Part 9 (1/2)

He cupped her chin and tipped it up. ”I'm sorry for making you feel that way. It wasn't my intention.”

Her lips parted. ”You are?”

Nodding, he let go of her chin and caressed the side of her face. ”Yeah.”

”Then I'm sorry for getting unreasonably upset. I shouldn't expect an invitation to a party from you. I'm not sure what's wrong with me,” she finished.

Austin leaned in, dipping his head so that his lips touched her ear. ”You were missing me.”

”Was not,” she protested.

His teeth grasped her lobe, sending sparks of desire straight to her core. ”Missing my kisses.”

Well, he did have a point there, but to admit that to someone so dang c.o.c.ky... not happening. ”Maybe a little.” She inwardly groaned. Self-control was not in her vocabulary when it came to him.

”How about we have a party tonight?” He kissed the side of her neck and she s.h.i.+vered, tipping her head to one side to give him better access. ”Just the two of us.”

”It's a school night.”

”Even better. I promise to get you home on time, Ms. Bell.” His voice was deep, hypnotizing as he spoke. ”You don't have to change. h.e.l.l, you don't have to drive. Just put that sweet a.s.s of yours back in my truck, and we can get started.”

One of his big hands reached around to her to grab a b.u.t.t cheek and squeeze. She let out a strangled moan.

”Say yes, sweetheart. I'll do you right this time.”

Do her right-what did that mean? She knew what she wanted it to mean. New year, new her.

Swaying at little, she grabbed onto him and whispered, ”Come inside.”

He shut the door behind them with his free hand. As soon as she heard the click, she pushed him against the door, searching for his mouth and tugging at the hem of his s.h.i.+rt with frantic movements.

”Easy, baby. I'm right here.” Lifting her without effort, he fused his mouth to hers and began to walk across her floor. The taste of him was intoxicating, addictive, just like before.

She sank her fingers into his hair and deepened their kiss. Her b.u.t.t hit the side of the sofa, and then he lifted her a little higher so she could sit on the arm. Breaking their kiss, he used one hand to pull his s.h.i.+rt up and over his head in that way only men could do.

At the sight of his sculpted chest, a dreamy sigh left her mouth before she could stop it. He smiled wickedly at her. ”Your turn.”

”Not yet.” Keeping her eyes on his, she leaned forward and licked his nipple. ”I want to taste you.”

His eyes closed briefly before opening back. ”Whatever you want.”

She moved to his other nipple, nibbling on it as her hands roamed his hard body. Sc.r.a.ping her fingernails across his skin, she smiled as he groaned and his body shook. There was something very heady about making a man like him come undone with only her mouth and hands.

”But you've got about two minutes before it's my turn.”

”Maybe longer.”

He grabbed her ponytail and tugged on it until she was forced to look up at him. ”Two minutes is all I'll allow.”

”Will you bench me if I don't follow your rules?” There was something about him that made her inner vixen come out and play. For almost two hundred years, Lawson men and McCoy women had avoided one anther like the plague, but now it seemed that things were changing. For the better.

Or for the worse if he breaks your heart.

She brushed away that dark thought and concentrated on the half-naked man standing in front of her, looking every bit a dedicated athlete. Men like Austin had to be the reason the Olympics started out with nude partic.i.p.ants. Who wouldn't want to look at them?

”Nah, I'd put you over my knee though. Spank your bare a.s.s until it was nice and pink.”

”Oh my.” Her mouth dropped a little, and heat flooded her body even more. She was pretty sure she needed to change her panties, but she was just as sure she wouldn't be wearing them very soon.

He bit the side of his lip, and it was one of the s.e.xiest things she'd ever seen a man do in her life. ”d.a.m.n if I don't want you.”

Reluctantly, she stopped touching him. He let go of her hair, and she began to take off her top.

His hand on her shoulder stopped her. ”Stop.” Getting down on his knees, he pulled her s.h.i.+rt back down. ”We need to stop. I don't have protection with me. I didn't set out to seduce you, just to talk to you. I needed to see you. Hear your voice. Kiss you.” Visibly swallowing, he swore. ”There's something going on here... Not sure what it is, but it's... not casual.”

Lord. The things he said to her. ”I'm glad.”

He framed her face with his hands. ”I'm serious. I don't want to hurt you.”

”Then don't.”

His hands traveled from her face to her shoulders, and then skimmed her arms. ”So d.a.m.n soft.” He gripped her hips, leaning in to press his nose against one of her thighs. ”f.u.c.k. You smell good.”

She ran her hands over his impossibly wide shoulders. ”So do you.”

Lifting his head slightly, he peered up at her, a devilish glint in his eyes. ”Lift up your sweet a.s.s.”

Doing as he asked, she soon found herself with leggings or panties. He'd taken off both in one swift movement. Wrapping one arm around her hips, he pulled her toward him, leaving her teetering on the edge of the sofa arm.

But it also put her at the perfect height with his mouth. ”Are you going to...?”

”h.e.l.l yes I am.” His head dipped once more, and his tongue searched through the thin, wet strip of curls, finding her c.l.i.t with ease. Pleasure surged inside of her like high tide during a hurricane.

”Mmm. Better than I imagined,” he murmured, his breath hot against her She had no time to think, no time to do anything at all besides grab his head and hold on for dear life as he licked her. He took the time to tell her good she tasted, how turned on he was by the sight of that landing strip... how he couldn't wait for her to come on his tongue.

”Stop talking so much,” she gasped as he swept his tongue over her again.

With a grin, he pulled her off the couch and onto his face as he sank onto the floor. ”Much better.” When he shoved his tongue inside of her, she nearly fell over.

Panting, she could barely say anything. Her heart pounded, and her body didn't feel like it was hers anymore. ”I want you inside of me.”

His answer was to replace his tongue with his fingers and suck on her c.l.i.t. In what seemed like seconds, she came apart, screaming his name so loud that Libby started running toward them.

”Go... lay down. It's okay,” she managed to gasp, feeling foolish.

Libby turned around and headed back to Harper's bedroom, the dog's favorite room to lie down in after long walks.