by Cari Quinn
“I’m not ready to leave the dance floor.”
“I didn’t say we were leaving.”
She settled her hands against his shoulders and slid her knee between his as they swayed. “You were very rude to Brandon.”
“He’ll get over it.”
She peered around him. “Should I worry about Kain?”
“Should I worry about Bells?”
“Yes.”
Shane let out a quick bark of laughter. “Nice.”
“Her signature song is ‘Barracuda.’ Does that say anything?”
“You’re lying.”
“Maybe.”
He skimmed his palm along the barely-there fabric at her back. From across the room it was dangerous enough, but up close, he saw just how transparent it was. There was some sort of slip thing beneath it, but a man had to be paying attention to see it.
“I was tempted to tie a boulder to Brandon and toss him in the lake.”
“What?” She laughed up at him. “Why?”
“Because he was looking at you like you were the most appetizing thing in the entire room.”
“And that’s bad?”
“Hell no. You’re the most beautiful woman in the room. Period.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh.”
Pretty words didn’t come easy to him, but he wanted to find them for her. Loving her was one of the easiest and hardest things he’d ever done.
“Hey, you guys,” Bells yelled from the corner of the room. She was standing on a chair, her hand on Kain’s shoulder. Kain was grinning up at her. “It’s countdown time!”
“Uh-oh.”
Shane looked down at her. “What?”
“I hope Kain’s ready for Bells. I have a feeling she’s going to plant one on him.”
“Yeah?” He grinned. It would serve Kain right if Bells shook him up. Kain was far too used to getting whatever he wanted. “I think he can handle it. Besides, I’m only interested in planting one on you.”
“Is that right?”
Chants of twenty, nineteen, eighteen blurred in his mind as he lowered his mouth to hers. He couldn’t wait until the final countdown to one. Her usual apple flavor was missing. In its place was the heady scent of flowers that matched her petal-soft lips. He’d meant to keep the kiss easy and gentle, but when her arms wound around his neck and she slipped her fingers through his hair, he lost himself in her.
She tasted of sweet wine and Kendall. He bent her back with the force of the kiss, and he didn’t give a good goddamn about the whooping crowd. He lifted her off her feet, slanting his mouth along hers.
The room erupted into laughter, the crank of cheap New Year’s toys, and paper trumpets. He set her down, and she backed her way through the people, only eyes for him. She led him upstairs.
There were people on the stairs taking advantage of the shadows. He and Kendall wove around them and up to the second floor. She took a right and then a left down a skinny hallway that led to a tiny room.
He frowned. “Is this your room?” It was a closet. Not an exaggeration. The room couldn’t be formally named a bedroom.
“I gave up my bedroom for B and B space. I only crash here. It’s going to be a bit of a tight fit, but we’re used to tight fits, aren’t we, Oscar?”
Instead of focusing on what her room lacked, he zeroed in on the long, skinny mattress. She scooted back on the bed. Her shoulder glittered in the dim light of her bedside lamp. The large keyhole cutout between her breasts showed curves unencumbered by a bra.
He nosed the material aside, sliding his knee between her legs as he pressed her into the bed. Groaning against her tight little nipple, he twirled his tongue around the tip.
Her nails scraped along his scalp as she shifted under him until the zipper of his dress pants met with her panties. He tugged the stretchy material of her skirt up, anxious to touch her. For the last week he’d contented himself with kisses, determined to see if there was more than just sex between them.
At this point he wasn’t sure if the passion fed the love or the love fed the passion. All he knew was that he was tired of questioning it.
She reached between them and unhooked a tiny clasp, and the dress fell open enough for him to get full access to her breast. He brushed his chin along the fullest part of her breast, staring up at her as he blew on her nipple.
Kendall bowed up under him. He used the movement to slip under her panties and tease his knuckles along her swollen center.
“God, Sunshine.”
She dragged his mouth up to hers, cupping his face in both her hands with just the slightest space between their mouths. “I love you, Oscar. I needed to say it. I know it’s still so complicated, and we’re not sure what’s going to happen, but I needed you to know that it’s not just about the Heron anymore.”
Humbled and at a loss for words, he opened his mouth, but she closed her lips over his.
He held on to her. The words were still lodged in his chest, but knowing he wasn’t the only one hopelessly tangled increased his aggressive nature. He pushed the stretchy dress up her body and over her head, leaving her with just shoes and panties on in the middle of her postage stamp-sized bed.
He gathered her hands together; anchoring her wrists between his long fingers, he drew them up and over her head. With his other hand he tucked a knuckle under the hood of her pussy.
Eyes locked with hers, he stroked her relentlessly as he held her down. She was restless under his touch; gasps and moans were lost against the skin of her arm as she turned her face to muffle the sounds of her pleasure.
He scraped his teeth over the fullness of her breasts that were plumped up in that position. With one finger, then another, he opened her wider.
His name was a whimper, a whisper, a plea as he brought her to the edge, then backed off. His own pleasure was behind glass, throbbing just on the other side—waiting to erupt.
He leaned up. The buttons of his dress shirt dragged against her skin as he transferred his mouth to hers and pumped his fingers inside her. She screamed into his mouth. Her fingers shook under his grip. He could feel the maddening thrum of her heart against his chest and under his palm at her wrist.
Jerking his buckle open, he released the strap of his belt and unzipped. She rolled her hips, seeking him. He had to get inside her, needed to feel her close around him and let the world make sense again.
He needed to show her how much she meant to him, the only way he knew how.
Cheek to cheek, he panted against her ear as he finally slid into her. Where he belonged. The tumblers shot together to unlock his grieving heart and give it the chance to love again.
“Mine. Always,” he whispered in her ear.
He let her hands go, and she surrounded him—a full-body clasp that felt more like home than anything he’d ever experienced.
And he trusted her to be everything he needed as he found his release inside her body.
Kendall glided her calf along the inside of his thigh. He was still wearing his dress pants, shirt, and shoes. She, however, was naked, save her heels. And she felt glorious.
For the first time the clawing worry about the Heron faded into the background. She was lying beside the man she loved. The same man she’d actually told, and he hadn’t run like his ass was on fire.
No, he’d loved her until her eyes were crossed. He’d whispered that she was his, and he was stretched out underneath her, as relaxed as any sated man should be.
Everything was perfect for one moment.
And she had a whole new year ahead of her to see just what kind of amazing future they might have together.
She inched up until she could bury her face against his neck. She could taste the salt of his skin; the soft bristles of his beard teased her lips. His cedar-chip scent was even more pronounced.
“I have to go back downstairs, you know.”
He grunted.
She smiled into his neck. “Everyone is going to know I went upstairs to get laid.”
She propped herself up on her elbow. “Why does it bother you? I don’t want anyone except you. Isn’t that enough?”
Shane slid his hand down her back and cupped her ass. “I’ll try to curb my murderous thoughts.”
“You trust me, right?”
He brushed the side of his thumb along a lock of hair that escaped her pins. “You have too much integrity to cheat.”
The little ripple of warmth that always came when he got jealous glowed hotter. “Then why do you get upset?”
“Because I’m a guy, and I know what kind of thoughts they’re having. And I don’t like it.”
She shook her head. It didn’t make sense to her, but as long as he didn’t do something stupid, there wasn’t much she could do about it. She shimmied her way down the bed and picked up her dress. “I’m just going to freshen up.”
In the bathroom she repaired her makeup and gave up on trying to control her hair. Instead, she left it down her back. Shane liked it down, and right now she was feeling good enough to give him whatever he wanted.
She returned to her room, and he was looking over her DVD collection.
“So that Supernatural crack was true.”
“Yep, I love the boys. You’re a little like Bobby, except your beard is hotter.”
He frowned down at her. “I’m not that grouchy.”
“If you say so.”
He lifted her dress onto her shoulder only to have it drop down her arm again. “It’s made to slip off the shoulder.”
He dropped a kiss on the exposed skin. “Come on, then, before Lily comes up here and bangs on the door.” He shook his head.
“What?”
“I feel like when I was seventeen and snuck my girlfriend past my dad to stay overnight.”
Delighted, she went on her tiptoes and kissed his scowling mouth. “I think I like that you’re feeling a little guilty.”
He hooked his arm around her neck and led her out into the hallway. The party was still going full swing downstairs. As soon as she got to the bottom of the landing, Bells dragged her around the corner and out onto the porch.
Shane waved at her and wandered off. Probably to find Kain.
“What the heck, Bells?”
“You leave me down here with that…that…that man while you go upstairs for a booty call?”
Startled at the wide-eyed panic in her friend’s eyes, she clutched her hands. “What happened?”
“He kissed me. That’s what happened.”
“Well, it is New Year’s. Lots of kissing happens. Even between strangers.”
“I intended on kissing him. That’s not the problem. I was on the chair and was going to plant a good kiss on him. You know, my second-date kiss?”
Kendall swallowed a laugh. Her friend was obviously gearing up for a story. “Impressive. The second-date kiss doesn’t come out all that often these days.”
“I know. But he’s friggin’ gorgeous, and I thought, hey, why not? I should bring out my A-game.”
“So you think he’s attractive.”
“Did you fall on your head upstairs?” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Did he fuck you into the headboard one too many times?”
Kendall felt the blush flame her face. “No.”
“No, he didn’t fuck you into the headboard?”
“Oh, he did. Kind of. He likes to hold me down, so I don’t tend to do too much in the way of head banging.”
Bells’s blue eyes widened. “He likes to what?”
Kendall smirked. “You were telling a story?”
“You can’t distract me with good sex stories right now. My brain is pudding.”
“Sounds like you have a good kiss story. So why are you so mad at him?”
“I was getting to it.”
She didn’t mean to laugh at her friend, but Bells was a little melodramatic sometimes. “Please, go on.”
“Anyway, there I was ready to do damage, and he lifts me right off the chair and kisses me. Not just any kiss. The perfect kiss. The kind with just the right amount of tongue and lips and heat. A kiss to friggin’ end all kisses.”
“Sounds like my kind of kiss.”
“No, that’s not the kind of kiss I want from a man who just puts me down like it didn’t matter one bit. Like he kisses every woman like that.”
Kendall winced. “I’m sorry, Bells.”
Her best friend sagged against the door leading to the porch. “I’ve kissed a lot of guys. Some have been almost there. Some I’ve even thought knew how to kiss perfectly. But Kain leaves them all in the dust.”
“So what are you going to do about it?”
“Ignore him.”
“Belinda Grayson.”
“Hey, he’s going to get on his fancy jet and head back to California. I don’t need bicoastal grief in my life.”
Kendall hugged her. “I’m sorry you had to find the killer kiss in someone who’s not amazing enough to figure out it was magic.”
Bells shrugged and pulled back. “The only thing that sucks is I can’t kiss anyone for a long time. They’re all going to pale in comparison until I put it out of my mind.”
Bells was a serial dater. She didn’t often let it go beyond a few steamy kisses, and she was a fountain of information about dating, but she was rarely without male companionship.
“I feel like I should say I’m sorry again. He’s a friend of mine.”
“I won’t hold it against you. Especially if you give me details on the part about Shane holding you down.”
“What more do you need?”
“I’m usually too much of a control freak to let a guy hold me down. I don’t know if that turns me on or if I’d freak out and deck the guy.”
“I went with turned on. Triple time.”
Bells groaned. “You are a bad woman. Very bad, and I’m very proud of you. But I gotta get out of here and shower off all the humanity that manhandled me at New Year’s.”
“Happy New Year, Bells.”
“Ditto, Ken.”
After walking Bells to the door, she searched out her mother. Lily was in a small circle of friends, so she just stopped in and kissed her cheek and wished the group a Happy New Year.
She showed people out and collected keys from a few who were well beyond the sober status. Luckily everyone found a ride home with friends and neighbors.
When the final guest was tucked upstairs and Lily had gone to find her bed, she changed into jeans and a sweater before she headed to the workshop.
Expecting to find the guys sitting around one of Shane’s tables, she was surprised to see the room was empty. She heard dull thuds and followed the sounds to the back of the barn. Shane held the heavy canvas bag as Kain pummeled it with vicious, bare-knuckled jabs.
Kain’s shirt was off, and sweat beaded on his skin, sparkling under the bright three-quarter moon. His chest was smooth, and a tribal tattoo covered one pec. She couldn’t catch the details in the dark, but it was large, black, and detailed.
“Everything okay here?”
Shane turned around, holding the bag with his back. “Kain’s had a rough week. Figured bloodying his knuckles would help a little bit.”
“Is it working?”
Kain increased his blows. “If you see Shane without a bruise or fat lip by morning, it worked.”
“Is frustration part of this equation?” she asked sweetly.
Shane stumbled forward at the one-two combo. “Do you still have an open room at the main house?”
“That’s what I came over to tell you. Kain can stay in the Navy Room when he goes down for the count.”
“Thanks, babe.”
She frowned at Kain one last time and waved. Tired didn’t even cover it. She was ready to pull her blankets up to her chin and blink out.
The next morning was pure chaos. The Simmons family was heading out, as were the older couple who had shown up midweek. Kain
was gone before she’d gotten up. His room was barely disturbed, but there was a depression in the pillow to let her know he’d at least attempted sleep.
Not to mention an envelope with far too much money in it inside her drop box at the main desk. Triple her nightly stay rate along with a note telling her if she was going to be stubborn about the money, to send the rest to charity.
She wasn’t quite as prideful as Shane and happily added it to the receipts. The next few weeks would be light. People were recovering from the holidays and didn’t have the extra money to stay at a B and B.
It was well after two by the time all the cars finally left. She and her mother sagged to the kitchen table.
“Were there bribes on that Web site? How on earth did we get so many people in here at the last minute?”
“That’s a very good question.” Kendall stood and pulled out her laptop. She’d brought it down from her room days ago to check the site, but their guests kept her so busy she hadn’t been able to actually open the stupid thing.
“What’s the story with Kain and Bells?”
Kendall slid a glance at her mother. “Evidently he kissed the stuffing out of her, and instead of enjoying the moment, Bells got pissed off.”
“I would have enjoyed it.”
“Mom!”
“I’m not dead, Kendall. He’s hot.”
“Were you hanging out with Micah and Abby?”
Her mother chuckled. “Those girls reminded me of you and Bells when you were younger.”
“We didn’t have that kind of eye candy.”
“No, but you both would chatter about rock stars and actors with the same exuberance. Besides, you don’t need to do the big sighs. You have your very own man now.”
Kendall shifted restlessly in her chair and focused on the computer booting up. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“I’ve noticed this thing going on between you and Shane. So has everyone else. And if I hadn’t known about it before, that kiss on New Year’s set the entire town on fire.”
“Oh, for God’s sakes. Don’t people have other things to talk about?”