Hard to Hold

by Karen Foley

  “Toward the end, when he was in the hospital and all they could do was keep his morphine pump going, he’d say that he had a fortune hidden in the cabin.” Maddie turned to look at Colton. “He said he was sitting on a gold mine.”

  Colton’s fingers squeezed hers. “That’s why you went there. You thought he had a hoard of cash stashed under the floorboards.”

  “Yeah.” She gave a bitter laugh. “I was so stupid.”

  “Hey, come here.” Releasing her hand, Colton slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her across the narrow space that separated them, hugging her against his side. “There’s nothing stupid about having hope.”

  His voice was low and a little rough, rubbing across her senses like velvet, and Maddie found she wanted to wrap him around her. He smelled good, like soap and something more elemental, something outdoorsy and masculine. She leaned into him, enjoying how solid he felt.

  “Do you really think there’s any hope?” she murmured. “I know what kind of guys these are, and what they’re capable of.” She glanced at him. “My father committed suicide because he’d lost everything at the casinos. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’d borrowed the money he’d lost and had no way to repay it. He thought ending his life was preferable to what the moneylenders might do to him.”

  Colton’s arm tightened around her shoulders. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. But I promise you that nothing is going to happen to Jamie.”

  Maddie nodded mutely, not trusting herself to speak. She rarely talked about her father and had never told anyone how he had died. She remembered him as a man of extreme moods; when things were going well, he’d be exuberant and generous, promising Maddie and her brother the world. But when things hadn’t gone well, he’d been angry and despondent, and Maddie had taken care to keep herself and her brother out of his way. Now she swallowed hard against the emotion that those memories dredged up, and took several deep breaths.

  “I believe you,” she replied when she could finally speak. Surrounded by Colton’s warmth and supported by his strength, Maddie realized she did believe him. The guy oozed confidence and capability, and he had years of experience in dealing with men like the ones who had taken Jamie. Emboldened, she reached out and placed a hand on his hard thigh. “More than that, I trust you.”

  His expression changed and softened, and then he was hauling her across his lap. “Ah, Maddie, you’ve no idea how much that means to me. Last night, I wanted to stay in that bed with you.”

  Sprawled across his hard thighs, with his arms clamped around her, Maddie could only stare at him in bemusement. “Then why didn’t you?”

  In the dim light that spilled onto the porch through the bedroom window, Maddie could just make out his expression, and something knotted low in her abdomen. Something needy.

  “Because I didn’t want to give you a reason to run again.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Colton’s arms tightened around her. “I wanted you to trust me, Madeleine. I didn’t want you to have sex with me out of some twisted sense of obligation or because you thought it was the only way I’d agree to help you.” He paused. “And I didn’t want to let my own guard down enough to trust you. There was a part of me that wondered if you’d wait until I fell asleep and then bolt.”

  She recalled how he had shackled her to the headboard while he had taken a shower, and knew that, given the chance, she probably would have left. But between last night and right now, something had changed. While she acknowledged that Colton was her best chance for getting Jamie back safely, she realized that even if he wasn’t, she had no desire to leave him. She wanted to be with him, and her reasons had nothing to do with Jamie and everything to do with the raw, undeniable attraction she’d felt toward him since they’d first met.

  “And now?” she ventured, daring to lay her hand against his chest, and feeling the heavy thump of his heart beneath her palm. “Would you still leave me?”

  “Ah, Madeleine,” he groaned, and slid one hand beneath her jaw, tipping her face up. “I don’t care why you want me to stay, just as long as you let me. For tonight, let me love you.”

  Maddie wasn’t sure who moved first, but in the next instant her arms were around his neck and he was kissing her the way she’d imagined him doing, deeply and sensuously, sending heat shimmering through her. She told herself that after tomorrow, everything might change. After she had Jamie safely back, she and Colton might very well go their separate ways and never see each other again. But for tonight, at least, this was enough.

  11

  AT THE FIRST touch of her tongue against his, Colton groaned and dragged her against him. She shifted on his lap, trying to get closer, and the sensation of her soft bottom against his stiff arousal was sweet torture. He wanted—he needed—to be inside her.

  He surged to his feet, lifting Madeleine in his arms. She gasped and clutched him around the shoulders as he strode back into the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him. He set her on her feet beside the bed, and she raised herself on tiptoes to press another kiss against his mouth.

  “I think I’ve wanted this since the night at the cabin,” she confessed with a shy smile. “When we were on the couch, and you were so sweet to me... But then you sent me to bed alone. I was actually disappointed.”

  Reaching behind her, Colton drew her hair free of the ponytail and threaded his fingers through the thick, silken strands, admiring how the lamplight picked out the gold highlights.

  “I didn’t want to take advantage of you,” he said gruffly.

  For a moment, guilt colored her cheeks. “I almost took advantage of you later, after I’d handcuffed you to the sofa. You looked so—so delicious.”

  “I remember,” Colton said darkly, recalling how he had initially misinterpreted her intent.

  Madeleine smiled and leaned up to plant another soft kiss against his mouth, drawing her tongue along the seam of his lips until he groaned in defeat and dragged her closer, sliding his hands over her back to cup her rear and pull her against his hips.

  “I’ll make it up to you,” she whispered against his mouth.

  Her hands went to his belt, and Colton leaned back just enough to allow her to work the buckle. She caught her lower lip between her teeth as she concentrated, until he put his hands over hers.

  “I’ve got this,” he said, his voice little more than a growl.

  He wasn’t sure he’d be able to control himself if she actually put her hands on him. He’d been aroused since she’d told him she wanted him to stay, but he didn’t want to rush this. He wanted to make it good for Madeleine, for both of them.

  Bracketing her face in his hands, he lowered his mouth to hers, covering her lips with his own. She made a sound of approval and shifted closer, her palms resting lightly at his waist. But when he angled his head for a better fit, deepening the kiss, she pressed against him, sliding her hands around to his back. She pushed past his teeth, sweeping her tongue against his and ramping up his need.

  Slowly, he walked her backward until her knees hit the bed, and then he lowered her onto the mattress, following her body with the length of his own. He didn’t break the kiss, but continued to feast on her mouth as he pulled her T-shirt free from the waistband of her jeans and stroked his hand over her stomach. Her skin was smooth and warm, and he slid his palm upward until he encountered the rise of one breast.

  Madeleine dragged her mouth away from his and reached down to cover his hand with her own. Beneath the lacy bra, he could feel her nipple thrusting against his palm.

  “Touch me,” she whispered.

  Colton stared at her face. Her skin was flushed, her pupils so dilated that they almost swallowed up the surrounding irises. Her mouth was swollen and pink from his kisses, and her breath came in soft pants.

  “Darlin’,” he rasped, “I want to t
ouch you so badly, but I need to take it slow.”

  “Then go slow, but please—touch me.”

  Colton needed no further encouragement. Rearing back, he caught the hem of her shirt and dragged it upward. Madeleine helped him by sitting up and pulling it over her head and then tossing it onto the floor. Reaching behind her back, she quickly unfastened the bra and let the straps slide down her arms, until the insubstantial garment fell into her lap.

  Colton’s breath caught. Though he’d seen her before, he was left incoherent now. Her skin was creamy and pale, her breasts full and pink-tipped. With her honey-colored hair spilling over her shoulders, she looked like every fantasy he’d ever had. He wanted to lick her all over.

  “You’re beautiful,” he finally managed to say, and he meant it. He’d never seen a woman as elegantly feminine as Madeleine Howe, and without conscious thought, he reached out and covered one breast with his hand. She drew in a sharp breath and arched into his palm, and then covered his hand with her own, pressing his fingers against her flesh.

  “This is what I want,” she said with feeling, her gaze clinging to his. “Please, Colton...”

  “Ah, Madeleine,” he replied, helpless to resist her. With his hand still covering her, he eased her back onto the bed. “Tell me what you want, what you like.”

  “This,” she assured him, and drew him down for a kiss.

  The slide of her tongue against his was sweet and hot, and beneath his fingertips, her nipple tightened even more. Lust jackknifed through him, and with a groan, Colton pressed deeper, sweeping his tongue past her teeth to explore her more fully. She moaned softly and surged upward against him. Dragging his mouth from hers, Colton scattered fevered kisses along the length of her throat, over the fragile line of her collarbones until he reached the soft swell of her breast.

  He cupped her in his hand and stroked his thumb over the distended tip, watching as the pink nub tightened beneath his touch. Madeleine gasped softly, and when Colton bent his head to capture her nipple in his mouth, she tunneled her fingers into his hair, holding him there. She was soft and supple, and the small sounds of pleasure she made as he suckled her caused his body to tighten in response.

  He worked his way down her torso, kissing the undersides of her breasts and her firm, flat stomach before his fingers went to the button of her jeans. He glanced up at her, taking in her flushed face and tumbled hair, and letting his gaze linger on her breasts, which rose and fell with her rapid breathing.

  “Do you need some help?” she asked, her eyes twinkling.

  In answer, Colton unfastened her pants and dragged the zipper down before skating his tongue over the satiny skin he’d exposed. The lacy edge of her pale yellow panties lured him on, and hooking his fingers into the waistband of her jeans, he tugged them down over her hips. Through the nearly sheer fabric of her panties, he could see a dark triangle of curls.

  “Finally,” he muttered, and bent his head to press his mouth against the material.

  “Finally—what?”

  Colton lifted his head long enough to meet Madeleine’s eyes. “Finally, I get to see you—all of you,” he replied. “Last night was amazing, but too damned dark for me.”

  “And I was just about to suggest we dim the lights.”

  “Over my dead body,” he growled. Reaching down, he tugged her sneakers from her feet. “Now take these pants off.”

  Madeleine giggled at his impatience, and he threw her a surprised glance. She looked rosy and tousled, and so incredibly sexy that he wanted to toss his good intentions out the window and take her hard and fast. He realized he’d never heard her giggle, and he liked the sound of it.

  He would have liked to look at her as she lay there in nothing but her yellow panties, but she reached down and dragged him upward, curling one leg over his to keep him from retreating.

  “Now it’s my turn,” she murmured, and slid her hands beneath the hem of his T-shirt, pushing it up over his chest. Colton helped her by reaching behind his head and grabbing a fistful of the material to drag the shirt off and fling it onto the floor beside her pants.

  He was gratified when Madeleine’s eyes widened, and she reached up to stroke her hands over his shoulders and down his chest, her fingers lingering on his pecs. “You’re so gorgeous.”

  He gave a huff of embarrassed laughter. “Those are supposed to be my words.”

  Bracing his hands on either side of her, he bent his head and caught her mouth with his, feasting on her lips and welcoming the soft thrust of her tongue against his. She arched upward, sliding her arms around him and stroking the length of his spine with her fingers. This time, when her hands moved to the front of his pants and unfastened them, he made no move to stop her. She dragged the zipper down and then hooked her fingers in both his jeans and boxers, pushing them down. Colton helped her, kicking his boots off and removing the rest of his clothes.

  Madeleine’s gaze drifted over him, lingering on his stiff erection. He came back over her, and she reached between their bodies and curled her fingers around the straining length. When she slid her hand experimentally along his shaft, Colton groaned loudly and bent his forehead to hers, struggling to maintain some control.

  “You’re so hard,” she breathed and squeezed him gently. “And so hot.”

  After using his leg to nudge her thighs apart, Colton settled between them, keeping his weight on his elbows. But when Madeleine guided the head of his penis to her slick center, he reared back.

  “Darlin’, wait.” Disentangling himself from her, he rose and quickly searched through the backpack until he retrieved a box of condoms. He tore the box open as he returned to the bed, placing several foil packets within easy reach on the bedside table.

  “I picked these up while I was out today,” he said, lowering himself beside her.

  Madeleine smiled. “You’re very confident in yourself.”

  “No, darlin’,” he rasped, bending to tease one breast with his tongue. “Just hopeful.”

  She drew in a sharp breath at the sensation. When he slid one hand down the length of her body and played with the soft curls at the juncture of her thighs, her legs fell open, inviting him to explore farther. Colton needed no further invitation. He stroked his fingers over her through the fragile barrier of her panties, noting with satisfaction that she was already damp. She shifted restlessly beneath him, her hands smoothing over his back and shoulders as he kissed his way down the length of her body.

  “I want to taste you again,” he growled when he reached the lacy edge of her panties.

  “Colton—”

  “Shh.”

  Repositioning himself at the foot of the bed, he slowly drew her underwear down, drinking in the sight of her slender hips and pale skin. She didn’t protest again, but when he discarded the scrap of lingerie, she pressed her knees together, shielding herself from his view.

  “Madeleine,” he said softly, “open your legs. Let me see you.”

  She pressed her hands over her face. “But it’s so bright in here!”

  “Okay,” he said, smiling at her uncharacteristic shyness. Rising, he strode to the door and flipped off the lights, locking the door at the same time. Then he turned on the bathroom light, leaving the door open just enough to softly illuminate the bedroom.

  Climbing over her, he tugged her hands away from her face and kissed her, until he felt her body begin to relax and respond, and her arms came around him once more. When she began to arch against him again, he smoothed his hand down her stomach and then lower. This time, she opened readily for him, and he cupped her in his palm, feeling her heat and incredible softness.

  “You feel so good,” he whispered, skating his lips over her jaw. “Like the finest satin.”

  Reaching down, she curled her hand around him and stroked him, tentatively at first, and then more firmly
. “You feel like hot steel,” she breathed against his mouth. “I want you inside me.”

  Her words, combined with the erotic slide of her fingers over his aroused flesh, caused heat to gather in his groin, and he felt himself swell in her hand.

  “Soon,” he promised, and parted her damp flesh with his fingers, using one fingertip to swirl her moisture around and over the small rise of her clitoris. She drew in a hiss, and as if mimicking his movements, ran her thumb over the head of his erection, where he knew she would find a drop of fluid.

  He continued to touch her, rubbing his fingers over her, until she released him and clutched at the bedclothes instead, beginning to writhe. Sliding to the foot of the bed, Colton continued his rhythmic movements, but now he bent his head and touched his tongue to her, licking along the seam of her sex. She made a whimpering sound of need and pushed her hips toward him.

  “Oh, sweetheart,” he groaned, “you are so damned gorgeous down here.”

  Using his fingers to part her, Colton swept his tongue over her, concentrating on the aroused nub of flesh, even as he eased a finger into her and began thrusting gently. She was hot and tight and so aroused that he thought he might lose control just from giving her pleasure and listening to the noises she made.

  Glancing up the length of her body, he saw she was on her elbows, watching him through eyes that were slightly unfocused. Her breasts heaved with her rising excitement, and she pushed weakly at him with one hand.

  “No more,” she begged, “or I won’t last.”

  Reluctantly, Colton released her and pulled himself up to lie beside her, drawing her against him. She wound her arms around his neck, pushing her fingers into his hair and holding his head in place as she speared her tongue against his.

  “That felt incredible, and I was so close,” she said against his lips. “But this time, I want to see you come with me.”

  Colton groaned and, reaching beyond her, snagged a condom from the bedside table. But when he would have torn it open with his teeth and rolled it on, she gripped his hand, stopping him. He gave her a look of barely contained impatience.