Kissing her and touching her. I didn’t stay long enough to find out what they did next, but I supposed being in the secret garden provided the privacy they needed to do a hell of a lot more than kiss and grope.
While I watched, I found myself thinking what it would be like to kiss him and be like that girl, to feel the way she must have felt.
I never knew today would be that day. However, I really doubted that she felt remotely close to what I felt today.
I wasn’t sure anyone could. My cheeks burned at the memory, and I swallowed hard to push past the lump in my throat.
“Thank you for saving me from that guy.” I broke the silence that filtered in the space between us.
“Don’t mention it.”
“What am I going to do? A hundred grand or the motel. What the hell? What the fuck?” I looked away from him as the seriousness of the situation came rushing back in my mind.
“Let me take care of it.”
“Caine.” I returned my gaze to him. “We’re not paying a hundred grand on a loan that was supposed to be something like sixteen or seventeen grand. And the motel is out of the question. It’s my aunt’s legacy. Her life’s accomplishment. I can’t even tell her what happened.” I couldn’t. One sure way to finish off someone with a heart condition is to give them news like this.
“Don’t tell her. There’s something more at work here. It doesn’t make sense. We’re not paying a hundred grand or giving them the motel. You have to let me take care of it though. I’m pretty certain those guys weren’t your run-of-the-mill loan sharks. Looked more like mafia-type bookies to me.”
“Mafia?” Jesus Lord, what had Halle gotten herself into? How had she even come by them? I didn’t think she knew people like that. I brought my hand to my chest.
“Anya, please, don’t freak out. At least they know that you aren’t two frightened women they can terrorize.”
“I’m worried. There’s just too much. Shawna and I got this idea to set up a day spa here, and I was so excited to start looking into it today. Then that happened. I think I’m cursed.”
It was one more thing to throw me off my game. Another thing to stop me in my tracks. How could I even think of planning now when these guys thought they could make such a stipulation to take the motel? I didn’t even know they could do that. And what would Caine do? This wasn’t his problem.
“You’re not cursed. You just haven’t had your time to shine yet. A day spa here sounds like a great idea. You should do it. I’ll help you set it up and build whatever you need.” He smiled and nodded.
“Really? Would you?” It was a nice thought. To have his help.
“You know I would.”
“You’re doing too much.”
“Okay, how about this? How about you repay me with a date? Go out with me tomorrow night.”
I smiled, not bothering to hide how flattered I was.
“Tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow. And don’t try to give me any excuses or tell me something lame like you’re washing your hair.” He chuckled.
“Has anyone ever said that to you?” I highly doubted many women had turned him down.
“Uh uh.” He shook his head. “But since you’ve turned me down several times in the past week, I figured I’d stop you in your tracks on this occasion.”
“I’m not washing my hair tomorrow.”
He reached out and took a lock of my hair. Wrapping the ends around his thumb, he watched it coil, then loosen.
“I want the chance to explore you properly, Anya. I want to finish what we started earlier.”
I wanted that too. “Me too.”
“Then say yes. I’ll even be good and give you the rest of the night to prepare.”
“So, we’re not going to your place tonight?”
Desire and lust filled his eyes. “Do you want to?”
I’d really landed myself in that one. I knew I had with my tease. With the way I behaved with him earlier, no one would guess that I wasn’t the kind of woman who preferred slow, or who would never jump in bed with a man after so little time to get reacquainted. I didn’t do one-night stands or what Shawna called just becauses.
Maybe that was why I was still single or hadn’t met anyone I really clicked with. Maybe I wasn’t adventurous enough. I didn’t know.
“I like slow,” I told him and fumbled with the frayed edges of my denim skirt.
“Then we’ll go slow, Miss Thing.” A cocky smile filled his handsome face. The mischief was still there too, making him look sexier. “Date tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
His eyes sparkled as I answered. “She said yes.”
“I said yes.” Something crossed my mind, and I sighed. “Does it feel wrong to be planning a date or fun when so much is going on?”
“No, it would be wrong if we didn’t… explore this. Especially since I know I thoroughly enjoyed exploring you earlier. You didn’t get to do much to me. Seems a little unfair. Pretty certain you would have liked what you saw.”
God… when he said things like that, it made me want to rethink my need for slow.
“On this occasion I think you’re right.”
He turned his smile up a notch and leaned in to kiss me. I moved too, welcoming the kiss and giving in as he pulled me into his lap. Felt good to be there again.
“The Hourglass at eight?” he spoke against my lips.
That was a seriously happening night club on the sea front that was always busy. I’d been there a few times with Shawna.
“Sounds good.”
“Come here.” He summoned me back to his lips with the crook of his finger.
* * *
I was determined to have a good day.
My horoscope said I should be adventurous, so I followed suit.
I pushed the events of yesterday out of my mind, along with all my worries and fears. Aunt Halle thought my day spa idea was the best idea ever when I’d proposed it to her this morning, so I was on cloud nine by the time I got back to the motel. On cloud nine and looking forward to my date with Caine.
What was even better was, Shawna had plans to go to the Hourglass too. She had a date. We got ready together, looking like we were ready for the runway.
She’d changed her hair again. Tonight, she’d done some twisted braids that she had piled up on top of her head in a bun. She’d added in some platinum hair extensions that twisted in each braid and looked truly stunning against her white halter neck dress and the sparkling cherry-colored lipstick she wore.
I looked great too. I went for a black bodycon with diamantes splashed over the fabric. My hair was down, cascading down my back in loose sexy waves. My eyes were smoky, and I wore a burgundy lipstick that gave me a soulful, sultry look.
We stood by the bar waiting for our guys and got started with a fruit cocktail.
The place was packed, and the music was a mix of club and house. It created a good vibe. Up by the bar, the music was turned down to a volume that allowed you to carry on with conversation and still appreciate the vibes.
“My guy’s here. You should see him,” Shawna bubbled with a little squeal. “Turn casually.”
I smiled and looked over my shoulder in a nonchalant manner. I saw a seriously hot Brazilian-looking guy heading our way.
Turning back to Shawna, I gasped. “Where’d you get him from?”
“The dating site.”
“What dating site?” I wasn’t aware of her being on any dating site.
“You don’t need to know. Your man’s here too.” She did that thing with her eyes and tilted her chin to our left.
I couldn’t look. I knew if I looked and saw Caine coming, I’d melt. He hadn’t come by the motel today when I was there. Patricia told me he’d come earlier in the morning when I was at the hospital.
My nerves… spiked.
“Do I look okay?”
Shawna looked at me like I’d slapped her. “Girl, please, just don’t.” She smirked.
“I just
want to know, you know, because it’s Caine.”
“The horrible Donoghue boy?”
“Yes, I mean no. You know.”
“You look better than a million dollars with a dash of Naomi Campbell and Beyoncé. Not even grandma could ruin your night with her talk of bad luck.
I shook my head at her Shawnaisms but couldn’t help but laugh. “Thank you. I think.”
“Just remember plenty of safe sex.”
“What?”
“Bye, girl.” She winked at me and moseyed away as her date got close.
I enjoyed the spectacle of him taking her hand and kissing it. But I only got a few seconds of the show because warm hands smoothed around my waist and pressed me flush against a hard wall of a chest.
“Don’t you fucking dare tell me you didn’t wear this for me,” Caine breathed into my ear.
The musky scent of his aftershave tickled my nose and scattered my nerves again.
I twisted to face him, and my heart sped up at the sight of what he wore. I hadn’t seen him dressed up yet. Caine on a normal day in his casual wear was delicious. He was the kind of guy who could make an ordinary pair of Levi’s and a plain T-shirt look like he’d been wearing a suit. Him right now, dressed in a black slim-fit button-down shirt that displayed the serious definition in the muscles along his abs, and tan chinos, screamed sinfully sexy. The truly lascivious smile on his face matched the man who wore it.
I melted. I did, and so did all my worries.
“Cat got your sexy tongue, sweetheart?” He gave me that cocky, masculine grin I’d grown accustomed to. It was a smile of confidence from a man who is used to getting his own way, and he was.
Caine Donoghue was definitely that.
“Has not. You look good.” I lifted my right shoulder in my trademark sassy shrug.
“Thank you, Miss Thing. You look amazing, but I like what you wore the other day more.”
I narrowed my eyes wondering what he was talking about. This dress was one of my more expensive dresses. It cost a bomb when I bought it last year in the fall.
“What did I wear that looked better than this?”
Sin filled his handsome face. “Nothing. You were practically naked.” He leaned in and whispered into my ear. “You sitting in my lap topless, aroused for me. There’s no better image than that.”
That was it. Adventure, here I come. I smoothed my hand up his jaw and moved in to kiss him. I didn’t care where we were. I wanted him. I dropped a kiss on his sexy lips, and he brushed back and forth over mine, teasing me.
“Dance with me, goddess.” The warmth of his breath on my neck was like fire in my soul.
I moved with him as he lured me away, and in that moment, I would have gone wherever he wanted me to follow him.
Chapter 11
Anya
* * *
We found a nice spot on the dance floor where it wasn’t too busy. It was perfect for a couple who wanted to dance and enjoy the music, but I doubted that what we were doing could be called just dancing.
I was pressed up against Caine with my back against his chest and his arms around me and face nuzzled against the crook of my neck as he placed a tortuous trail of fiery kisses all along the path.
Thank God for the splashing club lights against the darkness because he made an expressly erotic play of running his hands down my stomach and up and down my thighs, and covertly running a finger over my painfully tight nipples.
Heat radiated between us as we moved in sync in fluid movements as we swayed to the music. Our breath ragged, short, breathless.
We could have been the only two people in the club, or on earth. The way he touched me stole my mind away, and I had that hunger for more again.
He twisted me around to face him, and I laced my fingers around his neck. We dipped low for a slow grind against each other.
I loved that he moved like the rhythm poured through him. Effortlessly.
It was like we were made to dance together, to this song, a hot, sexy mix of instrumental tunes that made you think of only one thing.
I wiggled my hips and went to dip again, but he caught my arm and pulled me possessively closer.
“I want you,” he whispered into my ear as the volume lowered for the song change.
I pulled back slightly to gaze up into his eyes and smiled a secret smile he understood.
I didn’t have to say yes, or anything. He knew I wanted him too, and like the way we danced in sync, we moved at the same time to leave.
He took my hand and led me through the door, and like the other day, I followed him.
In the parking lot, we stopped at a black Ferrari. I gasped when I saw it because I’d only ever seen him with his motorcycle.
“Is this yours?” I didn’t know why I was so shocked. I knew how wealthy he was.
“You like it?” He came around to my side to open the door for me.
“I love it.”
He watched me get inside and continued to stare even when I sat down.
“What?” I smiled at him wondering why he was still staring.
“You.”
An unwelcome blush heated my skin.
He closed the door and dashed around to the driver’s side to jump in.
I’d never driven anywhere with Caine before, but he was like a racecar driver. Fast and decisive, like he owned the road.
We didn’t say much in the car, but I caught him looking at me several times, and we ran a red light because he couldn’t break in time to stop for it.
Twenty minutes later, we pulled up the drive to a modern-looking house which looked stunning even in the night. The porch lights that lit it up did a great job of showing off the décor and thought that went into the design.
It looked like it was inspired by some of the houses I’d seen in Europe. In magazines. I would be so lucky to get the chance to go to Europe. One day though.
When the car stopped, Caine got out, opened the door for me, and picked me up.
Actually picked me up and hoisted me over his shoulder caveman style. I squealed with delight.
“Welcome to my home, beautiful.” He landed a firm palm on my ass and rubbed.
“Caine, you are going to make me crazy.”
“That’s the idea, Miss Thing. You’re too damn sexy for your own good.” He chuckled.
He proceeded with me into the house. Automatic lights came on as we went inside, and I managed to see the tasteful decoration he’d chosen for the interior. Just barely. It was very clear that Caine had other things in mind for me, and it wasn’t to show me around his house.
He marched upstairs with me, his hand never leaving my ass. Then into the bedroom we went. A beautiful master bedroom with a king-sized bed in the center made of solid mahogany. The furniture matched perfectly with everything else in very earthy, neutral tones of beige and cream.
He had that less-is-more look going on perfectly. I loved it.
He set me down in the center of the bed and sat down to kiss his way up my legs and up to my thighs. Playfully, I moved back and propped myself on my hands and knees, hair flicked over my face. This was me teasing him.
“You can stay exactly like that, baby.”
He reached for me, but I moved back off the bed and giggled.
“Now you’re making me crazy.”
“Tell me why you want me.”
“You’re sexy and beautiful, and I want to make you mine.”
“How will you make me yours?” I teased. He came closer and reached for me, but I moved away, backing away toward the wall.
“Come here and find out. There’s more than one way.”
“Tell me one.”
He backed me against the wall, reached for my hand, and pressed it to his crotch.
My mouth dropped, and I sucked in a breath as I felt he hardness of his cock pushing against the fabric of his pants.
To shock me further, he closed my fingers around it and groaned deep and low in his throat. The green of his eyes
turned that dark emerald color, displaying the wealth of his arousal.
“That’s the main way. It’s the most fun way for both of us.”
I ran my hands up and down the length of his shaft, shocking him now.
“What’s the other way?”
“Extended foreplay, fun but torture at the same time. It’s slow though. You want slow.”
“Did you bring me here for slow, extended foreplay?” I doubted it.
He leaned in close to my ear, predatory like, and carnal, almost like he was going to tempt me to do something evil.
“Anya, I’d never do anything you wouldn’t want me to do to you. Doesn’t mean I won’t try my hardest to seduce you or enjoy you in other ways.” He ran his fingers over my breasts and squeezed softly on both. “What do you want, Anya? You say, and I’ll do, but don’t make me crazy wanting you. Wanting you like I always have.”
“Always?” I found that hard to believe.
I moved my hands up his torso and pressed against the hard walls of his chest.
“Always.”
“Why did you tease me so much when we were kids?”
He chuckled. “Same answer. I wanted you, and here we are years later, and you’re doing the same thing to me. You still want slow?”
I stepped to the side and kicked off my heels first, then slowly pulled the zipper down the back of my dress. He watched me in complete fascination.
The dress had a built-in bra, so I didn’t wear one, and as I slid it down my waist, my breasts popped out and bobbed invitingly toward him. The dress floated down my legs, and I stepped out of it, standing before him in just my panties.
“I don’t want slow anymore, Caine. Come here.” I crooked my finger to him the way he had to me.
The look on his face was classic. He looked me over seductively, staring at me with longing, and my heart turned over in response. His stare was bold, taking in every part of me like he wanted to commit me to memory.
It was the kind of look I’d imagined in my fantasies when I was younger and would never tell anyone about.
Waves of excitement rippled through me. Excitement and nerves
He moved to come to me, and a shiver ran through me. He covered my mouth hungrily and devoured my lips, setting my whole body on fire with that electricity of the heat that rippled from him to me.
Kiss From a Rose Page 8
