from his throat.
* * *
Inside the small airplane, Kayla sensed Dane’s tension, knew the effort he was making to keep his promise to her. It made her feel better and worse at the same time;
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