And it was a complete turn-on.
It was on the tip of his tongue to ask her what exactly she did, but he had a feeling he was already enjoying it.
Stepping back, Christian slipped off her sandals and noticed the bright coral paint on her toes. Lifting her foot, he kissed her ankle.
And she hummed with pleasure.
Slowly, his hands retraced his earlier path—skimming up her calf and lifting her leg so he could kiss the sensitive spot behind her knee.
Her hum became a low moan.
Feeling bold, Christian leaned in closer and kissed a path up her thigh, sliding the green silk of her dress up as he went. He opened his eyes in time to see the tiny panties that matched her dress and hissed at the sight of them. He brought his gaze up to meet hers.
“For me?” he asked gruffly.
Biting her lip, Sophie nodded, and all Christian could think of was how he was possibly the luckiest man alive.
His hand shook as he touched her intimately—his finger gently caressing the thin material. “How attached are you to them?”
Sophie’s smile grew. “They’re yours to do with as you want.”
It was like waving the red flag in front of a bull. He knew what he was going to do with them and as his hands grasped the fabric and tugged, he smiled triumphantly as they tore away from her body. Holding the scraps in his hand, he looked down at Sophie. “A thong?”
She nodded again. “I thought you might like them.”
“Now I’m sorry I didn’t take the time to strip you properly.”
Another sexy hum. “I bought more. If you’re lucky, you’ll have other opportunities.”
He loved the way she thought.
“Sweetheart, I do believe that luck is about it become my middle name.”
* * *
Sleepily, Sophie tiptoed across the room and into the bathroom. Closing the door behind her, she felt along the wall for the light switch and squinted when the entire room lit up. There was a large mirror over the vanity and it was hard not to look at herself—naked, squinty, with bedhead and all.
Not her best look. However…
“I look glowy,” Sophie said with a satisfied grin. Leaning closer to the bathroom mirror, she confirmed it. “Yup. Definitely glowy.”
On the other side of the door, Christian was still asleep. The sun wasn’t even up yet and she had needed to pee, but after a quick glance in the mirror at her disheveled state, she knew she needed a closer look. With her hair a riotous mess, her lips a little swollen, and some delicious aches all over her body, there was no doubt she was a woman who had spent an amazing night being thoroughly loved.
The happy little sigh couldn’t be contained and once she’d finished in the bathroom and slowly padded back to the bed, Christian instantly reached for her.
He didn’t say a word—simply guided her back beside him and held her close. He was warm and hard, and Sophie couldn’t get enough of being pressed up against him like this. Their legs tangled together, his arms wrapped around her, and then his lips sought hers.
“I missed you,” he murmured against her lips before settling her in against his side.
Sophie couldn’t stop herself from smiling. “I was only gone for a minute.”
But he shook his head. “It felt much longer.”
Kissing his chest, she rested her hand over his heart and immediately relaxed. “Go back to sleep. It’s way too early for either of us to be awake.”
“Mmm.”
It was obvious that he was nearly asleep and she didn’t mind. It was barely four in the morning and she could definitely use a little more sleep herself. Her mind, however, was going a mile a minute with thoughts of their night—the conversation, the dinner, the drive home, and ultimately the dessert. It had taken several hours to get to it, but it was well worth the wait. She never knew eating could be such an erotic experience. Between licking the frosting off each other’s fingers—among other places—and feeding one another, there was no way she would be able to look at a simple slice of cake the same way ever again.
She placed a feather-light kiss on his chest as she snuggled closer. The French doors that led out to the deck were opened and she could hear the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, mixed with the soft sound of Christian’s breathing. Both were soothing to her and Sophie had to wonder how she had gotten so lucky—how the darkest and lowest point in her life had led her directly to this place.
And to falling in love with Christian Montgomery.
Never one who took romantic relationships lightly, Sophie used to laugh at her girlfriends who always had crushes or who seemed to fall in love at the drop of a hat. She preferred to get to know someone and get a feel for who he was on multiple levels before deciding if she could connect with and—eventually—get romantically involved with him. And everything she had learned about Christian in the past month made her feelings deeper and deeper, to the point that it almost scared her. Mainly because it had happened so soon.
And partly because everything about him was so incredibly different from anything she’d ever known.
Take his home—Sophie had grown up in a small rural town. The home she and her grandmother shared was a modest, two-bedroom house with one bathroom. The roof leaked, the exterior needed paint, and their appliances didn’t match. But it was filled with a lot of memories—there were framed pictures all over the house that told the story of her life. Whereas Christian’s home looked as if a designer had decorated it and it was void of any personalization. It didn’t matter how beautiful the space was, every time she came here it made her sad to think of him living in someplace so cold.
She had to wonder what his family was like. From everything he’d shared about his father, she already didn’t like him. But his mother and aunt had been so sweet and friendly that it confused her to imagine those two personalities in one family. As for her own family—meaning her grandmother—they were who they were, and even though right now she wasn’t feeling her closest to Nana, Sophie always felt loved.
Or at least she had.
Yawning, Sophie forced herself to stop thinking about the negative. Too many wonderful things had happened to her in the past twelve hours to ruin them with tainted memories. She was in bed with a wonderful man, in a beautiful room, and very satisfied. That was what she needed to focus on.
That and…maybe being a little bold and being the one to wake Christian up this time. Any time they had dozed earlier, it had been Christian waking her up because he wanted her again. This time, she wanted to be the one to slowly tease him to wakefulness.
Her hand gently rubbed his chest and he hummed softly in his sleep. Next, she shifted so she could lift up on one elbow and look at him a bit. Leaning forward, Sophie began to kiss all the spots her hand had just touched. Earlier, she had found how much Christian loved to have her kiss his chest. And while she rained gentle kisses on him, she moved her hand lower—over his abs and then lower still.
Hiding a smile, Sophie could tell Christian was waking up.
As she continued to touch and taste him, his hand slowly skimmed up her spine and tangled into her hair, tugging.
She really loved when he did that.
“Mmm… I thought you told me to go back to sleep,” he said, his voice soft and sleepy.
“I did,” she said breathlessly between kisses. “But then I started thinking about all the ways you woke me up over the course of the night and wanted to try that out for myself.” Lifting her head, she met his gaze in the moonlight shining through the open doors. “You don’t mind, do you?”
If anything, his hand fisted tighter in her hair. “I will never complain about your hands and mouth on my body,” he said fiercely.
Sliding over him and straddling his lap, she ran her hands up his chest. “We’ll have to sleep eventually,” she teased as her nails scratc
hed their way back down.
Christian hissed at her touch, releasing her hair only to grasp her hips. “But not yet,” he said, guiding her lips to his.
* * *
The next time Sophie opened her eyes, the sun was shining and the room was completely bright. Stretching, she realized that she was alone in the bed. Slowly she sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest and marveling at the view through the glass doors.
“That is one heck of a view to wake up to every morning,” she said softly.
“Yes, it is.”
Gasping, she turned and saw Christian standing in the doorway with a tray in his hands. He walked over and placed it on the bedside table before leaning in and kissing her thoroughly. “And I wasn’t referring to the beach.”
She blushed and tried to duck her head to hide it. But Christian tucked a finger under her chin and gently forced her to look at him. “When I woke up a little while ago, you were sleeping so peacefully and all I could think of was how beautiful you looked.”
Self-consciously, she ran a hand over her hair. “I’m a bit of a mess.”
He sat beside her, caressing her cheek. “You’re beautiful.”
Part of her wanted to deny it—mainly because accepting compliments always made her feel a little uncomfortable—but when she looked into his eyes, she knew he meant what he was saying.
Glancing over at the tray, she asked, “What have we got here?”
Christian reached for it. “I made you some coffee and a little something to eat.”
Her heart squeezed at his thoughtfulness. There was a bowl of fruit with strawberries, pineapple, and cantaloupe, along with a cup of yogurt. “You’re going to spoil me.”
Then he leaned in and kissed her cheek. “You deserve to be spoiled.”
Oh boy, she thought. A girl could easily get used to this.
“Aren’t you going to eat anything?”
He shrugged. “I had my coffee. That’s normally all I have for breakfast.”
Grabbing her mug, she took a sip of the steamy beverage and sighed with delight. “Oh, that’s good.” But then she had to put on her nurse’s cap. “You know that’s not healthy for you, right? You need to be taking better care of your diet.”
“And yet you let me eat all that cake last night,” he teased, and she seriously blushed thinking about those escapades again. Taking her hand in his, he said, “I love that you’re concerned, and if it helps, the coffee was decaf.”
“Christian…”
“And I did have some of the fruit while I was cutting it up.”
Unable to help herself, she laughed softly. It was hard to be stern when he looked so relaxed and deliciously adorable. When he wasn’t in work mode, Christian had some seriously boyish good looks—a wonderful smile and a great laugh. She wished there was a way for him to stay more like this.
“You’re looking pretty serious right now,” he commented.
Now wasn’t the time to bring up work or health issues. Now was the time to bask in the afterglow of a fantastic night. So rather than risk it, she went for something she knew would distract them both.
“Just wondering how playful we can get with fruit and yogurt,” she said with a sexy grin. And before she knew it, Christian was on his feet and stripping his shirt off over his head.
“Let’s find out!”
For more Samantha Chase check out
The Montgomery Brothers series
Suddenly Mine
On sale January 2019
About the Author
Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug, Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of twenty-five years and their two sons in North Carolina.
Magnolia Brides
These women have marriage on their minds and love in their hearts…and in this small Georgia town, anything is possible
By Lynnette Austin
The Best Laid Wedding Plans
When Jenni Beth Beaumont inherits her family’s beautiful antebellum home, her dream of turning it into a wedding destination feels closer than ever. But former crush Cole Bryson plans to buy and tear down the house. Good thing Jenni will do whatever it takes to keep her dream—and protect herself from falling for Cole all over again.
Every Bride Has Her Day
Sam Montgomery thought he’d have no trouble finding peace and quiet in the small Georgia town where he inherited a rundown house. Until his effusively optimistic neighbor, Cricket O’Malley, storms into his life—and his heart.
Picture Perfect Wedding
Beck Elliot thought he’d never again see the woman who broke his heart. But when divorced single mom Tansy Calhoun moves back to Misty Bottoms to open a shop, she’s impossible to avoid…and so are his old feelings.
“Lynnette Austin has made her mark on contemporary romance.”
—Night Owl Reviews for Picture Perfect Wedding
For more Lynnette Austin, visit:
sourcebooks.com
Must Love Babies
Bachelors find themselves with unexpected bundles of joy in this heartwarming series from award-winning author Lynnette Austin
Brant Wylder is a bachelor and loving it. He’s found the perfect location for his shop restoring vintage vehicles: Misty Bottoms, Georgia. Supporting his family and running the shop, he’s convinced he doesn’t have time for a relationship. Until he meets Molly Stiles.
For Molly Stiles, it’s nose to the grindstone establishing her bridal boutique—not the time to meet Mr. Right. But Molly can’t help her attraction to Brant. And when an accident leaves his seven-month-old nephew in his care, Molly won’t turn her back on them.
“Romance that has it all!”
—Fresh Fiction for Every Bride Has Her Day
For more Lynnette Austin, visit:
sourcebooks.com
A New Leash on Love
First in the fresh, poignant Rescue Me series from award-winning debut author Debbie Burns
When Craig Williams must take his daughters’ adorable new puppy to a shelter after the holidays, it’s just another painful episode in the fall-out of a miserable divorce. Getting grief from the fiery woman running the shelter is the least of his problems.
For Megan Anderson, it’s hard enough to run an underfunded no-kill animal shelter without taking on the problems of a handsome man with a troublesome puppy. But as Craig and Megan are drawn closer together, they realize the magic of unconditional love can do anything—maybe even heal a broken heart.
For more Debbie Burns, visit:
sourcebooks.com
Sit, Stay, Love
In the second Rescue Me book from award-winning debut author Debbie Burns, the dogs aren’t the only ones in need of rescue
For devoted no-kill shelter worker Kelsey Sutton, rehabbing a group of rescue dogs is a welcome challenge. Working with a sexy ex-military dog handler who needs some TLC himself? That’s a different story.
Kurt Crawford keeps his heart locked away from everyone but the dogs who need his help…and always have his back. But as Kurt gets to know the woman he’s been assigned to work with, he can’t help but feel a little puppy love…
“Sexy and fun… Wounded souls of all shapes and sizes, human and animal alike, tug at the heartstrings.”
—RT Book Reviews for A New Leash on Love, Top Pick, 4½ Stars
For more Debbie Burns, visit:
sourcebooks.com
Come Back to Me
Blessings, Georgia
Love always endures the test of time
After a devastating fire pitted their families against each other, high school sweethearts Phoebe Ritter and Aidan Payne were torn apart. Twenty years later, Aidan is called back to Blessings, nervous about confronting his painful past. And that’s before he knows about the nineteen-year-old secret Phoebe has been harboring all this time…
“Sharon Sala is a consummate storyteller… If you can stop reading then you’re a better woman than me.”
—Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author, for A Piece of My Heart
For more Sharon Sala, visit:
sourcebooks.com
The Montgomery Brothers
Samantha Chase, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
Return to You
James Montgomery has achieved everything he’d hoped for in life…except marrying the girl of his dreams. Now Selena Ainsley is back, but how can she face the man she loved and left behind?
Meant for You
Summer Montgomery wants to be taken seriously almost as much as she wants her brother’s off-limits best friend, Ethan. But it only takes one night away from watchful eyes to make impossible dreams come true…
I’ll Be There
Zach Montgomery lives by his own rules and doesn’t answer to anyone. But his assistant, Gabriella Martine, has no intention of backing down.
Until There Was Us
Megan Montgomery can’t stop thinking about her sexy hookup with Alex Rebat at her cousin’s wedding. Alex can’t stop thinking about her—and now that Megan’s back in town, Alex hopes she’ll take a chance on a future they can only build together.
One More Moment Page 42