by Coleen Kwan
He didn’t like it when she harped on about her age. So what if she was twenty-nine? That wasn’t old. In fact, she was the best-looking woman he’d ever laid eyes on.
Tonight she’d dressed up in black skinny jeans and a silky sea-green top with a scooped neckline that skimmed over the tops of her breasts. She’d put on mascara and lipstick, and her rich honey-blonde hair was loose and thick on her shoulders. All evening he couldn’t stop looking at her—her eyes, her lips, her breasts. Yeah, now that he was free to fantasize about her, it was a struggle not to check out her breasts every second minute, a battle not to speculate how they would feel cupped snugly in his hands…
“People start over again all the time,” he said.
“Yeah. I guess I’m still adjusting to all this.” She gestured around the bar. “Being single,” she explained.
“Oh.” He wiped condensation from his glass. “I doubt you’ll have any problems in that department. You’re very…attractive.”
Hell, why had he hesitated? Because every adjective that came to mind—sexy, hot, beautiful—seemed inappropriate. But now it sounded like he was damning her with faint praise.
Her cheeks turned pink. “Derek, I wasn’t fishing for a compliment.”
“I didn’t think you were. I was only stating the truth.”
“I’m not looking for a man.”
“Maybe not, but you ought to know men are still going to hit on you.” Now that he’d started blurting out the truth, he couldn’t stop.
She gave a stifled laugh. “Okay.”
A strand of hair clung to her cheek, and he had to stop himself from sliding his fingers around the curve of her face. Heat rolled in his veins, sent a rush of blood to his head. He’d had a crush on her since he was fourteen, and finally he could do something about it. This was his chance, here in this anonymous bar, with the alcohol smoothing out the edges, and Hannah flirting with him for the first time ever.
“In case you didn’t know, I’m hitting on you right now.”
She sat bolt upright like a startled cat, but the emotion flashing across her face told him she wasn’t completely shocked. She was aware of the undercurrent of attraction tugging between them, though she might have tried to ignore it.
“I-I…” she stuttered before she grabbed her glass and downed it in one long gulp. “I wasn’t expecting that!”
“Are you mad?”
“Of course not. How could I be mad at you?” Flipping her hair, she slanted him a sideways glance. “In fact, I admit I’m kinda flattered.”
The heat in that glance set his blood humming again. “Just kinda?”
She licked her lips. “Okay, more than just kinda.” Suppressed excitement vibrated in her voice.
The sight of her tongue wetting her lips had Derek choking for air. For a moment he thought of Caleb and felt guilty. He wasn’t the squeaky clean boy scout Caleb wanted for his sister. On the other hand, Hannah knew what he was. He wasn’t deceiving her, like her ex had.
He reached out and placed his hand over hers. “I’m relieved. I was afraid you’d shoot me down in flames.”
“I doubt many women would shoot you down.”
Chuckling, he stroked his thumb over her fingers. “I think you’re hitting on me, Hannah.”
“No, no. I don’t know the first thing about hitting on anyone.”
“You’re doing just great. Keep it up.”
She hesitated for a few seconds. “But I shouldn’t be doing this.”
“Why not?”
“I’m divorced, I have no money, and I’m starting college soon.”
“So?” He liked the feel of her hand. He imagined it running over his body. Oh, yeah…
“I have enough complications in my life already,” she said.
“I’m not looking to complicate your life.”
“But you are because you’re Caleb’s best friend.”
He sighed, the heat ebbing. Caleb, again. Yes, Caleb wouldn’t like him hitting on his sister, but Caleb didn’t know about his secret crush on Hannah because Derek was good at hiding his emotions. And besides, he’d never really thought about acting on his feelings until he’d bumped into Hannah tonight and sensed that she was attracted to him, too. He’d never have hit on Hannah if she wasn’t putting out these more-than-friendly vibes.
“There’s no law against admiring a best friend’s sister,” he said.
She blushed, and there was pleasure in her expression mixed with confusion. “I’m flattered, really I am.” He read the admiration reflected in her eyes, and felt himself grow hotter in response. “But…”
The word hung between them. Was she still viewing him as a kid? God, how he hated that. He wasn’t the deprived teenager she used to know. He was an adult, a success. A man. Couldn’t she see that?
She pursed her lips, and the sight of her soft, cherry-red mouth pouting at him had his blood thumping.
He might never get this opportunity again. This was his last night in Pine Falls, and Hannah was more gorgeous than ever. And dammit he needed her to see him for the man he now was.
“Why does there have to be a ‘but’?” He tightened his fingers around her hand. “Why can’t we live in the moment without worrying about the buts?”
“Live in the moment?” Hannah said, almost gulping. She couldn’t even breathe properly while Derek was holding her hand. “Is that your motto?”
“It is for tonight.”
“Tonight feels like a hallucination.” She twisted her half-empty mojito glass. “Or maybe it’s the mojitos. I’ve never had a head for liquor.”
Derek plucked the glass from her fingers and set it aside. “Right. No more mojitos for you. I don’t want you saying I took advantage of you.”
“I don’t think any girl would complain if you ‘took advantage.’” Oh my goodness. Why did she keep blurting out these flirty lines at Derek? “Er, I mean, yes, you’re right. I’m sure you don’t need the publicity, especially after Marla.” Shoot. She was making this worse. She hadn’t intended to mention Marla.
Derek’s lips twisted. “You’re not like Marla.”
Her heart fell. “You’re right. I’m no Marla Beaudry.”
“No, I… That’s not what I meant.” He tugged on her hand, and his gaze focused on her. “You’re much hotter than she is.”
The intensity of his blue eyes stole the air from her lungs. “God, Derek, you shouldn’t say things like that.”
“Why not? It’s the truth. I think you’re beautiful and gorgeous and incredibly sexy.”
He stroked his thumb across the tops of her fingers, his clasp warm and sure. She watched, mesmerized, as he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed each finger, slowly and gently. His lips were soft, contrasting with the graze of his jaw. Desire rippled through her.
Derek was so close she could smell his musky cologne and glimpse the faint smattering of chest hair revealed by his open shirt. An image of herself unbuttoning his shirt and sliding a hand over his superbly defined pectorals rose in her mind. Heat flamed in her, three quarters desire and one quarter guilt. She shouldn’t be fooling around with her kid brother’s friend, but she’d never felt such an instant, intimate connection with a man before. Her senses yearned for more…
His eyes held hers as he turned her hand and pressed his mouth to her palm.
She gasped. It felt like he was kissing the most intimate part of her.
“You like that?” he murmured against her palm, eyes fixed on her all the while.
All she could do was nod, mesmerized by his touch, his gaze. Derek looked at her as if there was no one else in the bar, as if she was the only person in the world, the only woman he wanted to be with. And as she basked in the blue glow of his eyes, for the first time in years she felt empowered and sensuous. Felt beautiful and gorgeous and sexy, just like Derek said.
She ached for his mouth on hers, ached to lose herself in him.
“Show me, then.” He brushed his lips across her fingertips.
“Show me how much you like it.”
A new, extraordinary energy streaked through her. It felt like she was having an out-of-body experience. She arched her palm against his lips, then curved her fingers around his chin as she stretched her upper body across the table. The soft scratch of his bristles against her fingers excited her. The sudden flare in his eyes aroused her.
She pressed her lips against his. For a second she was still, relishing his softness, his surprise. Then she intensified the kiss, and Derek returned it, taking his cue from her. His lips were gentle and restrained, though she sensed him holding back. She lost herself in the kiss, tumbling headfirst into a sensuous whirlpool. Kissing Derek was like nothing she’d ever experienced. Her mouth clung to his as tiny gasps of pleasure shuddered from her. His lips moved over hers, asking for more, and she gave it to him, parting her lips to the pressure. The sweep of his hot tongue inside her mouth jolted her.
She pulled free, surprised at the deep surge of lust overwhelming her body.
“Hannah?” Derek’s pupils were fully dilated. A pulse kicked in the base of his throat.
“W-wow.” She sat back, helpless to the sensations pounding through her.
“Wow is right.” He threaded his fingers through hers.
She fanned her hot face with her other hand. “Must be those mojitos.”
“I thought it was my irresistible charm.”
“No, I think I’d rather blame the mojitos.”
He tugged at her hand. “Why don’t we put it to the test again? Somewhere private.”
“Private?” Her heart jumped.
“Yeah, like your place.”
Her poor heart hopped again. “You mean you want to…” Oh God, she couldn’t even say the words.
“You want to, too.” His thumb drew circles on her palm, maddening her with desire. “Take me home with you, Hannah.”
“I…” She bit her lower lip. She couldn’t deny her need. Derek was all man, and if she let him, he could make her feel all woman again. Didn’t she deserve that? Wasn’t that exactly what she needed to kick off her new life? One night of hot, no-strings-attached sex to boost her confidence? “I want to, yes, but I don’t want anyone to find out.”
Especially Caleb. Since she’d moved back, her brother had become so over-protective. He seemed to blame himself that her ex had cheated on her, which made no sense. But he appeared determined she wouldn’t fall for another player, and with Derek landing squarely in that category, she knew Caleb would get all worked up if he found out about her and Derek.
“No one will find out. I’m leaving tomorrow, remember?” Derek reminded her.
Plus, Caleb was out of town. And she was a woman with needs. And a hot, young man who knew his way around in bed was dying to take her home and take care of those needs. If ever she had a chance to throw off the shackles of her cheating ex and feel young and confident and sexy again, then this was it. Tonight only. A one-night chance for a one-night stand to make her feel like a real woman again.
“It can only be one night.” She felt compelled to make sure Derek knew this, even though she was sure he was no stranger to one-night stands.
Holding her hands, he drew her to her feet. “One night is all I need to rock your world.”
Chapter Four
Is this really happening?
The question floated through Hannah’s mind as she found herself being driven home in Derek’s SUV. She could barely believe this luxurious Range Rover was his. Back in high school, he’d driven a rusty old clunker that belched black smoke like a steam train. Now he had leather seats, climate control, and a serious sound system pumping out Red Hot Chili Peppers. In contrast, her beat-up old Ford Fiesta didn’t even have working AC.
Derek swooped the car into the driveway of her parents’ house and switched off the engine. Before she had a chance to speak, he hopped out of the car and went around to open her door for her. Wow, that hadn’t happened to her in…ages. As he walked up to the front door with her, she was hyper-conscious of his presence. He was close enough for her to feel the heat of his body washing over her, and sense his hand hovering near the small of her back. His attentiveness made her feel special and fidgety at the same time.
Her hand wasn’t quite steady as she unlocked the door and led him into the darkened house. Everything felt weirdly out of place, as if she’d stumbled into the wrong house and couldn’t locate the light switch.
As she groped along the wall, Derek came up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. Her breath hitched as all her senses zeroed in on his touch.
“Wait. Don’t turn on the light.” He sounded strange, his voice thick and strained.
He turned her around gently, moving his hands up over her neck to cup her face. She held her breath as he leaned down and kissed her. Sensations overwhelmed her, not just from his mouth—firm and warm and persuasive on hers—but also from his fingers tracing the line of her jaw, his male scent penetrating her nostrils, his sexual virility enveloping her.
For an endless time he kissed her, his caress gentle and exploratory, his lips nibbling on her cheeks and neck, his tongue soft and wet, licking her skin, sliding between her lips to strike a match to the gunpowder lust in her. She whimpered, and as she moaned and clung to him, he kissed her more urgently, backing her up against the wall to pin her there with his body.
In the darkness of the hall, her inhibitions slipped away one by one. Without the light on she could trick herself into forgetting who they were. They were just a man and a woman who’d met in a bar and hit it off. He was the sexiest man she’d ever met, the most fantastic kisser, and, judging by the state of his body, he was hot for her, too. Emboldened, she pulled him closer to her, flitting her tongue against his lips. He opened his mouth, encouraging her to dip into him. He tasted of rum and sugar and lime… Divine. Hot. Wet.
His hands anchored on her waist as he trailed his mouth down her neck until he reached the neckline of her top. His breathing became labored; he lifted his head, and despite the dimness she could see he was flushed.
“Hannah, you’re driving me crazy here,” he muttered.
And what did he think he was doing to her? Her body pulsed with lust, her mouth felt crushed and sugary, and she could barely string two words together after the way he kissed her. She’d never, ever felt like this before—so reckless, so bad. Not with Rick, not with anyone. There was no one like Derek.
She curled her fingers into the lapels of his shirt. “It’s good crazy, isn’t it?” she panted.
“Are you kidding?” He brushed his lips over hers. “It’s fantastic crazy.”
Her heart rate kicked up another notch. “You’re quite the hottie yourself.”
The vee of his chest gleamed, the spiciness of his cologne floated over her, and she couldn’t resist. Bending in, she lapped her tongue against his skin. “Um…” she murmured, drunk with the taste and smell of him. She popped open a shirt button and licked his chest, his hairs softly prickling as her tongue lingered on his moist skin. Where did that line of hair lead to? She wanted to follow it with her tongue all the way down…
Derek’s hand fisted in her hair. He brought her up gently. “Babe.”
Babe. She’d never been a babe before. In his eyes she saw burning lust, shocking desire. For her. This gorgeous, lava-hot man found her desirable and beautiful. She should have felt awkward and self-conscious, kissing a man for the first time since her divorce. But instead he made her feel uninhibited, wonderful.
“Yes?” She tilted her head up to gaze at him.
He traced a finger over her bottom lip. “I’m just letting you know,” he said huskily. “You can still back out now, but if you pop another button off my shirt, I won’t have any choice but to pick you up and carry you to your room.”
“Is that a promise?”
He gave a breathy laugh. “Rolled gold.”
So he was leaving it up to her. If she wanted him to stay the night, she only had to unbutton his shirt.
Did she want him in her bed? For a moment the dizzy desire receded as all-too-familiar doubt invaded her. She’d only ever had sex with Rick. She wasn’t experienced like Derek was. What would he expect from her? What if she was a disappointment?
Her worries were cut short as Derek drew her into his arms and started kissing her again. He threaded his fingers through her hair, murmuring how beautiful she was. She ran her hands down the sides of his torso, relishing the feel of his taut body. His thighs, encased in denim, pushed between her legs. This was why she’d brought Derek home. He could make her feel hot and sexy for one night, and since he’d be gone tomorrow, she wouldn’t have to worry about any post-sex awkwardness. She could have her cake and eat it too. Her scrummy, yummy Derek cake.
“Why are you smiling?” Derek asked.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this with my little brother’s friend.”
He kissed her harder. “You calling me little?”
“No.” Her knees trembled. “You’re not little at all.”
“Hannah,” he groaned. “You’re killing me here.”
Grasping the flaps of his shirt, she pulled them apart. A button popped off his shirt. “Uh-oh,” she murmured. “Look what I’ve done.”
His chest heaved. “You sure you know what you’re doing?”
“Oh, I’m very sure.”
Gripping the edges of his shirt more tightly, she ripped them apart until all the buttons were undone.
Chapter Five
Hannah woke with a start. A pre-dawn grayness filled her room, let in by the open drapes and windows. The air was cool, but she was warm despite not having a stitch on. She glanced at the naked man sleeping next to her, and her heart flipped over. No wonder she hadn’t felt the cold with Derek’s big, masculine body warming her all night. One of his arms lay across her, his broad hand lazily cupping her breast. Her heart rate picked up as memories of last night flooded her. What an unforgettable night with Derek…
