“You think that’s funny, do you?”
In a lightning-flash movement, he scooped her up into his big, strong arms and headed toward the waterfall.
“No!” she squealed. “Don’t drench me, Matt, please. I’m sorry! I’ll do anything, just don’t—”
Water covered her entire body, chilling her instantly. Rachel squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath as she wrapped her arms around Matt’s neck and clung tight. She turned her face toward his neck, trying to shield herself from the pounding spray. A moment later, he shifted and the water was behind her.
Rachel blinked the water from her eyes and glanced up. Matt stared down at her with even more raw, elemental desire than she’d ever seen. Billy had never looked at her that way...no one had.
Easing her to her feet, Matt kept an arm banded around her waist and cupped the side of her face with his other hand. Rachel’s heart pounded in her chest. She needed to stop this before things went any further, but she hadn’t done a very good job at stopping the progress up to this point.
“I want you,” he muttered against her mouth. His words were barely audible over the rushing waters.
“I know.”
He tipped her back, leaning over her, still very much in control over her body...physically and emotionally. Those blue eyes locked on hers.
“Tell me no and we’ll walk out of here and get back on the plane. My pilot is there and ready when we are.”
He’d just handed over total control to her and with one word she could end it all...or take what he’d presented to her wrapped in a delicious package.
And there was really no decision to be made here. Because, in the end, she wasn’t going to deny herself. She had basic needs—there was nothing shameful about that. Besides, this was Matt. They were friends; he wasn’t looking for more and neither was she.
One time. Just this once, be selfish.
Rachel gripped his face and pulled his mouth down to hers. In the next instant, Matt wrapped his arms around her waist, filling his hands with her rear. The warmth of his touch through the cool material warmed her instantly.
She slid her hands through his wet hair, clutching onto him as he continued to tip her backward. There was no way he’d let her fall, though. His grip was too tight, his mouth too powerful, his need practically radiating from him. She wasn’t going anywhere.
His hips ground into hers and the thin layer of wet clothes might as well have been nonexistent. Except it was and proved to be a most frustrating barrier. She’d never felt this overwhelming need before, never had the feeling of all-consuming passion, like she couldn’t control herself.
It had never been this way with Billy.
No. For right now she was going to be completely closed off from reality and anything that threatened to steal her happiness. Damn it, she was going to take what she wanted...what Matt wanted. How long had he desired her? Did seeing her again spark something inside him?
Oh, my. Had he wanted her before?
“You’re thinking too hard,” he rasped against her mouth.
His hands came to her shoulders and gripped the straps of her maxi dress. He yanked them down, the clingy material pulling the cups of her bra as well, instantly exposing her breasts.
She didn’t have time to worry about her body or what he thought, because his mouth descended downward and Rachel arched against him as he drew one tight nipple into his mouth.
“Matt,” she moaned.
“Say it again,” he demanded. “I want my name on your lips.”
She didn’t think he’d heard her over the rushing water, but she definitely heard him. From the command, she had to guess that he was just as turned on as she was at this point.
Rachel yanked on the material of his shirt, but it clung to his biceps. He eased back just enough to remove the garment and toss it in the general direction of the shore.
Instantly her eyes went to the ink over his shoulder. She traced her finger over the eagle’s wings that spanned around to the back.
“This is new.”
When he trembled beneath her touch, she wondered just how much control she had here. More than she’d initially thought.
When her eyes darted to his face, she noted the clenched jaw, the heavy lids, the blue eyes that had darkened with arousal.
So much hit her all at once that it was like truly seeing Matt for the first time...and recognizing the secret yearnings he’d kept locked up inside for so long. “I never knew.”
“Now you do.”
Yeah, she did. And she’d have to worry about that later. Her body was humming and zinging and doing all of the other happy dances that accompanied the heady anticipation of having really great sex. But she’d never been this charged before, never wanted a man so bad. Knowing that he wanted her just as much...well, that only fueled her desire.
With more confidence than she’d ever had, Rachel pushed her dress all the way down until it puddled around her waist. She shimmied just enough to let it fall before she stepped out of it. With her bra barely covering her and her panties beneath the surface, she felt more exposed than ever.
Who the hell had sex outside in the middle of the day? The sun shone bright down on the pair, the water rushed beside them and a butterfly had literally just flown by. It was as if she’d already bid on her best friend and was living out the fantasy date she never knew she even wanted.
On a growl, Matt picked her up and headed toward the shoreline. Her legs instantly wrapped around his waist. This was seriously happening. If she deliberated too much about all the reasons this was a bad idea, she might back out, so she cleared her head of all rational thought.
Matt sat her down once again, this time her toes landing on the lush ground cover that ran along the edge of the waterfall. In seconds he’d discarded his clothes, and Rachel was too busy admiring the mouthwatering view to realize he’d gripped the edge of her panties. The material fell away as he gave a yank and they ripped clear off her body.
“Matt,” she cried.
“I’m done waiting.”
He enveloped her into his arms, gently taking her to the ground, but he rolled beneath her so that she was on top. Instantly her legs straddled his hips. Her hands went up, ready to cover her torso.
“No,” he commanded as he took her hands away. “I want to see all of you. Don’t be ashamed of something so beautiful.”
Beautiful? Not how she’d describe her post-pregnancy body, but the way Matt’s eyes caressed her skin had her almost believing him.
We don’t have protection. The thought slid into her mind and she wondered if he’d stop. “I’m on birth control even though I haven’t been with anyone since Billy, and even that was a couple months before his death.”
The night Ellie had been conceived, actually. But that was a story she didn’t want to plunk down right here between them.
“I’ve never been without protection, Rachel. I know I’m clean, but this is your call.”
He gripped her hips, whether to hold her away or encourage her to hurry and make up her mind, she didn’t know. But she was sure of this, of him.
Without a word, she lowered herself and joined their bodies. His groan of approval had her smiling as she rested her hands on either side of his head. Matt nipped at her lips before pushing her back up.
“I want to watch every second of this,” he murmured.
He might have seduced her, not that she’d put up too much of a fight, but he was handing over total control. Matt wasn’t a man who liked to give up his power...which just proved how much he wanted her, wanted this to happen.
Rachel would have to analyze that from all different directions later. Right now, she only wanted to feel—and she certainly felt.
Matt’s hands roamed from her hips to her breasts and back down. She shifted against him, finding that perfect rhythm.
Never once did she shy away from his hot, molten gaze. She couldn’t pinpoint that look in his eyes; she couldn’t figure out what he saw when he stared at her so intently. But she did know she’d never felt like this, and she wasn’t so sure she wanted this to end.
Matt tightened his hold on her as his hips pumped faster beneath her. That strong jawline of his clenched. Rachel leaned over him, her wet hair falling around to curtain them as she covered his mouth.
Then the dam burst. Matt’s hands were all over her as he pushed up to a seated position. Her legs curled around his back and her hips continued to rock against his. When the climax spiraled through her, Rachel tore her mouth away, clutched onto his shoulders and arched back.
He murmured something, but she couldn’t decipher the words. She clung to him as wave after wave crashed over her. Before she came down from her high, Matt was clutching her against him, his hips stilled beneath her as his entire body tightened and he let the passion consume him, too.
Rachel circled her arms around his neck and buried her face against his moist, heated skin. As Matt’s body relaxed, his fingertips started trailing up and down her back. She couldn’t lift her head, couldn’t face him.
What had they just done? Part of her mind said they’d both betrayed Billy, but the other part wondered how the hell she could ever be with another man after the way Matt made her feel.
At some point, she’d have to face him. More so, she’d have to come to grips with how this changed every emotion she had toward her best friend.
Nine
Matt had known she wouldn’t want to talk. He’d sensed her emotional disconnect the moment their bodies calmed, even while she was still wrapped around him. They’d still been joined physically, but she’d checked out mentally.
What did he think would happen? That she’d flash that wide smile at him and ask him to take her back to the house for an encore?
Sex with Rachel was everything he’d ever wanted...and nothing like what he expected. No fantasy could’ve compared to having the real thing.
He stood in his living room and waited on her to dress. They’d walked back to the beach house in awkward silence and he’d given her that gap she’d obviously needed. Knowing Rachel, she was trying to analyze her new feelings, was trying to figure out if she’d just done something morally wrong against her late husband.
Matt had loved Billy like a brother, but Billy was gone. Life moved on and he was done waiting. He was done letting guilt consume him. But where did that leave the two of them?
As soon as they’d reached the house, Matt had taken her soaking-wet clothes and put them in his dryer. He’d told her to go shower in the master bath, which was a wall of one-way windows that overlooked the ocean. Surely the combination of the breathtaking view, the rain head and six jets would relax her.
He’d taken his shower outside surrounded by the lush tropical plants he’d had arranged perfectly to ensure privacy for guests...not that he’d invited anyone here. Galloway Cove was his haven, his private life away from the office and its demands.
Rachel was the only woman he’d ever brought here, and damn it if he didn’t like seeing her walk around his private domain. There had never been a doubt in his mind who he would bring here. Having shown her his favorite spot on the island, having made love to her with the waterfall in the background...
Matt turned from the windows and curbed his desire. There was no way he could go into that bathroom and show her just how amazing they were together. She knew. He’d seen that look of passion, desire and want staring back at him earlier.
But she’d been in the bathroom nearly an hour. Her clothes had dried and he’d laid them on his king-size bed. Her delicate bra and that dress that drove him out of his mind were displayed for her to see. He owed her a pair of panties, though.
Matt pulled out his cell and attempted to clear his head by checking work emails. His partner had forwarded one where another firm had showed interest in buying them both out. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that. True he wanted...hell, he wasn’t sure what he wanted. He knew something was missing, and as soon as he could put his finger on that, he’d be better-off.
Selling his share of the company? He’d given his partner the chance to buy his half. But was Eric wanting to sell his own, as well? That was definitely something they’d have to discuss via phone because Matt wasn’t about to email all of his thoughts.
Shuffling feet down the hallway had him shoving his phone and his business predicament aside. With his body still humming from being with Rachel, work wasn’t relevant right now.
Never in his life had he ever put a woman, put anyone, ahead of his career. That’s how he’d gotten to where he was, able to take off whenever he wanted, travel wherever, buy anything. Yet all of that still left him with an aching void.
And the only time he’d felt whole was when he was inside Rachel.
Raking his hands over his face, Matt blew out a sigh and wished like hell he could get a grasp on his emotions. He’d wanted Rachel physically for years. What the hell was all this other stuff jumbling up his mind for? He couldn’t feel whole with her. She wasn’t the missing link. Hell, he’d avoided her for a year to dodge all of the other mess that he worried would come with getting this close to her.
But he didn’t have regrets about the waterfall, and he’d only just sampled her. He wanted more.
Rachel appeared at the end of the hall. Her steps stalled as she met his gaze from across the room. With her long blond hair down around her shoulders, her dress clinging to her luscious curves like before, he couldn’t prevent the onslaught of a renewed desire even though he’d had her only a short time ago.
She looked the same, yet everything was different. If he wanted to get anywhere with her, to convince her that what they did was not wrong—but inevitable—he’d have to try to get her to open up.
“Do you want to talk, or just get on the plane and pretend like nothing happened?” he asked, knowing full well he’d never let her forget. What had happened here today was nothing short of phenomenal.
“I’d say it’s best for both of us if we go back.”
He started closing the gap between them, totally ignoring the way her eyes widened as he drew closer. “To Royal or to just being friends?”
Rachel tipped her chin, but never looked away. “Both.”
“We’ll talk on the plane.”
He started to reach for her, but she held her hands up and stepped back. “There’s nothing to say. I was selfish and took what I wanted. We can’t do it again.”
Did she honestly think he’d let her just brush him aside like that? If she had feelings she wanted to suppress, well, that was her problem, but she was not going to pretend like he was nothing more than a cheap fling.
Damn it. Since when did he get so emotionally invested? He did flings; he did one-night stands. He moved on with a mutual understanding. But now? Rachel was a complete game changer for him and he had no clue how to proceed from here.
“Listen, I’m just as freaked out.” He reached for her, grabbing hold of her shoulders before she could move away again. “You think I don’t have feelings about what happened? You think I don’t know you well enough to realize you’re thinking you betrayed Billy? That we did something wrong?”
Rachel glanced away, but Matt took his thumb and forefinger and gently gripped her chin, forcing her gaze back to his. “I don’t know if you’re more upset over Billy or the fact that you slept with me. You’re allowed to feel again, Rachel. I’ve wanted—”
“I know what you want.” She jerked out of his hold. “I don’t want to keep talking about it.”
“Well, too damn bad,” he threw back. “You deserve to know that I’ve wanted you for years.”
Those bright eyes widened in shock. “Don’t say that, Matt. You don’t mean it.”
“Like hell I don’t
. I’ve wanted you since I saw you at that party, before Billy interrupted us talking.”
“So you just...what? Stepped aside and let your buddy ask me out? You let him marry me? You couldn’t have wanted me that bad.”
She had no idea. Hell, he wasn’t sure he’d had any clue until he’d tasted her. Now he only wanted more. He’d had years to process this, but clearly Rachel was just now getting used to the idea of them being together.
Matt crossed his arms over his chest and took a step back. “Go get on the plane, Rachel.”
“What?” she whispered.
“We’re done here. I’ve given you enough to think about.”
“No damn kidding.” She threw her arms wide. “You’ve confused me, made me face things I never thought about before...what the hell do you want from me, Matt?”
Honesty was the only way. From here on out, he had to let her into his thoughts. She deserved that much.
“I don’t know,” he murmured. “I wanted you and thought maybe that would be the end of it...but I’m not done with you, Rach. Not even close.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as her lips thinned. “I don’t want a relationship. I’ve got a baby, a degree to finish, a life to figure out...”
“I’m not looking for long-term, either. I just know I couldn’t take another day without you. I’m not sorry for what happened and I wish like hell neither were you.”
“I never said I was sorry it happened.”
Matt turned and headed toward the door. “You didn’t have to.”
* * *
“What are you going to be for the TCC Halloween party?” Alexis asked, smiling and waving around the invitation.
Rachel glanced up from the images of Matt covering her computer screen. For the past day she’d stared at these, not knowing which one to choose for the bachelor auction.
The petty, selfish side of her wanted to choose the worst one, but the realistic side had to admit there wasn’t a single bad picture in the lot. He flashed that panty-melting sexy smile in each and every one. Not once had he blinked in an image. He was game on the second she’d started snapping.
Most Eligible Texan Page 8
