“I wish my mother enjoyed skiing. Maybe then she would have had a hobby other than telling me how I should live my life.”
“You don’t get along with your mother?”
Her nose scrunches. “Sometimes. She’s very demanding and when she’s not getting her way, she can be more than a handful.” She forks a bite of food and moans in delight. “This is amazing.”
A tranquility I haven’t felt since I was a kid lingers in the air, leaving me to wonder what the hell I’m doing. She’s the first woman I’ve brought to my house—to this house. Telling a woman where you live complicates things, and the last thing I want to find waiting for me at home is an agitated female, yet with Delanie, I didn’t hesitate in inviting her here. But even if I wanted more, she’d never accept me, not after everything I’ve done.
“I know why you asked me here tonight, but there is something I don’t understand. Why me?”
“Why you?” I repeat the million-dollar question, the same one that’s plagued me for days. I personally set her on the path she’s traveling, but she was never—regardless of how short lived—meant to be a part of my life. Therefore, I give her the only answer I can. “I enjoy sex, and you happen to be a very alluring woman.”
“I wasn’t fishing for a comment, I promise.” She frowns. “Saturday, I had to down a couple of shots before I had enough courage to step foot in Stella. I’m not…” She pauses, nervously ringing her hands together. “You could have your pick of any woman, and tonight, I’m the one who’s sitting across from you. And I think you’ve already figured out that I don’t have a lot of experience in casual relationships.”
“I asked you here because I haven’t stopped thinking about you.” The same spark I feel every time I touch her ignites when I slide my hand over hers. “I’m not the big bad wolf, but you need to know I’m not your Prince Charming.”
She leans forward, her eyes glowing with a sudden confidence. “I’m not looking for a knight in shining armor. Just…one night. No strings.”
Words I’ve said countless times seem wrong coming from her—someone sweet and innocent—yet she’s right. One night, that’s all I can offer.
I toss my napkin on the table and stand up, offering her my hand, which she gladly takes. Once she’s on her feet in front of me, I brush her hair behind her neck, whispering, “Let’s go upstairs where I can bury my face between those fantastic legs.”
Her cheeks flush with color, reminding me this woman is not my normal go-to female.
Trusting.
Gracious.
Inexperienced.
Evading her feels physically impossible.
One night never seemed more perfectly wrong until now.
Delanie
I follow him upstairs and into a bedroom that definitely belongs to a male. A king-sized bed with a black leather headboard sits against the wall in the middle of the room. A dark gray bedspread matches the color of the walls. A checkered gray and black rug covers most of the dark wood floors. And just like downstairs, there’s a wall of glass overlooking the ocean.
“I don’t know if I’d ever get out of bed with this view.”
“Me neither,” he says with his eyes locked on me. “Are you sure about this?”
“About what?”
He places a kiss below my ear, nipping his way down my neck but stopping at my collarbone. His hands slide around my waist, pulling my chest against his. “I need to know you want this as much as I do.”
Instead of answering him, I slowly unbutton my blouse. Hearing his breath hitch when I slide it off my shoulders spurs me on. Reaching behind me, I unzip my skirt, allowing it to pool at my ankles.
After I take a step toward him, my feet stop moving. I stand paralyzed to the floor, wearing only my bra and panties, when I say, “I’m sure. I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.”
His mouth crashes to mine, and his fingers rake through my hair. He nips at my bottom lip, asking or maybe even begging for more, which I happily grant.
With our bodies tangled together, he walks me backward. Only when my legs hit the edge of the bed does he pull his mouth from mine. On wobbly legs, I lie back on the bed.
Keeping his eyes on me, he undoes his pants, slides them off, then pulls his shirt over his head, and tosses it to the floor.
My senses go into overdrive, taking in his perfectly toned sun-kissed chest. There’s a tattoo of a gun, dripping in blood that leads to what appears to be ocean wave just above his heart.
“So fucking beautiful,” he mumbles to himself as he shoves his boxers down his legs.
My eyes move from his tattoo, down his ripped stomach, pausing on the hand he’s using to stroke his very large, very swollen cock.
The bed dips when he crawls up my legs, peeling my underwear off in one quick swoop. “I can’t wait to taste you.”
He places a soft kiss on my stomach before he uses his arms to nudge my legs open. Lowering his head, his tongue glides between my folds. “Oh, my God.”
His thumb finds my clit, rubbing in soft circles while he fucks me with tongue.
“Oh, shit. Don’t stop.”
At my words, he moans into my core, sending a tingle down my spine. With a thrust of his tongue, my orgasm builds until I finally fist the bedsheets in my hands, falling over the edge into a bliss I didn’t know existed.
His movements slow until he finally brings his eyes to mine. “Your pussy tastes better than I imagined.”
I’m still trying to catch my breath so I don’t think for long on his comment. Instead, I sit up and reach for him. Wrapping my hand around the base of his dick, I move it up and down. Staring at my hand, his eyes vibrate with need.
“I need you to fuck me, please.” My statement comes out in a breathy whisper.
He opens the drawer next to the bed, removes a condom, and slides it on. His tongue glides over his bottom lip while his eyes leisurely trail up my body. I’m roaring and ready to go, but he takes his time positioning himself between my legs. Leaning forward, he takes my mouth in a slow heated kiss. Wrapping my hands around his neck, my fingers stroke the nape of his neck as he finally reaches between us, lining up his cock, then he sinks inside. He rests his forehead against mine when I gasp. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” When his eyes darken in concern, I quickly add, “I promise. I just need you to move.”
He moves in and out, over and over until my body stretches to fully accommodate his size. “You’re so fucking tight,”
“I’m not going to break, I promise.”
With a smile, he latches his mouth to my breast, and his tongue swirls around my nipple, which sends a shot of desire straight between my legs. His movements become hard and relentless, and my body is already climbing toward another release. “Oh…oh, shit. I’m going to come.” He removes his mouth from my chest with a smile. Climbing higher and higher, my legs shake as I explode on a loud satisfied moan.
He doesn’t speed up. He doesn’t race to his own finish line. Instead, he grinds in and out, his eyes locked on mine, looking at me like I’m more than just a woman he’s fucking. He’s studying me like this moment means as much to him as it does to me.
His thrust come faster and faster until he buries his face in my neck, growling my name as he comes.
I run my hands up and down his back, relishing the feel of him in my arms.
One night.
“You are intoxicating,” he says pulling out and rolling to his back. “You’re the kind of woman a man becomes addicted to.”
I turn to my side, resting my head in my hand. “My past would indicate you’re wrong, but thanks.”
He pushes up on his elbows and brushes a kiss on my nose. “You deserve a man who’ll appreciate everything you have to offer. Don’t ever settle for less.”
He sits up, climbs off the bed, and wanders to the bathroom. Seconds later, he comes out with his underwear on, handing me a black flowered silk robe. “We only get tonight. I suggest we make th
e most of it.”
I take the robe from his hand and slide it on. “What did you have in mind?”
His face lights up. “Have you fucked in a pool?”
Chapter Seven
Delanie
A soft clap of thunder off in the distance stirs me awake. With the room pitch dark, I roll over, only to find the other side of the bed empty. The red blaring numbers of the clock next to the bed reads four-eleven A.M. Only a few hours have passed since I fell asleep in Kase’s arms.
Slipping out from the covers, I grab the robe off the end of the bed and make my way downstairs. The kitchen and living room are dark and empty. Scanning the patio outside, I notice it’s softly raining, but no sign of Kase. There are at least three rooms upstairs I didn’t check but only one room downstairs.
I should go back to bed but instead, I slowly make my way down the same hallway Tim used earlier. Light shines from the cracked door.
The storm probably woke him up.
I move my hand toward knob but quickly stop when his voice breaks the silence.
“I don’t give a damn what time zone you’re in. It’s fucking late here. Besides, I told you to stop calling me.” His tone is hard, verging on harsh. “Jesus, when don’t you need money?” There’s a long pause before he growls, “I’m done with your games. You won’t get another fucking dime out of me, even if that means I have to sell everything I own.”
Taking a step back, I jump when he yells, “Fuck you!” His voice instantly drops to an ominous whisper that sends a chill down my arms, “You think you’re holding all the cards but you’re not. I’m warning you, do not push me, because if you think I’m mad now, just fucking wait. You haven’t seen anything yet.”
Forcing my feet to move, I race up the stairs and back into his room. Striping the robe off, I climb back into bed with my heart hammering against my chest. My ex was living an entire life I knew nothing about. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew something was wrong but I foolishly choose to keep my blinders firmly in place.
I refuse to live like that again, but who am I kidding? Kase asked for one night, not a relationship. He didn’t trick me into coming here; I willingly gave myself to him. Whatever that conversation was about, it doesn’t involve me.
I left Colorado looking for a fresh start and after one incredible night with a man I know nothing about, I feel more alive than I knew was possible. For that reason alone, Kase Cole will always hold a small piece of my heart.
Kase
I love this house. It’s one of the few remaining places I still feel a connection to my mother. Spending a lot of time here as a child, I’m familiar with the rattling sound of someone using the stairs.
With rain tapping the window and Delanie wrapped in my arms, our night dwindling, the very last thing I wanted to do was get out of bed. Especially to deal with my scheming ex. But when my phone vibrated with her name on the screen, I knew she wouldn’t stop texting until she got what she wanted…my attention.
I’m convinced that Anna is the devil herself, placed solely on Earth to make my life miserable. And over the years, she’s done one hell of a fucking job. With nothing to lose, close to a year ago, I set a plan in motion to finally rid myself of her for good, and the finish line is in sight. But I never counted on a blue-eyed angel sweeping into my life.
Pushing the bedroom door open, I pick up the robe I bought her off the floor on my way to the bed. She’s rolled to her side with the sheet pulled to her shoulders, her hands tucked under one side of her face. Her long wavy hair is sprawled across the pillow.
A war rages in my mind while my past, present, and future collide, shattering any chance I could have with this incredible woman… Someone who has been put through the ringer yet appears unbelievably peaceful.
I guess the old saying is true… Be careful what you wish for, because it might come true.
Delanie
I woke with his hands between my legs. I’m sore and tired, but our time is literally down to nothing. Wanting to soak in every second, I grab a condom and slide it on him before I climb between his legs, grinding down on his cock.
“Fuck.” His nostrils flare. “You feel so good.”
Resting my hands on his chest, I move up and down. His eyes lock on my boobs while his hands grip my ass. My core tightens, and I want this moment to last but the second his thumb strokes my clit, I come undone. He flips me around so he’s on top, driving in and out, faster and faster. I can tell by the look in his eyes he’s close. Wrapping my legs around his, I feel his body tense before he shudders through his release.
“I think morning sex is my favorite.”
He rests his forehead against mine—something I’ve come to love—with a satisfied sigh. “I should probably stop mauling you and let you get ready for work.”
“Oh, shit.” I give his shoulder a light shove, my eyes scan the room for my clothing. I can only imagine what Dalton is going to say seeing me in the same clothes from yesterday.
“Relax.” He places a kiss on the top of my hand. “I left an outfit in the bathroom for you to wear to work.” How did he know what I was thinking?
He rolls the other direction and climbs out of bed. My thought momentarily changes while my eyes trail down his back and sculpted ass.
“Take your time getting ready. Tim will drive you to the office whenever you’re ready.”
“There’s an outfit in the bathroom?”
He slides his jeans up his legs, not bothering to button them as he turns around. “Yes,” he carefully says. “Do you have a problem with that?”
Forcing myself not to react—because it’s not Kase’s fault I’m inexperienced with the dos and don’ts of a quick fling—I smile on my way to the bathroom. “No, not at all. I’ll be downstairs in about twenty minutes.”
His lip twitches, fighting back a smile of his own. “I’ll have breakfast ready for you.”
Breakfast and an outfit. Damn, at least I ended up with a man who knows how to treat a woman.
With my naked body boldly on display, I walk past him and into the bathroom, quickly locking the door behind me.
His bathroom is obnoxiously large. There’s a walk-in shower big enough to fit ten people and a large porcelain tub with an amazing view of the ocean.
In the corner of the room is an enormous mirror framed with lights. Sitting on the vanity is a new hairbrush, toothbrush, a blow dryer, curling iron, and straightener. Draped over the chair is a black dress bag.
Carter and my mom thought I was crazy for having a job when quote, unquote I didn’t need one. Because I always felt I was one fight away from one of them demanding I quit, I made sure to dress in the most conservative clothing I could find, a habit I didn’t change since I moved here—at least until today.
Opening the bag, I find a pair of wine red high waisted, wide leg dress pants and a sleeveless black silk shirt. Bold yet classy.
Ten minutes later, I’m walking into the kitchen where I find Kase standing in front of the stove. “A sex god and a cook. You’re almost a keeper.”
He glances over his shoulder, wearing a wolfish smile that intensifies when he looks at me. “It should be illegal for you to go work looking like that.”
I ignore his comment and take a seat at the bar across from him.
“I’m serious, every guy in the building is going to be walking around with a hard-on.” He winks placing an omelet in front of me. “Eat up. I know you must be hungry.”
I take a bite, moaning in delight. “This is amazing.”
He walks around the bar and takes the seat next to me. He’s either already eaten or not hungry because he just sits there staring at me. “So, you live here all by yourself?”
“I have a few people on my payroll who are in and out but yes, I’m the only person who lives here.”
“What about your family? Do they live in the area?”
His back goes straight while the smile he wore fades away. “I don’t have any family.”
> “Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He jumps to his feet and walks back to the stove, grabs the skillet he used and walks it to the sink. “You’ll need to leave soon if you want to make it to work on time.”
With my stomach suddenly turning, I force myself to eat a few more bites.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he says as he picks up my plate, not making eye contact.
Someone behind me clears their throat. Glancing over my shoulder, I spot Tim standing by the door. Kase, however, is ignoring both of us while he aimlessly works on scrubbing my dirty plate.
“Well… Thanks again and not just for the breakfast but for…everything.” He shuts the water off, dries his hands, and finally turns my direction but doesn’t say a word.
“You’ve opened a door to a whole new world for me to explore, and I’ll forever be grateful.”
His eyes darken, his voice verging on harsh when he says, “I’ll have your clothing dry cleaned and returned to you.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“Were you planning on walking into work with a bag of dirty clothing draped on your arm? If that’s the case, you might as well have just worn them to work and hoped no one noticed you’re doing the walk of shame.”
I take a step back, blinking in shock. Gone is the man I spent the night with. In his place, is Mr. Jerk. Instead of acknowledging him, I spin around and walk to the front door.
“I’m ready when you are,” I say to his driver once he catches up with me. When I step foot outside, I fight the urge to look back one last time. I wish I could wipe the last ten minutes out of my memory and focus on how incredible last night felt. Because regardless of how we left things, I’m going to make it my goal to be a confident woman who’s not afraid of what other people think of me and I have Kase to thank for that.
Kase Of Deception Page 5
