“This doesn’t count.” By the way his breath brushed her cheek, she knew he’d turned his attention back to her. “Have a good night, Keith. Thanks for everything.”
Keith snorted. “All right, all right. I’m going.”
She listened to him move through the room, and shut off the lights. “Not gonna walk me to the door?”
“Goodbye, Keith.”
His chuckle was only muffled by the closing door.
With a growl, Bo kissed her. His tongue no longer practiced and patient, but desperate and delicious. “I thought he’d never leave.” He scrambled free from the silk, and stood beside the bed, his hands on his waistband.
“So…what’s this rule Keith reminded you about?” She trailed one hand up her abdomen to circle her breast as he watched, his breath so harsh it stirred the air between them.
He took his time unfastening his pants, and she writhed on the bed in anticipation. “I don’t sleep with the models I pose with.”
“Oh.” She pinched her nipple until it hardened. “I guess it’s a good thing I’m not a model then.”
His pants hit the floor with a thud. He opened the tiny drawer and pulled one condom from the strip. “And it’s a good thing I don’t plan on doing much sleeping.”
He rolled the rubber on, and stroked himself a few times as he watched her squirming in anticipation of his touch. She kicked the silk cover to the ground, and made room for him beside her. “Please, Bo. Don’t make me wait anymore.”
“You’re pretty hot for me, huh?” He dropped his focus to her sex, then his lids dropped to half-mast and he squeezed his cock. “I’m afraid I’ll come as soon as I get inside that delicious pussy.”
“Please.” She’d never begged before, but she wasn’t too proud. Not with Bo standing naked and ready not two feet away.
“Take those off. I want to see how wet you are.”
She didn’t even stop to think about being too shy. She pulled the scrap of fabric down her legs and tossed them at him.
His jaw muscles bunched. He licked his lips, then parted his lips to breathe. “Open up for me. So fucking beautiful. So…oh damn.”
She bent both knees and reached down to open herself for his perusal. Her fingers slipped through her juices, and the touch tingled to her toes. “I’ve wanted you for hours. I can’t take any more foreplay. I don’t want to come without you.” She slid her middle finger along her labia, and swirled around her clit.
In seconds he was beside her. He pulled her against him, so they were facing each other, and his cock pulsed between their pelvises. He took her hand and sucked her fingers into his mouth, and kept them there while he reached down to guide his cock inside.
That entry stroke lit a flutter of flames in her core. She jerked against his hips, instinctively trying to get impossibly closer. He filled her so completely, that every twinge inside her echoed around his staff and back to her sensitive walls.
“Oh, my God.” She pulled her hand from his mouth and gripped his shoulder hard enough to leave five marks.
“Oh yeah. Feels so damn good.”
He didn’t move. He didn’t pull out to slide back in, he just pulsed inside her, and she reveled in the opportunity to just enjoy his presence there.
Then he moved.
“Your body is beautiful. Inside and out. I’ve never felt anything so damn powerful.” He moved his hips back, then slid back in. He set a slow rhythm, almost as if he were savoring a priceless bottle of wine, one sip at a time. His strong arms kept her up against him, but he slid his hand down to her thigh to lift her leg over his, helping her take even more of his length with each stroke.
He nibbled her jaw, then her earlobe, where he stopped to whisper, “I love the way you feel around me. So hot and tight. Wet. Sweet.”
“You feel wonderful inside me. I’ve been waiting for this all day.”
His hand covered her breast, pulling the nipple until she felt it in her womb. Using her leg, she brought herself even closer with each of his thrusts, rubbing herself against him, grinding her clit against the base of his cock. Everything about Bo assaulted her senses to the point of infusing her with an electric jolt of need. He smelled like sweat and soap, and a bit of deodorant. His skin was hot beneath her fingers and against her breasts. Even his lightly furred legs tangled with hers acted as an aphrodisiac. The salt on his skin, the faint taste of her juices on his tongue, and the vision of the beautiful man in front of her all worked to draw her orgasm upon her.
She whimpered, and he reached down between them to rub her clit with his thumb. The move changed focus, and her orgasm ebbed away, only to return twice as intensely. She gripped his scalp with both hands, and kissed him hard. Wave after wave of exquisite pleasure took over, clearing her mind and leaving her feeling like she wasn’t complete without him inside her. She rode him with each clenching pull, rubbing her nipples against his chest to prolong her release.
“Jesus.” He mimicked her hold on him, and touched their foreheads together. He came as their gazes connected and their breathing mingled. Even with the condom, she could feel his pulsing inside her, and she squeezed her muscles around him.
Bo held her steady until her heart slowed down to normal, then reached down to hold the condom and pulled free, then rolled over to dispose of it. Cate followed him to the edge of the bed, and wrapped herself around his back.
He covered her arms with his, and brought one of her hands up to kiss her fingertips. “That was worth the wait.”
She hummed her agreement, pressed her hot cheek against his hot back, and closed her eyes. Though she fought it, she ended up falling asleep, fascinated that their hearts beat in sync.
* * * * *
Even before she was fully awake, she realized that she was still smiling. It only broadened when she imagined herself smiling throughout the night, short as it was. Her sex was wonderfully sore, and she had a few whisker burns on her breasts, but she’d never felt better. Cate stretched her legs, then rolled onto her side before peeling her eyes open.
The drapes were drawn over three of the windows, leaving the bed in the shadows. In front of the last window, Bo lay on a towel in a pair of shorts, curling his body into a quick repetition of sit ups. His measured breath reaching her from across the room. With each sit up, he touched one elbow to the opposite knee, then the other, before quickly unfurling to the floor. His speed amazed her, and his stamina made her chest tighten with lust.
She watched him do at least fifty reps before rolling over to start on pushups. A fine sheen of sweat covered his skin, which glistened in the sunlight. The man was gorgeous. She’d lost count of how many pushups he’d done, his rigid body moving like a smooth machine, she could barely tear her eyes away from his tight ass.
She rubbed her thighs together, hoping for some friction on her now-awakened clit. Just as she thought about making her own little Bo Gaddis photo collection with her cell phone, he kicked his legs up, flipping upside down to stand on his hands. He lowered himself to almost touch his nose to the floor before straightening his arms again.
“Oh Jesus.” Cate groaned. She’d never seen a man work out like this. Steady and sure, completely focused. And for her eyes only. All hard strength and testosterone. The scent of sex on the sheets worked to drag her mind the rest of the way in the gutter.
She flipped the top sheet away, baring her hot body to the air. Rather than cooling her down, running her hands along her skin only inflamed her further.
His muscles bunched and strained, the workout had to be the sexiest damn thing she’d ever seen. The last few reps, he’d grown slower and his muscles began to quiver with the strain.
How could she possibly be aroused after the night she’d just had? All she knew is that she needed him.
Now.
He stepped down, a smooth practiced movement, grabbed the towel off the floor, and straightened. A smile spread across his face when he caught her eye. “Good morning.” He toweled off and approached the bed
.
“Hm, it sure is.” She rolled onto her back and reached out, inviting him to join her. Even his sweat-sheened skin didn’t dissuade her from pulling him back into bed.
“Feel like taking a walk with me?” He twisted one curl around his finger.
Cate stared at the man hovering over her. Bo Gaddis. Model. The man that personified hundreds of romance heroes across the globe. Her lover. For the day at least. She studied each feature, looking for a flaw.
“Cate?”
“Hm?”
“Got any plans for today? Or do you want to spend it naked in bed?”
She smiled naughtily. “I want to—”
“Don’t answer that.” He covered her mouth. “I’m too easily swayed.” He sat up and cradled her in his lap. “Besides.” He kissed her. “I need something to eat. I don’t have the recovery time that Lucas does. I think you’re getting ripped off.”
She giggled as he slipped off the bed, and with her legs wrapped around his waist, he carried her into the bathroom to clean up.
They shared a shower, spending more time exploring and kissing than washing.
She sighed as he drew the warm washcloth down her abdomen. “Can’t we just drive through somewhere?”
“We could, but I don’t think you want to waste your whole day in a hotel room.”
She looked down at him, but he was intent on the path of the cloth against her skin. “I don’t think this is a waste.”
“You have a point.” He kissed her hip. “But you’re on vacation, right? We could do all of those touristy things people do on vacations.”
She laughed. “I’ve lived here for years. I don’t think I qualify as a tourist.”
“Sometimes we don’t partake of our hometown’s offerings. When was the last time you toured the Queen Mary? Or walked through Madame Tussauds?”
Her eyes widened. “The wax museum?” She grinned. “I’ve never been.”
He returned her smile. He looked genuinely happy that she agreed to an impromptu date. “Good choice. It’s just down the street. We can be there in no time.” He shut off the water and grabbed a big fluffy towel.
“Sounds lovely.” She grinned, feeling younger with each passing minute in his company.
* * * * *
They’d rushed through a brunch at the corner diner in order to beat the tourists, but Madame Tussauds was still crowded. Bo didn’t mind. He’d held her hand since they stepped into the cool dark museum.
“Oh my God. Michael Jackson!” Cate got close enough to peer into the wax irises. “He looks so real!”
“Yeah. These guys are pros.” As amazing as the wax statues were, Bo couldn’t keep his eyes off of the piece of art clutching his hand. Her brown eyes twinkled with each celebrity she recognized.
“I half expect him to start moonwalking.” She sighed.
He squeezed her hand encouragingly, and let her take her time inspecting each display. As much fun as it was watching Cate, she continued to point out the other patrons. Their reactions were just as entertaining as the wax dioramas. Especially the two white-haired ladies who kept switching places to get pictures with Elvis.
They stumbled through the exit two hours later onto the heat of the L.A. pavement. She laughed at the pictures on her phone that she took of him wagging his tongue lewdly near Marilyn Monroe’s ear. “I suppose I could upload this and sell it to some Marilyn Monroe fan site. I’m sure it would inspire an epic fanfic.”
“You do, and I’ll post this one of you checking out the president’s package.”
Her jaw dropped. “I was not!”
“It’s all in the interpretation. You and I both know you were looking at what’s in his hands, but this angle could tell a different story.”
She laughed. A husky, sexy sound that traveled right through him to warm his blood. “Okay, I’ll keep your Marilyn secret.” She took a wistful glance behind her.
Bo squeezed her hand, and they walked back toward the hotel, stopping in the shade of downtown shops to peer in the windows.
Cate bought a bag of jelly beans from a street vendor. She popped a few in her mouth as they window shopped. “Now I really do feel like a tourist.”
He picked a few red ones from the handful she offered him. “Do you always spend your vacations in town?”
She shrugged. “The company I work for offers a week off per quarter. We have to use it or lose it. I usually catch up on housework or my pile of books to read.”
“Four weeks off per year? That must be pretty good for your personal life.” Okay, so that wasn’t as smooth as he’d hoped, but at least if she rolled her eyes, they were hidden behind her dark glasses.
“Is that your subtle way of asking about my love life?”
“You don’t kiss and tell?”
“There’s just nothing to tell. I’ve been divorced for almost five years. My son Sean moved out last August. He goes to school in Arizona. I don’t get out much. I spend more time at work than is probably healthy, but I hate going home to an empty house.” Her voice faded, until he could barely hear the last few words. She turned away, but he watched her via the reflection on the ice cream shop window. “Sounds pathetic, doesn’t it?”
“Not at all. I pride myself on finding the hidden jewels. The best-kept secrets. I’m thinking that’s what I’ve got here. A woman who thinks she’s too busy to go out and meet new people. Or too scared.”
She focused on the concrete as it passed beneath their feet. “Am I that easy to read?”
“I just know that if you ever put yourself out there, you’d have half the city clamoring for your phone number.” He took the little white bag of candy from her, and threaded his fingers through hers.
They walked a few more paces before she leaned into him with a playful nudge. “I suppose you’re so used to flattering women for work that it comes as second nature to you, but I appreciate the compliment.”
He didn’t want to tell her that most women he worked with were confident enough, and he didn’t need to stroke them further. Sure, there were a few divas out there who would only produce if they felt cherished and superior. Bo didn’t mind telling them what they already knew, but a few hours of constant ego stroking would get pretty tiresome. They walked down the opposite side of the street that they’d taken on the way to the wax museum so they could window shop all the way back as well.
“So, ah…what about you? Anyone special in your life?”
Bo grinned. She really wasn’t a very good actress. Her attempt at nonchalance fell flat, but it was adorable. “No. I’m not seeing anyone right now.”
They waited at the crosswalk for a green light before she replied. “Now I feel a little guilty for not even asking first.”
He laughed. “Believe me. If I was involved with someone, I wouldn’t have started anything.”
“That’s good to know.” Her cheeks turned pink. He’d love to know the thoughts that went through her head right now. She darted a few glances his way before she continued. “And apparently you’re not gay.”
He released a dramatic sigh. “If you still don’t believe me after last night, I guess I’ll have to prove it when we get back to your room.”
“I think you will.” She grinned devilishly. “But first tell me why you’d want people to think you like men.”
He popped a few jelly beans into his mouth. “It’s a funny story, really. About eight years ago, I was modeling for catalogs and billboards. I was young, felt like the world owed me big. Women threw themselves at me. Men too, but as you know, I don’t swing that way.” He winked. “Soon I got the reputation of being a player. Although I was always very careful.” He said seriously. “I’ve never had unprotected sex. Just a whole lot of protected sex.”
She avoided his eyes, but he continued. “Eventually, I realized that I didn’t like the reputation I was earning. One day I turned down a proposition from a fairly well-known model. She was offended. Called me names, threw a few things.” He shrugged. “Then s
he spread the rumor that I was gay. At the time I was insulted. Pissed, really. The fact that people believed her—even the women I’d been intimate with, made me feel fake. But then I started this new venture, romance novel covers. The women seemed more at ease when they thought I was gay. I didn’t have the added pressure of proving my virility, and the men who hit on me were a lot more understanding than the straight women.” He smirked. “So I never really announced to the world that I was gay. The rumor was there, and I just never disputed it. It turned out for the best.”
“I can see how it would have worked out.” She glanced around. “Are you afraid of ruining your reputation by being seen in public with a woman?”
“Luckily, I don’t think I’m well known enough to be recognized on the street. But even if I were, I wouldn’t hide you.”
Too much. Bo bit his tongue. She barely knows you, for God’s sake. Quit acting like a love-starved lunatic, Gaddis.
They walked down the sidewalk silently. He might be crazy, but even after knowing her such a short time, he knew he wanted to spend more than a day learning her. Everything about her. “So where should we eat?”
They were almost back to the hotel, so Cate chose the hotel restaurant, where they each ordered lunch, and shared a bottle of wine. The conversation was easy, and he found her intelligence and wit to be another welcome change from his usual dates. She told him about her son, who studied psychology in Arizona. Her ex-husband who had turned into a hippy hermit and lived off the land somewhere in Montana.
“Is it sad that I didn’t love him enough to sell everything I owned to join him in that commune?” She cut her chicken breast into perfect little cubes before spearing one with her fork.
“Not at all. That kind of life isn’t for everyone. I personally couldn’t go without a few creature comforts.”
“Like ESPN?”
He grinned. “That for sure. And my cell phone. My car. It was in the shop for a week and I felt trapped. How about you?”
“I’m with you. Nature might be a nice place to visit, but I don’t want to live there.”
Olivia Brynn Collection Volume 1 Page 5
