Wild Rush Of Love (Winter Lake Book 5)

by Rhian Cahill

  “I am. Just returning something I borrowed earlier.” He came down the steps and walked toward her. “I hope you’re hungry.”

  “Yes, but—”

  He cut her words off with a kiss.

  She was pretty sure they would have stood on the street making out for hours if his phone hadn’t started ringing.

  He pulled back and held her face in his hands. “I missed you today.”

  Smiling, she said, “Me too. You. I missed you.”

  “I knew what you meant. Come on. I need to check on dinner.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and silenced the alarm before shoving it away again. “How was your day?”

  “Good. Oh! I spoke to my boss. He said if you can give me your schedule two weeks in advance, he can work my shifts around you so we can definitely get together every other week.”

  “What?” Rush stopped walking and stared at her.

  Was he not happy she’d worked out how they could still see each other? “I thought…”

  With a yank, he pulled her into his arms. “God. God!”

  Reena wrapped her arms around his neck. “So… That’s a good ‘god,’ right?”

  “Yes. Jesus, yes.” He leaned back. “Fuck, woman, you cut me off at the knees.”

  She frowned. “That doesn’t sound good.”

  “Oh, it’s good. Very, very good.”

  Smiling again, Reena rose to her toes and pressed her mouth to his. “You promised.”

  “I did. And I meant it. Now give me another kiss then I really need to check on dinner.”

  Their lips met and, in spite of his need to check dinner, Rush kissed her and kissed her. She loved his kisses. Felt them all the way to her toes and everywhere else too. When he finally let her go, she was breathing hard and a teensy bit dizzy.

  “Wow.” She blinked up at him. “That was some kiss.”

  “There’s more where that came from.” His phone went off again. “But not until after dinner. I’ve got this whole seduction scene ready to roll and you’re not going to distract me from it any longer.”

  He grabbed her hand and tugged her towards her place. “You’re planning to seduce me? Sounds interesting.”

  “Woman, I plan to pleasure you so much you turn into a puddle of satisfaction and agree to anything I suggest.” He grinned at her over his shoulder as he led her into the house. “It’s my plan to not only have my wicked way with you, but make it impossible for you to let me go without agreeing to see me again.”

  “Well, the second part of the plan is already accomplished. You should put one hundred percent of your effort into the first part.”

  “Right you are.” Rush lifted her bag from her shoulder and placed it on the foyer table. He dropped to his knees before her and said, “Up,” as he grabbed the heel of her foot.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Pampering you. You’ve had a long day on your feet, so I’m taking your shoes off then I’m pointing you to the bathroom, where I will run you a relaxing bubble bath. Once you’re settled beneath those warm bubbles, I’ll bring you a glass of wine and give you a foot massage.” He raised his eyes to meet hers. “That’s for starters.”

  “Is this the seduction thing? Because if so, I’m all in.” Reena picked up her foot. “Hurry up.”

  He cocked an eyebrow but removed her shoe without comment then repeated the action with her other foot. Surging to his feet, he dropped a quick kiss on her mouth before turning her around and swatting her ass. “Get moving.”

  A shiver stole through her at the less than gentle love tap.

  Rush chuckled behind her. “We might have to do more exploring in that area.”

  If he’d meant it as a threat, it wasn’t one. Not even close to one. She wouldn’t have believed she’d respond to such a thing but when Rush got all commanding and dominant, she wanted to lay down and offer herself to him completely.

  Chapter Thirty

  “Oh my god. You didn’t need to seduce me with sex in the bath, all you had to do was feed me this.” Reena took another spoonful of the blueberry tart he’d made for dessert.

  “I’m going to assume it’s good.” Rush picked up his spoon, ready to sample his own piece.

  “Good? This is ambrosia,” she said around another mouthful.

  By the time he’d taken his second bite, she was lifting another slice out of the pan. Smiling, he leaned back in his chair and watched her.

  She slid spoonful after spoonful into her mouth. Every one was an exercise in restraint for him. She closed her mouth around each bite and closed her eyes, moaned and groaned and licked her lips to be sure she hadn’t missed a thing. It was a sensual display of indulgence and he was surprised his cock hadn’t burst through his pants.

  Sex in the bath hadn’t dulled his lust for her at all. But then, the bath had been just that. Sex. He’d wanted it to be erotic, passionately sensual, so she thought about nothing except the things he did to her body, the way he made her feel, the pleasure he could give her—would always give her. Wanted her replete with satisfaction when he kicked her over the edge and her climax released all that pent-up tension. He didn’t want that now.

  Now he wanted to make love. Slowly, with her beneath him looking up with desire-filled eyes. Not for the pleasure he could give her—for him. Desire for him.

  He wanted to spend the rest of the night worshiping every inch of her until she couldn’t do anything but love him.

  He’d been hovering on acknowledging what was in his heart for days. Today he’d opened himself up and taken a good hard look.

  He was in love with Sabreena Howe.

  His life wouldn’t be complete without her in it. He accepted it as the blessing it was and moved on to the next step.

  Seducing her into loving him.

  He didn’t think it would be hard. Thought they’d made a connection she couldn’t deny already. She wasn’t ready to hear the words from him. He knew that. It didn’t worry him that he couldn’t tell her yet. There’d be time for that. The rest of their lives.

  Pushing back his chair, he stood and held out a hand. “Come.”

  “Where are we going now?” She didn’t hesitate to take his hand. Left her third piece of tart half eaten to follow him out of the kitchen.

  “Part three of my seduction plan.”

  “Ooh…there’s more?” She moved close.

  Her eagerness made him smile, made his heart thud harder, made all the doubts and concerns vanish from his mind, leaving only space for them. “There will always be more.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  So did he.

  Once in the bedroom, he positioned her beside the bed. “Don’t move.” He quickly made his way around, igniting the candles he’d set out earlier.

  “Oh,” she breathed. “This is lovely.”

  He walked back to her and gripped the hem of her shirt. “Arms up.”

  She obeyed, and he whipped the t-shirt over her head, dropping it on the floor behind him, drawing in a sharp breath at the beauty of her in the delicate peach bra. He only took a moment to admire the sexy underwear; he had other things he wanted to appreciate.

  “Now this.” With a quick snap, he unhooked the clasp at her back then encouraged the straps to slip from her shoulders with the brush of his fingers. The fine lace floated to the floor between their feet.

  God, she was gorgeous. He could stare at her for days and not get bored. He’d get horny, but never bored.

  “I can’t stop looking at you,” he murmured.

  “I like it when you look. I like it better when you touch though.” She chewed on her lip in a nervous action he found extremely erotic and irresistible.

  Bending forward, he brushed his lips on hers and whispered, “I want to make love to you.”

  Her eyelids fluttered, her gaze searching his. When she found whatever she looked for, a shy smile curved her lips against his. “I want that. I want everything with you.”

  Rush whispered a kiss ov
er her cheek on his way to her ear. “Anything you want, Sabreena. Tell me and it’s yours.”

  She sucked in a breath, her head turning, her gaze finding his. “Rush.”

  “Shh…” He ran his fingers through her bangs, brushing them out of her eyes, off her face. “Let me love you.”

  He did it with his hands. With his mouth. He stroked and kissed and loved every inch of exposed skin from her head to her waist. When he slid his hands into the elastic of her shorts, she trembled. Lowering the material over her hips, Rush fell to his knees to start his worship all over again.

  By the time her quivering legs gave way, he’d stroked her to an orgasm that rolled over her as soft as a summer breeze.

  She gasped when he picked her up. Carefully, he laid her on the bed and kissed her, everything he felt for her bleeding into the soft caress of his mouth on hers. Hooded lids hung over dazed eyes and he could see her desire for him, sweet and lush, overflowing in gentle waves.

  Unable to wait any longer to be inside her, Rush shucked his clothes and joined her on the bed, making himself at home between her legs.

  Her arms came up to wrap around his neck, tugging him down to her. “Love me, Rush.”

  Their mouths fused as he joined their bodies in one thrust. He swallowed her gasp, his tongue plunging between her parted lips in the same steady rhythm as his cock surging into her slick heat.

  He kept his eyes open, kept them on hers, as he loved her with everything he was. He might not be able to say the words but he could show her with his body, open his soul through his eyes.

  Rush gave himself completely, knowing she could reject him. He understood her enough to know he had to lay himself bare if he wanted her to trust him with her heart.

  Biting his tongue to keep from saying the words desperate to be said, he picked up the pace and tilted his hips. She panted and shuddered, her pussy tightening around him as he drove them both toward the peak.

  Her climax took them both. It rose up and burst over her, dragging him under the wave of bliss with her. And when he’d spent the last of his seed inside her, he couldn’t stop himself from hoping her birth control failed.

  He knew it was the wrong thing to want, a manipulative way to forge a permanent connection. Except the thought of Reena carrying his child didn’t feel wrong—being with her forever felt right.

  More right than anything else in his life ever had.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  “Second week in a row I’ve found you with that frowning face. What’s on your mind now?” Caitlyn squeezed into the booth opposite her.

  “Jeez. What is this? Caitlyn’s confession corner?” Reena laughed but the sound came out rough, edged with hysteria.

  “Nothing better than confessing over a shot of Jameson,” Caitlyn said as Ailis put a bottle and two shot glasses on the table between them. “Thanks, Ailis.”

  They stayed quiet while Caitlyn poured and they downed the amber liquid. Reena winced. God, that burned.

  Refilling their glasses, her friend waited her out. She’d always been able to do that. Get Reena to spill her secrets just by sitting quietly, ready to listen to whatever crisis had come into Reena’s life.

  Needing the courage, she knocked back the second shot and shuddered through the burn, settling when the warmth hit her belly. “He asked me to go with him.”

  “Rush?”

  “Yeah.” She nodded. “I said no.”

  “Why the hell would you do that? You’re in love with the guy.”

  Reena’s gaze snapped up, collided with the blue eyes of the woman who had been her lifeline through so much in spite of their age gap. In spite of the fact she’d started out as Reena’s babysitter, a teenager taking care of a scared, orphaned little girl barely surviving the loss of her parents.

  She trusted Caitlyn. More than she trusted herself, it seemed.

  Reena thought she loved him. But having never had sex, she’d wondered if those emotions could be put down to the starry-eyed confusion of a virgin giving her heart to the guy who popped her cherry.

  Heat flashed through her. God, had he popped it. He’d blown that thing apart with a load of C-4. It had been the single most spectacular thing to ever happen to her. Until he’d done it again and again and again—

  “I’m going to assume that flushed look on your face means you’ve sunk deep into some super-hot memories of how much ‘love’ went on between the two of you.”

  Reena glanced at the smirk on Caitlyn’s mouth and more heat burned her cheeks. “Sorry.”

  “Oh, no. Don’t be sorry. Never be sorry about amazing sex.”

  “How do you know it was amazing?”

  “Other than the flushed face, we’ve got dilated pupils, short breaths, and a pair of extra-perky boobs.” Caitlyn laughed when Reena crossed her arms over said perky.

  “Do you really think I’m in love with him?” she asked, apprehension dropping her belly low.

  “You don’t think you are?”

  Reena shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never…”

  “I get that he’s your first, and sometimes girls—women—get starry-eyed and confuse sex with love, but you’re not the type. You’re the most levelheaded woman I know. Mature beyond your years and smart. So very, very smart. Love is often blind and stupid, but take it from someone who’s been there, you’re in love with Rush.”

  “We only met last month.”

  “It only takes a second to fall.”

  “We don’t know each other. Not really.”

  Caitlyn arched one eyebrow.

  “Okay. Fine. We know enough about each other. I guess. Maybe.” Reena chewed her thumbnail. “But I live here.”

  “So move.”

  “I can’t—”

  Caitlyn held up a hand. “Let’s try it this way. How’d it feel when you woke up alone this morning? How do you think you’ll feel when you walk into your house tonight—when you finally get up the nerve to go home to your empty house?”

  God. How did Caitlyn know?

  Caitlyn smiled, leaned over, and covered Reena’s hand with hers. “Imagine that empty feeling for the rest of your life. Imagine not seeing him every day. Not touching him. Hearing him. Kissing him.”

  “Oh, God.” Reena dropped her forehead to the table. “I’m in love with Rush and I let him leave.”

  Caitlyn patted her head. “There you go. I’ll tell Mom you’re quitting.”

  “What?” Reena snapped upright. “I can’t quit.”

  “Didn’t we just have this argument?”

  “It wasn’t an argument. It’s Caitlyn’s confession corner, remember.” Reena smiled. The emotion welling up inside her was all consuming.

  Could she really do this? Uproot her life and move hundreds of miles away to be with a guy she’d only known a month?

  “What will I do about the house?” she murmured.

  “Sell it. Rent it out. It’s a minor detail.”

  God. She couldn’t believe she was thinking about doing it. “I’ll need to—” Her words were cut off by her phone. Glancing down, she saw the silly picture Rush had taken of the two of them down by the harbor lighting up her screen. “Oh.” Reena fumbled the device, almost dropping it on the floor before she managed to hit accept and bring it to her ear.

  “Hi.” Her voice came out a squeak.

  “You okay? Did I catch you at a bad time? I thought you were off work now?”

  “No. I’m fine. I am. Off work, I mean.”

  “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  God, it was good to hear his voice.

  Reena closed her eyes and imagined him sitting next to her asking that question. Warmth flowed through her. The heavy feeling she’d had in her chest since yesterday morning eased.

  “Sabreena?” Rush snapped in her ear. “Talk to me.”

  “I miss you,” she whispered.

  “I miss you more, baby. God. This sucks. I’m on shift in a few minutes and all I want to do is jump in my truck and dr
ive back to you.”

  Reena smiled. “I have some good news.” She glanced over at Caitlyn.

  “Tell me it’s that you’re coming to see me soon.”

  “It is. How does weekend after next sound?” Could she pack up everything in that time? Probably not, but she could organize some things long distance. Like selling or renting out her house.

  Caitlyn leaned over the table and whispered, “I’ll help you.”

  “Is that Caitlyn?” Rush asked. “Are you still at work? I thought you said you were off now.”

  “I’m still at the pub. Didn’t want to go home yet.”

  “Don’t go home. Go to the airport and get the first plane up here.”

  “As much as I’d love that, I can’t…but I’ll see you in less than two weeks.”

  “Tell me when your plane gets into Albany and I’ll be there to pick you up.”

  “Okay. I’ll let you know as soon as I confirm the details.” She had so many details to sort out.

  “I gotta go.” Rush sighed. “The next two weeks are going to fucking drag.”

  “I know.”

  “Message me when you go to bed. I’ll take my break then so I can call and wish you good night.”

  “I will. And Rush…”

  “Yeah?”

  “I…ah, can’t wait to see you.” She’d wanted to tell him she loved him. The words were on the tip of her tongue, except it would be better to wait until she could say it in person. “Bye.”

  “Bye, Reena. Stay safe.”

  The call disconnected and she lowered the phone from her ear.

  She stared at Caitlyn. “Oh god. Am I really doing this?”

  “Yes!” Caitlyn held out Reena’s refilled shot glass. “A toast.”

  Reena took her glass and waited.

  “To the wild rush of love.” Caitlyn grinned at her creative use of Rush’s name.

  Reena rolled her eyes, clinked their glasses and threw back the shot. The whiskey burned, shuddering warmth spreading through her chest as it made its way to her stomach. God. That was number three. She’d have to eat something before she attempted to walk home.

  The last thing she needed was to stumble home drunk. Then again, it might not be the alcohol giving her this giddy feeling.