High Seduction

by Vivian Arend

  Becki gave her a high five. “You are classy, and talented, and I’m glad you’re home safe.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Becki, where are the buns?” Marcus shouted from the doorway.

  “My favourite ones are in your pants,” Becki called back, rising to her feet and winking at Erin as laughter poured in the door along with the cold air. “One second, I’ll get them.”

  Erin relaxed where she was, sipping her beer while she stared out the window at the guys congregating around the grill.

  Extra time off. She wasn’t sure what they would do with it.

  Her stay with Tim at Matt’s had been—she hated to be cheesy and say magical, but it certainly hadn’t been real life. Maybe that was why she’d been so willing to let Tim take control.

  I let him take control because that’s what I wanted.

  And there it was again. That edge of honesty that cut into her fear. There really was no going back. It wouldn’t be fair to either of them. Either she confirmed what she’d said to Tim before about enjoying what he’d arranged, or she needed to call this relationship off and let them both move on.

  Only confirming that she wanted more of what they’d shared on the island also meant they had to have a serious discussion, and soon. Their past wasn’t going to vanish without a trace, and the longer she held off discussing it, the harder it got.

  Tim caught her eye and straightened. All his attention focused tightly on her. Watching, assessing. Like he did during sex. Like he did all the time. The cheeky wink he tossed her did nothing to answer her dilemma, except . . . it was such a purely instinctive Tim move, she had to smile in response.

  Maybe that was her answer. Things with Tim would move forward, and they’d see what came next. What came naturally.

  And at the end of it all, she hoped she still had herself as well as him.

  * * *

  It was crowded around the grill, but Tim didn’t mind. He was in his glory. Erin hadn’t been far off in her tease about him getting maximum mileage out of sharing their adventure.

  Their time with the group was also a great distraction from having to make the next set of plans. He knew what he wanted, but first he needed confirmation from Erin for the go-ahead.

  Getting the catch-up time with the team was important, but he was itching for the next step.

  “You had far more luck than you should have,” Anders pointed out, a murmur of agreement rippling through the group as Tim, along with Matt’s enthusiastic additions, finished their story.

  “Luck was a big part of it.” Matt pointed in the window. “Luck and that lady. When I heard the propellers stall I thought we were going to plummet straight down and be gone in one huge explosive fireball.”

  “Erin’s the best.” Tripp leaned on the wall, one arm around his boyfriend. “Although I can’t imagine autorotation becoming a popular method of transportation.”

  “Better than the spinning thing she had us doing a minute earlier.” Matt shuddered. “God, I need another drink just thinking about it.”

  Tim slapped him on the shoulder. “You did great. Most people react like Red. You only whimpered for your mommy.”

  “Ass,” Matt replied without rancor.

  Marcus laughed. “I’m glad everything worked out.”

  “Not everything.” Tim didn’t want to dwell on it, but he was still wondering. “I wish I could figure out what those guys were doing in the middle of nowhere. It wasn’t drugs, but it was obviously something important enough they felt the need to kill a man and kidnap us to get off the mountain before the authorities arrived—it makes no sense.”

  “Did the police pick up the guys at the cabin?” Tripp asked.

  Tim shook his head. “Got a call this morning from our contact. The police made it to the cabin before morning, but the men were already gone. Must have had a car in one of the outbuildings. Good thing we got Red arrested—it’s probably the only thing keeping him safe right now.”

  Tripp frowned. “You and Erin aren’t in any danger, are you?”

  “Nah,” Tim reassured him. “There’s no reason for them to want to see us again. They’re probably thankful they don’t have to deal with us.”

  “I don’t even want to think what dealing with us might have meant,” Matt said.

  Tim patted him on the back. “We’re safe. End of story.”

  “And it’s a good end,” Marcus affirmed. “Matt, if you need a hand while you’re here, I’m yours. I can drive you to Calgary if that’s where you’re flying home from.”

  “I’ll let you know if I need anything,” Matt promised. “Oh, that reminds me.”

  He passed something to Marcus.

  Marcus then glanced down, confusion drifting across his face. “Your business card. Thanks.”

  Matt pointed to the corner. “That’s my assistant’s direct line. Call her, and we’ll see what we can set up in terms of a donation or two to the team.”

  “Hang on.” Marcus shook his head. “No, I mean I feel bad enough—”

  “I’ll warn you now, arguing with Matt about money is a losing cause,” Tim cut in. “Just say thank you, and call the man’s assistant on Monday.”

  “And if you don’t, I’ll call for you.” David tipped his head to Matt. “I’ll speak for my brother, who’s too busy sticking his foot in his mouth. Your offer is not necessary, but donations are very much appreciated. Government funding only goes so far, so thank you.”

  “Agreed. And since I know personally how important it is to have search and rescue on hand, I’m always on the lookout for places to support.” Matt tossed Tim a dirty look. “Someone should have mentioned sooner he was with a new team.”

  Tim shrugged. “You need mysteries in your life.”

  “Alisha and Devon are on Skype,” Becki interrupted from the doorway. “Tim, come in. They’re waiting to talk to you and Erin. The rest of you, everything else is laid out on the counter, if Marcus has finished sacrificing the first burgers.”

  Marcus grinned sheepishly. “You’re never going to let me live down burning those steaks, are you?”

  Becki passed Tim a smile on her way to drape her arms around her lover’s neck. Marcus slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to kiss her passionately in spite of the crowd stepping around them on their way back into the house.

  Tim watched for a moment before heading inside, hungry for that kind of relationship. Longing for the connection he saw in the people right around them, and the urgency to get to that stage with Erin grew.

  All through the visit with Alisha and Devon, all through the meal, he pondered his dilemma. Wanting to push harder, make the moves.

  Maybe it was time to simply take what he and Erin both needed. It had been far too long coming as far as he was concerned.

  Their lunch finished, they said good-bye and headed out the door, pausing on the path leading back to Tim’s truck.

  Matt cleared his throat. “Before it becomes a huge topic of discussion, I’d like to announce my assistant found a great place to rent about an hour from here.”

  “So you’ll be staying in the area for a few days?” Erin asked.

  “Yes, but I was thinking . . .” His friend dragged his fingers through his hair, a wry smile sneaking out. “I know this might seem a touch crazy, but the place is big enough for all of us. To make up for having to abandon my place on short notice.”

  Tim hesitated, listening to what his friend wasn’t saying. “You have things to do in Calgary—when?”

  “Wednesday.”

  Which meant he’d be holed up by himself until then. Tim squeezed Erin’s fingers and considered how this changed his plans for their extended holiday. It was the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone.

  He turned to Erin, but she was staring at Matt, a frown on her pretty face. “You’ll be all alone until Wednesday?”

  “Erin. I’m a grown man.” Matt shrugged. “I spend a good deal of time by myself.”

  “N
ot right now, you don’t,” Erin flashed back.

  Tim’s smile only widened as Erin twirled toward him. “Want to keep holidaying with Matt?”

  “If it’s okay with you?”

  “Spend more time with this jerk? You’re a glutton, aren’t you, kitten?

  A subtle smile snuck out. “Only for some things.”

  Matt’s pleasure that his suggestion had been accepted was clear. “I’ll get the directions.”

  Erin held up a hand. “Wait. Before we head off to places unknown, we’re swinging by my house so I can grab some clean clothes. I insist.”

  “No problem.” Tim leaned forward and kissed her cheek, unable to stop the teasing whisper. “Although why you think you’ll need any clothes is a mystery.”

  Her eyes widened—her interest and excitement obvious. She swallowed, and her gaze flicked ahead of them where Matt was waiting with the truck door already open.

  A rising sense of pleasure and hope mixed together. Whatever the next couple of days would bring, Tim was looking forward to it immensely.

  CHAPTER 21

  The house wasn’t quite as big as Matt’s.

  Almost, but not quite.

  Having established that fact, Erin wandered into the kitchen with a sense of awe stalking her. “How is it possible to make one phone call and end up with a house like this to rent for a few days?”

  Matt shrugged. “Money makes things happen.”

  Money. Man . . . “Matt, it’s got a pool. And a workout room.”

  “And a stocked bar and fridge.” Tim closed the fridge, hands full of drinks he lowered to the counter. “And there’s a chef coming over later to make dinner.” He pointed at Matt. “That one’s on me, you hear?”

  Matt accepted the bottle from Tim. “Fine. You can pay for supper. I arranged for massages for this afternoon.”

  Tim laughed. “You didn’t.”

  “Well, I didn’t. My assistant did,” Matt confessed. “But we’re getting pampered at four thirty. That gives us plenty of time before the feast begins.”

  Decadence at its finest. Erin eased against Tim’s side, trailing her fingers over the counter in amazement. “You two are hired to pick all my vacation spots from here on. Did you see the yard?”

  Both the guys smiled approvingly. Tim slid an arm around her and guided her into the open living space under the storey-and-a-half ceiling. “It’s not a yard, it’s an outdoor entertainment area backing onto a wilderness reserve.”

  “Oh, excuse me. My mistake.” Erin squeezed him tight, then had to haul up a hand to cover her yawn. “Sorry about that.”

  Tim eyed her. “Last night knocked you for a loop. Come on. We’ll explore later. Matt, I’ll be back in a bit.”

  “No hurry, no agenda, or at least not until four thirty.” Matt had settled on the couch, playing with a remote control. “I’m very happy right where I am.”

  His grin grew bigger as the fireplace flickered to a warm glow. Satisfaction in his every move, he put his feet up on the coffee table and dragged a magazine into his lap.

  Then Erin couldn’t see anything more because Tim had her out of the room and down the hall to the master bedroom Matt had insisted they use.

  Tim had her shirt off before she knew what he’d planned, and he was working on her pants. “Take a shower, take a nap. Like Matt said, there’s no agenda here other than to relax.”

  He was right. She had no set ideas for her afternoon, and being stripped down and kissed tenderly was definitely a good idea. He cradled her against him for a moment, and she shivered.

  “Cold?” He went to pull back, but she clung tighter to stop him from letting go so soon.

  She licked her lips. “I’m naked again, and you’re fully clothed. That does something to me.” Her confession came out husky.

  “Hmm.” He stroked lazily over her back and hips, moving the barest bit against her. The caress kicked the sensations licking up her spine into overdrive. “It does something to me as well,” he breathed against her cheek.

  Logic wanted her to explain away the extreme relaxation in her limbs. It had been a long day. She’d been up early, and while it was only one thirty in the afternoon, it seemed like a lot later between the transport back to Banff and the time spent at the barbecue with the team.

  But honesty made her confess that it wasn’t sheer exhaustion leaving her limbs relaxed to the point of being jelly. It was the mellow sensation in her gut.

  Her mood had changed. The fear of the kidnapping, the stressful hours that had passed since—all of that faded until there was only the two of them, Tim’s strong hands guiding her forward until they stood beside an enormous porcelain tub.

  “Shower?”

  “I changed my mind. You get to relax, I get to enjoy you.”

  Erin sank into the oversized soaker tub, her eyelids growing heavier by the minute as Tim turned on the water and proceeded to wash her. His touch was sensual, not sexual, hands stroking slowly, the rougher texture of the washcloth rubbing her skin and leaving a heated pulse everywhere.

  Somewhere in the house a faint chorus of music had begun playing. Classical, with powerful upsweeps of strings and bass. She was being seduced to the strains of songs that had been performed before kings and queens.

  She felt every inch a pampered royal.

  Tim helped her stand, then indulged her by wrapping her in a huge fluffy towel. Her hair was wrapped in a second towel, so she was nestled in warm cotton as he placed her tenderly on the massive king-sized bed and proceeded to pat her dry. The room was cool, but the brush of his hands with the soft cloth made her skin tingle.

  He lifted the edge of the comforter and she crawled under it, her naked skin on the sheets the whisper of a caress. One detail made her smile. “Flannel, not silk?”

  “It’s winter,” Tim offered. He stripped down rapidly before joining her. Heat streamed from his body to chase away the slight chill as their bodies warmed the sheets.

  He pulled her against him and kissed her temple and adjusted his hold to half drape her over him, settling them in place. “Sleep.”

  “You told Matt you’d be back shortly.”

  “Matt will wait. I want to hold you.”

  “Hmm.” Erin teetered on the edge already. “Don’t let me sleep away the entire holiday.”

  He laughed. “No chance of that. I promise I’ll wake you when it’s time. For now, a couple hours of rest come first.”

  It felt oddly greedy to allow her eyes to close and sleep to take over, but if this was part of what he wanted—

  Give him control. Let him call the shots.

  It was difficult to stick to her plan, but while they hadn’t officially restarted their adventure, she was sure he’d gotten her message. She’d left behind a few fears in the tub, washed away with his touch.

  I want more.

  The thought slipped in as she fell asleep.

  It seemed only a moment later she was being rolled to her back, hands tugging her under him. “I want you,” Tim whispered. “I need to be inside you, now.”

  Dream or reality? Erin didn’t care. She opened her legs and welcomed him as he settled between her thighs. Naked skin brushed, his cock nudged her core. Fingers fumbled for a moment as he guided himself between her folds.

  And paused, the head of his cock nestled just inside her sex. She opened her eyes as he pulled her hands over her head, stretching her beneath him. He tugged until she arched, body curving upward.

  His fingers curled around her wrists, pinning her in place. With his free hand he caught her hip and lifted. Slowly he joined them. She was wet already, easing his entry as his cock pressed her apart.

  He worked in all the way to the root, fully buried. Pleasure rippled over his expression as he pulled back and thrust forward more rapidly the second time.

  Erin relished the sensation. The fullness. Knowing that he was enjoying her body even as her own passions rose.

  She couldn’t move except to lift her legs, and she
did that now, wrapping herself around him and gasping as the new position allowed him to press deeper.

  Tim smiled. “Keep your hands where they are.”

  Oh, shit.

  But she nodded, linking her fingers together to remind herself not to move. He slipped his hands free of her wrists.

  He rose to his knees and caught hold of her hips, changing the angle as he plunged harder into her core. Her heels dug into the muscular cheeks of his ass, but it was the relentless thrusts that threatened her sanity. With most of her weight balanced on her shoulders, Tim drove his cock in again. Hard, his fingers squeezing the delicate skin of her hips and ass tight enough to bruise.

  Erin struggled to keep her hands over her head, the temptation to reach down and grasp his shoulders shaking her. The urge to touch him was so strong, the desire to stroke his body. To hang on tight as he possessed her. But he’d ordered her to leave her hands up, and locking them together to do that forced her to take the pleasure he gave without adding to it on her own.

  Every time he thrust, his heavy cock stroked her clit, and every time the deliberate rub brought her that much closer to coming. She didn’t expect the pleasure. For some reason she hadn’t expected him to make sure she came as well. It was just as satisfying to look up and watch him, to see the play of desire dance over his face. He froze, cock filling her completely as his hips jerked and he found release.

  He lowered himself slowly, his body blanketing hers, the sheets long abandoned to the floor. She was more than warm enough as he panted softly, his lips finding her neck. His chest rubbed her lightly, the tight curls on his chest abrading her sensitive nipples.

  “You are too tempting,” he scolded, the words a teasing caress past her ear. “And I’m not nearly done with you.”

  “Umm, I like that, but don’t we have a massage appointment soon?”

  “Soon enough.” He tugged her hands apart from where she’d been keeping them in place by clutching the mattress cover. Tim kissed her knuckles, then used her hand to brush his cheek.

  His five o’clock shadow tickled and tantalized. She loved to feel that rough scratching sensation over her entire body. Have him leave rash lines between her thighs—the possibilities were endless.