Daring to Love: A Contemporary Romance (The Armstrongs Book 3)

by Gray, Jessica

  "Evan. Stop."

  He stopped and flashed her that big boyish smile that always flamed up her body in no time at all.

  "Are we going to the Mount Pacific Lodge?“ Her question was rather obvious, because there’s nothing else to go from here.

  His grin broadened and he almost burst with joy and laughter, "Yes."

  "What? But we cannot get down after dark, it's too dangerous." He didn’t expect her to do some crazy stuff like ski down after dark with torches, would he?

  "We won't."

  "We won't?"

  He approached her and whispered in her ear, "No, we will stay up there."

  Charlene was at a loss for words, "But that…." is for the rich and famous she wanted to say. Then she remembered that he was rich and famous and he easily could afford a room there. "You didn't have to do that."

  He pressed her harder against his body and she reeled in the love and desire he showed for her. Nibbling her earlobe, he said, "I know. But I wanted to. You deserve the best.”

  Chapter 15

  It was almost 5 o’clock when they arrived at the hotel and the hotel concierge greeted them, „Mrs. Diamond, Mr. Armstrong. Welcome to Mount Pacific Lodge. Your luggage has already been taken to your suite. Please follow me I’ll show you the way to Suite 27.“

  Charlene felt like a kid on Christmas Day. She'd never been here before. Of course, she’d seen it from the outside, but had never taken a step inside.

  The exterior was amazing. Thousands of lights lit up the entire building and transformed it into a spot of brightness and warmth in the middle of the wilderness that surrounded it. She wondered how it would look like once darkness had completely set in.

  But it was the interior that drew a low whistle from her mouth. It reeked of elegance and luxury. A lobby decorated in rich jewel tones, starring an immense crystal chandelier hanging in the main foyer. Like in one of those European castles.

  The flooring in the foyer featured all hand-laid tile, in a checkerboard pattern and thick carpets in the hallways absorbed the sound of people moving around. She longed to touch the soft and fluffy carpets with her naked feet.

  They stopped besides the grand curving staircase located just before the elevator. She didn’t cease to be amazed with every little detail that showed the class and elegance of the place. It truly deserved it’s reputation as one of the best Mountain Lodges in the world.

  Once inside the room Evan asked, "Do like it here?"

  She jumped at him, "I love it! Thank you." She kissed him soundly on the lips, but quickly lowered herself back to the ground and started exploring the luxurious suite.

  She ran her hand over the bed linens, exclaiming about the quality of the sheets and how soft they felt. Evan watched her the entire time, his grin from ear to ear giving away the delight about her joy.

  When she entered the bathroom, she squealed of delight. The bathroom in their suite was almost as big as her entire apartment. A double vanity over which a large mirror showed a reflection of the gorgeous room, used the whole length of one of the wall.

  On the opposite wall of the vanity, she admired the floor-to-ceiling window with a breathtaking view of the mountains. The hotel had been built on a slope, so nobody was capable of looking in the windows; however, they had gone a step further. With the wave of a hand over a small dial on the wall, one could turn the sparkling clear glass to a milky white instantly.

  A corner garden tub captured her interest for a moment, evoking dirty images of her and Evan. But then she continued her exploration inside the luxurious tiled shower. The walls, ceiling and floors were covered in small square tiles, in different tones of blue. She gasped when she saw the rain shower hanging down from the ceiling. She stared up at the shower ceiling and a vision of her and Evan, standing beneath the water, making passionate flashed through her thoughts.

  I want that! I want Evan to make love to me in the shower. And in the bathtub. And then maybe the shower again..

  She hurried back to the bedroom to tell Evan about her plans for the night.

  ***

  Her glowing eyes filled Evan’s heart with love. He usually lived very frugal. His life consisted mainly of training, races, and a few nights out. But what was all his money worth if he couldn't spend it to spoil the woman he loved? And it was fun to spoil her.

  He had dinner reservation in the hotel restaurant with the famous award-winning chef. It hadn't been easy, because the restaurant usually was booked out for weeks or even months in advance, but his name had done the trick. Who could resist a triple world champion?

  But before dinner he'd planned for a special appetizer. Ignoring her romantic approaches, he said, "Let's take a quick shower and then head downstairs to eat."

  He almost caved when he saw the disappointment fill her eyes. Then he reminded himself. – She’s only disappointed because she doesn't know what I have in mind before dinner. He was sure she wouldn't look disappointed a few minutes from now.

  Evan tried his best to keep a straight face and fend off her sexual attentions under the shower. It took him all his self-control not to touch her naked skin. But he wanted more. He wanted this to be an explosion of pleasure for both of them. Something she'd never experienced before. Something she wouldn't forget and she’d dream about during the next two weeks when he wasn't with her.

  Once again he evaded her seeking fingers, finished his own shower, and then waited for the perfect opportunity to make his escape. It came a few seconds later when she added shampoo to her hair. This is it.

  He stepped out of the shower, calling to her closed eyes, "I just have to shave quickly."

  Evan started with a razor and shaving cream and looked at her gorgeous body in the big mirror while she wiped herself dry. She caught his glance and came nearer. "Want me to help you?"

  She’d taken his bait and the game could begin. He put a drop of shaving cream onto her breast and massaged it into the skin. Her body instantly reacted and her nipple hardened right under his fingertips.

  "Hmmm." He loved that sexy sound she made when she was aroused.

  He puffed some air onto her nipple and she hissed. Much louder this time. She took the razor blade and when she’d finished off shaving him, he asked, "Am I soft and smooth now?"

  Her cheek rubbed against his, "Yes. Wonderful." She leaned into him and he could feel his desire for her growing. It was tempting to throw her over his shoulder and carry her to the bed right now.

  But it wasn't yet the time. He had other plans.

  In a sudden move he sat her on the vanity and parted her legs wide to gain access to all her intimate parts. Her moan of anticipation filled the air. Trailing his fingers down her stomach over her pubic hair he hissed in a coarse voice, "Now it's my turn."

  Charlene leaned forward with surprise in her voice, "Your turn for what?"

  "Shaving you."

  His finger traced along her outer labia and said, "Here. And here, " and continued until it arrived just above little love bud. "And most definitely here."

  Her body shuddered under his touch. I'm going to make that a woman forget her own name.

  Her voice was a mere whisper, "You make it sound so sexy."

  "It is. I'm a sex god, remember?" To reinforce his words he pressed his thumb against her most sensitive spot and she moaned in response.

  "How could I resist a sex god?"

  He smiled a cocky grin, "You can’t." Then he slowly, oh so deliciously slowly massaged the shaving cream onto her skin. Pausing at her shutters and moans, his own desire growing with each of her sexy little noises.

  In the mirror behind her back he saw the backdrop of snowcapped mountains. And the thought that someone might be able to watch them made it just more exhilarating.

  Chapter 16

  Just when Charlene thought she couldn't take his teasing touch anymore, he stopped and licked his lips. "Ready."

  She looked straight into his sky-blue eyes, dark with desire and his formidable erection f
urther down. If her body weren’t already hot as hell, this view would have made her dripping with wetness. He moved out of the way, and turned her so she could see herself in the full-length mirror on the side wall.

  "Look how bare and soft you are. For me. I promise you are in for the most fantastic sensations. I’ll make love to you until you beg me for a break."

  She believed every word. Seconds later she felt him carefully lift her up and carry her into the other room. He spread her out on the satin sheets of the king sized bed, arranging arms and legs to his liking, kissing her and whispering, “Stay just like that.”

  The silky sheets were a welcome refreshment, cooling down her body temperature from boiling to barely supportable. When he puffed air across her freshly shaved skin, she gasped. Oh my God. That is so intense.

  Blood rushed to her core and she could feel the strong throbbing of her own pulse building up, knowing she wouldn't last long. The next moment Evan brushed his lips along her bare labia ever so lightly. He'd been right. The sensations were fantastic. Intense. Overwhelming.

  "Evan. Don't…" But it was too late. She came with a vigor that surprised her. Panting and convulsing she experienced a climax like no other. When she finally relaxed, Evan grinned at her, "Been a little greedy?"

  She felt the blood rush to her cheeks and wanted to say something in her defense, but before she could open her mouth, he continued, "I love it when you're greedy. It turns me on."

  To proof his words he brushed his hard shaft against her core. A gasp escaped her throat and the wave of arousal started to kick in again. He'd given her so much pleasure already and she knew she was in for more. A lot more. She couldn’t fight it, even if she’d wanted to. She was a puddle of desire at his mercy and he wouldn’t stop to make her come until she begged him for a break.

  She inhaled his scent, mixed with the smell of shaving cream, and wondered what she had done to deserve such a man.

  He licked his way down her neck, stopping at the pulse point at the back and sucking on it gently before moving on. When he reached her breasts, he kissed all around them, keeping the caresses light, and evading her nipples until she was practically begging him to suckle her.

  When he finally took her nipple into his mouth, she arched off the bed and came. She was so shocked, that she could barely form a coherent sentence.

  “Again,” was all he said to her as he moved his warm lips to the other breast and slid his fingers through her wet folds, using light teasing touches at first and then firmer strokes as her passion once again started to build.

  When her pulse rate quickened, he thrust two fingers into her welcoming core and once again watched her come for him. He kept up the light caresses until she settled once more and then he kissed her before whispering, “Again.”

  “Evan! What are you doing to me?” she questioned him, her body humming with the aftermath of pleasure.

  “Making you feel adored and loved the way you deserve it,” He moved his lips down over the gentle swell of her stomach, his intentions clear when he scooted his body down to lay between her thighs. His mouth covered her pulsing core, while she arched off the bed and screamed his name. All he’d had to do was lick her once and she had come again, this orgasm more intense than ones before.

  He didn’t waste any time, but levered himself up and thrust into her body while she was still engulfed in the pleasure of the latest orgasm. The feel of her body as he pushed his way inside wasn’t like anything else she’d ever experienced. Evan increased the speed and depth of his strong and possessive thrusts, and she screamed out his name as she came one last time, feeling like the world had changed forever.

  „I love you“, she whispered.

  ***

  Evan rolled to his back and pulled her with him, arranging her so that her head lay over his heart and then he closed his eyes on a sigh of contentment. „I love you too, darling. I want to spend every day of the rest of my life with you!“

  I’ve never felt so satisfied in my life! Yes, their love-making had been earth shattering before, but his heart and soul were fulfilled by the look in her happy and exhausted eyes.

  When she moved her head up to rest it against his shoulder, he squeezed her close for a moment, but their cuddling was interrupted by the sound of the phone ringing.

  He let his fingers travel down her naked back, answering her unspoken question when she raised her head, “Time to get up Wonder Woman, we have dinner reservations.”

  "Aren’t you going to answer the phone?" she inquired as she turned to see where the noise was coming from.

  He shook his head at her, "No, that was just the alarm so we wouldn't miss dinner."

  She tried to give him a stern look, "So you had all of this planned?"

  He grinned at her, a grin that came from deep within his heart, and gently patted her naked butt. She makes me so happy! I can’t believe how much I love this woman! He’d have no problem to stay in the room and make love to her the whole night through, but it would be a shame to skip dinner. The restaurant located in the hotel got raving reviews and he wanted her to experience everything this place had to offer.

  To answer her question about the phone, he kissed her on the temple and told her, “Let's say I had the slightest idea we might lose track of the time."

  Charlene threw him a happy smile, „You are incorrigible, Mister. What else do you have up your sleeve?“

  He couldn’t resist the temptation and showed her his naked arms. „See, nothing up my sleeves.“

  „Not quite true, I can see a provocative tattoo up there.“ With these words she slid off the bed, before he could catch her and headed for the bathroom. She emerged a few moments later, looking adorable in the cuddly towel wrapped around her body.

  Evan was almost dressed, and she hurried to catch up to him. Several minutes later they were headed downstairs to the restaurant, hand in hand. The maÎtre d’ showed them their table in a secluded corner of the restaurant and asked them for their choice of wine.

  Charlene gave him a confused look and Evan responded, „I’ve ordered the surprise menu for us. Everyone is raving about it.“

  „Oh.“

  The menu included seven courses. He was pleasantly surprise, the raving about the chef’s ability was indeed justified. Course three and four was pasta. But not just any past, the most delicious pasta he’d ever eaten.

  He almost choked on his bite, when Charlene licked her lips and fixed her eyes on him, saying, "Please, let me dive into this pasta and stay there forever."

  Her words sparked a vision of her naked body swimming in a pool filled with the delicious pasta, giving him a hard-on and he shook his head at himself. You have the whole night in front of you.

  “This is fabulous,” she told him as the waiters prepared to deliver the last course. A decadent chocolate cheesecake with raspberry and white chocolate sauce.

  After they had finished dinner, Evan escorted her up to the glass-roofed winter garden. Actually the term „winter garden“ didn’t do it justice. The entire roof of the building was encased in a glass dome. Small seating arrangements were scattered here and there in the dark room, lit up solely by a single candle on each of the tables.

  He sat down on one of the comfortable love seats and pulled her down next to him. A waiter brought them a complimentary mulled wine, that smelled of cloves and cinnamon and set the steaming cups onto the small table in front of them. Before leaving he asked them to ring the bell should they need anything.

  They reclined there, watching the most amazing night sky develop with its brightly shining stars. Evan loved the way how the stars out in the mountains were much more intense, than in the city. It made him feel small and insignificant compared to the universe, and put things into perspective.

  With no artificial light for miles, the stars shone and sparkled and they could clearly see the Milky Way.

  “There’s the Little Dipper. And see those three star in a row right over there? That’s Orion’s bel
t.”

  Charlene listened to his deep voice talk about the stars in silence and when he looked down into her eyes filled with emotion, he had to swallow back a lump in his throat.

  He’d never been the romantic type, but with her, everything was different. She was different, "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you."

  She snuggled up against him, "I love you too. And I hate to be without you for the next two weeks."

  Evan kissed her for several minutes in a sensuous and promising kiss before answering, "Me too. I'll miss you every second of every day. But we will talk in the morning and in the evening. And I’ll text you in between."

  "Yes…. But…."

  She didn't finish her sentence and he asked, "What is it darling?"

  She fidgeted on his lap and he finally wrapped an arm around her waist and tipped her chin up to meet his eyes. “Talk to me.”

  "Are you sure you want me to come to the Sports Star Awards?"

  Why is she even asking this? "Of course I do," he assured her.

  "Won’t you get tired of me?" she asked him, searching his eyes for the truth.

  He had to smile at her. No! He would never get tired of her. Ever. He wanted to spend every day of the rest of his life with her. "Never. Ever.”

  To emphasize his words, he kissed her. A loving tender kiss that grew more passionate by the minute. Their hands began wandering, and several long moments later, Evan rose to his feet and practically dragged Charlene behind him as they returned to their suite.

  The winter garden had been a wonderfully romantic, but it was a little open for what he had in mind. He wanted her naked and back in their bed. Charlene didn’t have to be convinced, and as they entered the suite, it was a race to see whom could remove their clothes the fastest.

  Evan won, of course, and then had the pleasure of stripping her black lace thong from her body. He could have used his hands, but instead he used his teeth. Soon, she was screaming out his name as he took her back to paradise again and again.