For dinner tonight, Decker had presented her with a delicious mushroom soup followed by oysters with more champagne and also some caviar. The third course was ahi tuna tartare with avocado, crispy shallots and a soy-sesame dressing. The fourth was sea bass with a white wine cream sauce, and asparagus with sliced black truffles. The main and last course before dessert was filet mignon with crab and spinach in a béarnaise sauce. Decker was going to turn her into a real food connoisseur.
After another culinary work of art and flavors, she joined him for coffee in a small, historically decorated room, a lounge on an upper level of the lodge and, according to Decker, near his bedroom suite. She wasn’t sure why he’d told her that. Did he hope to get her in bed tonight?
“What would you like to do for our next date?” he asked as he sat beside her on the sofa. He’d removed is jacket and draped it over a chair in the room.
Hm...she had to think of something good, something that would put him to the test to see if they’d be compatible. Kendall thought of her beloved wolves. Maybe she’d take him with her to watch them—if they’d still be there. Wolves traveled long distances and over a wide range. They could be where they were this summer and gone by fall, never to be seen again by human eyes.
“Why don’t we start with a hike?” she suggested.
“Start?”
“Yes.”
“Do I need to prove myself to you?”
She smiled, enjoying the flirtation. “Maybe.”
When he put his arm along the back of the sofa, she felt the chemistry change between them. He put his finger beneath her chin and guided her to tip her head up. She complied, too curious and warm to resist.
“You’re so beautiful. Your smile captivates me,” he murmured.
“Your eyes captivate me.” A lot more about him captivated her. His thick dark hair, his tall muscular physique.
He leaned forward and kissed her, a feathery-light touch that mingled with warm breath and made her feel all shivery like that first time, only stronger. When he withdrew a fraction and she opened her eyes to see his burning back at her, she slipped further into passion. He might succeed in getting her into bed tonight. As soon as that thought came, reason returned and she pulled back awkwardly.
“I’m sorry, was that...? I figured, after that first kiss, we should try it again.”
She smiled. “It was pretty good. I’m just not so sure about what follows.”
He grinned back at her. “How about a movie?” He stood and seemed just as awkward as her. Retrieving a remote, he turned on a big screen TV hanging on the wall above a gas fireplace. No one else was in the lounge. He must have reserved it just for them.
He chose a clever animated movie, something Kendall didn’t think either of them would actually watch but would help lighten the mood. Not that it would tame the sensation of that breathtaking kiss.
Kendall was aware of every move Decker made, the way he walked back to her and bent to put the remote on the coffee table, the way he lowered himself down onto the sofa. He sat close, whether intentional or unintentional, Kendall didn’t know.
The movie began but Kendall couldn’t stop her hyperawareness of Decker. She let herself take in his knee, sloping up to a hard, muscular thigh that touched her leg. Her heart rate kicked up as her eyes drifted upward, to where his pants seamed at his crotch, subtle hints to what lay beneath teasing her feminine senses. She wanted to reach out and run her hands over his flat abdomen to see if it was as ripped as it seemed. His dress shirt stretched over the panels of his chest muscles, drawing her desire in that direction. With his arm once again stretched out behind her, his shoulder bulged.
His square jaw had faint signs of dark stubble and his lips were together, soft and unsmiling. Black hair wisped around his ear and flirted with his collar. His cheekbones were slightly angular and his nose flaring just right. She followed the straight line up to his eyes and found the dark, smoldering orbs watching her.
Her breath quickened.
Decker reached up and sank his fingers into her updo, picking out the clasps until her hair fell down. He fingered the wavy blond strands, arranging them so they draped over her shoulder. Then he took his time looking at her, his gaze traveling hotly over her face and down for a top view of her cleavage.
The intense heat building between them told Kendall exactly where this was headed. Strangely, she had no desire to stop it. Rather, she wanted to experience this. The magic of this arousing feeling couldn’t be denied. She had taken care of birth control so she had nothing to worry about other than going on an intimate adventure with a man who had always fascinated her.
Decker leaned in, holding the back of her neck and kissing her with more force. She moved her mouth with his, felt his warm, impassioned breaths and splayed her palms against his chest as she had longed to do. His pecs were as hard as she imagined. Sliding her hands outward, she reveled in the feel of his shoulders and biceps, going back to his chest, staying there a while before roaming up again to his shoulders. She hung on for dear life as the kiss grew even more feverish.
Kendall realized she now lay on her back on the sofa, but she didn’t care. This would do. She just had to have him.
She loosened his tie as he put his hands on her breasts, straddling her with one knee on the sofa and his other foot on the floor. Pulling the tie over his head, she tossed it aside. He reached for the hem of her dress and pulled it up. She lifted her hips to aid him and then rose up so he could pull it over her head, sending the soft, silky material pooling to the floor near his tie.
Kendall shivered with anticipation as Decker viewed her body hungrily. She wore lacy black underwear and a matching bra. When she’d put them on she hadn’t planned on him seeing them tonight—she just felt sexy wearing them—and mischievous keeping it to herself. Her secret from him that was now out in the open.
He hastily unbuttoned his shirt.
Kendall rested her arms above her head and watched him. Words would ruin this. The silence worked like a charm, not allowing anything to stand in their way of satisfying a carnal curiosity.
When he revealed his chest and abs, she shivered with desire again. He had a sexy body. He must think the same of hers because his eyes all but devoured her whole.
He threw his shirt onto the floor and went to work on his pants and his shoes, never moving his gaze off her. In his boxer briefs, Kendall could see the hard ridge of him. Heat flared as he removed them and then came to her. Putting one knee on the sofa, he hooked two fingers beneath the edge of her black lace panties and slowly slid them off.
She opened her knees to make room for him to kneel on the sofa. Then he came down on her, kissing her hard. She moved her hands over him, down his back to his rear and up again. Unclasping her bra, he parted the material to reveal her breasts. He had to take several seconds just to stare.
“So beautiful.”
His raspy voice and the hot, hungry look in his eyes gave her as much enjoyment as he obviously received seeing her bareness.
“So are you.”
His eyes lifted to meet hers for a moment before he put his mouth on her, flicking her nipple.
Kendal lifted her hips to urge him on.
He pressed back but moved his attention to her other breast. She’d go out of her mind with lust if he didn’t take care of her. She arched again, unable to stifle a moan.
“Decker. Now,” she said, drowning in passion and needing him so much.
He answered with a gruff sound and probed for her. Finding her, he sank into her wetness. Kendall dug her head back against the sofa with another moan, this one louder.
Grunting his pleasure, Decker began moving, excruciatingly slow. He shook with his effort to maintain control. She felt her own trembling begin. She gripped his arms and became transfixed by his eyes looking into hers.
With each withdrawal and penetra
tion, her breath came harder. On the next deep stroke, he ground hard against her, pausing.
“Don’t stop,” she whispered urgently.
“Kendall.”
“Please.”
He withdrew and thrust hard and repeated the movement a few more times, giving her what she needed.
Kendall cried out with her release, a dynamite explosion that blinded her for a moment. She was vaguely aware of his own sounds and then he collapsed onto her.
Both of them breathed heavily.
“Holy God,” Kendall gasped. “What was that?”
“You have to marry me for sure now,” he said.
* * *
Kendall dressed, the escape from reality no longer providing her solace. The magnitude of how good they were together haunted her now. So did his comment. He wanted to marry her more than ever, not for love, but for business and the added bonus of great sex.
“I should get going.” She needed time alone to process all of this.
He’d put on his jeans and looked at her. “You want to leave?”
“I need to get home.”
“Why? I think you should move in with me.”
“No.” She wasn’t ready for that.
“At least stay the night, then.” Closing the distance between them, he towered over her, crowding her space.
She stepped back. “I really need to go home.”
He studied her a moment. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.”
Again, he studied her. “Did that scare you?”
Scare her? More like terrified her. What if she fell in love with him? She was a business deal to him.
“No,” she lied.
“Yes.” He stroked his thumb along her jaw. “Don’t be.”
She stepped back. “I’m not afraid.”
He stared at her, his expression clearly saying he didn’t believe her. “I’m not going anywhere. I won’t hurt you, Kendall. You can trust me.”
Words, just words. The thing about the future was nobody knew what lurked there.
“I’ll call you in a few days.” She turned and headed for the door.
“Wait.” He caught up to her. “A few days?”
“I need time, Decker.”
“No, you need more of what we just did tonight.” He took hold of her arm and stopped her.
Reluctantly she looked up at his handsome face.
“You need to spend more time with me,” he said.
“For how long, Decker? Until we’re married and you absorb yourself in work and I become nothing more than a bed partner?” She wished she had never said that.
“You are scared. I get that, really I do. But there’s nothing to worry about.” He gently clasped her shoulders and smiled down at her. “You’ll be living with me and I’ll see you every day. Every morning and every night, you’ll be by my side.”
She had a hard time imagining that when he’d be working so many hours. She’d be in bed asleep when he got home, or close to it. And why was she so worried about that? Did she really need him so close all the time? Why did she feel so insecure? Maybe it wasn’t insecurity. Maybe it was this problem she had with marrying a man she didn’t love and who didn’t love her.
She reminded herself that she’d been burned in love before and this arrangement was safe. If he never loved her, he’d still be hers and she would never be hurt by him. He might claim now that he’d never hurt her, but it would be impossible to hurt her if she didn’t love him.
But what if she did fall in love with him? That same question came back to slap her.
“Take tonight. Tomorrow let’s talk. The following day, I want you to spend the night with me.”
The command sent a flash of heated desire through her. But she didn’t like his bossiness. “I’ll think about it.”
He hooked his arm around her and pulled her against him. “I really do want you to stay the night with me, Kendall.” He kissed her, firm and warm and with a tickle of his tongue, reminding her how potent they were together.
Would she be able to say no to him? Would she be able to say no to more of what had transpired tonight?
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She eased away from him and he didn’t stop her.
After observing her a moment, he used his phone to call for a car.
He walked with her to the elevators and rode that down to the lobby and the front entrance. She saw the sedan pulling up to the front.
“Thank you for a lovely dinner and...” What could she say? For giving her hot, steamy sex and making her feel like a million bucks?
“I’ll call you,” he said softly.
She nodded and walked toward the waiting car.
On the short ride back to her house, Kendall could think of nothing but Decker. She couldn’t get over how different he was from what she’d expected. Even after growing up amid great wealth and continuing on in his father’s footsteps, he had more honor and integrity than any other man she’d ever met. She couldn’t give any examples to support that assessment. It was more of a gut feeling than anything, and the way they’d connected over that first dinner and again tonight.
His boldness bothered her but she had to admit she preferred a straight-shooting man than one telling her what she wanted to hear.
As the driver turned onto the road leading to her driveway, she noticed lights shining behind them. Twisting, she saw a car about a hundred yards behind. There were not many houses off this road. She couldn’t tell what kind of car it was or how many people were inside.
Should she tell the driver to stop? She didn’t want to lead a stranger to her house. What if the driver of that car was the same man watching her earlier today?
If it was that man, and he was following her, he already knew which road to turn on. How much more would it take for him to find her house?
“Is that car following us?” she asked the driver.
He looked in the rearview mirror. “I don’t think so, ma’am. I didn’t notice anyone on the highway.”
He resumed driving, unconcerned if not a little curious over her odd question.
She looked back as the driver turned onto her driveway. She watched the car pass. Through the darkness she couldn’t tell if it was the same car. She thought it could be, though.
Chapter 5
A few days later, Kendall finished up at the office and left to go grab some lunch at her favorite restaurant in town that made the best salads. She and her father had finished a meeting on the latest numbers generated from beetle kill pine. Work had taken her mind off Decker, but now that she stepped out into the crisp air, he was back to taking up space in her mind.
Vaguely seeing a man leaning against a car with his arms folded, Kendall stopped short when recognition hit her.
Decker grinned, eyes hidden by sunglasses. She had avoided his phone calls and now he’d intercepted her at the office.
Slowly she went to him. “What are you doing here?”
“Picking you up for lunch.” He opened the back door of the tinted-windowed sedan. “Your dad told me you had a meeting right before lunch and you had plans to go to The Toss.”
“He did, did he?” She climbed into the sedan, scooting over to make room for him.
She couldn’t help feeling tickled that he’d surprised her.
“How’s your day at work going?” Decker asked.
“Good. Beetle kill inventory is improving profits. I’m going to go check on my wolf pack tomorrow.” She angled toward him so she’d get a good look at his face when she asked a question. “What about you? How is it that you can take time out of your busy day for me?”
“I’ll always make time for you, darling.”
Hm. Already calling her darling. And she debated whether he’d always make time for her. He made extra effort n
ow to get her to the altar but once they were married would he devote most of his time and energy at The Lodge? Instinct said a resounding yes. She couldn’t help feeling like a business deal.
“Do you want company when you go check on your wolf pack? I’ve never done anything like that.”
Kendall coveted her time in the wilderness and was protective of the wolves. “They’ll be a sight to see for sure. They’re in a good part of the forest, with plenty of prey.”
“How big is the pack?”
“There are six of them. The mating pair probably dispersed from their birth pack and had two or three litters so they’re probably about four or five years old.”
“I’d love to see them. Not many people have an opportunity to see something like that.”
“Well, if you behave and do what I say, I suppose I can trust you to come with me.”
He chuckled. “I’ll behave.”
The driver parked the sedan in front of The Toss in a parallel parking space.
She climbed out and Decker waited with an offered hand on the sidewalk. As she rounded the rear of the sedan, she noticed the same car she’d seen with her mother outside of the bridal shop. It was parked a few spaces behind the sedan. The man inside watched her, wearing sunglasses again. She stopped to get a closer look. He had dark hair, shoulder length, and she’d guess he was around six feet tall and appeared to be fairly well built.
The driver pulled out into the street and passed without looking at her again. Kendall turned in a half circle as she watched the car disappear down the street.
“Someone you know?” Decker asked.
She faced him. “No.”
He took her hand and studied her as they walked toward the restaurant doors. “Is something wrong?”
She tried to shake it off. “No.” Should she tell him about the stranger? She wasn’t even sure if she had anything to worry about.
“Is that man bothering you?” Decker asked with a frown.
“Kendall Hadley, is that you?” a woman murmured, interrupting Decker’s question and sparing Kendall from having to answer.
Colton's Convenient Bride Page 6