"I try."
"You're succeeding."
They came up on a group huddled around two cars. Taylor couldn't hold back her sudden excitement. “I know these ones. That's a ‘55 Chevy,” she earmarked the car. “And that bike is a Triumph Bonneville, the Jaguar of bikes."
Cade's brows rose. “How do you know all this?"
"I told you, I'm a petrolhead in disguise."
"It's more than that. That year car and the bike are quite rare. What aren't you telling me, Taylor?"
A frisson of panic skittered up and down Taylor's spine. “Nothing,” she denied instantly. She pulled her arm from his and put some space between them. “You're making something out of nothing."
"No, I'm not. I bet most of the people here wouldn't know that bike, or the Chevy."
"So, I read car magazines in my spare time.” Taylor wished with all her heart Cade would drop the subject. She didn't want to dredge up memories. Rob had been too sick to tinker on his ‘48 Ford, so instead she'd sat with him for hours, reading his car magazines to him—until death caught up.
Sudden, unbidden tears pricked at Taylor's eyes.
Damn. She didn't want to cry. Not now, and certainly not in front of Cade. She brushed them away. Rob was gone, and her feelings for him were confused, a mixture of guilt and a sadness she'd made such a senseless and stupid error. Something that, even four years on, tested her judgment where men were concerned.
Standing with her back to the Chevy, Taylor watched Cade as he talked to a couple of other enthusiasts, the play of his strong face, the light that shone from his eyes when he was relaxed.
He was a good man. Thoughtful. Considerate. He'd been thinking of her when he'd stalled their love making, not wanting her to experience sex in a derelict building.
That was kind. That was ... well, it was simply Cade Harper.
A warmth pervaded Taylor's bones, sneaking up on her, cosseting and comforting. There was absolutely nothing simple about Cade.
She owed him an explanation, but there was no way she could actually put that explanation into words. How did she tell him she had wanted to dump a dying fiancé?
It didn't sound good in any language.
"Taylor?"
Her head shot up, snatched back from the past. Cade stood so close, a little boy lost look on his face, all serious and sad.
A tentative smile curved at her mouth. She wanted to reach out and touch him, brush away that sadness. “Do you always sneak up on a gal?"
"Only when it's you. I wanted to apologize,” he said. His hands rested on her shoulders, and he pulled her to him. Taylor had to arch her neck back to look into his face, and when she did, she realized she was lost. A flutter of butterflies flitted across her skin, and she nervously wiped the tip of her tongue across her lips.
"What for?” she asked.
"The interrogation. It's not my business if you like cars. Though, I must admit, it's kinda sexy. Gives a guy fantasies."
Taylor's breath stalled, excitement coiling low down in her belly. “Fantasies. Hmm. Such as?"
"Do you really want to know?” One of Cade's hands trailed down her back, cupping her bottom. He steered her backwards, leaning her against the side of a nearby car. Taylor felt the car's hard metallic curves at the back of her legs. They parted, and Cade slid between them. She felt his arousal straining against his jeans, pushing against her sex.
Here?
Blatant and very public.
Taylor didn't care. She wanted to feel all of him.
Cade slipped a hand between them and tugged at her nipple. It hardened beneath his touch.
"How about hot, fast sex? Here, in the back of the car."
Taylor's eyes widened, heat flooding her cheeks, burning even her scalp.
Fantasies!
Her muscles tensed, relaxed, then tensed again with wanting him, hard and inside her.
How did she know how it would feel? She had no experience. Yet she knew, absolutely, what Cade would feel like inside her—and she wanted it. Wanting it was killing her.
Then, as Cade blew little kisses down the side of her neck, nuzzling her earlobe, her hands slid around his neck, threading their way through his hair. The texture of it spiked her senses and a trembling sigh escaped her lips.
"Yes,” she whispered against his ear.
A hard, hot sigh escaped Cade's lips, fanning her skin. “Then, I'd go slow. Tasting you, feeling you come around me, squeeze me. Hear those soft mewing moans of pleasure you make."
Oh, boy.
Taylor leaned against the car, felt the hard metal press into her back. One leg lifted slightly and hooked around Cade's. He lifted her slightly, pressing himself harder against her and kissed her. Deeply, thoroughly. Transporting her to another world. Her sex rubbed against him and a surge of urgent need shot through every part of her. She felt reckless. Carnal.
In the background, the sound of wolf whistles fought through the fog of desire wrapped around Taylor. Cade must have heard the sound of spectators, too, and pulled back a fraction. “We need to get out of here."
Taylor's eyes fluttered open. For a moment she was confused to where she was, then reality struck. “My God, in public. We were...” Her breathing came in short pants and she pushed Cade away slightly. “I can't believe it. We were on..."
"Fire,” Cade offered. “Both of us, Taylor. It wasn't just you. We both wanted it. Here. Right now."
"Oh, God.” Taylor eyed Cade. Saw the stain of that very heat he talked about beneath his skin. She squeezed her eyes shut, blinking out reality. She couldn't believe it. She'd jumped his bones—in public. She had been quite prepared to make love with him right here, right now.
How could she have been so stupid, so blind? So ... she'd actually forgotten where she was. Cade made her forget.
"Come on."
"Where?” Taylor felt numb, a deliciously hot and sexy kind of numbness.
"Home. We've got that unfinished business, remember?"
They hadn't gone more than a few steps when someone called out Cade's name. “Hey, brother, hold up."
Cade let out an audible groan and muttered beneath his breath. He pulled on Taylor's hand and quickened his pace.
"Wait up.” Their pursuer obviously wasn't giving up, Taylor realized.
A hand slapped Cade on the back, and he halted, fury creasing his brow. He turned one-eighty to face their interloper.
"Not now, Zane."
"Hey, is that a way to treat family?"
Zane? Cade's brother. Taylor eyed him. He looked like Cade. Softer, not as tall, but still had those devilishly good looking Harper bones.
"Aren't you going to introduce us?” Zane asked looking directly at her.
"Nope. Gotta go.” Cade tried to turn, but it was obvious Zane wasn't having any of this.
"I'm Zane, his younger brother,” he said, holding out his hand.
Taylor took it, surprised when the younger Harper took her hand to his lips and kissed it.
"Mitts off, brother,” Cade almost growled, surprising her by his he-man tactics.
"What? Can't stand a little competition?"
"You'd lose.” Cade stood rigid, the tiny pulse in this jaw she'd come to recognize when he battled for control, flickered a relentless beat.
"Wanna bet?"
"No contest.” Cade wrapped a proprietorial arm around Taylor's shoulder.
"Enough.” She eased her hand from Zane's and wagged a finger at both men. “What is this? Sibling rivalry?"
"Brotherly love,” Zane informed her. “Just checking up on the old boy here. Don't wear him out, now.” And with that, Zane gave them a jaunty wink and wave and sauntered towards a group of young women.
For a few seconds, Cade remained immobile, his narrowed gaze fixed on the retreating Zane. Then, he turned to her, a wash of concern coloring his face.
"Sorry about my brother. You okay?” Taylor nodded, but when she shivered, Cade shrugged off his leather jacket and draped it around her shoulders.
&nb
sp; Taylor surreptitiously dipped her head, inhaling deeply the fragrance. It smelled of him. All warm and masculine. Pulling the edges around her, she hugged it to her. Once again, it was just the two of them, the crowd fading into nothingness.
"We've a date, I believe."
Taylor's toes curled. “How could I forget?"
"I hoped you hadn't."
"That would be impossible where you're concerned, Mr. Harper."
"Good. Let's go.” Linking his hand in hers, they almost ran back to where he'd parked the pickup. Cade gunned the engine as it roared to life. He gave her a quick glance. “You okay."
Oh, yes. She was more than okay. She was definitely ready.
* * * *
The moment Taylor stepped up behind Cade outside the bar's back entrance, any doubts she'd been harboring flew out the proverbial window.
He turned to her, a finger over his smiling lips. “We need to be quiet unless you want my nosey parker sister springing us.” Draping his arms over her shoulders, Cade pulled her to him. She came up against his hard body. His very sexy body.
It felt good—again.
Excitement bubbled inside Taylor, and she reached up and kissed him softly on the lips.
"Do that again, and I won't be able to control my actions,” he murmured against her mouth.
"Is that a promise?” She kissed him again. There was nothing gentle or tentative about this kiss. She kissed him hard, stroking the side of his face, feeling his stubbled jaw and tasting him. Her hands slid beneath his T-shirt, feeling him shudder as her fingertips splayed across his heated and slicked skin.
Breathless, she pulled back, witnessing Cade's reaction. And when he chuckled, the velvety husky tone of his laughter sent shivers of need coursing through her veins. “Come on, we need some privacy."
With as much stealth as any spy, Taylor followed him up the back stairs of the bar to his apartment.
Cade switched on a table lamp and a soft glow spread around the room.
It was a very manly sort of place. Leather couches and dark wood floors, a cream Flokati rug in front of an unlit fireplace. Top-notch sound systems and a large wall-mounted flat screen television identified the apartment as home to someone who knew technology.
But it was the shining chrome hubcap, with its bold V8 insignia hanging in pride of place above the fireplace, that brought an instant smile to Taylor's lips.
Yes, this was Cade's home.
She was aware of Cade's scrutiny, and suddenly her nerves erupted again, dancing a tango in her belly. She could still feel the moistness—down there—where Cade had teased her alive and nearly over the edge.
"Do you want a drink?"
She shook her head.
"Food?"
Heat flooded her cheeks, and she shook her head again. She dropped her gaze.
"Taylor what do you want?"
You. I want you, her brain shouted. Her body agreed wholeheartedly.
"Taylor? Speak to me. If you want to bow out and change your mind, I won't think bad of you."
Enveloped by a sudden shyness, her heart raced. “I don't,” she whispered. “I haven't changed my mind."
She heard Cade's sigh of relief and a tingle of heat slid across her arms. It did her good to hear that, boosting her suddenly flagging confidence.
Emboldened, she closed the gap between them and clasped Cade's hand in hers. His fingers were so strong, the muscles in his forearm twitching. She lifted his hand to her lips and taking his middle finger she wiped it across her parted lips, never once taking her eyes off his beautiful face.
His darkened eyes widened, and she smiled, enjoying his surprise.
Still holding his finger, her tongue snaked out and licked its tip. Once. Twice. Then she held it between her lips, sucking on it in such a primal way it could never leave Cade in doubt as to what she had in mind.
"You taste delicious,” Taylor whispered.
He tasted—of her. Oh, Lordy! Just thinking it, a scalding heat burned right through Taylor. She had tasted herself.
Cade's cheeks dimpled and his smile broadened. The man had seen her shock. He knew exactly what she was thinking.
* * * *
Cade knew he needed to slow down. He didn't want to scare Taylor, but ... heaven help him, she tempted him so bad.
Unspeaking, he reached up and brushed at a strand of her hair, winding it round his finger. The silken curl caressed his skin. His jaw tightened, and he swallowed back the urge to plunge into her moist depths, right there and then.
Take it easy. Huh! Slow down? He felt as if a steamroller had ripped right over him. He didn't know what slow was any more, whether he could go slow or wanted to.
With wide innocent eyes she looked up at him, through unbelievably long lashes. Innocent?
What she did to him didn't even remotely feel innocent. It heated him to boiling point.
He felt a shiver ripple through her, and smiled. “Do you know what you're doing to me?” he questioned as he caressed her bare arms.
A tinkling sound of pure joy fell from her lips. “I think so?"
His cheek caressed hers, his lashes, tickling her pale ivory skin.
"What was that?"
"A butterfly kiss,” he laughed. Then suddenly, Cade found his laughter died as the heat inside him burned up a dozen notches. He was all heat and desire, and urgency. Kissing was serious business. “But this, this is a real kiss.” And he swooped down on her mouth, savoring her taste, the feel of her mouth beneath his.
And it felt good.
Damned good.
He wanted more. He wanted to feel her tongue against him, just like when she sucked his fingers.
The tension in Cade spiraled as he teased her lips open and dipped into the sweet recess of her mouth.
"You wanted real,” he murmured, not wanting to leave her mouth for one moment.
"And I got it,” she whimpered against his mouth as her hands did oh so sexy things to his skin, rubbing across his nipples, tugging at them. Pain and pleasure rolled into one and time lost importance. He dropped his hands to her waist. She was so small he could nearly span it. In one fluid movement he unzipped her dress and went to pull the straps down.
"Wait.” Her hand halted his movements. “Let me."
Cade's excitement reached boiling point. He didn't know how much more he could take. Taking a step back, Taylor reached up and clasped the straps of her dress in both hands, and, oh so very slowly that Cade thought he'd died and gone to heaven, she began to strip.
She slid the straps down her arms first, lowering the dress, inch by glorious inch, keeping her gaze hooked on his, not wavering one iota.
His groin swelled, uncomfortable as it strained against his jeans. He needed release. He needed Taylor. Now.
He wanted to reach out and take her in his arms, finish the job, strip her bare, plunge into her delectable heat. But he didn't.
Damn it. Slow down.
He bit down hard on his bottom lip, cursing his greedy need. He'd never felt like this about any woman, never needed to. He'd been the player, the one in control. But right now, Cade wasn't sure about anything.
"You want more?” she asked.
Cade found his tongue tied in knots and nodded like some pubescent schoolboy. Trouble was he felt like one. Eager—and so very ready.
The dress descended, revealing first the firm swell of her breasts, just visible above that lacy concoction she called a bra. Then more.
Cade sucked in a lungful of air. Was he meant to breathe? Who cared! His eyes stuck fast to Taylor as the dress slid lower, and lower, exposing her flat abdomen, the soft curve of her hips. She halted.
He wanted to call out—"No, don't stop. Keep going. I can't wait any longer."
Then, she smiled at him, and he knew—this woman had total control over him. She had from the moment she'd walked into the bar.
She hooked the straps of her sheath dress over her thumbs and still it slid lower. Cade's gaze went with the dress, sound r
oaring in his brain; his heart beat so frantic he was sure it would explode. Everything centered on Taylor.
Then suddenly, the dress hit the floor, and she stepped out of it, kicking it aside with the tip of those sexy high heels of hers.
Beneath the soft lighting, she stood, dressed only in the sexy underwear she'd surprised him with earlier—and heels. Heels that made her legs look as if they went on forever. Legs he imagined wrapped around him.
Cade sucked in his breath. “Beautiful."
And she was. A tumble of hair cascaded around her shoulders in a glorious cloud, and with the tempting peek of hardened nipples thrusting against her lacy bra and the delicate outline of her thong, Taylor Sullivan was an exquisite sight to behold.
With his breath jammed in his lungs, Cade reached a hand out to her.
Would she come? Or would she back out? Taylor may have waited a long time for this moment, but Cade felt as if he'd waited a lifetime.
Chapter Eight
Taylor had made up her mind. There was no going back. She took Cade's hand and willed her nerves to abate. Silently, he led her toward the bedroom. He kicked the door open and went to switch on the light.
She stilled his hand. “No! Leave it off."
She saw his hesitation and could understand why. She'd just exhibited the most erotic striptease—and now she wanted the light off.
"Please.” Her plea came out on a soft breathless whisper, evolving into a sigh of relief as his hand fell from the switch. Instead, he turned her to him with both hands resting on her shoulders, and with the tip of one finger, he tipped her chin up to him.
"I promise we'll go slow."
"I know.” She trusted him and that single thought caught her off-guard. Yet right now, she did. She trusted Cade Harper implicitly.
His mouth curved into an impish grin as he stared at her with undisguised desire. “I want you, Taylor. I want to be inside you, feel you around me, holding me."
Lordy! Taylor's gaze slewed to the floor.
"No, don't look away. I need to see your eyes, read them and see what you're feeling. Sex isn't just touch and feel or sensory, it's being able to see what the other is thinking, being guided by them. Will you guide me, Taylor Sullivan?"
"But you're the teacher."
He's the One Page 9
