“Ben!”
“Nora,” he breathed, and then his eyes slammed closed and he shuddered over her.
Her pussy pulsed around his dick, tingles racing down her limbs. Stars burst behind her lids, the orgasm was so intense. Aftershocks quaked through her, dragging her climax out forever. He dropped his forehead against her shoulder, his breath rushing against her skin. Sweat glued their bodies together and she sobbed for air, clutching him close as she drifted down from the high.
Sighing, he rolled to the side. He propped himself on an elbow next to her, gazing down at her face. Something tender, almost reverent, crossed his expression. “You know, I’m going to remember the way you look right now for the rest of my life.”
It sounded like he was saying goodbye to their bedtime antics, as if he realized he should save the memories because this was it. That made her chest ache for some inexplicable reason. She knew things had to get back to normal soon. Or whatever normal was now.
She tried to keep her voice light. “How do I look?”
“Completely.” He kissed her shoulder. “Utterly.” His lips brushed the side of her neck and then her mouth. “Satisfied.”
“So do you.” She tapped a finger against the tip of his nose. “And maybe a little smug.”
He caught her hand and bit the base of her thumb. “Sex that good deserves some smugness, don’t you think?”
“You might be right about that.”
It got better every time. How was that even possible? He was the most exciting lover she’d ever had. It was going to suck to have to give this up. Her hormones were going to go into mourning when she dropped him off at his condo.
“I’m right about a lot of things. You’ll see.”
“Oh yeah?” She tucked a pillow under her head, ignoring the twisted mess the blankets were in. “Name one.”
An enigmatic smile crossed his face. “I think that’s something you’ll need to figure out yourself. But…how about I go fetch another condom and see how loud we can get now that we’re not sharing walls with anyone we might disturb?”
There was an offer no sane woman would refuse. “I’m in.”
Chapter Nine
Ben was in a mellow frame of mind the next morning, relaxed from a long night filled with the most amazing sex of his life. Every time with Nora improved on the last, becoming his new record best. That was the kind of trend a guy could get addicted to.
They got a late start, but the delay was well worth it. He took the first turn at the wheel and drove about half of the five hours they had left before they reached home.
The radio was blaring out classic rock songs—the one station they could agree on—and they sang along to “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Neither of them could carry a tune, which was why the volume was cranked up. It worked for him.
When he flicked on the blinker and slowed to exit the freeway, Nora sat up straight and switched off the radio. “What’s up? Do you need a pit stop?”
He braked at a red light at the bottom of the ramp. “We need lunch, and I need to show you the vineyards in Paso Robles. Ever been?”
“Nope.”
He cast her an exaggeratedly incredulous glance. “Oh, you have no idea what you’re missing, sweetheart. Napa is out. Paso is in.”
Craning her neck, she took in the small city that didn’t look the least bit green. She folded her arms. “How many vineyards are here?”
“Dozens.” He waved toward the east. “You just have to drive a couple of miles down Highway 46. It’s the highway where James Dean died, though we won’t be going that far.”
“Didn’t he perish in a horrible, fiery car accident?” Her expression turned even more unconvinced. “This sounds so promising.”
Steering the car into Paso Robles, he took her to the picturesque town square with a pretty park in the middle. It looked like a set out of a Hallmark movie. “Before we go wine tasting, I think we need some food to absorb the alcohol. There are a variety of non-Mexican, non-seafood options for your delectation.”
She leaned forward to peer out the window as they drove around the square. “Which one would you prefer?”
“There’s a Thai place, a pizza parlor and an Irish pub.” A car pulled out of a parking space right in front of him, so he quickly slipped in to claim it. “I lean slightly toward the Thai since pub fare is best eaten with beer and we had Italian last night.”
“All right then.” Hooking her purse over her shoulder, she got out.
He met her at the front of the car. “Should we dine first or take a walk around the park to stretch our legs?”
“Walk, definitely.” She flashed a delighted smile that damn near stopped his heart. How long had he been wishing that she’d aim a look like that at him? He’d never thought it would happen, and he wanted to haul her into his arms and kiss her until they couldn’t breathe, until she couldn’t imagine a day going by without kissing him. He knew he couldn’t.
She stepped up onto the sidewalk. “This is adorable, Ben. How did you find this gem?”
“An ex brought me here for a wine tour.”
“I see.” Her nose wrinkled.
Did he detect a bit of jealousy in her expression? God, he hoped so.
They strolled along one side of the square, passing restaurants, a candy store and a bar. As they turned the corner, he caught her hand to tug her out of the way of a teenager too busy texting to watch where he was going. Ben didn’t let go when they reached the next corner, and she didn’t pull away. It felt good to have her slender palm nestled in his.
They lapped the square and crossed toward the park. Dappled shade from mature trees protected them from the sun. The grass was so green it was almost unreal, and he wanted to crystallize this moment because he might never feel quite this content again.
“I think you’ll like this.” He drew her down a path that led into the middle of the park.
Every step took them closer to an ornate brick-and-cement structure with a statue in front. She bounced a little ahead of him, though her fingers stayed twined with his. “That’s an awesome building. What is it?”
“It started life as a Carnegie library in the early 1900s, but now it’s the local historical society.” He reeled her in, caught her close and kissed her. Her lips were swollen and her gaze dreamy when he released her.
She blinked and appeared bemused, shaking her head. “You’re a pretty stellar kisser, Hudson.”
“I’m at your service any time, sweetheart.” He brushed his mouth over hers before she could question him about that offer or, worse, gently turn him down. “Let’s take a quick spin around the historical society.”
“Okay, then.” She moved down the path before him, and he drew even with her in a few strides. He set a hand between her shoulder blades as they walked up the short staircase to the door.
They took the whistle-stop tour, seeing old photographs of Paso Robles, from a hot springs bathhouse to a Pioneer Day parade. There was information about how the city was settled, and life size cut-outs of famous founders. On their way out the door, he redirected her into the gift shop.
“Ooh, local grape seed body oil.” She brought the bottle to her nose and inhaled the lavender scent. “Do you think this was harvested from a vineyard nearby?”
But he had no answer because his brain had short-circuited with all the things he could do to her luscious body with a bottle of oil. His hands itched to glide over her bare curves.
“Ben?”
“You should buy that.” He grinned, and he’d bet his expression was wolfish. “Or I can buy it and help you use it.”
She waggled her eyebrows and took the bottle to the counter. Her voice went prim. “I don’t require assistance, thanks.”
“Can’t blame a man for trying.” He scissored a lock of her bright hair between his fingers. The floral smell of her shampo
o filled his nostrils. That scent had been embedded on the pillowcases that morning, and he’d wakened with it teasing the fading edge of his dreams. He hated the idea that all he’d have after today were haunting memories.
After she’d paid, they headed out to the park and across the grass toward the Thai restaurant. She tucked her purchase into her purse and brushed at a leaf that had fallen and clung to her chest. Lucky leaf.
“This should be good.” She swung her handbag by its strap as they walked. “I love Thai food.”
“Ever thought about going to Thailand like Anne?”
She made a humming noise. “I’m not like my big sister in that she always wanted to travel, and raising her younger sisters held her back—not that she ever made us feel like deadweight, but we knew she had so many places she wanted to go and hadn’t yet.”
“It was Dinah who was the deadweight.”
“Yeah, let’s not talk about her.” A breath soughed out. “I’d love to visit some exotic locales, though I don’t have that burning urge to globetrot. Would I like to see Thailand or Tanzania or Tahiti? Heck, yeah. Who wouldn’t?”
He nodded, totally understanding where she was coming from. “I loved kicking around Europe a bit in college. I wouldn’t mind going back, or seeing a couple other continents. But I’m with you…no intense jones for overseas travel. I do like a nice road trip though.”
“Ha. Nice being the operative word. This one is sort of fifty-fifty.”
“The first half really did leave something to be desired.” He opened the door to the restaurant for her, and her shoulder slid across his chest as she passed. “This one officially doesn’t count as a vacation road trip. We’d have to try again to see if we could get to one hundred percent awesome.”
“We’re not likely to vacation together, are we?” She glanced back as they found an empty table. A waiter cruised by to drop off two glasses of water and menus.
Ben chose his words carefully. “What’s to stop us? We’ve done it before. Your family went camping with mine when we were kids.”
“I try to block that out.” She winced. “Mom insisted on coming, remember? She spazzed out over everything and thought she’d be eaten by a bear.”
He took a sip of his water. “I remember hoping she’d stumble across a skunk instead.”
“While the meltdown would have been epic…almost worth it.” She snickered and ducked behind her menu.
The conversation moved away from vacationing, though he might have to bring it up again in the future. Maybe he could tempt her into a road trip up to Redwood National Park. If she didn’t want to camp, there were quite a few B&Bs in the area. Or maybe do a quick daytrip to Napa. Less commitment, which she might be more amenable to, and he’d be able to continue convincing her they could get along even when there was no crisis.
If he hadn’t had a game plan to get her into bed, he was more than willing to strategize how to keep her there.
He was very good at strategizing, and if he had to break through her defenses one chink at time, he would. If he’d had the fortitude to keep wanting her for over a decade with no encouragement, she had no idea what lengths he could go to when he’d had a taste of heaven the last few days.
They finished lunch and then it was back in the car for them.
She buckled her seatbelt. “Where to, if there are dozens of vineyards around here?”
“That’s easy. We’ll start with the place that really got the wine industry going in this area.”
“Oh?”
“Eberle Winery.” He checked the rearview mirror and backed out of the parking space. “They have a free tour of their wine cave too.”
“Cool.” She kicked off her sandals and propped her feet on the edge of her seat. “I’ve never toured a winery before. I’m usually more of a beach girl if I’m going on vacation.”
“This area is good for close access to both.” He winked. “See? We can compromise.”
She huffed. “You’re reaching, Hudson.”
“I’m right, Kirby. You’ll see.” At least, he hoped like hell she’d agree with him someday. If they were both willing to give a little—something they’d never done before—they could make a real relationship work.
“If you’re such a wine lover, shouldn’t I be driving?”
Damn. He knew where this was going and braced for another argument. “You can if you want to, but you’re trying the wine. I already know what it tastes like, and it’s excellent. The Barbera is especially good from Eberle.”
She jutted her chin and crossed her arms. “No drinking and driving.”
Compromise, he reminded himself, having to push back the instinct to fight with her whenever they disagreed. He’d been doing pretty well, but that knee-jerk response had been ingrained and new behaviors took time to build. “I’ll have a few sips and then we’ll go on the tour. I have one other place to show you, but I won’t do the tasting there. Is that fair?”
Her arms relaxed but her eyes narrowed. “Depends on how much of a lightweight you are.”
“Well I don’t have an alcoholic’s booze tolerance, but I do just fine for a man of my size who likes a beer or glass of wine with dinner a couple times a week,” he replied drily.
She made a face. “I’m a bit of a lightweight. If I’d had any more last night, I’d have been on the floor.”
He’d liked her in bed better. The image of her riding him flashed through his mind. Ah, yeah. “Don’t worry. We’ll take it slowly.”
Her eyes narrowed again, this time with suspicion. “Why does it sound dirty when you say it that way?”
Apparently, his bed thought had come through too clearly. “Sweetheart, I will be dirty for you any time you want, any way you want.”
She stuck her tongue out at him, and he laughed.
Within a few minutes, he turned into the curving driveway to the vineyard. “It’ll be fun. I promise.”
After unfolding her legs, she slipped back into her shoes. “You seem determined to make sure I have fun before this trip is over.”
“Of course. I want to change my category, remember?” He wanted to be one of the men she wanted to spend time with.
“Oh Jesus.” She clapped a hand to her forehead. “This better not be about winning an argument.”
He bit back a wisecrack. Sarcasm had a time and place, but he would get nowhere with Nora if that was all he ever offered her when they weren’t in the sack. She needed to know he intended to make a permanent change in their relationship. He hoped they could be more than friends, but at the very least they could figure out how to be friendly.
He put the car in Park and shifted to face her. “I think part of this weekend was about me redeeming myself in some small way.”
Her expression was sober…and sad. “Why do you want to? Just to prove you can change categories?”
“Do you think I’m that big of a dick?” He was careful to keep any accusation out of his tone, and made it a simple, straightforward question.
Lips flattening into a line, she shook her head. “No. At least, I hope not. So, then why?”
He caught her hand. “It should be clear at this point that your opinion of me has always mattered far more than I ever admitted.”
Though she didn’t pull away, she shook her head, her expression inscrutable. “So, why admit it now? You didn’t have to.”
Squeezing her fingers, he grinned wryly. “Everyone has to grow up some time.”
“Okay, Peter Pan.”
“Ha-ha. So funny.”
She just stared at him.
“I want you to think well of me. I want you to like me.” I want you to love me, but he couldn’t make himself say it. Not yet, anyway. “After this week, everything we’ve been through, everything we’ve done, it would kill me if you went back to loathing me.”
She cringe
d and glanced away, trying to tug her hand from his. “I did say that, didn’t I?”
Tightening his grip, he held fast. Making her feel bad wasn’t the point. “I did blackmail my way into this car, didn’t I?”
“We kinda suck.” She pushed her hair out of her face with her free hand, still not meeting his gaze.
“We’re not perfect, no.” He ran his thumb over her knuckles and tried to joke. “I think I have the winning streak for being a jerk the longest.”
Brow crinkling, she looked at him. “Is that a winning streak or a losing one?”
“Fair point.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. “I’m not saying we can magically start over and erase the shitty things we’ve said or done, but we can decide where to move forward from here. I hope it’s to a better place.”
She nodded slowly. “I’d like that. I don’t know what it really means in a practical sense, but it sounds good.”
“We’ll take it one day at a time.” After giving her fingers a final squeeze, he let go. “Today, I want us to have fun. How am I doing so far?”
“Not bad. Lunch was nice.” Her gaze twinkled wickedly. “And this morning definitely qualified under my definition of fun.”
His mouth eased into a smile. “Mine too.”
“Show me the fun, then.” She picked up her purse and climbed out of the car.
Taking an extra few seconds to pull the key from the ignition, he enjoyed the way the open door framed her backside as she stretched. Getting her to agree that they both could and wanted to move forward in a positive way was a big gain. They might—and probably did—have very different ideas on what shape their relationship would take from here, but at least she no longer assumed they’d return to their combative status quo.
Patience, Hudson. Patience.
But hope was a tough thing to hold back. He knew what he wanted, and he also knew she wasn’t ready to be on the same page as he was. They had to take it one day at a time, just as he’d said, but when the perfect woman was right there in your grasp, it was hard not to hold on tight. She had to be willing to hold on too, or she’d just slip through his fingers.
Ensenada Escapade: Destination: Desire, Book 6 Page 13
