‘More,’ she whispered, stroking his powerful chest.
‘Oh, must I?’ Dante teased her, sinking deep with an exquisite lack of haste.
Rotating his hips to a lazy rhythm, he kept on until she couldn’t control herself, and moving convulsively, she fell into yet another delicious climax. Her cries rang out as her body bucked uncontrollably. She was glad of his big hands on her buttocks, holding her firmly, guiding her movements, ensuring that she benefited from every single pleasure pulse until they faded.
‘Good?’ he murmured, when she quietened.
‘But not good for you—not fair,’ she protested.
She was greedy for her next release and, reading her, Dante smiled. Bracing himself on his forearms, he stared down into her face. ‘I’d say you were being more than good to me.’ And to prove it, he thrust deep.
Holding him with her inner muscles, she moved with him, and this time when she fell he fell too, finally claiming his own savage release, and when they finally fell back exhausted, she knew the ghosts of the past had been banished for good, and she drifted off into a contented slumber. And when she woke they were still entwined in each other’s arms.
‘Do you think there’s the smallest chance we’ll ever get enough of each other?’ she asked, her lips touching his as she murmured this.
‘Hopefully not,’ Dante said, smiling, ‘though I think I should put that to the test on a regular basis, don’t you?’
‘Why not now?’ she agreed, as he moved behind her.
Thrusting his hand into the small of her back he lifted her buttocks, exposing her even more to him. Seconds later he was sheathed to the hilt. Arching her back, she pressed back hard against him. ‘You’re right,’ she managed breathlessly before giving herself over completely to pleasure. ‘Who could ever get enough of this?’
It was dark and the night was full of stars and romance by the time they left the ranch house. Parties for all age groups were in full swing and music rose around them on every side. Samba rhythms added to the heat of the night as they walked together arm in arm. It was only when they smelled the scent of food grilling on countless barbeques that they realised they couldn’t remember the last time they’d had something to eat. They stopped to grab some sticky ribs, and that was where Luc found them.
‘There you are!’ he exclaimed. ‘Where on earth have you been?’
Karina was careful to keep her innocent face on. She adored her brother, but once again Luc had proved that when it came to his sister he was incapable of registering the possibility of romance.
‘We’ve been checking the horses,’ Dante said, carefully not looking at Karina. ‘I didn’t realise you needed us.’
‘Of course you’re needed,’ Luc said, as he swung an arm around Dante’s shoulder. ‘In case you’ve forgotten, you scored the winning goal, and my sister organised the event. There’s a huge crowd waiting to thank you.’
Karina glanced at Dante and laughed. As she finger-combed her hair, she realised there was still some hay sticking in it, and her hands were covered with sticky sauce. Luc still didn’t have a clue.
‘Here,’ he said, whipping off his bandana. ‘Wipe your hands. And for goodness’ sake, do something about your hair—’ He stopped suddenly, and stared at her intently. ‘Oh,’ he said, and then he spun on his heel.
Fireworks lit up the sky as they mounted the stage. The applause was deafening, and in spite of his recent epiphany Luc had recovered sufficiently to give them both a more than generous introduction. ‘For my teammate and friend, Dante Baracca...’ Covering the mike with his hand, Luc murmured to Dante, ‘You’d better do the honourable thing or I’ll rip your head off.’ Turning, he smiled for the benefit of the crowd.
‘Trust me. I intend to,’ Dante growled, as he brought Karina close.
‘And for my sister, who arranged this whole event,’ Luc continued, once the cheers had died down, ‘I couldn’t be happier for you both,’ he admitted gruffly, as glittering confetti cascaded down from the nets suspended about their heads and the crowd went wild.
‘Nothing—not even this trophy—means as much to me as you do,’ Dante told Karina, as they stood together to take the applause. And then he provided them all with the surprise of the day. Handing the trophy to Luc, he got down on one knee. To the delight of the crowd, he asked, ‘Could you marry a barbarian?’