“You shouldn’t have followed me. I’m not…” she began, as edgy as a yearling before gentling.
“Here.” He thrust out his hand, flustered by the doubt etched in the fine lines around her eyes. “I think you dropped this. At least, I’m hoping it wasn’t the guy next to you.” He smiled, going for encouragement instead of charm this time. “Could make for a really awkward evening.”
Her gaze lowered to the white keycard in his palm. For a moment, he wasn’t certain how she would react. When a smile tugged at the corner of her lips, he knew he’d made the right choice to come after her. She snatched the card out of his hand.
“It’s mine.” She slipped the key into her back pocket. “I’m sorry for bailing back there, it’s just…well, you know how it is. The pressure and all.” Her lips pursed in chagrin.
Boy, did he ever. This week was his last chance to figure out is she was here as a legitimate client or an expert witness for some high priced attorney’s office.
“Yeah.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I know.”
She tilted her head, in an entirely disarming manner. “I’m Jess, by the way.” She extended her right hand, straight ahead. “Jessica Barlow.”
He shook her hand, reveling in the feel of her skin, the tapered silkiness of her slim fingers and the warmth of her palm. She was one tempting woman. He gave her fingers a gentle but firm squeeze before she withdrew.
“Matteo, but you can call me Matt. Everyone else does.”
Why did he say that?
It wasn’t true. Everyone, including Seneca, called him by his full given name. He didn’t mean to lie to her; he just wanted to draw her out a little, to get her to respond to him. Women loved nicknames, didn’t they?
“Okay, Matt.” Jess gave him a smile that took his breath away like a punch to the abdomen. She shifted uncertainly, like a restless yearling about to bolt. Her hazel eyes darted from him to the building she’d just vacated and back. “Thanks for retrieving my key.” She stepped towards the lodge. A step away from him.
“Hey, why don’t we go for a little walk?” he suggested. A storm brewed not ten miles out, but he wanted to spend a few more minutes with her, maybe discover her motives. “No bells, no time limit, no pressure.” He couldn’t let her escape to her room, not yet.
Jess cocked her head. “Do I know you? Your voice sounds familiar….”
Matteo clenched his jaw. He shouldn’t have made the phone call, but he’d been so concerned she wouldn’t take the bait, entrusting the task to anyone else had seemed a bad idea.
He cleared his throat. “Don’t think so, but I’d like to change that.” The wind tugged at her hair again and he stuffed his hands back into his pockets to keep from tucking it behind her ear. “How about a little fresh air?”
Adrenaline coursed through him like a wild mustang. He wanted to lay her down right there in the grass and kiss the frown from her face. Matteo wet his lips, hungry for the taste of her skin on his tongue. He'd gone without a woman for too long. He was as keyed up as a breeding stud.
She hesitated before answering, slow seconds that seemed to last forever. His heartbeat ticked off each one with painful precision. Would she or wouldn’t she?
“Okay,” she said with a cautious glance at the sky behind him. “But we stay close to the lodge. Just in case.”
Whether she meant to run for cover from the rain or him, he didn’t care. Matteo smiled. Little by little he would work out Jessica Barlow’s motives. She’d taken a chance on this trip and now she’d agreed to some sustained contact with him. He was making progress.
Score two for LoveLines.
Chapter Three
When Mr. Hot Fudge, a.k.a. Matt, took her hand to lead her down the crushed gravel path, Jess felt her cheeks grow warm. She was just being polite, she told herself. He’d caught her off guard. The guy had rescued her room key and his broad shoulders blocked the wind in a way that made her feel soft and feminine, despite her charging out of the lodge like a runaway freight train to Singlesville.
The fact that she wanted to eat him with a spoon had nothing to do with it.
A roll of thunder pealed in the far distance. They’d best wrap up this little stroll or risk getting caught in the storm. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes. He seemed content, if a little lost in thought. There was no discomfort in his stride. In fact, he appeared quite at ease. Her jerk-o-meter was suspiciously silent.
Crunch, crunch. The sound of their boots filled the air.
They were quiet…too quiet. She felt obligated to say something, as they meandered down the trail skirting the lodge. Some twenty feet on the other side of the path, a wildlife preserve bordered the lodge property. Groves of aspen and pine trees stretched high above and somewhere a bird cried out piercing the silence.
“So, this whole singles vacation thing…it’s pretty weird, huh?” she asked. Her heart fluttered like a teenager. Matt had melting chocolate brown eyes and he’d had a nice firm grip. His palms were an appealing combination of softness and calluses. A guy who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, she guessed.
“Oh, I don’t know.” The hint of a Hispanic accent in his Southern drawl made her knees weak. He flashed her a boyish grin. “I’m feeling pretty lucky about now.”
Jess recoiled. “How so?” Did he think he was getting lucky just because she’d agreed to a walk? Ugh! She planted her hands on her hips.
Matt’s forehead wrinkled. “I’m talking to a beautiful woman in one of my favorite locales. What more could a guy ask for?” His hand stole up and brushed the hair from her cheek. “How about you? You into the great outdoors?”
Jess gave an inward sigh of relief. Okay, so he bypassed strike one. It didn’t mean he wasn’t a creep in hunk’s clothing.
“It is pretty amazing here. I’m not usually into the whole outdoorsy thing, but….” She breathed deeply. “A girl could get used to this.” The scenery was breathtaking, despite the growing clouds behind them. She couldn’t tell if it was the fresh air or the nearness of Matt that made her feel at ease. “Are you from around here?” She didn’t know if it was taboo to ask too much personal information.
“Texas born and bred,” he volunteered. “But I get around. I like to travel. You?”
“Some.” If you counted schlepping around with a travel schedule freak. “If it’s on my own time.”
“You sound like a woman who knows what she wants out of life.” Matt scuffed his heels in the gravel, and smiled at her.
“Maybe.” Except when it comes to dating, she finished in her head.
“I like that. You’re not afraid to go after what you really want.”
If only he knew! Jess swallowed the lump in her throat. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m not even sure why I came on this trip.”
The truth was she didn’t know what she wanted. It was far easier to nail down what she didn’t want. Like a string of too-handsome men cheating on her, just as they had her mother. Jess thought about her father, two stepfathers, and the string of successive boyfriends her mother had brought to their quiet suburban home. Each one promising to love them forever, before abandoning them for their own selfish desires. Then, Stan…. She shuddered. Far easier to find fault and never take a chance on a second date. Far easier to spend every night alone for the rest of her life, even if she couldn’t quite give up hope that somewhere was a guy worth having--both in the sack and out.
“Change of subject?” he suggested. “You got quiet on me.”
She smiled, gratefully. “How about we start at the beginning?”
They made the usual small talk. She found out he owned a horse ranch, liked live comedy (a plus in her book), and he was allergic to pecans--blasphemy. None of her mother’s famous bourbon pecan pie for him. He was funny and interesting. She wished she could read his LoveLines profile. You could tell a lot about a guy by what he wrote.
“So, what’s your favorite thing about owning a horse ranch?” she asked.
&
nbsp; He thought for a moment. “I guess the colts. I mean, we breed horses for business, but there’s just something about each successful birth that draws me in.”
Jess felt her lips curve. That was surprising.
She knew little about horse ranching, having spent a few mandatory summer months learning to ride. Still, she’d have guessed a powerhouse like Matt to be more interested in the breeding aspects, than the birthing. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and caught him staring at her. He smiled back.
Thunder boomed overhead and there was definite hint of moisture in the blowing breeze. The temperature plummeted. Jess sniffed as the tip of her nose started to tingle. Her panic attack had evaporated, surprising her. She’d expected not to feel anything but anxiety or disdain for a guy this gorgeous. He was as decadent as dark chocolate.
“You cold?” Matt took off his denim jacket and slung it over her shoulders. It smelled like him, an intoxicating blend of citrus aftershave and the warm scent of his skin.
“Thanks. It looks like rain. We should be getting back before the storm hits.” She didn’t really want to go. She really wanted to run her tongue on his skin and see if he tasted as good as he looked.
He nodded. “Okay.” He eyed her cautiously.
Another burst of thunder, this one directly overhead. Jess started. Her ears popped as rain began to spatter them and the ground.
“Oh, no! We’re too late!” A fat drop plopped on her cheeks, followed by five more. They’d be soaked through in seconds. And she was wearing ivory silk. She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.
“Better run for it,” Matt suggested.
When had they gotten so far from the lodge? “We’ll never make it.” She looked down at her impractical stiletto boots and the sharp gravel path back to the lodge.
Matt’s dark brows furrowed as he followed her gaze. “Let me carry you.”
“No way,” she protested. “You can’t hold my weight!”
Matt gave her a look of disbelief. “Yes, I can. Here, let me….” He took a step towards her.
The sky boomed again and opened up without warning. Rain poured from the clouds, obscuring the landscape from view and drenched the front of her blouse more effectively than a football post-game celebration. Jess stifled a little shriek. It was cold!
“There's no lightning. Head this way!” Matt hollered and grabbed her hand. His skin was slick from the rain. He tugged her sideways off the path and towards the trees. She stumbled after him, hoping they’d make it before the worst of the onslaught.
They raced further into the pines until the branches sheltered most of the rain. The occasional drop landed on them, but she was so soaked it hardly mattered.
“Whew!” Matt’s eyes crackled like firelight and his cheeks were flushed. “That was some rush,” he joked.
“No kidding.” Jess tried to calm her breathing. Was she that out of shape? She slicked her sopping hair off her face. “I must look a mess.”
Matt raised his upturned palm and wiped the rain from her cheek. “Actually, you look beautiful.” His pupils were dilated. “Wow.”
He sounded like he really meant it. His chest rose and fell rapidly when he breathed, though he was obviously physically fit.
Jess gulped. Matt shifted closer, until they were almost touching. Their damp bodies were only inches apart. His pale shirt was almost transparent. The muscles of his chest and abdomen were clearly defined underneath. No doubt about it. He’d give Alan some serious competition in the male model department. Her body warmed with desire. It had been a long time since a man had stood so close to her. She felt her nipples bead with excitement. Around them, the forest was redolent with the scent of pine needles and rain. She’d never thought of a storm as erotic, until now. The trees were quiet except for a few last droplets seeking the earth.
“Here, take your jacket back. I’m not cold, anymore.” She slipped out of the wet denim, feeling flushed. Her skin was hot and prickled all over. What was wrong with her?
She couldn’t remember the last time a man had this affect on her. Not even Stan, with his slick wooing, came close to the primitive heat radiating from Matt.
Something about the nearness of him, the combination of steam rising from their bodies awoke something deep within her. Rain dripped down the back of her neck and she shivered at the sensation. Her senses were awash with the combination of his scent and the moist forest around them.
Matt’s gaze left hers for a moment, traveling down the length of her rain-soaked figure. He grabbed his jacket from her hand and tossed it aside into the forest debris like a blanket. Jess glanced down. Her nipples were puckered and stiff, protruding through the wet material of her blouse and her thin bra. She was obviously aroused and yet she didn’t feel any shame. Not with him. His gaze raked over her like fire.
“I…we…we should be getting back….” She began. Her brain was foggy with desire. She wanted him, wanted his hands on her. Why was it so hard to think?
“Your eyes are incredible,” Matt whispered, moving closer until she could feel the tickle of his warm breath on her cheek. “Expressive. Stunning.”
“They’re just brown,” Jess answered. She leaned back against a nearby aspen. Her legs felt like water. What was she doing?
“They’re much more than that. There are gold flecks in them that dance when you smile.” His fingers stole underneath her chin and tilted her head up. His full mouth hovered near hers. “I want to see you smile. I want to see you….”
Naked, she wondered?
She wet her lips with the tip of her tongue as a soft rumble escaped from him. The sound sent liquid heat between her thighs.
“I’m going to kiss you, Jess.” It wasn’t a question. He leaned in, his fingers raising her face to meet him. “I’m going to show you why you came to Montana.”
“Oh.” She knew why she was here. To prove that love can’t be distilled into a computer profile. She sighed. “This is crazy.”
He ducked his head, his lips brushing hers. “Give in to it.”
She had to. She craved his mouth on her. Jess wound her arms around his neck as she opened her mouth, allowing him deeper access.
His mouth covered hers, his tongue probing into her with soft, slick repetition that overloaded her senses. He sampled her bottom lip, nipping lightly at them with his teeth.
She ignored the fact that she’d just met him and surrendered to the feeling of his insistent kiss. The bark of the trunk scraped her back. She tilted her head as his tongue stroked hers, probing deeper into her mouth. A soft moan escaped from her lips as she widened her stance, wobbling a little in her boots.
His hips ground against her as he lifted her body against the tree and took her mouth. Every nerve ending was on fire and attuned to the feel of his body against hers. He unbuttoned his shirt and she gasped at his muscular, tanned physique. Matt looked as if he could have carried her halfway to Wyoming and back without breaking a sweat.
He cradled her in his arms, his mouth tugging at her bottom lip. She was suddenly very glad that she hadn’t retreated to the structured safety of the lodge. She clutched his triceps and wrapped her legs around his waist, desperate to feel him against her aching core. Matt flexed his buttocks, and his arousal nudged her swollen mound through their clothing. She bit back a groan. He felt so good. If only they were naked. On the ground where his jacket was spread. Or her room…the room with her bed and…her investigation file.
Oh, god, her investigation.
“Matt,” she whispered through the haze of desire that clouded her thinking. “We shouldn’t be doing this.” She really didn’t want him to stop. “I don’t know what to think about this.” How was she going to list this in her notes?
“Don’t think. Just feel.” His voice was muffled.
His hands crept up and unbuttoned her blouse. The soft calluses on his fingertips teased her skin as he slid her bra strap off her shoulders. One touch, then two and she was lost. It had been so
long since she’d felt desirable. With a half growl, Matt trailed kisses down the sides of her neck and throat, his tongue blazing a white hot trail across her flesh. Cool air assaulted her bare skin when his hungry mouth lifted. Her breathing became ragged as he flipped back her sodden clothing and palmed her breasts through the thin fabric of her dampened bra. An eager wetness blossomed between her legs as raindrops and Matt’s kisses trickled down in a staccato across her breasts. Her nerves sizzled with anticipation and desire.
“You taste so good,” he said. He bent his head, his dark hair curling around his face. Jess gasped as she felt his teeth gently brush her nipple. “So sweet.”
Don’t think. Just feel, he’d said. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
Matt’s hardened arousal pressed against the sensitive cleft between her legs.
“Oh, yes.” She shifted her hips subtly directing him to the right spot. White spots of lightning flashed behind her eyelids as he licked and suckled her through her thin rayon bra. His tongue flicked impatiently between the fabric and her skin before his hands pawed the material aside. She gasped as the cold air raced over the responsive nipple and then he recaptured it in the heat of his mouth.
Her heartbeat pounded almost as loudly as the thunderstorm.
Matt looked up at her, his eyes dark with desire. “Let me,” he said. His hands tugged at her button fly.
Her throat closed. She wanted this, oh, how she wanted this. It had been so long and she suspected he was everything she’d wanted in a lover. But this was crazy. She wasn’t a one night stand kind of woman and she’d stopped taking the pill when she divorced Stan.
“No, wait. I…I don’t have anything. Not here, anyway.” She wasn’t so far gone with lust that she’d lost her common sense. LoveLines had a strict health policy—members had to show proof of a clean bill of health, but still…discretion was the better part of valor. Maybe some part of her thought that if she wasn’t on birth control it would be easier to take things slowly. “We don’t have any protection.” She wanted to scream in frustration. “And I’m not sure I’m ready for this….this…contact.”
LIAR LIAR (Sexy Southerners series) Page 4
