He followed her inside, then waited while she lit several candles. Like the rest of the house, her bedroom was cozy and attractive, and decorated with "beachy" touches, from the bedspread depicting various shells against a pale aqua background, to the starfish-shaped candleholders she now applied her attention to. Except for the headboard, which was brass, the furniture was pale wicker. Again he noted a number of photos resting on her dresser and night table. Wandering over to her dresser, he picked up a frame that contained a collage of four pictures.
One showed Lexie flanked by a smiling, older couple. Clearly her parents, as he could easily see the resemblance to both of them. Her dad sported a military haircut but Lexie had his firm chin. And she'd inherited her mother's eyes and glowing smile. Two of the other photos also showed Lexie with her parents, one where they were all dressed formally, the other on a golf course. The last photo was of a grinning Lexie in the water with a dolphin.
Looking up, he watched Lexie blow out the match, her lips puckered in a way that made him ache. She walked slowly toward him, her hips gently swaying, her full skirt skimming her legs. Halting beside him, she tapped on the frame. "My parents."
"Looks like you enjoy each other's company."
"Oh, we do. My folks are great. And tireless." She chuckled. "Whenever we're together, I'm always the one suggesting we sit down and rest for a minute."
The sharp pang of loss hit Josh. "That's how my dad was. He wasn't happy unless he was doing something." Pushing aside his sadness, he pointed to the dolphin picture. "Another relative?"
She laughed. "Swimming with the dolphins. It's an amazing experience. You might want to try it while you're in Florida."
"Thanks, but I reckon I'll pass. If you recall, the last time I went into water that wasn't in a pool, I got bit on the ass."
"Dolphins don't bite. Besides, you can't fault that snake on its taste. You've got a great ass."
He set the frame back on her dresser. "Right back at you, Miss Lexie."
Smiling, she placed her palms on his belly, then walked her fingers up his shirt. He sucked in a breath, filling his head with a combination of her floral musk and the vanilla-scented candles, which bathed the room in a soft glow.
"How do you feel?" she asked in a smoky voice. "Are you relaxed?"
"Hell, no."
"Well, Mr. All-Around Cowboy, let's see what we can do about that."
He settled his hands on her waist and pulled her against him. "Generally speakin', fancy titles and wearin' clothes in the bedroom are a waste of time."
"What is that, wisdom from some sort of cowboy handbook?"
He lowered his head and nuzzled her fragrant neck. "As a matter of fact, it is. Cowboys are well-versed in sage knowledge that's been passed down through the generations. All time-proven to be correct." A low, pleasure-filled moan vibrated in her throat, and he touched his tongue to the spot
"In that case," she murmured, "I suggest we get you out of these clothes."
Lexie slipped her fingers into the V opening in his shirt and did what she'd been thinking about all evening. One by one, she pulled the snaps open, the gentle click the only sound besides their breathing. When she reached his belt, she pulled the shirt from his waistband, then eased the denim down his arms where it fell to the floor behind him.
Reaching out, she placed her hands on his chest, absorbing the slap of his heartbeat against her palms. She ran her hands slowly downward, enjoying the taut muscles jerking beneath her fingers and the heat simmering in his gaze as he watched her. Teasing her fingertips around the edge of his waistband, she ran her palms up his smooth back, over his shoulders and chest, then again tickled her fingers down his ridged abdomen.
He sucked in a hissing breath and the desire burning in his gaze nearly singed her. "Sweetheart, if you think that you're going to relax me doing that, you're sadly mistaken."
"Well, I suppose relaxed isn't really what I'm going for," she conceded. "Probably aroused is closer."
"Well, aroused is what you've got."
"How aroused?"
He captured her hand and pressed it to the front of his jeans. "Very aroused."
Oh, my. "How do you work this big belt buckle?"
He released her hand, then, with a flick of the wrist, removed the buckle and set it on the edge of her dresser. Her gaze wandered down to his feet. "Boots next." Moving to the edge of the bed, he sat and quickly pulled off his boots and socks.
After slipping off her sandals, Lexie walked to the bed. "Ready to play Ice Cream?"
"Like you wouldn't believe."
"Lie down."
Never taking his gaze from hers, he pushed himself back, until he was supine, his head resting on her pillow.
With her heart pounding, Lexie knelt on the mattress next to him. Reaching out, she undid the button on his jeans, then slowly lowered the zipper. He lifted his hips to assist her, and she slid the denim down and off his legs.
Clad only in his white boxer briefs, his erection straining against the soft cotton, he stole her breath. Heat sizzled through her, pooling in a hot puddle that dampened her panties. She cupped him through his underwear, running her fingers over the length of him, reveling in his long groan. He was ready, all right. But she wanted him really ready.
Hiking up her dress, she straddled him, settling herself against his erection. She squirmed once and spears of pleasure arrowed through her.
He reached for her, but she captured his hands, then leaned forward to gently lower them to the mattress, above his head. "Oh, no," she whispered. "Now you just relax—"
"Yeah, right."
She flicked the tip of her tongue over his earlobe. "All you have to do is melt."
He shifted, pressing his erection harder against her. "Not a problem. You haven't even started and I'm already close to a total meltdown."
"Then let me bring you the rest of the way there."
Josh closed his eyes and damped his fingers tightly together to keep from touching her. Then he clenched his jaw and prayed for strength.
She ran her tongue down the side of his neck, nibbling with her lips, nipping him lightly with her teeth. Everywhere she touched him, it felt as if she'd lit bonfires on his skin. She licked her way down his body with maddening leisure, her tongue circling his nipples before taking them into the moist heat of her mouth. Pleasure and need, hot and sharp, shot through him, and his fingers turned numb from clasping them so tightly.
She shifted lower, her tongue dampening a path down to his abdomen. She blew lightly on the trail and his muscles contracted. After circling his navel she shifted lower still, licking across the skin just above his waistband.
Opening his eyes, Josh watched her slip her fingers beneath his waistband, then gently ease the cotton over him and down his legs to join the pile of discarded clothing on the floor.
Reaching out, she ran one gentle fingertip down the length of his penis. His erection jerked, and a moan rushed past his lips. Before he could regroup, she leaned forward and licked him.
And he sure as hell melted.
Gritting his teeth against the intense pleasure, he watched her run her tongue over him, licking, tasting, kissing the full length of him, while her hands caressed and cupped him. Just when he didn't think he could take anymore, she took him into her wet mouth.
A groan ripped from his chest. Her tongue slowly circled him and his entire body tightened. Sweat dampened his skin, and the need to come pounded through him with increasing desperation. He wasn't going to be able to hold off his orgasm much longer. And the hell with not touching her.
Tunneling shaking fingers through her hair, he withstood the sweet torture of her mouth for another half a minute. "Lexie." Her name was a long, hunger-filled growl. She slowly released him from her mouth, but gave him no time to catch his breath. Still straddling his legs, she leaned forward and pulled a condom from beneath the pillow. Within seconds the condom was on, her panties were off, and his erection was buried deep in her tight wet,
heat.
He tried to slow down, to retain some modicum of control, but his control was long gone. Reaching under her dress, he grasped her hips and thrust upward hard and fast.
"Josh…" Hearing her moan his name in that harsh, needful voice, pushed him over the edge. His release pounded through him with an intensity that bordered on pain. He throbbed inside her, shudders racking him, absorbing the feel of her orgasm as she pulsed around him. When his spasms subsided, he lay beneath her, ragged breaths pumping from his lungs, a film of sweat covering his skin, his heart beating so hard and fast he could hear its echo in his head.
He wasn't sure how long it took him to recover enough to force his eyes open. When he did, he discovered her looking down at him with the same stunned expression he knew had to be on his face.
Still intimately joined, they shared a long, silent look. Love, sure and strong, rushed through him, filling him with the certainty that it was only a matter of time before she realized that this was not a fling. Reaching up, he grasped her arms and pulled her down to him for an intimate, openmouthed kiss. Then she propped her weight on her hands and pulled back, looking at him with hazel eyes that glowed with a wicked gleam.
"So … did you melt?"
"Honey, you absolutely liquefied me. There's nothin' solid left."
"Oh. That's too bad. I wasn't nearly done with you."
"Yeah, well, I haven't even gotten started with you." His gaze shifted over her dress and he shook his head. "Didn't even get all your clothes off."
"No, but I kinda liked that you were naked and I wasn't. Of course, that does go against your cowboy rule about clothes in the bedroom being a waste of time. Did you mind?"
"Not a bit. But just remember, turnaround is fair play."
"Hmm. Is that a threat?"
"It's a promise."
"You know where else clothes are a waste of time?" she asked, lightly kissing him between each word. "The hot tub."
"Anything in that water that might bite me on the ass?"
A devilish grin eased over her face. "Only me."
"Good thing I'm now fearless in the water."
"How fearless?"
"I'd be happy to show you."
* * *
Chapter 7
« ^ »
Lexie awoke to the sound of birds chirping and bright sunlight filtering through the partially opened blinds. Memories of last night flooded into her mind, and she stretched sinuously, enjoying the pleasurable ache in her muscles. She turned to greet Josh, but discovered herself alone.
Rising, she slipped on her short, pale blue satin robe, noting as she tied the sash around her waist that Josh's clothes were no longer on the floor. She padded down the hallway and sighed in appreciation when the scent of fresh-brewed coffee wafted toward her from the kitchen. She entered the room, a smile on her lips, but Josh wasn't there. Instead she discovered a note printed on a napkin next to the coffeemaker. She quickly scanned the words.
Good morning, Sleepyhead,
Your cupboard was sort of bare, and for reasons that are entirely your fault, I'm in need of a substantial breakfast. Be back soon with the grub.
Josh
She grinned at the big smiley face he'd drawn next to his name, then poured herself a much-needed cup of coffee. Opening the sliding patio door, she stepped out onto the deck. She loved to spend the mornings on her days off out here, sitting on the comfy green-and-peach-striped lounger, drinking coffee and perusing the newspaper. After settling herself, she enjoyed her first sip as her gaze zeroed in on the hot tub.
A wealth of sensual memories ambushed her and she expelled a long, satisfied sigh. Holy cow. Last night had been … amazing. Even more so than the previous night. Yet more than just amazing. Because they'd shared so much more than just physical intimacy. She and Josh had talked and laughed and joked. Shared childhood and work-related anecdotes. Fed each other popcorn during their hot-tub soak. They'd had fun together. Which was great since fun was rule number one for a fling.
It had been a long time since she'd thought of lovemaking as fun. While she'd enjoyed her physical relationship with Tony, he wasn't one to talk much before; during or after. Josh, on the other hand, had no qualms about asking if he was pleasing her and telling her what pleased him. And he wasn't afraid to laugh, as he had when, during a passionate kiss in the hot tub, her cat Scout had jumped up onto the ledge and interrupted them by meowing loudly next to Josh's ear.
And while sex with Tony had been good, sex with Josh was … incredible. There was a chemistry between them that she'd never experienced before. An intimacy and spark that simultaneously thrilled and frightened her. Thrilled her because she'd clearly chosen the perfect lover with whom to indulge in a fling. And frightened her because it was growing increasingly difficult to ignore the little voice in her head that kept saying, If you think this is just sex, you're an idiot. You're speeding straight toward a head-on collision with heartbreak.
Her eyes slid closed and she blew out a sigh. Damn that annoying little voice. Why couldn't it just shut up and let her have some fun?
I won't shut up because I'm right. And in your heart, you know it.
Another sigh. How could she deny it? She liked Josh. A lot. It was one thing to like a fling-guy in bed, but she liked him just as much out of bed. And the more time she spent with him—both in and out of bed—the more she liked him. In an unwanted, ever-increasing way that could indeed lead to heartbreak. But she couldn't seem to put the brakes on her feelings. It didn't matter that she repeatedly reminded herself that he lived and owned a ranch thousands of miles away from Florida—her home that she had no intention of leaving.
And even if, by some geographical miracle, Montana and Florida were only minutes apart, there was no getting around the fact that Josh was, by no stretch of the imagination, the non-danger-loving accountant/insurance-salesman type. Good grief, he'd spent half his life getting tossed off the backs of huge bucking beasts! And now, here he was, his mind set on conquering the seven seas with a gritty-eyed determination she recognized all too well, thanks to Tony.
"He's my transition man," she muttered. "Nothing more. Fun, wild and temporary."
Yeah, right, her inner voice snickered.
Well, he was. And if it weren't for the fact that she needed the extra money he was paying her for lessons, she'd tell him to get lost. Take a hike.
Yeah, right.
"Good morning," came Josh's deep voice from the patio doorway. "Napping already?"
Opening her eyes, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. Freshly shaved and dressed in a snowy T-shirt and snug jeans faded in all the right places, he looked big and tall and lean and good enough to lick. Again.
Smiling she said, "Good morning. Not napping. Just lounging and enjoying the morning sun."
He crossed the deck then sat on the edge of her lounge chair. Leaning down, he kissed her with a lingering, gentle perfection that stole her breath. When he lifted his head, she felt so drugged, she had to struggle to lift her eyelids. "Wow," she whispered. "You're really good at that."
Her heart stuttered at the compelling expression in his dark eyes. "So are you." He brushed his fingers over her lips. "You have the most beautiful mouth I've ever seen. I can't tell you how much sleep I've lost since I met you, fantasizing about that mouth."
He looked so serious, she felt the need to lighten the mood—before she blurted out something inappropriate and stupid like, You're the most beautiful man I've ever seen and I think I'm falling head over heels for you. Clearing her throat, she forced what she hoped passed for a sexy, lighthearted smile. "Well, my mouth made you lose some sleep last night."
"Honey, your mouth about stopped my heart last night." He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss into her palm. "In fact, the entire night about stopped my heart."
His warm breath drifted over her skin, and the intense, almost troubled expression in his eyes stilled her. Was he feeling it, too? This unsettling, growing
unease that their fling could turn into something more?
She was spared the need to reply, just as well as it seemed someone had tied a big knot in her tongue, when he appeared to shake off his seriousness and smiled. "I stopped at the resort to change and pick up a few things for our sailing lesson. Then I hit the grocery store. No offense, but the contents of your refrigerator looked like a food museum."
Embarrassment heated her face. "Sorry. Free meals are one of the perks of working at the resort, so I don't keep much on hand here. I usually shop on my day off, which is today. It's on my list of things to do."
"Well, cross it off your list 'cause it's done. I bought bacon, eggs, muffins, pancake mix, syrup—all the fixin's for a hearty country breakfast." Her dismay must have shown because he asked, "That okay?"
"It's fine. It's just that … well, I'm afraid I'm not that great in the kitchen. Pouring a bowl of cereal is about as fancy as I get for breakfast. I suppose I could scorch some toast if I really had to."
"You don't cook?"
Humph. Obviously he didn't feel that pouring cereal and scorching toast fell into the realm of "cooking." Well, too bad. "I'm sort of the anti-cook."
He rose and pulled her to her feet. Taking her into his arms, he dropped a quick kiss on her nose. "Lucky for you, I'm a great cook."
She squeezed her eyes shut. No. Impossible. He simply could not be gorgeous, funny, charming, nice, sexy, and know how to cook. "You're joking."
"Darlin', I might kid about a lot of things, but food preparation is not one of them. Cowboys take their grub very seriously." He started toward the kitchen, tugging lightly on her hand. "C'mon. I'll make you a breakfast guaranteed to knock your socks off."
She followed him into the kitchen, shaking her head. Great. Just what she needed—another reason to like him.
And damn it, he'd already knocked a heck of a lot more than her socks off.
* * *
Josh leaned back in the comfortable kitchen chair. Over the rim of his yellow ceramic coffee mug, he watched Lexie finish her last bite of pancake, her eyes closed in rapture, a purr of satisfaction rumbling in her throat. If there was one thing he liked, it was a woman who enjoyed food. And he'd never met one who looked more decadent and downright sexy while she ate than Lexie.
IN OVER HIS HEAD Page 10
