“Yeah, sure. If that’s what you want.”
She couldn’t trust herself to be alone with him and a bedroom. So far, what they had was fun and exciting. At this point, she didn’t want to ruin it. “It’s best for now.”
“Whatever you say.”
Chapter 6
At Wade’s home, they took the horses out of the trailer and released them to their stalls. “Do you want to finish off this bottle of wine? I can show you around my house now. Nobody’s here. I have to put the food away, anyway.”
The night came to a close too fast. She wasn’t ready to say good night, either. “Okay.”
Wade carried the cooler, set it down at the door, and unlocked his house. “After you.”
Sophie entered to a tiled foyer facing the living room with hard wood floors. She observed the cathedral ceilings. Straight through the living room was a patio door to the outside. An open kitchen loomed on the right of the patio door. “This is a magnificent house. Shockingly fantastic, as a matter of fact.”
“Why? Because I own it. I do own it by the way. What should I be living in? A barn? I work in one all day. I want my house to be anything but.”
“All I meant was this is a lot of house for one person. Do you live here alone?”
“Of course.” He picked up the cooler and aimed his hand toward the kitchen. “Come on. I don’t plan on being alone all my life.”
“You want kids someday? My boy wasn’t planned, but I wouldn’t trade him for nothing.”
“Yeah, I suppose that comes along with being a family unless I’m eighty by time I get married.” He grinned. “I’ll have to have a twenty-something year old wife to have kids then.”
Sophie snickered. He’d still have that cocky charm at eighty. “You sure will. Tell me where they go, and I’ll put away the buns and paper plates.”
He nodded to the counter. “Grab a couple wine glasses while you’re at it, if you don’t mind.”
She found the glasses in a cupboard left of the stove and poured.
Wade finished setting cold food in the fridge, ran off somewhere to put the cooler away, and returned. He picked up his glass. “Want a tour?”
Sophie peered into his eyes, words getting stuck in her throat before they came out. What she’d said about being alone with him and a bedroom must’ve flown out the window. “Sure. I’d like a tour.” She glanced out the side window. Beyond the patio, the backdrop gave a view she’d love to look at while drinking coffee in the morning. The mountain stood there surrounded by desert and cacti. “I’d die for a kitchen this size with the “L-shaped” countertop, and the island facing the rest of the great room. There’s so much space to prepare meals.” Sophie leaned over the sink to peer outside. “I wouldn’t mind doing dishes at the sink with this view out the window.”
“I have a dishwasher, but I barely use it.”
“Oh, rub it in.”
“I’m only one person. Come on. Sounds like you like to cook.”
“I do.” On the way out of the kitchen, she stopped at the pantry where the door remained open. “Huge.”
“Yep, and bare unless I shop to make something particular, like barbeque brisket.” Wade closed the door. He grinned and his face lit up. “Bring your boy over one day. I’ll put food in the smoker.”
She pictured Emmett running around this big house and sliding on the wood floors in his socks. It was a lot of house for a little boy to explore. “He’ll want to ride one of your horses.”
“Bender will be a good horse for him. That leaves you and me to ride Abacus together. Is that okay? Should I borrow a horse for you?”
Sophie smiled. “We’ll plan on it.”
“You still bringing your boy over tomorrow?”
“He’s been wanting to see your horses. He practically begged me that whole first week home.”
“This way.” He led her through the great room with many windows to let in light. “You should’ve listened to him. I wanted to see you when I got home.”
Wade caught her arm and they stood face-to-face in the center of the great room. She didn’t have an answer as to why she waited two weeks before contacting him. She checked out landscape pictures on the palest of blue painted walls. “I’m sorry.”
He narrowed his eyes and licked his lips. “You’re here now. Shall we continue?”
Sophie set her wine down on a glass end table and pulled him into her arms. “It doesn’t feel like we’re strangers. Have we met before in another life?”
“Are you serious? I don’t believe in that stuff.” Wade moved to set his glass down, but he came back and wrapped her in his arms. “We aren’t strangers. I remember the look on your face when you wanted me to… When I almost… It was one of the most provocative sights I’ve seen. You’re beautiful, and the close-encounter was mind-blowing for me to watch.”
Sophie laid her forehead against his chest, embarrassed, yet she wanted to experience more many times over. It’d be so easy to stroll into his bedroom, wherever it might be in this house, and let him watch. She looked forward to enjoying him in his own satisfaction. His words and her thoughts made her wet and wannabe-wild. “What room is next?”
Wade scratched his head, and the look on his face softened. “The bedrooms?”
Oh, wow. Sophie left his arms. She burned for his body right now. But was it only to satisfy a craving she couldn’t release on herself? “Wade?” She faced him. “If you knew what went on inside me right now, you wouldn’t believe… Not your bedroom. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to control myself, though I’m not sure I know how to meet your desires.”
Wade picked up his glass and handed the other to her as they drifted down the hallway. “Three bedrooms and a bathroom are down here. The biggest of these bedrooms is a second master.” He stopped in front of the first bedroom while gazing the length of her. “What do you mean, meet my desires? You already have.”
She observed him—a strong, handsome man—standing in front of her while he waited. Her answer would be embarrassing. “I’m an inexperienced lover.”
He took a drink of wine and checked out the landscape through the first bedroom window from the hallway. “You were married.”
“Yeah, but I told you I’ve only been with my husband. We were young in the beginning and mostly separated during our marriage. He lost the drive after a while. Well, it became more like, let’s do it and get it over with. After working all day, he’d come home exhausted and stressed. He’d been deployed three times, and it took a toll on him.” She did not just say all that. She covered her face.
“Sophie, it’s like learning to ride a horse. You don’t forget, darlin’. Stop worrying. You satisfy me by standing here in my house and by having dinner in the mountains. Whatever happens beyond that can’t be anything but magnificent. Hell yeah, I want to get off with you, but I’m interested in seeing you—”
“Get off?”
“Yep, but I want to see that look while I’m making love to you.”
Sophie forced herself to look away from his sincere orbs. She swallowed the rest of her wine and set her glass down. “Damn you.” Damn him.
He chugged the rest of his wine. “What the hell did I do?”
“Take me home. We’ll finish another time.”
“Come on, there’s only a few more rooms to see. I’d never do anything you weren’t comfortable with.”
“It isn’t you I’m worried about.”
“What the… All the better.” Wade paced the living room, through to the dining nook off the kitchen that had its own patio door, and back. He held his hand out at the stairway. “Come on.”
She clasped his fingers. “How many bedrooms do you have here?”
“Four. The master is all of the upstairs shared with a loft. You saw three, and don’t you dare look into my bedroom when we pass it.” He came to an abrupt halt, cupped her face, saying. “I mean it.”
“You’re a naughty man, Wade Emory. You’re not getting me in there with reve
rse psychology.”
“I do not plan on getting you in my bedroom tonight. Put your mind at ease. If you worried about it, you wouldn’t be standing here letting me drag you through my house.”
That was true.
“My bedroom on the second floor has a balcony with panoramic views to sweep you off your feet especially at sunrise or sundown.” They went up the stairs hand in hand, but Sophie held back.
The carpeted loft had a wet bar and marbled fireplace with a wood mantle. Not much more than a black leather sofa and chair, and a bookcase with books sat in the room, with a small TV. “You could have a large flat screen up here. Oh, my goodness, but this is nice. Do you spend time in this room?” She peeked over the rail at the downstairs.
At the bar, he opened the refrigerator to look inside. “Not much. Sometimes I come up here to read.”
“You put in a lot of hours at work, don’t you?”
“More than I should.” Wade took a book from a shelf and fanned through the pages. “I have a ton of responsibilities since I became a business partner, plus, I do the books and ordering. I’m considering asking for a bigger share of the business. I work with the horses when I get a chance. Ride when I can. Help repair what breaks down and keep an eye on what hasn’t.”
She strolled to the large window off the back and peered out at the deck. “I hope the owner appreciates you.”
“He does. Why are we talking about my job?”
Sophie pointed to a doorway off the loft but back toward the stairs. She rushed over to look. “What’s in there? Ooh…”
“Too bad you can’t go in there, huh? It’d be nice to look at the landscape from the deck this time of night. Go on in if you dare.” He wore a self-assured grin that disturbed her senses.
Sophie stuck her hand on her waist. He’d been playing a game with her. Should she be…concerned about his intentions? Had she been blinded by his charms? Why shouldn’t she have a little fun too—after all, she’d felt at ease with him and had always had a good sense of character. She folded her arms. “You instructed me not to dare go in, hotshot.”
Wade snickered. “You believed me?”
“Like I said, you’re a naughty man.” The thing was though she liked it. She smirked at him then entered.
“I told you not to go in there. My bed isn’t made. Or, maybe you’d like to plop down in the middle and tangle up a little?” He followed her in.
“You think you’re cute, don’t you, Cowboy?”
He clenched her hand and left the bedroom. “Come on, let’s go downstairs. I was serious about not going in there. I’m not playing this game. You think it feels good for a guy to be…well, like I am, and can’t do nothing about it? You should be glad I’m a gentleman.”
“I am. But you teased and dared me. You should be glad you’re a gentleman, or I wouldn’t be here. Maybe I didn’t want to leave your bedroom after all.” Her thumping heart screamed the need at her. Sophie cupped one side of his face, and whispered, “What if I stay?”
Wade turned around on the stairway. He lifted her off her feet. “You want to see what my bed feels like, fine.” He went back up the stairs, into his bedroom, and let her down on the bed. He lowered himself over her and stared into her eyes. “Now what? How brave are you?”
His erection was as obvious as her damp panties. Sophie smiled. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
“You smell like potato salad.”
She pushed Wade off her. Tears fell from her eyes from laughing so hard. “It’s your fault I smell like food.” Sophie lifted her shirt over her head, glad she wore a pretty deep-rose colored, bra and panties today, not that she’d intended on showing them to anyone. What was she doing? Her nerves tingled—body shuddered. Mind spun in circles. That was her answer. She needed to experience him, have sex with him, go wild with him, and to make love with him. It’d been too long. “My body needs yours.”
“Will you beat yourself up tomorrow if we do this?” Wade went to his knees astride her, kissing one side of her midriff then the other. Chills littered her skin. “Hmm?” He rose and kissed one breast and then the side of the other. “Will you?” Her heart pounded beneath his lips when he kissed the center between her breasts. His fingers fumbled with the snap on her jeans. Wade kissed the right side of her neck, and then the left. “I’m waiting for you to answer.” He kissed her temple. The other side, too, while his hand slid over the front of her jeans.
“Stop. You’re tormenting me. It hurts.”
He rolled over to lie beside her, leaning on his elbow. “I won’t go any further, but you want me, Sophie. Heat is rolling off you.” He kissed the right side of her lips, the left, and full on with her willing tongue unabashedly obliging his. Her body cried out for him to fill the void.
Sophie stared into his warm eyes. “I do. So much.” Her chest rose with heavy breaths. Fully aware of what would come next, she undid his jeans, pulling them apart until his zipper came down, and her eyes followed. “What do you want from me, Wade?”
The desirous look on his face heated her up inside. “Whatever you got. Does that mean I should continue?”
Sophie laid her palm over her forehead. “Oh, dear God. Don’t question me.”
“Then don’t ask.” With a flick from his fingers, he unhooked her bra, but she held her hand to the front to hold it there.
“I won’t take it off if you don’t want me to.”
“You can.” Her words quivered as she whispered them. Who was this woman? A lonely one.
She closed her eyes when he brushed her hand away and removed the straps until her bra lay beside them. He kissed one breast with an open mouth to get as much as he could and did it all over again on the other, and her pulse thundered.
“You’re beautiful, baby.”
“This time… Let’s do what we didn’t do in California.”
He cupped and caressed her breasts and squeezed as gently as a feather. “Are you sure? Tell me if you’re positive. I don’t want you to regret anything.”
“I’d regret it if I left now.” Sophie nodded. “I can’t not want this. I’m hot. Hungry. I want sex with you, now. I want to make love, with you.” Her body shuddered as she spoke. He stood to remove her boots, socks, and jeans and panties. His penetrating gaze as he stripped her reminded her of an erotic romance novel—a rogue with a willing captive. Hair falling over his forehead gave him a sexy look, and her desire heightened.
She rose to her elbows while he pulled off his shirt, his boots, socks, and his pants and whatever else he wore underneath. Her eyes widened in glee at his strong naked body. Before dropping his pants, he removed a condom from his wallet. Passion drove her. “Rip it open. Holy hell, but you’re handsome.” She held her arms out to him, but instead of falling into them, he pulled her up, sliding himself between her thighs.
“Take me before I change my mind.”
Wade lifted her from the bed and sat her on his dresser, tilted her chin to face him, and peered into her eyes. “Don’t tease me like this, Sophie. You do or you don’t. Please, no second thoughts later.”
“I do.” She cupped his face and kissed him like a famished woman, tongues lashing, lips tasting, wet mouths opened wide. “Honey, honey…”
Wade lifted her and they fell to the bed. He donned the condom. She breathed deeply at the immediate jolt of having him. He gave her everything she’d asked for, and more than she’d imagined. Wade positioned himself to give her all of him, and he moved just right to answer her bodies craving questions—the screams from her throat to prove it—the beats of her heart gone wild.
She cried out his name against his mouth sooner than she’d wanted, but she’d been so lonely, so starved. His body became rigid. Sophie pushed at his shoulders for him to raise to observe his face, his passions, his climax. While going through it, his face was as passionate and needy as she’d expected. She released a long breath. “Ahhhh, you’re a magnificent lover. I’ve never had that happen before.”
�
�What?” He pressed his cheek against her shoulder and breathed heavy. “Was it good or bad? It sounded and looked like it was good.”
She feathered her fingers through the front of his hair. “I’ve never…damn. Don’t laugh. I’ve never experienced an orgasm in this position.”
He traced a circle around her beaded nipple. “You haven’t? Wow, you didn’t know what you were missing. I can make you do it again. You said you were inexperienced. Did I sound like you didn’t know what you were doing? You were mind-blowing. I like you hungry.”
She shoved him off of her and straddled his hips. Sophie gave a nervous chuckle. “No. You sounded and looked like you enjoyed it.”
“Loved it.”
Sophie tilted her face toward the ceiling and shook her head at herself. Sex with him was exactly what she’d hoped—mind-bending and so sensual, and fast. “I want you so bad again that it hurts.”
“Move a second, Soph.” He searched the covers for another condom, then he lay beside her on his back. “Okay. Put it on me, sweetheart. That’ll be so sexy.”
She accommodated him, laughing when he dragged her back over and atop him. He smiled so sweetly that it caused a shudder over her entire body.
“Let’s relieve your pain, Teach.”
She moaned in a soft breath. “I could get used to this.”
“We will. I like having you around. Make love to me. Show me again how much you want this…me…us.”
***
Wade poured two glasses of white wine while Sophie dressed. In a way, he was mad at himself for taking her to bed. But it was so good with her. What made it different? He smiled when she came out, her chest and neck still flushed or red from a scruff burn. Running his hand over his chin, he hoped it wasn’t the latter. He handed her the glass. “Do you want to sit a minute? You look beautiful.”
Sophie peeked at the clock. “I enjoy being with you. Time goes by fast when we’re together.”
They entered the living room. She sat on the couch, and Wade dropped close beside her and rested his hand on her thigh. “You aren’t feeling bad, are you?”
Hooked By Sundown (Canyon Junction: Hearts In Love Book 3) Page 8
