“That’s not one teeny tiny dog,” Brady said, staring at Twinkles. “That’s the devil in disguise. And besides, I’m way more afraid of you.”
She smiled. “You are not.”
“Terrified. You’d better hold me.”
She burst out laughing at that, and gave him a shove instead, her hands against his hard chest.
Damn, he felt good.
He shook his head when she continued to grin at him. She couldn’t help it, she couldn’t stop.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
He shook his head. “With you, Lilah, it’s always something.”
Yeah, actually. It was. “You were right before. I’m restless and no one else in town is able to help me.”
“No?”
“No.” Stepping into him, she kissed him. She kissed him like she meant business, and by the time she pulled back, neither of them were breathing so steadily. “I hope you’re ready for this,” she said, because she’d consulted with the part of her brain in charge of making rash and stupid decisions, and it’d been unanimous.
“Lilah-”
“Shh,” she said. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll be gentle.”
Nine
B rady didn’t say anything, but his eyes were aroused and darkened with something else as well. He took Twinkles from Lilah’s arms and set him on his blanket in front of the fireplace. He snapped his fingers and Lucky joined Twinkles, the two of them sitting perfectly still and at rest, ready for their next order.
“You’re good,” she said, and turned to the bed, where if the tossed bedding was any indication, Brady had been restlessly sleeping, if at all.
“And you’re drowning in these sweats,” he said, coming up behind her. “You must be hot.”
Yes. Yes, she was.
Hot.
God, so hot.
She’d been sleeping in just a lacy tank and matching panties, but when Lucky had gotten hurt, she’d thrown on an old pair of sweats, both the top and bottoms several sizes too big. Obviously she hadn’t planned on a seduction, but that’s exactly what she wanted. A seduction. A night filled with passion and desire.
Brady was the man for the job, she knew it. He made her yearn and burn, he made her want. And then there was the added bonus of each of them knowing exactly what this was, and what it wasn’t. When the expiration date was up and he left Sunshine, she’d watch him walk away with a smile on her face.
“I want you,” he said, and stroked a finger over her shoulder, evoking a shiver. “I usually put what I need ahead of what I want, but with you the line blurs.” He slipped an arm around her waist, dipping his head to press his mouth against her jaw.
She had to clear her throat to speak. “I want you, too.” And needed him. Lord, how she needed him.
He ran his talented mouth up the side of her neck. His hand was low on her belly, the very tips of his fingers playing just beneath the elastic of the sweats, gliding lightly back and forth on her bare skin. “Be sure. This is unlike you, and a bad idea to boot.”
“It feels like a great idea,” she managed.
A low laugh escaped him, disturbing the hair at her temple.
“Christ, Lilah.” His other hand pushed her hair out of his way and then his mouth was on the nape of her neck, his teeth scraping over her, making her shiver. “Tell me no.”
“Yes.” She clutched the arm bracing her against him, already halfway to the “great” part of “great idea.” She could feel the heat of him, the strength, and it aroused her, making her shiver.
“Are you cold?” he asked against her skin.
“No. Hot.” She wanted-needed-his hand to move, either north or south.
Preferably south.
“Please,” she finally whispered, only to break off with a moan when his fingers trailed up her belly, along the zipper of the sweatshirt and then back, the rasp of metal on metal filling the room as he slid the zipper down. “This needs to go,” he said, and urged it off her shoulders.
The camisole beneath was white silk, a little sheer, and barely contained her breasts, which were spilling out over the top.
From over her shoulder, Brady took in the sight and groaned. His hand skimmed up her belly again, his thumb tracing the heavy underside of a breast for a moment before he nudged the spaghetti straps to her elbows, pressing his mouth to her shoulder. “Pretty,” he said in a voice gone so low in timbre as to be almost inaudible.
“My underwear matches.”
With a rough growl, he nipped at her shoulder and palmed her breast, grinding his erection into her bottom.
Lost in pleasure, her eyes drifted shut and she let her head fall back to his chest. “I’ve pictured this with you. Hope you live up to the fantasy,” she teased, then practically purred when his thumb rasped over her hardened nipple.
“You let me know.” He turned her to face him and she slid her hands up his chest and over his scruffy jaw, feeling the roughness beneath her fingertips. It was arousing and intimate.
His eyes were dark and heated and on her. Unwavering. Fierce. Protective.
He was beautiful. Everything about him was beautiful. “It’s been a long time for me,” she admitted. “But I’m pretty sure I remember what comes next.” She played with the top button on his Levi’s, the backs of her fingers brushing against the smooth, taut skin of his abs, which were washboard ridged and hard.
“Lilah.” His fingers speared into her hair, holding her head in his big palms as he searched her gaze for God knew what. “How long is a long time?”
“Long. But I hear it’s just like getting on a bike.”
“Yeah,” he said, his words hot along her skin as his lips grazed her earlobe. “It’s just like getting on a bike.” He untied her sweat bottoms, causing a rush of heat to slide south.
As did her sweats.
They slid south right off her hips and onto the floor.
He took in the white boy-cut panties that indeed matched the cami and palmed her ass, which increased her heart rate and made her already hardened nipples tighten even further. “What comes next, Lilah?”
That slowed her down a second. “You mean… you don’t know?”
His soft chuckle raised goose bumps on her skin. “This is your show. You call the shots.”
The thought of doing just that, in effect bossing this big, tough edgy man around in bed gave her a rush only a millimeter below an orgasm. She pulled back enough to look into his eyes to make sure he wasn’t just teasing. “Really? I’m in charge?”
His smile was slow and sure, and so hot she’d have sworn it singed the hair right off her skin. Yeah. She was in charge if that’s what she wanted. “You shouldn’t give someone that much power,” she whispered. “What if I take advantage?”
He slid a muscled thigh between hers. “You going to take advantage of me, Lilah?”
His tone suggested that would be okay with him, very okay. His hands were on the wall on either side of her head, his body pressed tight to hers.
And he was hard. Everywhere. “Yes,” she decided. “I’m going to take advantage of you.”
“Just remember,” he said hotly against her ear. “It’s my turn next, and turnabout is fair play.”
Oh boy. “M-maybe we should start easy.”
He laughed softly and kissed her with such gentleness that her heart quivered. “Easy works. Tell me what you want.”
“I’d rather show than tell.” She let her cami slip to her hips.
“Mmm.” Dipping his head, he ran his tongue across her nipple. “Show is nice. But I really like tell. Tell me what’s next, Lilah.”
“Fewer clothes-God,” she burst out when he sucked her into his mouth, “don’t stop.”
His hand pushed her cami down, and her panties with it, then slid between her legs. “Don’t stop what?”
She fisted her hands in his hair and pulled his mouth back to hers. “Don’t stop kissing me.”