Most eligible cowboy, p.9
Most Eligible Cowboy, page 9
She swallowed, suddenly aware of every spectacular line of him. “That must be unexpected.”
“Unexpected, yes, but good,” he agreed. “It lets me know I’ve healed what needed to be healed from that relationship.”
“You should feel proud of that. I wish I could even begin the healing part.”
His eyes searched hers, his hand pressing tighter, bringing her even closer, an odd sense of safety swelling. “It’s been a year since Julia and I ended things. You can’t compare our relationships.”
“I guess you’re right,” she said, “but at least you can face Julia. I haven’t done that yet. I’ve only talked to Brock once, and that was to make sure his parents were okay after the news of our fake engagement broke.”
“You’ll talk to him when you’re ready,” Colter said with a slight curve to his mouth. His thumb stroked slowly across her back. “Though I, for one, don’t think you owe that man a damn thing or a second more of your time.”
She instantly regretted the open-back dress for the access it gave him. “Thanks.” Desperately trying to ignore the building heat seeping into her from his touch, she pressed on, “Why did seeing your grandmother’s ring ruffle Julia’s feathers so much?”
“After my grandmother passed away, Julia said she wanted the ring. I asked my mother if I could have it when I planned to propose to Julia, but my mom said no.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “My grandparents were married seventy-two years. I think, for my mom, the ring is a symbol of our family. I’m sure it’s hard to part with.”
Adeline agreed with a nod. “I’m pretty sentimental about stuff like that, so I totally understand. But no wonder that dug at Julia a bit. I should have flashed it around more, like she was flashing around that necklace.”
He chuckled. “Noticed that, too, did you?”
“Of course I noticed,” Adeline said with a huff. “It’s impossible not to notice how much she’s changed. She doesn’t even look like herself anymore.”
“No, she doesn’t,” he agreed. Then his voice dipped lower, becoming throatier. “However, I’m not looking at her tonight.” He pressed himself into her, leaving no space between them. “I’m looking at you.”
Fake relationship. Fake relationship. Fake relationship.
Heat spiraled low in her belly, and soon, all she knew was his hefty erection pressed against her. The other couples dancing all faded away—even the music seemed to stop as he brought his mouth near. She asked in a rush, “If your mother had your grandmother’s ring, how did you get it for tonight?”
“I asked her for it.” His eyes searched hers before lingering on her mouth. “Perhaps it’s not so hard giving something away when you know the engagement isn’t real.”
Yes, see, a fake relationship. “I imagine that’s very much true.”
His attention slowly lifted to her eyes again, and his smile nearly melted her bones. “Are you truly interested in this or are you trying to distract yourself?”
She cursed the blush rushing to her face. Get it under control, girl! She considered what to tell him and what to keep private, but she decided she wanted him to know her, considering all that he’d shared with her. “The truth is, being here with you, dancing like this—” feeling your massive erection “—would make my teenage self die from happiness.”
His brows drew together. “What do you mean?”
“I had a big crush on you all through school,” she said quickly before she chickened out.
His thumb stopped its dance on her back. “Did you really?”
“Yes, big-time,” she admitted with a laugh. “I was such a cliché. The girl staring at the guy from afar, daydreaming you’d come over and notice me.”
“I had no idea,” he said, his thumb resuming its slow dance along her skin.
“It’s for the best, really. I had big daddy issues and I probably would’ve ended up in a bad place if any guy noticed me back then.”
“You don’t have those issues now?”
She shook her head. “Years of therapy helped with that, and growing up, too, realizing that life isn’t perfect. People aren’t perfect. And whatever happened with my father is on him, not me.”
“That’s a good realization.”
She swayed her hips, following where he guided her. “It is, but it also doesn’t stop me from wondering about him. Who he is now. What he’s like.”
“I think that’s natural,” he said. “But I also think he doesn’t deserve you, either.”
She couldn’t fight her smile. “See, you are totally crushworthy.”
His voice lowered, even deeper this time. “Does that mean you still have a crush on me?”
“Aren’t all the girls crushing on Colter Ward right now?” she teased, and he chuckled.
Beneath her dress, her nipples puckered, an all-consuming need filling her with every slide of that thumb across her flesh. “But it’s different now,” she continued, “because back then you were the hot guy I couldn’t stop looking at. You barely said a word to me. I made you into this perfect guy in my mind. But the thing is, you’ve grown into this incredible man. I think that actually makes you hotter.”
He stopped dancing then. Intensity flashed across his expression. “I wish I saw you then like I see you now. I’m sorry I didn’t.”
Promises were in his eyes. Heated promises. Sweet promises.
Promises that at any other point in her life would have been the greatest thing to ever happen to her.
The room began to squeeze her as this fake relationship suddenly became all too real, the air becoming thin and impossible to inhale. Turning away, she booked it for the French doors with thick velvet drapes on either side.
Once outside on the balcony, she was surrounded by lush greenery and flowers of all colors, with gas-powered lanterns casting a warm glow into the night. She made it swiftly to the wrought iron railing and gulped at the air, feeling like her skin was on fire.
“Did I upset you?”
At Colter’s low, regretful voice, she turned to face him, gripping the railing tight. “You didn’t upset me.” Holding his stare, she knew the moment he realized what was wrong by the way his expression became taut...penetrating.
He took a step toward her.
She held up her hand. “I need a minute.”
“Do you?” he murmured. “Or do you need something else?”
A whimper escaped her, her knees weakening with every step he took.
Closer.
And closer.
Until he stood directly in front of her.
She fought to slow the racing of her heart, which was beating faster and faster. “What are we doing here, Colter?”
His hands came next to hers on the railing, the strength of his body encasing her. “Seems pretty self-explanatory to me.”
Her head was screaming no. Her body was screaming, Kiss me. Now! “This is supposed to be a fake relationship, remember? We made rules that we are breaking. This is a terrible idea.”
“Actually, I don’t think it is.” His lips met hers then, hot and wicked, and as his tongue slipped into her mouth, her hesitation evaporated.
She realized with his sizzling kiss that she was fooling herself. She’d wanted this to happen from the second she saw him again. And while her battered heart refused to jump into this game, she could do what Waylon had suggested: Be wild and free. Make terrible decisions.
Tonight!
When his hands braced her face as he angled her head, deepening the kiss, she felt her body rise to his challenge. The need flooding her to not think, to just...indulge.
“You have a past,” he said, trailing scorching kisses down her neck. “I have a past. None of that matters now, don’t you feel that?” He slid a hand down over her bottom, thrusting her against him. “Don’t you feel this? This is all that matters now. I want you, Adeline.” He nipped at her jawline before looking her in the eye again. “Do you want me, too?”
Safety. Comfort. Strength. Colter was all those things. But he was something more, something tempting. Something special that made her decision all too easy. “Yes, I want you.” She grasped the front of his shirt, and before she met his challenging kiss with one of her own, she purred, “Preferably right now.”
Eight
Colter kissed her. Roughly. Passionately. On the ballroom’s balcony. Outside in front of the Hotel Crescent Court while they waited for the driver. In the back of the SUV on the drive to the Rosewood Mansion. In the elevator on the way up to their room. Urgency had nearly had him paying for a room near the ballroom, but he never stayed at the same place as an event—keeping business and personal separate always worked for him. But instead of taking her then and there, he hesitated for one important reason.
He didn’t want Adeline to regret him.
So, he gave her time.
Time to change her mind.
The moment he shut the hotel room’s door and turned back to the lavish room with king-size canopy bed and antique furnishings, he realized his worry was without reason. She stared at him hungrily, obviously feeling the same all-consuming need he couldn’t ignore. Not anymore.
Breathless, he pressed his back against the door as she tucked a finger under the thin strap of her dress, slowly pulling it down. Until the fabric slid down along one bare breast. Colter’s cock hardened to steel so swiftly he groaned as she revealed one taut, rosy nipple.
“Adeline,” he murmured.
“You want to see more?” she rasped.
“Definitely more.” He groaned.
Nibbling her lip, her cheeks flushed bright red, she repeated the move on the other strap of her dress. The fabric slowly slid down until her dress pooled at her feet.
Colter took in the view...stunned by what he saw as she toed the dress off to the side. Her curves were perfect. The gentle lines of her body were perfect. She was perfect. Bare on top, the only fabric she had on were black lace panties. He’d seen women naked. He’d even seen beautiful women painted in pictures. Movie stars on the big screen. No one came close to Adeline.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” he told her.
Her chest rose and fell with her heavy breaths when she reached down to remove her panties.
He tsked. “Those are mine to take off.”
“Oh?” she asked playfully. “Then why don’t you get over here and take them off?”
He locked the door behind him and then approached, allowing himself the time to look his fill at her. Her breath hitched when he reached her, taking her chin in his grip. “I might have been your crush, Adeline, but believe me, right now, you are mine.” He saw the effect of his words, the way she softened. Her hands tangled into his shirt, and he helped her with the buttons.
Needing more of her, he sealed his mouth across hers as she brushed the fabric over his shoulders. When she reached for his pants, he let her unbuckle his belt, but he assisted her in shoving them down. He never stopped kissing her. Not when she explored each part of his body, like he was a prize she’d been waiting to claim. Not when she broke the kiss to look at his hardened length, discover the size of him. Not even when she gripped his cock and stroked him gently. He groaned and kissed her chin, her neck, her breasts, nipping at her nipples, unable to get enough of her.
Only when her hands slid back up his arms did he stop and drop to a knee in front of her. Her cheeks were flushed bright with color, her eyes wide as he tucked his fingers in her panties and gingerly dragged them down. His attention went to the soft curls as he slid the fabric off her foot, tossing them aside.
“Damn, New York, look at you.” He pressed a kiss to her belly...her inner thigh...moving closer and closer to where her trembling told him she wanted him to go.
She threaded her fingers into his hair. “Please,” she whispered.
Ravenous need stormed over him at her plea. But there was something more that he wanted. More than his own need. Her taste. Desperate to have all of this surprising woman who was changing him as a man, he glided his tongue against her. Her soft moan was the only sound he heard as he brought her to pleasure.
Over.
And over again.
Slowly. Carefully. Intently.
Until her breathing began hitching, her body shaking with the force of his tongue caressing her. But it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough. He added one finger into his affection. Then another.
Giving her more...taking her higher...and soon she broke apart around him, a beautiful mess of satisfaction, shuddering against his mouth.
He only backed away when her soft whimper brushed across him. She released the tight hold on his hair, so he pressed a final kiss to her thigh and rose. Her half-lidded eyes held his as he gathered her in his arms and laid her out on the bed. Her legs were parted, cheeks and chest flushed beautifully, an invitation he wouldn’t refuse.
Hastily, he retrieved his wallet from his pants, and as he reached for a condom, she took his hardened length into her hands.
“You’re not the only one who wants to play,” she rasped.
He grunted at the feel of her tight hand against him, tossing his head back before he forced himself to watch her have her fun. A rumbly growl rose from his chest at the playfulness in her eyes. He’d never known a woman who was bold, brave, sweet and shy all at once. The combination was devastatingly perfect. His perfect woman, one he never knew he wanted or needed.
She was wreaking havoc on his control.
His legs began trembling, pleasure rushing through his veins with the frantic beat of his heart. When tension rushed up his spine, he stepped free, breaking her hold. Throbbing and on the brink of losing it, he growled, “The only way we end tonight is with me inside you.”
“Then get over here,” she said, grinning, sliding farther back on the bed.
Eager to feel her, he sheathed himself in a condom and then joined her on the soft mattress that bounced under his weight. He blanketed his body over her, pulling one of her thighs back as he went. A beauty beneath him, he sealed his mouth across hers and primed himself at her entrance.
Then he pushed forward, entering her halfway. Though he was nearly seeing stars at the pleasure skyrocketing through him, her tight kiss told him to wait.
She gasped against his lips, “Colter.”
“Yeah, New York, you’re going to take all of me.” He sealed his mouth across hers again, deepening the kiss. He slowly pumped his hips, relishing her wet warmth and hold. He broke away, kissing her jawline. “I’ve wanted this from the moment I saw you.”
“Me, too.” She moaned as he thrust forward slightly, moving in deeper.
Again.
And again.
Until he groaned against her neck, seated all the way to the hilt. He nipped at her neck, and her eager moan lifted his attention. She panted with urgency, so he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. Deeper. Harder. Until she whimpered, wiggling beneath him, meeting him thrust for thrust.
Right there, taken by pleasure alongside her, he began moving gently, slowly.
Her moans traveled like wildfire across his flesh as he kissed all the exposed parts of her. She arched her back when he latched onto a nipple, so he sucked harder. Nibbled the hard peak until her moans turned raspy. Desperate.
She grabbed his bottom, locking her ankles around his thighs, and he let go of his restraint. Giving them what they both wanted, he rode her hard, fast, each thrust building until their minds were stolen and overwhelmed by pleasure.
Skin slapped against skin. The smell of their sex infusing the air. She became too much. All of her. The greatness of her. The feel of her. He broke the kiss, needing to watch her fall apart in his arms. Though nothing prepared him for the emotions battering his chest when he looked deep into her eyes. Her guard was down, her soul right there for the taking, and damn, did he want to claim her.
Any control he might have had was currently stripped away. His movements became frantic as her screams begged him to finish her.
He stared into her beautiful pleasure until the very last moment. Only then did he dare shut his eyes and lose himself to sensation, hearing her final scream of satisfaction as she followed him over the edge.
* * *
“Oh, hell, yes, girl. Get it,” Nora said through the phone line as Adeline sank down on the closed toilet seat.
In the white marble bathroom, with gold accents on just about everything and rich floral scents from the potpourri infusing the air, Adeline pressed her cell phone to her ear, keeping the conversation private. “This isn’t a huge mistake?” she asked.
Nora scoffed. “Um, no, sleeping with that hella sexy cowboy is the best decision you’ve ever made. Why are you even questioning this?”
“Because I feel like somehow in all this, our fake relationship, fake engagement, whatever you want to call it, nothing is fake anymore.”
“Would that be such a bad thing?”
“I don’t know,” Adeline answered honestly, staring at the all-glass shower across the bathroom. “It’s just messed up. I mean, who breaks off her engagement and then suddenly gets with someone else?”
“Lots of people,” Nora said. “Besides, Brock cheated on you. It’s not like you don’t have a good reason to move on with your life. You’ve had a crush on Colter for forever. You deserve to have a little fun.”
Adeline nearly didn’t respond but knew that would get her nowhere. “Yeah, but that’s what you don’t get, Nora. Colter isn’t a guy you just have fun with. He’s incredible. He’s so good to his family, his community—even to me.”
Nora hesitated, a long, obvious pause. “You’re catching feelings?”
“Catching them?” Adeline laughed. “I’ve had feelings for him since high school. And now he’s this grown man who’s—” she stared at the closed bathroom door—to Colter on the other side “—just perfect in every way. God, Nora, he’s my dream guy. In bed and out of it.”
