“Good answer, because I’ll always catch you, Sherona. Always,” he muttered thickly before he thrust. She screamed. One second she’d been empty, and the next she was filled with Chance’s cock. Overfilled. He began to thrust immediately, not giving her time to recover from his abrupt penetration. Nerves that registered the sting of his forceful, total possession began to burn with pleasure. His pelvis slapped against her ass repeatedly as he pounded into her, the arousing sound mixing with the wild heartbeat in her ears and his grunts of pleasure.
They became two animals in that moment, a male claiming his mate, two creatures straining and pumping and pushing, feeding an atavistic flame until they’d explode with it. He slammed into her, his hands holding her captive to his pistoning cock, until Sherona gave a plaintive, desperate scream.
She knew she’d be sore tomorrow, but right now her pussy burned unbearably, craving more. She pumped against him with the little leeway his tight hold gave her, wild with excitement. He responded by slapping her ass with each driving downstroke, riding and prodding her to the finish line. She gave a disbelieving cry when she crossed it and orgasm shattered her awareness.
After a moment of blissful ecstasy, she came back to herself, climax still shuddering through her.
“Ahhhh!” she shrieked when she felt Chance’s cock lurch viciously inside her. His fingers sunk into her hips and ass in a desperate hold. He roared as he came, emptying himself into her farthest reaches.
She’d never heard him breathing so hard following their lovemaking. His pants sounded like they tore at his throat as he struggled to collect himself in the aftermath of their lightning strike of need. His cock still throbbed inside of her, his climax ebbing. She felt him shift his hand, caressing her ass and then spanking her softly as his cock twitched and she felt another thrill go through him.
“What’s the secret?” he demanded through ragged pants.
Sherona grinned, hiding her face. She was breathing heavily as well, her body still recovering.
“Let me look at you,” she said.
He caressed her ass with both hands. His cock jerked slightly inside her. Sherona opened her mouth, wishing she hadn’t spoken when she felt him withdraw. She straightened, feeling a little disoriented. He steadied her and turned her into his embrace.
When she looked into his face, she saw that he wore a small, sheepish smile. She immediately went up onto her toes and kissed his grin, her heart swelling at the sight.
“Did I tell you how glad I am to see you?” she whispered next to his lips.
“I figured your telling me to chase you was the equivalent,” he said wryly. He leaned down and kissed her again. When his kiss grew hungrier and she felt him stir next to her lower belly, she broke apart with reluctance.
“I told you I’d tell you the secret when you caught me,” she breathed.
He blinked as if he were trying to bring his eyes back into focus. “Oh. Yeah. What is it?”
She smiled widely and touched his scruffy jaw. He looked gorgeous, every inch bad-boy Aussie, as usual.
“I’ve won a million dollars.”
“What?”
She nodded, laughter bursting out of her throat. Saying it to him was like hearing the news for the first time herself. She rapidly explained the circumstances—her traditional one-time-a-year shot at her dreams, and how inexplicably, miraculously, fate had dealt her a winning hand.
Chance appeared speechless.
“It’s true,” she said, tears leaking out of her eyes. “I want to travel with you, Chance. I want to see the world. That is . . . if the offer still stands,” she said hesitantly, not quite able to interpret his frozen expression.
“Are you teasing me, Sherona?” he asked tensely. “Because if you’re joking about something like this, I might have to turn you over my knee.”
Her eyebrows went up. “Sounds interesting. Unfortunately, I’m one hundred percent serious.”
A disbelieving bark of laughter erupted from his throat. His expression grew rapt as he studied her face, as though searching for signs of a trick. She just looked back at him steadily, her pure joy at looking upon his face shining unguarded from her eyes.
“You’re going to come with me? You’ll be with me, Sherona?”
“Yes. I’ve already got my passport. And I’ve made arrangements for the diner, for the short-term, anyway. I’ll have to come back sometime soon, though, Chance. I can’t break all ties with Vulture’s Canyon.”
“I know that. I wouldn’t want you to never come home. We still have to finish the cookbook, too, remember?”
She shook her head, tears overfilling her eyes. “You really were serious about that, weren’t you?” she asked, amazed.
“Course I was. It’s a great idea, don’t you think?”
She nodded, and a tear spilled down her cheek. He dried it with his fingertips.