His body hardened in response to her intimate and sensual touch, and her words.
“Earlier,” she continued, “at dinner, you told me ‘I want you.’ If you’ve changed your mind, that’s fine. Just say so now and we’ll call it a day, no hard feelings. But if you haven’t…if you still want me…then let’s not overthink this. Because I want you, and I’m nervous and excited and turned on at the thought of getting you naked, and taking you to bed.”
He was hard as concrete now, and she’d hardly touched him. “I do want you,” he said. “I meant every word I said earlier. And as long as you’re sure, there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind.”
She smiled. “Why don’t we go inside then?”
He raised her hand and touched his lips to her fingers. “Come on.”
Outside, the warm night air stroked across his skin as they walked up the path to his front door. He opened it and stepped back to let her precede him, then followed her in and shut the door behind him.
She walked into the open plan living room, looking around her with interest. “It’s so warm tonight.”
“Open up the doors if you like. I’ll get us a drink.” He threw his keys on the kitchen counter, took two glasses, and chose one of the bottles of Scotch from the cupboard. She was the only woman apart from his sister who liked the kind of whisky he drank. After placing a few ice cubes in each, he poured a generous measure of the amber liquid over them, and added a splash of cold water from the bottle in the fridge.
Tasha had opened the large glass doors leading onto the deck and now stood outside, looking past the garden at the view of Mangonui. Christmas lights in the houses across the harbor looked like colorful dancing fireflies. The bright moon was reflected on the harbor, and it covered everything in a faint silver light.
Kole carried the glasses across the living room and onto the deck, and passed one to Tasha. She took it, and watched him take a mouthful of the whisky.
“So you’re not planning on driving me back tonight then?”
He swallowed the mouthful and then realized what she meant. Shit. That was quite an assumption. “Ah. I’m sorry. I didn’t think. I just assumed you’d stay the night.” He waited for her to give him a sarcastic reprimand for presupposing she would want to stay.
But instead, she moved closer to him and reached up to cup his cheek. “You can be very sweet sometimes.”
His lips curved. “Doesn’t sound like me.”
Her smile mirrored his. “No, it doesn’t.”
She dropped her hand and sipped the whisky, turning to look back into his house. “This is a nice place.”
“Yeah. I’m sorry I haven’t invited you all around yet. I realized the other day I’ve been in three months now.” Actually, keeping the place to himself hadn’t been a mistake. He’d always rented with someone else before, but this was the first house he’d bought, and he was enjoying being a home owner, having the house to himself, and doing the place up exactly as he wanted it.
“It’s very…minimalistic.”
“I don’t like a lot of fuss.”
“I can see that.” She winked at him. “Am I going to find forgotten lipsticks in the bathroom cabinet and a selection of ladies’ panties left around the place?”
He gave her a wry look. “I haven’t brought any girls back here, so I think you’ll be safe.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Oh? Why not? I thought having a bachelor pad would be the perfect place to seduce all your conquests.”
“All my conquests? Just how many women do you think I’ve been with?”
“I’m sure you’ve been with more girls than I’ve been with guys.”
Even though that was almost certainly the case, he wanted to argue the point, but her words distracted him. “How many guys have you been with, then?” he asked. He’d only met two of them, but presumably there’d been more than that.
“That’s not a very polite question to ask on a date.”
He knew her too well to let her get away with that. “Stop avoiding the question.”
She sipped her whisky, a mischievous look crossing her features, and leaned back on the balustrade. “I’ll tell you if you tell me first.”
“How many girls I’ve slept with?”
“Yes.”
He scratched the back of his neck. “Ah…”
“Kole Graham, are you seriously telling me you can’t remember? Is it more than fifty?”
“Jeez, no. I’m not that bad. But at uni there were a few…short-term relationships, shall we say.”
“One-night stands, you mean?”
He grinned.
“So how many, roughly?”
He shrugged. “Twenty or so, I suppose.”
“Twenty! I’m shocked.”
“Really?”
“Shocked it’s so low. I thought you’d be in triple figures. At least.”
He rolled his eyes. “So what about you, then? Can you beat that number?”
She gave him an odd look. “Not quite.”
“So? Come on, be honest. Fifteen?”
“Lower.”
“Thirteen.”
“Lower.”
“Ten?”
“Three,” she said.
He stared at her, genuinely surprised. “Three? Are you sure?”
“Yes, Kole, I’m sure.”
“I thought nobody was in single figures these days.”
She gave a small laugh. “It’s nice I can still surprise you.”
“You have surprised me.” That was an understatement. She’d gone out with her first boyfriend, Lewis, at sixteen, and they’d dated for a couple of years, from what he could remember. Kole had been away at university when she’d broken up with him, but Maisey had told him Lewis had cheated on her, and as soon as she’d found out, she’d dumped him. Then of course she’d gone to university, and he hadn’t seen much of her until she came back to Mangonui a couple of years ago. Since then, he’d only met one of her dates, which must have been the guy who’d told her she ought to work in a brothel, but he’d assumed there had been more and he just hadn’t met them. “You’re seriously telling me you only dated one guy while you were in uni?”
She looked out across the harbor. “Yes. I met him in my second year. Maisey introduced us. She was going out with Neil at the time and Jason was a mate of his. We all went around together for a while, but it was never serious.”
Her gaze came back to Kole’s. Something about her carefully guarded words told him she wasn’t telling the whole truth. She’d like this Jason, but he’d not returned her feelings. He’d hurt her.
Kole was beginning to realize his relationship with Tasha was like an archaeological site recently exposed to the air by the elements. He’d thought he knew her well, but their friendship had been very much on the surface, and neither of them had excavated deep enough to uncover the real person beneath. She projected a sassy, determined, belligerent persona, but just like his nonchalant, devil-may-care attitude, the crisp coating protected a soft chewy center that few people realized was there.
She’d only had three partners, one of whom had cheated on her, one who hadn’t returned her affection, and the last one had practically called her a whore. She deserved more, so much more.
The light breeze stirred the skirt of Tasha’s dress around her thighs, lifted her hair around her neck. Her eyes were filled with hunger, and as he met her gaze and let a small smile touch his lips, she inhaled and her lips parted. She looked young and beautiful, and desire stirred within him like a bear waking up after hibernation.
Enough talk.
Kole finished off his whisky and put the glass on the balustrade. He slipped a hand into her hair, the strands curling around his fingers. Then, moving closer to her, he bent his head and lowered his lips to hers.
Chapter Thirteen
Tasha held her breath and stayed motionless as Kole kissed her.
For a moment, she’d thought he was about to call the whole thing off. After lea
ving the restaurant, he’d grown quiet in the car, and when they’d pulled up outside his house he’d seemed reluctant to go in. At first, she’d thought he was chickening out, and their friendship had got in the way of their desire for one another. But she’d quickly realized that although their friendship was the problem, it wasn’t in the way she’d thought. I don’t want to hurt you, he’d said. He genuinely didn’t want to screw their friendship up. And that, along with the fact he’d obviously hoped she’d stay the night rather than want to go home after they’d had sex, had melted her a little inside.
She still held the glass in her left hand, but she pressed her right against his chest for balance and leaned into the kiss. His hand was warm on the back of her neck, holding her there with just enough force that a frisson of excitement ran down her spine. She’d told the truth when she’d said she’d only had three partners, but what she hadn’t mentioned was none of them had been a match for her in bed. Great sex was like the Grand Canyon—she knew it existed, and it was supposed to be magnificent, but she hadn’t yet seen it for herself. But Kole’s casual arrogance, his dry wit, and his innate sexiness told her he might be able to take her on a guided tour of the sights.
His lips moved across hers, firm and warm, and then his tongue brushed her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth to allow him in. He tasted sweet and hot, like tropical flowers opening in the summer sun, and his aftershave rose from his warm body to ensnare her senses. His hand tightened in her hair, bold, possessive, and she murmured approvingly.
He lifted his head, and his eyes looked black in the moonlight, filled with desire. But his touch was gentle as his other hand rested on her hip, his thumb just stroking her waist, and when his lips moved across her cheek, they were like feathers brushing across her skin.
He kissed back to her mouth and must have felt the curve of her lips, because he lifted his head again and smiled back. “What?”
“You.” She traced her fingers across his shirt. “You’re so gentle. I didn’t expect it.”
“You thought I’d heft you over my shoulder and carry you to the bedroom like a caveman?”
She chuckled. “Maybe.”
His lips touched her cheek, her eyebrow, her nose. “You sound almost disappointed.” His lips and then his tongue caressed her lips. “Do you like it rough, Tasha?”
She couldn’t stop her inhalation, which his mouth must have felt as it closed over hers. “No,” she murmured when he moved back. “Yes. I don’t know. That’s not what I meant.” She was fumbling now. How inexperienced she was at this, no match for him at all.
“What did you mean?” His hand slid through her hair and he curled the strands around his fingers as he continued to place soft kisses on her lips.
“Um…”
He cupped her cheek, his skin warm on hers. “You want me to shock you?”
No.
Yes.
She didn’t know what she wanted.
His gaze searched hers. Then he dropped his hand.
He took the glass from her and placed it next to his on the balustrade. Looked out across the harbor for a moment. Then he turned back to her.
He slid a hand around her to her neck, and she felt him tug at the zipper of her dress, pulling it all the way down to her waist. Then he placed his hands on her thighs.
Slowly, he gathered the material of her dress up in his hands. He held her gaze while he did so, his eyes hot, amused, daring her to stop him. Her breathing quickened, but she said nothing, letting him lift the dress up over her thighs, up her hips.
“Lift your arms,” he murmured.
She hesitated. Was he going to strip her right there, on the deck? A fence ran around his garden, shielding them from his neighbors, but because the house was elevated they had a clear view across the harbor. Light from the living room lamp spilled onto the deck, which meant they’d be silhouetted, visible to anyone on the waterfront who looked up.
But they were far enough way that she doubted anyone would recognize her. And Kole might be mischievous, but he wouldn’t do anything to embarrass or shame her. He just wanted to shock her, as he’d said.
Locking her eyes on his, she lifted her arms.
His lips curved. He drew the dress up and over her head, then threw it into the living room where it whispered down onto the floor.
Tasha fought the urge to cover herself up. He opened his hands and she placed hers in them, and he held them out to either side, admiring her.
“Fuck, you’re gorgeous.”
She nibbled her bottom lip, his obvious admiration warming her right through. “If I get reported for indecent exposure, you’re paying the fine.”
He laughed and pulled her hands behind her back, holding them there so she was pressed against his chest, unable to move. “It’s a deal.” He released her hands, and then she felt his fingers on the clasp of her bra at the back. “Let’s really give them something to talk about.”
“Kole…”
He ignored her and popped the catch, rather expertly, she noticed, and the elastic loosened. Then he drew the straps down her arms and threw it inside on top of the dress.
Tasha gasped, certain there were outraged people all over Mangonui in the process of telephoning the police, and she opened her mouth to exclaim. But before she could say anything, he placed his hands under her butt and lifted her, wrapped her legs around his waist, turned, and went inside, closing the door behind him.
Feeling a wave of affection for him, she kissed him as he carried her through the living room. He returned the kiss hungrily, muttering a curse as he banged a knee on the table and bumped into the sofa, and giving her remonstrative glare when she laughed.
“Serves you right,” she scolded as he went down the hall. “Stripping me off in public like that.”
“You’d better get used to it. Now I know you want to be shocked, I’ll do my best to oblige.” She shivered at the thought, and he chuckled. “Does that turn you on, Tash?”
“You turn me on,” she said, breathless. She kissed him again, and he slowed, opening his mouth to her and meeting each thrust of her tongue with one of his own. She tightened her thighs around his waist, trying to ease the ache between them, and he groaned and tore his lips away from her.
“If I’m not inside you in five minutes, I’m going to severely embarrass myself.” He carried her into the bedroom and flicked on the bedside lamp, casting the room in a soft glow.
A thrill passed through her at the notion of him losing control because of her. She couldn’t believe they were actually there, in his bedroom, and he was about to make love to her. Her heart pounded, and her mouth had gone dry.
He walked up to the king size bed, turned and sat, then lay back, leaving her sitting astride him. “When we all went swimming, I always hated it when you wore a bikini.” He cupped her breasts with his warm hands. “If I let myself look at you, I’d have a hard-on in seconds. And that was before I knew what you looked like beneath.”
His words surprised her. She’d never caught him looking at her on the beach, and he’d never commented on her figure. The thought he’d been aware of her on a purely visceral level came as a pleasant shock. “Do I meet with your approval?” she whispered.
He lowered his gaze to her breasts and stroked his thumbs across them. She followed his eyes, her lips parting as her relaxed, swollen nipples tightened to firm peaks beneath his touch.
His hands slid to her waist, and he held her and pushed up with his hips. “What do you think?” His firm erection pressed against her soft mound through his jeans.
She moved against him, arousing herself on him. “Mmm…”
He picked up her hands, sending her a wry look. “You’re determined to make this as difficult for me as possible, aren’t you?”
“Why?” she asked innocently, giving tiny thrusts of her hips. “What am I doing?”
“You know perfectly well.” He linked their fingers. “My turn to tease.” He pulled her hands above his head, bringi
ng her nipples level with his face, and covered one with his mouth.
“Oh!” Tasha gasped as heat rushed through her. He sucked, his tongue stroking the sensitive skin, and she closed her eyes in bliss and arched her back. “Oh, God…”
He swapped to the other nipple, then back, until she was gasping and squirming, grinding herself again him. Much more of this, and she was going to come right there.
At that moment, though, he stopped, leaving her panting and a little shaky, and he lifted her off him onto the bed and pushed himself up.
“That was supposed to fire you up,” he said as he hurriedly unbuttoned his shirt, “but it almost backfired on me.” He dropped his shirt to the floor and slid down the zipper on his jeans. “You’re testing my self-control tonight.”
Tasha slipped off her panties and slid beneath the duvet. “I thought you prided yourself on your self-control.” She tried to sound sassy, but her heart hammered as he stripped off his jeans and boxers, finally exposing himself to her heated gaze. Wow.
“I do.” He sent her an amused look as opened the bedside table, took out a condom, then got in beside her. “Shows you how much you’re turning me on.”
He pulled her into his arms and molded her body to his. Tasha ran her hand up his arm to his shoulder. She’d seen him shirtless before, of course, on the beach, in the swimming pool, but nothing compared to having him there, in her arms. His muscles were toned and firm, his chest nicely defined. His hot skin stuck to hers beneath the duvet, and he reached across her to flick on the switch for the ceiling fan.
“Hot stuff,” he said, and smiled.
He kissed her, and she sank a hand into his hair, opening her mouth to him. This was so different from how she’d pictured it. She’d thought he’d be fast and rough, hard and physical, and she was totally unprepared for the way he’d seduced her. And for the way she’d responded. In the past, she’d been proactive in bed, usually the one to decide on positions and happy to direct her partner for the best way to arouse her. But with Kole she felt a shyness she was completely unaccustomed to. His sexual experience had increased her nerves, and she couldn’t shake her worry about doing or saying the wrong thing. Looking foolish had never been an issue that had bothered her before. Was she trying to impress him? How stupid was that? She wanted to slap herself, to make a joke, to release this tension building inside her, but all she could think about was how gorgeous he was, and that she couldn’t believe they were finally doing this.
Treat with Caution (Treats to Tempt You Book 1) Page 9