Worth the Challenge

by Erickson, Karen

  Nodding, she sighed when he slid down her body. “Yes,” she breathed, gasping when he drew one nipple into his mouth and sucked. She grasped the back of his head, wound her fingers in his hair and held him close while he continued to feast on her.

  Christ, the uninhibited way she reacted to his every touch nearly shattered his control. Closing his eyes, he pressed his forehead to her chest for the briefest moment, taking a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart and out-of-control libido. She pushed down on top of his head, a not-so-subtle gesture as to what she wanted next.

  Deciding to give it to her, he moved farther down and grasped hold of her slender hips. “Should we take these off?” He toyed with the strings on either side of her hips, wrapping them around his fingers.

  Biting her lower lip, she nodded.

  He slipped his fingers beneath the fabric, encountering heated skin. “Are you wet, Gabriella?”

  She whimpered, a sexy little sound that sent a zing of electricity straight to his cock. “M-maybe you should check and see.”

  Ah, she was a constant surprise. He slipped his fingers beneath her bottoms, encountering her scant pubic hair. A memory came back to him from when he was at the Beverly Hills Worth store, complaining to Hunter there were plenty of blondes in Southern California, but not one of them was natural.

  He had a sneaking suspicion Gabriella would be his first natural blonde.

  Chapter Eleven

  Ella waited in breathless anticipation for Rhett’s fingers to go just a little farther down. The man was an absolute devil, torturing her from the moment their lips first met. Teasing her with words, wicked smiles and oh, how he touched her.

  Slow and deliberate, as if he knew exactly how much she wanted him, yet taking pleasure in the agony of anticipation. She lifted her hips, let loose a quivery moan when he finally touched her where she wanted him.

  “Hmm, you’re very wet.” He stroked her, gently tracing her folds, circling her clitoris with the tip of his finger once, twice. Her stomach clenched, tingles washed over her skin and she bit her lower lip as pleasure curled through her. “Feel good?”

  She nodded, unable to find the words to describe just how good his hands on her felt.

  “You’re holding your breath,” he pointed out, all the while tugging her bikini bottoms off.

  Realizing he was right, she exhaled loudly, kicking off her bottoms when they tangled around her knees. Thankfully, he went back to what he was doing. He stroked her, slid his index finger inside her, in and out, in and out, driving her crazy.

  He was going to make her come if he continued this. And she wasn’t ready yet, didn’t want it to end before it really began. She was a one-orgasm woman, always had been. It was usually easy to prolong. No man had ever worked her up so quickly before…

  Without warning he placed his mouth directly on her, his lips sucking her clit, two fingers thrusting inside her deep. He licked and sucked, working her into a frenzy, until she had no choice but to let the waves of pleasure wash over her again and again, her entire body shaking with her release as she cried out his name.

  She lay motionless when the tremors finally subsided, her heart still racing a million miles a minute, her eyes tightly closed. Rhett pulled away from her, she had no idea what he was doing, and she was too wiped to crack open her eyes to check.

  Disappointment crept in and she tried to push it away. Her chance at another orgasm was practically nil. Not that she doubted Rhett’s skill—the man was amazing, she’d never come so fast in her life—it was she who had the problem. The defect, if she wanted to get extreme.

  Frowning, she opened her eyes in time to see him approach the bed completely naked. Arousal swept over her, swift and hot, and she sat up, propping herself against the thick pillows.

  He slipped onto the bed beside her and slung his arm around her waist, cupping her side with his big hand. She turned her head, facing him, and stared into his dark blue eyes.

  “Hey.” He smiled, looking rather pleased with himself. “Did you enjoy that?”

  Her cheeks heated and she silently cursed her annoying ability to blush so easily. “Maybe.”

  Chuckling, he drew a finger across her chin. “Please, stop with all the gushing compliments.”

  “But what about you?” She rested her hands on his chest, let them drift down. His abs were rock-hard, his stomach muscles flinching beneath her touch. Oh, she could touch him forever, he felt so good.

  “Don’t think you’re off the hook. We’re not finished yet.” He tipped her chin up with his fingers, brushing his mouth against hers in a soft, damp kiss. “I grabbed a condom.”

  “Oh.” The word was small and hollow with disappointment.

  Frowning, he studied her. “What’s wrong?”

  She shrugged. “I’m a one-shot type of girl.”

  His frown deepened. “What are you talking about?”

  “Oh my God.” She blew out a harsh breath, deciding to just go for it. “I already came, so I’m done for the night. I mean, of course I want to have sex with you, but don’t waste your time trying to give me another orgasm. It’s over for me.”

  He laughed and shook his head. “You have very little faith in me, don’t you?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “First of all, it sounds like you’ve been with the wrong men.” Sobering, he pulled her beneath him, their bodies pressed against each other, his erection nudging against her sex. He was large and thick, the feel of him sending pulses of excitement through her veins. “What man wants to get his woman off once for the night and be done with it? I’ve always been jealous of the multi-orgasmic ability females have anyway. It’s going to become a challenge, you know, seeing how many times I can make you come.”

  “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation. Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?”

  “Mmm, nope.” He kissed her. Their tongues danced while he smoothed his hands all over her, positioning her. “I’ve been accused of being a smooth talker and a bullshitter, though,” he admitted once he broke the kiss.

  She laughed, wrapping her arms around him so she could pull him close. “I’m sure that’s a fairly accurate description.”

  He pulled away so he could meet her gaze, his eyes dark, his expression serious, mouth tight. “Not when it comes to you. I want you to know that, Gabriella. I’m not bullshitting you or trying to smooth talk you into bed.”

  “I’m already here,” she said with a smirk. She liked that she felt comfortable enough with Rhett. That they could tease and laugh and she didn’t feel self-conscious the entire time. It was…nice.

  And unusual. She barely knew him. The first time they fooled around and already she was thinking like this could turn into a thing. It so couldn’t. It had temporary island fling written all over it.

  “You know I’m not feeding you a line, don’t you? We hardly know each other, but I’m being honest here. Laying it all out on the line.” He looked rather uncomfortable that he just made that statement.

  Reaching for him, she wound herself around his firm body, smoothed her hands down his back. “I appreciate your honesty, Rhett. Really I do.”

  He kissed her. “But?”

  “But we need to stop talking and start doing.” She rested her lips against his ear, lowered her voice to a whisper. “I want you. Inside me.”

  “Mmm, that’s a wicked request, Miss Durand. From what I understand, not your usual style, either.”

  “You make me think outside the box,” she said.

  “I should be concentrating on getting inside your box.” He waggled his eyebrows, and she couldn’t help but burst out laughing. She couldn’t remember ever laughing, smiling or talking so much during sex.

  He blazed a hot trail of kisses down her neck and her laughter slowly died. She felt his erection, hard and hot, resting against her thigh and she reached for him, trailing her fingers across the tip. It was damp, jerked against her touch, and a secret smile curved her
lips.

  Moving up and over her, he swooped in, kissing her senseless. His tongue tangled with hers, his hands cupping her breasts, thumbs brushing over her nipples. She could feel him resting at the heart of her, the broad, thick head of his erection seeking entry, and she pushed at his shoulders, not wanting him to get ahead of himself.

  “Put a condom on,” she murmured. Her body burned with wanting him and she realized that maybe, just maybe he was right.

  She might earn a second orgasm out of this encounter after all.

  Rhett reached for the bedside table where he’d dropped the condom earlier, searching the tabletop until his fingers landed on the wrapper. Grabbing it, he lifted himself off her, resting on his haunches between her spread thighs.

  Pausing, he gazed down at her. What a vision. Hair a tangled mess and spread across the pillow, her naked body open and willing, bared just for him. Her skin was tinged with pink, her cheeks flushed and rosy, her nipples much the same. Hard little points that begged for his mouth, he knew they tasted so sweet.

  And he would sample them again in minutes.

  Tearing open the wrapper, he slowly slipped the condom on, stroking himself, making his body lurch. She watched beneath hooded lids, her lips parting in a pretty little “O”. Licking her lips, she propped herself up on her elbows. “You have a beautiful body,” she murmured.

  Pleasure rippled through him at her compliment. “And here you said you didn’t like to talk much during sex.”

  “I don’t. But watching you like this, I can’t help but say something.” He stroked his cock again, putting on a show for her and she whimpered. “Wow.”

  “‘Wow’? That’s all you’ve got?” He covered her once more, causing her to lie flat against the mattress, his face in hers. “No, ‘oh, Rhett, you’re hung like a horse!’ You don’t have anything like that for me?”

  She giggled and the sound went straight to his soul. “I wouldn’t want you hung like a horse. That’s gross.”

  “Hmm, the bigger, the better is what they always say.” He knew his cock wasn’t a monster, but he had nothing to be ashamed of.

  She wound her arms around his neck and brought him to her, their mouths connecting. Lingering. She opened for him, his tongue searching, slipping and sliding against hers. He adjusted himself, his cock at the very center of her and slowly, carefully, he pushed inside.

  Immediately he closed his eyes at the tight, velvety feel of her. Christ, he wouldn’t last long, not with her like this. She ran her slender hands up and down his back, lower until she was smoothing her fingers across his backside, pressing him closer, sending him deeper.

  Oh, yeah. That was it. They moaned as he sunk inside her, moaned some more when he withdrew almost all the way out then thrust back in. He could keep up this delicious rhythm all night. The friction was almost unbearable, the heat of her clasping around him, drawing him deep, her tissues dragging along him as he retreated from the welcoming depths of her body.

  “Rhett.” The way she whispered his name intoxicated him, drove him on. “Don’t stop.”

  Hell no, he wasn’t going to stop. He increased his pace, almost frantic now, and he breathed deep, telling himself to slow down. Determined to make that second orgasm happen for her, no matter what.

  Reaching between them, he touched the top of her slit, slid his finger down until it brushed her engorged clit. He circled the little piece of flesh, again and again as he thrust deep, again and again. Driving the both of them wild with it, until the mattress squeaked with their every movement and their mingled cries and moans grew louder and louder.

  She stiffened beneath him, her body bowing, holding there for a long, breathless moment before she finally fell apart. Crying out his name, she clung to him as he continued to slam inside her, harder this time. Faster. All the while, he played with her clit, angling his cock just so, hitting the special spot deep within her that would make it all even better.

  “Can you come one more time?” he whispered close to her ear. “Can we make it three?”

  “Oh my God,” she gasped. “I—I don’t know.”

  “Let’s try. Reach for it.” He slowed his movements, pulling completely out of her so he could take the head of his cock and brush back and forth along her swollen folds, lingering at her throbbing clit. “Doesn’t that feel good?” he crooned, knowing he was driving her out of her mind.

  Hell, he was driving himself out of his mind.

  “Yes.” She sounded mindless with it, overwhelmed. Her eyes tightly closed, she thrashed her head back and forth, her breasts swaying with the movement. “God, yes.”

  “Open your eyes, baby. Look at me.” He stopped stroking her and she lifted her lids, staring at him with dazed eyes. Slowly, he started stroking her again, playing with her, pushing the both of them to the point of no return.

  “Please,” she murmured, lifting her hips, trying to get him inside her. “I need you inside me.”

  “Begging for it, baby?” Ah, he was an ass. But it did a man’s ego good, having his woman begging for him to satisfy her.

  “Yes.” She arched again and he fed her just the tip. “More,” she breathed.

  She surprised the hell out of him. He hadn’t figured her to be such a tigress in bed, but she proved him wrong. And because he found that so damn astonishing—in a good way—he decided to give her what she wanted.

  Thrusting deep, he pounded inside her, murmuring hot words in her ear all the while. This was it, he wasn’t holding back now. Giving her everything he had, he went balls-deep. Hard. Fast. His orgasm threatened, sitting on that peripheral edge, just out of reach, and he strove toward it. Taking her mouth, he consumed her, ravaged her with his tongue and teeth, all the while slamming his body into hers until they both stiffened and groaned, their orgasms taking them completely over.

  Rhett slumped over her for a long moment and then left the bed, disposing of the condom quickly. He returned to the bed, pulling Gabriella to him without saying a word, and she went willingly. She clung to his side, her breaths still coming fast, her body trembling. He smoothed his hands down her side, trying to calm her down. Exhaling slowly, he tried to ease his racing heart with deep, even breaths.

  “That was—intense,” she finally whispered.

  “Mmm.” He kissed her forehead, infinitely pleased with what just happened. Fuck, it felt good. “You came three times.”

  “And you sound rather proud of that,” she teased, glancing up at him. “I never thought that could happen.”

  “I told you.” He pressed another kiss to her temple. “You’ve been with the wrong guys.”

  “I’ll say.” She ran her fingers back and forth across his chest, teasing his chest hair, and he closed his eyes, enjoying it. He could fall asleep, he was so relaxed, so content. Take a nap, wake up and do it all over again.

  Smiling, he snuggled her closer, resting his chin on top of her head.

  “Rhett?”

  “Hmm.”

  “This isn’t going to ruin our working relationship, is it?”

  “I think it’s going to make it a lot more fun,” he joked.

  “If we keep it temporary.” She paused and the moment suddenly felt heavy. “Right?”

  “Right.” He didn’t want to talk about this now. Besides, he kept everything temporary. This was going to be fun, just like he promised. A little bit of romance, a lot of exploring in the sun and plenty of exploring each other’s bodies during the long, sultry nights. The perfect inspiration she needed to create a sexy, island-based scent.

  He hoped.

  Chapter Twelve

  “How’s it coming?”

  Rhett literally broke out in a sweat at the sound of his brother’s voice. He clutched the phone tightly, his fingers cramping. If he was feeling like a dirty bastard, he’d tell Alex he had Ella coming day and night, which was a rather arrogant—though honest—statement.

  But that wasn’t what Alex was referring to and he knew it.

  “It’
s going…well,” Rhett said, casting a glance toward Ella. She sat at a small table out on the deck, scribbling inside her notebook, her shoulders hunched and a tiny frown on her face.

  “You’ve been there three days. You come back tomorrow, right?”

  “Yes, tomorrow.” Rhett’s mouth went dry. He didn’t want to go back, didn’t want to face reality. He wasn’t sure if Ella was ready to face it either.

  They’d hardly come up for air, let alone with an idea for the scent, too consumed with each other the last three days. Long, lazy mornings wrapped around each other, naked in bed. Warm, sunny afternoons spent wandering the island, a lengthy dinner at one of the resort restaurants followed by lots of naked playtime—again in bed. Or on the couch. The floor, against the wall, out on the deck, in the shower…

  Scrubbing a hand across his face, he banished the memories. He couldn’t get enough of her.

  “Let’s set up a meeting for right after you arrive. I want to discuss with you what’s happening with the perfume, what the next stages are. Hunter and Gracie want to go over what the bottle and box is going to look like. They’ve had someone draw up some ideas. I think you’ll be pleased.”

  The back of Rhett’s neck grew damper with perspiration with every word Alex said. “Aren’t we getting ahead of ourselves? Isn’t it a little soon to discuss such matters?”

  “Not really. If you want this by next spring, then we need to get moving. It’s one of the best times—women tend to want a change come the first sign of spring. Plus, we’ll be available in time for Mother’s Day. In fact…” Rhett swore he heard the scratch of Alex’s pen as he jotted down some notes. “I’ll mention we need to come up with gift sets. Elegant boxes with the perfume’s name on it in simple font.” Alex paused. “What are we calling the perfume, anyway? I don’t think you’ve told me.”

  “Worth It.” The words just tumbled off his tongue without any thought.

  “Hmm. Worth It for Women?”