Part 8 (1/2)

”Likewise,” Granger said.

Ellison led Maria into the trees, pus.h.i.+ng aside branches for her, taking her down a steep hill. At the bottom, a wide pond, formed by a rivulet snaking from the main river, spread like a sheet of silver, sparkling under the sun.

The banks of the small lake ran up into the trees, and clumps of bluebonnets spread across every open, sunny s.p.a.ce. Birds skimmed across the far side of the water, a wading bird turning its head to watch them approach.

Maria, having grown up in arid lands, always marveled that water could simply be. The life water gave-the birds, trees, wildflowers, tall gra.s.ses-constantly amazed her. The heat and humidity under the trees had perspiration dripping down her face, but she looked around with wonder.

”Where are we?” she asked.

”Don't really know. I found this place when I was running as wolf one day. Granger tried to shoot me, I dodged the blast and knocked him down, and we became friends. He knows I need the s.p.a.ce to run sometimes, and he keeps people away when I do. He's a good guy.”

Maria thought about Granger's tattoos, which Spike had taught her about this past year. She suspected Granger had gotten some of them in prison, but she said nothing.

”It's a beautiful place.”

”Sure is.” Ellison hung his hat on the limb of a bush that stuck out from the trees. He unb.u.t.toned his s.h.i.+rt and shrugged it off, hanging it next to the hat. ”Don't always see the bluebonnets either. You need the right amount of rain, the right amount of suns.h.i.+ne. We got lucky.”

He wore a tight black T-s.h.i.+rt, which he also shucked, then he got out of his boots. Sunlight touched the liquid warmth of his skin and the b.u.t.ter-colored highlights in his hair.

”You joining me?” he asked. ”I'm not swimming alone.”

”Swim? In there?”

Flashes came to Maria of herself as a tiny child, her grandparents taking her to a lake in the mountains, beautiful and cool. She'd splashed around and played, while they spread a picnic lunch of all her favorite foods. Maria had thought she'd never be happier in her life. Come to think of it, she never had been.

Ellison unhooked his belt buckle and skimmed the belt from his jeans. ”I don't see you getting undressed.”

Maria swallowed. ”You're going to swim in there naked?”

”Sure. Get my clothes wet if I don't.”

”There will be snakes.” The lake in the mountains had been home to plenty of snakes, and so had the warehouse, but Maria had learned at an early age how to avoid them.

”Probably. I'll scare them away.”

Ellison unb.u.t.toned and unzipped his jeans and pulled them off, hanging them carefully next to his s.h.i.+rts. His loose boxers came off right after that.

Maria sucked in a breath. She'd seen plenty of s.h.i.+fters naked, including Ellison-they saw no shame in it, and after s.h.i.+fting, they took their time sliding back into clothes, as though forgetting they needed to. s.h.i.+fters were casual about nudity, and Maria had stopped noticing them a long time ago.

But Ellison was difficult not to notice. His body had been touched by G.o.d, sculpted muscle under skin that moved with liquid grace. The silver and black Collar around his neck only drew attention to the bareness of the rest of his body.

He folded his arms and watched her, all that rippling strength becoming still, waiting. Ellison was a being of sunlight and shadow, but with a hint of the moon in his gray eyes.

Maria wanted to look her fill, to feast her senses on his beauty. She couldn't not look at his c.o.c.k, hanging thick and full between his legs, dark blond hair at its base.

”Ungh” was the only thing that came out of her mouth.

”Come on,” Ellison said. ”I'm getting hot standing here.”

Maria's face heated. He wanted her to strip as naked as he was and then jump into the water with him. A slow smile spread over his face, and her body flushed as hot as her cheeks.

Bareness to her meant vulnerability, fear. She hesitated, heart pounding.

”I told you,” Ellison said. ”I'm teaching you to live life.” He came out of his watchful stance and stepped to her, his body filling her world. ”Every bit of it, sucking up every drop.”

His hand went to the top of her s.h.i.+rt and undid the two small b.u.t.tons there. Polite of him, because he could have just yanked the s.h.i.+rt off over her head. And he did, but at least he unb.u.t.toned it so the s.h.i.+rt with its pretty design didn't tear.

Maria stood in her lacy bra that Andrea had bought for her, hugging her arms across her chest. Her low-riding jeans suddenly felt too low.

Ellison came closer. The heat from his body touched her like suns.h.i.+ne. He smelled of musk and dust, sweat and warmth. He slid his hands to her waist and popped open the b.u.t.ton of her jeans.

A s.h.i.+ver began deep inside her. Fire rose in Maria's body, slowly surging until it blotted out fear, panic, shame. Need eased through her, tangled with warmth and desire.

Ellison's fingers brushed her abdomen as he felt for the zipper. He tugged it down, more touches to her skin. At the same time, he leaned down and kissed her.

A slow kiss, no more frenzy. Ellison's mouth was all that was good, his lips easing hers open. His tongue slid inside, a flicker, as he skimmed his hands up her back to open her thin bra.

Maria's s.h.i.+ver deepened as she felt the bra loosen. Fetters coming off, freeing her.

Ellison traced across her now-bare back, though he didn't pull the bra the rest of the way off. His touch went around her shoulders, up to her jaw. ”Come on and swim with me.”

Maria swallowed, licking the taste of Ellison from her lips. ”Be right there.”

He smiled, slow and fine. Another touch to her chin, and he turned away.

His bare backside was taut, legs lean and strong. Ellison unhooked his cowboy hat from the branch, setting it on his head to complete the devastating picture.

He grinned over his shoulder at her. ”Last one in's a rotten egg.”

Maria suddenly wanted to laugh. What in the world did that mean?

Ellison ran forward, jumped, caught another overhanging tree limb, swung himself out over the water, and dropped in with a magnificent splash.

His hat went flying. Ellison surfaced, swiped his hair out of his face, laughed, and grabbed the hat when it floated past.

”Come on, darlin'!”

Maria didn't give herself time to think. She toed off her sandals, slid out of her jeans, tossed aside her underwear, and ran at the water, whooping all the way.

Maria landed in the water a few yards from Ellison, coming up with her black hair wet. She pushed the hair from her face and opened her eyes, teeth flas.h.i.+ng in her big smile.

Ellison made himself start breathing again. He'd sucked in air and held it while her body had come into view, sweet and lush, b.r.e.a.s.t.s high and firm, a brush of dark hair between her legs. She'd spread her arms to run in, as though embracing the pond, embracing the world.

The water now hid everything but her lovely face and dark hair, her eyes sparkling like the waters around her.

”Whoo!” she yelled again, and slapped the surface. ”I feel like a little child.”

”You're supposed to.” Ellison swam to her, his hat firmly on his head. He knew it was stupid to swim with his hat, but Maria liked it, so the hat stayed.