Sweet, Sexy Heart – the Bradens & Montgomerys (Pleasant Hill – Oak Falls)

by Melissa Foster

  “You’re the only woman on the planet who would say that,” Brindle said. “If Trace did that for me, I’d be all over him with the hottest kind of gratitude.”

  “But that’s huge, Brin. I don’t want him giving up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me. Couples are supposed to support each other, to help each other be the best they can be. It sounds like I’m holding him back.”

  “No, you’re not, trust me,” Sin said emphatically. “But Sable might be.”

  They all followed his gaze to Sable and Dash, talking by the stage.

  “Does she have her claws out?” Morgyn asked.

  Amber hoped Sable wouldn’t scare him off. She’d been supportive of them, even on a temporary basis. As if Dash felt them watching, he looked over, flashing that overzealous smile that made Amber’s chest flutter, and he gave her a thumbs-up.

  “Either Sable has him fooled.” Trace took off his cowboy hat, raked a hand through his hair, and set it back on his head. “Or she’s playing nice. My money is on having him fooled.”

  Sable went back to the stage, and Dash headed across the room toward them, those dark eyes shimmering with something devilish, causing Amber’s pulse to quicken.

  Morgyn said, “That is not the look of a man who was just told to back off.”

  “Why are you all looking at me like that?” Dash asked as he approached the table.

  “We’re wondering how you escaped the wrath of our sister,” Brindle answered.

  “Sable?” Dash scoffed. “She’s a tough one, but we’re cool.” He sat beside Amber and took her hand. “You didn’t think Sable could scare me off, did you?”

  “Not really.” She couldn’t stop thinking about what Sin had said. “But maybe I need to. Did you really give up a chance to be on The Tonight Show just to see me?”

  His brows slanted, and he looked at Sin, who said, “Sorry, man. I didn’t know it was a secret.”

  “It wasn’t.” Dash squeezed Amber’s hand. “It just wasn’t worth mentioning.”

  “Of course it was,” she said. “You shouldn’t have given up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity just to see me.”

  “You’ve got it backward, sweetheart. I didn’t give up my once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Dash lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of hers. “I seized it.”

  Amber felt her insides turn to mush as her sisters said, “Aw.”

  “Dude, you’re setting that bar kind of high for the rest of us,” Trace said, and clinked glasses with Sin and Graham.

  “What can I say? My girl is worth it.” He turned a sexy grin on Amber. “Now, stop looking for trouble where there is none and dance with me.”

  He lifted her to her feet as Sable’s voice boomed through the microphone. “This next song is a special request from a certain charmer who’s got the ladies in this town all aflutter to his one and only very special girl.”

  “That’s you, sweetheart.” Dash leaned in to kiss her smiling lips.

  “What did you do?”

  Without answering, he led her to the dance floor, and Sable’s band began playing “Wild Thing.” Amber froze, but Dash pulled her into his arms. “You’re not getting away that easily.”

  Her sisters and their husbands cheered, and Brindle hollered, “It’s always the quiet ones! Go, Amber!”

  People began clapping to the beat, stepping back to give them the dance floor as Dash twirled her around and hauled her into his arms again, singing with that infectious grin and sexy sparks shimmering in his eyes. Amber didn’t think it was possible to like him more than she already did, but boy was she wrong.

  They were literally the center of attention as he twirled her again. Laughter bubbled out as he clapped his hand over his heart, singing about how she made his heart sing. He threw a fist in the air to the beat as the song started over and her sister belted out the lyrics. Then he pulled her in close, holding her tight as they swayed to the music.

  “I can’t believe you had her play this song. I’m so not a wild thing.”

  “You’re my wild thing, baby.”

  “I’m so different with you. I don’t even understand it. You make me feel so many things, and right now I feel like the belle of the ball.” She stole a glance at all the people clapping and cheering around them, and the truth came out hushed and rushed. “I’ve never even been on a date here.”

  “That’s because you were waiting for me.”

  Her insides turned to mush. She wanted to say she thought he was right, but she was too swept up in him to speak, and as he lowered his lips to hers and said, “Now you can say you’ve made out at JJ’s,” her full heart won out over her burning cheeks, and she kissed him back like they were the only two people in the room.

  DASH DIDN’T THINK anything could feel bigger than winning MVP, but nothing compared to dancing with Amber in her world and feeling her let go of her insecurities. He’d wanted tonight to be special, but as couples joined them on the dance floor and he and Amber danced slowly to their own private beat, he realized that he hadn’t even known how special it could be. It wasn’t just bigger or better than anything he’d ever experienced. It was indescribable, and he wanted a hell of a lot more of it. A hell of a lot more of her.

  “I love this,” she said sweetly.

  “Me too.”

  “I thought I wasn’t meant for this type of life.”

  “I told you, you were just waiting for me.”

  He kissed her, and as their lips parted, she said, “Take me home.”

  They said a quick goodbye to her sisters and their friends and hurried to his car, kissing and laughing, falling into each other’s arms against the passenger door. Neither wanted to stop, but he remembered her necklace, and there was no way he’d trip that alarm again. It took everything he had to finally break away, and the short drive to her place was torturous. They stumbled inside, and he kicked the door closed behind them as they stripped off their jackets. Reno trotted over to greet them.

  “Do you have to let him out?” Dash asked between kisses.

  “No. The doggy door is electronic. He comes and goes as he pleases.”

  “Lucky dog.” He lowered his lips to hers and lifted her into his arms without breaking the connection as he carried her into the bedroom.

  As he set her on her feet, he caught a glimpse of white furniture, a floral comforter, and sheer soft-pink curtains. Supremely feminine, just like her.

  He toed off his shoes and knelt to take off her boots and the pretty pink socks she had on beneath them, reminding him to take off his socks, before rising to his feet.

  “This has to go.” He removed her necklace, noticing a holder adhered to the nightstand beside her book club novel. He clipped the necklace into place and drew her into his arms. “Is that so Reno can push the button at night if he needs to?”

  She nodded, sending a rush of emotions through him. He hated the idea that she could have a seizure at all, much less when he wasn’t around. Tucking those protective urges down deep, he took her in a slow, sensual kiss as he untied the bow between her breasts, loosening the laces on the bodice. She pulled up on his shirt, and he quickly unbuttoned it, tossing it to the floor, loving the hunger in her eyes as they slid over his bare chest.

  “Mm-mm. When you look at me like that…” He kissed the freckles on her shoulder, dragging her sleeves down her arms. Her dress slid off her body, puddling at her feet, leaving her bare, save for a pretty lace bra and matching panties. Moonlight streamed in through the curtains as he skimmed his hands down her sides, feeling goose bumps rise to his touch. He brushed his lips over hers, whispering, “You are so damn sexy.”

  He set his wallet on the nightstand, stepped out of his jeans and boxer briefs, and trailed his lips down her neck, dusting kisses over her warm flesh as he moved behind her. He gathered her hair over one shoulder, kissing across her back as he took off her bra and dropped it at her feet. He palmed her breasts from behind, taking her nipples between his fingers and thumbs, and sealed
his mouth over her neck, sucking hard enough to earn a sultry moan and a rock of her hips. He continued sucking and kissing, teasing her nipples until she was panting for more. His hands moved along her stomach as he kissed down her spine. He hooked his thumbs into the hips of her panties, dragging them down her legs, and helped her step out of them. She was glorious with her feminine curves and porcelain skin. He took his time loving his way up the backs of her legs, kissing behind her knees, earning sharp gasps of pleasure. He moved higher, caressing her ass as he slid one hand between her legs, teasing her wetness and lavishing the soft globes of her ass with openmouthed kisses. She moaned, rocking her hips as he dipped his fingers inside her.

  “Ohhh…”

  “Mm. My girl likes that.” He took his time, teasing and kissing, taking her right up to the edge, her muscles tightening, body trembling.

  “Dash,” she pleaded.

  “I’ve got you, baby.” He kissed his way up her back, pressing his hard length against her ass, earning more sultry, needful sounds. He felt her heart beating through her back, and it only made his beat harder. He remained behind her as he slid his shaft between her legs, the length of it against her sex, using one hand on her clit, the other on her breast. “Squeeze your legs together, baby.” She did, and he thrust along her wetness. “Come on my cock before I make love to you.”

  “Oh my…” She whimpered.

  He grazed his teeth along her shoulder. “You don’t want to?”

  “I want to too much.”

  He wanted to say there was no such thing as too much, but he knew she worried about losing control. “Do you need me to stop?”

  “Don’t you dare.” She grabbed both his wrists, keeping his hands on her.

  He grinned against her neck. “That’s my wild thing.” He thrust his hips, pushing his length along her sex, feeling her muscles clench, her breathing quicken. She reached behind her, grabbing his hips as he worked her clit faster, squeezing and rolling one nipple between his finger and thumb. She grabbed his arm, her head falling back against his shoulder.

  “That’s it, sweetheart, let go. I’ve got you.”

  He thrust faster, sinking his teeth into her shoulder. She went up on her toes.

  “Squeeze my cock with your thighs.” She squeezed her shaky legs together. Tight. “Oh yeah, baby. That’s it.”

  “Dash…Dash!” flew from her lips.

  She thrust and moaned, crying out as her orgasm consumed her. He felt her legs give out and wrapped an arm around her, continuing his ministrations as she rode his length. Desire swelled inside him, and he fought the urge to bend her over the bed and drive into her. But he wanted, needed to see her face, to hold her and be as close as they could be. To make her his. When she went soft and quivery in his arms, he turned her around and kissed her breathless.

  Her eyes were hazy and lustful. “You set off a bomb inside me.”

  “Then it’s time for an encore.”

  He lowered them to the bed, reveling in the feel of her softness beneath him as their mouths came together. He kissed her greedily at first, bodies grinding, both of them moaning, pleading for more. She kissed with her entire being, hungry and urgent, clawing at his arms like she wanted to climb into their bubble of intimacy and never come out. And man, he wanted that, too. The longer they kissed, the more lost he became. She was an intoxicating mix of sweet innocence and ravenous vixen. He didn’t want to stop kissing her, but he needed more, to feel the very heart of her wrapped around him, to disappear into them. Need pounded inside him, burning and aching until he had no choice but to tear his mouth away.

  “I need you, baby.” The need to taste her again engulfed him, and he kissed her deeply and possessively, wishing a condom would magically appear on his cock so he didn’t have to stop. But magic was for fairy tales, and they were as real as the blood surging through his veins.

  He reluctantly pulled away, uttering a curse that made her giggle, as he reached for his wallet. He pulled out a condom and went up on his knees to sheathe himself. She watched his every move, lustfully licking her lips. Fucking hell. He wanted her mouth on him as desperately as he wanted to be buried deep inside her. She was a festival of sexiness, and he didn’t want to miss out on any of it. But that would have to wait, because if he didn’t make love to her soon, he was going to lose his frigging mind.

  He’d wanted this moment since their very first kiss, and he thought of all the things he wanted to say to her so she would know that this was as special for him as it was for her. But as he came down over her, the combination of trust and passion in her eyes brought his emotions rushing to the surface, stealing his ability to speak.

  She rose up, meeting him in a slow, sensual kiss as their bodies came together so mind-numbingly perfect, they both stilled. Silent seconds pounded between them like drums announcing the overwhelming sensations gripping them as they gazed into each other’s eyes, their emotions winding around them like chains he never wanted to break. Giving in to the powerful draw, their mouths connected, and their bodies took over. Their kisses turned feverish, their tongues crashing hard and slick. She pulled her knees up, and he clutched her bottom, angling her up as he drove in deeper. Her inner muscles squeezed so exquisitely with every thrust, he struggled for control. Fuuck. She had the power to destroy him and make him whole at once. He hadn’t even known that was possible.

  She clawed at his back, the scratch of her nails a scintillating mix of pleasure and pain, spurring him on. He quickened his efforts, and her head tipped back with a gasp, followed by a moan. He claimed her neck with his mouth, every suck bringing another gasp, an urgent plea—“Don’t stop…Harder…Yes!” He lifted her knee beside his hip, loving her harder, faster, their slick bodies pounding out an erotic rhythm. Her eyes slammed shut, and his name flew from her lips, full of anguished pleasure. Her nails dug deeper into his flesh, sending heat searing down his spine, stealing the last of his restraint, catapulting him into a world so full of ecstasy and Amber, he never wanted to leave.

  Chapter Eleven

  SUNLIGHT STREAMED IN through Amber’s bedroom curtains, splashing light over her closed eyes. She lay still, soaking in the warmth of Dash’s body curled around her, the tickle of the hair on his chest and legs against her skin. One of his arms was beneath her head, the other wrapped around her middle, his hand cupping her bare breast. Heat slid through her core with the awareness, bringing even more delicious sensations into focus, like his hard heat against her bottom and his warm breath skating over her neck and cheek. She’d never woken up with a man in her bed before, and it brought a wave of nervousness. Not that she didn’t want him there. Just the opposite. She didn’t want him to leave. But she had to pee, which meant walking to the bathroom naked.

  Her pulse quickened. She probably shouldn’t be nervous after everything they’d done last night. After all, he’d made it his mission to discover all the places she liked to be kissed and touched, and he’d been very thorough. How many times had they made love? Two? Three? The night was a blur of indescribable pleasure. But that was in the dark.

  “Good morning, wild thing.”

  She’d sure lived up to that nickname last night. She’d never been the least bit wild before, but he made her feel safe and special, and she liked being wild with him. “Morning.”

  He kissed her shoulder, hugging her with every hard inch of his body. Her body bloomed with desire, despite being a little sore from using muscles she hadn’t even realized she had.

  He shifted her onto her back, his arousal brushing enticingly against her hip. He was grinning like the big bad wolf, his hungry eyes moving slowly over her face. She cringed inwardly, imagining her eye makeup smeared and her hair as tangled as a rat’s nest, while he looked like he’d walked off the pages of Men’s Health magazine with his slightly tousled hair, sexy stubble, and a refreshing glow to his bronzed skin.

  He caressed her cheek, his gaze warming. “How is it possible that you wake up this beautiful?”

&nbs
p; She rolled her eyes. “How is it possible that you can lie with a straight face?”

  “Lie?” He tickled her ribs, and she squealed, trying to wriggle away, but she was trapped by half his body.

  “Stop,” she said through her laughter. “I have to pee.”

  He nipped at her neck, his fingers perched to tickle. “Take it back, or you’ll turn this mattress into a waterbed.”

  “I take it back” flew from her lips, and he kissed her, both of them laughing. His chest brushed hers, sending tingling sensations to all her best parts.

  “You are beautiful, Amber, morning, noon, and night.” His expression turned serious. “My father lied to all of us for a long time before he left. I’ll never do that to you. Okay?”

  “Okay,” she said softly, thinking about how hurt he must have been by his father’s lies.

  He kissed her again. “Good. Go use the bathroom, and hurry back so I can ravage you.”

  She shivered with delight and sat up, holding the sheet over her. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Her nerves prickled again as she looked at their clothes strewn across the floor. She couldn’t even reach his shirt to put it on.

  As if he’d read her thoughts, he said, “Sweetheart, you don’t need to hide your gorgeous body. I know every inch of it intimately.”

  Embarrassment heated her cheeks. “You might be used to waking up with naked women, but I’m not used to waking up with a man in my bed, naked or otherwise.”

  He moved beside her, semi-aroused, and so comfortable in his own skin she was a little jealous. “I’m not used to waking up with women. I’ve never been into slumber parties. That’s not to say I’ve been a saint, but I’ve been careful with my reputation. I wouldn’t want my mom or my sisters to have to combat rumors about their womanizing son and brother.”

  “Then why did you ask me to clear my schedule for today?” As the words left her lips, she already knew the answer. It was the same reason she’d not only let last night happen but had wanted it to.