by Kathy Love
He smiled, a sexy little curl of his lips. “I’m anxious, too. This will be quick.”
She hoped so.
When they got into the store, they headed right to the food section. They wandered the aisles, Christian stopping here and there to pick up some food item and frown as though he’d never seen it before in his life.
“Have you had these? Pop-Tarts?” He gave her a questioning look as if they were something completely new to him.
“Sure,” she said.
Who hadn’t had Pop-Tarts? Of course she was talking about someone who probably had caviar for breakfast before he moved here. She picked up a box of cereal bars, scanning the box dispassionately, then putting it back. She strolled a little farther down the aisle, and she noticed Christian grabbed the box she’d been looking at and tossed it in his cart. He hesitated, then grabbed another and tossed that in, too.
“Is there anything you’d like?” he asked finally. He looked miserable, as though shopping was just too much for him. She understood that feeling.
“Condoms,” she stated.
He smiled, shaking his head. “You have a one-track mind.”
Didn’t she know it.
After an eternity in the food aisles and a cart loaded high with every sort of fare, they finally made it to the pharmacy aisles.
But instead of going straight to the contraceptives, he turned down the shampoo and soap aisle. She crossed her arms and watched as he lifted practically every bottle, reading the description, then debating. Finally, he chose a pink shampoo with flowers on the bottle. He also added some pink conditioner and a bottle of lavender-colored body wash. He also added some peach-colored lotion.
What on earth? But she didn’t question his peculiar choices in toiletries, because he’d finally turned to the aisle with the condoms. He frowned at the row of boxes hanging from metal hooks. Apparently he was as confused by the condoms as he had been by prepackaged food. Of course, the condom confusion made a bit more sense. He’d said he hadn’t had sex for a long time.
“Do you have a favorite?” he finally asked.
“No,” she said, then smiled slightly. “But even if I did, it wouldn’t matter, because you’ve only got one choice, big boy.”
She pulled a box labeled «Maximum» off the hook and handed it to him.
“A superior size for the superior man.” He raised an eyebrow, looking extremely arrogant.
God, even his smugness made her hot.
He grabbed a few more boxes, adding them to the growing pile of stuff.
Jolee took two of them. “I’ll buy these.”
“No,” he said, attempting to take them back.
She held them over her head, acting as if he couldn’t reach them. Rather ridiculous given he was several inches taller than she was. But he didn’t grab them. Instead he crossed his arms over his chest, regarding her with an amused grin.
“It’s only fair,” she said. “I’m using them, too.”
Finally he nodded. “Okay, but only because I know you will argue until you’re breathless. And I have better plans to make you breathless.”
“Thank God, because I’m pretty much ready to jump you right here in aisle eleven.”
Christian appeared a bit surprised by her announcement, but then another smug smile turned up his lips. “Well, you only have to wait a little longer, then you may jump me as much as you like.”
Her knees trembled like jelly at that promise. Lord, she wanted him.
But she had to get her legs under control as Mr. Super Shopper now headed over to the furniture department to look at nightstands. She lingered behind, wondering if he was really as attracted as she was. Because frankly, any furniture outside of a bed held no interest for her.
She strolled around the store until she ended up in the women’s clothing department. A red polka dot skirt caught her attention, and she pulled it off the rack to admire the satiny material. Putting it back, she flipped through the other garments. She stopped here and there to take something off the rack to look at it closer. A blue flowered skirt with a swishy hemline. A lavender one with little white and gray geometric shapes. She even found several tops that would look great with them.
“Find anything you like?”
She looked up from the sundress she was holding. She held the simply cut, black with multicolored polka dot dress against herself, striking her version of a fashion pose. She laughed.
“One day.” She sighed. “Once the bar takes off.”
He nodded, and she joined him as they approached the checkout.
“Damn it,” he muttered, feeling the pockets of his dark gray pants. “I forgot my wallet in my car. I think it’s in my glove box.”
“Do you want me to go look?” she asked when he just stood there looking confounded.
“Would you mind?”
“Of course not.” Although she had no idea when he would have put his wallet in the glove box. She’d driven his car to work, and had the keys, so the vehicle was locked when he got to the restaurant. And she hadn’t seen him put it in there after they left the restaurant last night. But he seemed pretty sure.
Maybe he had put it in there when he got to the bar. He must have a second set of keys.
She started toward the exit when Christian called to her. She turned, giving him a questioning look. He pointed at the boxes of condoms still in her hand.
She handed them to him, and he tossed them into the cart.
“I’m paying for those,” she reminded him.
“I know,” he assured her. “Oh, maybe look for my wallet under the seat. I know it’s in the car somewhere.”
She strode to the automatic doors at the front of the store. He seemed awfully confused tonight. She’d have to make sure he ate some of his massive quantities of food once they got back to the trailer. His blood sugar must be out of whack.
Christian watched Jolee leave, then hurried back to the women’s clothing. He quickly found each item she’d looked at, her cinnamon scent stronger on the ones she touched the longest. He didn’t understand the sizing, but he could guess which ones would fit her. He piled them on the cart, and headed to the checkout farthest away from where she’d reenter the store. Fortunately, he got a cashier who didn’t have much to say and scanned quickly. He threw the four boxes of condoms on top of the clothes.
By the time Jolee returned, the clothes and condoms were bagged and placed under some of the other items.
“I couldn’t find it,” she told him, flashing an embarrassed look between the cashier and the already bagged items in the cart.
“Oh,” he said, trying not to smile at his own lame lie. “I found it.”
She frowned. “Where?”
“It was in my pocket. I don’t know how I missed it.”
She gave him a worried look, but didn’t comment. After following him around the store, watching him stare bewilderedly at everything, she probably thought he was a lunatic. But it was in part her fault. She hadn’t given him any help. She didn’t comment that any food was her favorite.
And he didn’t even know what one did with cuisine like Hot Pockets and Sugar Smacks. They sounded like mildly offensive endearments rather than food. And the toiletries. He was clueless what a woman would want. If he were in Paris or Milan, he would go to one of the exclusive shops and feel confident he was buying her something nice.
The cashier scanned the pink shampoo. But with a name like “Salon Simulators,” which promised to reproduce the results of the most expensive European salon, on any hair type, well, he had his doubts.
But he also knew that Jolee wouldn’t be comfortable with expensive gifts. Not yet. One day maybe, but she was too proud, too determined to survive on her own to take anything too expensive from him.
“Your total is $476.86,” the woman said, a slightly raised eyebrow the only indication that the total surprised her.
He handed her a credit card.
“When you decide to shop, you really shop,” Jolee m
urmured.
“All necessary,” he told her.
Jolee nodded, although she watched his card go through with a rather bemused expression. He signed his name, took his receipt, and pushed the mounded cart toward the exit. Now the tricky part, convincing Jolee to accept the gifts.
“Shouldn’t we bring all this stuff to your place?” Jolee said as he parked in front of her trailer.
“Well, I thought I’d keep some of the groceries over here. If that’s okay.”
She smiled broadly as though she was very pleased by the idea. Maybe it wouldn’t be too hard to get her to accept the items after all. They began to carry in the many bags, placing them in a cluster on her kitchen floor.
“What do you want to leave here?” she asked, picking up two of the bags and setting them on the sideboard. Christian didn’t answer. Instead he came up behind her, bracing his hands on either side of her, pinning her between himself and the counter. He nuzzled her neck, pressing kisses down her nape toward her shoulder.
She tilted her head forward, giving him better access.
“I’ve been dying to do that all night,” he said, licking the delicate skin just below her ear.
She shivered. “You could have fooled me, Mr. Shopaholic.”
He nipped the crook of her shoulder playfully. “Feeling neglected?”
“Maybe a little.”
“Well, we can’t have that.”
He slipped his hands under her T-shirt, caressing her stomach on the way up to her breasts. Her nipples were already distended, poking greedily against his palms. He caught them between his thumbs and forefingers, gently squeezing them through the satiny material of her bra.
She whimpered, turning in his arms. Her mouth found his, and they kissed with all the passion they’d kept restrained for so many long hours. Her hands knotted in his hair as he kissed down over her neck and chest. His fingers found the button of her jeans, then the zipper. He kissed her bared belly just above her panties.
She whimpered, wriggling under his touch. He could smell the spiciness of her arousal and couldn’t stop himself from leaning in to breathe deeply. Peeling down both her jeans and panties, he bared her from the waist down. His mouth watered at the sight of her dark auburn curls against her pale thighs. Again he was amazed at how his desire for this woman was even stronger than the hunger. And definitely more uncontrollable.
Even as he told himself to slow down, he spread her legs apart. Her sex parted, too, as if offering him invitation inside. He groaned, his cock pulsating at the sight. But he remained focused, covering her with his mouth, his tongue delving inside her heated folds.
She cried out, clutching the counter for support. He seized her hips, holding her steady as he tasted her. Nothing had ever been so delicious, so pleasing. Not even quenching his hunger. The hunger no longer controlled him. Only his passion for Jolee mattered. Only his arousal demanded to be satisfied.
He licked her clitoris, the tight little nubbin quivering under his tongue. He continued massaging her with slow sweeps, each one nudging her closer to release. Her small little moans grew louder, more frantic. Then he tasted her release. Honey on his tongue. So satisfying. So humbling.
After the last ripple of her climax, he rose, smiling at what a gorgeous sight she made. Her legs were still spread as she leaned heavily on the counter. He’d like to take her just like that. Hard, up against the cupboards. But not this time, this time he wanted to watch her face as he entered her. He wanted to focus on every nuance of her body wrapped around him.
His cock jerked, urging him to do just that.
CHAPTER 23
“Good golly,” Jolee breathed, trying to regain control of her pleasure-weakened body. “How do you do that?”
“Do what?”
She would have smiled at his innocent tone if she’d had the strength. “How do you have me satisfied before I even have a chance to get you out of one piece of clothing?”
“I’m just good.”
“Yes, you are,” she agreed heartily. She straightened and started to reach for him, but he caught her fingers, holding them to his chest.
“Let’s go to your room. I’ll even let you take off a few pieces of my clothing.” He started to pull her to the hallway. She followed gladly until she recalled the condoms. She did not want to forget those. She couldn’t stop again. She had to make love with this man, fully. Her satisfied body started to tingle again with renewed desire. She was insatiable for him.
“Wait.” She tugged free and returned to the pile of groceries. She bent down to open the first bag, finding the condoms right away.
“Here they… ” She noticed something beneath the boxes. Black material with multicolored polka dots. She pulled out the sundress she’d been admiring. “What’s this?”
He answered her obvious question with the obvious answer. “The dress you were looking at.”
She picked up the bag, digging through the rest of the contents, disbelief building more and more as she discovered each article of clothing she’d looked at. She didn’t know what to think.
“Christian, you shouldn’t have done this.”
“I wanted to.” He shrugged as if the purchase wasn’t any big deal.
Not a big deal to him, but definitely a big deal to her. He’d spent a ton of money. “But I can’t accept them.”
“You know, the fact that you are standing in your kitchen, naked from the waist down, arguing with me, should be rather entertaining, but I’m not amused. In fact, I’m a little annoyed, because I’d much rather be making love to you at this moment. You can take the clothes, and you will.”
Her frown deepened even more at his officious tone— and at the fact that she was actually a little aroused by his bossiness.
“This is too much.” She gestured to the bag. “I don’t want you to spend this kind of money on me.”
He stared at her for a moment, then he sighed. “I know you don’t. But I wanted to. I want to take care of you. I want to give you things that will make you happy. I knew you’d argue, because you want to prove you don’t need help. But this wasn’t help. It’s a gift.”
A gift. Guilt curled in her belly. He wanted to do something nice, and she hadn’t even said thank you. And all because every gift in her life had come with strings. But she knew he’d done this only for the reasons he’d said, and no other. She looked back down at the bag.
“Thank you,” she said almost sheepishly. “I love them.” And she loved him. Her breath caught. Oh my God, she loved him. It was just a fact— a true, unchangeable fact.
“It was too much, though,” she murmured. Just like the feelings overwhelming her. Everything about this man was too much. Too perfect. Too wonderful. And she didn’t want it to ever end. And that was too scary.
Then he gave her one of his cute little smiles and she knew it was also too late to worry. She loved him.
He shook his head, forbearance clear in his eyes. “The clothes are not nearly enough for what you’ve given me.”
“What have I given you?”
He looked down for a moment, then he took a deep breath. Finally he met her eyes again, and simply said, “Peace.”
She didn’t quite know what that meant, but her heart skipped at the admission. She knew it was somehow a difficult one, and a very important one. Poor Christian. What had Lilah done to him?
“Now come here,” he ordered sternly and crooked his finger.
She set down the bag and walked into his arms. She really did love it when he was a little domineering. Especially when she knew she was really going to like what he was ordering her to do.
She kissed him gently. “I love the clothes. They are beautiful.”
“You will make them more beautiful,” he murmured against her hair. Then the hand on her back slid down to cup a cheek of her bottom. “Although it will be hard to beat this look.”
She laughed. “You’re finding this amusing, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m finding it i
mmensely arousing.”
She could feel that, as his erection prodded her belly. She made a small noise in the back of her throat. “Me, too.”
She shifted out of his arms, and this time she led him down the hallway. Once they reached her room, she stopped at the foot of the bed. She tossed the box of condoms on the mattress, then she reached for him, tugging the hem of his shirt from the waistband of his pants. Her fingers moved the small buttons, working one after the other free, revealing a tempting trail of golden skin, right down the center of his chest and stomach.
She slipped her hands under the opened material, molding her hands to his torso, her fingers shaping to each swell and each groove of his lean muscles.
“You” — she leaned into kiss the alluring curve of his collarbone— “have an amazing chest.”
Slowly her hands traced over him. “It’s like you were carved out of marble. Ageless and perfect.”
His body tensed; his already hard muscles seemed to actually turn into the stone she had described. She lifted her head to see his expression, to see what suddenly made him freeze, but he just watched her with unfathomable pale eyes.
She didn’t want that expression. She wanted those incredible eyes filled with passion. She wanted him to feel what she did when he touched her. Gliding her hands upward, she found his nipples, circling them. They pebbled under her touch, smaller imitations of her own already puckered nipples.
She teased him with sweeps of her thumb until she felt him moving just slightly under her touch, pressing against her fingers.
His arms came around her to pull her against him, but she wiggled away.
“Uh-uh,” she warned, giving him a disapproving look. “No touching me until you are totally nude. I know your tricks. If I let you touch me now, you’ll have me on the bed panting before you even lose the unbuttoned shirt.”
Christian grinned, raising an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t think there’d be a real problem with that.”
“Well, there isn’t,” she admitted, but when he reached for her again, she added, “Except I want to look at, and touch, you.”
Well, only a fool would argue with her about that. He quickly slipped his shirt off, and reached for his pants. Just as swiftly he had those off, too.