Meant for You

by Layla Hagen

  “You’re a naughty woman,” I whispered.

  “Everyone’s watching. Nothing you can do about it,” she said smugly.

  “Not right now. But we’ll be alone in a couple of hours.”

  I was still holding her flush against me, and positioned my growing erection between her thighs. Her breath hitched. I inched closer. She bit her lower lip.

  “What are you going to do, Detective? Withhold orgasms again?” Her voice was very low, but very sultry, and my cock stirred at her words. I cupped her cheek, making sure it looked like a loving but innocent touch, and leaned until I was close to her ear.

  “I’m changing tactics.”

  When I pulled back, I noticed with satisfaction that her pupils had dilated with lust. Fuck, I wanted to kiss her, pin her against the edge of the pool and spread her wide. A few hours. I just had to go through a few more hours, and then this incredible woman would be all mine.

  “You two, get a room,” Miranda called. Paige merely grinned at her sister. Remembering what her mother had said about Paige made my affection for her deepen. I wanted to make sure nothing ever brought her to tears unless they were of happiness. I hoped she’d share with me the vulnerable moments when she had them, that she’d trust me completely. How else could I take care of her?

  Paige looked at me with those big, round eyes, smiling. “You’ll have to resume your sexy threats later. I think Miranda can pick up the gist of this... conversation. There is no fooling her.”

  Now that I was near her, I only wanted to touch her more. I craved her. But if I didn’t want to lose the points I’d gained with her family, keeping my hands to myself was the smart thing to do.

  I swam for a while, and then Mrs. Lamonica treated us to a second round of dessert. Paige and I left just after the sun set.

  “So, what did you think? I saw Mom cornering you. I hope that went okay,” she asked once we were back at my place, lying on the lounger on the balcony.

  “Paige, I loved getting to know your family. Don’t fret so much.”

  “Uh-huh. I’ll be patiently waiting for the delayed reaction.”

  “I was thinking about something. How would you feel about taking time off for a week and going on a vacation? You’ve worked hard, you deserve some time off. And I want to have you all to myself for a week.”

  She nestled into me, wiggling her toes. “I’d love that. Greg needs me for the next two weeks. We have a deadline. But after that, I’m sure I can take a week off.”

  “Have you ever been to a redwood forest?”

  “I’ve been once when I was little, but I’d love to see one again.”

  “I’ll arrange everything,” I assured her. Then, just to tease her, added in a serious voice, “They have some of the best camping spots.”

  She deflated instantly. Not laughing at her reaction took up a lot of effort.

  “We’re going to sleep in a... tent?”

  “Yeah. We can make a bonfire every night.”

  “But there are insects and... more insects.”

  Her voice sounded almost panicked now, and I started laughing in earnest.

  “Ah! You were making fun of me.” She elbowed my ribs.

  “I have a nice cabin there.” She tried to elbow me again, but I blocked her and shifted on top of her.

  “Little Miss Princess, aren’t we?”

  She grinned. “Only caught on to that today? You’re a lousy detective.”

  “Nah, today I just got the confirmation.”

  “So you’re not going to subject me to tents and insects.”

  “Cabin’s state of the art.”

  “What kind of heating?”

  “Gas. Why?”

  “Damn. I was hoping to see you chop wood. Shirtless, of course.”

  “There will be plenty of opportunities to see me shirtless, don’t you worry.”

  She touched my chest with one finger, licking her lips. “But chopping wood would be different. I’d be hearing all those manly grunts. A girl can dream, mmm....”

  “You drive me crazy when you make those sounds.”

  She drew out the mmmmm, then added, “What do you want to do now?”

  “Devour you,” I said seriously.

  “Finally. I thought you’d haul me up against the door the second we came inside. Was afraid you’d changed your mind.”

  I kissed that mouth, bringing one hand under her dress, pressing my fingers into the soft skin on her thigh. I started unbuckling my belt, then undid the top button and lowered the zipper.

  When Paige realized what I was doing, goose bumps broke out on her arms. I bunched her dress up and freed my cock, rubbing the length against her panties, over her clit. She lifted her knees and the angle changed. I felt the exact moment when she soaked her panties through, and I almost exploded, knowing that I could give her so much pleasure.

  I had a surprise in store for her during our vacation.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Paige

  Between the flight and the drive in the rental car, the journey to the redwood forest took a little over four hours. To settle my nerves when flying, I had a little too much wine, and kept fondling Will in my tipsy state. But the man was constantly touching me too, as if he couldn’t be near me and not touch me, so I thought we were even.

  “Wow,” I exclaimed when the cabin came into view. I’d imagined a small wooden house. This was a villa. The exterior had elegant fake stone paneling, and the windows were immense.

  “This is beautiful, Will.”

  “Jace and I bought it together about eight years ago to flip it. After I did all the work on it, I liked it too much, so we both decided to keep it. We rent it when neither of us needs it, which is most of the time.”

  I fell in love with the place the second I stepped inside. The walls alternated between crisp white and faux stone, and there was even a fireplace. I walked to one of the large windows, smiling at the sight of the redwood trees in the distance.

  “This view is just stunning.”

  I felt Will come up behind me and hook an arm around my waist. “I’m glad you like it. We can come here anytime we want.”

  I loved the way he used the word we, as if it was the most natural thing.

  “Why don’t I give you a tour, and then I’ll make us some dinner and we can watch the sunset in the sunroom?”

  “Sounds great.”

  The house boasted three bedrooms and two bathrooms, one of which resembled a spa, complete with a huge tub with bubble function. Oh yeah, I planned to do sexy things to my sexy man in there.

  I ended up taking a quick shower while Will went to the kitchen, then put on a long-sleeved wool dress that reached to my knees. I chose to forgo panties, but did put on stockings and garters. I was feeling feisty tonight. This place was inspiring me.

  A delicious smell greeted me when I descended the steps to the lower level, and I followed it to the kitchen. He was dicing chicken, and there was an assortment of vegetables for salad spread out on the counter. We’d shopped for groceries on the way here. I was happy. God, I was. From the tips of my toes to the ends of my hair. I didn’t think I’d ever felt so happy.

  While he cooked the chicken, I made the salad. While I was dicing the herbs as tiny as possible, I heard Will snap a pic.

  “What are you doing?”

  “You look cute.” He turned the phone so I could see. I was fresh-faced and my hair was up in a ponytail.

  “You can see my freckles.”

  “I love your freckles. You shouldn’t cover them up.” He kissed under one eye, then the other.

  “I won’t wear any makeup while we’re here,” I promised.

  “That’s my girl.” He kissed me deeply, tangling our tongues, luring a moan out of me. I was so lost in his kiss that I barely noticed he was pushing the dress up my thighs until he let out a groan that sounded so primal, I instantly became wet.

  “What’s this?”

  “Garters.”

  His
breath came out in a hot rush. His pupils dilated.

  “You were wearing these on the plane?”

  “Nope. Put them on after my shower. You want to know what I’m not wearing? Panties.”

  His gaze dropped to my pelvis, then snapped back up. I tilted my head playfully. “Do you think you’ll have problems concentrating on your dinner?”

  Will skimmed one big hand from my shoulder to my breast, flicking my nipples through my bra. A bolt of heat shot straight between my legs.

  “Nah, I have excellent self-control, Paige.”

  Game on, Detective.

  Once the food was ready, we carried everything into the sunroom. It was decorated in natural shades of brown.

  “It was smart to keep this. It’s truly beautiful,” I told him over dinner.

  “I know. Plus, we get tourists all year round.”

  “So you flipped all the properties you rent?”

  “Yes. A lot are in the LA area.”

  “I can’t believe you worked in construction when you were in high-school. Most teens I know wouldn’t bother.”

  “It was good money, and after my parents died we needed it. And keeping busy helped me cope. Then before my senior year, Landon bought a house, wanted to flip it. I offered to work on it, and did it all on my own. When he sold it, he wanted me to keep the profit. It was enough to buy two other small properties. From then on, it snowballed. I continued doing it during college. After keeping this one, I decided that vacation rentals were a smart investment, so I picked up places to flip that were in areas with year-round tourism.”

  “Wow.” I crunched some numbers in my mind from the days my grandma was running the inn. “So you could just live off the rent.”

  He smiled. “Technically, yes. The decision to join the force wasn’t motivated by money.”

  “And you have someone handling the daily operations in each location?”

  “Exactly.”

  “That’s very smart.”

  “Thanks.”

  I nodded, indulging in those last few bites of chicken. Will was watching me with happy eyes.

  “You know what day today is?” he asked once we’d moved to the couch in the living room, in front of the fireplace

  “Ummm... Saturday?”

  He chuckled. “It’s three months since we started seeing each other.”

  It had been three months already? That’s right, Lori’s wedding had been at the end of July, and now we had the end of October.

  “I have a present for you.”

  “Will...,” I murmured.

  He rose from the couch, searched his jacket, which was on the armrest, and got out a small jewelry box. He opened it, revealing a gorgeous bracelet: a platinum band with jade stones embedded in it.

  “This is so beautiful,” I whispered as he clasped it around my wrist.

  “It’s a family heirloom.”

  He was watching me with an adoring gaze. I glanced at the bracelet again, seeing it in a whole new light.

  “I think I’m in love,” I said happily.

  “Just with the bracelet, or with me too?” His voice was full of emotion.

  I snapped my head up, looking him directly in the eyes. “Both. You’ve made me fall for you, Will Connor.”

  He leaned in, giving me a deep, sensual kiss.

  “I’m not good with words,” he whispered when he skimmed his mouth to my cheek. “It’s been years since I said those words out loud. My parents were still with us.”

  “Oh, Will. You’re showing me. That’s all I need.”

  I’d learned enough about him to know that Will had always been about expressing his feelings through actions.

  We lay on the couch, entwined, and Will kissed me slowly, his arms wrapped around me tightly, as if he didn’t plan to let go.

  “Can we light a fire?” I asked a while later, pointing to the fireplace.

  “Sure. I’ll take care of it.”

  “Oooh, can I come with you outside while you cut the wood?”

  He smirked. “The logs are already cut, Paige.”

  I jutted out my lower lip. “Can we pretend they aren’t? So I can watch you sweat and make all sorts of manly sounds?”

  Will dragged his gaze up and down my body before settling on my lips. He stepped closer, until I had to tilt my head back to look up at him. He stroked my chin, then drew his knuckles down my throat.

  “You’ll hear me plenty when I’m buried deep inside you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Paige

  I must have fallen asleep, because the next time I blinked my eyes open, it was morning and I was in the bedroom. I barely blinked twice before I realized Will was snapping a picture of me.

  I managed to only pull the cover up to my nose because Will was sitting on it, at the edge of the bed.

  “Hell no. You aren’t taking pics of me in the morning.”

  Will grinned lazily. “I already did. Also one where you were asleep and were holding both pillows under your head.”

  “I demand you delete them.”

  He leaned in and bit gently on the back of my hand. “Make me.”

  Shucks, I couldn’t keep up with him seconds after waking up, but I did think I could pull off a distract-and-snatch move.

  The first part of the plan played out without a hitch. I lowered the cover and showed him a nipple. Like the boob man he claimed to be, his attention immediately shifted there. The second part of the plan failed miserably. Will realized I was going to launch myself for his phone the second I moved. He threw it on the armchair opposite the bed, then attacked me. He somehow managed to pin me against the mattress.

  “I misjudged your skills, Detective.” Why was I breathless? Oh, yeah. Because he was shirtless, and his chest was almost touching mine.

  “You need a lesson, Paige.”

  I swallowed. “Oh?”

  “Yeah. You should know what happens when you provoke me in the morning.”

  “And what is that?”

  By way of answering, he yanked the cover away completely and nudged my thighs apart. He moved on the bed until he positioned his mouth between my legs and nuzzled my clit with his nose, dipping his tongue inside me.

  Holly hell! On pure instinct, I wanted to roll my hips into him, but Will stopped me. Instead, he slid his palms under my ass, lifting it up in the air for better access. And then his mouth was everywhere. On my clit. Pulling my folds between his lips. Biting my ass cheeks, then nipping at my clit before plunging his tongue inside. I shattered completely, calling out his name, pulling at the sheets.

  “What a way to start my morning,” I murmured as Will kissed up my body. “Why can’t every day start like this?”

  “I have a simple solution for that. Sleep every night at my house, and you’ll have me every morning.”

  I expected to find him grinning, but I realized he meant it. “You really want me at your house every night?” I asked, holding my breath.

  His face was level with my neck now, and he kissed along my collarbone. “I love having you with me, Paige. I miss you on the nights we’re not together.”

  “I miss you too,” I admitted. “I’d love to say yes, but... are you sure?”

  Will pulled back to look at me. “Why would I be asking if I weren’t sure?”

  “Heat of the moment?” I suggested.

  “You’re the one who had an orgasm, sweetheart. My mind is all clear.”

  “Well then, Will Connor. Get ready to share your bed with me every night.”

  We enjoyed our breakfast while basking in the sun. We were sitting side by side at the wooden table.

  “Where did you go just now?” Will asked.

  I blinked, shaking my head. “Got lost in my own head. What you said about flipping the properties got me thinking... what if I turned Grandma’s inn into an education center instead of selling it? I’d have to buy out the rest of my family because they need the money. That’ll be a little tricky, because I have some savin
gs, but not enough. I’ll make an appointment at the bank when we get back, see about a loan. That’ll show my boss that I have skin in the game.”

  Will pulled me closer. “I have a proposition. Don’t take a loan. I’d love to be your partner on this.”

  I whipped my head in his direction. “Will, are you serious?”

  “Hell yes.”

  “But... you haven’t even seen the business plan. I mean, this wouldn’t be a business. It would be a nonprofit.”

  “I don’t need a plan. I trust your knowledge and your instincts. I trust you.” My heart, which had already been beating wildly, was now in danger of jumping out of my chest.

  “I’ll show you a plan anyway. And then if you change your mind, I will understand.”

  He pulled me in his lap. “I won’t change my mind.”

  “It would be a loan.”

  “No, it would not. I want to do this with you, as a team. If we can work together to make each other’s dreams come true, well, I can’t imagine anything better, honestly.”

  I was overwhelmed by this big, hunky man who wanted to intertwine his life with mine on so many levels. And I was ready to jump in with both feet.

  “Are we hiking today?” I asked.

  “Sure. We can go up to a viewing point and have lunch there.”

  He kissed the back of my hand, then turned it palm up and skimmed his lips from the center of my palm to my wrist, where he drew a small circle with his tongue. I bit my lower lip.

  “You like this?” he asked wickedly.

  “You keep this up, and there will be no hiking.”

  He moved his mouth further up my forearm. Holy hell. Why was this such a turn-on? It was the way he moved his tongue... just barely touching my skin with the tip, teasing me more than anything else.

  We made it out of the house two hours later. The couch had seen some sexy action again, and so had the shower.

  “I’ve gotten used to you parading around without a shirt,” I complained, pointing to Will’s white T-shirt. It was molded to his chest, so plenty of muscle was showing, but it wasn’t quite the same.

  Will was half hiker, half detective, looking on guard every time we passed a group. He gave me a sheepish grin when I looked at him pointedly.