Having that effortless smile greet her on a daily basis would be like heaven on earth. Having another man in Jacob’s life would be the answer to her prayers.
Dustin wouldn’t replace her son’s father—no one could or would ever do that—but he would be a wonderful role model for Jacob. His giving heart, his strong work ethic, the empathy he showed to the people who worked for him—they were all the values she wanted to pass on to Jacob.
Why wouldn’t she give them a chance?
Stef reached into her jewelry box and grabbed her aquamarine stud earrings. As she brushed her shorter locks to the side, the tiny scar behind her ear that she’d gotten in the accident twelve years ago answered the question for her, reminding her of the danger in embracing this new relationship with Dustin.
Dustin brought out that wild and reckless side in her. It was the side that needed to remain buried.
With a final look in the mirror, Stef wiped the regret from her face and headed out of the house. An hour later, she sat at the curb behind the wheel of her car, convinced that the GPS had guided her to the wrong address.
“Well, he does have millions,” Stef reminded herself as she looked up and down tree-lined Prytania Street.
And there was no doubt he’d spent several of them on this house. Buying one of the historic mansions in the heart of New Orleans’s Garden District must have set him back a couple of million, at least. But the man traveled by helicopter, why wouldn’t he live in a mansion?
Just as she opened her car door, the understated front door of the Italianate-style home opened and Dustin walked out. He hustled down the eight steps two at a time and jogged to the wrought iron gate, opening it for her.
“You cut your hair,” he said by way of greeting.
Her hand shot self-consciously to her head. “Uh, yeah. I wanted to try something new.”
“I like it. It fits you. Why didn’t you call to say you were here?” he asked.
“I wasn’t sure I was at the right place,” Stef said. “This is…something else. I mean, I knew you had money. I just never pictured you living in a place like this. I thought of you more as a sleek, modern condo kind of guy.”
“Yeah, I know it’s a bit over-the-top for one person,” he said, glancing over his shoulder. “My real estate agent was a smooth talker. He convinced me that I deserved a house of this magnitude. Turns out I only needed a house about a third of this size. Most of the rooms go unused.”
His demeanor lifted the slight trepidation she’d felt just before she arrived. After the way things ended between them last night, a tiny part of her feared that he would tell her he no longer needed her help. Blessedly, it seemed as if he was in no hurry to pick up the conversation that had ended with him leaving in the middle of their Scrabble game, disgruntled because she remained steadfast in her insistence that things between them end with Jacob’s return.
As if he’d read her mind, he said, “I’m not bringing up last night, Stefanie. I don’t want anything to spoil our last day together.”
She swallowed deeply and nodded.
“What time does Jacob come home tomorrow? “
“They land just after three in the afternoon. Shelia, his grandmother, is flying him over.”
He sucked in a deep breath and slid his hands in his pockets.
“Well, I guess that’s that. We can’t hang out anymore after today.”
“Dustin—”
“I’m respecting your wishes. It’s what you want, so it’s what it has to be. Let’s just enjoy this evening.” A roguish grin drew across his lips. “I’ve got some conch fritters, Bond movies, and grape Kool-Aid waiting for us after we’re done planning the party layout.”
Stef burst out laughing. Gratefulness for his understanding swelled within her. He had every right to be surly and difficult; instead he wanted to make it easy for her.
Giving him up would be one of the hardest things she ever had to do.
Dustin took her on a tour of the massive house. He was right—this was excessive, especially for a single man. Now, if he had a family…
Stef elbowed that thought out of her head.
The thought of Dustin bringing another woman into this house, starting a family with her, made Stef want to throw herself over the double staircase’s ornate railing. In all of her insistence that their time together be temporary, she had never once considered how much it would hurt when he started dating someone else.
It wasn’t realistic to think that she would never see him again. He was Stefan’s best friend. Their paths would eventually cross at backyard gatherings, possibly on holidays. How would she stomach the first time she saw another woman on his arm?
The thought twisted her gut, but Stef breathed her way through it. She refused to spend her final evening with Dustin thinking about his future women.
By the time they finished the tour of the house, dusk had fallen, which was perfect since Stefan and Callie’s party would take place at night this coming Saturday. She could check out the lighting in his backyard where the party would be held, and figure out if they needed more.
Stefanie released an awed gasp when they stepped out into his backyard. It was breathtaking. A dual Roman-end pool sat as the focal point, with a perfectly manicured hedge garden maze on one side. There were several marble statues peppered throughout the gardens, each lit with its own spotlight.
On the other end of the pool sat a gorgeous open pool house. The two front columns rose out of the edge of the pool. The space was large enough to hold a sofa and two long chaises. A massive stone fireplace was built into the center of the backyard.
“Tell the truth,” Stef said, “this is the reason you bought this house. This is gorgeous.”
“I probably spend more time out here than I do inside,” Dustin admitted.
He pointed to where he envisioned staging different aspects of the party—food, music, gifts, an open bar. He planned to rent sofa and loveseats, along with several fire tables, to make the area more cozy.
“It just seems more intimate than wooden folding chairs. I want people to feel comfortable.”
“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Stef said. “You don’t need my input. You have this under control."
He slid his palms around her hips, resting his hands at the small of her back. “Actually, I hired an event planner to do the heavy lifting. Everything for the party is just about taken care of. Asking you to help was just an excuse to get you here.”
“You ever thought about just inviting me?”
He tilted his head to the side, his brow furrowing with his frown. “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Her shoulders shook with her soft chuckle. She leaned into him, placing her head on his chest.
“That pool looks incredible,” she said.
“You want to go swimming?”
Stef leaned her head back, looking up at him. “I didn’t bring a suit.”
The grin that curled up the side of his mouth was the epitome of wicked. “You’re going to let that stop you?”
Awareness quaked in her belly, even as her skin burned with desire. It was time for her to be honest with herself. She’d wanted this from the moment she met him. The tight jeans, the new haircut; they were not just about her finding her way back to her old self. They were about making Dustin want her as much as she wanted him.
Tonight was their last night together. She would get what she wanted.
Her eyes trained on him, Stef shrugged out of his arms and backed away, slipping out of her sandals and kicking them to the side. She caught the measured rise and fall of Dustin’s chest as his gaze followed her hand to the snap on her jeans. She unzipped them, then hooked her thumbs along the waist and pulled them down over her hips.
“Stefanie.” Her name exited his mouth on a hoarse whisper.
She gathered the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head.
“God. Stefanie,” Dustin said, reaching for her. She moved to the side, and put her hand beh
ind her back, fingering the bra clip. She unhooked the single clasp and pulled the bra straps down her arms, releasing the fabric with a flick of her wrist.
Dustin’s desperate moan drizzled over her like warm honey. It was all the encouragement she needed to make her final move.
Chapter Six
A pair of white satin panties hit Dustin square in the chest, and just like that, everything in his body went instantly, incredibly hard. He brought the silky fabric to his face and inhaled Stefanie’s musky scent, his eyes falling shut as a tidal wave of desire crashed through him. The need to devour her intensified, setting his blood on fire.
Dustin’s eyes widened as she dove into the pool, gracefully slicing the surface.
“Am I the only one skinny dipping here?” she called over her shoulder. She kicked her joined feet, splashing at him like a mermaid. The water droplets on her naked skin glistened under the soft lighting illuminating the pool.
He should wait until he was able to bring his body back under control, but as he stared at her naked form gliding through the water, Dustin realized that probably wouldn’t happen for the rest of the night.
He made quick work of shucking the clothes from his body, his erection springing from his boxers as he yanked them down his legs.
“Wow,” Stefanie said with a low laugh. “Someone’s happy.”
“Happy? I’m fucking ecstatic.”
Dustin dove into the heated water, quickly swimming to where she floated in the center of the pool. He turned her naked body against his and discovered what heaven felt like as they treaded water together. Arms and legs entwined, he swam them toward the pool steps. Once they were at the shallow end, he cornered her against the wall.
He caged her within his arms, his fisted palms on either side of her. Staring into those liquid brown eyes, he leaned forward and joined his mouth with hers. He reveled in the perfection of her lips, trailing his tongue along the seam before thrusting inside. Her exquisite breasts brushed against him. He lifted her higher and dipped his head, capturing one marble-hard nipple between his lips. He toyed with the stiff pebble, lapping his tongue around and around, squeezing it between his lips before sucking it fully inside his mouth.
Her throaty moan compelled him to try other ways to make her duplicate the erotic sound. For this one moment in time, his entire purpose in life centered on giving her as much pleasure as she could possibly stand.
Dustin showed her other breast the same attention he’d lavished on the first. The satisfaction he derived from hearing her husky groans and low, pleasure-soaked whimpers made him dizzy with the knowledge of what was to come.
Stefanie cupped his face in her hands and pulled his lips to hers. She wrapped her legs high around his waist and plunged her tongue into his mouth.
“Damn.” The gruff curse tore from his throat. “I would have said to hell with that dune buggy ride back on Grand Turk if I knew skinny dipping in the ocean was an option.”
Stefanie released a husky laugh. “Who says I would have gone skinny dipping with you back on Grand Turk? I hardly knew you then.”
“You would have if I’d dared,” he whispered against her lips.
The sultry heat in her gaze was hot enough to singe his skin. “This time I’m the one making the dare,” she said.
“Oh yeah?” Dustin managed to get out past the lust clogging his throat. “What’s the dare?”
“I dare you to make me scream from now until morning.”
He hooked his arms behind her knees and lifted her out of the water. “You’re on.”
Carrying her to the pool house, he draped her over one of the chaises. He trailed his fingers along her wet skin, bringing them to her inner thighs and spreading her legs apart. His breath quickened as need hit him hard and fast.
He put his mouth to her glistening center and began to feast on the delectable heaven between her legs.
Nothing in life could have prepared him for that first sensual taste of her. Dustin settled in for the long haul. He lingered between her thighs, varying both his pace and pressure. He teased her delicate flesh, stroking up one side and down the other, then he buried his face against her, drinking in the fragrant dampness that soaked her skin. He swirled his tongue around her pulsing center before flicking it in rapid succession over the tightening bundle of nerves tucked at her clef.
Every mewl of pleasure that escaped her throat heightened the desire coursing through him. It pushed him to lick harder, stroke faster. Dustin closed his mouth over her clit and sucked for all he was worth. He wanted to devour every drop of her flavor.
Stefanie’s back bowed. Her thighs tightened around his head as her scream tore through the air. After bringing her to orgasm once more with his mouth, he trailed his tongue up her body, peppering her moist skin with kisses.
“Sit tight for a minute,” he whispered into her ear. “I have to go in the house to get a box of condoms.”
Her brow arched. “A box?”
“Hell yes. I’ve been dreaming about this from the minute we first met. I don’t plan to finish with you for hours.”
~ ~ ~ ~
The moment Dustin left her Stef braced herself for the rush of conscience that would have her scrambling to put her clothes back on and run out of here, but it never came. She was not running away from this.
Even though she’d told herself that tonight was about them ending their time together as friends, she knew in her heart that this is what she wanted to happen all along. She wanted to feel Dustin’s naked body against her own. She wanted—even if just for one night—to share this experience with him.
When Dustin emerged from the house carrying the box of condoms and a bottle of wine, Stef couldn’t help but laugh.
“You really brought an entire box of condoms?”
“I warned you,” he said. “You’re in for a long night.”
He set both items on the glass end table, unwrapped one condom and rolled it over his erection. Stef’s limbs quivered in anticipation of what would happen next.
Dustin came over to the chaise and covered her body with his. Stef wrapped her arms around his neck. “Now, are you going to take on that dare, or what?” she whispered against his jaw.
He lowered himself between her legs. “You only have to dare me once.”
Stef closed her eyes and allowed herself to retreat to the erotic sanctuary Dustin created for her. She journeyed deeper with every delicious slide of his thick erection.
Sensation pulsed within her, bright and searing, the intensity building at a rate that both scared and thrilled her. She tried to control the feelings blossoming in her chest as Dustin penetrated her soul as well as her body, but it was no use. His tender, yet fierce, possession rendered her helpless to fight the love suddenly overwhelming her.
She locked her legs at the small of his back and moved her body with his, rocking into his thrusts, staking claim to every drop of pleasure he sought to give her. She let out a soft cry as he ground his hips against hers, plunging deep, nearly pulling out, and then plunging again.
Wrapping his arms around her, Dustin flipped them over and fitted her on top of his rock hard length. He dug his fingers into her hips and guided her movements, lifting her up, and then tugging her down as his hips rose to meet her.
The puckered skin of a scar on his leg abraded her inner thigh, the friction as erotic and intimate as his gaze on her breasts.
“Faster,” he gritted through clenched teeth, his fingers sinking into her ass as he tightened his grip.
Blood pounded through her veins, thunderous, deafening. Stef braced her hands against his chest, using it for leverage as she rode him hard. The sound of their wet skin slapping together echoed in the dark stillness surrounding them. Passion raged within her, the erotic melody of their lovemaking stoking the fire in her belly, spearing her with quick, sharp stabs of desire.
“Faster,” Dustin practically roared, flipping her over again and bringing her legs over his shoulders. The angle al
lowed him to plunge deeper than any man ever had, his thick cock pumping in and out with fluid, rapid thrusts.
In a matter of seconds Stef’s world split in two. She rushed headlong into the blinding whirlwind of pleasure. Her entire body shook with it, the powerful force of her orgasm stealing the breath from her lungs.
Dustin continued thrusting. He took both of her hands in his, lacing their fingers together, binding their souls as surely as he bonded their bodies. Pleasure ripped through her a second time, the force of it depleting every ounce of her strength.
Dustin’s body shivered above her as he climaxed, the veins in his neck pronounced as they strained against his skin. His body jerked several times before he collapsed on top of her and buried his face against her neck.
Stefanie ran her hands up and down his back, loving the feel of his warm moist skin. Loving…him.
She fought the realization that was slowly taking shape in her head, but the truth was too powerful to deny. She was falling in love with him.
And after tonight this passion they’d discovered together would come to an end.
Chapter Seven
Stef looked out over the waves slowly rippling along the pool’s surface. Lights embedded into its walls gradually changed the water’s color from magenta to gold to green to blue.
Dustin had taken a blanket from the storage space discreetly disguised as an ottoman. He’d draped it over them after the second—or was it the third?—time they’d made love.
Stef had no idea what time it was, nor was she in any hurry to find out. Every second that ticked by brought her closer to the time she would have to leave Dustin, and the thought of leaving him hurt too much to think about it.
She buried her head in the bend of his strong arm, cocooning herself in his warmth. She knew Dustin was awake. She could tell by the change in his breathing. It was no longer the deep, steady breaths of sleep, yet he remained silent. It was as if they both were trying to preserve the delicate shelter the last few hours had built around them. As if they both knew that words would shatter it.
I Dare You! (Moments in Maplesville Book 4) Page 10
