by AC Netzel
“That was the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me,” I look back up at him, “and I didn’t think you liked me much.”
He shakes his head. “That’s not how I feel.”
I study his handsome face. His expression is sincere. I know he’s not just feeding me a line. And damn, it gets my heart pumping and fuels a fire between my legs. I’m entering the danger zone, and I need to get the hell out of here before I do something stupid… like straddle him.
“My turn for a question,” I say, steering the conversation away from us, feelings, and the tingling sensations invading my body.
“Go ahead.” He smiles, aware of my redirecting objective.
“What was your family like?”
That’s better. A nice, safe question.
His face lights up. “They were great. We didn’t have much money. Sometimes there was more love than food on my plate, but we got by. We couldn’t afford to go to the movies or anything like that, so my dad used to turn on a flashlight and make shadow puppet shows on the wall for me and my older brother, Adam. He taught us how to fish and tie a fly.
“My mother got me interested in cooking. She’d pick wild blackberries in the woods and make the best jam you ever tasted. The sugar cookies my aunt made the day you arrived were my mom’s recipe. My parents were the most incredibly kind people you’d ever meet. Christmas was our holiday. The four of us would decorate, bake, and go caroling around the neighborhood. My brother and I helped my dad and Uncle Kris at the tree farm. My mom and Aunt Holly hosted the community barn dances.”
“Sounds perfect,” I tell him. “Tell me about your brother.”
“Adam always had a smile on his face and the biggest heart. We’d get ourselves into all sorts of hijinks when we were kids. When I was younger, I could be a real pain in the ass.”
“Newsflash, Snowman… you still are.”
He smirks then continues. “We spent our summers swimming in the creek and fishing at the lake. Adam had a wicked sense of humor and could make me laugh like no one else. God, he had a great laugh. He worked full-time at the farm. After all this time, my uncle still hasn’t replaced him. Didn’t have the heart to. That’s why he’s always short-handed. You would have liked Adam and his wife, Jen. Jenny was sunshine come alive. Always positive. Super talented Christmas wreath maker. They were a perfect match. Two of the most incredible people you’d ever meet.” He smiles warmly. “I miss them every day. I wish they could see how amazing Noelle is.”
I nod. “She is pretty amazing.”
“She so much like both of them.”
“I think she’s a lot like you.”
“Is that good or bad?” he asks.
“Good. Really good,” I answer honestly.
“She called me Uncle Dad last night when I tucked her into bed. First time she’s ever said that.”
“How do you feel about it?”
“Like I won the lottery. I played it cool, though. I told her I loved her to the moon and back and hugged her a little longer than usual. I tried not to make it a big deal. I could tell she was testing the words, and I didn’t want to confuse her. But inside, I was elated. And I guess a little guilty.”
“Why guilty?”
“I love that kid more than I thought imaginable. Somewhere in the two years we’ve had each other, I’ve come to think of her as more than my niece. I feel like she’s my daughter. And it’s crazy being conflicted because I know that’s what Adam and Jen would want, but I can’t help but feel like I’m taking something that doesn’t belong to me.”
“Noelle’s parents chose you as her guardian for a reason. They trusted you to take over if they couldn’t. I know there’s enough room in that little girl’s heart for two dads. You’re not taking anything from anyone. She’s gaining. Trust me, you are her dad. And a little birdie told me she feels the same.”
“You and Noelle talked about me?”
“Maybe,” I tease.
He smiles—a beautiful, warm, loving smile that shoots straight to my heart. “You’re not what I expected when I first met you.”
“What did you expect?”
“I don’t know,” he says quietly, caressing my cheek with the back of his hand. “Not you.”
The candlelight and soft glow from the fire elevates the romantic mood in the room. My belly has a full-blown case of the warm and fuzzies.
We look into each other’s eyes. Silence falls between us, the flicker of the flames illuminating our faces. God, he’s handsome. And so much more. He wants me—I see it in the way he looks at me because it’s the same way I’m looking at him.
I know the time has come. I can’t be here, across from this incredible man who awakens my soul in untapped places and who’s touch I’m desperately craving anymore without addressing the elephant in the room.
This dancing around the topic is done. It’s time to get it over with and let the cards fall as they may.
“Nick,” I say softly.
“Hmm?”
“You’re never going to sell. Are you?”
His posture stiffens. He inhales a deep breath then exhales it. Slowly, he shakes his head, never taking his eyes off mine.
“And your neighbors. They aren’t either. Are they?”
He closes his eyes for a second as if he’s pained. “No.”
“And there’s nothing I could do to persuade any of you otherwise. No amount of money, no special perks.” It’s not a question. I already know the answer.
“No.”
With my heart heavy, I swallow the lump in my throat and nod as tears well up in my eyes.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers, wiping away the tears rolling down the side of my cheeks with his thumb.
“Don’t be.” I smear the rest of my tears away with my fingertips. “It’s the right thing to do.”
He pulls me into an embrace and wraps his strong arms around my shoulders. I weep into his chest, kissing goodbye all the dreams of career grandeur I had when I first arrived in Arid Falls.
“Please don’t cry.” He tightens his arms around me, gently pressing his lips against my hair. “I’m so sorry.”
I look up at him as my tears trickle to a stop, and my heart beats wildly. The sadness I felt just a moment before turns to—relief. Like a giant weight has been lifted off me. I could lie to myself until I’m blue in the face, but I know the truth. The truth I’ve denied.
It only took a few short days to realize what this town doesn’t need is what I’m offering. It’s perfect the way it is. Inserting part-time residents and full-time crowds into this strangely enchanting place would zap its charm. Arid Falls in real-life is exponentially different than it was on paper.
With this new sense of freedom from my inner turmoil, the need and the desire I have for this amazing man that I’ve been suppressing erupts. For the first time since I’ve arrived here, my body and brain agree.
“I want you,” I whisper, lifting a hand to his face and stroking his cheek.
He shakes his head and unwraps his arms from around me. “Summer, no. You don’t know what you’re saying. You’re upset.”
“I know exactly what I’m saying. There’s nothing more I can do. Our business transaction is dead. It doesn’t exist anymore. You were truthful with me. Now it’s time for me to be truthful with you. What I feel… what I want right now... is you and me. There’s something between us. I know you feel it too. I see the way you look at me. You want me. I feel the same way.”
“Last night you said,” he begins, but I cut him off.
“Last night I lied,” I state plainly. “I don’t care about land deals, and I don’t care what happens when I go home. Right now, what I want more than anything… all I’ve wanted for days… is for you to kiss me.”
“Summer, I…”
“I’m tired of fighting our attraction,” I tell him.
I see the inner turmoil he’s experiencing in his eyes. I get it, I do one thing and say another.
“Nick,”
I murmur. “I want you. I want you so damn much.”
He rolls on top of me, his hard body pressed against mine, supporting his weight on his forearms. He brushes his lips softly against mine.
“Is this a mistake?” he whispers into my lips.
“Probably. Kiss me.”
His tongue slides into my mouth, twined with mine, dancing. I moan into his kiss… so tender, so absolutely perfect. He tastes of cool Chablis. Pressing delicate kisses across my jawline, he trails down the crook of my neck until he’s nibbling at my earlobe.
“Oh,” I groan.
“You like that?” he mutters, his breath heats my skin as the tip of his tongue traces the edge of my ear, sending currents of desire throughout my body.
“Hmm.” My hands slide under his T-shirt, and I rake my fingernails down his back. His skin is soft, smooth, and wonderfully warm. The muscles between his shoulder blades, hard and incredibly sexy.
“Mmm.” He grinds his pelvis into me.
“You like that?” I ask.
“What do you think?” He grinds harder, his arousal evident by the massive erection rubbing up against my cotton panties and pressing against my barely covered nakedness.
“I think you like me.” My nails dig into his back as I push up against his body—craving more, needing more. I want all of him. Every glorious inch of him.
He dips his head down and kisses me again. Deeply, slowly, excruciatingly hot. My God, this man can kiss. I’m so turned on, the wetness between my legs is almost embarrassing. My body has never responded this way to a kiss before.
His hand slides up my T-shirt, and he cups my breast, gently squeezing it, then skims his thumb back and forth across my nipple.
“Oh,” I whimper.
“Your skin is so soft. But this,” Playfully, he pinches my hardened nipple between his thumb and index finger. “I think you like me too.” He looks down at me with a mischievous smile and a lustful gaze.
I wrap my legs around his ass and pull him in closer. “How about we find out just how much we…”
He interrupts my words with a deep, sensual kiss. His tongue strokes mine—wet, soft, velvety strokes. He gently bites my bottom lip, making my insides tremble. I melt into another kiss, leisurely and slow, the tip of his tongue tracing my lips, inciting another moan… this time from both of us.
I adore that he’s taking his time. I love his kisses and the sensuality of his tender touch, more than I thought possible. This doesn’t feel like two people in lust. It feels deeper. Like we’ve been here a million times before and every time felt like the first.
I don’t know how I can be so in sync with someone I barely know. Someone who after tomorrow, I’ll never see again. But every drugging kiss, every sensual caress, every flutter of my heart tells me this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.
He grabs my waist and rolls us until I’m on top of him, my legs straddling him between his hips, his erection pressing hard between my legs. Sitting up slightly, he grabs the hem of my T-shirt then pauses, his gaze intense as he waits for my permission.
Taking in a deep breath, I nod. I close my eyes and lift my arms in the air. The cotton fabric of my T-shirt caresses my skin as he lifts it over my head then tosses it on the floor.
He lays back down on the rug, gazing at me appreciatively. The anticipation of his touch is painful.
“You’re beautiful.” His hands leisurely skim up my stomach. A small gasp escapes from my lips when he cups both my breasts. His palm strokes the roundness of my curves, his fingertips explore my naked flesh, occasionally stroking my nipples, back and forth, back and forth, deliberately slow, painful in the best possible way. “It feels like I’ve waited forever to touch you.”
“I feel the same,” I confess.
He reaches for my face with both hands, pulls me down to him, and covers my mouth with a hungry kiss.
“I could kiss you all night,” he mutters. “And I’m going to. Every single inch of you.”
“Mmm.” I press a delicate kiss to his lips. “Tonight, I’m yours.”
“You have all of me, Summer,” he murmurs against my mouth. “Even the parts I’m not supposed to give you.”
I pull away slightly, gazing into the profound sincerity in his blue eyes. My heart pounds wildly in my chest and the feels… those damn feels… have infiltrated my soul. I bend down and kiss him again because the truth is, although I’m not brave enough to say it aloud, I’m giving him parts of me I know I shouldn’t too.
“I want you so bad it hurts,” I whisper in his ear, then suck and nibble at his earlobe.
He groans then gently pushes me off of him until I’m lying next to him.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“We have to stop.”
“What? No. You have me all worked up, and you’re stopping?”
He smiles and shakes his head. “I have to go upstairs and get a condom.”
“Oh.” A smile twitches up from the side of my mouth. “Okay.”
“For as much as I like looking at you,” he throws the crocheted blanket on top of me, “you better cover up. It’s going to get cold without me.”
“Are you going to warm me up again?” I tease, staring at the impressive hard-on trying to escape his shorts.
“I’ll do better than that.” He stands and points his index finger at me. “Don’t go away.”
Grabbing the flashlight, he disappears, leaving me half-naked and horny as hell. I throw the blanket to my side. My internal temperature is raised enough to keep me warm for days. I stare at the flames while I wait, my body’s frustrated and frantically craving him. Slowly, I slip my hand down my panties, close my eyes, and stroke my swollen clit with my middle finger. I’m dripping wet and desperate for his touch.
I moan quietly as I continue to touch myself, wishing it were his fingers stroking me.
Opening my eyes, I look to my side and see Nick standing at the edge of the rug, the lightless flashlight down on the table.
“Don’t let me stop you,” his voice is hoarse and dripping in sex. “You can touch yourself, just don’t come.”
Heat spreads across my face, mortified that I was caught pleasuring myself.
“Go on,” he coaxes, licking his lips. “Show me how much you missed me.”
“I… umm.” Stumbling on my words, I pull my hand out from the scene of the crime.
“We only have one night. Let go, Summer.” He bends down until he’s on his knees, hooks his index fingers around the sides of my panties, and gently pulls them down.
The way he’s watching me, with a hunger in his eyes, as he strips away my last barrier, turns my embarrassment into empowerment. Although I’ve never done anything like this in front of anyone before, I want to do it for him because it makes me feel sexy.
He makes me feel sexy.
“You’re stunning, a thousand times better than any fantasy I could have imagined.” His voice is husky as he regards my naked body. My legs writhe, desperate to release this pent-up longing. “Now, let me watch you.”
“I’ll touch this.” My hand glides down my stomach again until my middle finger is stroking my slick, wet clit. “If you stand up and undress while I do it.”
I can’t believe I just said that.
Maybe it’s because I know I’ll never see him again. Maybe it’s because I’ve never felt as aroused by anyone as I do with him. Whatever the reason, I want to see him naked, and I’m not ashamed to voice it.
He grabs my wrist, bringing my hand to his mouth then sucks the middle finger I was just pleasuring myself with. A low moan escapes from the back of my throat.
“You taste like heaven.”
Oh my God, he’s dirty.
He stands, grabbing the bottom of his T-shirt and pulls it over his head, dropping it carelessly at his feet. Pressing my finger to my throbbing clit, I wet my lips as I watch him strip for me, unhurried. I admire the solid wall of muscle on his broad chest with the perfect amount of chest hair to run my
nails through and an impeccable washboard stomach. You don’t have ripples like that unless you’re working for them. My eyes continue their survey of his torso and stop at the top of what I can see is the beginning of a very defined V line.
“Oh,” I groan. I swirl my finger around my clit as a quick pulse of pleasure rewards me.
“That’s right,” he encourages. “Feel it for me.”
He grabs his waistband and slowly pulls both his shorts and boxer briefs down together, then walks out of them, kicking his clothes aside. He stands in front of me—naked, bold, and abso-fucking-lutely glorious. The tease of his chiseled V-line is now in full view—and holy fucking wow. His body is solid, strong, and his erection is... damned impressive.
“Do you want this, Summer?” He wraps his hand around his hard erection and strokes it slowly, sensually. “Do you want me to fuck you until I feel you clenching tight around my cock?”
Holy shit. He’s really, really dirty.
“Yes,” I say breathlessly.
“You look so fucking sexy right now. Are you close?”
I nod, never taking my eyes off his.
“Take your hand away. It’s my turn.”
“Wait.” Slowly, I pull my hand away, my finger glistening from my wetness. “Before you join me…Turn around.”
“Why?”
“I want to see all of you,” I confess with a hint of humor in my tone. I’ve been salivating over his ass for days. I deserve a naked glimpse.
One night stands sure draw out the sexual honesty in me.
An amused smirk rises from the side of his mouth and he turns around. “Tell me when you’ve had enough.”
“You’ll be standing there all night.” I lick my lips as I soak him in. His broad back ripples with smooth muscles. His ass is impeccable … round and muscular with the slightest of indents on each flawless cheek. “How is your ass so perfect?”
“Years of chopping down trees at the farm.” He turns, bends down in front of me and crawls over my body.
“I didn’t have enough,” I protest.
“I’ll make it up to you.” The tip of his tongue traces my nipple, then he sucks it.