by Jaci Burton
Like last night, when he'd gone all badass on that guy who'd harassed her, then immediately tender when he thought she'd been hurt.
She'd also always thought of him as incredibly sexy and hot as hell. She'd pictured their coupling would be fast and furious and over in a hurry. Yet here she was, the proverbial morning after, having coffee in his kitchen, she'd had two orgasms, and, technically, they hadn't actually had sex yet.
He constantly surprised her.
She stood and reached for her cup, leaning over the counter to take a sip.
"You wearing anything under that shirt?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"Good." He took the cup from her hand and laid it on the other side of the counter, then grasped her waist and hoisted her up, setting her down on the kitchen island, lifting the shirt over her hips.
"You do realize I'm naked, and this counter is cold."
He gripped her thighs and spread her legs. "You'll warm up fast."
He was right, because heat spread through her when he stepped between her legs, cupped her neck, then kissed her, a soft, sweet, exploratory kiss that quickly turned passionate. She wrapped her legs around his hips to draw him in closer, the naked part of her making contact with denim--and the quickly hardening part of him making her forget all about the cold counter.
Her sex brushed his jeans, and all she could think was that if he was naked, too, he could already be inside of her.
"Bash," she said, her lips making contact with his neck. "I want ..."
"Yeah, I know what you want, Chelsea. And we have all day to get to it. But right now this is what I want."
He pushed back and bent down, then put his mouth on her. She gripped the edge of the counter and held on while he took her to heaven and back again with his lips and tongue.
This was so much better than any caffeine, an awakening jolt to her senses in the best possible way. His dark head nestled between her thighs, his soft hair tickling her skin as his tongue performed magic and brought her right to the edge of reason in record time.
Her orgasm hit her like a shock wave, rocking her nearly right off the counter. Only Bash's hold on her hips held her there while she rode that wave of pleasure to its conclusion.
She barely had time to catch her breath before Bash scooped her off the counter, her legs wrapping around him as he carried her to the bedroom.
He fused his mouth to hers as he laid her on the bed, his body coming down on top of hers. She made free use of her hands, sliding her fingertips over the smooth muscle of his shoulders and down his arms, then lifted against him, letting him know what she wanted. But he continued to kiss her, using his mouth to drive her absolutely crazy until she couldn't take it anymore. Her body was on fire, and there was only one way to douse the flames.
She pushed on his chest, and when he lifted to look down at her, she said, "No more preliminaries, Bash. I want to feel you inside me."
His eyes were pure wicked desire as he pushed himself off of her and dropped his jeans. Just gazing at the pure perfection of his naked body created a spiral of deep, dark need that demanded satisfaction. And only Bash could satisfy her.
She took off the T-shirt she'd been wearing and cast it aside, while he reached into his nightstand drawer and pulled out a condom. He made quick work of putting it on, then he was right with her again.
"I've been waiting a long time for this," he said.
"So have I." She brushed his hair away from his face, feeling an emotional tenderness that was probably inappropriate right now, but she couldn't hold it back.
He grasped her hand and kissed her palm, then placed her hand around his neck, nestled in between her legs, and slid into her.
He kept eye contact with her as he seated himself fully inside her.
Tears pricked her eyes at the convergence of emotion and physicality of the moment. There was so much going on with the way her body felt, the absolute perfection of the way they were joined, and the look in Bash's eyes as he began to move against her, that she almost couldn't handle it.
But this wasn't meant to be an emotional moment--just physical. She squeezed her eyes shut, determined to wash away the emotion and let the physical take over.
"Chelsea." His words were a whispered caress, a lover's touch on her senses. "Look at me."
She couldn't not obey the sweet words of his command. She opened her eyes, and met his gaze as he thrust, slow and easy, the two of them connected so intimately it seared her, connected her to him in ways she'd never imagined.
She was awash in sensation, from the way his chest rubbed her breasts to the absolutely perfect way his body touched hers. She swept her foot along his leg, feeling the crisp hairs there. Everything about him, from the hardness of his thighs to the softness of his hair, made her tingle all over. He had a powerful body, a body made to do amazing things to her body. And as she quivered around him, she was glad she'd made this decision.
It might only be a physical response, but they just ... fit. It was so right and it felt so good to be in this moment with Bash, to lose herself in this wild roller coaster of insane pleasure, to let go and fall helplessly as he dropped fully on top of her, cupped her butt, and tilted her pelvis up, grinding against her and spiraling her right out of control.
She reached up to grab a handful of his hair, needing that lifeline connection to him as she released. It was a mind-numbing experience to feel that burst of orgasm, her gaze locked with his, watching him as he went with her.
She'd never expected something this crazy good, but there it was, and she had no hope of tamping down the emotions that came along with the explosion of pleasure that rocked her to her core.
When he kissed her, it didn't help ground her at all. It only served to lift her even higher. She grabbed on to his arms, locked her legs around his hips, and continued the journey until she felt out of her body, floating on an endless cloud of deep pleasure.
Panting and out of breath, she smoothed her hands over Bash's back and down his arms, needing to feel for herself that this was actually real--that he was real and not some made-up version of a fantasy she'd created in her mind.
He lifted his head and looked down at her, smiling in that sexy way he had about him.
"That was good for a start."
Now there was some reality. "A start, huh?"
"Yeah. Now I'm hungry. How about we get dressed and go out for breakfast?"
She wasn't sure how she felt about being seen with him in public on a Sunday morning. It seemed an awful lot like a morning-after. And then if she ran into anyone she knew, there'd be questions--ones she wasn't prepared to answer.
"I could cook you breakfast," she said.
He arched a brow. "Nah. Then there's dishes, and who wants that?" He rolled out of bed. "Come on."
Deciding her concerns were probably a little ridiculous, she followed him into the bathroom, cleaned up, then got dressed, already preparing in her head how to answer any questions people might ask.
She and Bash could have run into each other on the way to breakfast, then decided to eat together. A perfectly reasonable explanation.
She left the bedroom and found her shoes in the living room next to the sofa. Her body tightened at the thought of how Bash had taken off her shoes and undressed her there last night, along with all the other delicious things he'd done to her.
One would think that after the amazing orgasms he'd given her, she'd have had her fill and be more than satisfied. But as he came up to stand beside her, she had a sudden urge to fling herself against him and kiss him, say, "Screw breakfast," and go for more.
Okay, so maybe she hadn't had her fill just yet. And he had asked for the entire day, hadn't he?
"Ready?" he asked.
She was definitely ready. "Yes."
They walked outside, and she had her keys in her hand. Bash stopped. "You're driving?"
"Oh. I thought we might drive separately."
He frowned. "Why the hell would w
e do that? Bert's is only a few blocks away. And you're coming back here after. Right?"
"Yes, but ..."
He gave her a confused look. "But what?"
How was she going to explain her reasoning to him. "Um ..."
He laughed. "Come on. We'll take my truck."
She had no logical reason for taking her car. Not one that made sense anyway. But it also blew her we-just-ran-into-each-other plan right out of the water. "Okay."
They didn't say much on the ride to Bert's, but Bash reached across the truck and held her hand. It was nice. A little too nice--a bit too much like they were dating, or a couple.
The problem was, the simple gesture felt good.
They arrived at Bert's, and Chelsea cringed at the packed parking lot.
"Looks crowded," she said. "Maybe we should go somewhere else."
Like a restaurant in Tulsa, where there was a chance she wouldn't know everyone in the place like she would at Bert's.
"Nah. We'll be able to get a table."
With a resigned sigh, she got out of the truck, then lagged a little behind Bash as he started toward the door, trying to appear as if she and Bash weren't walking in together. Unfortunately, he waited for her; even held the door for her.
Dammit.
There were people waiting inside for a table, and of course she knew several of them. So did Bash, so after the waitress wrote Bash's name down, they engaged folks in conversation.
And just as she feared, the inevitable questions surfaced.
"Why, Chelsea, honey, I didn't know you and Bash were dating."
"How long have you and Bash been going out?"
"Are you and Bash ... together? As in a couple?"
Bash took it all in stride, laughing and saying they were just friends having breakfast together. He clearly had no idea what the gossip mill in Hope was like. It only took one person to start spreading the word--even a false rumor. By Monday it would be all over town that she and Bash were a couple.
They finally got their table and placed their orders. Chelsea found herself staring at her phone, just waiting for the rumors to start spreading and for one of her friends to call or text her.
"Hey," Bash said.
She looked up at him.
"You expecting a call?"
"Probably any minute now."
"From?"
"One of my friends, who will have heard from one of their friends or some relative that you and I are now the hot item in Hope."
He took a sip of his coffee, then leaned back in the booth. "And that bothers you?"
"Yes. No. I don't know. It might. You know how gossips are. Doesn't it bother you that people assume that just because we're having breakfast together, we're a couple?"
"Not really. People are going to think what they want to think, Chelsea. I'm surprised it upsets you. It's not like I'm Hope's resident serial killer."
She gave him a look.
"That you know of," he added, wriggling his brows.
She rolled her eyes. "Come on. This has nothing to do with you."
"Doesn't it?" He leaned forward, wrapping his hands around his coffee cup. "Say you and some random guy you'd been out with on a few dates decided to spend the night together, and he wanted to go out for breakfast the next morning. Wouldn't the same thing happen?"
"I suppose."
"And would you be this upset about it if people started talking about you and Random Guy?"
She shrugged. "I don't know."
"So maybe it does have a lot more to do with me than you think."
"I guess it's because we're not dating and we haven't been dating. But now there will be a rumor that we are."
"Oh." He nodded. "And you think this will hurt your chances with other men, that they'll see you as off the market."
Was that what she'd been thinking about? She had no idea. She only knew that people assuming a relationship where none existed bothered her. "I don't think that's it."
"Then what is it?"
"I don't know!"
She'd raised her voice enough that people at the nearby tables turned to look.
"Uh-oh. And now we've had our first fight. I'll bet that makes the rounds, too," he said, grinning at her.
She narrowed her gaze at him. "Now you really are pissing me off."
"We should kiss and make up." He got up and came over to her side of the booth.
Chelsea scooted away. "Bash, what are you doing?"
"Making sure they have something more to talk about."
Before she could object, he'd gathered her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers, giving her a hot, melt-your-panties kind of kiss that should not be given in a public place.
He pulled back only when someone cleared their throat.
Chelsea's heart pounded, and she was all too aware they had an audience. Like ... the entire restaurant was staring at them.
Bash smiled at her, then rubbed her bottom lip with his thumb.
"Now there's no rumor. It's fact," he said, staying put on her side of the booth and smiling up at the waitress who stood there, full tray in hand, gaping at them.
"Uh, your breakfast is ready."
"Awesome," Bash said, seeming to be perfectly fine with being the center of attention.
Chelsea, on the other hand, wanted to crawl under the table and hide.
Though if she did crawl under the table, that would start another kind of rumor. And she had enough to deal with as it was, thanks to Bash.
He added salt and pepper to his eggs and started eating, while Chelsea had totally lost her appetite.
"I can't believe you did that," she finally said.
He swallowed and took a drink of orange juice. "Did what?"
"You know what. Kissed me like that."
He turned to look at her. "You don't like the way I kiss?"
"You know I do."
He pressed his lips to hers. "I like kissing you, too."
She scooted away from him. "Dammit, Bash. Stop doing that."
He laughed. "Eat your breakfast, Chelsea."
She was beyond irritated with him at the moment, but hunger finally won out and she decided to eat. Besides, eventually everyone else decided to eat as well, though she was certain she and Bash were the topic of every conversation in the place.
And when her phone started pinging with texts during her meal, she took a quick glance.
One from Samantha: Heard Bash laid a hot one on you in Bert's. Can't wait for deets.
Another from Megan: So I guess Bash kissing you at Bert's means ... what? Call me!
And from Emma: My mother had to tell me Bash kissed you at Bert's. What's going on?!
There were more, but Chelsea finally turned her phone off.
"I take it from the nonstop vibrating of your phone that the rumor mill has started spreading the word."
She finished off her toast and took a drink of coffee. "You could say that."
"Huh."
She laid her fork and knife on the plate, then pushed it aside. "You don't even seem ... upset."
"Why would I be? It's not the Dark Age, Chelsea. We're both single and unattached. We're allowed to see each other if we want to."
"I guess. Maybe I am making a big deal out of it for nothing."
"Hey, if you don't want to be seen with me, I understand. I'm gonna go pay the bill."
She'd hurt his feelings. Sometimes she could be such a bitch without realizing it. "Hey, Bash?"
He stopped. "Yeah?"
"Wait for me. I'm ready to go, too."
She grabbed her purse and got up, then laced her fingers through his.
He looked down at where their fingers were twined together.
"I would never be ashamed to be seen with you," she said. "Sometimes it just takes a minute for my head to get on board with what my body already knows."
He smiled at her. "Let's go."
She walked out with her head held high and her hand firmly in Bash's grasp.
The
gossips could suck it.
Chapter 22
It might take a while for Bash to figure Chelsea out. She was definitely complicated. But not in a bad way.
The truth of the matter was, he liked how complicated she was. He couldn't predict her reactions, and that made her fun. And she sure as hell was sexy, smart, and smokin' hot. It was a pretty lethal combination.
Plus, she was all his for the day.
Now he just had to figure out what to do with her. Besides undress her and spend the day in bed.
He figured that's what she'd expect, but he wanted to keep her off balance.
So he stopped at her place, holding back a smile when she frowned at him.
"What are we doing here?"
"So you can get a change of clothes."
"For what?"
"I thought when we got back to my place, we'd take Lou for a walk. It's supposed to be a really nice day today. You don't want to spend it all cooped up in the house, do you?"
"But I thought--"
He purposely gave her a blank stare. "What?"
"Never mind. I'll be right back."
He knew exactly what she thought. That they were going to spend the entire time in bed.
Yeah, he'd like that a lot, but that's what she expected.
He wanted to give her the unexpected, and to show her this was more than just about sex.
She came outside about five minutes later carrying a large bag that she threw in the back of the truck, then climbed inside.
"Staying a week?" he asked.
"Funny. And no. But I might need a shower and a change of clothes. And makeup. I like to be prepared."
He grinned at her.
She shoved at him and laughed. "Just drive."
Chelsea took her bag into the bedroom to change. He went and changed, too, into his workout pants and a sleeveless shirt. It was supposed to be in the mid-eighties today, really warm weather for early May. He intended to take advantage of it with a nice walk. Lou was in good shape, and he'd already taken her to the park for long walks, so he knew she had great endurance for a small dog. He grabbed her harness and leash and put on his tennis shoes. By then, Chelsea had changed into a pair of tight capris and a short-sleeved shirt and put on her tennis shoes as well.
