by Dylann Crush
The darkness provided a layer of safety. Tomorrow she’d have to face him and the repercussions. But tonight, tonight everything she needed, everything she wanted, was right there in front of her.
She wrapped her arms tight around his shoulders and pulled him down next to her on the bed.
twenty-five
Thoughts that he should put on the brakes, slow things down, get his hands and his lips off Luke’s little sister rattled at the edges of his brain. Then she pulled him down next to her and his brain became incapable of any rational thoughts.
His hands roamed over her curves, so eager to feel her, to memorize the contours of her body. Her mouth matched his, kiss for kiss, never letting up. She was vulnerable. She didn’t know what she was doing. She would regret it in the morning.
It took everything he had to break contact. “Lacey, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
She didn’t say anything for a long moment. “Because you didn’t want to? I don’t want you feeling sorry for me.”
“No.” Did she think he’d kissed her out of pity? The thought made him want to pull her tight against him and not let up. “I’m sorry because that came out of nowhere. I don’t want to take advantage of you when you’re feeling down, when you’re vulnerable.”
She let out a quiet laugh. “You silly, silly man. The only thing I’m sorry about is that you didn’t do that a long time ago.”
His breath caught. “What?”
Her fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck, making a shiver roll through him. “Can we talk about this tomorrow? I don’t want to talk anymore tonight.”
“Sure.” He took her hands in his and brought them to his lips. “You get a good night’s sleep and we’ll chat in the morning.”
“Are you really that dense?”
“What?”
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and brought her head close to his. Her lips grazed his cheek, trailing kisses down to his chin then up the other side. He resisted the impulse to clamp his hands to her waist, waiting to see what she would do next.
“I don’t want to get a good night’s sleep.” Her breath blew across his ear.
“What do you want, then?”
She nibbled on his earlobe, sucking it into her mouth before running her tongue along the shell of his ear. Need, pure raw need, shot through him.
“I want to be with you tonight, Bodie.”
“You sure you won’t regret it tomorrow?” That was his worst fear—that she’d come to her senses in the morning and whatever they shared tonight would change everything between them. Having to face Luke followed. What would his friend say if he found out Bodie had ravaged his sister? A chill began to seep through his blood, cooling the consuming heat that Lacey’s touch had sparked.
Her hands went to his waist and she lined her torso up with his. “Why in the world would you think that? Do you have any idea how long I’ve imagined this?”
Her pelvic bone pressed against his crotch. His hard-on nudged into her. He didn’t need any more encouragement, her confession erased any lingering doubts. His hands went behind her back, lowering her to the bed. He stretched out beside her, finally free to give in to the sheer desire that had been consuming him for weeks.
She threw her leg over his hip as her mouth crashed into his. Need rolled through him. His fingertips danced along the hem of her shirt, skimming the top of her thigh. Her moan spurred him on, and he continued to explore the soft skin of her navel.
Her hands played over his pecs, running up and down his side. Where did little Lacey Cherish learn to kiss like this? A sharp pang of jealousy pierced his gut. But then she reached between them and edged past the waistband of his boxer briefs. He splayed a hand across her back, pulling her even closer while he dipped his head down to cover the sweet skin of her neck with hot, wet kisses.
“Bodie, do you have anything?” she mumbled against his mouth.
“Have anything?”
“A condom. Do you have a condom?” she asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Well, check.” She slid her hands between them, pushing on his chest.
“Are you sure?” Things were moving so fast. He wanted to make sure she was absolutely certain.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
Anticipation slid through his gut. He hadn’t had the need for any kind of protection in too long. He felt around for his wallet on the nightstand and breathed a sigh of relief when his fingers closed around the edges of a packet.
While he’d been groping around the nightstand Lacey must have taken the opportunity to remove the shirt he’d given her. His hands felt for her, closing around her shoulders. He trailed a finger down her collarbone then between her breasts.
Her breath hitched as his mouth followed. When his lips met the rounded curve of her breast she hiked her leg behind him, drawing him against her. Her fingers fumbled with his waistband then slid his briefs down his legs. He kicked them off, no longer worried about the aftermath. All that mattered was here and now.
Lacey’s hand reached for him, tentatively, unsure, like she’d suddenly shrugged off the bold attitude she’d been trying on. He slid a hand between them, past the waistband of her bikini-bottom underwear. That must have given her the encouragement she needed. Her fingers closed around his length, making him hiss in a satisfying breath. If he wasn’t careful he’d lose it before he ever got to feel the slick heat of her surround him—something he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about since he saw her back in town so many months ago.
He slipped a finger over her then dipped it inside, her wetness turning him on even more. The damn panties needed to be gone. He slid them down her legs. She tucked her knees up closer to her chest so he could ease them all the way off. Skin to skin, heat to heat, their bodies collided.
Losing track of whose hands were where, he lost himself in her touch, in the sheer closeness of having her pressed against him. Before he could talk himself out of it, he rolled on the condom. She rose to straddle him, taking control. His hands reached for her, closing around her waist, guiding her down on top of him.
He eased into her, holding back while they adjusted to joining together. His pulse thundered, rushing through his ears. The need to bury himself deep inside her raged through him. Until finally, she took all of him, surrounding him with her heat, clenching around him.
Groaning, he bucked up, needing to fill her, to make her feel as completely lost to him as he was to her. She pressed her hands to his pecs, lifting her hips then lowering back onto him, over and over again. He rose up, sliding her onto his lap until her legs clasped behind him. His mouth closed around a nipple, sucking, nibbling.
“Bodie . . .” His name on her lips drove him on, faster and faster until he couldn’t hear anything except the sound of their bodies coming together. Her moan started in the back of her throat, rising until it vibrated against his ear. She clenched her legs, squeezing his waist between her thighs. He wished he could see her face when she came; he wanted to memorize the look he’d put there. Pausing, he held her tight against him while the momentum of her release exploded through her. She clung to him, her fingers gripping him so hard he’d probably have finger-shaped bruises on his shoulders. He loved how she didn’t hold back, how she let herself go, how she wrung out the last bit she could, riding her release until her hips stilled, her chest heaving against his while she caught her breath.
Then he laid her down gently on her back. Hovering over her, he lowered himself onto her, into her. It didn’t take but a few deep thrusts for him to lose himself. He strained, not wanting to crush her under his weight, as the power behind his own release flowed through him, draining him.
Spent, he collapsed, pulling her over so she sprawled on top of him. His fingers trailed from the base of her spine all the way up her back then down again. Feelings he didn’t w
ant to experience crowded into his heart. He couldn’t be falling for Lacey. It would cause too many problems. Things were already too tense between his family and the town.
But any resistance he felt was shattered by the way she climbed back on top of him. His dick stirred against the wet heat of her core. “Can we do that again?”
twenty-six
Daylight. It had to be morning. Lacey opened her eyes to the hard planes of a man’s chest. A naked man’s chest. Remnants of the early-morning hours pieced themselves together as she lay there paralyzed, afraid to move. Bodie’s rib cage rose and fell as he took even breaths. Thankfully he was still asleep. She tried to get up but something had her pinned. His hand splayed over one of her butt cheeks. Her naked butt cheek.
Embarrassment prickled along her nerve endings. She’d been so brazen last night. Taken from him so freely. As she chased sleep away, she did a quick body check of all of her parts. A delicious soreness ached between her legs. Her thighs chafed from where his whiskers had rubbed against them. Had that been during round two or three? She almost laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of the moment. Talk about an awkward morning after.
She ducked out from under his arm and took refuge in the bathroom. As she flipped on the light, she gasped as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Two, no make that three, hickeys dotted her neck. One more sat on top of her left breast. Her core quivered at the memory of Bodie sucking and pinching and licking and, oh hell, she had to stop thinking about it or she’d get turned on again.
Clean clothes or not, she had to shower before he saw her. She turned on the water and let the icy stream rush over her, cooling her skin, washing all traces of Bodie Phillips away. What if he regretted it? What if he was pretending to be asleep just so he wouldn’t have to face her? What if . . .
Her heart jumped into her throat as the bathroom door creaked open. Then completely left her body as Bodie peered around the shower curtain. One hand tried to cover her breasts, the other shot to her crotch.
“Want some company?”
The smile on his face sent a wave of heat to her cheeks. She tried to speak but only a squeak came out.
“I can scrub your back,” he offered as he slid the shower curtain back and stepped in.
Lacey kept her eyes above shoulder level. In the safety of a darkened hotel room she’d been brave, maybe even foolish, but definitely not inhibited. But now, in the harsh light of day, she couldn’t help but wonder about all the lines they’d crossed and what the fallout might be.
“You okay, Sweets?” His voice caressed her raw nerve endings.
This was Bodie. Goofball, steady-handed, even-keeled Bodie, not some one-night stand. She turned her back to him and ducked her head under the running water. “How are you feeling this morning?”
He ran a washcloth over her back. A sliver of desire worked its way through her. “I feel good, really good. How about you?”
She peered over her shoulder, catching sight of the way the water coursed over his chest, running in little rivulets down his torso, over his stomach, to his . . . Her head snapped up. “Good. Do you feel a little, um, weird about anything?”
“Hey”—he put his hands on her shoulders and slowly spun her around to face him—“you okay? I’m serious.”
Her gaze stayed down, trained on her feet. If she moved just a tiny bit she’d catch sight of all of him. She wasn’t sure she was ready for that, even though she hadn’t been shy about running her hands over every delectable inch of him in the dark.
“Lacey?” He put a finger under her chin, tipping her head up to meet his gaze. “Are you sorry for last night?”
The water beat down on her backside. She could lie, tell him it was a huge mistake. Then she wouldn’t have to decide what to do about this new complication between them. But as his eyes searched hers, she realized she didn’t want to. The feelings she’d had for Bodie had been a part of her since she realized there was a difference between boys and girls. He’d always had a piece of her heart—he’d just never known it.
She shook her head. It was a tiny movement, almost imperceptible. But the consequences were major. “Are you?” She shouldn’t have asked. What if he said yes?
“No.” His hands went to her upper arms and he gave her an encouraging squeeze. “The only thing I’m sorry about is that we didn’t do this sooner.”
The icy grip of dread loosened its hold on her heart. “Really?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“But what about Luke? What about me being mayor and your family trying to ruin the town? What about—”
His lips crushed to hers, stopping the words from falling out of her mouth. Stopping everything except for her undeniable desire to lose herself in Bodie’s embrace and spend the rest of her life with her lips locked to his.
He pulled back, searching her eyes. “None of it matters. Nothing except you and me, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Good. Now let’s get cleaned up and get you home. I have to get things ready to pick up Shotgun tomorrow and we need to figure out how we’re going to get another bride to take Adeline’s place.” He grabbed the washcloth and began to soap up her skin, running the cloth up one arm, down the other. As he did, she finally let herself take a good long look at him. All of him.
He stopped, letting his hands hang to his sides. “Like what you see?”
She laughed. “Aren’t you a bit cocky?”
“The only cocky thing I’ve got going on is what’s between my legs.” He lifted a brow and she dragged her gaze down. Past his chest, over the dark hair trailing down his navel.
Her inhibitions shredded with the realization he might be just as into her as she was into him, she backed him against the tile wall. “Think we can get a late checkout?”
* * *
* * *
Three hours later she slid her sunglasses into place as she buckled into the front seat of Bodie’s truck. He shut the door behind her and rounded the front end to climb in the driver’s side. He handed her the coffee he’d snagged when he checked out of the hotel and nestled his cup into the console. After the awkwardness in the shower Lacey had decided to abandon her reservations and lean into whatever was blossoming between her and Bodie. That had been easy to do on the receiving end of his attention: his kisses, his encouraging words, the way he used his mouth to send her over the edge, not once, but twice. But now that they were on their way back home, doubt niggled at the edges of her brain.
He kept up the conversation, talking about nothing at all until they reached the edge of town. “You want to come home with me?”
“I think I’d better get home.”
“Doesn’t your dad still think you’re in Dallas until tomorrow?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I haven’t told him what happened. Not sure I ever will.”
Bodie covered her hand with his. “You don’t owe anyone an explanation.”
The contact bolstered her confidence. “No, but I’m sure Adeline won’t be shy about broadcasting the events of the evening. Everyone will hear about it sooner or later.”
He squeezed her hand. “Let it be later, then. Spend the night with me and I’ll run you home tomorrow.”
Temptation to bury her head in the sand, if only for another twenty-four hours, made her seriously consider Bodie’s offer. “I don’t want to hide anymore.”
Nodding, he let out a deep breath. “I get it.”
The appealing thing about Bodie was, she knew he did. He’d always seemed to understand her, even when she didn’t understand herself. She waited until he’d turned down the street where she grew up before she built up the courage to ask him the question she’d been dreading all morning. “What next?”
He eased the truck to a stop at the curb then looked over at her, that combination of boyish charm and wicked recklessness she loved reflected through his gr
in. “I’m hoping we can pick up where we left off earlier today. Maybe dinner and whatever else might follow at my place tomorrow night?”
She bit her lip. “Does that mean you want to start seeing each other?”
“Seeing? Hell, Lacey, I don’t want to see you, I want to consume you.”
Her heart expanded, filling her chest to the painful point that she rubbed a palm over her breastbone to make sure it wouldn’t burst. “Okay then.”
“Okay then?” He leaned across the console and worked an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “I want to see this through.”
She let out a breath. See it through. Suddenly the fact that she’d lost their first client and spent several hours in the slammer seemed worth the possibility that there could be some sort of future between them.
twenty-seven
Bodie looked at the vet tech like she’d sprouted another head. “That’s impossible.”
The woman gave him a nervous smile. “Actually, it’s not.”
He shook his head. “How could this have happened?”
“It’s actually quite simple. Surely you’re familiar with a little lesson you’ve probably heard before about the birds and the bees?”
Groaning, he lifted his shoulders and let them fall again. “But when? Since I’ve had her she hasn’t been out of my sight.”
The tech ran her finger down a piece of paper. “You sure about that?”
He had taken her with him to his mom and dad’s place. Maybe one of the farm dogs had gotten to her. That had to be it. There was no other way. “For Pitties’ Sake has got to take her back. I let them talk me into fostering her for a bit, but damn, I can’t handle a pregnant pit bull.”
“I’m sure they’ll take her back. And in their defense, unless they were planning on spaying her soon, they probably didn’t know. Most pups don’t go through their first cycle until they’re older.”