Gripped (Prescott #2)

by Joanne Schwehm

  “You bring out the adventurous side in me.” A little uncomfortable with the whole conversation, I shifted in my seat. “Dane, the thing is, I got mad because you were trying to do the honorable thing, and for once I didn’t want honorable.” My face burned, making me very glad the car was dark. “I wanted the bad boy. When I think about it, I realize how ridiculous that was. Under normal circumstances, I would never move this fast with a man.”

  “What makes this abnormal?”

  “You’re leaving.” I reached out and placed my hand on his. “We don’t have a lot of time. When you join the tour, I have no idea how long it will be until I see you, or even if I’ll see you.”

  “Beverly, you seem to forget you’re moving close to my family. Long Island isn’t my home; it’s where I worked. Northern Virginia is my home, and that’s where you’re going to be. So, we will see each other. I promise.” He brought my hand to his mouth and kissed my knuckles. “After I make the tour, I’ll have a schedule, and we can go from there. But don’t doubt we will have time together. What we have doesn’t end here. Not unless you want it to.”

  Warmth flooded my body. What we have. Those three words reassured me, and I felt better about everything. I had a feeling Dane had a knack for being a great mediator. Maybe it stemmed from being the middle child or the son of an attorney. Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter.

  I was wanted.

  CHAPTER 15

  ~ Dane ~

  Beverly and I ended up back at Louie’s since her car was still there. Once she had her own wheels, she followed me to the Indian restaurant around the corner. Her scent lingered inside my car as I drove, turning me on all over again.

  We enjoyed our spicy dinner but, shit, curry was fucking hot. I was bummed for my tongue, wondering if Jeeves would regain his sense of taste, since all I wanted to do was savor Beverly. It didn’t seem to bother her, but sweat beaded across my forehead, prompting her to ask me whether I was feeling okay. As I assured her I was fine, I sent up a silent prayer that someone would come at my mouth with a fire extinguisher.

  The evening air was perfect as I walked her back to her car after dinner. I did the gentlemanly thing and didn’t mention her impeccable blow-job skills; I’d rather wait for the next one and compliment her then. For now, I’d settle for a good-night kiss—not that Jeeves would be able to perform to his best ability, but he’d have to suffer through it.

  Beverly clicked the remote for her car to unlock the doors. “Thank you for dinner.”

  She started to get in her car, but I stopped her and pulled her against me. I splayed one of my hands on the center of her back while I palmed her head with the other and held it against my heart.

  I didn’t want this night to end. War raged in my head as that damn devil and sweet angel began to spar again, making me question my decision to go our separate ways. The last time I listened to Mr. Halo, I offended Beverly.

  Would she want to come back to my place?

  She tightened her hold on me. “I’d love to go to your place.”

  Did I say that out loud? “You want to come over?”

  Beverly leaned back and looked at me, her brows drawn together in an adorable way. “You did invite me just now, didn’t you?”

  “Sounds like I did. I mean, yes.” I smiled, figuring Mr. Halo could take a back seat tonight.

  • • •

  Once we were settled on my sofa, quiet tension filled the air. This was ridiculous. We’d both enjoyed the pleasure of orgasms this evening, so maybe we were sated.

  Nah, that can’t be it.

  There was no way I couldn’t go for round two—or maybe three—and not just for my own benefit. I wanted to give Beverly more pleasure than she’d ever known. Jeeves needed to wake the fuck up because I wanted to taste every inch of her.

  “Would you like something to drink?”

  I jumped up before she answered, needing a bottle of water or a cold beer to put out the lingering flames in my mouth. My tongue was still pretty numb, and I wondered if I should go brush the hell out of it with my toothbrush and try to scrub life back into it.

  “Sure, if you’re going to have something.” Beverly seemed completely at ease, which made me happy.

  “Wine, beer, or non-alcoholic?” I asked from the doorway leading to the kitchen.

  “Whatever you’re having is fine.” She smiled and let out a sigh that made my cock stir and come to life. It must have remembered what those lips felt like.

  After I chugged some milk out of the carton, trying to repair the damage to my mouth, I grabbed two beers and headed back to the living room. Beverly watched me as I strode toward her.

  We tapped the tops of our bottles together. Before she took a sip, she asked, “What are we toasting?”

  “You.”

  Her face turned a light shade of pink as she bit her bottom lip. “Me? Why me?”

  I lifted her chin with my finger and gazed into her eyes. “Not to sound like a greeting card, but something about you makes me happy. And not because of your front-seat talents, but because you’re you.”

  The blush in her cheeks turned fiery as her skin heated. “You make me happy too. So how about we toast to us?”

  My heart thudded in my chest at the mention of grouping us together as a couple. Was that what we were? If I dug deep down and examined my heart, I believed it was what I wanted, but hearing it made me hesitate.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—” Beverly squirmed on the couch cushion like she was on hot coals. “I, umm . . .”

  Knowing I’d made her uncomfortable or worse, doubt what was happening between us, didn’t sit well with me. “Don’t apologize.” I brought my bottle to hers and again completed the toast before I took a swig. “To us.”

  Beverly took a swallow and smiled at me. “Are you excited about the qualifier?”

  The thought of finally getting my tour card made me happy. Having my dream so close to becoming a reality sent a surge of adrenaline through my veins. I’d never wanted something as much as I wanted this. Nor had I worked as hard for anything in my life.

  I smiled back at her. “Yeah. I can’t wait to go. I hope I play well.” The fear of choking during the most important tournaments in my life made my stomach roll.

  “You’re a great golfer. I’m sure you’ll be fine. I believe in you, and you just need to believe in yourself and you’ll succeed.”

  All I could do was look at her in awe. She believes in me?

  When I didn’t respond, she frowned. “Dane, play your game, and before you know it, I’ll be watching you on television. Why are you worried?”

  I shrugged. “When I play here, it’s different. Most days I’m not playing against golfers of my caliber, so it’s not difficult to beat them. And they actually play better because they’re up against me. That may sound conceited, but it’s the truth. Just the other day, I—”

  Shit. I was about to tell her about my round with the douchebags that ended up getting me kicked out of the club.

  “Just the other day what?” She took a sip of her beer and set the bottle on the end table behind her.

  “Nothing. Let’s change the subject.”

  “What do you want to talk about?” Her tongue peeked out to sweep her top lip.

  “Nothing.” I set my bottle down next to hers and pulled her to my side. “I want to be with you, Beverly, but only if you want to. Let me finish what I started earlier. I want to bring you to such a high, you’ll feel as if you need a parachute to land back safely on the ground.”

  “How can I turn down an offer like that?” she said softly.

  When our eyes connected, I was ready to free-fall with her, parachute or not.

  I stood up and lifted her, cradling her to carry her to my bedroom. She slipped her arms around my neck, and the sweet smell of her flowery perfume invaded my senses. I tipped my head closer and inhaled, realizing there wasn’t much about Beverly I didn’t notice or want more of.

  The coolness
of her fingers as they caressed the nape of my neck soothed me in an odd way. It felt natural, and I sensed that once we were connected in the most intimate way possible, I’d never get enough of her or want to give her up.

  My stride stuttered for a second as that thought hit me, but then I recovered. This relationship thing wasn’t the norm for me, and I needed to get out of my own head before I freaked myself out and screwed things up.

  Aside from golf, I didn’t do commitment. The tricky thing was we were more involved than I’d ever been before. How was I going to deal with the reality that my heart had opened just enough to let her in?

  “You’re absolutely stunning,” I told her as I set her down on my bed.

  Seeing Beverly stretched out on my bed was a heady sight; I’d wanted this ever since I met her. The bed dipped a bit as I lowered myself to lightly pepper her with soft kisses, starting on her forehead and moving down to the base of her throat.

  Beverly let out a moan as she turned her head to the side, exposing more of her neck to me. I licked her from her pulse point to the soft flesh of her earlobe, which I took between my teeth and gave a gentle tug. Her nails dug into the muscles in my back, but it was when she wrapped her legs around my waist and thrust up to meet my hardened dick that made me want to dive inside her and never leave.

  “I need you naked.”

  My words were demanding, and before I knew it, her arms stretched above her head. I pulled off her top, exposing her pale pink bra. Rose-colored nipples pebbled behind the lace, teasing me to taste them.

  Pushing myself off the bed, I stood and slowly removed the rest of her clothes. The moonlight that fell across the bed was dim, but enough for me to see her bare pussy.

  My chest heaved as I stared at her. You’d think this was my first time with a woman, but the truth was this was the first time I’d let my feelings take control in the bedroom, rather than instinct. Usually, I’d be ready to fuck and release, but this time, I wanted to take my time to love and savor.

  Beverly’s legs pressed together on the bed as I stared down at her. When our eyes met, she looked worried.

  “Are you okay? Is this okay?”

  Her chest heaved as she sucked in a breath. “Yes, I want to be with you. I’m just not used to a man staring at me the way you are.”

  Her cheeks darkened in the moonlight, and her eyes were still laced with concern. That was the part I didn’t understand. She was embarrassed, but she had no reason to be.

  Gazing down at her, I said, “You’re beautiful, and I’m not going to apologize for staring. The mental images I’m storing in my head will keep me company when we’re apart.” She swallowed so hard, it was practically audible. “You honestly don’t see yourself the way I do?”

  She shook her head and reached up to cover her stomach.

  “Don’t hide from me.” I shrugged out of my shirt, pants, and then my boxers, leaving me as naked as she was.

  “God, Dane, you’re gorgeous.” A smile formed on her face as she raked her eyes up and down my body.

  “Beverly, I’m going to make you mine tonight.”

  I knelt between her legs and pushed her knees to the side. She didn’t resist when I shifted back and lowered my head between them. I kissed the inside of her thighs from the left to the right and back again, trailing kisses down until I was where I wanted to be.

  Thank God my tongue was back in the game as I licked and tasted her. She quivered at the sensations I was giving her, which pumped me up for more. Using two fingers, I spread her apart and thrust my tongue inside her.

  “Dane . . .”

  The breathy way she said my name made my cock grow harder. I became insatiable, determined to make love to her with my mouth. Her taste was one I’d never forget or get enough of. Taking my time, I let my tongue linger and savor every nuance of her. Moments later, I lifted my face and pressed my thumb against her swollen clit, and when she gasped, I pressed again and ran my tongue on either side of it.

  Pushing herself closer to me, she gasped out, “I’m going to . . .”

  She didn’t have time to finish her thought. Her release came hard and fast, and I feasted on her orgasm as she tensed and then trembled through it. I took all of it and wanted more. Like a kid let loose in a candy store, I wanted everything she offered.

  CHAPTER 16

  ~ Beverly ~

  Holy shit! No man had ever done that to me before. The stars that formed behind my eyelids startled me as my climax roared through my body. That was the best thing I’d ever experienced, and I was heady at the thought there was more to come.

  It was then I realized Dane was the one who could make all of my fantasies about great sex come true. He was the key to a lock I’d had on myself for so long, and I couldn’t wait to let him in.

  “I need you, Beverly. I can’t wait any longer.”

  He rolled on a condom and settled back between my legs. He was large, and for some reason the thought of us actually fitting together scared me a little bit. He must have sensed my apprehension because he slid just barely inside and stilled.

  “I’ll go slowly if you need me to.”

  An odd sensation passed through me as I imagined what he’d feel like. Anticipation grew as I focused on him, barely breaching my entrance.

  “No, please don’t go slow.”

  Heat rose in my cheeks when he chuckled at my bluntness. My entire body was burning up with need. As if they had a mind of their own, my hips bucked up, inviting—no, begging—for him to continue.

  Our eyes connected once more as he said, “I won’t go too slowly if you don’t want me to.”

  In a gradual and fluid motion, I was filled, stretched, and gratified. We continued to look at each other with each thrust of his hips, with each tender kiss and glances filled with unspoken words.

  Pure bliss overtook me at the knowledge this man cared about me. That might sound ridiculous to be thinking about while having sex, but no man had ever wanted me this way. Dane had changed all that, and we didn’t need to have sex for that to happen. The mere way he looked at me had the power to change the way I’d ever felt or thought about myself.

  He cupped my face, and I rested my hands on his perfectly rounded ass. “You’re so beautiful, Beverly. I hope you never get tired of me saying that, because I don’t think I’ll ever stop.”

  I brought my lips to his and rolled my hips in a circular motion. Speaking in tiny breaths, I said, “You are too.”

  Dane flushed a little and then gave me a wide smile. In the next breath, he picked up his pace, thrusting into me with such possession, I couldn’t help but meet his movements with my own. Suddenly, his ass tightened beneath my palms. He stilled and let out a guttural groan that I think was my name, but my hearing was impaired by the thundering of my own heartbeat in my ears. Every ounce of me felt my orgasm, from the roots of my hair all the way to my toes.

  His mouth was on mine in an instant. Our tongues met in a gentle caress, not hurried or impatient . . . simply perfect.

  Once we’d cleaned up and crawled back into bed, Dane pulled me into his chest. My head settled on his shoulder. His fingers played with my hair while mine strummed the muscles on his torso.

  “Is this okay?” His chest vibrated beneath my ear.

  I propped myself up on my elbow and studied him. Serenity softened his features in a way I’d never seen before.

  “Yes, this is more than okay.” Without thought, I pressed a kiss to his bare chest.

  “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “Me too.”

  Threading his fingers through my hair, he ran his hand through it again and again, soothing me. His voice was languid as he said, “My contract with the club is over, along with the apartment that comes with it, which means I need to head back to Virginia. I’m leaving this weekend, but I’ll come back to help you move. Once you’re moved in, I’d like you to come have dinner with my family. You can meet Lucy, and it will be good for you to have people you can count on
in Virginia.”

  Making a conscious decision not to overanalyze, I said easily, “That would be nice.”

  Normally, I’d be flipping out at the thought of meeting a man’s family, but Dane was right. It would be a good thing to know people in a new town, and from what he’d told me about Lucy, I was really looking forward to meeting her.

  “Great then,” he said as he slipped one arm around me. “It’s a date.”

  I sighed in contentment, snuggling closer, and then slid a hand over his stomach. “But right now, I need you again.”

  Dane rolled over and pinned me to the mattress. “Ready for round two?”

  CHAPTER 17

  July

  ~ Dane ~

  Spending time with my family was something I’d always looked forward to. Growing up, Sunday dinner was the time for everyone to get together—no excuses. Except for when we were away at college, we were expected to be in attendance, and our parents loved it when we stayed overnight in our old rooms, like I planned to do tonight. It wasn’t anything my parents forced upon us; it was more of an unspoken rule we were happy to abide by.

  As I drove from my apartment to my parents’ house the weekend after I moved back to Virginia, the sun beat into my Jeep, making me wish I had a removable top. A convertible would be great right about now, but since I didn’t have one, I reached over and cranked up the A/C along with my radio.

  Along the way, my thoughts kept returning to Drake. I had a feeling something was up with him this week. He was acting odd, but after everything he’d been through with Lucy, I didn’t blame the guy.

  A smile grew on my face as I pulled into my parents’ driveway. Home. I loved it here. After I parked and grabbed my duffel bag from the backseat, I headed inside and was greeted by my mother.

  “Sweetheart, you’re here!”

  Mom walked toward me with outstretched arms, so I dropped my bag and hugged her petite frame. She was a beautiful woman with a heart to match.