“I’m sorry.”
She crossed her arms. “Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what?” He found his breath in time to realize her question didn’t make any sense. She didn’t like the apology?
“Is the sadistic torture part of your weekend schedule?” Her jaw was set.
“I don’t... What?”
She pursed her lips, silent for a moment, before saying, “I was fine with being your weekend fling. We’re both traveling; we’ll never see each other again. I knew that on Night One. But you had to stretch it out. Tease me. Stand me up. Is this fun? Is this the part you really get off on? Are the rumors true?”
So she’d heard those. Fan-fucking-tastic. The one thing she knew about him was the one thing that wasn’t true. He reached for her but stopped short of making contact. “Hear me out?”
She tapped her toe against the ground. “Fine.”
He had to make this good. He had to make her believe it. And nothing was coming to him. He opened his mouth, and the words spilled out before he could process them. “I don’t do one-night stands.” She scowled, and he hurried to add, “I swear. And I wouldn’t have hit on you if I wasn’t sincere, and I’m so sorry about last night.”
“Why are you here?” Her tone was still hard, but the corners of her eyes softened.
He rested a hand on her cheek, relief nudging him when she didn’t jerk away. “I know we’ll never see each other again, but I really enjoy your company, and I think there’s the potential for more if we give things a chance, and I couldn’t let you leave without telling you.”
“I—” Her brow creased, skepticism dancing in her eyes. “Really.” The flat tone in her voice brought back his ache, but something warm and hopeful lurked behind it.
“Honestly, sincerely, and I will swear on whatever it takes to prove I mean it. I promise it’s not a game. I mean every single word.”
She folded one arm in front of her, to grab the other, drumming her fingers on her elbow. “Then what happened last night?”
What did he need to say to fix this? “I thought I was doing what was best for you.”
“By standing me up?” She pursed her lips. “By extending an offer you never intended to make good on?”
“By letting you get on with your life.”
“I’d rather be the one to make that decision. I can think for myself, you know. And in that case, why are you here now?”
This question was easy. “Because I realized I couldn’t stay away after all.”
She smiled and leaned against his palm again, covering his hand with hers. “Me either.”
It took a couple of heartbeats for him to realize she meant she couldn’t stay away. “So you don’t have to leave yet?”
“I already checked out.” She nodded toward the open trunk.
She couldn’t go. Not yet. “When’s your flight?” he asked.
“Two.”
His smile grew. “So come back to my room.”
She chewed her bottom lip. “I haven’t slept all night. What if I can’t stay awake?”
“Then I still have you for a few more hours. But I’m hoping to keep you busy at least some of that time.”
She traced her thumb over the back of his hand. “All right. I’m in.”
He dipped his head and pressed his lips to hers, need screaming through him. She sighed and deepened the kiss, slipping her tongue into his mouth and dancing it around. She shifted against him, and every nerve in his body pulsed.
He broke away. The lust in her hazel eyes tempted him to see how far they could go in the parking lot. Instead, he slammed the rental’s trunk shut, grabbed the keys and dropped them in her purse, and wrapped an arm around her waist to lead her back to the hotel.
He paused in the lobby. “Stay right there.”
She gave him a questioning look. He cut a straight path to the gift shop, and less than two minutes later was back, a box of condoms in his back pocket.
She gave an embarrassed laugh and leaned against him, when he wrapped his arm around her again. They made it to the elevator, which he swore took forever to arrive. At least there still weren’t many people around.
They stepped into the empty car. Screw glass walls. He wanted her desperately. The moment the doors slid shut, he pressed her back against them and kissed her hungrily, one hand on her hip and the other at the back of her head.
She shifted her weight, resting her foot between both of his and rubbing her hip against his cock through his jeans.
They stumbled into the hallway when they reached his floor. The seconds it took to find his room seemed to stretch on for an eternity. And then they were inside, and he was kissing her again.
She returned the gesture with as much hunger as he felt, dragging her nails up his back and holding him close.
Chapter Ten
The excitement she felt the night before rushed back to Molly full-force, obliterating any residue of disappointment and pushing aside her exhaustion. She didn’t know how this was going to work after today, but she was happy to consider a long-distance relationship, to see where she and Brandon went next.
He yanked her shirt over her head and tossed it away, and her bra followed a few seconds later. Hands roaming her bare chest, they managed to stumble back toward the bed.
Her legs hit the mattress, and she lost her balance. She fell back with a giggle, her butt landing on the comforter.
“I love that sound.” He paused for a moment, and then nudged her shoulder, pushing her onto her back. He tugged off his own shirt, before dipping his head to kiss her neck, throat, and breasts.
She traced his chest, memorizing the definition and smooth skin stretched taut over muscle.
He rolled onto his side and pressed close. His erection dug into her thigh. She wanted him inside her. He wrapped his mouth around a swollen, pink nipple, flicked his tongue back and forth, and she gasped. The sensation felt like a string attached to every nerve ending.
He slid his hand down her stomach, under the waist of her jeans, and over her panties, teasing her slick mound through the cotton. She thrust up her hips, to meet the contact, but he kept his touch light enough to continue teasing.
He pulled away completely when she pushed up again. “Patience,” he said.
She smirked and rubbed her leg against his hard cock. “I can torture you, too.”
He closed his eyes, a low growl rumbling up from his chest. When he looked at her again, desire was heavy in his expression. “Understood.”
Within seconds, he’d undone her jeans and shoved her remaining clothing to the floor. He dropped to his knees at the foot of the bed, not touching her, only his head visible from where she lay.
Blood rushed through Molly’s veins, making every inch of her skin hum in anticipation, as the seconds stretched. When he kissed the inside of her leg, a sharp jolt of pleasure spiked through her. He glided his lips higher, up one thigh and down the other, never touching her aching sex. “I was kind of hoping”—his words rumbled against her skin—“to hear you beg again.”
She could do that. “Please?” The request came out softer, more needy than she intended.
His chuckle vibrated against her thigh, and his mouth moved higher again, each kiss slow and deliberate. When he reached his destination, and explored her slit with his tongue, she inhaled sharply. He trailed his finger down her wet skin and slid inside her. Her hips bucked against the contact. When he wrapped his lips around her clit, she almost came.
She tangled her fingers in his hair and held him close, grinding against him as he licked and sucked her pulsing button. A climax tore through her, and she screamed when she came, lifting her butt off the bed to get closer, and then dropping to pull away from the persistent attention.
He kissed her skin lightly and pulled her to her feet. She pressed her lips to his, tasting herself in his kiss, still wanting more—to feel him driving deep inside her. He spun them around, so his back was to the bed with her facing him
, and then shed the rest of his clothes. He only fumbled with the rubber for a moment before rolling it on.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he tugged her to stand between his legs. He roamed his mouth along her stomach, as he glided his hands over her butt and thighs. “I’ve been fantasizing since we met”—her skin muffled his words—“about feeling you wrapped around me.”
“I know exactly what you mean.” She straddled his legs and lowered herself onto his lap, stopping when his cock nudged her entrance. He gave her a curious look, and she smiled. “I told you I could tease too.”
He gripped her hips and thrust up, pushing inside her.
She gasped, as he spread her open.
“But I’m more impatient than you.” He lowered his mouth to her neck, sucking and biting hard on the sensitive skin as he slowly pumped inside her.
Their pace increased, his cock hitting her G-spot every time she dropped down. His hands at her hips set the rhythm, his moans becoming hungry grunts, as he pounded against her harder and faster.
Another climax closed in on her, and then ripped through her. Her pussy clenched around him, and he never let up as he pumped frantically.
For a moment he held his breath, and then he slowed his pace to a stop. He settled his forehead against her chest, and she dropped her chin to the top of his head, focused on every sensation at once—the ebbing pleasure, him still inside her, his breath against her skin, the brush of the air conditioner kissing away the heat.
When she trusted herself to stand, she extracted herself from his lap. Her legs wobbled, and she giggled.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever made a woman weak in the knees before.” He tugged her toward the bed and scooted further up, indicating she should lie next to him.
She crawled into the empty spot, resting her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest. “I have a hard time believing that.”
“Believe what you want.” His voice was soft and low. He trailed his fingers through her hair. “It’s never been like that before.”
She didn’t know how to respond, so she nestled closer. Her eyelids drooped shut, reminding her she hadn’t slept much that weekend. His hand between her shoulder blades, his thumb rubbing lightly, sapped the rest of her consciousness, and she drifted off with a smile.
SOMEWHERE ON THE EDGE of her consciousness, Molly’s phone beeped. She forced her eyes open. Stupid alarm.
“Ten more minutes.” Brandon’s mumble vibrated through her cheek.
She snuggled into him one more time, searing the warmth of his touch into her memory, before sitting up. “I can’t miss my plane.” She scooted to the edge of the bed and grabbed her T-shirt off the floor.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and ran his lips along the back of her neck and her shoulders. “So, what now?” The light kisses muffled his question.
“Now? I get dressed. In about six hours I set down in St Louis.” She leaned back into the attention. Damn it. Why couldn’t this last a little longer?
“Not what I meant.” He nipped at her shoulder. “I’m talking about us. What now?”
A sick pit formed in her gut. She hadn’t figured that out yet. “I don’t know. But I know I can’t just walk away.”
He settled his chin on her shoulder, the scruff of a day’s worth of unshaved beard scratching her cheek. “I was hoping you’d say that. Neither can I.”
She finished putting her shirt on and focused on enjoying his arms wrapped around her waist. Without pulling away, she grabbed her purse from the nightstand, plucked out a business card, and scribbled her cell-phone number and personal e-mail address on the back. “Make sure you call me. If I can’t see you, I want to hear that million-dollar voice.”
His laugh rumbled through her back, and he took the card from her. “Million dollar, huh? I ought to make you my new agent.”
She rested her cheek against his. “Promise you’ll call?”
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and laid a line of kisses down her cheek. “I promise. I know it’s weird with the whole only-known-each-other-a-weekend thing, but I’m going to miss you.”
The words dug deep. Anything she felt needed to grow, before she named it, but she also desperately wanted whatever it was to have a chance. “Same.” Inspiration struck, and she grinned. “I’ll be in Dallas in three weeks.”
He nipped her neck. “Fort Worth in four. Hook up on the weekend between?”
“Looking forward to it.”
“Then I’ll let you go for now.” He kissed the edge of her ear, one last time. “Talk to you when your plane touches down.”
Chapter Eleven
Leaving the airport now. Be there as soon as I can.
That’s what Brandon’s text said. From her own flight in, Molly knew that meant he’d arrive at the hotel in thirty to forty-five minutes, and the clock crept forward fast.
She had no idea how she was supposed to act. She’d never booked a hotel room with the intent of meeting a guy there. Not like this, with a weekend of fooling around planned. She did know she didn’t want to be wearing her work clothes anymore. It was after five on a Friday; she might as well change into something more comfortable.
But should it be the innuendo-laden kind of more comfortable, or was her jeans-and-T-shirt combination the right way to go?
She paced the floor, trying not to let neurosis overtake her thoughts. Three weeks seemed like an eternity ago. The memories of her weekend with Brandon were seared into her mind, but her whims of fancy had retreated since then. What were they doing? It wasn’t rational.
The phone conversations were fun, sweet, and sexy. The random text messages and e-mails were the same. But none of them were ever long enough. They always lacked that connection she’d felt when she and Brandon met, as if they were trying too hard to recreate the moment. Maybe they could just talk when he got there? Part of her protested, wanting to taste him and feel him and be wrapped up in and around him. But if she didn’t voice her concerns, was continuing their relationship worth it?
Then again, they did talk. She told him how work was, and he told her about working his contacts in the industry while looking for a new agent. That had to count as getting to know each other. They could spend the weekend exploring more physical things. Right?
A knock echoed through the room, and her racing pulse kicked up another notch, threatening to tear her heart from her chest. She took a few deep breaths but failed to calm herself before she let Brandon in.
He looked better than she remembered, and any greeting died in her throat. She leaned back against the door as it closed. His brown eyes shone with lust and joy, as he looked her over. Maybe she was worried about nothing.
“I missed you.” He rested his hands on the door—one on either side of her head—and brushed his lips over hers. He pulled away, studying her for a moment. “Are you okay?”
The contact and his genuine concern erased her doubts. They could talk later. She returned the kiss, diving into the tingles racing through her.
He dropped his hand to her waist, stroked his thumb over her hip, and glided his lips up her jaw. He traced his tongue along the edge of her ear, his breath hot against her skin. “You’re even better than I remembered.”
“You too.” She sank into the words and light touches, focusing on the moment and nothing else.
“You know what I was thinking”—he trailed kisses down her neck—“might be really nice”—he kissed along her collarbone—“after a long day of travel?” He brushed over the hollow at the base of her throat.
A sliver of disappointment wormed its way through her. He had to be exhausted after traveling all day. “Sleep?”
His chuckle vibrated through her. “Later, definitely. I was thinking of something else first.” He slid his hand from her hip to her back and tugged her forward. “Join me in the shower?”
Her heated blood grew warmer at the suggestion, and anticipation rolled under her skin. “I’m in.”
He guide
d her toward the bathroom, his palm rough against her waist and then her back. Her earlier anxiety had vanished and was replaced by an intense need to be closer to him than their clothing allowed.
He broke away, to fiddle with the faucet in the tub, and seconds later the sound of rushing water filled the room. He turned back to her. “Let it warm up while I warm you up.”
Her heart pounded in excitement at the gravel in his voice. She dropped her hands to his waist and pushed his shirt up. Friction flowed between his skin and hers when she shoved the fabric out of the way and then threw it aside. She trailed her fingers down his bare chest. How was it possible to have missed someone so much, when she’d only had him a few times? Each touch rocked her deep inside, soothing an unknown addiction.
He glided his fingers under her top and up her spine, and she arched her back at the light touch. He made quick work of her bra clasp and slid his hands along her ribs, moving her clothing out of the way in the process. He cupped her breasts, and she gasped at the firm, possessive caress, squirming against him. He flicked his thumbs over her hard nipples—feather-soft touches that sent jolts of pleasure through her.
Wetness pooled between her legs, and she ground against him.
He stripped off her top and bra and lowered his head to her breast, closed his lips around the hard nub, and flicked out his tongue.
The sensation made her head spin. Steam filled the room, casting everything in a soft haze. She fumbled with the button on his jeans for a second, before releasing it and sliding down his zipper. She reached into his boxers and wrapped her fingers around his rigid shaft. His groan echoed through her skin when she freed him, and the sounds tearing from his chest made her wetter.
He tangled his fingers in her hair and raised her head. Shock and a new, intense wave of want coursed through her when he crushed his mouth to hers. She didn’t know how he managed, but he pushed the rest of their clothes off without breaking away. His hard cock rubbed her bare hip.
She wanted to make him growl like he had during their last time together. Wanted to see him lost in the moment.
Faking Love (Fake It Book 1) Page 5
