One Hundred Secrets (An Aspen Cove Romance Book 10)

by Kelly Collins

  At the creak of the floorboard, he turned to see her walking toward him in nothing but a towel. When she got to his side, she let the towel drop and fell to her knees beside him.

  “No strings attached. Just the comfort of each other’s bodies for one night. Will you turn down what I’m offering you?”

  Chapter Fifteen

  She was putting herself out there. Every single wet inch of her body. The wolf breathing down her neck was a wake-up call. Life was too damn short to not take chances.

  This was a bad decision, but she wanted to feel something other than self-loathing and fear. They were two consenting adults. Why couldn’t they enjoy each other? Why shouldn’t they?

  “I’m not asking you to love me, Tilden. I’m asking you to make me feel something other than despair. My life is a shit storm. Can’t you be my safe harbor for a while longer?” That’s what he’d turned out to be. Little did he know when she showed up dressed like a princess on steroids, he’d wind up being her unsuspecting prince.

  “You’re chipping at my resolve, Goldie. I’m trying to stay strong for both of us.”

  She shuffled on her knees to get closer to him. Her breasts pressed into the soft, worn cotton of his shirt. He closed his eyes and breathed through his nose.

  “Do you have any idea what you’re getting yourself into?”

  “No. Don’t care.” She gripped at the hem of his shirt and pulled it up and over his head. She’d seen his body. Devoured him for an entire two minutes that day staring at him in the shower. As her fingers moved over his skin and goosebumps danced under her touch, she didn’t care what she was getting herself into. All she knew was that she wanted more.

  When her lips touched his collarbone and his breath hitched, she knew she’d won a game she hadn’t intended to play. He claimed that the bath, wine, and candles weren’t intended for seduction and, knowing Tilden like she did, she believed him. Everything he’d done for her was an act of kindness.

  He’d had ample opportunity to take advantage of her, but he never did.

  However, she had seduction etched into her mind when she let him undress her. When he planted the idea of more. When she let the towel fall to the floor. Everything she did was with the end result in the forefront of her mind. Tilden Cool was one hot-blooded man who made her insides coil with need. One of his smiles could make her heart race for an hour. One of his kisses turned her bones to gel.

  Not once in her life had she dated a man like him. Wouldn’t have given him a second glance if he were walking on the street. That was part of her problem. She knew what she knew. She did what she did because it was all she knew. Her life was shit because she fell back on old habits and never gave something fresh a chance. Everything in her life was a jumble. Each moment was a risk. Wasn’t it time she reached past her comfort zone?

  Her mother always told her to order salads because you couldn’t get fat or go wrong with lettuce. She said to trust no one because your best friend would trip you just to get first in line at an audition. She also said to wear black because it was a safe color. But Goldie was tired of playing it safe. Safe hadn’t worked out all that well with her.

  “Kiss me,” she begged, and he did.

  His mouth crashed over hers with so much force they fell to the floor together. In seconds her naked body was on top of his mostly clothed one, but she didn’t care.

  Tilden wasn’t the kind of guy that threw caution to the wind; he had to have his layers pulled back one at a time.

  As long as his mouth was on hers and his hands were exploring, she could wait a few more minutes.

  He lifted her up. She hung like a rag doll over him.

  “You asked for it.” He shook his head, but his smile told her everything. He might warn her, but there was no way he was changing his mind. She’d pushed him beyond the point of no return.

  The fire crackled in the background, but the heat was coming off their bodies. They were a sizzling hot combination. She’d known it from that first stolen kiss.

  “Get into bed.” He sat up and put her back on her knees.

  Her heart stopped. Had she read him wrong? Was he rejecting her again?

  “You’re turning me down?”

  He rose to his feet and helped her stand. He took in her body and licked his lips.

  “It’s too late for that, sweetheart. You poked the bear one too many times.” He turned her around and swatted her bare bottom. “When I’m pressed into your body, you’ll be happy to have the mattress instead of the hardwood floor at your back.”

  She ran to the bed and climbed on top. The covers were rumpled from earlier. She considered covering herself up, but she loved the way he tracked her movements. Loved the way he took in every inch of her like she was one of the maps he studied.

  He kicked off his boots and unbuttoned his jeans with the deliberation of a stripper. Every tooth of his zipper clicked in the silence as he pulled the tab down. The denim hit the floor, leaving him in black boxer briefs and nothing else.

  Never once had she considered men’s underwear sexy, but seeing Tilden with his tawny skin and his arousal bulging against his stomach, all she could think of was how glorious this mountain man was.

  “You sure about this?”

  With little thought, she let her legs fall open. It was a bold invitation.

  “Take off your briefs before you change your mind.”

  “Couple of things, sweetheart. Are you protected?”

  Her body … yes. Her heart … not so sure. “IUD.”

  “I may have a condom in the truck.” He looked over his shoulder to the front door.

  She laughed at the thought of him running into the chill of the night air nearly naked in search of a condom.

  “Any risky behavior?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “Clean as a whistle and it’s been so long, I’m almost a virgin again.” He dropped his briefs and climbed on the bed.

  “Same here. We’re good.” She’d never wanted children, so protecting herself was paramount. This would be her first skin-on-skin experience. If she’d had it her way in the past, she would have had men double glove before the love but with him it was different. He wasn’t having sex with her because he thought she could do something for his career. He wasn’t interested in her assets, which sat at zero right now. Couldn’t care about her connections. All he wanted was her body for a night and she was willing to give it to him.

  “You’re my first.”

  He crawled between her legs and hovered over her body. His length twitched against her.

  “Being hard as a rock for you, I’m liable to believe anything you say but I’m having a hard time believing I’m your first anything.”

  She pushed on his chest with all her might until they toppled over, and she came to rest over him.

  “Not my first ever but my first condom-free experience.”

  He shifted their bodies so she hovered over him. All it would take was a single move and he’d be inside her. She had no problem with a first-time quickie but knowing the man who breathed heavily beneath her, he might come to his senses after their first time.

  Instead, she would tease, titillate and torture him until he begged her for release. If this would only happen once, she wanted to make sure he remembered her for always.

  With a shift of her hips, she inched him inside of her. The stretch and pull felt wonderful. He filled her in more ways than he’d ever know.

  She’d had a few lovers in her time. Not as many as one would think. Contrary to what most would believe, men were intimidated by women like her. The façade of being an “it" girl made for a lonely life.

  Once he was inside her, she rolled her hips and relished the moan that reverberated from deep in his chest.

  “You’re killing me.”

  “You’ll die happy.”

  She leaned forward and let her hair fall like a curtain. It was just the two of them with the heat of the fire across the room and the inferno of pent-up
desire around them.

  “Yes, I will.” He lifted to meet the thrust of her hips. His hands cupped her bottom to set the pace.

  With closed eyes and a look of pain on his face, he shifted them once again until he was on top.

  For a man who hadn’t had sex in a long time, he wasn’t lacking in restraint. She knew each time he was getting close because of the way his jaw hardened, and the telltale tick of his muscles twitching on his cheek.

  Each time she got close he’d move. “Not yet, we’re doing this together.”

  “I’m ready.”

  He chuckled. “Not yet.”

  She’d never been flipped in so many positions. Hadn’t met a man who was so limber. Loved the way his muscles flexed and hardened. Where did he get his staying power?

  She was certain the Kama Sutra had nothing left to show her when he pulled out and ran his whiskers down her stomach to settle between her legs.

  One touch of his tongue and she was a quivering mess.

  What started out as her intent to make him beg had her repeating “Please. Please. Please” —over and over again.

  And just as she was falling over the precipice, he moved up her body and plunged deep inside her. There was no coming back from that experience. She fell apart around him.

  When he stilled and said her name, she wondered if maybe he wasn’t right. This was a bad decision. Had Tilden ruined her for all other men?

  Chapter Sixteen

  He snuck out of bed at first light. It was his way. Up with the sun to start his day. He warmed up the shower water and made the coffee. For over an hour he sat on the edge of the bed and stared at her.

  Part of him felt like an idiot for being so irresponsible; the other felt like a caveman wanting to pound his chest for claiming his woman. Right out of the gate he knew she’d be great in bed. A simple kiss from her as a stranger sent jolts of awareness arcing through his body. There had been no doubt they’d be like a lit stick of dynamite in bed together.

  They’d agreed it would happen only once, but that was thrown out the window as soon as his refractory time was met. A man his age needed some rest in between, but something about Goldie had him so worked up that he was ready as soon as they finished.

  Did they spend all night testing out the strength of the furniture in the cabin? Everywhere he looked was filled with a memory. Goldie on the sofa. Goldie on the table. Goldie against the wall. His home and mind were filled with the woman who now slept naked in his bed.

  She stirred and opened an eye.

  “Good morning.” Her hand snaked out from under the cover and rested on his denim clad thigh. “Come back to bed.” Her voice was gravelly and sexy.

  “It’s getting late. I’ve got work to do.”

  She rose up, the sheet falling down to expose her breasts.

  Immediately, his body reacted. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her. He’d have liked to say it was only her body and the pleasures it gave him that made him respond to her, but he didn’t like to lie to himself. There was something about her that called to his inner hero. The part of him that wanted to make things right for her.

  It would be easy to discount her because she was not his type. She’d proven that by moving into his cabin and staying for weeks. His type was here tonight, gone before morning. He liked her more than he wanted to. Liked her in a way that he’d liked no one else, and it had very little to do with how she set his body on fire.

  She rolled over and laid her head in his lap. “Thanks for last night. You took care of me in a way no one else ever has.”

  Did she mean sexually or was it because he’d opened his cabin to her?

  “Thank you for last night. It was …” What could he say? It was the most amazing night of his life? There was no way he’d give her that much information. “Great. I really had a good time.”

  She flopped back and pulled the sheet over her body. Damn shame to cover up such beauty. He looked at his watch and considered the time. He’d asked Wes to come out and look at how much pipe needed to be laid to get inside plumbing. Was he doing it for her or for himself? Things were muddled right now. After seeing her in the bathtub last night, he considered how nice it would be to have a shower he didn’t need to light a fire for. To have an indoor toilet that could flush. It was a luxury he could have had all this time but he hadn’t placed the priority of comfort over his need for information.

  “If I get up now, will you walk me to the bathroom?” Her eyes grew big and a shudder raced through her body.

  “Yes, let’s get you dressed and then I’ve got something to tell you.”

  He rose to pour her a cup of coffee. Whereas she normally hid in the closet to dress, she no longer needed to hide her nakedness from him. He’d seen every inch of her.

  Leaning against the counter and sipping his own cup of coffee, he watched as she climbed out of bed. Even from where he stood, her skin looked as soft as it felt. The telltale sign of his desire for her twitched in his pants.

  “Are you going to disappear today?” She hopped into a pair of jeans, then picked up his T-shirt that had been discarded on the floor. She tugged it over her head, slipped on her boots and walked to the back door. She reached for the handle but pulled back. “Is it silly that I’m afraid?”

  He put his cup down and walked to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling his beard into the crook of her neck.

  “Not at all. Last night was a traumatic experience for you. Hell, it was a traumatic experience for me.” He lifted his head and kissed her gently on the lips. “It was a great lesson as well. We live in the wild. I like to think of myself as a guest in their woods. You have to always be aware of your surroundings.”

  They walked to the outhouse and he leaned on a nearby tree and waited.

  “Don’t listen.”

  He laughed. “Just hurry. It’s cold out here.” He crossed his arms over his chest. If he was cold in a long-sleeve Henley and a flannel shirt, there was no doubt she’d be chilled to the bone in his short-sleeved cotton tee.

  She walked out rubbing hand sanitizer between her hands. “It’s sad when your pee lets off steam.”

  “Come on. Let’s get you inside. I’ve got some exciting news to tell you.”

  He put his arm around her and led her back into the cabin. He poured her a cup of coffee and pulled out the chair across the table.

  “What’s this exciting news?” She ran her hand across the smooth wooden surface and smiled.

  He knew she was thinking about last night. He closed his eyes and relived that exact moment. God, he loved this table. How they’d swiped the plans and vials of dirt to the floor before he lifted her to the surface. He was certain she’d be bruised from the pounding against the wood, but she didn’t seem bothered by anything except the outdoors.

  He leaned back in his chair and stared. Not a stitch of makeup on and she was so beautiful.

  “How would you like to have a hot bath every night?” He drank his coffee and watched for her reaction.

  A smile lifted the corners of her lips. “Are you going to boil water for me and light candles and pour me a glass of wine each evening?” She winked. “That almost sounds like planned seduction, Mr. Cool. I thought last night was a one-time thing.”

  He leaned forward. “I’m talking about finishing the piping to the house. Getting a big old water heater so you can have your baths.” He scooted back his chair and walked to her side of the table. “As for last night … I wouldn’t mind a repeat.”

  She slid fingers from both hands into his belt loops and tugged him toward her. “You ready now? I’m all about the present. After yesterday, I realize I can be here now and wolf food in the next minute.”

  He bent over and lifted her like a fireman over his shoulder. Her laughter rang throughout the room.

  “How about being my food? I like how you taste.” He licked his lips and reached for the button of her jeans. The sound of tires on gravel stopped him short. He stared down at
her flushed face. “Raincheck? Looks like Wes is here.”

  “We’re having company?” She bolted off the bed and raced around the room picking up their discarded clothes. There wasn’t anywhere to put them, so she opened the closet door and shoved them inside. “You could have said something.”

  “I did.”

  Her hands came to her cheeks. “Oh. My. God. We could have been in the middle of …” She rushed to the bed and wrestled it into submission. As soon as the quilt was tucked over the pillows she walked to the counter and acted as if nothing happened. That was the performer in her. Always ready to take on the role thrown at her.

  A knock sounded at the door and Tilden swung it wide open. “Wes, come on in.”

  Wes wiped his boots on the welcome mat and stepped inside. “Sorry I’m early. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

  Tilden looked at Goldie. “I was just getting ready to eat.”

  She dropped the empty coffee cup in her hand.

  “Coffee?” Red hot heat rushed to Goldie’s cheeks.

  “Love some. You must be Goldie.”

  She smiled and lowered her head. “That’s me.” She poured him a cup of coffee and moved into the living room. “I’d leave you two to yourselves, but there’s no place for me to go except outside.” She glanced at the door. “And that’s not happening.”

  “Goldie had a run-in with a wolf last night.” Tilden cleared his throat. “That’s why I thought it might be a good idea to get the plumbing finished.”

  “No shit. That must have scared the hell out of you.”

  “It wasn’t pleasant,” she said.

  His builder’s eyes moved around the cabin. “This place hasn’t changed.” Then he looked at Goldie. “Maybe. Can’t remember a time when I’ve ever seen a woman here.”

  Tilden waved him over to the table. It was no longer the clean slate for lovemaking; his maps and vials had been placed back on top early this morning.

  “You spend some time in this place?” Tilden asked.