“No, it makes you sound honest.” He pulls me to a stop on the hill, until I’m standing up higher on the hill than he is, making his eyes level with mine. He leans in and kisses my lips softly, cradling my cheek with his free hand. “His loss.”
“Let’s go get some chocolate.”
“Good idea. I might have a plan.” He winks and leads me into the decadent chocolate shop, Rob already a distant memory.
Chapter Six
“Oh my God, you really can cook.” I sit back in my chair and push my finished plate of poached salmon and salad away from me and sip my water, watching Matt across the table.
“You doubted me?” he asks with a raised brow.
“Not at all.” I shake my head and laugh. “I’m just offering you a compliment.”
He nods and stands to clear the table, and I join him. “You cooked, I’ll clean.”
“We can do this together,” he offers, but I shake my head adamantly.
“No way. You’ve been spoiling me all day. I can do this.” I take the plate from his hand and stand on my toes to kiss his warm cheek.
His eyes are soft and happy as he smiles at me. “Okay, while you do this, I’ll be in the bedroom.”
“Taking a nap?” I ask drily, earning a light pat on my ass.
“No, smart-ass. You’ll see.” He kisses my forehead and then leaves the room.
Matt is an excellent cook, but oh sweet Jesus, is he ever a messy one, too! My kitchen looks like a bomb went off in it, and he only poached fish and made a salad! Although, some of the mess is from breakfast, too, because we didn’t have time to clean up before we left for the day.
Which drives me nuts, because of all the rooms in the house, the kitchen is the one I get a bit obsessive about.
I can’t help it.
So I dig in, loading the dishwasher, hand-washing what won’t fit and sanitizing the countertops. By the time I’m finished, the kitchen sparkles and smells like lemons, and I’m mortified to see that I’ve been cleaning for more than a half hour.
Some hostess I am.
I wander back to the bedroom to find Matt sitting in the chair by the window, reading something on his iPad.
On the way back from the market today, Matt stopped by his place to grab a change of clothes and a few of his things for another night away from home.
He’s lit a few of my candles and shut off the bright lights, giving the room a soft glow.
“I’m sorry I took so long,” I murmur and lean against the doorjamb, taking in the handsome man in my bedroom.
“I’m sorry I’m such a messy cook,” he responds with a wry grin. His eyes are warm as they travel down my body. He stands and walks slowly to me. “Your eyes look amazingly green in this candlelight.”
“Thanks,” I reply as my heartbeat speeds up.
He’s predatory now as he slowly crosses my bedroom to stand directly in front of me. He doesn’t touch me, not yet. He leans his forearm on the doorjamb above my head and kisses my forehead gently.
“I want to show you what I can do with my ropes tonight, little one.”
I pull in a deep breath and clench my thighs at the sudden pulse of electricity that just his simple words send through my core.
“You can always tell me to stop if it’s too overwhelming,” he reminds me tenderly, still not touching me.
He’s still wearing his soft gray T-shirt and faded blue jeans from today, and my fingers are itching to touch him before he immobilizes me. I push my hand under his shirt, over the tight skin of his abs. The muscles jump under my hand, and his jaw ticks as he watches me, letting me explore his skin.
“I just want to touch you for a minute,” I whisper softly.
He kisses my forehead again and then tips my chin back, watching me intently as my hands explore his belly and chest, under his shirt. I move my hand around his waist to his back and step close to him, wanting him to kiss me.
Finally, finally, he cradles my face in his hands and kisses me. Lazily but thoroughly, sweeping his lips over mine, nibbling at the side of my mouth and then sweeping across to the other side before sinking in and taking over, kissing me in that intense way that only Matt can.
He pulls away, takes my hands in his and leads me out of the doorway toward the bed.
“How do you feel, sweetheart?” he asks.
“Fine.”
He raises a brow, and I swallow, thinking about how my body feels. “Excited. Nervous.”
“Better,” he replies and tugs my top over my head.
He kisses my body as he disrobes me, brushes his fingertips over my skin, leaving me humming in anticipation of what’s to come.
When I’m completely nude, Matt scoops me up and lays me gently in the middle of the bed.
“I’ve added something to your bed,” he informs me with a satisfied grin. He takes my right hand in his, kisses my palm, and then is suddenly looping soft rope around my wrist, tying beautiful knots. He lays my hand above my head and then circles the bed to the opposite side and pays the other wrist the same attention before linking the two with loose loops.
He reaches up, and pulls the same kind of rope down from the rail along the top of my four-poster bed, ties it to my linked hands, and cinches it, hoisting my torso up off the bed until my shoulders no longer touch the mattress.
“Is this painful on your shoulders?” he asks calmly.
“No,” I reply breathlessly, watching him with wide eyes. Just as he reaches for another length of rope—I didn’t even see him grab that when we were at his apartment!—his cell phone rings in his pocket.
“Damn.” His eyes are still pinned on mine. “I’m sorry, baby, this is work.”
He yanks out his phone and takes the call. His eyes narrow, still watching me closely.
“What?!” Now he paces away and stands at the window, looking blindly out at the street. “When? Fuck! Hold him there! What do you mean you don’t have cause? I’ll give you fucking cause! Fine, I’ll be there in twenty. Do not let him leave, understood?”
He ends the call and grabs his iPad, pulls his keys out of his pocket. “I’m so sorry, Nic, but I have to go.”
“Uh, Matt?” My voice is full of humor as he turns to look at me, and his eyes glass over. “I’m kind of tied up here.”
He drops his keys and iPad into the chair and swiftly returns to me, untying me quickly, rubbing my wrists and lifting me into his lap. He caresses my hair, my face, kissing my forehead and cheeks softly. “I’m so sorry, little one. I wouldn’t have left you like that.”
“I know.” I giggle and burrow into his lap deeper. “You obviously need to go to work.”
“I do.” He sighs regretfully. “We might have just caught a break on a case that we thought had gone cold.”
“I understand,” I murmur and kiss his cheek.
“But, first, we’ll sit here for a minute.” His hand glides down my side to rest on my hip. “It’s torture to leave now. You looked gorgeous in my ropes.”
“We can finish what you started another time,” I assure him.
“Damn right.” He chuckles. His eyes roam down my chest, my nipples still puckered in anticipation.
I’m breathing faster than normal, and my body is humming. His hand travels from my hip to between my legs and cups my sex. “Fuck, you’re wet.”
“I like it when you tie me up,” I whisper.
He growls as he plunges two fingers inside me and begins to fuck me with his fingers, quickly, not taking his time, but moving rapidly. His thumb presses against my clit, and he buries his face in my neck, biting and licking me. “I’m not leaving here until you come, baby.”
His words and hand send me into a tailspin. My hips rock up, pressing into his hand, as I cry out, my arms wrapped around his shoulders. I ride through the orgasm and then settle against him, panting and spent.
“Better?” he asks, his lips turned up in a half smile.
“Hmm,” I agree and cup his face in my hand. “Thanks, detective.�
��
He laughs and sets me on my feet. “I’m sorry I have to go. I’ll text or call when I can.”
“Okay. Be safe.”
He tilts his head, watching me. “Interesting choice of words. Good night, baby. Thank you for today.” He kisses me gently and then takes off, pulling his phone out of his pocket before he’s out the bedroom door.
“Asher, we caught a break…”
***
“You can head home, Anastasia. Things are quiet today.” The pretty mother of three grimaces and pulls her apron off as she glances at the time.
There is still an hour before closing time, but it’s dead in here. I could have closed at noon today.
“Yeah, it is. Unusual for a Thursday,” she agrees.
I nod, already mentally tallying how many cupcakes are going to have to go to the homeless shelter down the street tonight. I never serve day-old cakes, so at the end of the day, the leftovers are sent to the needy.
Even the needy deserve a sweet treat.
“Have a good night.” Anastasia waves and heads through the kitchen to her car parked out back.
Just then, the door opens, the bell above tinkling, and in walks Leo Nash. All six-foot-plus of his tattooed hotness. He grins at me in that cocky rock-star way and saunters over to the counter.
“Please tell me you have lemon and chocolate left.”
“You’re in luck,” I reply as I pull down a two-cupcake box and gently lay one of each inside. “How did it go over there today?” I ask, gesturing across the street to the recording studio.
“It went well, actually. The new album is coming along great.”
“A new album already? Sunshine just came out.”
“Well, we record when we can.” He grins and shrugs. “We have a few weeks off from touring, so we’re getting a few songs down before we head out again.”
I nod, pretending to understand the life of a rock star.
“You did a great job on the cake for Bryn and Caleb,” he mentions casually.
“I’m glad you liked it.”
“I did. In fact, I mentioned you in an interview.”
“Me? Why?”
“It was one of those lame ‘so tell us about yourself’ interviews, and they wanted to know about Sam and I.” He cringes and looks half-pissed for a second. “The only thing I was willing to share was that we love your cupcakes. So, I hope it drums up business for you.”
I don’t know what to say. Leo Nash told an interviewer that he loves my cupcakes.
“Wow.”
He laughs and takes the box from me. “I hope that was okay.”
“Uh, I think cupcakes are on the house from now on.”
His eyes light up, but he still drops a twenty in the tip jar. “Sounds like a fair trade.”
“So much for free cupcakes,” I reply drily, eyeing the money in the tip jar.
“They’re worth it.” He shrugs and turns to leave, winking at me on the way out.
My heart might beat right out of my chest.
God, the man is just so…hot. Samantha Williams is one lucky woman.
I shake off my close encounter with the sexy Leo Nash and lock the door before putting cupcakes in boxes and cleaning up for the day.
My phone buzzes in my pocket with a text. I grin and dig it out, excited to see it’s from Matt.
How was your day?
I miss him. I haven’t seen him since he left my apartment Sunday night. Four whole days, which really isn’t that long, for crying out loud. He’s been busy working and sleeping and little else this week. But he’s managed to find time to send me messages, just checking in, and called me last night just after I’d climbed in bed to say good night.
I’ve already gotten used to having him in my world, and it’s only been a couple of weeks.
Slow. Closing up early. How was yours?
God, I’m such a… girl.
It’s been a long four days without you. Can you please come unlock the front door?
What? He’s at the front door! I race through the kitchen to see Matt leaning against the door, grinning at me. I run over and let him in.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you today.” I lock the door and then launch myself into his arms.
He catches me easily, wraps my legs around his waist and kisses me long and hard as he carries me back into the kitchen. His body is tight. Energy is coming off him in waves. He’s edgy. Rough.
“Are you almost done here?” he asks.
“Yeah, I just have to get stuff ready for tomorrow. Shouldn’t take long.”
He sets me on my feet and kisses me once more, his hands fisted in my hair, before reluctantly letting me go and leaning his hips on the countertop.
I quickly clean the counters, stack my trays and take a quick inventory to make a mental list of what will be on tomorrow’s menu.
“Don’t take your apron off,” he commands quietly. His voice has that edge to it, the one he uses in the bedroom, and a chill moves through me as I look at him over my shoulder.
“Ever?”
“Four days without you, Nic. It’s been a motherfucker of a week, and I’m a bit on edge today.”
It’s a warning. He’s in full bossy dominant mode, and it’s such a damn turn-on I don’t know what to do with myself. I bite my lip and nod then turn back to the task at hand, if a bit off-kilter and shaky. Finally, when I’m finished, I face him, standing across the room, my hands at my sides, waiting for him to tell me what comes next.
It’s as natural as breathing, which is something I might want to ponder later, but all I can think about right now is that I’m happy to see him, and he needs me for this.
Whatever it is he’s about to do to me, do with me, I’ll give him freely.
“Come here,” he commands.
I obey, walking to stand just a few feet in front of him, my eyes trained on his.
“Undress but leave that apron on.”
“Can I lower it off my neck long enough to take my shirt off?” I ask, no sarcasm in my voice.
His eyes soften, but he doesn’t smile. “You may.”
I pull the loop of the apron over my neck, letting it hang at my waist so I can pull my shirt and bra off, then pull my pants and panties over my hips and down my legs. Just as I move to replace the apron around my neck, he interrupts me with, “You can leave it down.”
It falls out of my hands, and I’m standing before him, naked except for the apron wrapped around my waist.
His sea-blue eyes travel over me, hot and full of lust. His hands are clenching in and out of fists, itching to touch me, but he waits.
How he ever learned to be this patient, I have no idea. I’ve never been patient.
So this is slow torture.
Finally, he steps to me and drags his knuckles down my cheek before bending to kiss my lips. “This isn’t going to be soft or gentle, Nic. I don’t have that in me right now.”
“Okay.” Oh God, yes, please.
He takes both of my wrists in his hands, yanks me against him and kisses me again, the way he wants to. The way he needs to. With fire and control and need.
Suddenly, he turns me away from him and bends me over the stainless steel counter top. It’s cold against my breasts and torso, and I gasp when my flesh meets it. There’s no time to brace myself with my hands because Matt pulls them behind my back and ties them with my apron strings, making me immobile.
“I’ve wanted to play with this apron since I first saw you wearing it.” His voice is hard and excited, and he turns me back to him and lifts me onto the countertop, keeping my hips at the edge, and off balance. He steps between my legs, his arms wrapped around my back, keeping me from falling back. “I won’t let you fall.”
“I know,” I whisper, watching him, waiting to see where this goes, the excitement coursing through me. “Although, this is really unsanitary. If the health department walked in, they’d shut me down.”
He grins. “This may not be the answer you want to he
ar, but right now I don’t give a fuck.”
With one arm bracing me, he unleashes his hard cock and pulls a condom out of his pocket, rips it open with his teeth and guides it down his length. He pushes a finger through my folds, testing me.
“So wet.” His eyes meet mine, and he pushes inside me in one quick thrust, filling me completely.
My head falls back, but he grips my hair in his fist and holds me there, hands tied behind me, in his firm grip, as he begins to pound in and out of me, fucking me harder than I’ve ever been fucked before. My legs clamp around his hips as he rides me, his molten blue eyes pinned to mine, mouth open as he pants and murmurs incoherently.
Fuck, he’s so damn sexy I can hardly stand it.
He pushes all the way in and pauses, grinding his pubis against my clit, and the friction, the fullness of his cock inside me, pushes me into an orgasm that makes my toes curl.
“Eyes!” he barks when my eyes close with the force of the energy moving through me.
I open them and watch him as he continues to push and grind against me, joining me as he comes inside me, jerking and yelling my name.
As he settles, he wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me against him, kissing my forehead, rocking back and forth, soothing us both while he’s still inside me.
Finally, he pulls out and unties my hands while kissing me, as though he just can’t get enough of me. When I’m free, I push my hands into his hair and hold on to him, enjoying the soft strands between my fingers, then caress down to his neck and over his shoulders.
“Are you okay?” I whisper against his lips.
He sighs and nuzzles my nose with his before leaning back. “I’m much better now.”
He tugs the condom off and wraps it in a paper towel before shoving it in his pocket. “I’ll throw it away somewhere that food isn’t made.”
I giggle as I put my clothes back on. “Who knew that a simple apron could be used in kinky sex?” I examine the apron before tossing it in the hamper.
“You’d be surprised what we’ll end up using as restraints,” Matt replies with a grin. “I can tie you up with just about anything.”
With Me in Seattle Bundle Two Page 32
