by Lea Hart
Leaning forward, he braced his hands on the island while she calmly placed the flowers in a vase. If there was a white flag around, he would’ve waved it. Officially he was done, game over. The rest of the evening was going to be a fight between his desire and good intentions. Unfortunately, his good intentions had a snowball’s chance in hell of winning.
When Lilly was done arranging the flowers, she gave him a smile. “You know the girl you grew up with and not the woman I’ve grown into. I think tonight is a chance to see if the adults we’ve become have anything in common. I want to get to know you, Brock, just as I would any man who asked me out to dinner.”
Lifting her hand, he entwined their fingers. “Me too, Lilly. I’ve never spent time with a bestselling author, and I want to see what interests you.” When she smiled, his heartbeat slowed down, and for a second, he swore they were one. He was relieved to see it was still possible.
***
Brock opened Lilly’s car door and held out his hand. When he saw her long legs slide out, he whistled silently to himself. Several images flashed through his mind, and the one that stuck was having them wrapped around his waist. Definitely not first-date thoughts, but what the hell could he do? “Hope you like my choice of restaurants.”
Lilly squeezed his hand as she stood next to the car. “Are you kidding me? Café Vermillionville is such a treat.”
“Well, if you like it, then we can make it a regular thing.”
Laughing, she shook her head. “Sir, we are on a first date, and I’m not even sure that we’re going to have a second. Given our history, we could be in an argument before we hit the main course.”
Leading her toward the restaurant, he grinned. The only argument he saw them having was about how many times he was going to make her come before he buried himself inside her welcoming heat. But he figured he should keep that to himself for the time being. “We’re adults and we have no reason to argue.”
“When did that ever stop us?”
“We’re kissing now and not fussing. I think the redirection of our energy is going to take care of the disagreements between us.” Opening the front door to the old building, he waited for her to walk ahead of him. The best that he could tell, a lot of their arguments were a result of frustration on both their parts. They had heat and connection, and it had never been the time to do anything about it. All of that had changed, so he figured they would get along just fine.
They sat in the beautiful old dining room with windows that opened onto the patio. Lights strung across the garden made the place look like a fairyland. He knew something about fairies because Lilly had been obsessed with them when she was young. There had been more than one occasion when he’d accompanied her on treasure hunts. During those walks in the woods behind their neighborhood, she had enlightened him about all things fairy. He’d sometimes watch her build the fairy houses in the yard. He’d even given her sparklers once to set up around the houses she’d built. They put them in jars and set them in front of the enchanted land she’d created. Even at twelve, he’d known she was capable of creating magic. Watching her now told him that she’d only gotten better at it.
The waitress delivered their drinks and he picked up his menu. “What looks good?”
“Everything,” she replied. “I’m thinking about the Gulf Fish Acadian. What about you?”
“I’m going to have the pork chop. Let’s share the Café sampler appetizer.”
“Perfect,” she said as she closed her menu. “Thank you for bringing me here. It’s such a treat. I haven’t been out on a date in ages, and it’s fun to get dressed up and go someplace nice.”
“My pleasure.” Covering her hand, he grinned. “When we sat across from one another after Thanksgiving dinner and played Scrabble, I knew resisting you was futile. The moment you tried to cheat with your nonsense words, it was clear we’d make a great team.”
She lifted her glass of wine and took a sip. “Are you saying your straight arrow ways and my twisty ones are a good match?”
“Absolutely. Someone has to keep you out of jail.”
“I have never gotten close to being arrested.” Straightening her cutlery, she frowned. “Unless you count that one time we stole the mascot from our rival and painted it pink. But that was high school, so it doesn’t count.”
“Now you save all your shenanigans for your books.”
“Yeah, keeping my twisty ways confined to the pages ensures that I’ll live a long and, ideally, jail-free life.”
“Lilly Bertrand, you are more than a handful, which makes me glad that I have two.” Raising one, he winked. “One for your good.” Raising the other, he grinned. “One for your naughty.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “I tell you, the last year has tested me in ways that I didn’t know was possible. When I came up with a particularly creative revenge plan for Drew and Tina, I had to remind myself that it just wasn’t worth the jail time. My criminal mind has been put to good use as I’ve plotted my retaliation.”
“Sometimes the best revenge is sitting back and waiting for people to screw up. If you’re lucky, God will let you watch them implode.”
“That suggests I have the patience to wait for karma to get ahold of them.”
“You do,” he said as he leaned forward and kissed her lightly. “Maybe we can come up with some activities that take your mind off the lawsuit.”
“Yeah…What did you have in mind?”
“I went to the fabric store you suggested and stocked up on a rainbow of satin ribbons. You said bondage might be the answer for your next book, and I want to make myself available for research.”
Lilly glanced from side to side, then leaned forward. “You gonna let me tie you up?”
“No, darlin’, I’ll be the one in charge.”
“Fiddle-faddle. Maybe I want to be the dominant one.”
Scooting his chair closer, he slipped his hand around her shoulder. “Let’s try it my way first, and if you don’t like it, I’ll let you tie me up and ride me for as long as you want.” When her face bloomed a bright pink, Brock let out a small laugh. “Too much?”
“Having a conversation like this isn’t something that I’m really familiar with, and your graphic talk has me heating up in places that I was sure were broken.”
“Are you offended?”
“God, no.” She took a gulp of ice water and then smiled. “I’m turned on.”
“That’s good to know.” She wasn’t the only one who was heating up. If he’d had to stand up at this moment, Lilly and the whole damn restaurant would have seen how affected he was. He was harder than a steel pipe, and it had taken less than a minute to make him that way. They were sitting in one of the nicest restaurants in town in a sea of people, discussing satin ribbons and pleasure. As far as first dates went, this one was off to an amazing start. “Maybe we should try talking about something else.”
“Why?”
He took her hand, moved it underneath the tablecloth and pressed it against his crotch. “I want to be able to walk out of here tonight and not offend half the restaurant.” Her fingers moved, and he felt her trace his length. When he swallowed and glanced up, he noticed her eyes were a little glazed and her cheeks were flushed. “Honey, that’s not helping.”
“Of course. How silly. I don’t know what came over me.”
Pressing her hand down for a second, he grinned. “Make no mistake, I like what you’re doing. It’s just that I don’t seem to have a ton of control right now, and I’d hate to be arrested for public indecency. I know that makes no sense based on the fact that I dragged your hand over my crotch, but there it is. Maybe fifty percent of my brain is working, so not much can be expected from me.”
She folded her hands on the table. “Let’s talk about something else. How do you like being back home?”
Before he could answer, the waiter approached, and Brock ordered for them. “To answer your question, I love being back home.” He took her hand and laced th
eir fingers together. “Finally gives me a chance to do something about those fantasies I’ve stored up.” Watching her eyes grow wide, he tried to think of something neutral. “Did you ever get to travel like you wanted to?”
“Not really. When the first books took off, I found myself traveling only for research. Maybe after this lawsuit is over, I’ll take a big trip.”
When he saw her smile slip, he squeezed her hand and decided that kicking Drew’s ass might make them both feel better. Just as he was about to tell her his idea, she spoke up.
“Drew called me this morning and wanted to talk. When I hung up, he called right back. Whatever happened the other day has him off the rails. He hasn’t tried to make contact since he and Tina filed the suit.”
“Did you record the conversation?” The smirk she gave him told him how ridiculous the question was. “Okay, that was dumb. I sometimes forget that you’re a criminal mastermind.”
“It’s an important talent to have when you’re going to write thrillers. If you looked at the search history on my computer, you’d assume that I was a serial killer.”
The waiter approached with their appetizers, and Lilly slipped her hand away. When she moved it out of reach, he slid his hand to her knee and left it there. If she was within arm’s reach, then he was going to make sure he kept hold. As Lilly popped a crawfish beignet into her mouth, he groaned and tightened his hold on her leg. This was going to be the longest meal of his life.
“You remind me of that lion we saw on Predators the other night. Remember when the male lion roared, marking his territory, and stretched his head out?”
“Sure. I had no idea that a lion’s roar was twice as loud as a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Why are you bringing up the lions?” he asked as he slipped a bacon-wrapped shrimp in his mouth.
“When Drew was yapping away this morning and complaining about you, it made me think of the lion. You marked your territory when you spoke with them, and that has him ten kinds of crazy because he’s always been jealous of you.”
“Seems he isn’t as dumb as I thought.” Running his fingers over her knee, he felt the heat of her smooth skin. Which made him wonder how soon he could run his mouth up her leg. Clearing his throat, he decided to do himself a favor and quit thinking about his fantasies. “How many times did he try to reconcile after you two broke up?”
She tightened her mouth and then looked away. That told him more than any verbal answer. Drew was volatile, and Brock would bet Drew’s attempts had been wrapped up in a lot of shouting. A rich boy with a temper who didn’t get what he wanted was bound to be an asshole.
“When I’m done with something,” she said, “I’m d-o-n-e. No exceptions. I make sure never to let it back into my life.”
“Except he found a way to insert himself back in,” he said with more anger than he was ready to admit. The idea of Drew having had any place in Lilly’s life set a part of him on fire. The part that often didn’t have a lot of control. “Let’s not talk about Drew anymore. Tell me about the movie that’s being made of your book.”
“Netflix bought the film rights and is producing it. I’m going down to Jefferson Island next week to watch the filming. I made sure that I had a say in who was cast, so I’m excited to see how it’s all coming together.”
“Did you ever think you would be in the film business?”
Lilly snorted and took a fried alligator tenderloin. After she ate it, she replied, “I never thought I could make a living writing, so the fact that a movie’s being made of my book is unbelievable.”
“I have some time off. Maybe I can come down with you and see your stories come to life. You’ve been making them up since I’ve known you, and it would be cool to see the fruition of your dreams.”
“I’d like that.”
When he took her hand, he felt her studying him. “What’s on your mind?”
“I just realized how fun it is to spend time with a man and feel relaxed. You already know all my faults, so I don’t have to put on a show for you.”
“I never thought about it like that. You already know the worst of me, so if you’re sitting here holding my hand, it must mean that you’ll take me as I am.” When she laughed and leaned forward, a warm feeling spread across his chest. Desire and lust were a given when he was around her, but this new feeling was completely unfamiliar. It was a low hum of satisfaction running through his veins. The only thing he could compare it to was when he was out on a mission and the objective was being met. Accepting his feelings and doing something about them had taken away the low-level anxiety that he’d been familiar with every time he was around her. The impatience, anger, and frustration had disappeared, all because he wasn’t lying to himself about what he wanted. Acceptance. Why it had taken him so long to get there was a mystery.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Friday Evening
“I’ve known you since I was a kid, so this doesn’t count as sleeping with someone on the first date…right?” They’d barely made it through the house and into the bedroom before he made her call his name. Lying limply on the bed, she tried to determine if she could move.
He raised his fingers to his mouth and groaned. “You taste perfect.” He gave her a satisfied smile and growled. “Honey, this moment was years in the making. As far as I can tell, it’s way overdue.”
She pushed at his chest and laughed. “It took you less than five minutes to strip me naked and get me on my back. The least you can do is wipe that satisfied smile off your face.”
“Lilly, this smile is permanent.” He ran his finger along her stomach and over the slope of her breast and licked his lips. “You gonna let me do what I want?”
“Yeah.” Stroking his short beard, she grinned. “I can’t wait to see how long it takes you to ruin me.” The moonlight seeping in from the window left most of the room in shadow, but it was enough to see red slashing his cheeks as his features tightened. “I thought you were a dreamboat when you were a teenager, but seeing how powerful you’ve become as a man is sexy as all get-out.” Sliding her hands over his biceps and then his chest made her appreciate what college ball and the Marines had done to his body.
“Dreamboat?”
Gripping his arms, she laughed. “Irritating, bossy, impatient, and yes, a dreamboat.” She pushed him over and enjoyed the view of his eight-pack, tanned skin, and perfect amount of chest hair. Biting her bottom lip, she skimmed her fingers over his muscles. “I can’t decide where I want to start.” She leaned over, moved her mouth over his warm skin, and let his male musk fill her senses. He smelled like home, adventure, and a promise of endless pleasure. Just as she kissed his nipple, she felt herself lifted in the air. He flipped her over and grinned. “I want to explore,” she said in protest as she looked up into his face.
“Maybe after we’ve done it a couple of times, I’ll let you at me.” Embracing her, he blanketed her with his body. “Promise me you’ll tell me what you like and how you like it,” he whispered against her ear. He dragged his tongue over her neck and then pressed his mouth to her skin. “I’ll know your body better than you do by the time I’m done.”
“Okay,” she managed to mumble. Her blood rolled into a low boil as he captured her mouth in a demanding kiss. Taking possession of her senses, he became a predator. Giving off enough heat to burn them both, she wondered if only the dust of her bones would remain. His light layer of chest hair brushed against her nipples and sent a delicious ripple of delight over her skin.
Dipping his fingers into her slick heat, he moaned. “Dripping wet…all for me. Only me,” he said as he hooked his fingers. “Gonna find the spot that makes you lose your mind.”
Her throat dry, she moved against his hand as he managed to find the place that sent her over the edge.
“Now, Lilly.”
That demanding voice of his hit a nerve and set her free. Throwing her head back, she gave into the fire and exploded. His mouth was against her neck. He drove her higher as he nipped at her skin. The
combination had her on a wave that she wasn’t sure would ever end. “Brock…”
“That’s it. Let me own this part of you.”
With more care than she thought he was capable of, he brought her down slowly from the explosive orgasm. She went limp, and when she could take a full breath, she opened one eye and saw the top of his head as he moved his mouth down her body. “Let me take a minute.”
Lifting his head, he grinned. “Sorry, no can do. I’ve waited a long time to get my mouth on you.”
When he captured her breast in his mouth and loved on her like the man she knew him to be, she surrendered. They were skin to skin, and the only words that came to mind were primal, necessary, and mine. “What do you want from me?” she whispered.
“Everything, Lilly. I’ll give you more than you want, but not more than you can handle,” he said against her skin.
She ran her hands over his enormous arms. Memories of all the times he pulled her out of danger or convinced her not to do something stupid or caught her when she fell flooded her mind. He had always kept her safe and realizing that whatever happened between them wouldn’t be any different cracked something open inside her. A deep affection and unadulterated love filled her heart. Maybe it had been there all along, waiting for the perfect moment to unfurl itself.
“Show me, Lilly. I want to know what makes your back arch off the bed.”
Those words were not said with his usual even tone. They were spoken with a dark, demanding one. There was no compromise in his voice as his mouth moved south. Parting her with his thumbs, he ran his nose along her folds and then slid his tongue slowly front to back.
“You like that,” he murmured before diving back into her folds.
He took his time, learning what made her sigh, what made her moan, and finally what made her whimper. “OhGodohGodohGod,” she called out as desire coiled tight in her belly. The ache he’d created ratcheted higher as he gave her lazy licks. Fisting the sheets, she tried not push her body into his face. “Please…” she begged.