She hadn’t given him time to argue. One second she was tongue-wrestling him, the next she was tearing off her dress like she had no qualms about it whatsoever. Who was this intriguing woman?
He was still staring into the dark water, her bra in his hand, when she sputtered to the surface and sucked in a breath.
Damn. He couldn’t believe she’d done it.
“How is it?” he asked with a laugh.
“Not bad.” She treaded water, her smile intact. Maybe he’d miscalculated and the water wasn’t as cold as he’d thought. “What are you waiting for?”
“What I was waiting for already happened,” he told her before tucking her bra into his pocket.
“We had a deal.”
“That we did.” He wasn’t thrilled about it, but he’d promised. He made quick work of shucking his clothes and, before he lost his nerve, jumped in.
Holy. Hell.
The water hit him like ice. He combed through the frigid lake to burst to the surface, gasping when his head popped out of the water. He was greeted by Hallie’s laughter...followed by the audible chattering of her teeth.
“Are you kidding me?” His voice was higher than he would’ve liked. His balls had shrunk to the size of sugar peas.
“Hey, this was your idea.”
“I didn’t know it’d be this cold.”
“I’m less afraid of the cold and more afraid of giant alligators.”
“A giant alligator would have the sense to stay out of frigid water.”
She glided closer, brushing his shoulder with her arm, or possibly her breast. He couldn’t tell. The water hadn’t become warmer, but his bloodstream sure had. Her small hands came to rest on his shoulders and he guided her legs around his waist, swimming to a shallow part where he could put his feet on the sandy bottom.
“I’m suddenly much warmer,” he lied, swiping away a droplet of water as it trickled down her nose.
“Same.” She tipped her head and kissed him.
“Your lips are turning blue. You were crazy to take me up on this.”
“What can I say? Whenever I’m around you, I do crazy things.”
“I’m not gonna lie, I like that about you.” He wrapped his arms around her back and held her close. “You deserve to have some fun.”
“What else do I deserve?” Her legs wrapped at his waist, she rubbed her center against his budding erection. Amazing. Even in cold water she could bring him to life. Every part of him—especially one part—wanted to lose himself in her heat. But he forced himself to wait. There would be later. When they were both a hell of a lot warmer.
“You know,” she said, absently toying with his wet hair, “when I asked you to help me with this rule-breaking thing, I didn’t expect to be naked with you in Mountain View Lake. But now that I am...” She surprised the hell out of him by grinding her hips against his. Now parts of her and parts of him were brushing against each other, the murky water between them icy cold and sharp, yet soft at the same time. “How do you feel about breaking in your brand-new bed?”
“Fantastic.” Unbidden, his brother’s warning about letting her know exactly what Gavin was thinking came out of nowhere and rang in his ears. He wasn’t sure when the best time would be to bring it up, but hell, why not now? “Hallie... We should probably talk about your expectations.”
“Okay,” she said pragmatically. “I expect an orgasm. Two, if you can manage.”
He choked on a laugh as his own teeth began to chatter. “If you recall, you had two the other night.”
“Yes, but that could have been dumb luck. I also expect these rule-breaking experiments to continue a while longer. At least until I’m accustomed to breaking them. And—” she held up a finger to punctuate her point “—I want to try the hot tub. I deserve it now that I’ve been forced to skinny-dip in this freezing lake.”
Damn, he liked when she was confident. Take-charge. Willing. She’d thoroughly shaken off her timidity with him. No matter what happened when this was over, he’d be the one who’d helped Hallie Banks break out of her shell.
When his thoughts devolved to how things might end between them, he shook them off—not hard to do while suffering from hypothermia. She liked him and he liked her a whole hell of a lot. He rerouted his focus on the challenge she’d issued.
“Shimmy your cute ass up the ladder and grab your clothes,” he told her. “And then you and I will see about those orgasms.”
Sixteen
They climbed out of the freezing lake water, gathered their clothes and dressed quickly. The short drive back to his house seemed to take an eternity. And not only because he worried they might freeze to death before they made it to his house.
“I’m beginning to understand that your lack of fun-having,” he said, angling the vent to blow warm air on her, “has less to do with your not knowing how to do it and more to do with you needing control over every situation. You’re a natural rule-breaker, Hals.”
“I never would have thought so until now.” She snuggled deep in her coat. “But I think you’re right. I’ve been in control for so long, it’s hard to let go.”
“Especially when you know handing it off could result in disaster.” He pulled into his driveway and opened the garage door. He understood the disaster part all too well. His job was to be in control. He wrangled out-of-control situations—or ones that could spiral out of control—into some semblance of order.
“The rub is if you screw up, you’re the only one to blame.”
“Been there.” Nothing was worse than failing. Or expending well-meaning effort and then landing face-first in the dirt. The thought came that he’d played it safe in some areas of his life to avoid failure, but he shrugged the idea off. He wasn’t going to waste a single second with Hallie turning that over in his head.
“So we both like control. How’s this going to work?” He killed the engine and punched the button on a remote, bringing the garage door down. “You caught me off guard at the lake, but when it comes to you and me taking this inside, and upstairs, and into the hot tub...” A slow grin spread his lips as he imagined the ways he would have her. “Who calls the shots?”
Her eyes sparkled. She was enjoying herself as much as he was. “We can take turns.”
“Hell yeah, we can.” He would have his way with her, but he also liked the idea of her having her way with him.
Inside, they kicked off their soggy shoes and walked over to the kitchen counter. The cheese platter had been sitting out too long to appear appetizing, but the wine was still good.
“Can I pour you a drink?”
“It’s not necessary.”
“I didn’t say it was necessary.” He grabbed a pair of fresh wineglasses and poured. “If nothing else, this will warm you up.” Her hair was wet and wavy, the strands curling on the ends.
She sipped the wine, her eyes closing as she savored it. God, she was beautiful. How did he get so lucky?
“You’re right. This is warming me up a little.” She put the glass down and licked her lips almost nervously. “I need to be honest with you about something. You don’t have to try this hard. The bar for romance is set pretty low for me.”
He didn’t like hearing that. He set his glass next to hers. “Meaning?”
“Meaning—” she shrugged one shoulder “—the places I have been ‘romanced’ aren’t exactly romantic. There was that time in the car...”
“Ah, yes. The requisite car sex,” he interjected. “Overeager first time?”
“You guessed it. The second time was on the couch.”
He winced and guessed, “Parents’ basement?”
“His. Not Gram’s basement. She would’ve killed me.”
He had to chuckle. He could only imagine Eleanor Banks’s reaction if she’d found Hallie attempting intercourse on the family’s floral couch. Her g
ram would have chased the boy out of her house with a shotgun. “I’m not laughing at you, more at how similar our situations have been. It’s tragic the shit we do when we’re young. We’re in such a hurry, we miss out on the good stuff.”
“I’m not sure I ever made it to the good stuff. Until you, I mean.”
Now, that was sweet. She’d just unwittingly set the tone for tonight. “New plan. I’m gonna give you a night you’ll remember for the rest of your life. You shouldn’t settle for less than you deserve, Hals.”
Her eyes warmed like he’d touched a deep part of her.
“Why don’t you call the shots tonight?” he offered, taking up his wineglass again. “Use me up. Think you can handle me?”
She answered by smoothing her hands down his shirt and then unbuckling his belt. By the time her golden eyes peered up at him he was damn near breathless.
“I take that as a yes,” he wheezed.
“Definitely a yes,” she confirmed. “We can start with a shower.”
* * *
The smell of citrus and pine soap infiltrated her senses as her mind blanked of thought.
His hands were on her breasts, his soapy fingers plucking at her nipples. Warmth gathered between her legs as she squirmed against the smooth tile wall of the shower, her mouth open to let out a moan of pure bliss.
That time in the car, the time on the couch in the basement and the handful of other forgettable times she’d been intimate with her exes faded into the ether the second Gavin guided her under one of the sprayers and slipped his fingers between her legs.
He stroked her while kissing her deeply, his facial hair scraping her mouth, his seeking tongue hot on hers. Then he left her so abruptly, she had to put her hands out to keep from sliding down the wall.
She blinked down at him, on his knees before her in the huge shower. Water trickled down his cheeks, droplets bouncing off his head. His hands were wrapped around her thighs and he instructed her to come closer, using deliciously dirty words to do it.
A second later, he put his tongue to better use and lapped at her folds. She did what came naturally, which was rest her hands on his head and run her fingers through his damp hair.
Her hips thrust. She rode his tongue as he delivered blow by blow to her most intimate part. As she was coming apart, her legs shaking beneath his hands, he slipped a finger into her, and then two.
A long groan of pleasure—hers—echoed off the shower walls. The orgasm hit her with a rush, stars appearing on the screens of her eyelids. She rested the back of her head against the shower wall. By the time her breathing had regulated and his hands had returned to her thighs, she realized she was gripping his hair with enough force to pull it from the roots.
“Oh my God.” She released him. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Her voice was a puny rasp, her apology as limp as her limbs.
He rose to his feet slowly and her eyes feasted on his body. His muscular chest with the perfect amount of chest hair, the bumps of his abs, the sharp delineations next to his hip bones. She’d never tire of seeing him naked—she thought she’d committed the vision to memory, but here she was ogling him like it was the first time.
“Never,” he warned, his face devoid of his usual smile. “Never apologize for coming on my tongue.”
She blushed furiously and then his grin appeared.
“What’s next on your wish list? More of the same?” He palmed her throbbing sex and she shuddered. “I can go all night if you like.”
“You’re too much.” She bit her lip. He thumbed the tender flesh away from her teeth and kissed her.
“I’m exactly what you ordered. So, start ordering.”
Carte blanche access to Gavin Sutherland. Where to begin? But she knew. It’s what she’d been wanting for as long as she could remember.
“The bed.”
“Traditional,” he said before he spun the shower knobs to turn off the water. “But I’ll allow it.”
He dried off quickly, swiping her towel from her before she could finish drying herself. Water ran down her legs and back as his mouth collided with hers.
“I’m wet,” she breathed as he backed her toward the bed.
“I know,” he growled.
Then she was falling back onto the bed and he was over her, every inch of his yummy, muscled body blanketing hers. They’d warmed up quickly in the shower after skinny-dipping. She’d noticed his um, member, had recovered nicely. She palmed his thick erection, enjoying both heft and length.
He sucked a breath through his teeth.
“Condoms are in the nightstand.” He kissed her long and slow. “Unless you want to do it bareback again.”
“Bareback is best,” she admitted. “I trust you.”
“I trust you, too.”
She felt safe with him, but knowing he felt safe with her bolstered her confidence.
He placed a kiss on each of her breasts and positioned himself between her legs. Beneath him, she marveled at his delicious male form. How many times had she averted her gaze or turned her attention elsewhere over the years, not wanting him to know she’d been watching him? What a waste. There was so much of him to admire, and she could have been admiring him openly.
One smooth tilt of his hips and he was sliding deep. She guided him, her heels digging into his very fine ass, her head thrown back in ecstasy. His mouth landed on her neck, where he suckled her pulse and began to move. She took him easily, primed and ready thanks to the intimate kisses in the shower.
This was great sex. The other night hadn’t been a fluke—which she’d known, of course. Sex this good was why sonnets were written and why love songs were crooned. She imagined sex this good was also why breakups hurt like physical wounds, why exes got back together. Interesting how sex could cause either undying devotion or irreparable devastation.
He gripped her hand, laced their fingers together and lifted her arm over her head. Then he grabbed her other hand and joined it with the first one.
“Is this okay?” He drove deep and sent a ripple of pleasure through her entire body.
“Yes, Gavin. Yes.”
Everything he did was a yes. From slow strokes that wound her tighter and tighter, to the faster, pistoning pace that had her screaming his name.
She reveled in every second of being with him—from the kisses he placed on her throat to his teeth nipping her earlobe. Another orgasm crashed over her, pulling her beneath the surface. He released her hands to hold himself up as his frantic pace continued. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and took what he gave, her entire body shaking with pleasure.
He shouted his release, his deep groans lost in her hair. She encouraged him to give her his weight. He did, his body hot and damp on hers. His breaths audible against her ear.
Peace settled over her—over both of them. She had never experienced sex this powerful before. She warned herself not to read too much into it until he raised his head to study her. His stunned expression said it all.
Whatever had just happened between them wasn’t commonplace for him, either.
Which meant this was either the best thing that had ever happened to them, or a catastrophe of the worst magnitude.
It was too soon to tell.
Seventeen
At Elite, Hallie walked in expecting anything. Hannah and Will were still in France but planning on returning at the end of the week. Gavin was the one who had asked Hallie to come in, stating he had a surprise for her.
Considering his surprises ranged from fun to freezing, she had no idea what he would spring on her today.
In the empty hallway, her heels clicked on the floor. She had worn her favorite black pantsuit with a daring pair of sexy shoes. She thought Gavin would appreciate them.
As she approached the conference room, he stepped out of the doorway and scooped her against him. Before she k
new what was happening, his lips were on hers. She hummed against his mouth, reveling in his solid warmth and the feeling of being held.
He pulled away, ending their lip-lock with a soft smooching sound. “Hello, gorgeous.”
Seriously, how great was he? “I assume no one’s here.”
“Just me and you.”
“I want to make it perfectly clear that I’m all for breaking rules, but I doubt your oldest brother would appreciate us having sex on his recording studio’s conference room table.”
Gavin’s eyebrows climbed his forehead. “Not what I was going to suggest, dirty girl. But now that you mention it...”
He dropped a fast kiss on her mouth when she giggled.
It’d been a week-plus of bliss with him. She’d gone to his house several times for dinner followed by dessert, or followed by sex and then dessert. Last night, he’d stayed over at her place after all three.
“How is it that I left your bed hours ago and already miss this body?” His hands bracketing her hips, he tugged her close and dropped his forehead on hers.
“Because we’re really, really good at turning each other on.” She’d gone from barely being able to look at him to boldly meeting his eyes and flirting. She loved the change. She was also fairly certain she could easily fall in love with him if she didn’t proceed very carefully. Funny how the challenge to be less careful also required her to be more careful. No matter how much fun they had, she’d do well to remember Gavin was a consummate bachelor. It was best to keep things simple.
“Thanks for meeting me here. I have a million things to do or I would have come to you. In fact—” he glanced down at a shiny gold wristwatch “—I have a conference call in five minutes. Sorry to rush you.”
“No, it’s fine. I was on my way to a coffee date with Pres anyway.”
“Perfect. You can ask her opinion about this.” He pushed the conference room’s door wide and walked her into the room. It took her a hot second to accept what she was seeing.
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