by Coleen Kwan
He shrugged off her thanks. “It was nothing.”
“No, it wasn’t nothing. You took time off, and we both know how busy things are at the Halifax.” She grimaced as she glanced at the large clock on the wall. Almost three hours had passed since they’d left. In a tight competition, that wasn’t negligible. “You should go back right away.”
“Yeah, I probably should. But what about you?”
“I’ll hang around for a while longer.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “To be honest, I can’t focus on anything until the baby’s born and Cassie’s safe. I’ll return as soon as I can.”
Dane seemed to hesitate, his brow furrowed as if he was contemplating saying more, but eventually he just nodded. “Give me a call later.”
“I don’t know how late I’ll be.” It was past six now; she might be here all evening.
“I don’t care how late it is.” He leaned in and, without warning, pressed his mouth against hers. The kiss was rough and sensuous, shocking her with its intensity, and way too brief. She didn’t even have time to rise up on her toes or curl her fingers into his T-shirt before he was stepping out of her reach.
“What was that for?” she demanded, her voice too breathy for her own liking, her pulses thudding inside her head.
He didn’t answer, giving her that maddening, cocky smile of his as he pushed a stray hair out of her eyes. “Call me,” he said before turning and loping away.
She stared after him, admiring the way his jeans stretched over his butt. He had just disappeared around a corner when Kirk nudged her elbow.
“Whatcha looking at?”
She jumped, a hot blush rising up her neck. “Nothing. Just daydreaming.” About sinking my teeth into Dane’s sexy ass. Crap, imagine if her brother could read her thoughts?
He gave her a curious look before turning to the vending machine. “Cassie needs a Mountain Dew.”
“How’s she doing?”
“Great. The doc just checked her and all the signs are good.” He paused before adding, “I know I shouldn’t keep you from the stuff you’re doing over at the Halifax, but can you hang around? At least until Emilio shows up.” He swiped a hand over his face. “I left Dad a message, but I don’t think he’ll stop by.”
“Of course I’m staying. What a question,” Holly swiftly replied. “And I’m sure Dad will drop in when he can.” But she spoke with more hope than conviction, and they both knew it.
“Ever since we told him about the pregnancy, he’s been…weird. It’s like he’s happy for us but wants to keep his distance.” Sighing, Kirk got a can of Mountain Dew from the vending machine. “Anyway,” he said in a very different tone. “I didn’t get to thank Dane properly for what he did today.”
“Uh, you could call him later.” Why didn’t she tell him that she’d just seen Dane? Because it would lead to more questions?
Kirk started to walk back to Cassie’s room, and Holly fell into step beside him.
“I didn’t realize you’ve been hanging out with him,” Kirk said.
“Who, Dane?” She tried to shrug casually. “We’re fellow contestants. I don’t know if that qualifies as ‘hanging out.’”
But going back to his apartment for dinner and falling asleep on his couch definitely qualified as hanging out, and she knew Kirk wouldn’t like hearing about that.
“He’s a Schofield, remember.”
She huffed out a breath. “I don’t need any reminding.”
“Okay, I’m sorry if I’m annoying you, but…” He stopped and pulled her into a quick one-armed hug. “You’re my kid sister. I can’t help worrying about you.”
Because she’d screwed up plenty in the past and Kirk had been there to bail her out. Yes, she had a history, and, apart from his Schofield name, Dane’s bad ass swagger alone would make any brother anxious for his little sister. Kirk was just looking out for her like he always did.
“You won’t have time to worry about me when you’re a dad,” she said and pushed him into Cassie’s room.
For now she wasn’t going to fret over Dane and the inconvenient pull he had over her. She wasn’t going to worry either about the Halifax challenge and how she was behind everyone else. Right now, nothing mattered except Kirk and Cassie’s baby.
***
Four hours later, Holly staggered out of the hospital, light-headed with euphoria and relief. Three levels above her, safely tucked into his crib, was the newest, as-yet-unnamed member of the Rochester family. Cassie’s family was visiting, while Kirk was proudly calling everyone with the good news.
Holly leaned against a streetlight and drew in a deep breath. The summer fog had rolled in, turning the night air cool and damp. She was exhausted yet still buzzing with adrenaline. Pulling out her cell phone, her finger hovered over Dane’s number. Should she call him? If she were sensible, she’d wait until the next day, but right now she felt anything but sensible.
“Hey, Holly.” He answered immediately, his voice like a shot of caffeine. “How’s everything going?”
She told him the news, the words bubbling out of her. It seemed she was more excited than she realized because once she started, she couldn’t turn off the tap. Dane listened and asked questions and sounded genuinely interested, which was more than she expected.
“Anyway.” She paused for air when the torrent of words had passed. “I should probably head home now.”
“Want some company?”
Her breath got stuck somewhere beneath her ribs. “Company?”
“Yeah, company, at your place. I bet you’re too hyped up to sleep for a while. I’ll come pick you up and take you home.”
“Oh, uh…”
Her head was spinning like she didn’t have enough oxygen. Why couldn’t she politely turn him down? She’d called him like he’d asked; she didn’t need to take it further. Maybe she didn’t need to, a tart voice at the back of her head said, but she wanted to.
“Yeah, sure,” she said, acting casual. She glanced at the bustling, brightly lit hospital entrance. “I’ll be waiting on Hudson, around the corner from the main entrance. No point in letting any of my family catch me with you.”
He was quiet for a while, before he said, “See you in ten.” and hung up.
Pocketing her phone, Holly started to walk toward the meeting place. Excitement surged through her, quickening her blood. She was just blowing off a little steam, she told herself. After the day she’d had, she deserved it. She wasn’t going to lose her head over Dane. Nope, just a little steam.
Chapter Seven
A few minutes past midnight Holly and Dane arrived at her apartment. After picking her up at the hospital, he’d suggested they go for a ride, and she’d readily agreed. The nighttime spin through city streets was both exhilarating and soothing. She relaxed into Dane, hugging his torso, enjoying the thrum of the engine and the sensation of the road whipping past beneath them. She didn’t have to talk or think or do anything; it was just Dane and his motorcycle and the cool night.
But eventually she directed him to her building. As the elevator whisked them up to her level, she was suddenly overcome by an uncharacteristic bout of uncertainty. Was this such a wise move? Would she be able to keep a cool head once she and Dane got to her apartment?
His hand bumped hers, and he curled his little finger around hers. He didn’t say anything, didn’t make a move on her, but the small gesture made her insides turn to marshmallow. Her doubts ebbed away. When the elevator stopped, she pulled him down the corridor to her apartment. Her fingers weren’t quite steady as she unlocked the door and tugged him inside.
“So eager to get me alone.” He smiled teasingly at her as he tossed the helmets and his leather jacket onto a nearby chair. “Well, you got me all to yourself now. You can have your wicked way with me.” He stood tall in front of her, radiating confidence and sex appeal, his T-shirt plastered to his broad chest, well-worn jeans wrapped around muscular thighs. She swallowed as she drank in the sight of him. Yes, she wanted hi
m. Badly. They both knew it. And tonight she could no longer fight it.
But that didn’t mean she’d make it easy for him. She patted him on the shoulder. “You really think I’m going to jump you and rip off your clothes?”
“Uh-huh.” His grin turned cocky.
Yes, that’s exactly what she wanted to do. Fighting her desires, she spun on her heel and sauntered into the kitchen, where she grabbed a couple of longnecks from her refrigerator.
“I know we’ve had some close encounters before,” she said as she handed him a bottle, “but I’m not quite the raving nymphomaniac you think I am.”
He gazed at her, making no move to open his beer, and his heavy, deliberate stare started the blood thumping in her thighs, making her feel exactly like a raving nymphomaniac.
“You know, Holly, not everything is a contest. We don’t have to be winners or losers.”
She twisted the top off her bottle and took a sip of beer. “Hmm, do you mean that, or are you just trying to outmaneuver me?”
“This thing between us—” He waggled his finger back and forth “—has nothing to do with the Gilbert Challenge or our families’ feud. It’s totally separate. I hope you see that.”
He was so close to her. Too close and yet not close enough. She wanted to feel him crushed against her, his weight on top of her, his mouth and hands on her. Wanted to feel him thrusting inside her, their slick bodies fused together. Heat pooled between her thighs, her need saturating her panties. God, she wanted him…She’d never lusted after any man as badly as this. It was more than lust; it was a craving, an obsession, a virus with no cure…and that thought was slightly scary.
She tilted her chin up, challenging him, hoping he couldn’t see how needy she was. “We’re natural competitors. I seem to remember some strip backgammon games you really didn’t want to lose.”
“Is that how you saw it?” He smiled slowly and stepped a few inches closer. “Sweetheart, I lost on purpose.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because I saw how turned on you were when I peeled off my T-shirt.”
She bit her lip, unable to lie. When he’d lost again and pulled off his jeans, she’d almost started hyperventilating. “But you started winning.”
“Because you couldn’t concentrate with me sitting half-naked in front of you.” He angled nearer, lowering his head to hers. “Could you?”
She couldn’t help shivering, his proximity sending her nerves haywire, her knees weak. “Maybe I could. Maybe I just felt sorry for you losing three games straight.”
He chuckled, his lips so tantalizingly close to hers. His voice dropped to a smoky drawl. “Babe, one of these days, that mouth of yours is going to get you into trouble.”
Adrenaline rushed through her bloodstream. Closing the gap between them, she flattened herself against him, her breasts pressing up against the wall of his chest.
“Well? Is my mouth troubling you now?” Her voice shook, but she made up for it by licking her lips, pulling his attention to her mouth.
Through the taut muscle of his abdomen, she felt vibrations emanating from him.
“Your mouth is definitely in trouble now.”
Spearing his fingers through her hair, he brought his head down to hers and captured her mouth with his. And there was no question that this was capture. His kiss was deep and intense, no hint of gentleness, only blinding need. The roughness made her head spin, made her gasp and clutch at his shoulders, desperate for more. His tongue thrust between her parted lips, exploring her mouth, claiming her, making her groan. She had no defense against this assault on her senses, and she didn’t even try to pretend.
Standing on tiptoe, she eagerly drank in everything he gave to her. His stubble rasped against her skin as he nibbled his way down the length of her throat. His hands gripped her hips, pressing her against his jeans where the growing hardness in his groin couldn’t be missed. The thought of it made her nipples hard and achy for his touch, her need so fierce she let out a muffled growl.
He pulled away from her, panting, hands clasped around her hips, eyes glittering. “See? This can work. It’s all a matter of give and take.”
She gulped, sliding her hands up and down his chest, relishing the feel of his rock hard abs. “Doesn’t that depend on what you’re giving and taking?”
“Oh, sure. For instance, I’m taking this…”
He grabbed the edge of her T-shirt and pulled the garment off over her head, his movements so swift she didn’t have time to protest, even if she’d wanted to, which she didn’t. He paused for a moment, his gaze tracking over her satin-and-lace, deep purple bra. The greedy admiration in his expression sent her temperature soaring.
“And I’m taking this too,” he muttered, unclipping her bra and sliding it from her shoulders. The overhead lights of the kitchen fell on her bare breasts. His movements slowed as his hungry gaze traveled over her.
“Much better,” he murmured thickly. “And now I’m going to give you something in return.”
He lowered his head and slowly trailed his lips over her breasts and collarbones, worshipping her like she was a goddess. His tongue licked languorously at her peaked breasts, making her moan and wriggle as she ached for him to suck her and he denied her playfully. Finally he gave her what she wanted and took one nipple in his hot mouth. Sharp desire tugged at her center as she clasped his head to her, stuttering with pleasure. He was so close to tipping her over the edge. But just as she felt like she was losing it, he lifted his head, grabbed his unopened longneck, and rolled the cool glass over her superheated nipple.
She yelped, reflexively wanting to jerk back, but then the bottle disappeared and his mouth was once again teasing her and the pleasure was intensified a hundred fold. Dizzy with sensation, she clung to his shoulders, aware she’d collapse if it weren’t for his support.
Dane slowly walked her back until her butt hit the edge of her kitchen table. He leaned her against it, his hands busy with the buttons of her jeans. Two seconds later, he was shoving her jeans and panties down and she barely had time to heel off her boots before he yanked everything off her. He lowered her to the table, his palms coasting over her curves, his eyes like she’d never seen before—fierce and burning and laced with roguishness.
Leaning over her, he kissed her, greedier than before, nipping at her lower lip, the pain pleasurable, causing her to throb with anticipation. He moved lower, teeth grazing against her nipples, before he nudged her knees apart and planted himself between her legs, hooking her feet on the edge of the table. She was naked and exposed, but he was still fully dressed. She should have felt vulnerable, but instead she felt wild, exhilarated.
“Do I get to give and take now?” She stared up at him as she leaned back on her hands, arching her back to thrust her breasts upward.
He swallowed deep, his throat working as his eyes ate her up. “Not yet,” he said hoarsely. He splayed a hand over her belly, moving lower over her smooth mound. “I want to give you more first.”
He spread her silken folds and slid his fingers into her, her drenched flesh gripping him. For a few moments she was lost in a haze of lust as he stroked her, his thumb circling her center. Her eyelids fluttered down and her hips rolled in time as pleasure overwhelmed her. Then, just as she was rushing toward her peak, his fingers disappeared, and he was rolling the icy cold bottle against her clit. She only had time to gasp before the glass was gone and he was thrusting his fingers in and out of her slickness, shattering her. She cried out as she climaxed, the waves so intense she had to grab onto the table. It seemed forever before the tide of sensation ebbed away, leaving her limp and flushed.
Dane shifted the hair from her eyes. “Holly? You okay there?”
She blinked hazily up at him and gave him a glazed smile. “You might be onto something with this give and take stuff.”
He helped her into a sitting position and rested his hands on her hips, his hold firm and possessive.
“Glad you’
ve come around to my point of view.” He kissed her again, a long, drawn out kiss, showing her his satisfaction. Then the kiss deepened, became more urgent. Holly swallowed. She knew what was on the menu next. They’d gorged on enough appetizers Now it was time for the main course.
“Ready for the bedroom?” he asked. His face was flushed, and that hump in his jeans looked ready to bust his zipper.
She nodded and bit her lip. “I hope we’re not tempting fate.”
He swung her into his arms and walked with her down the hallway. “What do you mean?”
She pointed at the door to her room, and he kicked it open. “Lake Tahoe was astonishing. But what if it was a once off?”
He marched over to the bed and tossed her onto it. “Honey, Lake Tahoe was just the curtain raiser. Tonight the main event starts.”
***
Dane stared down at a naked Holly lying on the bed like a gift just for him. God, she was so damn beautiful. He couldn’t look at anything else, didn’t have any idea of what the bedroom or the rest of her apartment looked like. All his senses were focused on Holly; she gobbled up every iota of his attention. When had that ever happened to him? Never. No one, no woman had ever obsessed him like she did.
He admired her fearlessness, her sass, her raw sexual appeal. Laying her naked on that kitchen table, playing with her and using that longneck to make her come, had almost made him disgrace himself. Almost, but not quite. Now, finally, they were going to orgasm together, and he could hardly wait.
Holly poked at him with her foot, her smile cheeky. “What’s the matter there, cowboy? Need some help?”
She got to her knees and shuffled up to him, reaching for his belt buckle. Before he knew it, she had his belt and the zipper undone and was tugging at his jeans. When his cock sprang free of his clothing, she paused, her eyes growing wide. His breath caught as he remembered that night in Lake Tahoe when she’d used her small, perfect hands to pleasure him.
This time, she leaned forward and wrapped her lips around his flesh. A judder ran through him. She must have felt it because she flicked a glance at him through her platinum bangs before she began moving back and forth, each time taking him deeper into her mouth. She made such a gorgeous sight with his glistening cock sliding between her soft lips that he could hardly breathe. A strangled noise came out of his throat. She shifted closer, pulling his boxers lower so she could wrap her hands on his butt. Oh Christ, he was in heaven. If she carried on any longer, she was going to make him shoot his load down her throat, and as awesome as that was, it wasn’t what he wanted right now.
