Souled: Bid on Love: Bachelor #1

by Shandwick, K. L.

  “Why?”

  “For the boy I once knew.”

  “By that you mean there are still remnants of that crush?” I teased, then felt shitty as soon as the words were out.

  “I dunno—maybe.” She tipped her chin like she was testing me and I smirked at the sassy, confident comment. Staring intently at her, I gripped my leg at the knee and nursed it to stop me from leaping over and kissing her.

  Flirting was one of my favorite pastimes but her gutsy comment spurred a primal urge within me to take hold of her and explore the connection I felt but couldn’t explain. I smiled lamely in response, not trusting myself to let anything happen between us.

  Warning bells were ringing in my head. No matter how tempting it would be to cross a line with her, I thought I should at least try to sit this one out. Something told me that wasn’t going to be easy because in all my years on the road I’d never found a woman as adorable as her who was caring and honest, innocent, and was still as sexy as fuck.

  The air between us suddenly thickened, and I noticed her shift in her seat as what could have been sexual tension appeared to grow between us. But I didn’t know her well enough as a grown woman to know if I was interpreting my emotions correctly or if I had wanted to believe that was the case.

  Reaching out, I swiftly grabbed my glass of champagne and held it up to her. “Challenge accepted,” I replied as my mouth ignored my gut and my head as I brought the glass to my lips. I closed my eyes and threw the whole contents down my throat in one go, suddenly parched, and when our eyes met once again hers were darker, her pupils dilated, and she hadn’t touched a drop of her drink.

  Then, when she drew her tongue over her bottom lip like she was dying of thirst, I knew. Charlotte was into me. Fuck. This date just got a lot more complicated. It was one thing me having been attracted to her and quite another to find out it was reciprocated.

  Chapter Four

  By the time we arrived at my cabin it was mid-afternoon. Fresh powder had fallen from the sky, but the driveway leading to the imposing wooden house had been cleared by my loyal groundsman, Gregory.

  After our intense little moment on the plane, Charlotte and I had kept the conversation on safe ground, talking about her dad, the property business he’d left her, our mutual friends, her work at the charity, and finally the winery where the auction for Healing Heroes had been held.

  Weaving up the driveway, Charlotte’s breath hitched in her throat when she caught sight of my place and I felt proud that she was impressed because the girl had been around luxury cabins all her life.

  “Wow, McKenna. This place is…” she shrugged because she couldn’t find the right word and it made me smile.

  “Nice?”

  Turning away from the tinted SUV window to look toward me, her eyes glittered excitedly. “Nice? It’s spectacular, huge, stunning,” she said shaking her head.

  “It’s home,” I stated simply.

  “Why a cabin in the mountains?”

  I shrugged, “My dad. It was his dream… then it became mine.”

  Reaching out, she gripped my hand to comfort me, squeezed it, and unexpectedly laid her head on my shoulder. Her impulsive affection brought a lump to my throat.

  “He’d have been so impressed, McKenna. Look at all you’ve achieved.” I nodded because I knew she was right. He had been proud of me anyway.

  “I’d swap it all to have him back,” I quietly disclosed in a rare moment of weakness. My heart quickly jolted at how easily I had forgotten myself with her and let out my feelings. I cleared my throat, and she lifted her head to look at me. “I know,” she replied tenderly.

  Turning my body toward her allowed her head to slip from my shoulder and I straightened up in my seat. "Some date we’re having when all we’ve done is talk about what has hurt us in the past,” I said with some humor in my voice. “I suppose it was great to get those feelings out of the way. Now we can enjoy ourselves."

  * * *

  Charlotte slipped off her black leather ankle boots at the door then stood up straight. Standing in her sky-blue socks she untied her sweater from around her waist and draped it over the coat stand by the door. “This place is incredible,” she mused as she swiveled around on her soft cotton socks to take in the stunning interior of the log cabin I’d had built.

  “Designed it myself,” I said and was met with a raised eyebrow. Her surprise wasn’t unexpected and once again I was caught unawares as to how beautiful she was.

  “You did?” she asked, a note of disbelief in her tone as she padded across the huge vaulted open-plan reception room and glanced out of the floor-to-ceiling windows at the trees below and across to the wide expanse of mountains.

  “It’s . . . perfect,” she said turning to hug me as I caught up with her. My arms automatically wrapped around her and held her in place. Her warm soft body felt right in my arms and the feeling unnerved me. Charlotte’s gesture was so spontaneous that I felt her frame freeze the moment her mind connected with her actions.

  Sucking in a sharp breath, she then tried to peel herself away from me. I should have let her go right then because I figured I’d be leaving any day and even though she was a child the last time, I’d already let her down once before. My head knew this, my dick was another matter.

  Instead of brushing her impulsive gesture away, I held her firmly within my arms and looked down at her with a warm smile on my face because it had been a very long time since someone had hugged me with genuine delight for what I’d personally achieved and not because I was a rock star.

  Another bout of heat rushed to her cheeks when our eyes connected, her face only inches from mine, and her gorgeous worried eyes carried a mixture of feelings which danced like flames as her pupils grew wider and a pink tinge of lust caught fire within them. Appropriate and vanilla, remember?

  I had sworn to myself before the auction that nothing improper would come from this date. She’d paid for my time… it was little Charlie. Except she barely resembled the child I once knew.

  “Kiss me.” Her breathy request was laced with erotic demand. It struck me to the core and my cock stirred with sudden interest in my jeans. We were on dangerous ground, but I figured I could manage her request and keep my promise to myself.

  “My pleasure,” I replied and smiled, delighted for the opportunity to get past this moment because I’d been waiting to do this since the first time I saw her at my mom’s place. You’re not fucking this girl.

  My eyes dropped to her soft plump lips, and I savored the moment her tongue swept through them in readiness of meeting mine. All I had intended was a small peck on the lips but as my face inched slowly nearer, the fragrant feminine scent of her hair filled my senses and my desire to carry her off to my bed and drive it home fucked with my head.

  Pheromones began to rage from deep inside and I tried desperately to hold them at bay. I closed my eyes thinking if I didn’t look at her and allowed my lips to touch hers I could pull back quickly.

  However, when it came down to it and her breath ghosted warmly across my face that didn’t happen. Instead I stood frozen, not trusting myself to move an inch. What I’d intended was the slightest contact between us, but once I felt her soft velvety lips, I was loathe to pull back.

  Lingering a moment too long, I reminded myself about my intentions to keep my hands off her and to do the right thing. I was about to break the kiss, but unfortunately my hesitation gave Charlotte other ideas.

  Suddenly her long fingers sifted sensually through my hair, her firm breasts pressing hard up against me as her hand cupped the back of my head drawing my face closer.

  All my resolve to do good dissolved the moment she demanded entrance to my mouth with her tongue, and resistance became a lost word in my vocabulary.

  Unleashing my desire from the sexual tension I’d been feeling toward her, my splayed hands slid down to her ass and I grabbed two handfuls, pulling her tight against my rapidly growing dick. She mewled into my mouth and a growl
grew up from my chest as she kissed me back, hard and hungry.

  Every time her tongue swept around mine my cock swelled until I thought it would burst through my pants. She made a small fist with one hand in my hair and dragged her nails down my back with the other, sliding her wandering hand around my ribs and down over the front of my pants.

  Scoring the heel of her hand over the outline of my cock she then pressed harder. Everything I had remembered of her as a kid shattered into a million pieces because the sexy woman driving me to insanity with desire was nothing like the little girl Charlie was from my youth.

  With my resolve weakened, I felt the need to feel her skin next to mine—to taste more of her. I broke the kiss and pulled her t-shirt out from the waistband her jeans. Lifting it over her head I discarded it to the hardwood floor behind her, fisted my hands in her hair, and lowered my mouth back to hers. She moaned, sagging closer as she exhaled a shaky breathless huff down her nose and gripped my hair tighter.

  Pulling down on her hair gently I tilted her head further back, extending her neck. Once again, I growled breaking the kiss as I tried to find the will to stop, only for my lips to connect with her neck when I saw how her pulse raced and visibly fluttered there.

  With my plan for abstinence gone to shit, my free hand explored the warmth and perfection of her curves. A shudder of ecstasy ran through her and I felt her tremble when my fingers toyed around the top of her jeans. When my fingertips brushed her soft silky skin under the rough material a much more erotic and agonized groan tore from her throat. My throbbing cock ached painfully in response and anticipation.

  Meanwhile, Charlotte’s smooth warm hand mirrored mine and laced under my sweater, reaching the button of my dark jeans. Her fingers curled temptingly inside and accidently swept over the wet tip of my cock sending a delicious shudder of electricity coursing through every cell in my body. I groaned deeply against her throat because although my body wanted her like you wouldn’t believe, my head fucked with those thoughts.

  “We really should stop. We don’t want to do this,” I whispered right below her ear.

  “Yeah?” she asked in a small questioning breathy voice. I ignored the hint of disappointment I heard.

  “Yeah,” I ground out, but my words and actions were at odds as I openly continued to explore her body.

  “Stop doing that and I’ll kick you in the balls,” she muttered, seriously. I knew I should have used her comment and playfully separated us at that point but instead I pushed the boundaries further.

  “What do you want?” I whispered into the hollow of her neck, sending a flame thrower in the direction of my willpower. Fuck. Charlotte’s touch was equivalent to sexual napalm, every stroke of her fingers, every flick of her delicious tongue, and every soft moan she uttered sent a burning desire through my veins and melted my willpower.

  “You. I want you,” she responded decisively without a moment’s hesitation and to show me she was serious, she snapped the button of my jeans open and drew down my zipper. I lifted my head from the crook of her neck and looked at the heat in her eyes. She stared right back, her eyes full of lust and the promise of a heady sex-filled encounter. My conscience told me to stop right then but her devouring gaze left me in no doubt she meant every word.

  “You only think you do now, but we’d only regret this later,” I said honestly in response as I tried to dig deeper and find the strength to leave her alone.

  “Don’t you find me attractive enough?” she asked, her eyes searching my face for the truth.

  “Jesus, I’m finding you pretty irresistible, but trust me, you don’t want to do this.” I muttered what I felt was the right thing to say as I swept her long silky hair back, behind her other shoulder and peppered kisses all over her neck and chest.

  Tiny goose bumps erupted across her skin and a shiver of delight passed through her and into my fingertips as she trembled in response to my touch.

  “Try to stop me,” she threatened. Her comment made me chuckle before I suddenly took her seriously and swept her off the floor and into my arms.

  A thankful smile stretched my lips. “It’s like that, is it?” I asked, unable to hide the playfulness from my question, as I shirked off what I felt was the last of my resistance and carried her through to the first guest bedroom on hand.

  I tossed her gently on the bed. “Who would have thought you were such a bad girl?” I said as I placed my knee between her legs and crawled up the bed beside her. So much for not fucking her, McKenna.

  “Not bad… I may even be described as good,” she replied and stared up at me unabashed. Her comment took my breath away, and I shook my head not fully accepting that I’d heard it come from her innocent looking face, but when I saw the salacious smile she wore, it confirmed it had.

  Speechless, I gazed down at her mesmerizing features as I positioned myself over her. Holding myself at arms-length above her, with my hands either side of her arms. Grabbing my head in her hands she pulled me down, kissing me hard again. Obviously, I kissed her back, but broke the kiss when she least expected it. When I sat back on my heels her head lifted off the mattress toward me like our connection was magnetic. She whimpered softly at the loss of contact.

  Shifting to the side, I traced my fingertips lightly across her toned stomach and fell in love with how enticing her skin was. Tucking my thumb under her delicate black lacy bra, I swiped the pad of my thumb underneath and pushed it up, brushing the underside of her breast.

  Charlotte’s body quivered, and her shallow breathing made her pulse throb rapidly in her neck. Her expectant lust-filled eyes followed the slow and sensual journey my hands made across her gorgeous body. Each time I glanced back, her intense gaze spurred me on.

  Sliding them lower, I stopped when I reached the opening of her jeans. “Last chance,” I offered and glanced up to see her eyes resting where I’d stilled. She held her bottom lip sexily between her pearly white teeth.

  Nothing she did helped me prevent us from falling into something we couldn’t change and the air in the room became heavy with expectation.

  “I’m not fucking you, Charlie. I’m not averse to a little fooling around, but I’m not fucking you. Not like this. Not when you’ve paid money to be here with me.”

  Her hand crept up between my legs and she cupped my cock through my jeans. “That’s not what he says,” she goaded.

  “Luckily, he’s not in charge, I am. Not all men think with their dicks, sweetheart.” I saw the questioning look as her eyebrow lifted in disbelief and smirked, “Not all of the time anyway,” I added.

  Charlotte took her hand away and shifted onto her elbows.

  “You’re really going to turn me down?” She asked again, giving me another opportunity to rethink what was happening.

  I don’t mind getting you off if that’s what you need, but I’m not fucking you,” I repeated. She surprised me when she didn’t back off and pulled me down to kiss her again. “But I’m so horny. I need something,” she mumbled at the side of my mouth.

  A growl of frustration rose up from my throat and the next thing I knew I was popping the button of her jeans then I hurriedly yanked them down her legs. Aroused and eager, she writhed under me lying face up in her underwear.

  When I glanced down at her barely there lacy ensemble of bra and panties, a torturous groan left my mouth. Had it been anyone else in any other circumstance I’d have tapped her dry.

  How the fuck did we get here so fast? A couple of hours ago she was talking about how I’d rejected her feelings as a kid and now here I am almost sliding inside her. I refuse to fuck her. I was more conscious of how my cock ached at my thought.

  Kneeling on the bed, I placed my hands on her ankles and made slow sweeping actions up toward her knees. Her thighs quivered, and the buzz of anticipation came over her body. She smiled. “You know this is my fantasy, right? Me here like this… with you?”

  Small beads of sweat glistened across her nose and I leaned in to give her a more
tender kiss. Charlotte moaned again into my mouth and her hand slid down inside my jeans and she wrapped her soft fingers tightly around my cock and began to stroke me.

  Something inside me snapped because I didn’t want to be used… not by her. My fingers curled around her wrist and God knows how I found the strength to do it, but I stilled her hand.

  “No, sweetheart. Don’t. I want to give you the date you deserve. I told you already I’m not fucking you. That’s not why I brought you here.” Charlotte’s eyebrows bunched together. I didn’t miss how rejected she looked as she rolled away from me and stood up off the bed.

  “Where’s the restroom?” she asked, edging off the bed. Fuck. I’ve hurt her. That wasn’t my intention at all.

  “The door on the right, babe,” I said, my tone tired because I knew she felt I’d let her down. Charlotte left the room and closed the bathroom door behind her and I exhaled heavily into the air. “Fuck.” I muttered and punched the mattress hard. “Way to go, McKenna,” I said, flatly to myself. Staring up at the ceiling, with a raging boner, I felt pissed I was so weak willed to have let what we’d done happen between us in the first place.

  I knew I had to move fast to recover the weekend and got my cell out of my jeans pocket I called my favorite French restaurant in town. They had an amazing chef’s service for selected clients which they delivered, and I figured some good food and wine that evening would help smooth over the cracks with Charlotte.

  When I had finished discussing the food on the phone, I noticed Charlotte still hadn’t come back. I padded across to the bathroom door and knocked gently. When I heard no response from her, I listened to hear if she was in the shower. There was no sound, and I was met with silence on the other side.

  “Charlotte, honey, are you okay?” I asked, concerned for her feelings. To my mind, she had me all wrong. I was used to fucking women without another thought. I had women as regularly as some men shaved. The fact I wouldn’t just stick it to her was, in my view, the biggest compliment I could have given her. There weren’t many women I’d have held back for.