by Lexi Lawton
“Fuck.” He breathed out roughly and momentarily closed his eyes. He’d been dying to take their relationship to the next level, but she’d insisted they go slow, and he respected that. Hopefully it would finally happen this weekend. “All right.” He straightened, grabbed her bag from the floor, and opened the door. “Let’s go. I’m determined to make this drive in record time.” He led her downstairs.
“Uh, where’s your car?” She looked around, confusion furrowing her brows.
“Right there.” He nodded at the car parked in front of the bakery.
“That’s not your car.”
“Yes it is.” He carried her bag to the trunk. “See? I have keys and everything.” He pushed the button on the key fob then put her suitcase in the trunk and closed the lid.
Jules walked around the car and shook her head. “This is an Aston Martin One-77.”
He stared at her, shocked. Most guys didn’t know that, let alone the very few women who’d actually seen this car. “I’m impressed.”
“Seriously, what happed to your car? The one you’ve driven the entire time I’ve known you?”
“Okay, so it’s my other car, but it’s still mine. If you don’t believe me, check the registration. It’s in the glove compartment.” He helped her in. Then he went around to the driver’s side and got in.
“Are you sure you didn’t boost this car?” She inspected every inch of the dashboard and checked inside every compartment she could find.
He watched with amusement, knowing she was hoping to find something to prove him wrong. He started the car and pulled out onto the road. “Why’s it so hard to believe I own this?”
“Because it’s a ridiculously expensive car. How the hell does a medical student afford something like this? Now that I think about it… How do you afford that fancy-ass apartment of yours?”
He shook his head and gave her a sideways glance. He’d been wondering how long it would take her to ask about his finances. Hell, he’d expected her to turn it back around on him when he’d asked her how she afforded all that new furniture. “I grew up in East Hampton. And before you cry liar, my wallet is in the console. Check the address.”
“Nice picture.” She grinned.
Tanner sighed with mock annoyance.
“I’m serious. You’re very photogenic.” She closed his wallet and put it back. “Okay, so what does growing up in East Hampton have to do with you having a car like this?”
He turned onto the highway and steadily picked up speed.
“Oh, now I get it. You’re a trust-fund baby, aren’t you?”
Tanner shifted gears and changed lanes.
“Now it makes sense.” She frowned. “Rebecca accusing me of being a gold digger. She knows you have money.”
“Everyone knows I have money.” Not everyone knew the specifics, but it’s not like he hid his wealth, either. He lived comfortably. He waited for her to ask how much, but she didn’t. “Aren’t you curious?”
“About what?”
“How much I’m worth. It’s usually the first question I get asked when the words ‘trust fund’ come out of my mouth.” It was the first thing Jason had asked.
“It’s not really any of my business.”
Once again, she managed to stun him into silence. When he came of age to get the first chunk of money, his father warned him to be careful, to use caution when he spoke of his worth, because there would be a lot of people who would pretend to care just to get close to the money. And he’d been right. His father was also right about another thing: when you find the one girl who doesn’t give a shit, hold on to her tight because she’s the one.
It became a running joke between Tanner and his brothers. Anytime one of them brought home a girl the first question they’d ask: does she give a shit? So far, the answer had always been yes. Until now.
Jules didn’t give a shit.
And that made him want her even more. As if that were possible. “Seven point six million. I got three point six when I turned nineteen. The other four will be divided and become mine on my twenty-fifth and thirtieth birthdays.”
She snorted and then flipped down the sun visor to study her face in the small mirror. The lights on either side lit up her face enough for him to see the mischievous glint in her eyes.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m checking to see if I have ‘gullible’ written across my forehead.” She turned and stuck out her tongue.
He laughed. “Of course you don’t believe me. I should’ve known.”
“Oh c’mon. Not once have you given any indication you’re rich. Who does that?”
“I have my reasons.”
“I’m sure you do.” She closed the visor and leaned back in her seat, resting her head on the headrest. “Rebecca obviously knows you have money. What does she think you’re worth?”
“I have no idea, and I don’t care. The only people on campus who know are you and Jason. And I’d like to keep it that way.”
“Considering how tight I am with her lately, are you sure you can trust me to keep my mouth shut?”
“I’ll take my chances.” He reached over, lacing his fingers with hers, and kissed the back of her hand.
“Are you going to let me drive?”
“You know, you’re the only woman I’ve ever let ride in this car. Not many people know I own it. And now you think I’m going to hand over the keys? Do you even know how to drive a stick shift?”
“Oh, I’m very good with a stick.” She squeezed his hand and grinned.
His body ignited with need, and he contemplated finding a dark, secluded spot to pull over. “Well, I hope I get the chance to find out.” God, how he wanted to find out. He wanted to know how her body felt, how she tasted, how she’d sound when he made love to her. He inhaled deeply and forced himself to calm down. Then he pushed harder on the accelerator.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Tanner slipped the key card into the hotel room door and opened it. He’d stayed in this suite many times before when he visited his brother. It was like a second home to him. And Jules was the first girl he’d ever brought here. He dropped their bags on the floor near the couch and watched as Juliana pushed through the double doors into the bedroom. He toed off his shoes and followed her. She was on the bed, legs dangling over the side, arms above her head, lying there as if waiting for him. His heart raced. This was it.
She propped herself up on her elbows. “Satin sheets.”
He raised a brow and grinned. “Oh yeah?” He stalked toward her, predatory, hungry. Should he tell her he specifically requested those sheets? He kneeled on the bed, his weight on his arms on either side of her so his body was suspended over hers. He found her lips, the force of his kiss pushing her flat on her back. Then he lowered his body down onto her.
This is really happening. He nipped at her bottom lip, and she arched into him. Shit, her body felt damn good. Lithe. Pliant. Hot. Tanner slid his hand up the hem of her shirt, his fingers scraping along her stomach, and she sucked in a sharp breath.
“So soft.” He needed to feel more of her, all of her. He slowly moved his hand up until his palm rested on her ribs, just below her breast.
“Tanner.” She pushed against his chest. “Stop.”
He pulled back. “Stop?”
“Yeah. I…it’s…after being in the car for hours, I feel…I want to shower.”
He grinned. “Together?”
She pushed him playfully. “No, not this time.”
Tanner climbed off, taking her hands and helping her up from the bed. “Okay. You shower.”
She put her arms around his neck. “Thank you for understanding.” Then she turned and headed into the adjoining bathroom.
He shook his head. Maybe it was best she stopped him, because he had no intention of stopping himself, and he really didn’t want their first time to be a quickie, which is what would’ve happened if she hadn’t stopped him. But God, the wait was killing him.
&
nbsp; He picked up the phone on the bedside table and called down to the lobby. “This is Tanner Collins from room seven eighteen. I’ve been traveling most of the night and plan to spend most of tomorrow in bed. I’ve hung the Do Not Disturb sign on the door, but please make sure housekeeping doesn’t bother me.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. Collins. Is there anything else we can do to make your stay more comfortable?”
“Yeah, please send up a bottle of champagne with two glasses.”
“Very well, sir.”
“Thank you.” He hung up then went to move the DO NOT DISTURB sign from the inside of the door to the outside. Grabbing the bags from the floor, he carried them into the bedroom. He set hers on the bed and his in the chair in the corner. A shower did sound good. Would she kick me out if I tried to join her? The idea was tempting, but she’d already said no, and he had to respect her wishes, no matter how badly he wanted her.
He dug the box of condoms from his bag and dumped them on top of the bedside table. When the moment finally came, he wanted to be prepared. He took off his shirt and unbuttoned his jeans as his cell phone rang. It was his brother. “What’s up, fuckface?”
“Douchebag! You’d better be bringing your ass down here for the weekend.”
Tanner sat on the bed. He’d texted Xander earlier in the week to confirm he was still coming, but he hadn’t told him about bringing Jules. “You’ve got real shitty timing, you know that? I haven’t even been to bed yet.” He glanced at the clock: 12:08 a.m. Shit.
“Is the frat-boy lifestyle too much for you?” Xander teased. “Pop a few energy drinks and drag your lazy ass down here. I mean it.”
Tanner rolled his eyes. “My lazy ass is already here.”
“What? Shut the fuck up. Seriously?” Xander laughed. “Awesome. I thought you weren’t showing up until tomorrow.”
“It was a last-minute decision, and I’ve been driving all night, so I’m going to sleep for a few hours. I’ll call you later and we’ll hang.” He rubbed the back of his neck, hesitating. Should he tell Xander about Jules being here with him? Nah, it would take a lot more time than he was willing to spare right now.
“Okay. Get your beauty sleep. Call me when you get up.”
“Bye.” Tanner ended the call then turned off his cell phone. He didn’t want any more interruptions.
Juliana emerged from the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel, her hair damp and hanging loosely around her shoulders. Water beaded off her body, and he licked his lips. He set his cell phone on the bedside table and stood.
“Um, my bag.” She pointed at it sitting on the bed. “It has all my clothes in it.”
“Right.” He cleared his throat. His fingers ached to reach out and touch her, draw her close, yank the towel from her body. He forced a deep breath. “I’ll just—”
There was a knock on the door.
“I’ll let you get dressed.” He turned and left the room, finding it nearly impossible to tear his gaze from her. Christ, in what world was it okay for him to tell her to get dressed? He should be telling her to strip naked and wait for him.
Tanner accepted the room service, gave a generous tip, then closed and locked the door. When he turned around, Juliana was standing by the couch. His gaze raked down the length of her body, memorizing every inch of her. She was wearing a pair of shorts that hugged her hips, and a tank top…without a bra. With the towel he hadn’t been able to see every enticing curve, every tempting area of exposed skin. And, sweet Lord help him, her nipples were hard.
Her shorts barely covered her; in fact, her ass cheeks were hanging out the bottom of them. He groaned. His dick was instantly hard, ready for her. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me right now?”
She stopped in the middle of the room. “No, what am I doing?”
He was stunned. She really had no idea the effect she had.
“Okay, why are you staring at me?”
Get a goddamn grip, man, or she’s going to go running for the hills. He poured two glasses of champagne and carried them to the living room, nodding for her to follow. He sat on the couch, thighs spread to accommodate the tightness in his jeans. She sat and tucked her legs under her, and he handed her a glass.
She gave him a sideways glance before sipping her champagne. “Mmm.” She licked her lips.
“Seriously?” His voice was rough, filled with frustration. He set his glass on the coffee table and then reached for her. “How can you not know what you’re doing to me?”
He pulled her onto his lap so she was straddling him, his erection hard against the thin material of her shorts. “You have no idea how sexy you are.” He put his hands on her thighs, massaging his way up. “Or how badly I want you.” He would never force her to do anything she didn’t want to do, but he didn’t know how much longer his patience was going to last. He’d already waited two months, and that was two months too long.
She leaned down and kissed him, her tongue doing that swirly thing he’d quickly grown to love. His hands slid around and gripped her ass. It was round, firm, and fit his hands perfectly. This felt right. All of it. The kissing. The touching. The feel of her hot breath mingling with his. The sounds of her soft moans. His hands tightened on her ass, holding her in place.
“Can we slow down for a minute? Please.” She climbed off his lap.
Tanner’s head fell back against the couch, and he sighed with frustration. He rubbed his hands over his face and lifted his head. Juliana had moved out to the balcony and was holding the railing, head down. “Shit,” he muttered. This wasn’t exactly how he pictured things going. Standing, he adjusted himself and went out on the balcony.
He stood behind her, but he didn’t touch her, even though he wanted to. “What’s wrong?” He hesitantly put his hands on her hips, and when she didn’t flinch away, he turned her to face him. “Have you changed your mind about being with me, Jules?” He cupped her cheek. “It’s okay if you have, but I need to know.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Juliana drew a deep breath and mustered her courage. The sight of him stole her breath. He was like a real-life Greek god standing before her. Tall. Tanned. Sculpted. She put her hand on his chest and trailed her fingers down his torso, feeling and memorizing every hard plane of muscle, every hill and valley of his abs. She continued lower, her gaze following the path of her fingers to the trail of light-colored hair disappearing into his unbuttoned jeans.
What is wrong with me? She licked her lips. “No, I haven’t changed my mind.”
“Then why do you keep pulling away when I touch you?” He put his hands on the railing, trapping her between him and it.
“I’m scared.” She forced herself to meet his gaze.
“Of me?”
“No.” She shook her head. “What if I’m not good enough?” Her cheeks felt like they were on fire. I can’t believe I said that.
“That’s why you wanted to wait? Because you’re afraid you won’t be good enough?” His tone was soft and compassionate.
“I wasn’t good enough for Zach.” She lowered her head. I need to shut up right now. “And he wasn’t afraid to tell me that. Repeatedly. He said it was the reason he cheated, because I wasn’t giving him what he needed.”
“Zach’s a fucking moron who doesn’t deserve the dick he was born with.” He put his hand under her chin and lifted her face to his. “Let me tell you something. Everything you’ve given me has been enough. It’s been more than enough. You are enough.”
His gaze was intense, truthful. He was right. He wasn’t Zach, and she needed to stop comparing them. She snaked her hands around to his back. God, even that was perfect.
“I’ll wait for you, Jules, for as long as it takes. I’ll wait.”
He searched her face seconds before capturing her lips with his. She closed her eyes and leaned in to him, not allowing herself to do anything but feel. When she started to think, she ruined things, and this wasn’t a moment she wanted to ruin. Tanner’s arms enveloped her, b
ringing her flush against his body, and she moaned into his mouth. His touch had always been incredible, but it was different tonight, more loving and intense.
He grabbed hold of her ass and lifted her off her feet. She gasped with surprise and hooked her legs around his back, her hands clutching his neck for added support. She waited for him to move, to sit on one of the lounge chairs, carry her inside, something, but he stood there, holding her, kissing her.
It was delicious torture, more than enough and not enough at the same time. She wanted to stay like this forever, held in his arms, suspended in a state of soft bliss. But when he still made no move to take things further, she groaned. “Tanner.”
“Tell me what you want, baby.”
“I want you.”
He tugged her bottom lip between his teeth. “God, I’ve been waiting so long to hear you say that.” He carried her inside and sat on the couch, keeping her on his lap. She took his face into her hands and kissed him as he slid his hands up the back of her shirt, and this time she didn’t pull away or make him stop.
She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his skin, her tongue tracing his nipple, which hardened from her touch. He sucked in a breath, and she smiled. When she nipped it with her teeth, he moaned.
“My turn.” Tanner had a wicked gleam in his eyes as he removed her shirt and brought his mouth to her breast. “Mmm.”
The air in the room was cool, and his mouth was oh-so-hot. She threaded her fingers through his hair, holding him to her. “God,” she moaned softly. Her entire body was on fire, and his tongue flicking over her nipple only made her burn hotter.
He slowly moved from her breasts to her neck, licking and kissing along the way. She closed her eyes and leaned back, giving him full access. Goose bumps spread over her skin, and she trembled in his arms. Even though they’d been seeing each other for almost two months now, it was still impossible for her to wrap her mind around the fact she was with someone as wonderful as Tanner Collins. Every caress, every stroke of his hands on her bare skin, every kiss, every hot puff of his breath dragged her deeper and deeper into the moment.