by Addison Cole
Matt ran his fingers along her cheek, and she smiled. He loved her smile. He loved her face, her body, her brain, her son. How did he go from having all of his emotions in check back in New Jersey to the explosion that took place inside him every time they were together? He was usually methodical and careful about decisions, but being with Mira woke up a part of him he’d never known existed.
“Tell me about those texts I never received,” he urged.
Her cheeks flushed, and she licked her lips nervously. She was so darn cute he couldn’t resist sweeping his arm around her and tugging her against him. She felt so good. Warm, soft, and perfectly matched to every inch of him.
“Tell you?” she asked shyly. “I can’t tell you.”
“Yes, you can, sunshine. You can tell me anything because you trust me.” He shifted her gently onto her back and gazed into her lust-filled eyes. He slid his knee over her legs and pressed his hand to her cheek. “Tell me everything you held back.”
“Matt,” she whispered, and trapped her lower lip between her teeth.
He freed that trapped lip with his teeth, sucking it into his mouth.
“I want to hear you say it. Did you want to text dirty things to me?” He knew he was pushing her past her comfort zone, but he wanted that, too. He wanted her trust, her words, her heart.
“Did you want to offer an invitation?” He kissed her softly. “To tell me you missed me and you wished I was in your bed at night?”
Her lips parted and her long eyelashes fluttered, searching his eyes as if they held all the answers. He was working on that and hoped one day soon they would.
Waves rolled up the shore, and a gentle breeze whisked over their skin. Matt slid his hand along Mira’s outer thigh. She breathed harder, and when his fingers touched the edge of her panties, she sucked in a sharp breath.
“Tell me what dirty thoughts you withheld while we were apart,” he coaxed.
“I wanted you to flirt with me.”
Hearing her voice her desires, even something as simple as wanting him to flirt with her, opened a door that Matt had a feeling held much darker desires.
“You want to hear how I fantasized about you?” he asked, hoping she’d say yes, because he wanted to see just how much the sultry single mom had been holding back.
She nodded, her eyes widening with anticipation, darkening with lust.
He squeezed her thigh. “How I wished I’d have stayed longer so we could get to know each other more intimately? How on the long drive home to New Jersey I thought about having these gorgeous long legs wrapped around my hips as I loved you so deeply you felt me the next day?”
“Yes,” she whispered anxiously. Her fingers fisted in the blanket.
“How I imagined you in your sexy lingerie, lying in the center of my bed, watching as I drew your panties down slowly. With my teeth.” He paused, letting the visual take hold.
Her body began to tremble. “Should I tell you how I wanted to feast on you until I knew your taste by heart and you ached for me to make love to you?”
She whimpered, and he slid the strap of her dress down as he continued his naughty questions, testing her boundaries.
When her eyes widened, he said, “Don’t worry, baby. We won’t ever do anything you don’t want. And I promise, we will do everything your little heart desires. Are those the types of texts you wished for?”
“Yes.” Her voice was shaky, her skin flushed.
He gathered her close and gently lowered her to her back. He lifted her head and slid a pillow beneath it. Then he took one of the extra blankets and tucked it beside her for warmth. She reached for it, and he placed his hand over hers.
“I’ll warm you up, baby. Trust me.”
Chapter Fifteen
AFTER MAKING LOVE on the beach last night, Mira had fallen asleep nestled safely in Matt’s arms on his king-sized bed. Matt lay awake for a long time, thinking about how quickly he’d become accustomed to a life outside of the classroom. A life where his top priorities were governed by what he wanted and not red tape and boxes that needed to be checked off. It was midafternoon, the sun was shining, and Matt felt happier than he had been in years. He looked down at his shorts and flip-flops.
I might never wear socks again.
It was a silly thought, but a thought he never would have had before taking this sabbatical. He glanced at Mira, leafing through a book a few feet from him in an eclectic bookstore in town. She looked beautiful in a sexy green tank top that set off her hazel eyes and a pair of white shorts. How was it possible that she looked more radiant every day?
She glanced up, and a shy smile curved her lips. When he’d woken up with Mira in his arms, it had taken all of his willpower to let her sleep in rather than waking her up to satisfy his own ravenous desires. Luckily, she’d woken up shortly after with the same insatiable appetite for him. Making love with her was heavenly, made even better by her willingness to trust him and explore her naughty side, which he loved as much as her sweet and her maternal sides. They made love before breakfast and again before showering and throwing on bathing suits beneath their clothes, and taking off on bikes to explore the island. They checked out an art gallery, a handmade clothing store, and a jewelry store, where Mira practically drooled over a canary diamond ring. They had lunch by the water, and for the last hour they’d been perusing this cozy bookstore, which smelled like apples and cinnamon. He’d known how well he and Mira would get along, but he hadn’t realized how effortlessly their lives would come together.
“What’s that look?” she asked quietly.
He closed the distance between them, aware of her quickening breaths and the darkening of her gorgeous eyes. Sliding a hand around her waist, he whispered directly in her ear—because he loved the way she held her breath every time he did.
“Thinking about how hard I’m falling for you.”
She nibbled on the corner of her mouth and gazed up at him with a sultry, slightly shy gaze that made his insides soften and his outside harden.
“Matt,” she said dreamily, and went up on her toes to kiss him. “This is all wonderful, but it scares me a little.”
“I know it does. I told you I’m considering my options. With the dean position out of the picture, and the research and writing fulfilling that academic craving I know I’ll always have, I don’t miss teaching.”
Worry lines crept across her forehead. “I’m not asking you to stop teaching.”
He pressed a kiss to those lines, hoping to ease them. “I know you aren’t. You never would. I’ve been growing tired of teaching for quite some time. It’s the research and writing that holds my interest, and even that is hampered by administration. Sunshine, so much has changed for me these last few years. Watching my siblings fall in love and manage to be happy both professionally and personally has opened my eyes to the things I always wanted but put off to ‘one day.’ I’m in my thirties. One day has come, and I’m still churning the academic wheel. When my father began talking about retiring, I realized that I haven’t been around in a meaningful way since I was eighteen. I don’t want to miss out on being part of his life anymore. Or part of my brothers’ or Sky’s life. Or Bea’s. And then I met you and Hagen…”
He slid a hand to the nape of her neck, gazing into her hopeful and worried eyes. “And I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you ever since. I know you’re scared to let yourself fall for me, or to let Hagen become reliant on me, because my future is up in the air, but I’m going to prove to you that I’m worth the risk. You can’t deny what’s between us, sunshine. It’s too strong.”
“But how will we…?”
“Figure it out? We have to trust that we’ll both know what the right thing to do is when we get to that point.” When she smiled, he pressed his lips to hers. “Let’s pay for these books and go parasailing.”
Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “Parasailing?”
He carried the books to the register and paid while they discussed the i
dea.
“I might be afraid of heights,” Mira said nervously.
“Might be?”
“I’ve never tested the theory, but there’s a possibility.”
He hugged her to him as they left the bookstore. “You’ll have me by your side. Come on, sunshine. I’ve only got a few weeks to convince you that you can trust me. What better way than from high above shark-filled waters?”
“I CAN’T DO this.” Mira clung to the grips of the parasail for dear life. “The scariest thing I’ve ever done was give birth, and that was in the safety of a hospital bed!”
Matt patted her thigh. “NASA came up with this idea as part of their survival training for pilots who had to eject from their aircraft over the water. It’s safe.”
The instructor, a burly guy who looked like he ate sharks for breakfast and had spent the trip out telling them about his GoPro videos, explained that they’d take off and land on the special parasailing boat. He said they could take a dip in the water if they’d like. Swimming near shore was one thing, but now that Matt had planted the idea of sharks in her mind, there was no way she was dipping even a single toe in it.
She gazed into the dark sea surrounding the boat. “Unless you fall and get eaten in these shark-filled waters.”
“I was kidding. There are probably only a couple in there.”
“Matt!” She swatted him, and he leaned over and planted a loud kiss on her lips.
“Are you ready?” the instructor asked.
Great. She was going to fall from the sky and get eaten by sharks and this guy would probably film it with his GoPro and make millions from a highly monetized YouTube video.
Matt gave the instructor a thumbs-up and the boat began to move.
“I get the idea of living in a safe little world where you control everything around you. I’ve done it my whole life, just like you have since you’ve had Hagen. It’s time for us to see what we’re missing.”
“You have not! You’re a secret savior.” She said this casually, but at some point, when they weren’t about to be flown like a kite above shark-infested waters, she wanted to delve deeper into that side of him and see what it was all about.
He laughed.
The wind kissed her face as the boat picked up speed and the cables began to tug into place. As they lifted from their seated position and her toes left the safety of the boat, she realized what Matt had said.
“You haven’t done this before?” she hollered.
Matt smiled and wrapped his hand around hers, which was still clinging for dear life to the grip. “No, but I trust we can get through anything together.”
“That’s not how you earn a woman’s trust!” She white-knuckled the grips as they sailed into the air and the sleepy little town, and the sea around it, came into view. It was a spectacular sight.
Matt pointed out their cottage and the streets where they’d ridden their bikes, but Mira was busy watching him. The wind whipped his hair away from his face, accentuating his striking features, which had taken on a golden tan over the balmy afternoon. His tank top looked sprayed on over all those hard planes of muscles she’d gotten to know so intimately last night. When Matt turned to face her again, his eyes warmed, even against the whipping wind.
“Okay, sunshine?”
It was all she could do to nod. Waking up in his arms, making love with him, was an entirely new experience. He didn’t just love her physical body; he reached deep into her soul, caressing her heart with tender, careful hands, making her feel safe and special. He was breaking down her barriers one moment at a time. She never stood a chance against the passionate, loving man who was looking at her like she’d created life itself.
“We should bring Hagen,” he said, and her heart skipped.
She bit back her initial reaction of, No way! It’s way too scary for him. He grabbed her chin and pulled her into a long, sensual kiss, bringing all of her senses tingling to life anew. She got lost in his unforgiving mouth, the feel of his strong, warm hand sliding to the back of her head as he deepened the kiss, and the wind whipping over her skin. And just like that, her fear drifted away.
Chapter Sixteen
RELAXED DIDN’T BEGIN to touch the feelings floating through Mira. The sunny afternoon had given way to a warm, clear summer evening. She and Matt had biked all over the island, seen the beaches and lighthouse, the historic homes, and everything in between. When they’d come back to the cottage, they’d opened the front and back doors, and the evening breeze filled the cozy space. It was only six, and they decided to have a late dinner after taking some time to relax. She checked her messages, of which she had only two. One from Drake telling her that Hagen was doing fine and teaching him and Rick how to use a compass, and one from Serena, who wanted to know if Mira had given in and used Nair. She quickly sent off a text to Drake—Thank you! Give him extra kisses from me. I’ll see you Sunday afternoon—and Serena—No! And he hasn’t complained.
She stretched out on the couch and closed her eyes, thinking about last night. As their bodies had come together last night, the passion swimming in his eyes and the feel of him loving her had coalesced, and she knew in that moment it didn’t matter if they’d been together a week, a month, a year, or ten. She was falling in love with Matt Lacroux, and she had been for a very long time.
Matt came out of the bedroom a few minutes later wearing nothing but a towel and a pair of black-framed glasses. Her jaw dropped open. Her naughty-professor-slash-coed fantasy sprang to life in vivid color.
He chuckled, rounding the couch.
“If you changed your mind about calling Hagen, we should probably do it now.”
“No need. Drake texted and said he’s having a great time and showing them how to use his compass.” She couldn’t take her eyes off of him as he reached for her hand and lifted her to her feet.
“Glasses,” she whispered. How could glasses make him even hotter? “Holy moly. Where have you been hiding those?” She pressed her hands to his chest, feeling his pecs jump beneath her palms.
“My contacts were bugging me.” He swept an arm around her waist, pulling her against him.
“Were your clothes bugging you, too?”
His low laugh rivaled the seduction in his eyes. “I promised you pampering.” He kissed her tenderly, then led her into the expansive bathroom, where candles burned on every surface. The oversized tub was filled with bubbles. The window was open, bringing a cool edge to the heat simmering between them.
Matt lifted her shirt over her head and laid it on the sink, then helped her out of the rest of her clothes, kissing her skin as it was revealed. She was no longer embarrassed or felt the need to cover up. Matt seemed to appreciate her curves. Heck, he appreciated everything about her; there was no seemed to about it.
He took off his towel and set it beside the tub. He was every professorial fantasy she’d conjured up since the day she met him, only better.
“Do you wear those glasses in class?”
“Sometimes. Why?” He gathered her hair over one shoulder and helped her into the tub. She expected him to climb in behind her, but he sat across from her and gently guided her legs around his so she was nestled between his knees and their bodies were only a few inches apart.
“Do you…? Have you…?” She was embarrassed for even thinking the crazy thought that was in her head, but his glasses made him look very professorial, sparking memories of friends who had slept with their professors.
He set his glasses beside the tub and wet a washcloth, lathering it up with heavenly smelling body wash. “What, sunshine?”
“Have you played ‘naughty professor’ with any students?” She bit her lip, feeling ridiculous for asking.
“Only a few,” he said as he brought the washcloth to her shoulder and gently washed her arm.
“Only a few?” Her stomach sank. “Isn’t that against the school’s policy or something?”
He lifted her chin and shook his head. “Do I seem like the kind of
guy who would sleep with a student?”
She let out a relieved breath. “You can’t do that to me. I think you just shaved ten years off my life.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “The girls who try to seduce their professors have ‘daddy issues’ written all over them. I’m attracted to women, not girls, Mira. Give me some credit.” He drew back with an intense look in his eyes. “And give yourself a little credit, too. Would you spend the weekend with a guy you thought would do that?”
“No, but…” She picked up his glasses and shook them. “I blame these. You looked so hot in them that my mind went lots of places it shouldn’t.”
He smiled, but his eyes remained serious as he lovingly washed her sides and belly.
“Does that mean you think I have daddy issues because I want to play naughty professor with you?” She had to ask.
He smiled and kissed her shoulder with a seductive look in his eyes. “You’re not my student. There’s a world of difference.” His expression turned serious again, and as he spoke, he ran the washcloth over her breastbone and around her chest, making her thoughts hard to pin down. “It’s a wonder you trust anyone after what Hagen’s father pulled.”
He lifted his eyes to hers, moving that washcloth down the center of her body, then detouring over her thigh.
“Is that also why you haven’t been dating?” he asked.
It took her a minute to get her lustful brain to process his question. She knew they’d talk more about this subject at some point, but she hadn’t been anticipating it now, and it took her off guard. She wrapped her hands around his legs, needing something to anchor her.
“Partially.” This was not going to be easy, but she wanted to be honest with him, and somehow baring her soul in the bathtub, where neither had anything to hide behind, made it a little easier. “I think it’s always in the back of my head that guys lie.” She knew how harsh that sounded and added, “I’m sure women lie, too. I don’t mean that we’re perfect, but of course my experience affected me. And the few dates I went on proved to me how different my life is from a single woman’s. Most guys have no idea what it takes to raise a child. They think a child’s like a puppy. Put them in a crate for a while and they’ll get used to it.”
