What Happens in Mexico...Stays in Mexico

Chapter Nine

“I’m right?”  Her blue eyes darkened to navy.  “You want us to go home?  Now?”

Matt’s heart tumbled to his feet at the shock in her voice.  It was obvious she’d expected him to argue with her, not agree.  But the ride into town had given him time to think.  He was furious with himself.  Sharra could have been killed, and he would have been to blame.

He should have done what he’d meant to do in the first place.  Grabbed up the pretty American woman and beat it back across the border.  But instead he’d let his glands do the thinking for him and he’d given into the need to feel her body under his.  He’d claimed her for his own and now it was even more serious.

He never wanted to let her go.

And because of that, he’d put her in mortal danger.  By staying in Mexico, he’d given the drug lord the opportunity to find him and even if he walked away from Sharra now, she would still be in jeopardy since they now knew she was with him.

“Damn it, Matt.  Talk to me!”

Jerking his attention back to his lover, his eyes softened as he took in her trembling lips and shaking hands.  Two steps brought him to her side and he pulled her into his arms.  “I don’t like the thought of you being in danger,” he murmured into her fragrant hair.  “Today was too close.  I want you safe.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist.  “But what about you?  You were the one they shot.”  She gave a convulsive shudder.  “I want you safe too.”

“Don’t worry, honey.  I think we’re both okay…no one knows we’re here, but just in case maybe we should plan on heading back to the states.  Remember, better safe than sorry.”

“But, I don’t want to leave you.”

Her whisper was so soft he barely heard it, but he felt the tears that wet his chest.  His heart leapt, knowing she wanted to stay with him as much as he wanted to be with her.  He pulled her head back and kissed her thoroughly.  “You’re not getting rid of me that easy.”

“I’m not?”

“No way.  I know I wanted to spend more time here with you so we could get to know each other better, but now we can’t.  But that doesn’t mean we have to go our separate ways.”  He kissed her again.  “In fact, if you try, I’ll come after you.  That’s a promise.”

“I don’t understand.”  Her pain-filled eyes searched his.  “This has all been such a wonderful adventure, but if we leave, it will be over.  We have our own lives…our own responsibilities.”

Fury roared through him at her words.  “I told you this was no vacation romance!  No one night stand!  When are you going to start believing me?”

Her mouth firmed.  “I know you say that now, but once we get back to the states—”

“Son of a bitch!”  His shout pushed her back a step before he jerked her back against him.  “Don’t you get it yet?  Don’t you understand?”

“What?” she yelled back at him.  “What don’t I understand?”

Matt lost his temper completely.  Lifting her so she dangled above the ground, he gave her a shake that probably made her teeth rattle.

“I’ve fallen in love with you, damn it!”

Sharra went completely still as his words poured through her.  Shock and wonder filled her.  It was impossible…crazy.  They’d only known each other for a few days.  People didn’t fall in love that quickly.  Matt was mistaking need for love.  That had to be what was going on.  It was the only thing that made sense.

But for some reason the absolute fury on his face made her want to believe him.  This wasn’t a line he was spouting.  He meant it.  And he wasn’t too happy about it either.  She didn’t know what to think about that. After a moment filled with hesitant expectation, she cleared her throat delicately.  “You…love…me?”

“Yes,” he ground out, his eyes flashing.  “But this sure as hell isn’t the way I was planning to tell you.”

She wondered briefly what way would have been better.  For Matt, this felt exactly right.  Forcing herself to think clearly, she gazed up at him.  “But…we hardly know each other.”

He laughed harshly.  “You think I don’t know that?”  Threading his hand through her loose hair, he pulled her head back further.  “You think it matters?”  His grip tightened.  “I know it should, but it doesn’t.”

“But—”

“Shut up, Sharra.  No more buts.  Just deal with it!  I love you and now I’m going to show you how much.”

His mouth came down on hers with such hunger any thought of dealing with anything flew right out the window.  She responded instantly, instinct taking over even as he lifted her again and whirled her around to where her back slapped up against a nearby wall.  Her whole body trembled at the rush of desire that swept through them both.

The guttural groan he gave as his tongue swept in to duel with her own made her quim go wet and needy in seconds.  Her breasts tingled and her body felt like it was on fire.  When his rough hand slid under her tank top to caress her naked breast she cried out his name and that was all it took for Matt to lose whatever control he’d been holding onto.

He pulled her shorts off with one hand then kneed her legs apart as he frantically pushed his own trunks down.  “I’ve want you so fuckin’ bad,” he groaned, his gray eyes darkened to pewter in lust.  “I have since the second I saw you dancing on that damn table.  I don’t know when it turned to love, but I do love you, damn it, and it’s time you know exactly that means.”

Sharra had never felt so sexy or wanted in her life.  A part of her warned her she should be scared of the wild passion in Matt’s hands, but she wasn’t.  He would never hurt her.  Ever.  She was safe in his arms.  Daringly, she bit his ear.  “Then show me, Matt.  Show me everything.”

His big body shuddered and his hand fumbled between them.  She swallowed a giggle at the knowledge he was as shaky as she was, but a second later the laughter was swept away by a gasp as his cock drove deep into her waiting heat.

He was huge.  Bigger than she’d ever known him to be.  She felt stretched…deliciously so.  With a moan of delight, she wrapped her legs around his narrow waist and ground herself against him.

She heard him swear, felt him swell even larger inside her, sensed the barely leashed control he was struggling to maintain.  Sharra felt beautiful, even cherished and the knowledge that he was the only one who could do this to her made her kiss him with even more passion.  He answered in kind and then began to move, slowly at first then faster, with strong measured thrusts that sent every nerve ending in her body spiraling into the air. 

Matt stabbed so deep inside her, she couldn’t tell if they were a single person or two separate entities.  For the first time, she didn’t care.  She wanted to belong to him.  Body, heart and soul.  He’d said he loved her, something she’d never heard from a man before.  Sharra felt herself drifting, falling and she knew…

It would be very easy to love the man in her arms.

He felt her surrender…heard the gasping cries she made deep in her throat and went even harder.  A part of him was furious that he’d lost control and told her how he felt, but in a way he was glad too.  Now it was out in the open.  At least he could give her the truth about this.

“I love you,” he muttered as he captured her mouth again.  He held her tightly, letting the thrust of his body show her the need and desire only she could make him feel.  In and out, the tightness of her sex clenching down on him with such heat he felt the orgasm building low in his groin.  His balls went taut and his cock ached with a passion he’d only thought about before.  Her shiver of delight sent more ripples of lust through him and he fought to keep himself from coming too fast.

Tearing his mouth from hers, he instead kissed his way down to her budded nipple, sucking it deep into his mouth.  Her astonished cry made him growl as he nibbled and licked at the delectable berry.  When her legs tightened around him he swore aloud, but it was the grinding of her hips against his that sent him over the edge.

Grabbing her ass, he forgot about everything but her as he adjusted himself so he stroked against the most sensitive part of her.  Then he moved, pounding against her with enough force to send the pictures on the walls bouncing and tilting.

He groaned as almost immediately, she went tense, and then with a shrill cry, shattered in his arms.  Her climax trembled through her and into him with such force it was like being hit by a tidal wave.  All Matt could do was roll with it.  Any remnant of control he’d had was swept away by his own orgasm.  The feeling erupted out of him with such suddenness his breath was stolen.  He couldn’t even gasp out her name as he shuddered in its grasp.  Colors and lights danced behind his eyelids as he tucked his face into her soft throat and poured himself into her.

Afterwards, he could barely stand.  He felt her heartbeat dance with his own and knew a mixture of satisfaction and shame.  The same twin feelings he always had when he was making love to Sharra.  She was everything he’d ever wanted…everything he’d longed for in his lonely life, but she deserved so much better.  She should have a man she could trust.  A man she—

“I hope your…legs are stronger than mine.”  Her breathless whisper caressed his cheek, interrupting his painful thoughts.  “Mine are pretty rubbery.”

He didn’t want to admit his knees felt like jelly.  “Strong enough to hold you up.”

“My hero.”

The gentle words made him flinch.  In the last few days he’d lied, cheated, all but kidnapped her and almost gotten her killed.  If he was a hero, he’d have saved her that first night and then let her go.  Not used her for his own nefarious purposes.

Right.  A real fucking hero.

“Matt? Is there something wrong?  You’re squeezing me so tightly.”

He heard the worry and wanted to curse long and loud.  But when he took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax and leaning back to look deep into her emotion-filled blue eyes, all his fears, hesitations and concerns were pushed aside.  He saw something there, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.  It made Matt long for something he knew he had no right to.  Once she learned the truth about what he’d done, Sharra would probably turn and walk away from him, but when he saw that special light in her eyes he couldn’t help but hope.  Maybe it would all work out.  Maybe she’d cut him a break.

If he didn’t get them both killed first.

“Matt?”  Sharra forced his head around to look at her.  “You’re angry…why?”

She didn’t get an answer, but his mouth covered hers in a possessive kiss that took her breath away.  But then the kiss changed, becoming gentle and reassuring.  Her heart quivered then melted when he sighed and touched his forehead against hers.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Her fingers trailed down his chest.  “You didn’t…not really”

“Yes.  I did.”  His voice was grim.  “And I probably will again.”  His fingers tightened.  “But I do love you.  You have to believe that.”

She licked her swollen lips, wondering about the sadness of his words.  “You haven’t known me long enough to love me.”

All at once his shoulders sagged.  Her feet slid to the ground and he held her until she settled.  “I know.  I know.  Don’t you think I’ve said that to myself a hundred times?  But it makes no difference.  I love you.”

“You can’t love me,” she repeated softly, still in shock over the idea of it.  “It’s ridiculous.  It makes no sense.”

Matt’s gaze slid to hers.  “Thanks a lot.”

She flinched at his tone.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

His gray eyes narrowed.  “Then just how did you mean it?  Is the idea of me being in love with you so bad?”

“No!”  The word popped out before she could even think and she forced herself to take a deep breath.  “No,” she said again, this time in a more controlled voice.  “I only meant that love at first sight isn’t something I’ve ever believed in.  I don’t think you know me enough to love me.”

“Or you to love me?”

A delicate pink stained her cheeks.  “Or me to love you.  I do care, Matt.  I really do.  But we got married so quickly.  Under less than auspicious circumstances.  All we really have is a vacation romance even if we do have a ring on our finger.  Can love come from that?”  She shook her head.  “I just don’t know.”

He pulled gently out of her and turned away to clean himself up.  She watched him for a moment before sighing and doing the same.  “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Shrugging, he hiked his shorts back up.  “I know we did everything out of order, but I won’t apologize for what I feel.  I love you.  You’re going to have to deal with that whether you want to believe in love at first sight or not.”

Sharra grabbed a towel from the bathroom and wrapped it around her.  Her heart ached seeing the pain in his eyes.  She had hurt him, but she knew the truth was important…and the truth was she didn’t know how she felt.  Until she did, it wasn’t fair to either of them to pretend differently.  Forcing the gloomy thoughts away, she steered the conversation back to the original topic brought up before he’d made his startling announcement.  “If we go back to the states together, I can’t promise you anything.  I have a life of my own and though we both have seemed to forget him…a fiancé I still have to deal with.”

Matt gave a soft growl.  “I haven’t forgotten good ol’ Frank.”

A part of her was thrilled with his obvious jealousy, but it was pushed away in the swirling confusion of her thoughts.  Stepping closer, she wrapped her arms around his rigid body, hers warming when he relaxed subtly and hugged her back.  “But I can tell you this.  I’ve never felt for a man what I feel for you.  Even with Frank.  That’s just it.  You’ve got me so confused, I don’t know what I’m feeling any more.  I need time.  Time to figure this all out.”

His fingers threaded through her hair and he pulled her head back so their eyes met.  “I’m not letting you go, Sharra.  Whatever plans you make, you damn well better figure that in.”  He kissed her again, his lips teasing hers until she was trembling in his arms.  “I made a promise to myself, honey.  I may have found you by mistake, but by God…I’m gonna keep you.”

END OF CHAPTER NINE

* Chapter One * Chapter Two * Chapter Three * Chapter Four * Chapter Five * Chapter Six * 

* Chapter Seven * Chapter Eight *  Chapter Nine *  Chapter Ten * Chapter Eleven *

* Chapter Twelve * Chapter Thirteen * Chapter Fourteen * Chapter Fifteen * Chapter Sixteen *

* Chapter Seventeen * Epilogue *