Hard to Handle

by Jessica Lemmon

  “Then ask.”

  When he was this close, she couldn’t fight. But maybe…maybe she didn’t want to fight. Not about this. She wanted him; she hadn’t lied about that. And he’d be worth it, she knew. Being with Aiden here, or anywhere, would be better than going home alone and reliving the pain of turning him down. But Aiden wasn’t arguing about his proposal. Which made this decision that much easier.

  Sadie licked her lips, took a breath, and asked the damn question. “Will you…take me to bed?”

  His hold tightened on her hips. “Yes” came his gravelly response. “To bed.” He kissed her lips. “To your car.” He kissed her neck. “Up against this wall.” He leaned into her body, his erection pressing firmly against her belly.

  Sadie dropped her head against the wall. She couldn’t think beyond agreeing. First time or not, she’d make love to this man on a park bench in the middle of a Fourth of July parade if he asked.

  She nodded like a bobblehead, managing to eke out one word of agreement. “Okay.”

  Aiden’s mouth hit hers hard, swirling her senses and stealing her next breath. Kissing him had a drugging effect. Left became right, north became south. What she thought she knew became muddled in a confusing whirlwind of sensations: Aiden’s mouth on her skin, his hands pushing up her dress and cupping her rear end in his palms.

  Sadie clasped on to his neck as her tongue met his. Unlike the proposal that had caused her to panic, she knew the decision to make love to Aiden was the absolute right one. She wanted him. He wanted her. She’d wanted him for so long. This part was very, very overdue.

  Aiden lifted her leg and hooked it over his hip while he devoured her mouth. She dug her heel into his thigh to pull him closer, but he didn’t complain, leaning hard into her while his hand slid over her dress. She wasn’t wearing a bra, and his thumb found her nipple. He cupped and rubbed her as her panties grew damp.

  This was what she wanted the night he stayed at her house, when she’d attacked him in her kitchen and flicked the stud on his jeans. She wanted Aiden wild, out of control for her. And finally, he was. Sadie felt his hardness at her center. He ground against her, one hand stroking the underside of her thigh as he held her leg over his hip, the other sliding from her breast to belly, to her waist, to—oh!

  He stopped kissing her to look into her eyes, squatting to hold her in place, his body shaking, no doubt from the lust saturating his bloodstream. She could relate.

  Eyes on hers, he trailed his fingertips along the lacy waistband of her underwear, then past the silken barrier. He slipped a finger against her as his forehead collapsed against hers. He muttered a harsh curse, another sign of his losing control.

  She loved it. “I thought you weren’t swearing,” she teased, back arching as he continued to rub her.

  He buried his face in her neck and said it again and Sadie’s face broke into a smile. Briefly. When he lifted his head and ran his tongue along her bottom lip and slid a finger into her, her smile turned into a soft gasp. “So wet,” he murmured in appreciation.

  His harsh language, the dark look in his eyes, the increasing tempo of his fingers and thumb over her most sensitive spot…all of it a lethal mixture. Sadie was going to slide right over the edge in a wave of ecstasy. A few more kisses, a few more strokes, and Aiden’s green eyes trained on hers, and she’d be a goner.

  He kissed her softly, gently, all while sliding in and out of her body. Then he hit the spot. He didn’t let up, his hold on her tightening, pressure increasing until Sadie was shaking and whimpering. He kissed her neck, bit her ear, and she tumbled over with a sharp cry, one that he swallowed with another kiss as her inner muscles clenched around his fingers and she clawed onto his shoulders with both hands.

  He kissed her lips, her jaw, her neck, then murmured into her ear, “You’re a screamer.”

  And Sadie, so relaxed and tingly, laughed. It felt good to laugh. It felt good to be this loose, this comfortable, this amazingly sated.

  Aiden slipped his hand away and lowered her leg, holding her steady. Good thing. If he weren’t half propping her up, she would have slumped in a heap to the floor. Sadie had given herself orgasms before, but nothing like this one—brought forth by the rough feel of Aiden’s hands on her body, the smell and taste of him on her tongue, and the words he’d breathed into her ear.

  She shuddered as aftershocks washed through her, and gripped his shoulders for support. She hadn’t opened her eyes yet, hadn’t been able to lift her head from the wall behind her. She felt, rather than saw, Aiden tug her dress down and smooth it over her thighs.

  He kissed the corner of her mouth. “You should lie down.” His voice held a note of mischief and innuendo, and Sadie smiled, wondered if she’d ever stop smiling.

  “Mmm.” She rubbed herself against his tented pants. “Find the coat closet.”

  He chuckled and because they were breast to chest, the vibration of it reverberated in her belly, making her feel as languid as a cat that had drunk its weight in warm cream. Her lids were heavy, her body as pliable as taffy.

  She opened her eyes to find Aiden wearing a satisfied, proud male smile. He stroked her hair from her face and tilted her chin. “Sorry, beautiful. Your first time isn’t going to be in a closet.”

  A shudder tore through her that had nothing to do with the release he’d blessed her with. Sadie had temporarily forgotten about her “sacred” first time. No surprise there; she’d temporarily forgotten her name. Sadie something. She knew it had two syllables…

  She took in the darkened room they were in, the slice of light across the floor, the various other doors around the room. Anyone could have walked in on them. Could have caught Sadie, dress hiked to her waist, being braced against a wall by Aiden.

  She was fairly sure part of her was trying to be appalled by her ribald behavior, but she couldn’t find the strength to do anything other than smile warmly at the man who had taken her to heaven in under sixty seconds.

  Aiden. Only Aiden could take her to the very pinnacle of desire and make her forget who she was. Or maybe, she thought in a burst of insight, when she was with Aiden she was more herself than when she was without him.

  “Come with me somewhere,” he said, taking her hands in his.

  There was only one answer.

  “Anywhere.”

  Chapter 14

  Sadie’s steps aligned with her heartbeat as she walked hand in hand with Aiden out the side door and down the sidewalk. So wound up in the passion preceding their little jag, she didn’t notice he was leading her to his motorcycle until they stopped in front of it.

  Sheila sat under a streetlamp at the front of the lot, her orange paint gleaming. Sadie ground to a complete halt, blood freezing in her veins. She met Aiden’s sea green eyes and shook her head. “I can’t.”

  He took her face in his palms. “You can.” There was his easy smile again. “Trust me, Sadie.”

  She did trust him. She trusted him implicitly. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t have lost herself in his arms moments ago. For once, she hadn’t tried to hide behind her inner wall of safety. And it’d been so worth it, the freedom of it, like rolling around on decadent cotton bedding—

  What do you have to lose?

  They could wreck. They could get injured…And in the banquet hall, they could have been caught. They could have been kicked out. But they weren’t. It was a risk, but in a way, a safe one.

  Again, she was struck by how she hadn’t overthought it. About how she had zero regrets now. She’d experienced something exhilarating she’d never experienced before. It was worth it, and it felt wonderful letting Aiden take care of all the worrying for her.

  Her eyes tracked to the bike.

  Aiden would take care of her. He would make sure she was safe. And maybe this would be exhilarating, too…and lead up to the most exhilarating time of her life. After what just happened, how could tonight be anything less than mind-blowing?

  She looked into Aiden’s familiar, han
dsome face. Of course it would be. Instead of giving him an answer, Sadie pulled her skirt high on her thighs and approached Sheila. “Think I can ride in these shoes?”

  “Sadie,” Aiden said, pride evident on his face, “I think you can do anything in those shoes.” He pulled a helmet from one of the saddlebags. It was pink.

  She opened her mouth to ask how long he’d had it. He must have seen the question in her eyes. He answered before she had the chance to ask. “Bought it the day I dropped off your phone. I thought I might try and convince you to ride with me then.”

  “And you kept it,” she murmured as he settled the helmet onto her head.

  “You never know.” He adjusted the strap on her chin and laid a soft kiss on her lips. “You’ll be fine.”

  “I trust you,” she said. But just in case, she closed her eyes and said a quick backup prayer.

  Aiden put his own helmet on. “You need instructions?”

  She opened her eyes. “Hold on tight, lean into the curves, and keep my legs away from the tailpipe.”

  He shook his head, his answering smile spreading warmth through her entire body. “I didn’t think so.”

  Aiden got on first and Sadie climbed on after him, settling against his back and snuggling in. She wrapped her arms around his waist as he backed them away from the curb. Before he sped off, he clasped one of her hands in his and lifted it for a kiss. Sadie smiled against his back and closed her eyes.

  They’d get safely to wherever it was he was taking her. After waiting thirty years to lose her virginity, they had better get there safely.

  Or Saint Peter was going to get an earful when she reached the pearly gates.

  * * *

  She said yes.

  Aiden felt like throwing his arms in the air and whooping for joy. Granted, she didn’t say yes to his proposal, but Sadie had given in an inch in that darkened, empty room back at Diamond Crown Hall. And she’d given in another when she climbed onto the back of Sheila.

  Wind beat Aiden’s cheeks as he took the side streets to get home. No way was he draining Sadie’s limited well of trust by zipping down the highway at seventy miles an hour. Despite wanting to get her home as quickly as possible.

  She felt good nestled against him, her hands at his stomach, her body warming his back. He liked her there, liked her conceding control and letting him take care of her. That’s why he’d proposed. That’s why he’d asked her to ride. He wanted to take care of her. Wanted Sadie to see she could trust him. With her body…and with her heart.

  One step at a time, he reminded himself. Even if they were slightly out of order.

  Stubborn as she was beautiful, Aiden shouldn’t have been surprised when Sadie ran from his proposal. He’d stood and assured the crowd, “That was a maybe.” He’d been vaguely aware of his scowling siblings, and Shane and Crickitt’s looks of concern. No doubt they’d ask for an explanation later.

  Well, they could wait.

  He’d run after Sadie, understanding too late he’d pushed her too far. Understanding that Sadie wasn’t the kind of woman who reacted well to being pushed. He’d known that about her, but had thought maybe she was ready and didn’t know it yet.

  Wrong.

  He could only hope her languid, agreeable nature would continue after he got her home. Because getting Sadie into bed was only the start of what he had planned for her. After he got her to shout yes followed by his name at least a dozen times tonight, he intended to propose again…eventually…and get a similar response.

  They were meant to be together. And if he hadn’t thought so before he’d made her come and mewl and grip on to him moments ago, seeing her guard drop so solidly at his feet would have convinced him.

  And because Sadie was who she was, Aiden realized it may take longer for her to arrive at the same conclusion. Hell, Aiden, on some level, had known he wanted her for forever the first night he met her. All he needed was her undivided attention for a little while and he knew he could get her to see it, too.

  It wasn’t as if he was coercing her. Sadie was the one who wanted to take him to bed, who’d made it her mission to seduce him tonight. He couldn’t think of a better way to show her how serious he was than to prove their connection was way beyond friendship, way beyond physical. To show her just how much he loved her. And he did. God help him; he loved her until it hurt. Tonight, he planned on peeling back her layers until she saw the same undeniable truth.

  That she loved him, too.

  He pressed a remote to open the garage and pulled the bike in. He parked and kicked the stand as Sadie let go of his middle.

  “Where are we?” she asked

  He allowed Sadie to climb off first, then he followed, pulling off his helmet.

  “My dad’s,” he told her as she pulled off her helmet and smoothed her hair. “But not for long.”

  * * *

  Aiden unlocked the back door and Sadie slipped off her heels and followed him in. The kitchen was dark save for a light on the range above the stove, the only sound a ticking clock counting away the seconds.

  Seconds until she’d be in Aiden’s arms again. A shiver of hair stood on her nape.

  “My room’s through the den,” Aiden told her, his voice hushed. “Bathroom, too. Give me a minute.” He kissed her forehead and Sadie clutched her shoes to her chest.

  Give him a minute to what? Find his dad and tell him he’d brought a girl home? There was a thought. She cringed, feeling sixteen and unsure of herself all over again.

  Sadie scurried into the den, decorated in deep, forest-green carpeting and burgundy and cream plaid wallpaper. A rolltop desk and bar stood on one side of the room, a large leather wraparound couch and fireplace on the other. It was a guy’s space, furnished by Aiden’s dad, she guessed, given the deer head mounted on the wall. Ew. She made a face and entered the adjoining room, closing the door behind her with a quiet click.

  This looked more like Aiden’s space. The furniture was more feminine than it should be—picked out by his late mother, she assumed—but Sadie could tell Aiden spent his time here. His shoes were lined against the wall, workout clothes tossed over the back of the desk chair, and a sleek black laptop rested next to a lamp near his bed.

  His bed.

  Never before had an unmade bed—with rumpled black bedding—looked so inviting. If Aiden could make her eyes roll back into her head in the corner of a banquet room, what could he do with all this space and a closed door?

  Tonight she’d find out. She dropped her high heels on the floor and padded over the neutral gray carpet to the attached bathroom to freshen up. After she used the facilities, washed her hands, and repaired her helmet-head with damp fingers, Sadie stepped back into his room.

  Aiden was sitting on his bed, but stood when he saw her, rubbing his palms down his suit pants in a nervous gesture. “Hey.”

  “Hey.”

  “I have everything ready.” He pointed to a rolled sleeping bag and duffel on the floor.

  Sadie approached the pile of gear as warily as she would a cobra in a basket. Camping? Please, not camping. Sadie’s idea of camping was a cheap motel.

  Aiden lowered his eyebrows as he studied her. “What’s wrong?”

  “This makes it look like we’re braving the elements.” She gave him a pleading smile. “Can’t we just stay in here?”

  He shook his head, stalking toward her with dark intent in his eyes. He glanced at the ceiling. “My dad’s room is over this one,” he said, keeping his voice low. “And I do not want your screaming to wake him up.”

  Sadie’s eyes went wide. “Screaming?”

  Aiden leaned forward and kissed her, a rough, possessive kiss as he slid his hands beneath her dress. His palms cupped her bottom and he lifted her, settling her onto his lap as he sat on the edge of the bed. She clutched his neck as she straddled his legs. “You don’t strike me as a girl who can keep it down during sex,” he whispered, his hot breath in her ear sending trails of goose bumps down her arms.


  He moved his lips to hers.

  “I can control myself,” she breathed against his mouth.

  He kissed her again, deeper, with tongue.

  “I mean, I think I can,” she breathed when he pulled away.

  “Think so, huh?” Challenge flared in Aiden’s eyes. There was nothing she liked seeing more. He reached behind her and unzipped her dress, sliding her top to her waist. Sadie’s breaths came rapidly as he revealed her breasts. He stared for a few seconds before running his hands over her nipples. They peaked in response.

  “Beautiful,” he murmured, leaning forward and laving her skin. His tongue circled one nipple, leaving it to cool as he moved his head to work on the other.

  Sadie’s head dropped back on her neck. His fingers gently pinched one nipple as he suckled the other. It was too much. It wasn’t enough. She wiggled against him, aware of the high mewling sounds emitting from her throat as he tongued and pulled her. The pulse between her legs grew to a painful throb.

  “Aiden,” she whispered. Or squeaked. She couldn’t quite get her vocal cords to do what she wanted them to.

  He extracted her nipple with a soft pop, then darted his tongue around the bud, biting her ever so softly. She pressed her lips together to keep the cry from pushing out of her throat. Aiden smiled against her skin, knowing he had her, and did it again, this time pinching her other nipple in tandem. She bucked against him and let out a brief whimper she was powerless to hold in.

  He took the sound as encouragement to continue and dove back in, pinching, licking, suckling, and pulling as Sadie clutched on to the back of his head for support. Then she was flying apart, releasing his head to cup her mouth with both hands to keep from wailing Aiden’s name at the top of her lungs.

  She collapsed against his shoulder, one arm holding on to his neck, one palm secured over her mouth. She dropped her hand only when she was sure she wouldn’t yell the word more!

  Aiden swept his hands up her back and held her against him. When she finally had the strength to lift her head, she found him grinning to beat all.