It was taking some time, but he was beginning to notice her pattern. She called him Robert the vast majority of the time. Hearing his name roll off her lips made his day complete. But when she called him Robbie, it was a clue to look deeper. Do more than scratch the surface. A list of adjectives fired up in his teacher brain. Vulnerable, unguarded, exposed.
Kristal was making it clear that she was not interested in anything but them tonight. A tinge of insecurity in her voice also let him know that despite the window dressing, she was nervous. Her outfit might say, “I want it now,” but she was uncomfortable taking the lead.
He led with humor to help put them both at ease.
“Mom insisted I deliver this particular bag of overpriced crap. Tonight,” he explained with dry emphasis. “I believe this is part of her campaign to assure us that we aren’t committing a horrible sin. And to get on with it.”
The last part made the sexy as fuck vision in red bark with a rude laugh.
“I can hear the foot tapping in my sleep. She is harboring a fantasy that combines white lace with a baby carriage. Getting on with it, as you say, is simply a more polite way of saying what she really means.”
They stared at each other. He was up to his dick in dirty thoughts and wished he could read her mind. She furiously nibbled away at the sexy red lipstick.
Was he overusing the word sexy? Tough shit if he was. The sexy vibe she put off made it difficult to think straight.
He stashed the party supplies in a corner and turned up the charm meter as he faced her—this time showing off the bag of surprise DVDs. True to form, she launched at him to get a look, but he yanked the tantalizing bag of goodies out of her reach and put the bag near the sofa.
“No peeking!” Feeling like a manly man for laying down the law, he was in no way prepared for Kristal to clutch his arm and press it against her breasts. She fed her fingers into his and held tight. Then she did a full body lean that made their clutched hands press into her belly. The flirty move got all of his attention.
“Do you smell it?” she purred.
The suggestive words shot straight to his libido and exploded. The pulse in his neck throbbed; was that normal?
When he had no response, her sexy, red lips made the perfect pout, and he couldn’t help but imagine the color on his dick, left there by her kisses.
“I’m conflicted,” he told her with a light, playful growl. Her eyes swung to his. “How do I answer that question? Do you want me to comment about your cooking, or were you implying a different smell? Something … intimate.”
She flushed the most charming shade of beet red. “Okay. Let’s try something less complicated. Do you like my shoes?”
She stepped back and danced in a circle to show off the killer heels. Nothing that high was made for walking. Nope. Those babies were all for show. It was a fierce turn-on to know she dressed up for him.
“Darlin’,” he drawled. “I’ll be dreaming about those shoes tonight.” He left out the part where his dick would be in his hand.
“And, and look,” she squealed with delight. “I’m wearing the bracelet you gave me.”
“What about me?” he asked with his arms spread wide. “You said suit and tie. I even listened to the Justin Timberlake song while I got dressed. How’d I do?”
He gave a slow Timberlake-worthy turn and wagged his brows for amusing effect. The slow clap she gave while nibbling her lip told him he made the right choice.
Referencing the song, she murmured huskily, “Are you going to show me a few things?”
He wondered how far she was willing to go after throwing down one flirty challenge after another.
Sometimes, bold honesty was a smart move, so he went with his gut. “God, I hope so.”
Thank god he saw the pleased twinkle in her eyes before she did a one eighty and changed the dynamic. This would be a long, slow seduction. Time to up his game if he wanted to survive.
“There’s a nice vase in the china cabinet. Make yourself useful and take care of the flowers. They’ll look wonderful on the table in the alcove.”
He took care of the arrangement and kept up his end of the conversation as she raced around the kitchen and pulled their dinner together. She was a lot like Mara and had her mother’s mindset about waste. If he had been making the meal, it would definitely taste good, but his kitchen would be declared a disaster zone, whereas Kristal cleaned and straightened as she went.
The colorful bouquet took center stage in the small alcove and sat on a console table beneath an impressionist painting of a wet day and a city sidewalk populated with umbrellas and people.
She waved him to the table and excitedly presented her culinary efforts. “Salad, no onions, and croutons on the side. Just the way you like.”
“Did you make shepherd’s pie?” he asked in an incredulous voice. They were both rocking surprises tonight. He flipped the script with the entertainment, and she brought her A game with comfort food instead of something more formal. What more evidence did they need about how perfectly they fit together?
“Fuck,” she grunted and ran to the refrigerator. “I forgot the wine.”
Her hostess routine continued when she came back lugging an ice bucket, a bottle of something dark, and an opener.
“You’ll have to do this part. You know how much I suck at getting the cork out in one piece.”
It was a bottle of the rioja wine that they fell in love with at a tasting. They had purchased half a dozen bottles and vowed to only crack them open for special occasions.
As the cork pulled, he caught the expressive notes of oak and blackberry. The mouthwatering scent promised a tasty wine that was elegant and complex. He remembered it being soft on the tongue and full of character.
“Don’t skimp,” Kristal drawled. “There’s another bottle chilling.”
“Are you trying to get me drunk?”
She gave him back his previous answer. “God, I hope so.”
It was all kinds of adorable when she got flustered because he refused to sit until she did. He explained that today’s real men did not expect to be waited on hand and foot. She gave a full-throated laugh and rolled her eyes so dramatically he joined in with a snigger.
“Okay, Mr. Woke. I get that you have feminist cred. Your name has been recorded in the Good Guy Hall of Fame. Now, sit the hell down and let me have my fun.”
He grinned. Big. Snapping to attention, he gave her a leer and lazily drawled, “Yes, ma’am.”
Then he proceeded to make a production out of rearranging the table so his place setting was at the head. In the lord and master spot. Flicking open the button on his suit jacket, he winked and sat.
“Was that really necessary?” she sniped.
“Of course not,” he admitted. “But the expression on your face and the way you clench your butt when I annoy you is all kinds of hot.”
The meal progressed from there with lively conversation, great food, and a lot of wine. When she brought out a strawberry cheesecake, he suggested they save dessert. For later.
Working the kitchen as a team was something they had experience with. Hell, they had made family Thanksgiving the year Harry was born because Mara was too wiped out dealing with an infant.
It took no time at all to clean up and turn on the coffeepot. He liked the ease and comfort. The word domestic came to mind.
“Got your game plan ready, professor?” She was wiping her hands on a dishtowel that had seen better days.
He started making mental plans to redo the kitchen at his house and get all new stuff. Whatever crap she wanted to make the place hers.
“Go ahead and get set up while I run to the bathroom.” She began to walk away but stopped and slowly turned. Then she came straight to him, rested her lower body against his groin, and slid a hand around his neck. The kiss she initiated was exciting as fuck but way too short.
Before pulling away, she nipped his earlobe and growled, “Save my spot.”
As she walke
d away with a provocative hip sway, he watched her glorious ass in the clingy red dress and nearly reached for his cock. They were going to need a serious conversation about limits. The sorts of thoughts running rampant in his imagination were the type that needed to know where the line was.
Until he finally confessed his desire for this woman, the thought of ass play was something that had not held much appeal. Now, he was researching like mad, and good lord, the things he did not know. If Kristal showed any interest at all, they were going to need a serious talk.
Adjusting his slacks for blood flow, he silently apologized to his poor cock. He did not doubt for a moment that this evening would end like the others. With him struggling to manage another ferocious, unfulfilled hard-on.
He raced around as best he could with a Louisville Slugger stuffed in his pants. The bag of DVDs was easily stashed next to a sofa side table. He brought their wine glasses and the second bottle into the living room for quick access. Lowering the lighting was a last-minute decision. When he was satisfied with the setting, he removed his suit jacket, loosened the tie, and rolled back the sleeves of his shirt. Ordinarily, he would kick off his shoes too. It was one of their movie watching traditions. Nevertheless, he held off and decided to ask first.
The first things he noticed when she returned were fresh lipstick and perfume. His throbbing cock was probably predictable as hell. When she bent over to inspect invisible dust on the coffee table, he was treated to an audacious view of her glorious tits. It only made him harder that she was trying to entice him.
Shit. It was working.
“Shoes on or off? Your call, babe.”
She eyed him for a second and then glanced at his feet. Then she looked at her strappy-heeled sandals. Her eyes swung to the sofa, and he wondered what was running through her mind.
“Off. Definitely off.”
He wasted no time dropping to a knee so he could help her. She put her hand on his shoulder for balance and lifted a foot. Encouraging his inner Prince Charming to make it good, Robert smiled as he worked on the straps and gently eased the sexy footwear off. Running his fingers up her calves made Kristal sigh. She gasped when they disappeared beneath the hem of the tight dress.
The second shoe followed, and by the time she was barefoot, they were both shaking and moaning.
Removing his shoes in record time, he hastened to join her on the sofa. It was showtime.
He’d placed the bag of DVDs where she could not get at them unless climbing over him was in the cards.
She pulled her legs up and swung them to the side. Her arm was on the back of the sofa, and she patted the empty cushion. “Have a seat, professor, and show me what you brought.”
Trying on a sexy swagger that begged an unfortunate comparison to the surprises in his bag, he made a clumsy man’s effort and quickly sat his ass down.
She was on him before his butt settled.
“I like this look,” she cooed. Her hand swept his tie from top to bottom. Having her fingers that close to his groin was hugely distracting.
He cleared his throat.
She kept going. “You make a suit and tie look good.”
He swallowed.
Kristal smiled. “On you, the look is hot.”
All of a sudden, he clued in to what was happening. Feeling like a hopeless idiot, Robert sighed at his own stupidity. The sexy she-devil decked out in vixen red was attempting to seduce him. Oh, my god. This is priceless! Not only that, they might have to duel over which of them was actually hot because holy fuckballs, she was on fire.
“I’m channeling my inner Timberlake.”
She instantly giggled and handed him his next line.
“See? That’s why. The sexy giggle. You do it anytime you hear the guy’s name. Just want me some of that.”
The she-devil turned into a purring kitten complete with sharp claws that scraped his chest through his shirt.
“If unleashing a sexy giggle with your name on it is the object, you’re halfway there Mr. Peyton. Now kiss me before all my lipstick is gone.”
He captured her head with a hand on her neck. The skin beneath her mane of tousled blond was warm. She grabbed the middle of his tie and pulled.
The kiss was slow, deep, wet, and delicious.
Another giggle ... this time after they separated. He smiled and raised one brow. “What?”
“Did you remember to slip a handkerchief in your pocket?”
Robert thought the suggestion was silly, but he would be damned before second-guessing this woman. “Yes, I did,” he drawled. “Don’t know why, but here it is.” He reached for the square of fabric in his pocket and handed it over.
She shook it out and slyly remarked, “I like a man who follows orders.”
The bark of laughter was a reflex. So was his take-no-shit tone. He had been using it on her for twenty years. “Ms. Devin, you are sorely misguided if you think I’m surrendering my pants.”
She looked perplexed. “Excuse me?”
He grinned and puffed out his chest. “I wear the pants. Understand?”
Her shocked expression flashed with amusement. “Oh my,” she murmured. “An alpha in disguise! Why, Robert. You’re so perfectly bad, I love it! Do not ever use that tone with anyone else, and we will be fine. Now, come here,” she said in a sexy drawl. “Lean in and let me wipe your mouth. Seduction Red looks good on me, but not on you.”
He chuckled while she carefully wiped her lipstick off his mouth. The red makeup against the white square struck an erotic note that reverberated throughout his body. From now on, he would be carrying a handkerchief.
When she seemed satisfied with her handiwork, she folded the square neatly, and without missing a beat, she slid it into his pants pocket. He nearly jumped out of his skin.
“So what are we watching? Texas Chainsaw, director’s cut? Scream?”
Ah. She underestimated him. Perfect.
“Excuse me, you. I brought my A game. Can’t exactly impress my gorgeous date with the same old crap.”
She sat up straight, laughed, and clapped her hands. “We’ve entered the no crap zone? Yay!”
Mara was a fangirling groupie for Cary Grant. She adored the suave, comedic actor. Kristal grew up on Cary Grant and found a modern equivalent in George Clooney. Falling back on either actor’s movies was too easy. He gave it a lot of thought and remembered that his dad was a big fan of old westerns. One time, when they were watching some of John Wayne’s western films, his dad asked him if he had ever seen any of the Duke’s lighter stuff.
When it came to alpha behavior, old-school actors such as John Wayne led the pack. Add in comedy along with the charm of the Duke at work and movie magic was made.
He rummaged in his bag and considered each of the movies. In the end, it was a toss-up between two.
Standing, he went to the DVD player and fired it up. “Our matinee tonight features Academy Award winner John Wayne in Hatari! A delightful 1962 action rom-com about a ragtag group of professional game catchers that was filmed on location in Tanganyika, now called Tanzania.”
“Oohh,” Kristal murmured. “I don’t think I know this one.”
The next two hours and thirty-seven minutes were the longest of his life.
For two long hours, Kristal had done everything except reach into his pants, and he had been trying to figure out how to get rid of her dress. He was dying to know what was underneath. When the credits rolled, the effects of a second bottle of wine and way too much petting during the movie created a jet-fueled explosion of crazy lust.
She pushed him to his back and wiggled around on top until he stopped her with both of his hands gripping her ass. Her hair fell around their faces when she started kissing him as if her survival depended on it.
Their lengthy make-out sessions gave him an erotic cheat sheet. He knew her responses well and let her take the lead. For now. It wouldn’t be long before she handed control back to him.
His arms encircled her tightly with on
e hand anchored in the small of her back. Her kisses turned urgent and sent spirals of intensifying pleasure into every corner of his body. Blood pounded in his brain. Love for her leaped from his heart. Everything about this felt right.
Knowing the voracious kissing was about satisfying her internal cavewoman gave Robert a serious hard-on. He found the tab of her dress’s zipper and started pulling. She squirmed, and the hand on the small of her back mapped the telltale undulation. When the zipper was down, he separated the sides of her dress and caressed her warm, bare skin with his fingertips. She shivered, and he smiled into her kiss.
Robert did not wait for her to cede control. He took it for himself with a lusty grunt. “Stand and take the dress off.”
The longing in her gaze when she stood and looked at him turned his emotions inside out. He made no bones about grabbing his junk and then threw down with a challenge.
“Show me what your bad girl chose to wear.”
Her eyes twinkled, and she started to push the red dress off her shoulders. Most of her confidence took a hike and she swayed when he went a step further. Her reaction made him hard as marble.
“Truth time, love. Did you get wet thinking about me seeing you in your lingerie?”
Her lowered eyes and lip biting made him even hornier, if that was possible. Until this moment, he had barely given much thought to what went on in a woman’s mind when she was getting ready to be with a man. Imagining Kristal’s thought process quickly turned into an X-rated movie.
There was not a shy bone in her body—which he was aware of—so the delightfully bashful and almost modest way she responded was something he found disarming. And amazingly exciting.
“You don’t know how bad I wish I could read your mind,” he told her with a snicker.
Maybe his amusement broke the tension or maybe she was playing him—he was good with both options. Her eyes lifted to his, and he had no trouble interpreting the gaze of the flirty vixen who thought she would take a stab at staring him down. After a few seconds, she threw in the towel with a mocking snort and zeroed in on the spectacle of his weighty hard-on pressing insistently against the front of his pants.
Forbidden: A Sinful Shares Romance Page 8
