by Monroe, Jill
Jake circled the perimeter of the room, picking up empty glasses and scooting in chairs. She loved him so much, she ached with it. When he’d raggedly told her he wanted to taste her, she hadn’t been ready.
Tonight she was.
And she was going to taste him. As if he felt her staring at him he glanced up, blinked at the hotness of her look. She gave him a wink. Tonight she would rock his world.
THE NIGHT HAD BEEN an unqualified success. Hailey was relaxing on the terrace, the cool night breeze chasing away the heat from her skin. With Jake, Amy and Nate chipping in, there wasn’t even a lot of clean up. What was left could wait until the morning.
Nate dropped onto the chaise lounge beside her. He spread out his long legs, and crossed his arms underneath his head. She expected him to say something, but he didn’t. Instead, he joined the silence, staring up at the stars. It was the easiest, most relaxed time she’d ever spent with a man.
And it scared her to death. More than the kiss.
She squeezed her eyes tight and sucked in a breath. After releasing it slowly she rolled over on the lounger to face him. He turned his head, and she was struck by the almost overwhelming urge to touch him. To run her fingers along the line of his nose, the angle of his jaw and the curve of his eyebrow. Hailey wanted to explore his mouth and…“Thanks for your help tonight, Nate. I really—”
He reached for her hand, stopping her words. Obviously he was as uncomfortable with thank yous as she was. Another thing they had in common—
She wasn’t going there.
“What’s your weekend look like?” he asked. “I’m ready to call in our date.”
Her stomach turned all fluttery at his question. “Amy and Jake should both be gone by Friday, so will a number of the other guests, so it looks like a weekend of painting and trim work for me.”
“Any way I could talk you out of that?”
“In a second.” The words rushed from her before Hailey realized what she was revealing.
“I’d like to take you up to Anzo-Borrego. Spend the night out there and really see the stars.”
“Like camping?”
“And hiking,” he added with a nod. “But don’t worry, we’ll spend the night in Vallecito at one of their tent sites.”
This sounded horrific, but then he’d just arranged for a dozen of his buddies to hang out at The Sutherland, and he cleaned up afterwards. “Have I ever given any indication that I’m the kind of girl who likes to rough it?” Because she wanted to identify whatever it was she was doing and put an end to it immediately.
Even in the dark, she could see him eyeing the ruffled, pastel sundress, her painted toenails and dainty shoes. A smile spread across his handsome face and he leaned back against his chair. “No, in fact, I would put you firmly in the girly column.” But there wasn’t a drop of disappointment in her.
That was a relief. Hailey sighed.
“I’d just like to see you dirty.”
With the carnal way he said it, she immediately craved exactly that.
“You can choose the next date,” he offered.
“Just so you understand that date will feature a mani, pedi party,” she said, her voice a grumble.
Another smooth move by Mr. Peterson. Now he had her agreeing to two dates. Two points for him.
“I’d love to have your feet in my hands,” he said in a low, rumbly voice that made her shiver.
“I’m taking a point away from you since you know what a pedicure is,” she told him, not being a very good sport.
“What?”
Hailey sat up. “Nate, why are you doing this? Wanting to go out with me? I’ve told you I’m not at a place where I can do relationships.”
The man looked completely unconcerned. In fact, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m thinking I can change your mind.”
Now if that weren’t the sexiest, most irritating thing a man had said to her, she didn’t know what it would be. Although whatever Nate did next would probably tie.
“What if I never change my mind?”
The chair squeaked as Nate sat up and dropped his feet to the terrace floor. He stood, reaching for her hands, and helped her stand. The small space between the two chairs didn’t leave much room, and the solidness of his chest gently grazed her nipples, making them taut.
He cupped her face and gave her a quick, over-before-she-had-a-chance-to-respond kiss on her lips. But it still tingled. And it still made her warm all over. “Hailey, hopefully I won’t be here in San Diego long.”
Her stomach clenched. As a result of how much she’d miss him? “Where would you go?”
“Back with my platoon. Overseas. But while I’m here, I want to spend my time with you. You’re funny and beautiful and I know we’ll be so good together. I can still hear your moans in my head. I want to get you alone, away from here and really be together.”
She knew sex between them would be amazing, which was why she’d been avoiding it. Because she’d just want more, more of him, and then where would she be? “Maybe we should avoid sex,” she hedged.
He dropped his hands and winked. “Then bring your cookies. I liked the peanut butter best.”
Sex with her or cookies…and he thought that an even exchange? Her cookies were great, sure, but somehow she felt this was a little insulting. Hailey opened her mouth, but Nate was drawing out a familiar black and red card from his back pocket.
His Fate Delivery Card.
“We talked about showing you this on our next date, but if you want to see it now, here it is. No date attached.” Their fingertips brushed as her passed the card to her. “I’m accepting my fate,” he said, his warm breath teasing her hair. “You call me if you want to do this.” He kissed her temple, then walked down to the beach.
After straightening their chairs, Hailey headed to the Tea Room. She, however, needed light to read his card. She shut and locked the door behind her, then leaned against the wall for extra support. With jittery fingers, she turned the card over. A smile crossed her face as she read Don’t take no for an answer.
11
AMY LEFT HER DOOR SLIGHTLY AJAR. She’d draped one of the leopard-print gloves over the doorknob to invite Jake into her bed.
The significance of the glove and leaving her door open for him wasn’t lost. By inviting him inside her domain, she felt exposed and vulnerable. He’d have all her secrets because tonight she also planned to talk. And more…
By now, she knew just about everything a woman could know about a man. Her man. All except one. How he tasted. After tonight that wouldn’t be the case. Once again she acknowledged her plans for tonight weren’t such a big deal between lovers, but to her, it was the final reveal.
A knock sounded at her door, and Amy turned, seeing Jake. Her heart contracted. She loved him so much, and she was lucky to have such a guy.
Wait, not lucky, smart. What had the book said? Choice? She was smart to choose such a man to lose her heart to.
Her skin grew achy for his touch. She was anxious to move onto this next step, but still some small part of her wanted to hide something of herself from his eyes. Then he smiled, and every worry, every fear disappeared.
With a purposeful stride, she walked across the room and shut the door firmly behind him. “Remember that first night when I came to your room and you said you wanted to taste me?”
Jake only nodded.
“I want you to. And I want to taste you, too.”
She heard him release his breath on a slow exhale. Amy loved it when he made that sound. It meant that she’d surprised him. And turned him on.
“Not freaked out yet?” she asked.
“Never,” he told her, his voice rueful.
Amy began to slowly unbutton his shirt, revealing the soft curling hair of his chest, and the flatness of his stomach. He allowed her full rein over his body, and she touched and tasted every part of him.
When her hands found his belt buckle, they began to shake. But she rallied h
er courage and took control of the metal and leather. Once loose, she shoved his pants down to the floor, followed by his boxer briefs.
The length of him sprang up, and with one promising glance at him, Amy sank to her knees. He was groaning before she had him fully in her mouth. His hands tangled in her hair as she ran her tongue along his shaft and around the head, teasing him. His knees began to shake as she drew him completely into her mouth, and out again. The movement mimicked his when he was in her body.
“Am—” He swallowed. “Amy, how far are you planning to take this?” he asked, his voice sounding raw.
“All the way,” she said against his cock.
His hands touched her shoulders. “It’s going to kill me to have you stop, but my legs can’t take it.” He tugged her upward. “To bed.”
“Don’t think you can handle me?” she asked. Amy had never teased him about sex, and she liked the chagrinned expression that passed across his face.
“Not after three hours on my feet serving restless women drinks and fending off advances. You sure made me work hard to get you into bed.”
“But worth it now?”
“Hell, yes.” Then Jake apparently found a little extra strength because he swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed. “What was this about me tasting you?”
“Later,” she assured him.
“I’ll never forget the night your roommate was away and I stayed the night. You told me you didn’t do oral. After that, it’s all I’ve been thinking about. Like the forbidden fruit I can’t get my mind off of. Let me.” His hands trailed up her thighs under her skirt until they reached her panties. “Easy access. You have to wear dresses from now on.”
Jake threw up her skirt, then lowered himself between her legs. She wanted to cover her face, to pull him back up, but she didn’t. She also wanted to be a woman who could enjoy everything with this man she loved. Amy felt his teeth on the satiny fabric at her hip. He tugged the material down first on one side, then the other. With her panties gone, Jake lifted her legs and tucked them over his shoulders.
His head lowered, and he kissed her gently, drawing her inside his mouth. It was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. Warm and wet and tender. He made a long swipe with his tongue then encircled her, her…clit. “Jake,” she whispered, not sure what she wanted to say or ask.
Then he began the tasting part, teasing every part of her with his tongue. She locked her legs, keeping him in place, and lifting her hips toward him. Her orgasm wasn’t a slow buildup like it had been since the first. This climax came out of nowhere, surprising her and making her gasp and call his name. She quaked and trembled and when he sucked her clit once more she came again.
Finally, it was over. She’d never felt so sexually drained. Every muscle lay lax.
“Jake, if you give me a moment, I’ll return—”
“If I don’t have you right now…”
Amy’s eyes flew open. She was going to give him the same kind of pleasure he’d given her, but where she was relaxed, his muscles were visibly strained. She widened her legs and Jake settled himself between them again. “I love you,” he said as he entered her.
The rest of the evening they made love, and right before dawn, Amy shared everything about growing up and her fears that he wouldn’t want her anymore after the newness of the intimacies they’d shared had worn off.
With a heavy sigh, he folded her into his arms. “Amy, you have to promise me that if we ever have a daughter, you won’t let her anywhere near your family. I can’t believe how warped you are about sex. Uh, sorry.”
She gave him a hug. “No, it’s okay.”
Pinning her beneath him, Jake’s gaze caught hers. “It just kills me that you were taught to be ashamed of your inherent desires. Hell, I want you to enjoy sex with me. Demand it anytime. I’m yours for the asking. The taking. Am I making myself clear?”
Amy began to giggle. “Very,” she said, feeling sexual, sensual and very loved. He held her in his arms until her wake-up call from the front desk.
“Let’s go home.”
Home with Jake. The thought genuinely excited her.
Amy snuggled into the embrace. “Let’s go home,” she said.
HAILEY FINGERED THE CARD Nate had given her last night. He’d paperclipped his phone number to the back. She lifted up the scrap of paper and read his fate once more.
Don’t take no for an answer.
Nate’s card wasn’t a fate, it was his way of life. A description of his personality. The man didn’t need extra help from fate.
Except he would accept a no from her if she chose to give him one. His number. All she had to do was dial the digits and tell him yes. Camping. She sighed. Could he have chosen anything she would have hated more?
No, probably not.
“How long are you going to twiddle that card in your hand?” Rachel asked, carrying a basket of The Sutherland napkins fresh from the dryer.
Hailey wanted to bury her face in the clean fresh scent and forget about making tough decisions. Instead, she dropped the card, washed her hands, and reached for the napkins. Her sister needed help folding.
“If I call him, it changes everything.”
“Of course it does,” Rachel said, giving her a strange look for stating the obvious.
“I don’t want a relationship with him.”
“Liar. You may not have observed the looks you toss that man’s way, but I have. You can’t get enough of him. Personally, I’d like you to get on with it, so I can stop watching you mope. I don’t remember you ever being this moody.”
“I’m tired of you giving me such a hard time. I’m in a transitional phase of my life right now.”
“No, you’re in a won’t-make-a-decision-in-life phase because you’re afraid of getting hurt. What happened to the girl who left San Diego? She was charged up, ready to hit life with both feet running.”
“She came back to San Diego with a broken heart times three.”
“Yeah, well, I’m officially putting an end to the moping. A lot of people get their heart broken. A lot of people make mistakes. You’re not the only one. I think Nate is a great guy, and you’re not exactly making it easy on him. Look at what he’s put up with, and yet he’s willing to have more.”
“I obviously didn’t tell you he wants to take me camping this weekend.”
Rachel laughed. Hard. “Man, the mental image I have of you is cracking me up. You’ll be out there with the bugs, and the dirt and with your antibacterial wipes.”
“That proves right there that he doesn’t know the first thing about me. How could he expect me to do something like hike? Are there bears in Vallecito Park?”
“No, there’s desert,” Rachel told her, shaking her head. “Hmm, I actually think this camping thing is kind of sweet.”
“You are out of your mind.”
“No, listen to me for a minute. He planned your first date all about you. Show that he could fit into your interests. Now he’s trying to share what he likes with you, to show you what he’s about. Nate must really be into you.”
That filled her with excitement and dread. “It’s times like these I really miss Mom. I could sure use her advice now.”
“I guess we’ll have to rely on each other,” Rachel said. “And Hailey, I don’t need a self-help book to see you’re pushing Nate away because he’s a man you could really fall in love with.”
Her throat tightened and her eyes filled with tears. “I’m not sure I could handle having my heart broken again.” Especially since he would be leaving soon.
“Then just make it fun. You said he wants to redeploy. A man like that doesn’t necessarily want a relationship either. When you’re with him, I see glimpses of my old spunky sister.”
Hailey kind of missed her old self, too. Missed the person who left The Sutherland with dreams and hopes and a lot of excitement. Maybe she had been wallowing for too long. “You don’t have a sleeping bag or a backpack, do you?”
&nb
sp; “Ha, now that’s funny. But I’ll start a load of sheets in the washer, then we can shop online.”
Nothing like shopping to lighten the mood. Or the anticipation of spending time with a sexy man. Hailey dialed.
Nate picked up on the second ring.
“You do realize there’s like a million cool things to do in San Diego,” she told him.
“Good thing Vallecito is not in San Diego then,” he said, and she heard the laughter in his voice, laced with maybe a hint of surprise at her phone call. Pleasant surprise.
“I’m just saying there are other things we could be doing than camping and hiking.” Normally she’d never complain about a date, but she knew Nate was getting a kick from her teasing.
“You’re right,” he countered. “We’ll be geocaching as well.”
“Sounds great.” Geocaching?
HER NEWLY PURCHASED BACKPACK and sleeping bag waited by the front door. She’d packed plenty of wipes, hand sanitizer and bottled water. Nate told her not to worry about meals, which only made her even more concerned. The man didn’t have a good working knowledge around a kitchen and who knew what he thought cooking at a campfire should entail.
She met Rachel at the front door, who’d left early to buy a combo bottle of bug repellant and sun screen. She opened the lid and took a whiff. “I know why bugs stay away. This stuff smells awful. Thinking it might repel Nate, as well.”
“Well, then tuck it into your backpack. Bugs might not even be an issue in Vallecito.”
The doorbell rang and Rachel gave Hailey a hug. “Here, I’ll be mom. Have a good time and be sure to drink plenty of water.”
Hailey laughed, nervous and excited, but happy to be looking forward to something.
“Now I’ll be me. I slipped in a few packets of condoms, so really have a good time.” Then her sister scrambled up the stairs.
Wiping her hands on her new khaki shorts, Hailey reached for the doorknob. If she’d been nervous about the clothes she’d chosen, Nate’s very appreciative looks at her bare legs and rugged pink T-shirt chased those concerns away. He looked incredible. The outdoors, and the anticipation of being manly under the sun brought out the sexiness in him.
