It felt so good to drive—exactly perfect, in fact. She hadn’t ridden a bike in years, and there had never been a guy who had let her drive him. Kade’s trust fed her confidence, even when she missed a gear. It took the edge off her concern to be the one driving, and the heat of Kade behind her made her anxious to get to his place and seduce him all over again. The weight of his hands on her hips was just right, not grabby but close. When they leaned into a curve together, she felt a strange and wonderful sense that they were—or could be—a team.
There were speakers in the helmets and he gave her directions as they rode. They passed his place all too soon, and he suggested they take that ride down the coast. Reyna was glad of the chance to let the bike do its thing, and she enjoyed its power and precision. Kade knew a road that wasn’t busy, a great curvy one that was fun to drive, and Reyna felt exultant by the time they returned to his place.
“That was great!” she said when they were back at the parking lot for his apartment.
“You were great,” he replied and stole a kiss before he parked the bike. He showed the same care he had that night in front of the bar and she smiled as she watched him, liking that he took care of what was his to protect.
He turned and grabbed her hand, leading her to his apartment. She took both helmets while he jingled through his keys, because she didn’t want him to let go of her hand. She took one look at the apartment’s interior, enough to observe that it was simply furnished and neat, to see the pile of postcards by the answering machine and the view of the port, then pivoted. She backed Kade into the door he’d just shut and locked, framed his face in her hands, and kissed him as if she’d never get enough of him.
Because she was starting to think that she might not.
Reyna had been incredible before, but this time, she was even more impatient and passionate. Her demanding kiss overwhelmed Kade and he had only a moment to decide that she could drive his bike anytime if this was the result.
Her jeans were unfastened at warp speed and he wondered if they would even make it to the couch. He picked her up without breaking their kiss and got them that far. When he sat down with her in his lap, her mouth locked on his, she pushed him back and held him down. Her kiss was devouring and filled with a need that echoed his own. He speared one hand into her hair, and pushed down her jeans, both of them squirming to kick off their boots and jeans. He was vaguely aware that her panties were white lace, because he felt them beneath his fingertips, but then they were gone and there was only the silk of Reyna’s skin.
And the sweet heat between her thighs.
He broke their kiss with an effort, then eased down the length of her to give her that most intimate kiss. Reyna gasped and spread her thighs wide and Kade ate her slowly, making sure she was desperate to come before he urged her over the edge. It didn’t take as long as he would have liked, but he was ready to explode himself. She cried out loud enough to wake the dead with her release. Kade smiled with satisfaction, holding her tightly as she came and came.
Freckles. She had freckles. She wore enough make-up that he’d never guessed—but what was more important was that she’d taken off her mask and shown him the truth. Kade didn’t know why she’d decided to trust him and he didn’t much care.
Their future was starting right now.
She slid down into his lap, pushing him onto his back on the carpet and straddling him. She sat on his stomach, even though he was hard and ready, and Kade guessed that she was going to tease him a bit. He wondered how long he’d last and hoped he didn’t disappoint her. He wiped his mouth as she peeled off the rest of her clothes, flinging them aside, her eyes sparkling. “What you see is what you get,” she said and Kade chuckled.
“Sounds perfect to me.”
She was nude, her hair loose and her skin glowing in the light. He reached up to caress her breasts and she arched her back, giving him the best view. She certainly teased him with the condom, stroking him as she put it on. He cupped each breast in one hand, then teased the nipples, rolling them between his finger and thumb. Reyna moaned and he could feel her getting wetter again.
“Is that what they taught you in burlesque class?”
Reyna laughed. “No, but it seemed too complicated right now. There was a feather fan and music, plus these shoes...”
“Maybe some other time.”
“Maybe,” she said with a smile, then eased down to lie on top of him. His hands slid down to her waist, then down further to cup her buttocks. Reyna framed his face in her hands and kissed him, even as she parted her legs and took him inside her. She could only take the tip when they were kissing, because of the difference in height between them, but Kade guessed it had been her plan. She moved, teasing him with the contact that was not quite enough to satisfy but more than enough to titillate. And she kissed him, slowly, leisurely, rubbing her breasts against him so he could feel how hard her nipples were, running her feet down his legs and rolling her hips, making him keenly aware of how sleek and soft and feminine she was.
By the time she sat up and took him completely inside her, Kade was on fire. He heard his own moan as he was buried in her slick heat and felt himself tremble with need. She lifted her hands over her head and rolled her hips, smiling as she worked him in that same slow torment.
He was never going to get enough of her.
He was never going to know all of her secrets.
And Kade liked that just fine.
He beckoned to her with a fingertip and she bent over him again, her hair sweeping across his chest. “Closer,” he invited.
“Take it all off first.”
He tugged off his shirt then beckoned to her again. She leaned down, walking her hands up his chest, pausing to tease his nipples when he thought he couldn’t endure any more pleasure. When she was finally down low enough to kiss him, he whispered. “Grant me one wish?”
Her gaze searched his. “What wish?”
“I want to be all the way inside you.”
“I want that, too.” She nestled her hips a little lower and he caught his breath. Her eyes were sparkling.
“Can we roll over?”
She caught her breath, her eyes widening slightly at the realization that he’d be on top. He was pushing her again and she knew it, but Kade wanted to find the limits of her trust.
To his relief, she smiled. “You stop if I say so.”
“Of course.” Kade hoped she didn’t, but he would try his damnedest to do whatever she asked. She nodded crisply, so brave that he knew he had to make this right. He pulled her close, cradling her against himself, and gave her a long sweet kiss. He felt her shiver, then relax, softening against him. He trailed kisses to her ear, then whispered a warning before he rolled them over. He held his weight over her and kissed her again, lingeringly, appreciatively, waiting for her to wrap her legs and arms around him.
When she did, he nearly groaned in relief. He moved deeper inside her, then withdrew, ensuring that he was rubbing against her clitoris. Reyna gave a shaking gasp and clung to him. “I wasn’t sure I could do this the other way,” he whispered in her ear. “I liked when we came together.”
“Me, too,” she admitted, holding him tighter. Her nails grazed his shoulders and when he caught her lips beneath his own this time, she opened her mouth, demanding more. They moved together, the heat rising one more time, and Kade held on until he felt her begin to tremble. He kissed her throat, her ear, her neck, loving the incoherent sounds of need she was making, even as his own passion rose. When she gasped, then whispered his name as she clutched his shoulders, Kade buried himself in her sweetness and came with a roar that coincided perfectly with hers.
They were getting better at this, much to his satisfaction.
Kade awakened on the rug in front of his own couch in the dark. He was momentarily disoriented, then he heard the rustle and knew that Reyna was getting dressed. He sat up to find her a few feet away, putting on her clothes.
He saw no reason to hide his s
urprise. “You’re leaving?”
“Yes.” The single word was tight and that gave him a bad feeling.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
“After this?”
“Yes,” she said more firmly. “Don’t get up. I’ll call a cab to get back to my studio.”
Kade did get up. Once on his feet, he didn’t get dressed but studied Reyna. She looked panicky, although he couldn’t imagine why. There was defiance in her stance but something else in her eyes.
Something that was like a knife in his heart.
She was running.
She wasn’t just leaving for now. She was leaving for good.
He frowned, wondering what he’d done wrong. Had he pushed her too much? But he hadn’t pushed that much, asking her to come to his place instead of hers. And really, he had to be able to tell her what he wanted when they were making love. How could she regret them coming together?
But one look told him that she did. “I thought that in fairy tales, the third time was the charm.”
“Not this story.” She cast him a prim smile. “Maybe because I’m not much of a princess.”
Kade would have argued that, but he could see he was going to lose if he did. He folded his arms across his chest. “No happy ending, then?”
Reyna shook her head. “No, but then maybe it depends on how you define your terms.”
“Differently than you do, obviously,” he said in a growl. “This was great and I was glad to see you, but if I’d known you only wanted sex, I would have said no. I’m not about booty calls.”
Reyna seemed to be surprised. “You really would have turned me down?”
“It wouldn’t have been easy, but it’s about the principle.”
She watched him, as if skeptical. The fact that she’d abandoned her make-up and let down her guard had encouraged him too much, it was clear.
Maybe she’d thought he wouldn’t like the view.
She was dead wrong about that.
Kade took a deep breath because he knew what he had to say even though he didn’t want to. “So, no repeats of this. Don’t call again unless you want to start something real.”
Reyna turned away quickly and he wondered what she was trying to hide from him. Relief?
“Fine,” she said. “Don’t hold your breath.”
“I stopped doing that last time.” He inhaled then told her the truth. “I love you, Reyna. I would do anything to convince you to give us a chance, anything but force you to do it.”
She cast him a glance that was so wary it nearly broke his heart.
“But love is about two people meeting halfway. I’ve done my best to show you my intentions. The ball, as they say, is in your court. Maybe for good.”
Their gazes clung across the darkened room. Kade hoped she’d change her mind, fling off her coat, then tackle him so they ended up on the couch again. But instead, she sighed and shook her head and he knew it was over. She crossed the room without saying a word, unlocked and opened the door, then strode out without a backward glance.
She was gone.
Kade ran a hand over his head and pulled on his jeans. He went to the window that looked over the street, turning on the light in the room and not troubling to hide the fact that he was watching her. She spared one glance to the window then made a call, keeping her back to him as she waited. The cab came and she got in without another glance his way. Kade watched the cab until it was out of sight, feeling his heart sink to his toes.
There was no going back this time. He’d made his best arguments. He’d tried to help. He’d even told her how he felt. She really didn’t want him, and though he knew he’d never forget her, Kade wasn’t going to force his hopes on her.
Reyna had had enough of that.
If nothing else, he wished her well. He had a feeling she would be the queen of his heart forever.
Infuriating man.
Wonderful man.
Terrifying man.
Reyna brushed tears from her eyes as the cab drove her back to her studio. The sex kept getting better and the stakes kept getting higher. He even told her that he loved her, and sounded like he believed it. Reyna had been seriously tempted to strip off her clothes and go back for another round of lovemaking. She had a hunger for Kade that couldn’t be satisfied, and apparently, no matter how much truth she showed him, he was ready for more.
She was becoming weak. She had been so tempted to stay. She had been so ready to have more and more and more. At least she’d held it together long enough to get out of there. It was bad enough that she hesitated on the stairs as she left.
Kade was making Reyna forget what she knew to be true.
No wonder she’d run. She was just a whisper away from being all in, from being vulnerable to him, from being dependent upon him, from being greedy for a future that could never be. That frightened her.
She hadn’t dressed for him or performed for him or even seduced him. She’d just jumped him and he’d taken everything she had, meeting her touch for touch. She’d thought they might spontaneously combust. How could she want him more than she had in the first place? How could the sex keep getting better? How could it be so much harder to walk away every time?
Did he really like freckles?
Did he really think she was beautiful just the way she was?
His reaction was so enthusiastic that she couldn’t doubt it.
She’d gone to his apartment, letting herself be under his control. She’d let him be on top. She’d broken her own rules and hadn’t regretted it.
Not for one second.
Until she had time to think about it.
Reyna paced her studio for the rest of the night, halfway expecting that she’d hear the bike’s engine. But Kade had promised that he wouldn’t pursue her and by this time, she should know that he was good as his word. She thought about Lexi’s conviction that she was just marking time, and thought about her life. The work was fulfilling and she loved her business.
But it was lonely.
And Kade was everything she’d ever wanted and more. Every time she was with him, he proved that he was exactly who she believed him to be. There were no dark shadows and no hidden agendas. He gave her the space she craved and the time she needed. He had the confidence and the patience to wait for her to come back to him.
He admired her. Just the way she was. He hadn’t been surprised or turned off to see her without make-up, or with her defenses down. She’d been sure he’d reject her truth, but Kade had embraced it. He’d been kind and strong when she’d confessed her story, letting her lean on him but not taking advantage of her weak moment.
Maybe she had no business being afraid.
Maybe if she took this chance, she could have it all.
That prospect was both thrilling and terrifying.
Just like Kade.
Reyna smiled at the realization that he just might be her handsome prince.
All she had to do was meet him halfway.
Could she do it?
Could she not do it?
By the time Reyna was in her truck, heading back to Honey Hill, stuck in morning traffic, her mind was made up. Her heart was racing with newfound conviction when she broke free of the traffic. She pulled into a rest stop and called Kade, convinced that what she was doing was right.
Even if the choice was terrifying.
Lexi had been right about one thing: Reyna felt totally alive.
The call went immediately to voice mail.
Reyna frowned and tried to think of what she would say in the scant seconds before the tone. “Hi. It’s me. Look, I’m sorry I left. I didn’t mean to make it cheap, because it wasn’t. It gets better every time, because we are having a thing. That scares me a lot, and scared me enough to try to deny the truth, but you’re right. I’d really like to have a future with you. If you still want to give it a try, I’m ready to try, too. Call m.” She ended the call, staring at her cell phone as her pulse returned to its normal speed
. She wished she’d said it better, but it was done and Kade would know what she meant.
Maybe he was just on another call and would call her back.
She waited for a few minutes, but she didn’t get a call. Her phone battery was dying, too, so she decided to carry on to Honey Hill.
It was funny that she’d decided to give them a chance right when Kade might have changed his mind—or to have finally let her change his mind. That made her feel stupid and nervous. She wanted to skip to the ending of the story and know that it all worked out, but life wasn’t like that. Reyna took a deep breath. She had to accept the risk and live in the day.
And hope like hell for the best.
Kade was swimming laps at the gym the cops frequented. He went there first thing, not having been able to sleep after Reyna left, and swam faster laps than he had in years. He left the pool water churning behind him, and it was a good thing he had his lane to himself. The other two early morning swimmers had left empty lanes between him and them, as if they didn’t want to catch whatever fury was driving him.
The exercise didn’t help a bit.
He lifted some weights and ran the track, rowed to Antarctica and back, then finally went to shower and change. There was a message on his phone and when he saw it was from Reyna, he almost didn’t listen to it.
Then he was glad he had. He raced out of the club and got on his bike, relieved that he had a full tank of gas, and headed for Honey Hill.
This discussion was one they had to have in person.
Reyna opened the back door, the kitchen door, and immediately sensed that something was wrong.
Someone had been in her place.
Then she shook her head. Her imagination was running wild. Honey Hill had no crime rate. At worst, Mrs. Foster had come around to borrow a cup of sugar. They all thought it was funny that Reyna locked her doors and windows. Maybe they’d played a joke on her to make her lighten up.
Spring Fever Page 14
