It took Justin five minutes to settle the manager down enough to accept an obscene tip to smooth out any lingering hard feelings. He kept Danielle in his line of sight the entire time. Not that he thought she’d disappear on him, but because he couldn’t take his eyes off her. Over the course of his extreme adventures, he’d met a few women who sought the same thrills he did, but there was never any physical attraction. But with Danielle? She’d somehow filtered her way into damn near every facet of his life. Someone with whom he could work, play and possibly love? The woman was priceless, and he was damn sure going to make sure she knew it. Her moratorium on sexual contact wasn’t going to last past the time it took to drive them back to the lodge, get a room, and close the door behind them. He wanted, no…he needed to be with her.

“Hey! Would you slow down a bit?” Dani skipped alongside him to keep up with his long legs. He shortened his stride, but not his pace. She pulled their joined hands. “What are you rushing to, big boy?”

Justin unlocked his rental and opened the passenger door. He helped her into the vehicle and leaned down to take her lips. He took possession of her mouth the way he wanted to be with her, passionately and completely. Her lips opened, and he delved into her, drawing her into the same state of arousal he was in, before he broke the kiss. “I’m rushing toward you, Danielle. I have been my entire life, I just didn’t know it.”

“Oh, God. How fast can you drive?” The words were breathless and almost prayer-like.

Justin leaned forward and gave her a kiss. “I’ve driven race cars at speeds of over two hundred miles per hour.” He watched as her already blown pupils expanded farther, relegating the green to a thin border.

“Do that. Drive like that again.” Her low, sexy command went straight to his cock.

“Yes, ma’am.” He shut her door and hustled around the car to the driver’s side door. He was in and out of the parking lot in a blink of an eye. The rented Mercedes flew down the roadway heading back to the lodge. A trip that should have taken twenty-five minutes took less than fifteen. They bolted out of the car at the same time. Dani laughed. It was a beautiful sound—carefree and filled with life. He grabbed her hand, and they jogged into the lobby. They stopped at the desk where he had to ring a bell for the desk clerk.

When no one showed immediately, Danielle pushed the button again. “Don’t they know we're impatient?”

Justin couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face as he pushed and held the button down. “If they didn’t, they do now.”

“Ah, Mr. King? What can we do for you?”

“I’ll need a room.” Justin pulled out his wallet and presented his black Am Ex. The card always got the attention of the businesses he frequented.

“One night, sir?” The clerk asked as she worked the computer.

Justin glanced over at Danielle. She lifted an eyebrow before she shook her head and mouthed the word ‘two.’

Justin’s cock jumped behind his jeans. He swore it screamed and did a happy dance. Instead of grabbing himself to stem the party going on in his pants he swung his head back to the clerk. “Two nights, please.”

“Of course, sir. Unfortunately, the only thing available is the Grand Suite, the rate…”

“I don’t care, I’ll take it.” He interrupted her before she could prattle on about the fee associated with the room. He didn’t care if he had to give blood to get the damn place, any cost would be more than worth the price. Dani chuckled and leaned into his side. He dropped his arm over her shoulder, anchoring himself in the knowledge that he hadn’t imagined the events of today. They were real. Dani was beside him, and God help him, he was fucking happy. Truly happy, as in jumping off a dam happy, but he had both feet planted firmly on the ground. The euphoria he’d felt since he saw her on the anchor equipment on top of the dam hadn’t abated. Not. One. Bit.

He vaguely registered the presence of another man behind them. The clerk handed the keycard to him, but Danielle grabbed it and spun toward the hallway slamming into the middle-aged man behind her. She lost her balance and Justin grabbed her arm. Dani laughed as she stood up, an apology on her lips as she rose. “I’m so sorry, sir…” She stopped her apology and cocked her head at the man. “I’m sorry, have we met?”

The man groused, “Other than you running into me just now, no.”

“Oh…so sorry.” Dani did a double take as the man shouldered past them to the counter.

“Guess who doesn’t have a sense of humor?” Justin grabbed Dani’s elbow and propelled her toward the hall.

“Well, he doesn’t, obviously. I could have sworn I’ve seen or met him before.” Dani’s steps faltered as she swiveled her head to look back at the man.

Justin turned down the hall severing her opportunity to gawk at the stranger any longer. “For the record…” Justin pointed to the left when the hallway branched out. “I’d much rather you pay attention to me.”

“Oh, I plan on paying attention to you. Over and over and over again.” Danielle sprinted ahead of him, turned and ran back at him launching herself. He braced as she hit and lifted her so her legs wrapped his hips. “See,” she announced playfully. “You have my full attention.”

He stopped in the middle of the hall. A revelation hit him like a Louisville Slugger connecting with a ninety mile an hour fastball. “I’ve known you for years, and you’ve never let me see this side of you.”

As if a shadow passed over the sun, her happiness lessened and dimmed to the point of disappearing. “Are you disappointed?”

“Only that it took so long for you to trust me enough to be yourself.” Justin held her wrapped around him in the middle of the hall and lowered his head to kiss her.

She leaned back and stared up into his eyes. “Then let’s stop wasting time, Mr. King.” She let go of his neck with one arm and waved the keycard under his nose. “Giddy up.”

Oh, no she didn’t! Justin hiked her up, freed one hand and swatted her ass right before he tipped her over his shoulder. Her squeals echoed down the hallway. He grabbed the back of her knees, and she went insane. Her laughter peeled through the lodge. Two maids who were in separate rooms popped their heads into the hall when Danielle’s laughter turned into shrieks. Justin couldn’t help laughing. Who knew the back of a person’s knees could be so ticklish? Well, he did now, and he tormented her while she was draped over his shoulder. He spun when he got to the door, and upside down, she inserted the card into the reader. Somehow, they managed to open the door, and Justin bypassed the small kitchenette, the sitting area, a large bathroom and headed to the bed. He bent at the waist and dropped her onto the bed a split second before he dropped on top of her and wrapped himself around her. He caught his hands in her hair and held her still, moving his kiss from her lips to her ear, then to her neck.

“Too many clothes.” Her words sent them both into a flurry of movement.

Hands, hers and his, pushed, pulled, tugged and unhooked, bringing her soft, warm skin against his. Justin had enough sense to grab his wallet and pull the one and only condom he carried out of the side pocket. He was going to have to find a pharmacy, but not until later.

She pushed him onto his back and straddled him. Her brown hair fell around her face and down her shoulder, caressing the top of the swell of her breast. His hands lifted, palming her and running his thumbs over the light brown nipple that had tightened into a hard pebble. She braced her arms on his shoulders and moved lower, bringing delicious, hot friction against his cock. “Oh my God, you’re big.”

Justin laughed and rolled her onto the bed under him. “Wanna see how big?” Granted not his best line, but he was having fun while having sex, and that was a novelty.

Danielle nodded. “I do. I want to taste you.”

Justin grabbed the root of his cock and squeezed. Hell, the rate he was going a teenage boy would have more staying power. He grimaced and shook his head. “Not this time. I won’t last if you put your mouth on me.”

“Then I want your cock in me. No foreplay. I’ve waited so damn long.” Danielle lifted her hips toward him.

Justin dropped down onto his elbow. “I’m not going to fuck you, Danielle. I’m going to make love to you because you deserve my best.”

Her breath caught at his words. She raised a hand to his jaw and stroked his bottom lip with her thumb. “If this isn’t real…”

Justin tipped his head to the side and kissed the palm of her hand. “I know. Me too.” He lowered onto both elbows and started a slow, detailed worship of her body. He nipped at her collarbone, laved attention on each of her breasts, found the spot on the top of her hip that made her squirm under him. He traced the ‘v’ of her legs with his tongue until he reached the softness between. She opened herself, giving him room to settle between her legs. Her hands, no longer able to touch him, grasped his hair as he dipped in for the first taste of her. Her scent and taste were everything he’d imagined and somehow, more.

“Justin.” Like a chant, his name spoken over and over floated around them. Her hands in his hair pulled, and he lifted. “I need more.” Her words pulled him up to her lips. He reached for the condom, but she put her hand over his. “Not needed. I promise I’ve got that covered.”

Justin tossed the foil packet, not caring where it landed. He lifted her leg, and she wrapped it around his hip. He centered his cock just outside her heat. He waited until her eyes met his before he entered her. Their gazes locked. The sensations of coming together fused with the vision of beauty below him. He stroked in as far as her body would allow and held himself still for a moment before retreating and thrusting forward again. Her body was the heaven he’d always longed for, but never knew for sure he’d find. The rightness of the two of them, together, washed over him. Not the furious lashing of tumultuous waters, but more like the surf lapping the sands on a tropical beach. Clear, beautiful, warm and inevitable. He lowered for a kiss but stopped when he noticed tears welling in her eyes. He stilled his hips immediately. “What is it? Am I hurting you?”

She shook her head. “No, God no.”

Relief rained down on him. Justin pulled out and stroked back inside her. “Why are you crying?” He bent and kissed the path a tear had just taken toward her ear.

“You overwhelm me.” She wiped at her tears and smiled up at him. “Don’t stop.”

Justin lowered his lips to hers. His kiss mimicked the motion of his hips, and his tongue explored, danced and dueled with hers. He pulled away to breathe, but he couldn’t go far. A mere hair’s breadth separated them. He stared into her eyes and knew that there would never be another for him. Something profound had occurred between them in the last forty-eight hours. He’d found the missing piece of the puzzle that he’d been searching for and he’d fight to keep her close. She was the mate to his soul.

Her body tensed under his and she bowed up under him. She clenched around him in her climax. Justin dropped his head to her shoulder and allowed himself to rut his way through the orgasm that obliterated him. He saw white and red spots behind his eyelids and damned if he didn’t come close to passing out. He had enough mental acuity to keep up on his elbows so he didn’t suffocate her.

They held positions for a moment, struggling to control their breathing. With a kiss dropped on her shoulder, he pulled out and rolled to his side, bringing her with him. Exhaustion, from the adrenaline spikes of the morning’s descent and the mind-shifting sex, blanketed them with a soft cover of languid bliss. They lay together, her wrapped in his arms. To him it was perfect. He felt her kiss his collarbone before she drifted to sleep. His eyes closed as he followed her over the edge into oblivion.