Stranded With Ella Read online

  “I…ah…um… Will you stop that for a moment? I can’t concentrate.”

  He chuckled.

  “Ah…if I told you I want more would you lump me in with the Casserole Ladies? Because I didn’t come here for sex. But now that I’m in your bed and half-naked, I might cry if we stop.”

  His fingers tightened on her breast, and she sighed her enjoyment, savored the spike of heat in her pussy.

  “I haven’t done this for a while,” she confessed. “That’s not helping clear thought processes.”

  He laughed again. “Are you on birth control?”

  “No.” Regret tinged her reply.

  “I have condoms somewhere. Possibly in the drawer on your side.”

  “Do you want to use one?”

  “More like two or three,” Dillon said. “What do you say about that?”

  “Yes. Although I’m sure you have excellent forward propulsion, as evidenced by your spectacular arse, I’m not ready for children.”

  He laughed. “You crack me up.” He reached over her and pulled out a bedside drawer. He mumbled then moved to turn on the bedside lamp again. “Ah, that’s better.”

  Ella gaped at the monster pack of condoms. “You go for the jumbo pack.”

  “I didn’t buy this. My sister and Nikolai gave both me and Josh these for Christmas. It’s a joke since my brother and I walked in on Summer and Nikolai one day. There were condoms all over the floor and things got a mite heated because she’s our baby sister and we didn’t approve of Nikolai.”

  “Do you like your sister’s husband now?”

  “He’s grown on us,” Dillon said. “He’s great with my sister and their son.” As he spoke, he opened a brand-new variety pack from the Fancy Free condom company. “One of Nikolai and Summer’s friends lives in Sloan where they make these condoms. Sorrel, his wife, works for Fancy Free.”

  “You have interesting friends.”

  “I’m more interested in you right now. Want to take off the rest of your clothes?”

  Ella nibbled her bottom lip. “I suppose I could brave the cold for you.”

  “I’ll make you warm. Promise. Besides, I’d like to check out your backside.”

  “That’s a terrible idea.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m positive mine won’t measure up to yours.”

  “Let me be the judge of that.” He kissed the tip of her nose and tossed back the rest of the covers. Cold air frisked her skin as Dillon tugged on her borrowed pajama pants.

  The silence bothered her, so she filled it. “You’ve done this before.”

  “Yes.” Wary blue eyes studied her face. “You have too.”

  “Good point.” He had her there.

  “What are you trying to say?”

  “Just that you’re competent at undressing a woman.”

  “Pajama pants and a T-shirt don’t require skill.” His eyes twinkled. “Although if you were wearing a bra that might present a challenge. But, I have to say, I’m more than competent in that arena.”

  “Smartarse.”

  “I could say the same about you.”

  Ella sniffed and tried not to communicate her amusement. This man kept her off-balance. He reduced her to babble and she careened out of control with no way to put the brakes on her wayward emotions. After their short acquaintance, she was willingly jumping into bed with him. Object: sex, pleasure and hopefully fun.

  “Aren’t you going to take off my socks?”

  “I thought you might have cold feet.”

  Ella sniffed again. “Naked people wearing socks look ridiculous. There should be a rule that it’s not allowed.” She peered at him more closely. “Do you break the sock rule? Consider carefully because this is a deal breaker for me.”

  He chuckled. “I always sleep naked unless I’m camping in the great outdoors and need to move in a hurry.”

  “Excellent. Socks. Off, please.”

  He slid off her socks then aligned their bodies and pulled the covers over them. Heat radiated off his big body while she shivered and worked to keep her teeth from chattering.

  “Now where were we?” he asked.

  “Kissing. Touching. Smooching. In that order.”

  “The caresses have been one-sided thus far. Just saying.”

  Ella stared, trying to read his expression. Difficult since the man resembled a blank slate. “Is that a dare? Because if it is, I accept. I respond well to challenges.”

  Dillon flopped over on his back and placed his hands behind his head. His pectoral muscles shifted as he moved, attracting her avid attention. “If staring is all you’ve got, you’re heading for an F grade.”

  An inelegant snort escaped her, and she rolled her eyes for emphasis. If she wasn’t looking forward to this treat so much she’d pinch his splendid muscular backside. No, the wretch would enjoy that too much.

  “Prepare to suffer.” She made spider motions in the air and watched him grin. She wished she could read his face. Tomorrow, she’d offer to trim his beard again. He might agree.

  His blue eyes glinted in a challenge, but she didn’t let his confidence needle her. Instead, she straddled his body and leaned over him. His swift intake of breath and his avid attention as her breasts neared his face told her she had his complete cooperation. This was gonna be fun.

  She licked on a flat nipple, stroking the disk with her tongue while her hands got busy with his shoulders. Strong shoulders. His scent washed over her. There were citrus notes and a hint of something green. His soap or shampoo or that surprising bottle of body wash she’d noted on a shelf in the shower. Her fingers tiptoed over his biceps, which bunched on contact. Oh, he was trying to remain still and not react to her teasing strokes but deniability wasn’t working from his end.

  Now, the ultimate test. She slid back a fraction, her backside coming into contact with his erection. She wriggled back and forward and gloried in his gasp. Ha! She’d guessed right. His impassiveness was a front and this big, bad SAS man felt things deeply. A case in point—the way he fell silent whenever his wife’s name came up.

  Ella stilled.

  She didn’t want to hurt him or get hurt herself. Maybe she should walk away before things progressed any further. Then, she admitted the truth. While she didn’t believe in love at first sight, the building blocks of a serious relationship were already cemented in her mind.

  “Hey,” he said. “Having second thoughts?”

  “I don’t wish to get hurt. When I fall for a guy, I usually fall hard.” There she went with that honesty again.

  “We’ve only met. I intend to rejoin my team.”

  “Yes. I get that. I’m not the woman who jumps into bed with a man on the first date.”

  “We can stop. I have capable hands. I won’t die from blue balls.”

  “No, you don’t understand. For the first time that’s not a problem for me.”

  “We don’t have a future together.” Blunt and ringing with honesty.

  “I understand. Could we be friends with benefits while you’re here? And the next time you come home, we can reassess if we’re still on the same page? We can make a list of rules.”

  “Number one. My mother must never find out about us,” he said.

  “Pep-talk done. Let’s hash out the rules tomorrow.”

  He offered her his hand to seal the deal. A spark of electricity jumped up her arm, and she barely held back a gasp.

  “Can we stop talking now?”

  His plaintive tone made her laugh.

  “I like you Dillon Williams and I hereby agree to friends with benefits, the finer points to be hashed out tomorrow.”

  “Deal, Ella Liddington-Walsh.”

  She grinned. “Where is that box of condoms? I want to get to the good stuff now.”

  Dillon reached for the box and ripped it open. He separated one condom and tossed the box and the rest of the strip on the bedside cabinet.

  Ella scooted off Dillon and opened the foil packet. She rolled
the condom onto his shaft without a fumble.

  “You’ve done that before.”

  “My girlfriends and I used to practice on a wooden phallus. We decided the skill might come in handy.”

  “That’s scary.”

  “No different from guys practicing to unhook a bra. I bet you and your mates did that when you were younger.”

  “Nope, my talent comes naturally.”

  Ella sniggered. “Whatever.”

  “I’m taking control since you’ve squandered your opportunity.”

  He reacted so quickly she’d barely formulated a protest, let alone voiced it. Ella found herself staring at him, blinking at the intensity radiating from his gaze. His callused hands cupped her breasts and toyed with her nipples. Sometimes soft. Sometimes hard. Always pleasurable. He kissed her again with his skillful mouth and soon she drifted, his strokes and caresses making her body sing.

  He moved his attention lower, working down her torso. His tongue rimmed her bellybutton while his callused hands curved around her hipbones. Her breathing grew faster and her pulse raced.

  His fingers stroked her slit and the burst of pleasure had her gasping aloud. He chuckled at her reaction, but she didn’t take offense. His skillful fingers worked in a pleasing rhythm that told her he wasn’t boasting about his experience. Either he’d done this a lot, or he’d learned from an excellent teacher.

  She. Didn’t. Care.

  Friends with benefits. It was official. No jealousy here. Instinct told her if the green-eyed monster got hold of her, this would turn into a one-hit wonder.

  Greedily, she wanted much more.

  Dillon lifted her to his mouth. His tongue finessed her clit with light pressure. Perfect pressure. So perfect. The faint prickle forecasting an imminent climax sizzled from the point of contact.

  “Dillon.” She wriggled, and his head lifted.

  “Too much?”

  “I’m going to come.”

  “And that’s a problem why?”

  “I-I…” Ella frowned.

  “If it’s any consolation, I won’t last long once I get inside you. Take what you can now,” he advised with an audacious wink.

  “As long as we practice over the next few days and increase our stamina.”

  He barked out a laugh. “We’ll add that to our agreement. Can I go back to licking now?”

  “Feel free,” she said in an airy voice.

  This time, he licked and caressed with a purpose. He slid one long finger into her heat and angled his finger, hitting the perfect spot.

  Ella closed her eyes to better enjoy his superior skills. The man…she’d never… Heck, she couldn’t wait to experience everything with him. He lifted his mouth for an instant, and she was tempted to grab his ears and redirect him back to her clit.

  “Dillon.”

  He blew warm air over her needy flesh, and a shiver worked through her.

  “Please. I’m close. Don’t tease me now. And do that finger thing inside me. I like that.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “And put away that cocky grin. It’s irritating.”

  Dillon laughed, the exuberant sound making her blink. He’d smiled once he’d warmed to her company, but this wholehearted amusement was new. She promised herself to make it her mission to bring more joy to his life.

  Dillon settled to lick her again.

  “Perfect,” she said. “I love a man who takes direction.”

  His tongue waggled and a puff of air heated her flesh at the same time. She’d made him laugh or at least smile again. Score.

  Then in the next instant, Dillon pushed her toward the edge. She strained, lifting her hips and chasing the elusive orgasm. Seconds later, she shattered with the dual tongue caresses and his finger stroking her deep inside. Pleasure darted along her legs and whisked upward in another wave, frisking her breasts and filling her face with heat. Gradually, she released her tense muscles and Dillon took that as a sign to back away from more stimulation.

  “Ah.” She sighed with enjoyment. “That was magnificent.”

  “My turn.” He levered his body, positioned his cock at her entrance and pushed inside her with one seamless stroke. “Damn. That is perfect. You okay?”

  She nodded even though his length stretched her to the point of discomfort.

  He kissed her, sealing their lips together and withdrew. He entered her again with an uncompromising thrust, and this time, his shaft slid more easily, the friction drifting over the border to blissful.

  Ella clutched his shoulders, savoring his hard strength as he surrounded her, filled her, dominated her with his need. Their lips parted, and she nibbled his neck. A dark groan told her he liked that, so she repeated the move, giving him a fraction more teeth.

  His strokes became rapid and choppy, his breathing harsh, and she reveled in her power over this strong man. He came with a hoarse groan, his big body stilling balls-deep in her. After a long moment, he kissed her again, this time gentle and short. Despite this, the kiss punched at her psyche, and she reminded herself this was a temporary relationship, meant to benefit them both. If she was stupid enough to fall for him, despite their short acquaintance, more fool her.

  5 – The Beard Episode

  Dillon left Ella sleeping the next morning. He didn’t creep, but he used his soldier training to leave his bedroom without detection. After a quick shower, he padded to the kitchen, his mind stuck on Ella.

  He hadn’t expected this, hadn’t planned it at all, but there was something about Ella that challenged him. Made him forget his good intentions. Even though they were new acquaintances, he’d guessed she didn’t do casual. The local gossip would’ve reached his mother. She’d steer Ella away from him if this was the case.

  Friends with benefits.

  An interesting concept and one that worked for him as long as he didn’t let himself get too serious. One-night stands weren’t his thing, but if he added friendship to the mix…

  Deep in his head, Dillon pulled on a jacket and donned his gumboots. As he’d expected, the worst of the rain had passed and the sky didn’t hold the sullen grayness of the last few days. Native birds sang and twittered in the nearby block of bush, and their happiness pleased him. He and Hana had trapped extensively to rid their corner of introduced pests, and he intended to remain vigilant with possums and rats to keep the bird population healthy.

  Once he’d fed and watered Rufus, he checked on his alpacas. He scratched a fuzzy white head and smiled at the other beasts who nudged him for the same attention. With the alpacas fed and wandering around their paddock, he returned to the house, leaving Rufus to run loose.

  If Ella wanted, they’d drive to the landslide and check the level of the creek. She had to be sick of wearing borrowed clothes. His grin was wolfish as he recalled her luscious, naked body curled against his. Option number two. Ditch the clothes and return to bed.

  Now that one appealed big time.

  When he reentered the house, Ella was in the shower. He strode along the passage and banged on the door. “Do you want more clothes?”

  “I already found clean clothes,” she shouted back. The shower turned off, and the door opened a few seconds later. “I hope you don’t mind, but I raided your wardrobe. I’ll do the washing today.”

  He scanned her naked shoulders and her cleavage, the rest hidden by the towel wrapped around her torso. “Tea or coffee?”

  “Whatever you’re having. What are you making me for breakfast? I’m hungry.”

  Dillon’s lips twitched. “It’s a surprise.”

  By the time Ella arrived in the kitchen, he had a cheese and mushroom omelet underway and a plunger of coffee waiting to pour. Without being asked, Ella set the table and poured coffee for them both.

  He shot straight to the meat of his thoughts. “Are we going to discuss rules today?”

  “Yes. Where do you hang your laundry when it’s raining? Do you have a drier?”

  “No drier. I have a line in the carport.
The wind whistles through there and it dries fast.”

  Ella nodded. “Do you have other laundry? I might as well do everything at once.”

  “You don’t have to look after me.”

  “You babysat me after the landslide. Can I trim your beard?”

  “An attempt to fix me?”

  “No, I’d prefer to see the shape of your face. Right now, you resemble a mountain man.”

  “Have you done this before?”

  “No.”

  “And I should trust you why?”

  “Because I’m the one who looks at you, and if I make a mess, it will hurt my eyes. Not yours.”

  Dillon grinned. “Good point.” She kept him guessing with her outrageous comments. He never knew what words would fall from her luscious mouth next. “I want to check the boundary fences in case any trees have fallen during the storm. The neighbor has cattle, and I don’t want them eating out my paddocks.”

  “Can I come with you?”

  “It will be muddy.”

  “I have gumboots.”

  Dillon had wondered if Ella might grow tired of the great outdoors It was muddy and cold, despite the sunshine. Once again, she surprised him. She snapped photos of the trees and came to an abrupt halt when she spotted a gray bird with a bright blue wattle.

  “A kokako,” she breathed, lifting her phone to take a photo. “We have wild birds on the reserve. It’s exciting to learn the population is growing.”

  “There are a lot of birds. More than there used to be.”

  A loud whop-whop rent the air and Dillon frowned.

  “That’s a big bird,” Ella said as the helicopter flew over their heads and banked right.

  “I didn’t realize the neighbor had a chopper.”

  “Perhaps he has a visitor.”

  “Possible.” Dillon realized he’d noticed the helicopter twice since he’d arrived home. He hadn’t blinked the first time, but now he wondered why his neighbor—a cattle farmer—had a helicopter. Not a single reason occurred as to why the man owned one, although maybe Ella was right, and the guy’s friends or family owned a bird. A helicopter was the perfect vehicle at present with the access road blocked.

  “Oh, Dillon.” Ella’s reverent tone drew his attention. The sun caught her profile as she gazed at him, the rays turning her pink streaks to fiery red. “Look.”