Love to Hate You: a Hope Valley novel

by Prince, Jessica

  Turning back to him, my lips quirked up in a puzzled smile. “I’m sorry?”

  “Your drink,” he stated, his grin curving even higher. “I said I bet it would only take three tries to guess what you’re gonna order.”

  What was happening? “You want to bet that you can get my drink order right?”

  “Yep. It’s kind of a talent of mine.”

  I felt my own smile grow as well as I asked, “All right. Say I take this bet. What do you get if you win?”

  He looked up thoughtfully. “How about your name?”

  “Seems like a lot of trouble to go through for a name when you could just ask.” Was I flirting? Holy shit! I was totally flirting!

  Turning on his stool to face me full on, he rested an elbow on the bar top and leaned just the slightest bit closer, “Well, there’s also the added perk that I’ll get it right and you’ll be so impressed you won’t tell me to leave you the hell alone.”

  I narrowed my eyelids and hummed contemplatively. Just then, the bartender stopped in front of me and asked, “What can I get you?”

  I arched my brow at the sexy stranger. “I don’t know, what do you think?”

  He lowered his brows and gave me an intense top-to-toe, like he was focusing hard to come up with an answer. “Dirty martini?” I scrunched my face up in disgust. “All right, maybe not,” he said with a warm chuckle. “How about . . . red wine—no, scratch that. Make it white wine.”

  “Nope,” I said on a giggle. “Last chance.”

  “I got it,” he exclaimed, giving the bar a victorious slap. “Cosmo.”

  “Wow,” I dragged out, making my eyes go big.

  “That’s it, isn’t it? I got it.”

  I shook my head. “No. I’m actually surprised by just how bad you are at this game.” Turning back to the bartender, I said, “American IPA. Whatever you’ve got on tap is fine. Thanks.”

  The bartender moved down to pour me a beer, and I turned to the stranger sitting beside me.

  “Christ. That loss hurts,” he grunted, fighting back a grin. “Never would’ve thought a woman as gorgeous as you would order a beer.”

  The divorce settlement as well as my cut from the sale of the house had left me with a lot more money than I’d been expecting, so one of the first things I’d done—kind of as a fuck you to Alex—was go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. It was amazing how clothes that actually fit could change a woman’s battered outlook on her figure.

  When I’d decided on this outing, I hadn’t put much effort into my look, choosing a pair of skinny jeans that hugged me in a good way, and that I could actually button up, and an off-the-shoulder sweater. I’d slid on a pair of zip-up, high-heeled ankle boots and headed out the door with no makeup and hair hanging loose and wild. Hearing him call me gorgeous when I hadn’t really taken any care with my appearance was a major confidence boost—something I hadn’t had in a really long time.

  I picked up my beer as soon as it was placed in front of me, bringing it to my lips. “I’m Hayden, by the way,” I told him before taking a drink.

  He hit me with the full impact of a megawatt smile that made the space between my legs pulse and quiver. “Micah. Nice to meet you.”

  “You too. And that stool’s all yours as long as you want it.”

  * * *

  Sometime into my second beer, Micah had suggested we move away from the bar and grab a table, something I was more than happy to do. Instead of sitting across from me, he’d taken the chair right beside mine, scooting it even closer so our knees brushed together with even a slight movement.

  A couple hours later I was working my way through beer number four. My cheeks were hot, and not just from the alcohol. My head felt nice and floaty and there was a really pleasant warmth blooming beneath my skin.

  At some point during our chatting, Micah had positioned himself so one of his arms was resting on the table beside mine, and every now and then he’d slowly drag his fingers across the back of my hand as he spoke, the touch barely there, as though he didn’t even realize he was doing it. If he wasn’t doing that, he was reaching out to brush my hair away from my face. Sometimes he’d tuck a lock behind my ear, dragging the pads of his fingers along the column of my neck gently before pulling back. Other times he’d simply reach out to caress the strands.

  “Fuckin’ gorgeous hair, sweetheart,” he’d rumbled at one point. “And so damn soft.”

  I’d nearly melted into a puddle right there in my seat.

  As it was, those small touches had me riled up in a way I hadn’t experienced in a very long time. I’d been in a constant state of arousal for a while now. My nipples were so tight they ached and my panties got wetter every time he laughed or smiled at me. Hell, just the scent of his aftershave, something clean and musky, was making me lightheaded.

  “So tell me something about yourself,” he insisted.

  “There’s really not much to tell. I’m just a normal, boring chick,” I answered evasively, as I’d been doing every time he asked me about myself. I was in this bar in the first place because I needed an escape from the shitstorm that had become my life. I’d been in search of a reprieve from the dark, and I’d gotten just that in a very big and unexpected way with a sexy stranger. No way in hell was I putting a damper on any of that by talking about my ex-asshole.

  “Somehow I doubt that very much, Red. You gotta give me something.”

  I played off the fact that nickname sent a pleasurable tingle up my spine and arched a single brow as I sipped my beer. “Red?”

  He grabbed another piece of my hair and gave it a playful tug. “Seems fitting. Now answer one question for me. You live around here?”

  “No.” The answer fell off my tongue without any thought. It wasn’t technically a lie. Ivy and I would be moving in a matter of days, and it wasn’t like I was ever going to see this guy again. Evasion was the name of the game. “Just here for a few days for . . . work.” I lifted my beer and gulped. “You?”

  “Grew up here but moved away after college. Just came back for the weekend ’cause my little sis is having a baby and the devil woman decided the shower was gonna be co-ed.”

  “Ah, gotcha. So, family obligation brought you back.”

  “Partly. Mostly it was the threat of death from my old man if I made my sister cry by not showing up.”

  My head fell back on a long laugh. When my hilarity tapered off, I caught Micah staring at me, his green eyes flashing with heat that made my heart beat faster. I cleared my throat and teased, “So, if you’re supposed to be here for a baby shower, what are you doing in a bar?”

  “Met up with some old buddies for a drink. We were just finishing up when I saw you walk in.” He leaned closer, lowering his voice as his fingers took another trip along the back of my hand. “Decided the smartest thing I could do was stick around after that.”

  I was suddenly feeling lightheaded in a way that had nothing to do with the beer. The green of his eyes flashed again and his nostrils flared as he watched my lips part and my tongue peek out to swipe across the bottom one.

  I’d never in my life been in a situation where I craved a man I didn’t know to the point it made me squirm. I wanted Micah in a way I hadn’t experienced in way too damn long. I’d never pictured myself as the kind of woman who could pull off a one-night stand, but the thought of missing out on this chance left a sour taste in my mouth, and the more time we spent together the more I turned that idea over in my head until it seemed like the most brilliant idea ever.

  It wasn’t until my body’s unexpected reaction to him that I realized I hadn’t had sex in nearly a year. Once that little discovery pushed itself to the forefront of my mind, it was like a fire had been lit in my blood. Having sex with Micah was all I could think about.

  I felt like I was someone else as I leaned forward and placed my palm on his thick, solid thigh, and I hardly recognized the throaty voice that came from my mouth as I said, “I have a room a few blocks away if you want t
o come back with me.”

  I didn’t get that flash again, but that bright, vibrant green suddenly turned dark as he rasped, “Fuck yeah, Red. Let’s get out of here.”

  Chapter Two

  Hayden

  What the hell was I doing?

  You’re having fun, and hopefully getting an orgasm at the same time, the voice inside my head declared. I imagined her as the devil on one shoulder and waited for the angel that was supposed to be on the other to speak up, but apparently, she’d taken a vacation.

  I could feel Micah right behind me, the heat of his big, strong body pressing against my back as I swiped my keycard over the scanner. He reached around me the instant the lock beeped and the light turned green, twisting the handle and throwing the door to my hotel room open.

  Nerves fluttered in my belly like leaves caught in a harsh wind as he used his weight to guide me into the room and closed the door behind us. At the sound of the lock clicking firmly into place I experienced a brief second of I’m not sure I can do this, but that fear faded as soon as he brushed my hair aside and started trailing his lips up and down my neck. My nipples tightened and my breasts grew heavy. My head fell back against his shoulder on a sigh while my lips parted to let out a low moan.

  Every inch of my body felt like an exposed nerve as he snaked an arm around the front of me.

  “Christ, you smell good,” he rumbled against my skin, sucking on the cord of my neck as he slipped his fingers into the loose neckline of my sweater and cupped my breast in his large hand. “Feel really fuckin’ good too.”

  God, so did he. “Micah,” I said on a throaty whisper, twisting my neck so I could gain access to his lips. He didn’t make me wait. He fused his mouth to mine as soon as it was within reach, kissing me like he’d been starved for it. His tongue thrust in, stroking against mine as he spun me around and dug his fingers into my hair, gripping it and bending my head so he could get better access.

  The kiss went from sizzling to downright electric in a blink. Lifting up on my toes, I fed deeper, tasting every inch of his mouth, getting off on the hoppy, tangy flavor left behind from the beer he’d been drinking.

  I was so consumed with his taste, with the way he was running his hands over me like he couldn’t feel or explore enough, that I hadn’t realized he’d moved us until my back slammed into the wall.

  For some strange reason, the impact made me burn even hotter. I moaned into his mouth and wound my arms around his neck, scratching my nails along his scalp as the kiss turned molten.

  One of his arms came around me, his hand slipping down to palm my ass and give it a harsh squeeze that nearly bordered on painful. It was so strange, but instead of being turned off at the near-brutality of the touch, it sent fire blazing though my veins. I craved more.

  My mouth disengaged from his and my head dropped back on a groan at the feel of his fingers digging into my flesh through my jeans.

  “You like that?” he asked, before pulling the lobe of my ear between his teeth and nipping.

  “God, yes,” I answered as my body shuddered.

  “You like it a little rough, Red?”

  I never had before, or at least I didn’t think I had. But for some reason, the thought of Micah being a little rough with me made my clit tingle.

  “Yeah,” I sighed before going back in, drawing his bottom lip into my mouth and giving it a little bite.

  I swallowed his growl hungrily as he fisted my hair tighter, forcing my head back. His tongue flicked across my pulse, and there was no holding back my needy whimper.

  When he pulled away his pupils were blown, his eyes looked nearly black with desire. “Fuck me,” he rasped. “You wet for me, baby?”

  Fighting his grip on my hair and growing wetter at the slight sting in my scalp, I leaned into him and dragged my tongue across the seam of his lips, feeling like a completely different woman as I replied in a husky whisper, “Why don’t you find out?”

  He didn’t have to be told twice. His hand at my ass moved fast as lightning, unbuttoning my jeans and shoving past the waistband. His fingers dove past my panties, pushing straight between my thighs to graze the most sensitive part of me. He let out a long groan as I sucked in a gasp at the feel of him begin to toy with me.

  “Jesus, you’re soaked. So slick.” He hummed appreciatively. His middle finger found my clit and pressed down. “You need more?”

  “Yes,” I hissed, circling my hips to get just that. More. “Please, Mi—” My words cut off on a sharp inhale when he drove two fingers deep inside me. “Oh, God,” I panted, rocking harder against his hand. “Yeah, Micah. Just like that.”

  A cry of protest spilled past my lips when he pulled his hand away and took a step back, but before I could voice my displeasure, he reached behind his head and grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling it off to reveal the slab of chiseled marble that made up his phenomenal chest and stomach.

  “Holy shit,” I murmured on an exhale, all the air expelling from my lungs as I reached forward and dragged my nails down his sculpted pecs and defined abs. “You’re incredible.”

  A low, rolling sound, like a combination of a purr and thunder, vibrated from his chest at my touch. I was so lost in my exploration of his physique that I was taken by surprise when he reached for the hem of my sweater and whipped it over my head. That sound came from him once again, and after brushing the hair from my eyes, I saw him staring at me like I was an ice cream cone on the hottest day ever recorded. I was suddenly glad I’d thrown out all my old underwear after the divorce and went on a spree, buying all new frilly, sexy bras and panties. As of that very moment, I considered it the best money I’d ever spent.

  “Jesus, fuck,” he grated. “Your body’s a goddamn work of art.”

  He was back on me in a heartbeat, popping the clasp on my bra and tossing it across the room. He palmed my heavy breasts, thumbing my painfully stiff nipples before bending down so he could suck the aching peak into his mouth . . . hard. The sting quickly gave way to pleasure that soaked my panties through. It had never happened before, but if he kept going, there was a very good chance I could come just from this.

  “God, Micah,” I panted, grabbing his hair and holding him close as he switched to the other breast. I rocked my hips against him, feeling the outline of his erection behind his jeans. It was hard as steel, bigger than anything I’d felt before, and I wanted it more than I wanted donuts to contain no calories. “Need more.”

  He shuffled me away from the wall toward the bed. A whoosh of air left my lungs when he pushed me back onto the mattress and made quick work of my boots and jeans, leaving me completely naked.

  I had a fleeting moment of panic at the thought of this man, with his perfect body and flawless, masculine face, seeing my less than perfect body, but before self-doubt could begin eating away at me and ruin the moment, he rasped out a string of curses. “Jesus,” he grunted, almost as if he was speaking to himself. “Goddamn perfection.”

  What the what!

  “Micah,” I gritted, the desperation to get off making my whole body so tight I thought I might shatter. “Clothes. Off.”

  He shot me a smirk that was downright decadent in all its cockiness, making him so damn hot I had to clench my thighs in search of relief.

  The clink of his belt being undone filled the room, making my breathing accelerate. I pushed up on my elbows, my gaze riveted as he unzipped his fly and started pushing his jeans and boxer briefs down his thick thighs. Saliva pooled in my mouth the instant he revealed his long, thick, painfully hard cock.

  I didn’t shy away from giving blowjobs, but they weren’t exactly my favorite thing. However, as I stared at Micah’s solid erection, I wanted my mouth on this man more than my next breath. It was pointed right at me, the purple head leaking with arousal.

  Without thought, I sat up and reached for his straining length. Fisting the base, I bent my neck and licked the tip, his taste exploding on my tongue.

  “Uhn!” he grunted, fis
ting my hair to stop me before I could suck him into my mouth. “Fuckin’ hell, Red. I’d love to have your mouth on me, but I’m already feeling crazy. Need to fuck you. Now,” he finished on a growl.

  “Hurry,” I whimpered.

  At my command, he bent at the waist, reaching into the pocket of his discarded jeans for his wallet. He pulled out a condom and tossed the leather billfold to the floor before ripping it open with his teeth and sliding it down his shaft.

  “You want it rough?” he grated, stroking himself in a tight fist.

  “Yes,” I breathed, licking my lips as I watched him jack himself. “God yes.”

  He moved so fast the room blurred before my eyes, grabbing hold of my hips and flipping me to my stomach like I weighed next to nothing. Before I could catch my breath, he jerked me up to my knees and gave my ass a slap that made me yelp.

  I shot up on my hands, looking back over my shoulder in shock as the burn on my skin slowly began to fade into something way better. Did I . . . like that?

  As if reading me better than I could read myself, he did it again, striking me on my other cheek. “Damn,” he sighed, almost reverently. “Your ass has been driving me crazy all night but seein’ it red with my handprints . . .” he trailed off, letting out another rumbly purr. “Gonna take everything I have not to come as soon as I feel you wrapped around me.”

  His dirty talk was making me come out of my skin. “Micah, please,” I rasped. “Fuck me.”

  He didn’t need to be asked twice. Grabbing my hips in a viselike grip, he lined himself up with my entrance and drove in to the hilt with one hard thrust. I cried out at the sensation of being stretched so full at the same time he grated out a string of curses.

  “So tight,” he hissed, pulling out slowly and powering back inside. “Jesus, like a glove.”

  It had been a really long time, but I wasn’t about to tell him that. Not that I could form words just then—I was already dangerously close to falling over the edge. “Oh, yes,” I cried, throwing my hair back as he started fucking me at a relentless pace.