His Buttercup (The May Flowers Series)

by Laney Powell

  In fact, I had no problems at all. Not one fucking problem in the world. I didn’t know how it happened, but Elspeth, the woman in the buttercup dress, had essentially propositioned me. I wouldn’t have thought it something she would do.

  I found that I liked it. I liked it a lot. Generally, I preferred to be in charge in my relationships. But there was something about this petite woman, who seemed quiet and reserved, if not outright shy, telling me she liked being near me that made my cock stand at attention and made me want to get the hell out of here. To find somewhere private and ravish her. Repeatedly.

  Given how much I loved this club, that was saying something.

  I found Grace and let her know I needed to leave. She nodded, giving me a small smile. “We’ll be fine if you do, Kane. Go home.”

  “I plan to,” I said, grinning with a relish that surprised us both.

  Her eyebrows went up but she didn’t say anything. After a moment, Grace nodded and walked away. She and I had a good relationship. The place would be in good hands.

  So that I could focus on more important things for the evening—namely, Miss Elspeth Crandall. I looked at my watch. Five minutes had passed. What would I do if she didn’t show up in the next ten minutes? Leave?

  Yes. Yes I would. It would be a long cold shower, but I would leave. I didn’t wait for anyone. And I wasn’t going to be left standing here at my own bar like a fool.

  With three minutes to spare, I saw her dress before I saw her. She was moving through the crowd in the bar. When she reached me, her color was high, and her hand brushed her hair back.

  That must be a nervous tic.

  “It took me a few minutes to find Mariah. I hope I didn’t keep you waiting.”

  I liked that she was well-mannered. “Not at all,” I said smoothly. “Shall we?”

  Elspeth nodded, and I led her through to the back of the bar, and out the staff door. I guided her with my hand on her back. I wanted to let it drift down, to cup the roundness of her ass.

  She stopped, and I nearly bumped into her.

  “Is this yours?” She gestured at the car in front of us.

  “It is,” I said.

  “I have only seen these in magazines,” Elspeth said. Her voice came out as a sigh.

  I opened my mouth, and no words left it. She knew what my car was?

  There were only seventy-seven in the world. No one knew what it was. “You sure about that?” I asked finally.

  “Yes. Aston Martin. One seventy-seven,” she said. “God, the metallic gray is beautiful.”

  “Most people don’t know what this is, until they see the name on it,” I said.

  “The shape of this is so gorgeous,” she walked around slowly, appraising it. Her hand traced the air over the back end. “How many tickets have you racked up?”

  This Elspeth wasn’t nervous at all. I found that I liked her knowing about my car. And she had the same tone of voice that I did when I talked about it.

  I laughed at her question. “Only a couple,” I said.

  “Does that mean truly only a couple, or only a couple like, say, ten?” She glanced over her shoulder at me, and I was struck at how sexy, how alluring she was.

  “Somewhere in between.”

  Elspeth sighed as I opened the door. “You like the red interior?”

  “I do,” I said. When I joined her, I added, “I didn’t think I would until I saw it, and then I had to have it.”

  She glanced over at me again, a tiny smile lifting the corner of her lips. “That’s surprising. You look all black leather and gray and white.”

  “Usually, I am,” I said, surprised again at how astute this woman was. It wasn’t detracting from my desire to fuck her into next week. If anything, it made her even more desirable. I couldn’t wait to get her home. In my bed.

  She leaned back, inhaling deeply. “Thank you for allowing me to sit in this. It’s car heaven.”

  “What do you drive?” I asked, curious to know how far her love of cars went.

  “A 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat,” she said, her eyes closed.

  My mouth fell open. Was she serious? “Why?” I asked. That wasn’t an easy car to drive. The thought of her behind the wheel made me even harder. Jesus.

  “Because it’s fun. It’s a challenge. You can’t do your makeup, talk on the phone and daydream while you’re driving it. I like that.” Her words were mild, her eyes still closed. “I got it last year from a guy who bought it as some kind of mid-life crisis, and his wife was making him sell it. It was out in San Bernardino, and I…” Her eyes opened then. “I was in a mid-life crisis myself and needed something different. So I flew out there, and bought it, and drove it home. Nearly killed myself a few times. The braking is wonky, and she’s kind of a beast. But I love her,” she finished.

  My respect and desire for her rocketed to the moon. How did this tiny woman manage a car like that? The fact that she wanted one and knew what my car was—she would be lucky to leave before morning.

  She was intoxicating.

  I laughed. “That was your answer to a mid-life crisis? Dare I ask what the hell kind of crisis it was? It couldn’t be mid-life. You’re not old enough.”

  She laughed too. “Well, it felt like a mid-life crisis, and I needed to do something totally different. I love cars. My dad is a gearhead. I grew up helping him fix his latest prize. And he loved it when Dodge started putting out the Challengers again.”

  “You let him drive your car?” I teased.

  “A couple of times. It takes some getting used to.”

  Uh, huh. I knew another protective car person when I heard it. I smiled. She might be the one person I’d met in ages that could drive my Aston Martin.

  What in the name of green Hell was I thinking? I shook my head to clear the utter shit that was filling it. I needed to get her back to my place, and commence with sex, because I was clearly going bat shit on the ride home.

  This felt like it was more than a one-night stand. I felt comfortable with her, confident and easy. When was the last time I’d felt like that with a woman?

  My mind ran back to exactly when, and I slammed the door on those memories. Pressing the gas, I focused on getting to my place.

  Elspeth

  I could not believe my ass was sitting in an Aston Martin One. God, this thing was sex on wheels, and I’d been pretty convinced my Kat was the best sex on wheels there was. He drove it smoothly. This was his daily driver.

  God, that was sexy. Everything about Kane was sexy.

  I had a feeling this was going to be the best sex I’d had in ages, if not the best sex I’d had ever. And we were going to have sex. Oh my God, were we.

  “You’re going where? With whom?” Mariah had said to me, her face incredulous when I found her in the line for the restroom.

  “Kane Raventon. I threw myself at him, and he caught me,” I whispered. I didn’t want anyone hearing me. I could feel my cheeks flush once more at my daring.

  Mariah leaned back and crossed her arms. “Text me when you get there, and text me when you’re leaving. Text me the address. And get no sleep,” she added. “I should be telling you not to give it away for free, but I’m so proud, I can’t.”

  I laughed. “You’re like the pimp dance mom.”

  Mariah hugged me. “Go. And don’t forget to text, or I’m calling the cops.”

  “Good grief, all right.”

  “He’s a whole ‘nother ball game, El,” she said. “So please text me.”

  “I will.”

  She hugged me again, and I left. I didn’t want to be late. He struck me as the kind of person who was all sorts of on time. Not that I was always late, but girls like me didn’t get to fall into bed with guys like Kane. I wanted to make the most of it.

  But I had to be cool. I couldn’t let what Will had called my “Stage five clinger” come out. Since I didn’t see what, exactly, it was that made me so clingy, I had to be reserved, and easy going. Like the tall, cool women he had
all over the place.

  I couldn’t do anything about the tall, but I could be cool and reserved. I took a breath, smoothed my hair, and went to find him in the bar.

  And now, here I was, in one of the most amazing cars I’d ever seen.

  “We’re here,” Kane said. Something about his voice had changed. The easy conversation we’d been having was gone.

  Time to get down to business.

  My nipples tightened at the thought of him touching them. I found that while I was nervous, I was excited, and ready to toss my clothes on his floor and let him have his way with me.

  He came around and opened the door, reaching down to take my hand and help me out. He brought it to his lips and kissed it.

  This time I didn’t hesitate. I moved close to him and reached up to bring his head to me. I wanted to kiss him, to feel his lips somewhere other than my hand.

  He wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off my feet, and planted his lips on mine.

  It was like kissing steel, and it made my panties wet and every nerve in my body wake up and want more.

  Kane’s hand moved into my hair, cradling my head. He kissed me for a moment, his tongue thrusting into my mouth, demanding entrance. Then he let me slide down, and I could feel that he was hard and ready.

  Oh, my.

  “Let’s go inside,” he said, his voice liquid steel.

  Everything about him was hard. Oh, yes, please. This was what I needed. I needed Kane Raventon.

  But I had to play it cool. Be reserved. Don’t make him think you’re crazy, I told myself as he took my hand and led me inside.

  I guess his place was beautiful. It was modern, and simple, and airy. I was too focused on him and keeping myself in check to really pay attention. We walked in the door, and then up the stairs.

  “Would you like a drink?” Kane asked.

  “What are you having?” I asked.

  His eyebrows went up slightly. “Whiskey,” he said.

  “Neat, please,” I said. “And a glass of water.” I smiled, seeing his surprise.

  He hid it well, directing me to an island in a kitchen that my mom would die for. Gleaming steel, copper, and everything neat. I wondered if he cooked.

  Kane poured two glasses of whiskey and then turned to get me water. Silently, he brought my glasses over, setting them in front of me and then reached across the island for his own glass, sitting in the barstool opposite me.

  I sipped my whiskey. “This is nice.”

  “I like nice things.”

  Dear sweet baby Jesus. What did cool and collected women say to that? I smiled over the rim of my glass, meeting his eyes and hoping I looked flirtatious as I sipped.

  We drank in silence, and then Kane put his glass on the counter. “I need you,” he said. He stood, taking my hand again.

  I rose and followed him. Once we were in his bedroom, he dropped his coat to the floor, and whipped off his tie, never taking his gaze off me. I felt like I was the meal in the big cats’ cage at the zoo.

  OK, Elspeth, keep this cool. I reached behind me and slid down the zipper of my dress. One at a time, I let the spaghetti straps fall, and then I held my dress up as I stepped out of my shoes. I looked up to see him focused on me with laser intensity, and I stood up.

  Then I let my dress drop to the floor.

  Kane

  This woman was going to be the death of me. First my car, then her car, then her licking her whiskey off the rim of her glass, and then she drops her dress? It would be a miracle if I didn’t come the moment I got close to her. I was in agony with wanting to touch her, fuck her, kiss her all over.

  “You get to the point,” I said. My voice sounded like a growl.

  She shrugged, smiling that tiny smile I’d seen a few times. “Why waste time? I can’t wait to see you out of that,” she nodded at my shirt.

  I had my shirt off, and then my pants, and was naked in front of her before she could count to ten. She looked me over, a small gasp coming from her slightly parted lips. I wondered if she knew she’d done it.

  Who cared? Who didn’t want a woman to gasp when they stripped down?

  “Your turn,” I said, reaching for the tiny scrap of panties she was wearing. I slid them down her legs, and she stepped out of them. Then I ran my face up her stomach to the breasts that had been calling to me all night. Cupping both of them in my hands, I kissed the tops of them, and took her mouth with mine.

  Elspeth moaned. It was a small sound, the sound of a woman pleased.

  I lay her back on the bed, not taking my mouth from hers. Her nipples were hard, and they rubbed against my chest. It was the best thing I’d felt in ages. Everything about Elspeth spoke to something in me. Everything.

  She was perfect.

  I kissed her breasts again, this time moving to lick and suck at her nipples. They peaked in my mouth, and I let one hand slide down between her legs. As I moved my hand to her pussy, I felt the hot, wet heat of her excitement. I pushed one, then two fingers into her. The warmth of her surrounded my hand. God, I wasn’t going to last long.

  I sucked on her nipples as I worked my fingers in and out of her. She was making the small gasping noises. I was aching to be inside of her, but I wanted to hear her cry out. With that in mind, I trailed kisses down her stomach, and my mouth joined my fingers.

  “Ohhh…” she moaned softly as my mouth fastened onto her clit. I didn’t stop moving my fingers in and out, although I was having to hold back. I wanted to lose myself in her, but I would save that for when it was my cock doing it.

  If I could make it. She was making me crazy.

  Slowly, I drew lazy circles on her clit, making her hips dance under me. I wanted her to come before anything else. Her breathing was faster, the small gasps driving me forward.

  I felt her clench around my fingers as she came, my name the merest whisper on her lips. I loved going down on women. It was nearly as good as being inside them. With Elspeth, it was like nothing I’d ever experienced. To see this woman lose herself at my hands brought out a primal, possessive urge.

  I didn’t know if I liked it.

  Elspeth looked at me. “Thank you,” she said.

  “That was my pleasure.” I meant it. I stood, going to the nightstand, and pulling out a condom. I rolled it on before I got back to where she still lay on the bed. “I don’t know if I can wait any longer. I have to have you,” I said.

  “Then take me,” Elspeth said simply.

  I fell upon her, feeling like a beast who had been starved. I kissed her, running my hands down her body, and then between her legs. I spread them wide. I didn’t look away as I thrust my cock deep into her, making her breasts bounce. She smiled, her head falling back as I drove in again, and again.

  My hands were on her knees, holding them open. Elspeth had her hands over her head, all of her open to me. Harder and harder I drove into her, feeling my orgasm near, but not near enough.

  I slowed down, wanting it to last, drawing my cock out of her in a long stroke, and then slowing, moving back until there was no space between us.

  Elspeth opened her eyes. “You are teasing me,” she said.

  “I think I’m teasing both of us,” I got out.

  She reached up and put her arms around my neck. “I want to be in your lap,” she whispered.

  It took me a minute to actually process what she said. “Wrap your legs around me,” I ordered.

  She complied, and I stood up and turned, sitting down with her in my lap.

  “Oh, yes,” she purred.

  I felt like I was even deeper in her than before. This also put her breasts right at eye level, and I took her nipple in my mouth as she rocked back and forth on me.

  She ground against me and it was so intense I bit down harder than I’d thought. Elspeth gasped deeply, and I made to pull away.

  “No, please,” she said.

  I bit down on her nipple and was rewarded with her hissing gasp. I put one arm behind her to steady her as I used my
teeth on her, and the other on her ass, which was as wonderful as her dress had advertised, to press her against me.

  Her breathing caught, getting ragged. I could feel myself reaching the point and then with a shout, I came, spurting into her. I heard her cry out my name.

  Then we stilled. I laid my head against her chest, satiated.

  Elspeth

  I took some deep breaths, letting my heart calm down. I’d watched Kane’s face at the end—seeing him momentarily lose control because he was with me—had sent me over the edge. He was glorious, and I still couldn’t believe I was here, with him. It was like something out of a dream.

  He lifted his head, his face relaxed. He almost looked like he was smiling. I wanted to jump for joy, but that would blow the whole cool as ice vibe I was trying to maintain. Although I truly wondered, how you stayed cool as ice when you were exploding on the inside, while falling off the best cliff ever, and up close and personal with the most gorgeous man you’d ever seen? Who was like a perfect dream. I couldn’t have made him more perfect if I’d wished for him.

  I wasn’t sure I’d been able to maintain my facade, but I’d do it going forward tonight.

  “You hungry?” He asked.

  “What were you thinking?”

  “I have a craving for some really good Chinese,” Kane said.

  “I bet you have a really good Chinese place on speed dial,” I replied.

  “Of course I do. What do you like?”

  “Peking duck, please,” I said.

  “Done,” Kane got up, naked, and went to the bathroom. He came out a moment later wrapped in a robe and handed one to me. “If you’d prefer? Although I’m completely fine if you decide you’d rather go without.” He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

  Was he making a joke? He didn’t seem like the kind of guy who made jokes, but he had to be. I smiled and took it from him.

  Why did he have two robes in his bathroom? Then I decided I wasn’t going to worry about that right now. Plenty of time for those kinds of crazy-making thoughts later. I also needed to consider how I was going to exit, but the thought of food right now was overwhelming.