“You know how, when you see an old building, you want to know its story? Who designed it, what sort of people have lived or worked there?” She shook her head. “Of course you don’t.”
“Actually, it’s part of why I chose this place. When Luke and I first stumbled on it, this chalet was rundown, in desperate need of some love and care. But I could tell that it had great stories hidden in its walls.” I kept eating, hoping she would go on.
“I loved old buildings growing up; I guess I still do. I am obsessed with Victorian-style homes. Those big, wrap around porches. And I wanted to create houses that, in a hundred years, people would look at and wonder who designed them. What sort of people lived in them.”
“Sounds like you found your passion.”
“When I really get to create the way I want to, yeah. It’s hard, though, when so many of the clients that I get come in claiming to love my style, my eye, and then micromanage every last detail until it doesn’t feel like mine anymore.” She sighed. “One day, I’d like to be known for my vision, not what some rich ponce thinks is the latest trend.”
I sipped my wine, watching her eyes dance in the candlelight. “Make them see your vision. You’re the architect. Your name’s going to be tied to the building, even after their names aren’t on the deed.”
Aubrey set her plate down and slid closer to the edge of her chair. “I always end up with two different sketches when I’m designing a house. The one I envision, and the one that ends up being built. Just once, I’d like to have one singular blueprint.”
“Tell you what. When CWLB takes off and I’m making the millions I intend to, you can design my dream house. And I promise, the only thing you’ll have to make sure to make room for is a large deck with a built-in grill, hot tub, and some heat lamps so that I can use it even in the winter.”
Aubrey’s eyes lit up, like she was already imagining the design. “That actually seems completely fitting for you. I’m sure you would’ve grilled the steaks, if you’d had your way.”
“If the chalet had a grill, absolutely. But the cast iron’s the next best thing.” I grinned. “And you did fantastically.”
I set my plate down and reached out to take her hand. I could practically hear Luke’s voice echoing through my head that she was a renter, not a hook-up, but I had to touch her. The iciness of her fingers surprised me. “Aubrey, are you cold?”
She set her glass down. “It’s not too bad over here by the fire, but yeah, a little.”
I patted next to me on the couch. “You could come sit over here. We could share the blanket.” Now who was playing with fire?
“You have to tell me where you got that afghan. It’s so soft and snuggly.” She looked over at me. “Would it be okay on your ankle?”
“This is a Rachel original. She’s my youngest sister, and quite handy with yarn. She’s made at least one blanket for each of my properties. I guess knitting keeps her hands busy while she studies.” I reached out and took her hand. “And as long as you don’t sit on my foot, I think we’ll be okay. I even promise to keep my hands to myself.”
Aubrey moved closer as I shifted more onto my side, giving her space to curl in next to me. Once she was situated, I pulled the afghan over us and wrapped my arms around her. “You could’ve said you were cold.” Her body pressed up against the side of mine, my arms wrapped around her. I shouldn’t have felt so possessive in that moment, but I did.
“It really wasn’t that bad. Besides, wine always warms me up.” She lay her head on my arm, watching the fire dance. “How long do power outages like this usually last?”
“It should hopefully be up again soon, but if there’s something really wrong, it might be into the morning. If it gets too cold, I’ve got a generator at my place. I know it’s completely unorthodox to invite a rental guest to stay in my home, but I don’t want you freezing.”
“Or you could just stay here. You should probably stay off that ankle for a few more hours at least, and if it’s still that snowy and icy out there, I don’t know that either of us should be driving.”
I wanted to kiss her neck so bad, to let my hand wander from the chaste spot on her side. “The second bedroom’s missing a comforter, Aubrey.”
“We’ll share the master. It’s a big bed, and if the power really does stay off all night, we could probably use the body heat.” She looked over her shoulder at me and smiled. “Unless you think your hands are going to wander if we’re in bed.”
“I’ll do my best to behave myself.” I traced the curve of her hip with featherlight touches. “What would you normally be doing on a night like this?”
“On a snowy night? Or a Monday?”
Was I imagining it, or did she just move her hips a little closer to mine? “Either.”
“Most weeknights, I stay late at the office, or I work in my home office on designs. But a lot of snowy nights, I like to sit on my big bay window seat with a cozy blanket, a book, and a mug of something hot.”
“Reading and drinking steamy things? You must live dangerously.”
“Mock me all you want. I was in the airport bookstore and I figured I needed something to read for the trip. I don’t always read romance.” She shifted and turned over carefully in my arms. “It’s easier to talk like this.”
I licked my lips, fighting the urge to lean down and press a kiss to her mouth, just to see how she’d react. Surely, she knew what she was doing to me. And we could do a lot more things like this.
“What would you normally be doing?”
I blinked a couple times, trying to focus on her question rather than her lips. “Let’s see. Since the chalet is more or less rentable, I’d probably be at my brother Zane’s bar, or maybe getting a few last runs in on the slopes. Of course, my mom’s been more concerned about me than usual, so I probably would’ve gone home early to appease her.” I sighed. “She’s always a little extra anxious when more than one of her kids are overseas. Hopefully, Liling will get back soon, and then it’ll just be Isabis and Neil jet-setting around the world.”
“Okay, that’s too many siblings. One at a time. Who’s who?”
I laughed. “All right, first we’ve got Matt. The oldest. Then we’ve got Broderick. Alicia. Zane and Isabis are the twins. Zane owns and runs The Oak Barrel here in Aspen, making beer and scotch, and pretty much the best food in town.” I took a breath and smiled at her. “Keeping up?”
“Yep. Five.”
I laughed. “After Isabis is Giovanni.”
My hand slid over the curve of her hip. “Then you have the handsomest of the bunch, Mr. Charles Wright.”
“Let me guess, he goes by Chuck and masquerades as a handyman, but really is building a real estate empire.”
“How’d you guess?”
“I must be psychic.” She nudged me. “Who else? That’s what, seven?”
“Yep. After me, comes Jonah, a dancer who you may have seen on stage with Liseli Jacobs. Then there’s Neil.” Aubrey’s eyes stayed trained on me, really listening. I’d never had a girl pay this much attention to my family before. “After Neil is Liling. She’s probably one of my best friends, and she’s using modeling as an excuse to see the world and figure out her life plan a little bit. And finally, we’ve got the triplets, Raphael, Rebecca, and Rachel.”
“Wow. I don’t know how your mom and dad handled so many kids.” She settled back down against me. “I sometimes wish I had a sibling.”
I chuckled. “I’d be happy to give you a few.”
Aubrey laughed. “Somehow, I doubt you’d give up any of them.”
We lay curled together as the evening turned to night, talking and laughing. The more I learned about her, the more I liked her. Aubrey was an incredible woman—creative, driven, so smart and witty, and gorgeous as hell. All I wanted to do was tangle my fingers in her hair and roll her onto her back as I kissed those luscious pink lips.
Aubrey yawned and leaned her head on my chest. “I think we should probably get to bed soon.”
I smiled and brushed her blonde hair back from her cheek. I’m pretty sure she and I had different ideas about what to do in that bed. “Probably not a bad idea since you’re falling asleep on me.”
She stretched and stood, taking the blanket with her. “How’s your ankle? Do you need help getting to the room?”
I stood, gingerly testing my foot. “I think I can make it.” Still, I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close. “You’re bringing the afghan to bed?”
“Yeah, is that okay? I figured an extra layer would be good if the power stays off.”
“Aubrey, you’re renting this chalet. Short of destruction, which I think we can both agree seems to be my forte, you can do just about anything you want.”
Aubrey smiled and leaned closer, rising up on her toes. Without pretense, she pressed her lips gently to mine. It surprised me at first, but my body knew what to do instantly. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her snuggly against me. I let her lead for a little bit as she continued to press her mouth to mine.
Then I slid my hand down to grab her ass as I kissed her more forcefully.
Aubrey pulled back and blushed. “We should go to the bed. You shouldn’t have to stand on your ankle if we’re going to kiss like that.”
This woman knew exactly how to drive me crazy. I knew I was charming and all, but I was surprised at her forwardness. She didn’t seem to be the type to make the first move. Though, if she hadn’t gotten married, maybe she was looking to think about something else, or someone else. I, for one, was glad she wasn’t a Simmons after all. “What exactly are you suggesting, Ms. Jones?”
She pulled me toward the bedroom. “I’m suggesting we get into bed, and you kiss me like that again. I’m not saying we have sex, Chuck, or at least I don’t think I am. But I wouldn’t mind more kissing.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t mind, huh?” I laughed as I followed, enjoying watching her ass. “Get in that bed, Aubrey Jones. Or I’m going to reinjure my ankle throwing you over my shoulder to get you there.”
She shook her head and helped me get into the left side of the bed before running around to crawl in on the right. “Are you comfortable enough?”
“I’m actually going to take off my jeans. But it’s so sweet that you want to take care of me.” I quickly tugged the denim off and pulled her in close again. “Now, where were we?”
12
Aubrey
The hum of the heater kicked on, sending a much-needed burst of warm air into the room, and woke me up in the early hours of the morning. But despite the chill, I felt snuggly and warm with Chuck curled around me.
His hands had slipped under my flannel pj top while we slept, and now his fingers were pressed snugly under the curve of my breasts. Chuck’s warm breath was slow and even against my neck, and I could feel his erection pressed against my ass. I swallowed hard, wondering just how big he was.
More than that, the ache between my thighs was unexpected. I’d never been very horny around Greg. We had sex regularly because it was the expectation, not because I was particularly hot for him. I didn’t think aching for someone was really a thing. But with Chuck wrapped around me, and the way his touch set me on fire, maybe I’d been missing out all this time. Kissing him had left me needy and achy, but sleep had seemed more important. Now that I was awake, I wanted to tell myself I didn’t know what I wanted. I was just broken up from my wedding going up in flames. But that wasn’t true.
I wanted Chuck.
I was afraid to move away from him, to let him know I was awake. Part of me wanted to hightail it out to the living room and drift back to sleep on the sofa. What was I doing, waking up in a strange man’s very intimate embrace, just days after I was meant to be married to someone else? And yet, being wrapped in Chuck’s arms felt more right than a hundred mornings of waking up next to Greg.
Chuck’s hands pulled me in closer as his face nuzzled against my neck, and I tensed slightly. It felt all too good and like it wasn’t enough all at once.
“Go back to sleep, gorgeous. I can hear you overthinking.” His voice was heavy with sleep, each word drawn out longer than necessary. The deep, husky tone made my thighs clench together.
It would’ve been so easy to rotate my hips some, and part my legs enough to let the huge cock glide between my thighs. I could’ve been bold enough to slide his hands up over the swells of my breasts, so his huge palms cupped each globe. But it was dangerous enough just being wrapped in his arms. I couldn’t risk taking this further. Despite Caroline’s advice that I get under a new man to forget about the old one, my mind wouldn’t stop reminding me I was supposed to be on my honeymoon, not on a vacation, solo.
Chuck’s lips brushed against my jawline as one hand skimmed lightly over my stomach. “You’re not going back to sleep, are you?”
“It’s not likely, no.”
I felt his whole body go tense against me, and those hands that could’ve shifted ever so slightly and touched me in a way my core was begging them to pulled away as he rolled over onto his back. “I’m sorry. I forgot where I was.”
Instantly, I was cold and frustrated he rolled away. Though, I supposed it was the gentlemanly thing to do.
I turned over and looked him over in the early morning light, hair tousled from sleep and eyes still heavy. His cock now tented the sheets, and he tucked an arm under his head as he watched me. “Did you sleep well?” I ran my fingers up and down his arm, wanting to touch even the most innocuous parts of him just a while longer.
“Not bad. You?”
“I woke up with this huge, hard thing pressed against my ass…” I could feel my cheeks heating with a bit of a blush.
Chuck grinned and rolled onto his side, his fingers tracing the curve of my hip. “I am in bed with a gorgeous woman, and I woke up with her pressed against me. You can’t fault a man for having a reaction to you.”
The flush of my cheeks deepened as I looked down at the space between us. “You hardly know me, Chuck. Do you normally react so…much?”
He slid his hand under my chin, pulling my gaze back to his face. “Aubrey, I got to spend all of last night talking to you, getting to know you. You’re incredibly smart, and so sexy.” Without another word, Chuck’s lips pressed against mine.
His kiss started out soft and tender. His hand slipped away from my jaw and moved to my shoulder. His fingers pressed into my flesh a little harder and his tongue slid along my lower lip. Chuck’s fingers tangled in my hair, cupping the back of my head as my mouth parted and he thrust his tongue into my open lips hungrily.
I moaned into his mouth as Chuck rolled me onto my back, following to press his rock-hard cock against me. My thighs squeezed together as my core throbbed with need. The kiss deepened, until I could hardly tell whose tongue was whose. I ground my hips up against his cock, half-wishing there weren’t still layers of clothes between us. I couldn’t remember a time when a man’s kiss made me this wet this fast.
“Chuck, we have to stop.” I pushed against his chest, and he immediately moved back onto his side of the bed. I rolled onto my side again and let out a shaky sigh. “If you keep kissing me like that, I’m just going to end up begging for you to take my pjs off.”
“Would that be such a bad thing?” He reached over and cupped my cheek. “I can’t help but wonder how much sexier you are naked.” His thumb ran along my bottom lip.
“I just got out of a serious relationship, Chuck. I’m not ready to just jump right back into sleeping with someone new.”
“There are other things we could do that don’t involve me fucking you.” He licked his lips, and the motion just made me wetter.
I swallowed hard, trying to imagine what it would feel like to have him kiss my cunt as hungrily as he was just devouring my mouth. “I’ve never had real good experiences with oral. Giving or receiving.”
He laughed and sat up, pulling his t-shirt off in one swift motion. “I highly doubt you’d be bad at anything in the sack, gorgeous. A
nd if a man hasn’t made you come all over his tongue, he was doing it wrong. I bet you’re wet right now, soaking through your panties, maybe even those sexy flannel pajama pants. Are you really telling me that you’re not the least bit curious what I can do with my tongue?”
My sex clenched and I bit my lip, stifling a moan. A moan of frustration, a moan of ache, a moan of pure desire. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about it. But that’s beside the point. I don’t think I can come that way. I never have.” How were we even talking about this? Greg never talked about sex. He just climbed on top of me when he wanted it.
“Again, I say the men who have tried were doing it wrong.” He reached over and unbuttoned the top button of my pj top, watching me with a mischievous glint in his eye, like he was daring me to stop him. My fingers were twitching to rip open my own top, just to hurry his hands to touching me. I wanted to feel him against my bare skin. I wanted him to prove me wrong.
I didn’t stop him. My breath grew ragged, and soon he had the shirt halfway undone, the flannel shoved off my shoulders to expose my breasts. I arched my back as he reached out and slid his hands under the weighty globes, holding them tenderly.
“You’ve got incredible tits, Aubrey. I just want to lick them all over.”
I blushed at the crude word, but all thought left me as his thumb skimmed over my left nipple and his tongue rolled around the right one. My eyes rolled back as I arched into him more, pressing into his face.
Chuck groaned and then kissed from one to the other. He took his time flicking the sensitive nubs with his tongue and rolling them between his fingers. His touch grew more demanding, harder until my hips rocked hard, my pussy needing to be touched. “Tell me right now if you don’t want me to keep going.” His voice was as raw and turned on as I felt.
I looked down at him. My body was on fire, and if he kept licking and sucking at my breasts, I was going to want a hell of a lot more than just his tongue. Instead of answering him, I finished unbuttoning my flannel pajama top and shrugged out of it.
Seducing the Runaway Bride (The Wrights Book 1) Page 7
