He glanced around for a solution.
Then he saw it.
“If I change?” he asked.
She frowned. “Into what?”
He pointed two doors down the street to a clothing store.
She chuckled, obviously assuming it was a joke. “You’re going to buy new clothes?”
“Why not?”
“Because that’s a crazy idea.”
He opened the door. “Let’s at least go look.”
“You’re a crazy person,” she called from behind him.
But she climbed out of the car.
He waited for her and held out his hand.
“I don’t know why I humor you,” she muttered.
“Lighten up.”
“I am light. At least I’m usually light.” She paused. “Fine. Okay. I’ll stop complaining. What’s the worst that can happen?”
He raised her hand and kissed it while they walked. “That’s the spirit.”
“You’re mocking me.”
“You’re pretty easy to mock.”
When they made it to the store, he pushed the door open.
Inside, it was long and narrow, done in grey tones with muted lighting. It featured men’s dress shirts, slacks and sport coats down one side, with ladies skirts, blazers and classic blouses down the other.
“The women’s wear looks a bit conservative,” he whispered in her ear. “But see what they’ve got.”
“I’m not going to—”
He shot her a mock scowl. “If I’m going to look dressier, you have to make an effort too.”
She held up her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. I’m not complaining.”
“Glad to hear it.”
A woman approached them. “Can I help you?”
“Do you have any dresses?” Riley asked her.
“We do,” she answered brightly. “It’s a small collection. They’re closer to the back. This way.”
It didn’t take Riley long to find slacks, a shirt and a jacket that would fit him. He left the new things on and dropped the tags and his old clothes at the checkout counter. Then he headed to the back of the store to find Kalissa.
She was emerging from a changing cubical in a simple, short black dress. It looked nice, mostly because it was Kalissa inside. But it seemed a bit boring.
“My shoes will work with this,” she said to the clerk.
“Do you have anything with some color?” asked Riley, glancing at the racks beside him.
“You don’t like it?” asked Kalissa. “It’s very versatile.”
He lifted a frothy, bright blue dress with a single, jeweled shoulder strap. “What about this?”
She looked aghast. “I’m not buying that.”
“You’re not buying anything. I am. Try it on.”
The clerk grinned at the exchange.
Kalissa opened her mouth, but he beat her to the punch.
“What else do you have?” he asked the clerk. “She needs something pretty. We’re going to a very important dinner.”
“You’re nuts,” said Kalissa.
“You promised you wouldn’t complain,” he countered.
“You want me to stand here and shut up while you spend a fortune on a dress I’m only going to wear once?”
“Now you’re catching on.”
The clerk’s grin grew wider, and she put a hand on Kalissa’s arm, her voice reflecting a wise tone. “Honey, there are times when you simply keep quiet and let a man have his way. This is one of them.”
Kalissa hit Riley with a stern stare. “Is that truly what you want me to do?”
“Absolutely.” He couldn’t stop a smile. He might not be Shane, but he wasn’t impoverished either. He could indulge her in whatever fancy dress she wanted. “Feel free to accessorize.”
She rolled her eyes, but held out her hand for the blue dress.
“I’ll see what else we have,” the clerk cheerfully added.
Riley waited while Kalissa changed.
When she emerged, he gave a low whistle. The fabric gathered softly across her breasts, with a weave of jewels swooping under the bodice, up to the single shoulder strap, leaving plenty of bare skin. Man, he loved her shoulders.
Beneath the bodice, soft, translucent fabric fell to a scalloped hem at mid-thigh, revealing her smooth, toned legs.
“That’s the one,” he said.
The clerk arrived and glanced down at an armful of dresses.
“You’ve decided?” she asked.
“What do you think?” he asked Kalissa.
“It kind of works.” There was a glow to her expression.
“We’ll take it,” he said.
“I have some silver shoes,” said the clerk. “The black is rather jarring.”
“I don’t—” said Kalissa.
“Sure,” said Riley.
“I’ll be right back,” said the clerk.
Kalissa pursed her lips.
“No complaints,” Riley warned.
“I’m not saying a word.”
She turned to look in a three way mirror, and Riley’s knees almost gave way. Her back was very nearly bare, a large diamond shape was cut out between the bodice and the skirt. It was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.
The clerk returned with the shoes, and Kalissa sat down to try them on. Even before she stood up, he knew they were perfect, slim, high heels, a silver sheen, and little straps around her ankles. Forget dinner, he wanted to carry her off to the nearest bedroom.
She rose, and he joined her in front of the big mirror, deciding she looked perfect next to him.
“Do you think they’ll let us in the restaurant now?” he asked.
“Where are you going?” asked the clerk.
“The Trestle Tree.”
“Oh, you’ve hit it just right.”
“He wanted me to wear jeans.” Kalissa told the woman.
“Buying new clothes was my idea,” Riley pointed out.
Kalissa just smiled at her reflection, swaying ever so slightly so that the hem brushed her legs.
The clerk frowned. “You can’t wear jeans to the Trestle Tree.”
“Noted,” said Riley.
“It seems we make a good team,” Kalissa teased.
“You’re strategic direction, and I’m implementation.”
“That sounds about right.”
It was right. They were right together. And he wanted to keep the togetherness going for a long, long time.
* * *
The wind had died down, and after they’d finished eating, Kalissa had moved with Riley to the patio overlooking the lake. They were standing at the rail under a starry sky, sipping coffees laced with brandy, sugar and whipped cream.
It felt decadent. She felt decadent. Everything about the evening felt decadent, from the wild mushroom and goat cheese appetizer to the cedar planked salmon. And the dress, she loved her new dress. She especially loved the way Riley’s fingertips now brushed her bare back.
“This was nice,” she told him. “Thanks for talking me into it.”
“Thanks for coming along.” His lips brushed her temple.
It was the simplest of kisses, but it sent a reaction skittering over her skin. She was intensely attracted to him. She liked his looks, his voice, and his scent. She particularly liked his mind, his intelligence and agile wit.
He held his own against her sarcasm and challenges. Most men either backed off or became genuinely angry. As a teenager, she’d tried to temper that facet of her personality, having been told by friends and often by her mother that she’d frighten boys off. But she didn’t want to change. She wanted to be strong.
But then, sometimes s
he wanted to be soft. She set her coffee down on the stand-up table beside them and leaned her head against his chest.
He followed suit, getting rid of his own cup.
“No pressure,” he said. “Believe me, the last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable.”
She smiled to herself. “Okay.”
“But, up there.”
She looked, and found him gazing at the three stories above them. Lights shone from some of the windows.
“They have guest rooms,” he continued. “I saw a sign with a picture on the way in, and they look very nice.”
“You’re suggesting something?” Already her pulse had jumped. Her skin warmed and a thrill of arousal swirled inside her.
He looked down, meeting her eyes in the darkness. “I’m not going to leave it to you this time.”
“To push?”
“I’m pushing,” he said, his head dipping toward her. “You can say no, but I’m definitely the one pushing tonight.”
He kissed her, and her desire ramped up. She didn’t want to say no. She wasn’t going to say no. Riley was amazing, and she was dying to spend the night in his arms.
She drew back. “Let’s see if they have a room.”
A glow came into his dark eyes. His hand closed over hers, and he led her from the rail, back through the restaurant and into the lobby of the inn.
“Checking in?” asked the man behind the reception counter.
“We don’t have a reservation,” said Riley.
The man hit a few keys on the terminal in front of him. “Let’s see what we have available.”
“With a view if that’s possible,” said Riley.
“We have a junior suite with a king sized bed, a connected seating area, and floor to ceiling windows overlooking the lake.”
“We’ll take it,” said Riley, giving her hand a squeeze.
Her heart kicked up, her chest tightening with exhilaration and just a touch of anxiety.
After checking in, they took a creaking, ancient elevator to the fourth floor. Then they followed a scuffed and uneven hardwood floor hallway to the end before finding their room.
“The rooms looked nice on the lobby poster,” said Riley, a touch of worry in his tone as he wiggled the metal key into the deadbolt lock and turned.
The heavy door squealed as it swung open.
He fumbled for the light switch, found it, and the big room came into view.
It didn’t disappoint.
“It’s gorgeous,” Kalissa breathed, stepping inside to look around the airy space.
The carpet was plush beneath her feet. A pristine, blue and gold striped Victorian sofa was bracketed by two matching armchairs, the arrangement set in front of a marble fireplace with a hearth that stretched to the high ceiling. A huge brass bed was positioned in an alcove, the head decorated by rich fabric, draped on the wall. In the center of the room, the ceiling was domed, carved and painted white, matching the scrolls of the crown molding above abstract blue and copper wallpaper.
Throw pillows were everywhere, including on a bay window bench seat that overlooked the dark lake. Heavy curtains hung from brass rings above six massive windows. The colorful pillows all but buried a thick quilt on the bed.
She turned a lever on one of the windows, and the catch came free.
“Look at this,” she said, pushing the window wide to let in the fresh air.
“Look at this,” said Riley in a low, reverent tone.
She turned.
He was gazing intently at her. The expression in his eyes was passionate and possessive.
“You don’t want to check out the room?” she asked.
“Not really.” He moved forward.
“You want to check out the bed?”
“I do.”
She snuck past him to the mound of pillows that buried the white quilt. “You think we can find the bed?”
In answer, he scooped her into his arms.
“Hey.”
Before she knew what was happening, he’d placed her in the middle of the pillow pile.
“I found it,” he said, lowering himself to the edge of the bed.
“I don’t think I can move in all this.”
“You don’t have to move.”
His hand skimmed down her calf, coming to the buckle on her new shoe. “I love these.”
“I think I’m getting blisters.”
“Poor you.” He released the strap, easing off the shoe.
“Oh, that feels good.”
“So, I’m off to a promising start?” He switched to the other shoe.
“You’re off to a fantastic start.”
“Glad to hear it.”
He lifted her bare foot, bending her knee, then leaned forward to place a kiss on her ankle. “Better?”
“Better.”
He worked his way up her calf, making small circles with his thumb. Her skin warmed under his touch, the warmth turning to arousal as he massaged the back of her knee. When his hand moved up her thigh, the arousal turned to need.
“Riley,” she breathed.
He stretched out beside her, his palm moving to her rear, cupping her silk panties. He smoothed her hair back from her face, coming closer.
“You’re amazing,” he whispered.
“I’m not doing anything.”
“Yes, you are.”
She touched his shoulder, marveling at its strength, moving her hand down his arm, memorizing the definition of his muscles. She cupped the hand that was at her cheek, loving the textured skin, the wide palm, the strong, blunt fingers.
She turned her head and kissed his palm, tasting it with the tip of her tongue.
He groaned.
Then he kissed her exposed neck, slowly making his way to her shoulder with a pattern of hot kisses.
She let her head fall back, clinging tight to his hand, letting the arousing sensations wash over her.
He drew back, gazing into her eyes. Then he zeroed in on her mouth, and passion overtook her. Her arms went around his neck, holding him tight. His kisses were long and deep. His hand stopped on her rear, then it fisted around her panties, dragging them down.
She kicked them off.
He slipped her single shoulder strap down, kissing behind it and nudging the dress aside to expose her breasts. Her nipples went taut beneath his kiss. They tingled, sending bands of want straight to her abdomen.
She blindly reached for the buttons on his shirt, awkwardly popping them from their holes, pushing his shirt off, and pressing her skin to his.
He hugged her tight, rolling so that she was sprawled over his chest, her hair dangling in a curtain around his face. He kissed her mouth again, pulling up on her dress, breaking the kiss just long enough to remove it and toss it aside.
She was naked then, and he was hot and so incredibly sexy.
She pushed herself up, sitting astride him.
“You are incredible,” he whispered reverently, cupping her breasts.
She tipped back her head, and her toes curled in.
“You have a condom,” she managed.
“I do.”
Relieved, she popped the button on his slacks. She drew down the zipper. He bracketed her hips, holding her firmly against him as his hips rotated beneath her.
She didn’t think she’d ever been this aroused.
Then his hands moved to her thighs, stroking their way up. She cried out when they met, buckling with the sensation.
She dragged down his pants, and he kicked them off, donning the condom.
“Like this?” she asked, positioning herself on top again.
“Like anything,” he groaned, grasping her hips and pulling her home.
&
nbsp; Energy raced through her body. She rocked against him, over and over again.
“This is incredible,” he ground out. “You are incredible. I’m not. I can’t.”
She leaned in to kiss him, capturing his tongue and returning with hers. His hands roamed her body, finding secret places that made her twitch and buck with reaction.
Finally, he flipped them over, bracing the small of her back, pulling her into him as he thrust forward harder and harder, increasing their speed. Warmth glowed in the base of her brain, getting hotter and brighter.
The world disappeared. Nothing existed but Riley, his breath in her ear, the scent of his skin, the feel of his body as he pulled hers to unimaginable heights.
She groaned as she hovered for a long, long moment.
“Kalissa,” he cried, his body convulsing within her.
She crashed over the edge, spiraling downward in pure ecstasy.
“Riley,” she gasped, hoping he’d catch her, knowing he’d catch her.
His arms were solid steel around her, and slowly the freefall ended, the soft pillows cushioning her.
Her heartbeat was wild. His heart thudded in return.
They both breathed deeply.
His body was a hot weight on top of her. It felt good. She felt safe. She never wanted him to leave.
“Wow,” he said, smoothing back her hair. “Just...wow.”
“I’m not going to argue with that.”
“Well, that’s a switch.” There was a clear smile in his voice.
“You are so brave to tease me.”
He lifted his head. “Am I too heavy?”
“No.” She looked into his eyes. “I like it.”
“Oh, man. Kalissa.” He kissed her.
Then he kissed her again, and again, each one longer and deeper.
His hand covered her breast again, and her nipple hardened to a peak.
“Can we?” he asked in a strained voice.
“Yes,” she answered. “Oh, yes.”
* * *
In the early morning sunrays, Riley watched through half closed eyes as Kalissa eased up on her elbow beside him. Her hair was tousled, and the pure white pillow and comforter billowed around her. She gazed at him in silence.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
“You’re awake.” Her voice was husky with sleep.
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