by Rhonda Helms
I arched against him, drunk on liquor, drunk on him.
He ripped his mouth away and looked at me, and there was an intensity in his eyes that knocked the air out of my lungs.
That look said he wanted to possess me, devour me, taste every square inch of my body and thrust inside me for hours. And it was coming from Kyle.
Oh my God.
This was so crazy, so unexpected, but I couldn’t deny the rush of need that made every nerve ending on the surface of my skin flare in excitement. I panted and curled my fingers into his hair, tugging his head back to mine. Crazy or not, I ached for this right now.
Then all words fled my brain as his mouth took mine again in a soul-searing kiss. I could feel the throb of his heartbeat pounding against my chest, an unsteady staccato that revealed he was just as turned on as I was.
It made me heady with arousal. I did that to him.
His mouth darted down to my cleavage and he licked me there. I arched and smothered a soft moan when his mouth left each patch of skin. My nipples throbbed, my breasts full and tight. I ran my hands down to his hips, pulling his pelvis against me.
That hard ridge of his erection made me sigh in pleasure.
Kyle wanted me.
I was so tempted to stroke him there but I was also afraid. Part of my head kept saying, This is insane! But the emotions surging in me didn’t care that it was my old nemesis turning me on so strongly. When his wide hand cupped my ass to grind me against him, my small scrap of panties dampened.
I wanted out of them.
Now.
His hands gripped my dress, and the hem inched higher and higher. I straddled my thighs along one of his, rubbed myself on the soft, well-worn fabric of his jeans.
Kyle’s head dropped to press a hot, open-mouthed kiss to my shoulder. “You’re driving me crazy,” he breathed against my skin.
“I need you right now,” I managed to say. My head was spinning, and I knew I couldn’t blame this all on alcohol. His scent had wrapped around me, penetrated me to permanently etch this moment into my brain.
I rubbed my throbbing breasts against his chest, a not-so-subtle encouragement for him to touch me more.
He stilled. Pulled back from me. His lips were slightly swollen, and he sucked in a breath through his nostrils. “No, wait.”
My heart stopped. I froze and dropped my hands as my old pal, embarrassment, made my cheeks and neck burn.
Before I could open my mouth to speak, he continued. “I don’t want to do this here. In the bathroom, of all places, and when you’ve had some drinks.” His voice sounded like he’d been chewing on rocks. He cleared his throat, and his eyes warmed as he looked at me. “You deserve better than that.”
My heart tripped over itself, and all the tension swooshed out of my body. Not a rejection, then. Just gentlemanly consideration.
And he was right. Now that I was getting out of my heady arousal, I could hear the bathroom door open and a group of women come in, their chattering filling the space between us.
My cheeks burned hotter. This was so not me. What had I done? Made out with Kyle in the bathroom, practically begged him to have sex with me? Good grief. I was a total idiot. Thankfully one of us had some sense, because it was apparent it wasn’t going to be this girl.
Kyle gripped my hand for a moment and shook his head. He leaned down to whisper in my ear, “Let’s go somewhere else to talk.” The sensation of his warm breath on my ear made me shiver.
I was beyond tempted to press against him again. My body had grown a bit chilly from his pulling away. But pride made me wrap my arms around myself and just give him a curt nod.
When the group of girls left, Kyle unlocked the door and led me out of the bathroom, taking my free hand once again; my other hand clenched my bag, which I’d almost forgotten on top of the toilet. His fingers threaded with mine, and we wove through the crowd. It looked like even more people had arrived since we’d left the main bar area.
We got our coats and left. He led me to his car, dark and small but clean, and opened the passenger-side door for me to get in.
I ignored the strange burning sensation in my chest at the chivalrous behavior. No guy had ever opened the door for me before. When he got in the car, his presence filled the interior, and I closed my eyes and leaned my head back on the headrest. My skin still tingled from the feel of his mouth and hands on me.
The car turned on, and Kyle led us away from the bar.
Chapter Eight
It was a few minutes after eleven thirty when we pulled into the driveway of Kyle’s old Victorian home. I was taken aback that he’d brought me here but decided to roll with it. Hell, I’d already practically mauled the guy in the bathroom… That alone maxed out the surprise factor for the evening.
The car headed into the garage, and we exited then made our way to the side door, which he keyed quickly before ushering me in. The house was dark, so he flicked on a light switch, and golden light from a wall sconce welcomed me into a small entryway. We went up a half flight of stairs. He turned on a lamp in a cozy living room then waved me in.
The light blue room was old but clean, with a large gray area rug covering wooden floors and a massive brick fireplace against one wall. The couch was dark green and inviting, so I perched on one end. My heartbeat was stuttering like crazy right now.
It was strange, being here at night with him. Strange and intimate. I felt like I’d fallen through the looking glass into a topsy-turvy world. I was thrown a bit off kilter.
Kyle left then returned a minute later with two glasses of water. I took one and sipped. He claimed the chair opposite me, putting purposeful distance between us. Point noted. My gut burned, and I drank faster. Well, I’d just sober up and get the hell out of here while I still had a scrap of dignity intact.
He was the one to start that kiss, part of my brain protested. The other part reminded me that he’d also been the one to pull away. Gah. All this thinking and analyzing made my stress level crawl back up. I could almost feel knots forming in my upper back.
Minutes ticked by. Neither one of us spoke, just drank our water. I glanced around the room and saw a picture on the side table of Kyle when he was slightly younger and carefree, his arm thrown around a girl. Her face looked just like his—those piercing eyes, the same shape of nose and jaw.
“Is that your sister?” I asked with a nod at the picture. I was pretty sure I’d seen her around town.
For the first time since we got to his house, he gave a small smile. “Yup. Millie. She just went off to college this year.”
“What’s she majoring in?”
“She’s still figuring that out. At least she’s on scholarship while she ‘finds herself.’” He chuckled, shaking his head. He relaxed into the chair and drank the last of his water. Then he stood. “I’m gonna make coffee. Want a cup?”
“Sure.” I watched him go and then got up and moved around the room. Not a lot of personal touches in here, which made it hard to get to know him. Even more surprising was that I did want to know more about him. Tonight’s…incident in the bathroom made me realize I’d been making a lot of assumptions about Kyle.
That he was nothing more than a rude jerk.
That he didn’t care about being honest with people.
That he wasn’t attracted to me.
I went to the bookshelf and eyed the rows and rows of books. There was some old stuff in there, classic novels I’d read and loved myself. Even a copy of Jane Eyre. I had to admit that softened me up a bit. Any guy who had a copy of that novel couldn’t be all that bad. It looked well read, not like he’d bought it as girl bait.
Beside it was a volume of Walden by Henry David Thorough, possibly an original edition from the 1800s, given the condition of the cover. Was Kyle into poetry? Interesting.
The guy was a total mystery.
“One of my favorites,” he said from right behind me. “You should read it.”
I gave a guilty flush and faced him, to
ok the cup from his hand. Busted for being nosy. “Sorry. I was just curious,” I admitted.
He shrugged and sipped his coffee then settled back into his chair. “If you want to know something about me, just ask.”
“Do you like your job?” I found myself asking. I cupped the black mug and took a sip of the steaming drink. It burned my tongue. Too hot. I set it down on the end table and reclaimed my seat.
Something flickered in his eyes, and then he said in an even voice, “It pays the bills.”
So not really. Empathy filled me at the thought of him taking on the family business even though he didn’t like it. I wanted to ask him why, but that seemed too prying. “So what would you rather be doing instead?” I crossed my legs and fidgeted with my fingers in my lap.
His eyes darted to my bare thighs. He took another sip and looked away. Shrugged. “I like computers. I’m good at my job because I understand them and can find almost anything online. Might be fun to do more of that.” His gaze drew back to my legs then away ever so quickly.
Kyle might not have realized it, but those two furtive glances told me he wasn’t as unaffected by me as he was pretending to be right now. Understanding rushed through me, and I swallowed. My hands trembled with need. I couldn’t deny that I wanted to taste his kiss again. Feel his hands digging into my hips. This guy intrigued me; he wasn’t what he seemed.
Could Bianca have already understood this about him? Unlike with West, she never had anything bad to say about Kyle, despite my frequent griping about him. She always stood up for the guy, said I was unfair and judgmental.
Maybe she was right. And now I had a good opportunity to explore it all a bit more, discover the truth for myself. The alcohol still lingering in my system gave me the courage to do so.
We were alone, with nothing else to interrupt us. Anticipation made my breathing grow a touch more rapid.
I cast my gaze around the room and saw a liquor cabinet tucked into the corner. With slow, purposeful movements, I zipped off my boots and watched him watch me. I stroked my fingers along the inner arch of my bare foot, rubbed the muscles there.
His eyes grew dark, but still he didn’t speak. Nor did he look away this time.
I stood and moved to the liquor cabinet then grabbed the Baileys bottle. Poured a healthy dollop into my coffee—Bianca would be proud. I thrust it in his direction.
He stared for a moment, took the bottle and poured some into his coffee as well.
I moved to the end of the couch and stretched my legs without bothering to pull down my dress. It was dangerously close to the apex of my thighs, and I felt wild and wicked. Brazen. I downed a good third of my coffee. Hello, alcohol buzz.
“So why weren’t you out on a date tonight?” I asked boldly as I cocked my head and eyed him. Kyle was attractive. Surely he could have found someone to spend New Year’s Eve with.
His lips curved into a smile that didn’t look friendly. It looked…predatory. Heat flushed my skin and made my nipples tighten. The soft fabric of my dress was thin enough to reveal my arousal. And the way he eyed my breasts said he was fully aware of it.
“I didn’t want to spend my New Year’s Eve with just anyone.” The words were simple but impactful. He was here with me, and it was almost midnight.
I wasn’t just anyone.
The pulse in my throat throbbed, and I swallowed. Rubbed my thighs together in an effort to ease the ache there. Took a long drag of my coffee and let the alcohol saturate my mind.
Kyle stood and stalked over to me. He lifted the mug out of my hands and tugged me out of my seat. “Why are you wearing that dress tonight, Natalie?” he asked in almost a catlike purr. “Were you hoping to attract someone’s attention?”
That made my hackles rise. “I can dress however I damn well please. For myself, not for anyone else.”
His finger slid down my bare arm, leaving an eruption of goose bumps wherever he touched, and he moved closer. His scent enveloped me. “Fair enough. If you want to wear a dress that makes you feel sexy and desirable, you should.”
My panties grew damp at the heated promise in his eyes. I began to pant when his other hand drifted to my throat, stroked the slender stretch of collarbone.
He leaned down until he was inches from my mouth. Our breaths mingled, and my heart slammed so hard in my chest I was sure he could hear it. What had started out as a kind-of game to get him turned on had flipped all around. Kyle had taken control with sexy, confident ease.
A large clock in another room began to chime. It was midnight, the start of a new year.
I swallowed. “Happy New Year,” I murmured.
“Happy New Year.” And then he took my lips in another sizzling kiss that left me gasping and clinging to him.
We dove into each other’s mouths, our bodies slamming closed. Kyle’s hands moved to my ass and cupped me against his strong, bold erection.
I clawed at his neckline in an effort to get his shirt off, while he dug his hands into my fleshy cheeks.
“God, you taste as good as I thought you would,” he said against my lips.
That stopped me for a moment. Kyle had imagined kissing me? Since when? Before I could run with that thought, his tongue swirled my earlobe, and then he sucked the sensitive flesh there.
I groaned and lifted his shirt to slide my hands along his firm, ridged abdomen, relishing with pure delight the way his skin jumped under my hands.
Somehow, we found our way to the couch and stretched out along its length, him lying on top of me. I wrapped my thighs around his, which aligned our pelvises. I was throbbing, hungry, my body screaming for him to touch me everywhere.
When one of his hands moved to my upper thigh, across my pelvis to rub my wet warmth, I pressed against him. My head arched back, and he licked the expanse of my neck. His legs were solid and firm between mine, but he wasn’t close enough.
My hem was shoved over my hips, and I wiggled to scoot it higher up to my waist. Then the dress was lifted all the way over my head. I shivered when cool air hit my bare skin. My eyes landed on Kyle’s face; he was staring at my bare breasts with a hunger that stole my air.
He ripped off his shirt, buttons flying everywhere. Then his scorching body was back against mine, and his mouth suckled one of my nipples.
I gasped, gripped his hair to tug him closer. My breast swelled from his ministrations, and I closed my eyes and just felt. Smelled the warmth of his skin, the soft ridges and muscles of his bare back. The smooth strands of his hair, messed from my fingers. My hair had come out of my updo, so the locks spilled across my shoulders, giving another layer of sensation to my oversensitive skin.
“That feels so good,” I said on a soft exhale.
“Look at me,” he said, and I opened my eyes to do so. His gaze was molten, and my skin lit on fire with the words in his eyes. “I want you, Natalie.”
I nodded. Yes. God, yes. I wanted him too. If he didn’t fill me right now, I was pretty sure I’d explode. I reached down to stroke his erection. Just one long, slow movement to give him my answer.
The groan that slipped from his lips made me hungrier. He stood to take off his jeans. I lay back on his couch, naked except for my panties, watching Kyle strip down. My body was one big throbbing pulse, my eyes greedily devouring the deep V of his pelvis, the hard length that sprang from his boxer briefs.
He dug into his pocket, grabbed his wallet, ripped a condom open and put it on. Then he paused, looked at me, and I saw the hesitation in his eyes. “Maybe—”
Before he could finish his sentence, I grabbed his head and kissed him. Reached my hand to stroke the soft hairs on his lower belly. “Please don’t stop,” I said. I heard the slightly begging edge in my voice and felt my cheeks burn. Good grief, was I really throwing myself at him—again?
He groaned and pulled back. Shook his head, amusement in his eyes. “I wasn’t going to stop. I was just wondering if we should move it to my bed.”
Relief surged through me, and I smile
d. Suddenly, I felt a little shy; the intimacy of our position, of the moment, hit me full force.
Kyle’s face softened with emotion, and he tangled his hands in my hair. There was a shift in his mood as he covered my face with tender kisses that made my heart rise to my throat. This man was so unexpected, so real and raw right now. I didn’t want to break the spell.
“Let’s stay here,” I replied, turning my head to take his mouth in a slow kiss.
Our bodies aligned once more, and I wrapped my calves around his thighs, toes stroking the backs of his knees. He tugged my panties off and entered me, and I closed my eyes, breathed, savored the moment.
“So tight,” he bit out as he nuzzled my neck. His fingers tightened along my scalp, giving a pleasure-pain sensation that made me shiver. “Oh God, that feels amazing.”
“Don’t stop,” I ordered as he pulled out then slid back in to fill me again.
We moved in a steady rhythm, slow and unsteady at first, then familiar, growing harder and more frantic as our pleasure built. Sweat slicked our bodies. The hunger built in my core, surged through my limbs, and I clung to Kyle like he was my everything. I’d never been this aroused. It felt like my body was on fire.
Kyle panted in my ear, uneven huffs that turned me on even more. I wanted to hear him lose his control.
“Yes, yes,” I gasped. My breasts loved the delicious friction of his chest, becoming almost painfully swollen. I could feel my orgasm building, a sharp crest that made me throb. “I’m going to…” It hit me in a blast that had me crying out against his shoulder.
As the climax faded into a sweet, soft lull, I felt his body tighten against me. He groaned then wrapped those strong arms around me. My throat closed from the intimacy of the moment as he gave a guttural yell into my hair.
Our panting breaths slowed as we lay there, bodies entwined, him still inside me. I felt him kiss my cheek as he whispered, “Thank you.”
My eyes filled with tears and I blinked. No way was I going to cry. This was amazing, intense, exactly what I’d wanted and needed. I wasn’t going to ruin it by getting all weird and emotional.