Reluctant Desire [Desire, Oklahoma 8] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic)

by Leah Brooke

  “You’ll have to use the same tactic with Beau. You’re so impatient.”

  “Impatient? You’re the one who always goes hell-bent into situations without thinking them through.”

  “And you think too much. Just go with the flow, Charity. If you want Beau to play, then play. Beau loves having fun. He won’t be able to resist you for long.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Charity jumped at the knock on her door, her heart pounding with excitement. She crossed to it on shaky legs and flung the door open, sucking in a breath at the impact Beau had on her senses. Amazed that even after being with Beau all this time, she could still be startled by his amazing good looks, she leaned against the doorway and drank in the sight of him.

  The black dress slacks and gray dress shirt did nothing to tone down the aura of wicked sensuality surrounding him.

  Eyeing him hungrily, she straightened and swung the door wide. “I didn’t expect you to knock. Don’t you still have your key?”

  Stepping into the room, he whipped an arm out and around her waist when she would have stepped back, his smile thrilling her. “I still have my key, but this is a date.”

  Flattening his hands on her back, he pulled her close, bending to take her mouth with his. Pressing his lips against hers, he forced her mouth open, taking it in a sensual kiss that sent her senses reeling. As one hand slid in her hair to hold her in place, the other tightened on her back, pulling her even closer.

  Charity melted under his kiss, her pussy clenching at the feel of his hard cock pressed against her belly. She’d missed this so much. She’d missed the erotic feel of his body, hard and hungry against hers. She’d missed the seduction in his kiss, and the demand in his much more forceful hold when he wanted her too much to be gentle.

  His kiss—his hold—had an element of arrogance to it now that hadn’t been there before. Instead of teasing or cajoling a response from her, he swept in and smashed through her defenses and took, silently demanding a response from her that she found herself helpless to deny.

  Her breasts felt swollen against his chest, her nipples tight and aching for his touch. Pressing herself against him, she gasped at the feel of his cock pressing against her, now even harder than before.

  The hand at her back lowered to her bottom as Beau lifted his head. “A real date. We’re going out in public where everyone can see that you belong to me.”

  Threading her hands into his silky hair, Charity nodded, swallowing heavily as desire flowed through her veins. “Yes.” Rubbing against him, she moaned. “I can’t wait until we’re alone, though.”

  With a smile, Beau ran his hand over her hip. “Neither can I, cher. I’ve been thinking about it all day.” Putting only a few inches between them, Beau slid a hand over her bottom. “You look beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a dress before.”

  She knew she looked good, but the appreciation in Beau’s eyes made her feel even more beautiful. “Thank you. I haven’t worn a dress in years. You told me to dress up, but I don’t know where we’re going.”

  She knew the teal dress showed off her olive skin to perfection, and that it hugged her curves in all the right places. She wouldn’t have chosen the low, revealing neckline for herself, but she was glad now that Hope talked her into it.

  She also had a new appreciation for the lingerie Hope had talked her into buying.

  She couldn’t wear a bra with the dress, and the sensation of the material sliding over her nipples with every movement made her feel decadent and very, very sexy.

  The way Beau’s gaze lingered there made her feel even sexier.

  Hope had talked her into forgoing the panties, and instead of her usual pantyhose, Charity wore a black garter and stockings.

  Unused to going without panties, Charity fidgeted restlessly in Beau’s arms, enjoying the feel of the slippery material sliding over her bottom. Feeling naughty and confident, Charity looked forward to the evening ahead with Beau, determined to get back the man she’d first fallen in love with.

  Beau’s smile sent a thrill of anticipation racing through her, a smile that fell, his eyes going wide. “You’re not wearing panties.”

  His hand moved again, the warm of his touch penetrating the material and making her pussy clench again. His entire body tensed, his groan rumbling in his chest and vibrating against her nipples. “You’re wearing a garter belt.”

  Thrilled with his response, and that she’d managed to surprise him, Charity ran a hand down his chest, anxious to surprise him more. “A black one with stockings.” It had been so long—too long—since she’d felt so free and uninhibited, and she wanted to make it last, and tease both of them as long as possible.

  Walking carefully in her heels, she grinned and turned to retrieve her purse from the sofa. Her breath caught when Beau came up behind her, holding the only dress coat she owned to help her into it.

  Once she had it on, she turned her head to smile her thanks, her breath catching when he jerked the edges of her coat wide, preventing her from buttoning it.

  With another groan, he buried her face against the side of her neck and slid his hands over her breasts. “No bra, either. Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?” The rough growl in his voice thrilled her, and made her heart beat faster.

  With a gasp, she dropped her head back against his shoulder, a moan escaping when Beau slid his warm hands inside the low neckline of her dress to cup her breasts. “Hopefully, tempting you. I want you to want me again.”

  Groaning, he rubbed his cock against her belly. “You always tempt me. I always want you.”

  Sliding his hands from her dress, he pulled it back into place, nuzzling her neck as he buttoned her coat. “It’s cold outside.” Once he finished, he slid his hand lower and caressed her mound. “That cold air’s going to blow right up your dress and you’re not even wearing panties to keep your pussy warm.” With a grin, he ran a hand over her hair. “I guess I’m going to have to make sure it stays warm.”

  She couldn’t resist the playfulness in his tone, delighted to have everything back to normal. Lifting her arms to wrap them around his neck, and thankful that it only caught a slight pang to her left shoulder, Charity tilted her hips into his touch. The rush of need his words inspired dampened her inner thighs, his teasing exciting her like never before. She felt the desperation she hadn’t felt before, so attuned to him that the slightest movement of his body against hers made her heart beat faster. Because of it, her words came out breathless as she leaned into him. “I wouldn’t worry about that. It feels pretty warm down there.”

  “You don’t mind if I check for myself, do you?”

  “Oh, God.” Her clit tingled in anticipation. She could almost feel him touching her, her imagination running wild. She shivered at the feel of his breath against her neck, her knees turning to rubber at the slow slide of his fingers up her inner thigh. Her breath became harsher and more labored with every inch he gained, her stomach muscles tightening in expectation.

  He moved slowly, intensifying the anticipation, his other hand pressing against her abdomen, effectively holding her in place. “We wouldn’t want this pussy getting cold now, would we? What the hell?”

  Charity smiled at his incredulous tone, a tone filled with sexual tension. “I made another stop today after I shopped for the clothes.”

  Smoothing his fingers over her bare mound, he turned her face to his. “Apparently.” With a harsh groan, he turned her in his arms, lifting her face to his again, his eyes hooded and darker than usual. “Do you have any more surprises for me?”

  Flattening her hands on his chest, she leaned closer, breathing in the clean, exotic scent of him, a scent she could recognize with her eyes closed, a scent that never failed to ignite her senses. Sucking in another breath, she smiled, her voice catching at the hunger building inside her, a hunger fueled by his. “I haven’t surprised you enough?”

  Adjusting the collar of her coat to cover her neck, Beau smiled, his
eyes dark and hooded. “You’ve given me quite a few surprises tonight. I planned for us to talk more at dinner, but now I’m going to have trouble focusing on the conversation.”

  Bending low, he brushed her lips with his, frustrating her by straightening before she could entice him to deepen his kiss. He ran a hand over her hair before pressing it at the small of her back to urge her toward the door.

  “I’m going to sit through dinner, anxiously anticipating the time when we get back to my house, I strip you out of that dress, spread your thighs, and have my dessert.”

  If not for Beau’s hold, Charity would have stumbled.

  Instead of the teasing that always made her heart race, his tone had an urgency to it that emphasized his need for her. The raw huskiness in his voice ignited a primitive hunger that erased all thoughts of play.

  She wanted heat. She wanted passion. She didn’t want him to hold back anymore. She wanted everything Beau had to give.

  Knowing how he felt increased her sense of sexual awareness so strongly, she trembled with it.

  Halfway down the steps, he ran a hand over her bottom, a touch that had become more possessive since her accident, but seemed even more possessive now. “You’d better keep those legs closed as much as possible, chéri. I wouldn’t want that bare pussy to get cold. I want a nice warm dessert.”

  Charity shivered at the gust of wind, smiling when he pulled her closer and rubbed her back. “The things you say sometimes make me crazy. Where are we going?”

  Beau took her hand as they went through the alley between the buildings. “We’re going to the hotel. I want everyone to see that we’re together.” As they approached his SUV, he pressed the button to unlock it and glanced at her. “Our dinner is probably going to be interrupted several times, but I want for us to be out in public together.” He opened the door and lifted her by the waist to help her inside, once again surprising her with his strength.

  Bending, he brushed his lips over hers, nibbling at her bottom lip before straightening and fastening her seat belt. “I want everyone to see that you’re mine. It’s about time, don’t you think? Is this okay on your hip?”

  Charity nodded. “It’s fine. I’m okay now, Beau. If you baby me tonight, I swear I’m going to hit you.” She met his glare with a steady look, watching as he rounded the front of his SUV and got in. “Beau, not that I mind going to the restaurant in the hotel, but people have seen us together all over town for weeks.”

  Glancing at her, Beau started the SUV and put it in gear. “Walking around town to exercise that hip, going to the doctor’s, the drug store, and the grocery store isn’t exactly the same thing as going out on a date.”

  Grinning at his indignant tone, Charity laughed softly. “I would think that doing things like grocery shopping together would signify that we were together more than going out on a date.”

  Beau smiled and reached over to pat her hand. “Still, we’re not getting married without even dating once.”

  It took only a few minutes to get to the hotel, and as they pulled into the parking lot, Charity turned to Beau. “It looks busy. Are you sure they’re going to have a table for us?”

  “Of course. I told Brandon we were coming.”

  She couldn’t take her eyes off of him as he got out and rounded the front of the SUV, once again struck by the fact that he would soon be her husband. Bubbling with excitement, she reached for him when he opened her door. “Are we going to sit in one of the privacy booths?”

  The privacy booths had to be reserved in advance, and there had always been a waiting list for them. People who wanted to participate in a little—or a lot—of naughtiness while they ate could reserve them, and the waiter only went inside when he’d been summoned.

  She could only imagine what went on inside. Curious, she’d asked her sister, but as much as Hope wanted to eat in one of the privacy booths with her husband, Ace refused, saying that it wasn’t appropriate behavior for the sheriff.

  As much as she wanted to tempt Beau to be his playful self again, she could already feel her face burn at the thought of everyone in the restaurant speculating on what they were doing behind the heavy curtain.

  Beau helped her down, steadying her before closing the door. “No. It would only embarrass your parents. Anything we can do in there, we can do back at my place—and with a hell of a lot more privacy.”

  Relieved, and oddly disappointed, Charity walked across the parking lot with him. Unused to walking in heels, she appreciated Beau’s steadying hold and the fact that he slowed his steps to match hers.

  Beau kept hold of her hand as they made their way through the hotel lobby, and into the restaurant. “Between shopping with your sister and going to the spa, you sound like you did a lot of running around today. Did you eat anything?”

  Smiling at Brandon, who came around the desk to greet them, she glanced up at Beau. “I had a slice of pizza while we were shopping. Hi, Brandon. I see the restaurant’s as busy as usual.” She started forward, but Beau wrapped a hand around her upper arm and pulled her back.

  Frowning, he held up a finger to signal Brandon to wait. “Pizza? That’s all you had today?”

  Grinning, Brandon moved closer. “Uh-oh. It looks like you’d better eat your dinner tonight.” His eyes narrowed as they raked over her face. “You look beautiful. Beau must be taking good care of you.”

  Charity smiled. “He is, but I’ve recently noticed that he can be somewhat of a nag.”

  Brandon threw back his head and laughed, the handsome owner of the restaurant earning several admiring looks from women sitting nearby. “Give him a break. He’s been hovering over you for weeks.”

  He led them to a table off to the side. “I saved this one for you. I figured you’d want a little more privacy. Anyone who hasn’t seen Charity for a while is going to be coming over to see how she is, and to congratulate both of you on your upcoming marriage.”

  Once they were seated, he braced himself on the back of the chair across from her and nodded toward one of the waiters, who rushed over with two menus. “I got the invitation the other day. I’m going to have to find me a sweet thing to bring as my date.”

  Knowing Brandon shared women with his friend and business partner, Ethan, Charity smiled. “You mean you and Ethan?”

  Brandon’s smile dimmed, as did the light of amusement in his eyes. “Ethan’s bringing his own date.” Blowing out a breath, he straightened. “So what did the doctor say?”

  Amused at the fact that he knew she’d had an appointment, Charity still worried about Brandon’s obvious unhappiness, and shared a look with Beau, who shook his head imperceptibly before meeting Brandon’s gaze again. “The doctor said that I’m as good as new.”

  Beau finished buttering the piece of warm bread from the basket and placed it on Charity’s bread plate. “Charity thinks she’s indestructible.”

  Brandon chuckled, he and Beau sharing one of those looks of male communication she’d come to recognize. “That seems to be one of the female traits that drive the men around here crazy the most. They just don’t realize how small and fragile they really are.”

  Turning, Brandon gave her a considering look. “Don’t look at me that way. You know damned well that it’s a man’s job to protect you. If you don’t believe me, ask your daddies. The waiter’s on his way over with a complimentary bottle of champagne to celebrate your engagement.”

  He gestured toward her ring and grinned. “It’s about time.” Turning to Beau, he inclined his head. “You’re a lucky man. Having a woman of your own must be incredible.”

  Something about his demeanor bothered Charity. Leaning forward, she opened her mouth to ask him about it, but a look from Beau kept her silent.

  Beau, who’d seemed inclined to sit back and watch her, his gaze indulgent, sat forward. “Thanks for the champagne, and thank Ethan for us.”

  Curious about the strange look on Brandon’s face, Charity watched him walk away, waiting until she could no longer see hi
m before turning to Beau. “What’s wrong with Brandon? Don’t tell me you don’t know because everyone talks in Desire, especially you men.”

  Beau’s brow went up. “Oh, and the women don’t talk?” Leaning back, he watched the waiter open the champagne and pour each of them a glass. “The men have to know what’s going on with all the women. Some of them get half-cocked ideas about doing crazy things—like driving in a blizzard. We have to know what’s going on in order to protect them.”

  Once the waiter left, Beau handed her one of the glasses, lifting the other. “To my beautiful bride-to-be.” Taking her hand in his, he held it to his lips before taking a sip of the champagne. The love shining in his eyes, and the possessiveness of his gaze as it moved over her face stunned her with its intensity. When he leaned forward, she did the same, hardly able to believe that this was the same man who’d tied her to the bed, who’d used feathers to ignite every nerve ending in her body with passion, and who’d used flavored paints to tease her senses.

  The sincerity in his eyes couldn’t be mistaken, and she wondered how she could have missed so much. Beau had layers to him that she hadn’t seen—maybe hadn’t wanted to see, or been ready to see—and she found this side of him as fascinating and compelling as the playful lover she’d known.

  Blinking back tears, Charity gripped his hand. “Beau, sometimes I feel as if I never knew you.”

  With a smile, he brought her hand to his cheek, interlacing his fingers with hers. “I’ve been here all along, cher. My need to play in no way diminished what I felt for you.”

  The waiter’s appearance kept her from answering, but she didn’t know what she would have said anyway. Realizing that her own fears had caused the wedge that had been between him, she knew she had to do something in order to make him see that she didn’t mind his playfulness at all.

  She didn’t know how she would go about it yet, but she knew she had to find a way.

  Setting the menu aside, Charity took another sip of champagne. “I think I’ll have the chicken with the mushroom sauce.”