And damn he loved a spitfire.
***
Sitting on the tailgate of his pick-up truck cuddling with David was probably the longest amount of time she’d spent in a man’s arms while fully clothed in a long time. But if he didn’t kiss her soon, she was going to self-combust into a thousand tiny pieces and float up to join the stars. She wanted this man so badly that there was no room for other thoughts. No room for slowing down and being cautious. Not with him. He was sweet but strong. It was possible, she realized, for a man to be both.
“Are you really not going back to the Army?”
He was quiet for a beat before he answered. “I almost signed up for another four years. That’s why I’m out here, you know. So I can get my head clear and make a good decision. It’s not an easy one to make.”
“If you can’t make the decision, let me make it for you. Don’t go back there. I want to think of you in Colorado. On a mountain.”
He grinned. “You want to think of me on a mountain?”
She wanted to think of him safe. Happy. “Won’t you be happy on a mountain?”
“Sometimes.”
She lifted her head from his chest to meet his eyes. Even in the moonlight, his warm eyes showed no judgment. She fixated on his lips. He didn’t take long to accept her invitation, and his mouth was on hers at last. She crawled in his lap to be closer. To be as close as two people could be. The kiss went wild quickly, his tongue sliding inside her as she opened for him, just as hot and wet as she’d imagined it would be.
So they were doing this.
Going further than required for two people pretending to be together. Her bones melted when he threaded his fingers through her hair, angling her face where he wanted it.
When they came up for air, he groaned. “That’s how you kiss a boyfriend.”
She smiled against his mouth and kissed him again and again, loving the way his tongue caressed hers. Insistent. Demanding. He was good. She wasn’t as experienced as some might think, but she’d kissed enough men to know that David should earn a gold medal in the event. Much more of this and all her bones would dissolve completely. Her hand crept under his shirt, and her fingers glided from the waistband of his jeans up to his hard pecs.
“Don’t do that,” he moaned. “I’m having a tough enough time keeping control. I don’t want to stop, but I also don’t want to get arrested for indecent exposure.”
“I’m sorry.” She pressed her forehead against his. “You’re simply irresistible.”
“Right back at ya.” He brought up their joined hands to his lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “How strict are they about indecent exposure in these parts?”
“Pretty strict.”
“Right. Should we go now before you kill me?”
“We can go back to my place.”
The speed with which David got them both back in the truck and on the road was almost comical. Especially given that he’d driven so slowly getting to his Aunt ChiChi’s that she had almost teased him about driving like grandma.
But it wasn’t quite as funny when the bright lights of a cruiser flashed behind them.
David groaned and slowed down to pull over. “I speed once a year and get caught every time.”
Jonah Baudouin approached the driver’s side. David pulled papers out of the glove compartment and reached in his back pocket for his wallet. He was, in other words, ready to pay up. Mallory bit her lower lip and tried not to smile.
“Hey, good evening.” Jonah said into the driver’s side window.
“Hey.” David nodded.
“Hi, Jonah!” Mallory leaned across David. “How are you?”
“Good.” He nodded once in David direction. “You must be David DeLuca.”
“That’s me.” David spoke with a tight smile. “I’m going to guess I don’t need to spell the family name for you when you write that ticket.”
“Do you know how fast you were going back there?” Jonah hooked his thumb behind him.
Mallory laid her hand on David’s thigh. “I’m sorry, Jonah. It’s all my fault. I forgot I left the Boulder Holder unlocked and once I remembered, David realized how important it was to get me back to town and lock up. I was worried we’d have a break-in.”
“That wouldn’t be good. Break-ins are a hell of a lot of paperwork.”
“And also, I’ve got Shay’s gift all wrapped and ready for you to pick up tomorrow morning. I don’t want that to get stolen.”
Jonah turned an interesting shade of crimson. “Oh yeah, that. I almost forgot.”
“Sure you did! But lucky for you I didn’t.” Mallory winked. “It’s all ready. The entire outfit. Merry Widow, fishnet—”
“Great!” Jonah interrupted, and slapped the roof of the truck. “I’ll stop by to get it first thing in the morning. You two better get going and lock up the shop. Pronto.”
“Thanks so much.” She wiggled her fingers good-bye.
David wasted no time starting the truck up again, then turned to Mallory. “I have never been so turned on by a woman.”
“You’re welcome.”
“You just got me out of a ticket. In Mayberry. I have to believe they need the revenue.”
She straightened in her seat as David pulled back on the road. “Men are very funny when it comes to lingerie. I mean, they like it and they’re a little embarrassed about how much they like it.”
“Not this guy.” David pointed to himself. “Proud lingerie fan right here.”
“Yeah?”
“Bring it on. Bring on all of the lingerie.”
“Uh-huh,” she said with a smile. “Just take me home, and this time you can drive like a grandma.”
Chapter 7
Once she and David were back at her house, she didn’t know what to do with him. Well, she knew what to do with him. But she’d never been this shy around a guy. He made her feel like a teenager again, home alone with her first crush. She busied herself by telling him she had to feed Sugar, who, after she’d eaten, lay on the floor in front of David showing off her lady bits.
“Interesting,” David said from the couch as he studied the hussy.
Then he crooked his finger at Mallory.
Hoo-boy. She kicked off her low-heeled nightmare pumps and met him at the couch, where he pulled her on to his lap.
“Yip! Yark!” Sugar said.
“That means stay away from my man,” Mallory interpreted.
“You understand her language.”
“She likes The Crown for all the bling. And somehow she’s got it in her head that you’re her man.”
“Sorry Sugar, I’m taken.” He kissed her neck, then tugged on her earlobe. “Do I get to see all the lingerie now?”
She sighed, losing her train of thought for a beat. “I’ve got quite a collection. We could be here all night.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
What was wrong with her? She had this hunk of man and she’d lost all her mojo. What timing. He rose from the couch and took her with him. She stood before him, feet firmly planted on the floor as his talented hands skimmed down bare arms and settled on her waist.
“Or I can go, if that’s what you want.”
No, that wasn’t what she wanted either. Not at all. She squeezed his biceps. “You better not, Mr. DeLuca.”
He grinned. “I don’t want to.”
She took his hand then and tugged him toward the bedroom because this was her house, and her choice. The truth was she’d never met a man like David DeLuca, but not because of what he looked like on the outside. She’d dated good looking men before. Plenty of them. Athletes. Running backs. Quarter backs. But she’d never been with a real man. One who fought for his country and loved his friends and family. Who didn’t take the easy way out. Who would, and she was certain of this, never lay his hands on a woman except to bring pleasure. She shut her bedroom door. Her fingers trembled as she brought down the zipper of her dress. Her David-repellant. Hadn’t worked on him, or
her. Wouldn’t work. Her feelings were too intense. He was too strong. Too sexy. Too much…everything.
He pulled his shirt off with one arm, then simply watched as her dress fell to the floor. “Damn.”
Underneath she wore a red satin demi cup bra with matching thong. She’d even coordinated her belly button ring with a red stone tonight. The lady in red. Because even though she’d had no plans to showcase her lingerie for him tonight, a lady never went anywhere without wearing her best.
“Is that for me?” he said, stepping close.
“For you.”
“I like it.” His teeth raked over his lower lip, and hands on her hips, pulled her in tight.
“And is that for me?” She slid a significant look at the bulge in his pants.
“You bet.”
Her fingers slid from his broad shoulders to his abs and felt his muscles there tighten in response. He took possession of her mouth again, his tongue hot, wild and demanding. She loved this. Loved the way he kissed her, like he could do it all day. He dropped to his knees. She drew in a sharp breath when that same hot, wet tongue took a tour. He licked from her bra line, down to her naval where he played with the jewelry and continued south. Very south. Much further south than Mallory had ever had a man go with his mouth.
He removed her panties and urged her to step out of them. Mallory figured they’d move to the bed, but that didn’t happen. Instead he stayed on his knees and suddenly those lips and that tongue went where no man had ever gone before. Oh, she’d heard about this before. Read it in Cosmo. Some of her Kappa Delta sisters swore it was the only way they’d have sex until they were married, so they could be virgins on their wedding night.
Mallory tried not to let her inexperience show, but she was getting a little worried here after a minute or so because she might be having a heart attack. Her heart was threatening to ram right out of her chest. Her breaths were little desperate spurts. Also, the moaning. It was getting loud in here. Oh my God, that was her moaning. How embarrassing. David was going to think she’d never had sex before. And quite possibly, she never had. Holy beejebuz, these were her fingers in his hair, pulling like she’d make him bald. She tried to let go when she noticed but she wanted, needed to hang on to something because her legs were about to buckle.
As if he knew it, he palmed her ass, squeezing tight and holding her up. Holding her in place where she couldn’t possibly get away from him. She said his name over and over again, then words like “wait,” and “I’m going to.” And then a string of sounds that may or may not have been actual words. After that she couldn’t speak any more because her entire body shook and trembled and the delicious waves of pleasure crashed over her again and again. She wasn’t aware of whether she was still in her body, or if she really had combusted and floated up to the stars. Then David carried her to the bed and she wound up on her back among all her frilly pillows.
Incredible. She’d gone to heaven but not died.
He gave her another easy smile, slowly stepping out of his pants and underwear. “You liked that.”
Yes, well, that was kind of a no-brainer but had he liked it? “Did I hurt you?”
“Hurt me?” He moved over her, dropped a kiss on her shoulder, and tugged a bra strap aside with his teeth.
She reached to stroke his beautiful head of dark brown hair. “I pulled your hair. I’m sorry.”
“I’m going to be just fine. I wasn’t paying a whole lot of attention to my hair.”
“You mean you liked…doing that?”
“I loved going down on you, babe. I can’t wait to do it again.”
That was going to happen again?
“Guess what I have.” He held up the Come Again condom with an easy smile.
She was never so happy to see Boulder Holder swag. “Great. Hurry.”
But he was in no hurry, because he continued to kill her slowly by pushing up the cup of her bra and sucking and licking each nipple until she writhed under him. She reached between them, stroking his shaft again and again until he groaned. He was hard and big in her hand, and getting bigger. She wanted him inside her yesterday. Finally, finally he rolled on the condom and pushed inside her. It took her a minute to adjust to his size, but he moved slowly at first, each stroke measured and controlled. When she met his thrusts, he began to move inside her deeper and faster in a rhythm that worked. They were in perfect sync, and she’d never felt this way before. Never felt such intense pleasure radiating and pulsating through her body. It grew in a delicious tingle that radiated from her toes and traveled up between her thighs.
“David,” she moaned.
“I know, babe,” he said. “I know.”
She had no words but just moaned as her entire body gave in to him. She clung to his shoulders to stop her spinning world. Her body shuddered and bucked and this time the wave of pleasure went all the way to her heart.
***
When David woke the next morning, he was in a bed next to something incredibly soft. Silky smooth and rosy pink. A woman. Yeah. But not just any woman. The five foot something beauty had kicked this soldier’s ass all night long. Mallory. Baby. He reached for her and slid his hand down her spine to her curvy ass. So soft.
But damn, he’d spent the night. He never spent the night.
Last night, Mallory had asked whether he wanted to stay. Because of the way she lay there, her hair wild and tousled, lips bruised from his kisses, nipples rosy pink and still damp from his kisses, he lost his mind. He’d told her that of course he’d stay if she wanted him to. She nodded shyly and it was all over for him. He assured her that Nate would not worry about him coming home and would understand.
And now he’d spent the night.
Plus, he was not at all sure that Nate would understand. Why would he when even David didn’t? Hadn’t he just told Nate a few days ago that he wouldn’t do temporary here? That he wasn’t looking for permanent? These were all true things. Then Mallory happened. He didn’t know what his plans were for the rest of his life, but one thing worried him intensely. He was sure of only one thing right now and it bugged the hell out of him. What he wanted was more of this. More of her.
More of this feeling of passion and heat like he’d never experienced before. When she came, she almost literally came apart for him, and that did something to him. He couldn’t put his finger on it, and the sensation was addictive. But none of this fit into his future plans. He was going back to his home state of Colorado, one way or another. Whether he’d stay there and work the resort with Quinn was still up in the air. But he was going back to Colorado. Leaving.
And today was the first day of the Founder’s Day Memory Lane Manor Walk. The big event where his family had insisted he bring a date. His cousin, Abby, and her husband, Jack Tanner, owned a home that finaled as one out of hundreds that applied for the prestigious honor. The DeLucas were all going to show up and lord it over everyone. Especially the Baudouins. Well, he had his date, didn’t he? And it had been his decision. His choice. But the joke was on him. He wasn’t sure so much that he had her, or whether she had him.
And it was possible his head was a little less screwed on than it had been before he got to lovely St. Helena. Fucking wonderful.
Mallory laid on her stomach next to him sleeping soundly, her heart shaped ass completely exposed and tempting him. He had to get his day started. Go back to Nate’s and take a shower. Change. Then come back to get Mallory and do this Founder’s day thing. He’d be driving back day after tomorrow. He was going to have to say goodbye to her, and he wasn’t sure how to do that.
“Mallory,” he nudged her and she let out a soft sigh. “Babe.”
“Hmmm.” She rolled over on her back.
He pushed the hairs that covered her left eye off her face and tucked them behind her ear. “I’m going to go to Nate’s, take a shower, and come back to get you later.”
“What’s today?” She murmured through eyes half-mast.
“Founder’s Day. Remember? You
’re my date.”
“Right. Get ready for crowds.” She reached out and her hands framed his face. “I’ll be here, Mr. DeLuca.”
He kissed her one last time and hurriedly dressed, then drove back to Nate and Frankie’s estate. Mallory was right about the traffic. It had increased at least ten-fold since yesterday, far worse than anything he’d seen since he’d arrived almost two weeks ago. Many of the streets were blocked off and traffic re-directed. A large banner read:
ST. HELENA'S ANNUAL FOUNDER'S DAY MEMORY LANE MANOR WALK: WHERE PRESERVATION AND INGENUITY MEET AT THE CORNER OF MEMORY LANE AND THE ROAD TO TOMORROW.
Would be nice if someone would roll out his own road to tomorrow, though he knew he was stubborn enough to reject anyone else’s ideas. Somehow he would figure this out for himself. When he arrived at Nate’s, it seemed early enough that he might not disturb the two lovebirds as he let himself in through the patio sliding glass door.
“Walk of shame,” Nate said from the kitchen table. “Caught you.”
“No shame involved.” David strode into the kitchen, and headed for the coffee carafe, and the liquid substance he’d be mainlining today.
As it turned out, he hadn’t slept much last night.
“So, you and Baby.” Nate held his coffee in his Father of the Year mug (already over-achieving), not so subtlety eyeing David.
“Mallory.” And that point of contention, he now became uncomfortably aware of, had just become a lot more personal.
“Don’t bite my head off. Mallory. You and Mallory.”
“Yeah.” He let out a long, deep sigh. His cousin was only trying to help. “That…wasn’t planned. It sort of hit me square between the eyes.”
Nate nodded sagely. “How it usually happens.”
Okay, but what had happened here, exactly? He’d veered wildly off plan, that’s all. Nothing a little re-directing wouldn’t fix.
“Don’t worry, I’ll figure this out.”
“I’m sure you will. And you’ll do it without hurting anyone, least of all a girl who has already been through enough.”
Forever My Girl Page 5