His Tempting Love

by Anya Summers

  He came around the kitchen island and boxed her in with his big body. Cupping her chin, he lifted her gaze up to his. “I do.”

  And then he kissed her. At first it was sweet, almost hesitant, but then he took it deeper, drawing the pleasure out, taking her under into a world where nothing existed but his mouth on hers. When he finally lifted his head, she was flushed with need.

  “I’ll think about it. I owe Matt for giving me a chance. But let me see how it works out over the next week or so, then I will let you know.”

  “Fair enough. Have you always wanted to be a yoga instructor?” Garrett asked, heading back over to the pot of now boiling noodles and giving it a good stir.

  “No. I had never planned on becoming a yoga instructor. It’s good work. But when I was younger and in college I wanted to work in finance. I have a good head for numbers and earned a bachelor’s degree in finance.”

  Garrett finished placing some rolls on a cookie sheet and glanced her way with a dark brow raised. “Finance, really? Why aren’t you working as an executive at a bank?”

  “Ha, well, because life doesn’t always work out the way you think it will. The market crashed when I graduated. The internship I’d had at TD Ameritrade was supposed to turn into a salaried position when I graduated, but with the housing market crashing, the financial sector for that position had evaporated by the time I walked across the stage to receive my degree.”

  “That’s tough. Do you still want to work in finance?”

  “I don’t know. At the time I was devastated. I had student loans I couldn’t pay for and could barely afford the tiny studio apartment near campus waiting tables. But I like that I can work in smaller snippets of time while Milo is little. This time won’t come again with him.”

  “I can see that,” Garrett said.

  “What made you want to start the resort?”

  “Well, it’s what I know. My family owns Brooks Hotels International. So I grew up being groomed to one day take over operations of the company.”

  Oh wow! He hadn’t just made his fortune, he came from money. A lot of money. But he didn’t act arrogant, at least not where his wealth was concerned. He might have a big home with super nice furniture, but he was alone. This house was just waiting to be filled, filled with love and family and warmth.

  “What happened? Why aren’t you running your family’s company?”

  “Well, when I was eighteen I began dating a woman. She was older than I was and she was my first really serious relationship. We dated while I was attending business school, working on becoming the next Brooks to step into the role of CEO when it was time for my father to pass the baton. But shortly after I graduated, I wanted to take our five-year relationship public.”

  “No one knew about the two of you?”

  “No. She was one of my mother’s friends and twenty years older. When I questioned her about it, she made it seem—in front of my mom—like I had been making unwanted advances for years.”

  “But you loved her, didn’t you?” she asked, sensing the hurt there.

  Garrett’s gaze met hers and she saw a wealth of emotion in them. “Yeah, I did. It was only after the fallout that I came to understand I was only a diversion for her and she never loved me. She liked the idea of me, but not me personally. But because of her actions, I made the decision to join the army. My parents hated the idea, but my relationship with my mom became strained so it ended up being an easy choice. The army was where I met Spencer. And throughout our tour of duty he told me about his hometown of Jackson Hole. Once my enlistment was over, I headed here and fell in love with the area.”

  Going on instinct, Cora slid off the stool, walked around the kitchen island, and wrapped her arms around Garrett. He moved her. It took strength of character to forge the life he had and he amazed her. His arms slid around her and she looked up at him.

  “You’re pretty amazing, you know,” she murmured.

  Warmth filled his cobalt gaze. “You think so, huh?”

  “Yeah, I do.” And then she stretched on her toes until her mouth was an inch from his, so she could watch his gaze darken with desire before she brushed her mouth against his and felt her heart fall.

  She wanted to say it was too soon. That it was an affront to Jeff’s memory that she could fall for Garrett so quickly. But that seemed to be how she was built. She and Jeff had met when she was waiting tables. He’d picked her up that night and had ended up spending the weekend with her. By Monday morning when he’d left for work at the fire station, she’d been in love. And they’d had four wonderful years together.

  Just then Milo and Elmo came scrabbling into the kitchen and Garrett and Cora broke apart at his laughter.

  “Oh you think it’s funny, me kissing Garrett?” She eyed her son with a small grin on her face.

  “Uh huh,” Milo said, nodding his head.

  “Well, I have plenty to spread around,” she said, scooping Milo into her arms and giving him playful kisses over his face. Milo squealed and giggled, causing Elmo to bark and prance around the kitchen.

  “If you guys are ready, we can sit and eat.”

  “Certainly,” she said, and took Milo over to the table. In one of the chairs near the head of the table was a booster seat for Milo. The man had thought of everything; buying him a car seat and toys and a booster seat. What else did the man have up his sexy sleeve?

  She sat Milo down, then helped Garrett bring plates and drinks over to the table. She cut up the noodles and meatballs into bite sized pieces for Milo. He would likely be wearing half of the spaghetti before they were done.

  Cora sat on one side of Milo with Garrett at the head of the table, placing Milo between them. As they ate, Milo and Garrett talked. She was charmed by the two of them. Her son was so very loving and open to the attention from Garrett. And he was good with her son. He didn’t promise him things, just asked him what he liked and answered Milo’s questions—not like he was put out by the million questions but with genuine interest in him.

  It moved her. He moved her.

  She helped Garrett with the dishes after dinner. Then he, Milo and Elmo played in the great room. Milo was having the time of his life getting to be rough with Garrett. Cora always tried to temper some of his rambunctious nature because boys had a tendency to like to beat things up.

  But with Garrett, he was able to be a boy and launch himself at Garrett with no fear of harming him. And Garrett helped her son build a fort.

  When Milo began yawning up a storm, it was time to get him home. She helped them clean up in the living room.

  “We can leave the fort up for the next time you come over, squirt,” Garrett said, staying her hands when she would have started moving the blocks.

  “Are you sure?” she asked.

  “Yeah, it’s the most lived in this house has looked and I like it,” Garrett said.

  He drove them home. And after the evening they had had, both Milo and Elmo fell asleep in the back seat. When they arrived at her house, Garrett carried Milo inside and up to his room for her. He left her in Milo’s room while he said he had to take an incoming call.

  “Sure,” she said, never expecting that Garrett would be sorry that he couldn’t put Milo to bed. She watched him leave then gently changed Milo into his pajamas. It might take a while to get Milo to go down, but typically, when he wasn’t sick, once her little man was out he was down for the count and an extremely sound sleeper.

  Once she had Milo in his spaceman pajamas, she tucked him in. Elmo leapt up on the bed and snuggled down with Milo. She looked at the two of them, the boy and his dog, and her heart didn’t feel big enough to contain her love for them.

  Cora left Milo’s room and headed downstairs, hearing Garrett’s low voice.

  “I can’t tonight but will make it up to you. I’ve got to go.” His voice floated up the stairs.

  Who was he talking to? Because it sounded from his tone like he was talking with another woman. Was this just a casual thing b
etween them then, where they were open to seeing other people? They’d never set parameters and he did give good woo.

  Cora entered the living room as he ended the call.

  “Something wrong?” she asked.

  He turned toward her and the shadows were back in his eyes. But they vanished as quickly as they had appeared. “No. Just work. We have some problematic guests at the resort. But that comes with the territory.”

  “I’m surprised that you’re not at the office more,” she said.

  Garrett laughed then ran a hand through his hair. “It’s unusual for me too. But I’ve been burning myself out and needed a small vacation.”

  “And yet you still answer your phone?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t feel my employees should have to handle all of it. I built the resort so that I wouldn’t sit remotely in some office building, separated from the bulk of operations, handing down policies and decisions. I enjoy what I do, what I’ve built, and it’s not in me to not put in an honest day’s work.”

  She approached him, shoving the niggling thoughts of another woman to the back of her mind. Sliding her arms around his waist, she said, “Are you done for the night? Because there’s another job that requires your attention…”

  His cobalt gaze smoldered as his arms wrapped around her back. “I’m happy to report for duty.”

  And then he lifted her into his arms and carried her up to her bedroom.

  Chapter 22

  Garrett silently closed the door behind them, remembering to lock it. He set Cora on her feet. Then he cupped her face in his hands and claimed her mouth. There was an urgency inside him, inside them both, as Cora returned his fevered embrace. Never lifting his mouth from hers, he walked her over to the bed.

  As they went, their hands raced to undress one another.

  He had to have her, possess her. Drive away the doubt he’d seen in her eyes over the phone call. He hated that he had to hide the situation with his ex from her. But he wanted—nay, he needed—her bound to him.

  Naked, he followed her down onto the bed, his mouth never leaving hers. He could kiss this woman for the rest of his life and die a happy man. Garrett groaned as he settled himself between her lush thighs, stroking his hands down her flesh, past the sides of her silken cleavage, to her trim waist, to the flare of her generous hips, around to her succulent ass. He rocked his dick against her damp folds.

  Cora writhed beneath him, her fingers gripping the middle of his back. Her nails dug tiny half-moons into his skin.

  He needed to be inside her. He couldn’t wait. Garrett lifted his mouth from hers. She gazed up at him, her eyes heavy-lidded, lips swollen from his kisses, and he’d never seen a lovelier sight. He started to shift away, to grab his jeans lying on the floor and the condom in his wallet.

  “Where are you going?” she protested. Her hands held firm, trying to pull him back on top of her. She was strong, much stronger than she looked.

  “I need a condom, sweetheart, and it’s in my wallet on the floor with my pants.”

  “No you don’t. I’m on the pill so…”

  Garrett stilled, his entire body on edge at what Cora was proposing. “Are you certain?” he murmured, searching her gaze. And what he found in her eyes would have brought him to his knees if he’d been standing.

  “Yes. Please, Sir, I need you.”

  On a silently muttered oath, praying he could maintain control, Garrett fit himself at her entrance. The feel of her slickness, her heat, against the bare crown of his dick, made him feel like an unschooled youth with his first woman. It was Cora who shifted, rocking her hips up and impaling herself on his shaft. It was only the head, but Christ, the heated silk of her cunt clasped him, enticing him deeper. With a rough growl, he thrust, burying his cock inside her. Cora’s mouth dropped open on a moan and her eyes slid shut in overwhelming please.

  “No, keep your eyes open and on me,” Garrett ordered.

  He waited for her, for those eyelids to lift before he withdrew and thrust, watching the way his deep, slow penetration made emotions play over her face. He propped himself up on his elbows so he could watch every minute expression flit over her lovely visage.

  Whereas before he’d had an urgency, a desire to rampage and claim her with wild abandon, feeling her without the small layer of protection made him want to savor her. Show her with more than words how she tempted him, how much he wanted to give her pieces of himself he’d not shown anyone, how she was the one he wanted to sleep beside and grow old with.

  He imbued every plunging stroke, each thrust with everything he felt for her, everything she was coming to mean to him. When he looked into her welcoming gaze, he saw not just his present, but his future. Their future. The possibility of forever.

  And she was right there with him, canting her hips, meeting his thrusts. Holding on to him as if he mattered to her. And Garrett knew he would slay dragons for this woman. He wanted to see her ripen with his child. He didn’t just want to collar her and have her wear his cuffs, he wanted her to wear his ring.

  Deep down, he knew it was too soon. That his feelings would likely scare her off. But he was a patient man. He would build with her, just as he’d built his home and his business.

  Cora’s nails dug into his rear, her passion rising.

  He lifted her legs higher, wrapping them more firmly around his waist. It changed the angle of his penetration so that he furrowed even deeper. Over and over he thrust, feeling her heated channel clench around him.

  “Garrett,” Cora keened his name. And then he felt her find her release and come undone in his arms. Her pussy fluttered and spasmed around his plunging cock. He picked up the pace, feeling his own climax arc down his spine, tightening his balls, his shaft swelling.

  His cock jerked and poured semen inside her welcoming cunt. He buried his face in her neck as he came, thrusting as he flooded her channel with his cum. His breathing ragged, he rocked his hips as his body trembled in her arms. He thrust, drawing their pleasure out until he was blissfully sated.

  Cora was tracing gentle patterns over his back, her lips against his neck, and Garrett knew he had found his way home. He raised his head and looked down at her. There was a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She lifted her gaze and it lasered through him because her emotions were naked in her eyes.

  The budding spring of hope erupted in his chest and he kissed her—kissed her because he knew she was the only woman he would ever want for the rest of his existence.

  It was tender. It spoke of their feelings that neither of them was quite ready to voice. But the words would come.

  Then Garrett released her mouth and regretfully shifted to her side. He rested on his back and pulled her next to him. She sighed, cuddling around his body, and he knew his heart beat for her now.

  He pulled the covers up over them and they fell asleep. But throughout the night, they reached for each other, loved each other, over and over, until he no longer knew where he ended and she began.

  Until they finally fell into a dreamless sleep, safe in each other’s arms.

  Chapter 23

  The next two days were about as close to idyllic as Cora had experienced in ages. It was one of those perfect slices of time. A vignette on what falling in love should look like. As for Cora, she knew she was in love with Garrett. And so was her son.

  Since he’d taken the week off from his hotel, he’d spent every minute with them that he could. He’d watched Milo for her the last two evenings while she’d had to go into work. He’d even watched him for her yesterday when she had a class at the gym.

  It should scare her how much he was coming to mean to her. And there was a part of her that kept pinching herself, thinking that it was too good to be true.

  Garrett was in her shower after another night of incredible lovemaking. She’d not only gotten her groove back, she could probably give lessons. And she was discovering just how much she loved being submissive to Garrett—in the bedroom, at least. They’d
made a tacit agreement that the only place the submissive rules applied was in her bedroom or his, although they had yet to be together at his place.

  It might be silly, but she wasn’t ready to do an overnight with Milo at his place yet. It would come, eventually. This relationship had already moved so fast that she was still holding that one remaining part of herself back.

  Milo was happily munching on crunch berries and grapes on the couch and watching Sesame Street so she could get dressed for work. She had three classes to teach today. And then she had to work at the club tonight. She had Rayna watching Milo in the evening. Rayna had begged Cora yesterday, to make up for having to back out on her last Sunday, and Cora had agreed. She figured that would give Garrett a night off too.

  At the door to her room, she gripped the handle but then heard Garrett’s voice.

  “Yes, there will be a car to bring you there. Yep. Looking forward to it.”

  Who was he talking to? She pushed open the door and watched him slide his phone into his back pocket. His back was to her as he stared out the window.

  “Hey,” she said.

  He swiveled, and shock riddled his features before he shifted and his entire face became inscrutable. “Hey. How long have you been standing there?”

  Cora’s heart squeezed. “What’s going on? You look spooked.”

  “Nothing. It’s just work. Frazzled bridal party and all.”

  Uh huh. Why didn’t she believe him? What was she missing? She hated to press but she had a bad feeling about whatever had just happened. “Really? That’s all? A bridal party run amok?”

  “Apparently you haven’t dealt with bridal parties often.”

  “You forget I was one.” Five years ago. Jeff used to pull this same type of dick move of deflecting when he didn’t want to discuss a topic. And if Garrett had been dealing with the woman she had been when Jeff was alive, she might have been able to let it go. But her son was involved.