by Ava Miles
“I’m not,” she protested, wanting to rustle her legs.
“I can feel every movement of that gorgeous body of yours. Stop moving.”
“I’m not!”
“Try and relax then.” He took deep breaths, slowly letting them out. His back rose against her breasts as he inhaled. Her nipples clenched again.
“Now, you’re moving.”
The breathing stopped. “This gives a whole new meaning to being in the backseat.”
She snorted. “We’re in a trunk.” She’d never been in the backseat with a man before.
“Stop reminding me. I’m afraid I won’t be able to get out.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m so hard, I’ve likely turned to stone. People will come from all around to buy tickets to see the male with the stone hard-on in the trunk of a Lincoln town car.”
Hearing him talk about his hard-on was beyond arousing. It made her feel powerful, and she felt like her La Perla underwear were glowing under her clothes like armor.
She still had it.
Jill had told her, but until this moment, she hadn’t believed it. She was still attractive. She could still arouse a man to the point of insanity. She smiled in the darkness.
“I’d buy an all-season pass to see you like that,” she responded in a sultry voice.
“You’d better watch that talk. You damn well know where it will lead.”
Armed with her La Perla, she felt emboldened. Unafraid. It was time to take back her womanhood. Tanner was just the man to be with when she did.
“I know where it will lead. I want it.”
Silence yawned. Her heart pounded. The sheen of her armor dimmed.
“You shouldn’t say that to me in a damn trunk when you know I can’t do anything about it.”
“We won’t always be in here.” She basked in his body heat, her fantasies running wild.
“Dammit, Meredith. You have the worst timing. Stop talking! I can’t take it anymore.”
Divorcée Woman wouldn’t care. And neither did she.
She shifted even closer and lifted her head. Feeling her way in the dark, she found his neck and pressed an open kiss to the hot skin there.
He jerked, banging something against the frame of the car. “I’m not kidding, Meredith. You have me so hot, I can barely stand it. Chinese water torture sounds less painful right now. Wait until we get out of the goddamn trunk! Christ, I can’t believe this.”
She inhaled his musky scent before resting her head on the coarse carpeted floor.
When he reached back for her arm and pressed her hand against his chest, she snuggled closer, smiling.
They waited in the darkness for what seemed like hours until Tanner finally released her hand, fumbling around. She heard the trunk pop. The light blinked on, harsh to her eyes. Tanner uncurled like an old man as he got out. When he pulled at the front of his jeans, she fought a smile. She had to be nuts for smiling in a situation like this, but she couldn’t help herself.
He helped her out. Every muscle ached, and her left arm was numb from lying on it. She stretched beside him.
He shut the trunk softly. “Stay here, and keep watch. I’m going to plant the bugs.”
His feet were as quiet as Cary Grant on that roof in To Catch A Thief. He was really much too good at this. She wrapped her arms around her middle, trying not to fidget and jump at every sound.
He returned minutes later and reached for her hand. “Let’s go.”
They walked back to his car, listening for company, scanning for menacing movements. Energy pulsed through her as they stalked through the dim moonlight. Not even the cold air could dim the liquid lust flowing through her like a golden elixir of sunshine.
He opened her door and helped her inside, patting her thigh before closing the door. When he put on his seatbelt, he held out his phone.
“Call Jill and tell her you won’t be coming home tonight. I don’t want her to worry.”
His concern only confirmed her decision.
She met his dark, melting gaze. “All right.”
Tonight, she wasn’t thinking about the article or the future. She was going to enjoy being a woman again. And she would have no regrets.
Finally, Divorcée Woman sighed. Enjoy.
Oh, I will.
Chapter 34
The dog barked when Tanner unlocked the front door, and he ran forward to greet them, his shaggy tail sweeping back and forth like a broom. Tanner rubbed his pointed head.
“Hey, Hugo. Do you need to go out, boy?”
Meredith stepped inside. He hit the lights, and the main floor came to life. The rush of water from the stone falls broke the silence.
“I’ll be right back.” Tanner squeezed her elbow.
She walked into the house, shrugging out of her black outerwear. Jill couldn’t have been more delighted to hear that she wasn’t coming home. She rubbed her hands together, feeling both anxious and excited.
The dog shot past her when Tanner came back inside. “Sorry. I need to put in a pet door.”
He stepped closer, looking masculine and powerful dressed all in black. Framing her face with his hands, those chocolate brown eyes stared straight into hers. She shivered. There was more there than just lust.
“Are you sure? I know we got as hot as teenagers in the trunk, but we’re not teenagers, Meredith.”
Her muscles tensed. “Does that mean you don’t want me now?”
He wrapped an arm around her hips, pulling her close. “How can you even ask that? This is a big step. I don’t want to presume, but I don’t think you’ve been with anyone since your ex. You’re not the kind to take sex lightly.”
She didn’t want to talk about Rick-the-Dick. He was part of the distant past.
“I haven’t been with anyone since, but I’m here because I want to be.”
He pressed his forehead to hers. “This complicates things between us. I don’t want to hurt you, Meredith. You’ve already had so much to deal with.”
Why was he talking like this? A light bulb went on. Because he wasn’t staying in Dare. Until the men in the garage had talked about the semester ending, she hadn’t really thought how little time they had left. And I’ll be leaving too, she reminded herself.
She ignored the tightness in her chest. “We’re here now. Don’t turn me away.”
When he raised her chin, his gaze stripped her soul. “I could never do that. Come with me.”
He stepped back and held out his hand. She took it, reveling in its warmth.
His bedroom was another architectural masterpiece. Skylights peaked out behind rustic caramel-colored beams, and recessed lighting coated the whole room in a warm glow. A stone fireplace sat opposite the bed’s massive rustic log frame. Animal fur rugs covered the hardwood floors.
He kissed her forehead. “I’m going to make a fire. We’ll make love in front of it later.”
Her head turned to follow his movements.
“I want you in my bed first.”
His deep voice made her insides zing. She unzipped her fleece and pulled off her boots, ready to get started. She was not going to feel nervous.
“That’s enough from the Clothing Removal Patrol. I want to do the honors.”
His humor couldn’t produce a laugh in her. She twisted her hands, not knowing what to do.
Twigs sparked and crackled as the fire came to life. He stepped toward her.
“God, you’re beautiful.” He touched a strand of her hair delicately. “I can’t look at a fire now without thinking of this. It’s so much better than the blond.”
She narrowed her eyes. “How did you know I was blond?”
His fingers released the lock. “I saw a picture.” He cleared his throat, looking away. “Let’s get you out of these recon clothes.”
When he tugged her shirt off, his eyes goggled. “Holy shit,” he muttered with reverence—exactly the reaction she’d prayed for. His hands cupped the black-and-white-striped bustier.
“Of all the things to wear for our little breaking and entering…”
Her ice-breaker worked. She chuckled. “I figured that the prison theme would be fitting if we ended up in jail.”
He fingered the black lace edging. “I wouldn’t have let that happen.”
“Good to know.” She moved closer, hoping the connection would silence her mind. Will I please him? Will I be enough?
He touched the swell of her breasts and ran his hands down the front eye clasps of her bustier. “Do you always wear this fancy stuff?”
She wanted to press his hands to her chest. Why did he have to talk so much? “No. It’s part of my new…persona.”
He rubbed the material. Her nipples tightened. Take it off, she wanted to demand.
“Should I ask why?” He nudged her backwards. Finally! The right direction.
“No.”
“Good, I don’t want to be distracted.” He framed her ribs in his big hands. “Christ, you look like one of those underwear models.”
She snorted.
He tipped her chin up again, making her meet his eyes, all dark and smoky with desire. “You calling me a liar?”
She fidgeted. “It’s…an overstatement.”
His face gentled as he caressed her cheek. “He really did a number on you, didn’t he? Meredith, your ex is an idiot and an asshole. He didn’t deserve you. And I’m glad he’s a prick.”
“Why?”
His smile warmed her heart. “Because you’re here with me, and you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Now, let me show you.”
He lifted her mouth to his, and her heart swelled as he touched her. Yes, this was what she’d been waiting for.
He took his time, sipping at her lips until she grabbed his hair, pulled him closer, and opened her mouth. Then the kiss went crazy. His tongue met hers, lighting all the matches inside her. She tugged on his bottom lip and reached for his fleece, tugging it over his head. He helped her, and when she pulled at his shirt, he jerked that over his head too. The sight of his bare chest made her mouth go dry. She ran her fingers down the arrow of hair on his belly and reached for the zipper of his black pants. If he knew the fantasies she’d had…
“Oh, God, not yet.” He set her hands aside. “I lied earlier. I’m not made of stone.”
He cupped her breasts, his thumbs rubbing her nipples. Her head fell back. God, his touch made her body hum. She wanted to belt out an alleluia. She could still feel this way. When he put his mouth to her neck, she moaned from sheer desperation.
“You have no idea how much I want you.” He flicked his tongue against her ear lobe.
“I want you more.” She clutched his waist.
He kissed her again, guiding her deeper into the dark longings of her body. The intensity of their connection shocked her. She knew he could take her places she’d never been. The woman inside broke free of the last chains holding her in check. She undid her pants and kicked them free. When she sat back on the bed, she held out her hand. It was time to take back her womanhood and put the past in the past.
“Make love to me, Tanner.”
He peeled his pants off, stealing her breath away. The man’s body was star quality. He settled between her legs, kissing his way down her neck to her breasts. She fell back, her eyes closing as he took her breast into his mouth through her bustier. Her back arched, her hands tangling in his hair.
“Take it off,” she finally demanded.
He leaned back and tugged. “I’ve gone all thumbs, it seems.”
She was past the point of laughing. His hips pressed into her as she propped herself up, and she could feel his hard length against her. He wasn’t lying. He did want her. Feminine power coursed through her. She threw the bustier aside and pulled his head to her breast. The touch of his mouth had her body tightening, readying for him.
God, it had been so long since she’d felt anything like this. Hot, steamy, wet, and wanted. She couldn’t remember feeling more.
She turned into one long line of electrified sensation. Her body focused on the feel of his warm, wet mouth. When he kissed her belly and tugged off her underwear, she trailed her fingers down to his black briefs. He set her hand aside.
“Not yet,” he murmured darkly, kissing her thigh. “I want you as hot as I am.”
She thought she couldn’t get much hotter, but she was wrong. Before she’d rather dreaded this part, but with him, it was intense. Perfect. His mouth made her legs open wider. His tongue made her hips lift off the bed. He knew exactly where to touch, and how she needed it.
He was a sorcerer who trailed his magic across her body and sent her over the edge. She was panting when she opened her eyes. He kissed her belly.
“I want to be inside you,” he rasped.
Her feelings overwhelmed her. She couldn’t speak, so she raised her leg and rubbed it against his back, that gorgeous line of muscles that made her insides quake. He riffled in the bedside stand and drew out a condom. She reached to help him.
“I’m doing my best to make this last. If you touch me, that’ll be it.”
He pressed slowly inside, drawing up her legs. She was tight. He was gentle. Their groans mixed together as the fire crackled. He didn’t rush. Simply slid forward until he was firmly embedded, letting her adjust to his size.
“God,” he hissed, his breath warm on her face. “Open your eyes, Meredith.”
She struggled to surface, the desire raging so hot she was sure she’d turn to ash. His direct and heated gaze held a thousand promises. He would pleasure her, take care of her, protect her. Her heart shifted in her chest, and she cupped his neck, looking deep into his eyes.
“Take me. Now.”
His jaw clenched. He drew out and thrust back with long, powerful strokes. She met them with equal force. He watched her face, noting her every expression.
She’d never experienced anything so intimate. When she broke his gaze, he called her name, beckoning her back. He moved deeper, keeping those intense chocolate brown eyes fixed on her face, his lower body calling forth more passion from her than she’d ever imagined.
He kept the rhythm steady until he took her mouth in his. The kiss was deeper, wetter, and hotter than any they’d shared before. It snapped his control. He leaned back and thrust harder, faster. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he drove into her, groaning, sweat coating his back. His arms corded with effort as they rested beside her head.
She pressed against him, needing more, wanting him to fill up every space inside her.
“Now,” he cried, shifting his body against her core with a movement so primal her hands clenched his butt to hold him in place.
The pressure was perfect. She surged into him, falling like she was skiing off a mountain. She cried out, locking her legs harder around his waist as everything exploded.
He threw his head back, his whole frame clenching.
Her release raged on and on. Bright spots shone behind her eyes. Her skin burned. Her legs loosened from his waist and fell to the side.
Tanner pressed his face into her neck, his labored breath hot against her skin. Her hands slid off his back. She lay under him stunned, save for the continued pulses where their bodies were joined together. Even passed out against her, he didn’t crush her. He cherished her.
Like she mattered.
She’d never imagined she might have this again.
Her heart warmed, beating hard and fast, melting the blocks of ice she’d erected around it. Old hurt, relief, and a whole mix of messy emotions rushed up from her chest to her throat. She bit her lip at the sudden urge to cry.
He pressed a gentle kiss to her neck, his hot breath melting away more ice.
A horrible sound popped out of her mouth. A tear slid down. Then two. She tried to push her emotions away, but she was as vulnerable to them as she was to him.
A sob erupted. Her chest shook.
He stirred. His hair was mussed and slightly sweaty. “Hey.” He pushed hair back from her
forehead.
Her face flushed with heat. “I’m…sorry. Oh, God. I can’t believe…I’m crying. It’s just… I never thought…”
“What, honey?” His gentle voice undid her.
“I never thought…I’d have this again.”
His throat moved as he swallowed. “Well, welcome back.”
He pulled her close and held her while she cried out all the fear, relief, and hurt she’d built up about not being wanted, not being fulfilled.
When she sniffed and wiped her tears with the sheet, she took his face in her hands. “Thank you, Tanner.”
Those intense eyes didn’t blink. “You’re a brave woman, Meredith Hale. I’m glad I could see how much.”
“I didn’t freak you out by crying?”
His mouth twisted. “First time I got back into a convoy after the guy sitting next to me died when we hit an IED was one of the hardest days of my life. The minute I got back to my room, my knees gave out. I could have cried like a baby. It’s not the same, but I get it.”
She had to bite her lip again when more tears rose up in her eyes—this time from his story. She decided they needed some levity “Breaking and entering and making love again. It’s been a record night.”
He smiled, eyes crinkling. “I’m going to have stick you in a trunk more often. If this gets any better, I’m going to have a heart attack.”
“So you were…” She gestured with her hands.
Tanner tilted his head to the side. “You didn’t think your ex cheating on you meant you weren’t good in bed, did you?”
Her breath froze in her chest.
His mouth twisted. “Did he tell you that was the reason?”
“He said…I wasn’t as responsive or adventurous as he’d like.”
“He’s a prick, remember?”
“Right.” She smiled. “Prick. Asshole. Dickhead.”
“Exactly.” He laid his lips on hers, a mere brush, but resplendent with tenderness. “You were perfect. I’ll be right back.”
He shoved away and stumbled. Her mouth curved. Delight overtook the…whatever that other stuff was. He was walking like a drunk. Well, she felt a little drunk herself. She rubbed her raw throat. He walked back in naked with two water bottles in his hand.
