He had no idea what an afghan was, but she was right about the weather. The average winter temps were usually in the sixties. But he liked the idea of snuggling on the couch with her. Stop. He couldn’t think like that.
“Well, you did a great job. Do you need help with the cleanup?”
“No.” Her tone was a little sharp. “I mean, I told you I’d do it.”
“Okay. I just thought that two work quicker than one.”
She busied herself gathering up the paint supplies. “Is everything okay?” he asked.
“Fine,” she said. “I’ll have this done in a bit.”
“Listen,” he said. Moving to stand beside her, he grabbed her hand. “I don’t care about the mess.”
He did, but he wasn’t about to tell her that. He’d hurt her feelings and hadn’t meant to. That was what was important here.
She still didn’t look at him. Not good. “Is this about last night? I’m sorry. I had a little too much to drink and...”
“And what? It was a mistake?” Her head lifted and she glared at him. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her angry like that.
“No. I’d never call it that. Maybe, one of the best nights of my life.”
A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “One of?”
This time he grinned. “Well, if I tell you it was the best, I’m worried I might scare you off.”
“It was good for me, too. And it makes things weird, I get that. But I don’t have regrets. Do you?”
“None.” Except now I want to do it all over again. And again.
“Good. I mean, that’s great.”
And this was beyond awkward.
“So I saw that you were working on your website and it occurred to me that maybe I could help you with that. I know basic code and a little bit about security.”
“You were on my computer?”
He didn’t want to say that technically it was his computer.
“My hand bumped the mouse this morning when I was leaving you a note.”
“Wait. You left me a note?”
Oh. Ohhhh. She thought he’d left without saying anything. This was all starting to make sense.
“I left the note on the desk.”
“I didn’t see it.”
Huh. “Follow me.”
She did. She followed him out the garage door and past the pool. When they made it inside the pool house, he checked where he’d left the note. It wasn’t there. Then he knelt down. It wasn’t under the desk. He moved the ottoman aside and found the piece of paper.
He handed it to her and she smiled as she read it.
“Am I forgiven?”
“Nothing to forgive,” she said. But she held the paper against her chest. She’d thought he’d gone without a word; no wonder she’d been a little sensitive. “Are you serious about helping me with the website? It was supposed to be an easy, do-it-yourself kind of storefront thing, but I couldn’t get it to work.”
He used the edge of the desk to push himself up off the floor, and then he sat down in her office chair. After reading for a bit, he nodded. “It’ll take me a couple of hours, but I should have you up and running tonight.”
“Really?”
“Yep. Computers and mechanical stuff are my thing, kind of like design and furniture are yours.”
“Oh, it’s Friday. You don’t have to do it tonight. I’m sure you have plans. Didn’t you say you were playing cards or something?”
He had, but that had been when he’d been trying to avoid Chelly. He’d already canceled before heading home from work because he was looking forward to spending more time with her.
“Game was called off. Let me change clothes and I’ll order us some pizza. That is, unless you had plans?”
“No, but are you sure? You’ve been working all day, and I’d hate for you to have to sit and do this.”
He didn’t mind. “Not a big deal at all.” Standing, he went to move past her.
She put a hand on his arm. “Matt?”
“Yes?”
“Thanks for leaving a note, and thank you for helping me.”
He couldn’t resist; her mouth was doing that pout that just made her so kissable. His lips were on hers and she sighed softly against him. He was about to deepen the kiss, before he remembered she was covered in paint and he was in uniform.
He lifted his head. “Been thinking about doing that all day.”
“Me, too,” she murmured. “And other things.”
His cock hardened. The woman was insatiable. He loved it. “Other things. Yes, those, as well. But if we’re going to get your website going, we have to hold off on the other things, because once I get you naked, there will be no stopping. Understood?”
She gave him a sexy smile and a salute. “Yes, sir.”
“Nice. I kind of like it when you call me sir.” He kissed her quickly and then left. Otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to resist her.
Incredible how she already had him wrapped around her little finger.
* * *
HE’D LEFT A NOTE.
Damn him. He’d left a note.
All day she’d been mad at herself for being upset that he left without saying goodbye. That maybe it was his way of saying now they could get back to normal. That they’d scratched their itch and they were friends again, working together on a project.
But he’d left a note.
Chelly,
I have to go, but I still can’t stop thinking about you.
–Matt
Here she’d been mean to him in the garage and he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Even now he was trying so hard to keep things light. He was joking and she’d been giving him the cold shoulder.
But his expression wouldn’t have been able to hurt her if she wasn’t so crazy about him. She’d never been so intimate so fast with someone. There had been some great sex in her past, but nothing like the connection she and Matt had.
It was dangerous. Overpowering.
And he wanted to do it all over again.
She was weak. No way would she be able to tell him no. He would respect her wishes if she did, though.
I want him.
Every bit as much as she did last night. Maybe even more now that she knew just how wonderful it could be. As much as she should try to resist, she couldn’t.
What a mess. But maybe this is what she needed. A short-term bit of fun to destress. It had been a tough year, and she deserved a little somethin’-somethin’. There were worse things than being wanted by a superhot Marine.
A lot worse things.
Matt returned in board shorts and a tank and gave her a wave before he settled on the office chair, busying himself with what was on the computer. He was determined to help her.
Yeah, she could definitely do worse.
She was due a tall drink of something sexy.
Make mine a Marine, please.
9
WHEN MATT FINISHED the last line of code, he called out for Chelly. She didn’t answer. He glanced up at the clock on the computer. It was almost eleven. She’d been popping in every hour or so to see if he needed anything. The last time, she’d used her tank to wipe some sweat off her brow, exposing her belly. He’d almost grabbed her and hauled her into his lap, but she’d kept her distance. After fixing him some tea, she’d disappeared again.
“Chelly?” he called out, searching the nearby garage for her.
She wasn’t there, either. Then he heard something scraping against the ceiling.
He headed up to the apartment and paused at the door. She was busy wiping down a table, but it was the rest of the place that made him blink. It was a showstopper. Again, like something he might see in a home and garden magazine.
It no longer looked like a storage room. When he was a kid, he used to hide up here as if it was his sanctuary, building forts and pretending to be a soldier or a knight, or sometimes a pirate. It was a great place for make-believe.
But now it looked like a home.
A beautiful one.
“When did you do all of this?”
She jumped and squeaked and then she fell back on the sofa.
He ran to her. “Are you okay?”
She started laughing. So much so she could barely say, “You frightened me.”
He had to join in. “Sorry, I was worried when I couldn’t find you. This is terrific, but how did you do all of this?”
She shrugged. “One step at a time. We still need to get you a fridge for the kitchen. The one in the main house won’t fit up the stairs. I measured. Besides, it would overwhelm the space. And you’ll need a new stove. That thing is at least thirty years old. And it’s brown. A really ugly brown.”
“You did this for me?” He grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap. “Moving this furniture... There was so much of it. You could have hurt yourself.”
“I’m stronger than I look.”
“I love this. I can’t believe you turned this dusty old room into a home. And you did it for me?” he asked again.
“Yes,” she said, kissing him lightly. “You’ve been so good to me. Giving me a place to live and feeding me the last week. I wanted to show you I was grateful.”
His brows drew together. She didn’t sleep with him because she thought she had to, did she?
“Uh...”
“What?” She gave him a funny look and then her eyebrows popped up. “No, that was... What happened last night, I wanted that. Just as much as you did.”
“Whew,” he said. “I don’t want you to ever feel like I’d take advantage of you, especially like that.”
He felt dumb. He’d nearly accused her of having sex with him for a place to stay.
She started laughing again. “Nope. That was two adults who mutually consented to have sex. Hot. Hot. Sex.” Then she wiggled on top of him, her movements making him grow harder. “Maybe you should show me your gratitude for fixing this place up?” She shifted, fitting him beneath her just right.
“I won’t argue,” he said.
She paused and then continued laughing. “I’m gross and dirty. And we are not doing anything until I take a shower.”
“We could both take one here,” he challenged.
“It’s not quite big enough for two. Hmmm. I have a better idea.” Then she was off him and sprinting for the stairs.
By the time he caught up to her in the backyard, she was at the edge of the pool, taking off her top and bottoms.
All Matt could do was stand there and stare. They had complete privacy and the moon was the only light shining down.
She was gorgeous. From that wild hair falling around her shoulders, to her painted blue toenails. Peaks and valleys—a body a man could spend eternity getting to know.
After pointing at him and saying, “Strip,” she dove into the water.
Matt didn’t need to be told twice. He quickly yanked off his shorts. Making sure the foil packet he’d put in the pocket was conveniently available by the pool steps.
She swam a few laps and then, when she came up for air, he pulled her to him, their naked bodies melding into one another. He craved her kisses and how she gave herself over so freely.
His hands moved over her slick body, needing to feel as much of her as possible. Her arms wrapped around his neck and then her legs around his waist. The softness of her heat rubbing against his cock was almost more than he could take.
She gasped. He loved the way she responded to his touch and the sweet moans she made when she climaxed. Never would he ever get enough of that sound.
“Matt,” she cried, bowing back from him. He kissed her deeply, his hands now caressing her breasts. She moaned again, louder this time.
He had to be inside her. He moved toward the stairs where he’d left the condom, and she clung to him. He sat her on the third step while he tried to put a condom on. But it wasn’t easy with wet hands. She rose out of the water like a sea nymph and claimed the protection from him.
“You’re taking too long,” she said. But before she rolled the condom on him, she slipped his cock into her mouth.
His brain went blank from the sheer pleasure of it. She glanced up at him as she continued to suck him, while stroking the rest of him.
His belly clenched with need; there was no doubt that this nymph held all the power.
“Can’t take much more,” he muttered, and she stopped. Then she found the condom and slid it on.
He sat down on the step and tugged her on top of him. Her back to his front. It was the only way he could think to save her skin from the hard concrete. “Ride me, Chelly.”
She turned and smiled at him and locked her feet behind his knees. She rose and moved smoothly over and then down his erection. And up and down again. And again. And again. They had to fight against the buoyancy of the water, but the angle of her body was perfect for him to reach around and tease her nipples. She increased the tempo.
“That’s right, babe. It feels good. You’re so incredible. I love watching you just like this.”
Her grip on his thighs tightened.
“Oh, Matt, it’s too much. I feel...I feel...make me come now,” she urged. “Please.”
So, so sexy. He teased her, yet at the same time had to hold himself together. He was so close.
“Yes!” she cried out.
“Chelly,” he said, his release coming so hard, so intense, it felt like a charging storm. Never in his life had it been like this for him. Ever.
She slowed, lifted off him and then faced him with her legs crossed behind him.
“That was...wow.”
“Definitely wow.” He could barely speak.
She kissed him thoroughly. This woman was amazing.
Tugging on his ear, she smiled warmly as he looked at her.
“What?”
“I’m hungry.”
He laughed. “I forgot to order the pizza, and you’ve been working really hard all night.”
“I know. So you should feed me,” she said. “Because I’m not even sure I’m going to be able to walk after that.”
He stood up, her legs still wrapped around him. He didn’t care if she ever moved. He walked them up and out of the pool. “My room or yours?”
“Your bed is bigger,” she said.
“Ah, brilliant and beautiful.”
“Yes, sir.” She nuzzled his ear. He was definitely beginning to like that. As he carried her inside, she said, “You’re strong. Like superhero kind of strong.”
“Ha. Wait until you see the rest of my superpowers,” he joked.
“There’s more? I’d say what we’ve already done was pretty super. I’m not sure I can take much more.”
He shook his head. “Oh, there’s so much more.” He climbed the stairs with her still in his arms; it wasn’t like she weighed much. In the bathroom, he dried her off. “First we get you warm, and then I feed you. You’re going to need your strength for what I have planned.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Oh, really?”
“Yep.” He pointed her toward his bed. She looked very good there, he thought as he pulled the covers up to her chin. “Rest for a bit. I’ll be back in a minute with some food.”
“Hey, Matt.”
“Yeah?”
“Those comic book guys have nothing on you,” she yawned. “You’re out of this world.”
“Right back at you, babe. Get some rest. Like I said, you’re going to need it.”
“Promises, promises,” she said. Yawning again.
H
e laughed. She’d probably be asleep before he made it to the stairs.
It was midnight, so too late for a pizza run. He sliced up some cheeses and found the grapes she liked. After putting everything on a plate, he grabbed a couple of bottles of water.
He still hadn’t shown her the website. He hoped she’d like what he’d done.
When he made it back to the bedroom, she was sound asleep on his side of the bed. He didn’t even care.
He was going to need superpowers. Ones that could help make this free-spirited woman understand they belonged together.
Yep. He had it bad.
He was thinking about forever with the one woman who had absolutely no desire for that sort of thing.
A tightrope. That was what he’d be walking. But maybe he could show her how right they were for each other. Make her think all of this was her idea. That putting down roots wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
Controlling? Wouldn’t that make him just like his father? He felt like he’d been keeping that at bay where she was concerned. Maybe not...
She did want to start a business, and this was as good a place as any to do that.
There was time, he reminded himself. She had to finish the house, which would take...a month? And then there was the river house. He hadn’t lied about loving her sketches. She really did get him in a way that most people never did.
Maybe she could grow to care for him. Maybe if they did more things together, she’d want to stay.
He hoped so.
He sounded like some lovesick jerk.
But he couldn’t help it.
Because he was having a really tough time thinking about a future without her in it. How quickly she’d become such a big part of him—of his life. He looked forward to coming home from work now, just so he could see her.
And she was so kind. She’d been right about his not wanting to live with the mess during the renovations. He would have been absolutely miserable. She’d gone to the trouble of setting up the apartment for him. That wasn’t strictly about her doing a good job. That showed she cared.
Make Mine a Marine Page 8
