He's the One (12 page)

She shook her head.

"Food?"

Heat flooded her cheeks, and she shook her head again. She dropped her gaze.

"Taylor what do you want?"

You. I want you
, her brain shouted. Her body agreed wholeheartedly.

"Taylor? Speak to me. If you want to bow out and change your mind, I won't think bad of you."

Enveloped by a sudden shyness, her heart raced. “I don't,” she whispered. “I haven't changed my mind."

She heard Cade's sigh of relief and a tingle of heat slid across her arms. It did her good to hear that, boosting her suddenly flagging confidence.

Emboldened, she closed the gap between them and clasped Cade's hand in hers. His fingers were so strong, the muscles in his forearm twitching. She lifted his hand to her lips and taking his middle finger she wiped it across her parted lips, never once taking her eyes off his beautiful face.

His darkened eyes widened, and she smiled, enjoying his surprise.

Still holding his finger, her tongue snaked out and licked its tip. Once. Twice. Then she held it between her lips, sucking on it in such a primal way it could never leave Cade in doubt as to what she had in mind.

"
You
taste delicious,” Taylor whispered.

He tasted—of her. Oh, Lordy! Just thinking it, a scalding heat burned right through Taylor. She had tasted herself.

Cade's cheeks dimpled and his smile broadened. The man had seen her shock. He knew
exactly
what she was thinking.

Cade knew he needed to slow down. He didn't want to scare Taylor, but ... heaven help him, she tempted him
so
bad.

Unspeaking, he reached up and brushed at a strand of her hair, winding it round his finger. The silken curl caressed his skin. His jaw tightened, and he swallowed back the urge to plunge into her moist depths, right there and then.

Take it easy. Huh! Slow down? He felt as if a steamroller had ripped right over him. He didn't know what slow was any more, whether he could go slow or wanted to.

With wide innocent eyes she looked up at him, through unbelievably long lashes. Innocent?

What she did to him didn't even remotely feel innocent. It heated him to boiling point.

He felt a shiver ripple through her, and smiled. “Do you know what you're doing to me?” he questioned as he caressed her bare arms.

A tinkling sound of pure joy fell from her lips. “I think so?"

His cheek caressed hers, his lashes, tickling her pale ivory skin.

"What was that?"

"A butterfly kiss,” he laughed. Then suddenly, Cade found his laughter died as the heat inside him burned up a dozen notches. He was all heat and desire, and urgency. Kissing was serious business. “But this, this is a
real
kiss.” And he swooped down on her mouth, savoring her taste, the feel of her mouth beneath his.

And it felt good.

Damned good.

He wanted more. He wanted to feel her tongue against him, just like when she sucked his fingers.

The tension in Cade spiraled as he teased her lips open and dipped into the sweet recess of her mouth.

"You wanted real,” he murmured, not wanting to leave her mouth for one moment.

"And I got it,” she whimpered against his mouth as her hands did oh so sexy things to his skin, rubbing across his nipples, tugging at them. Pain and pleasure rolled into one and time lost importance. He dropped his hands to her waist. She was so small he could nearly span it. In one fluid movement he unzipped her dress and went to pull the straps down.

"Wait.” Her hand halted his movements. “Let me."

Cade's excitement reached boiling point. He didn't know how much more he could take. Taking a step back, Taylor reached up and clasped the straps of her dress in both hands, and, oh so very slowly that Cade thought he'd died and gone to heaven, she began to strip.

She slid the straps down her arms first, lowering the dress, inch by glorious inch, keeping her gaze hooked on his, not wavering one iota.

His groin swelled, uncomfortable as it strained against his jeans. He needed release. He needed Taylor. Now.

He wanted to reach out and take her in his arms, finish the job, strip her bare, plunge into her delectable heat. But he didn't.

Damn it. Slow down
.

He bit down hard on his bottom lip, cursing his greedy need. He'd never felt like this about any woman, never needed to. He'd been the player, the one in control. But right now, Cade wasn't sure about anything.

"You want more?” she asked.

Cade found his tongue tied in knots and nodded like some pubescent schoolboy. Trouble was he felt like one. Eager—and so very ready.

The dress descended, revealing first the firm swell of her breasts, just visible above that lacy concoction she called a bra. Then more.

Cade sucked in a lungful of air. Was he meant to breathe? Who cared! His eyes stuck fast to Taylor as the dress slid lower, and lower, exposing her flat abdomen, the soft curve of her hips. She halted.

He wanted to call out—"No, don't stop. Keep going. I can't wait any longer."

Then, she smiled at him, and he knew—this woman had total control over him. She had from the moment she'd walked into the bar.

She hooked the straps of her sheath dress over her thumbs and still it slid lower. Cade's gaze went with the dress, sound roaring in his brain; his heart beat so frantic he was sure it would explode. Everything centered on Taylor.

Then suddenly, the dress hit the floor, and she stepped out of it, kicking it aside with the tip of those sexy high heels of hers.

Beneath the soft lighting, she stood, dressed only in the sexy underwear she'd surprised him with earlier—and heels. Heels that made her legs look as if they went on forever. Legs he imagined wrapped around him.

Cade sucked in his breath. “Beautiful."

And she was. A tumble of hair cascaded around her shoulders in a glorious cloud, and with the tempting peek of hardened nipples thrusting against her lacy bra and the delicate outline of her thong, Taylor Sullivan was an exquisite sight to behold.

With his breath jammed in his lungs, Cade reached a hand out to her.

Would she come? Or would she back out? Taylor may have waited a long time for this moment, but Cade felt as if he'd waited a lifetime.

Taylor had made up her mind. There was no going back. She took Cade's hand and willed her nerves to abate. Silently, he led her toward the bedroom. He kicked the door open and went to switch on the light.

She stilled his hand. “No! Leave it off."

She saw his hesitation and could understand why. She'd just exhibited the most erotic striptease—and now she wanted the light off.

"Please.” Her plea came out on a soft breathless whisper, evolving into a sigh of relief as his hand fell from the switch. Instead, he turned her to him with both hands resting on her shoulders, and with the tip of one finger, he tipped her chin up to him.

"I promise we'll go slow."

"I know.” She trusted him and that single thought caught her off-guard. Yet right now, she did. She trusted Cade Harper implicitly.

His mouth curved into an impish grin as he stared at her with undisguised desire. “I want you, Taylor. I want to be inside you, feel you around me, holding me."

Lordy! Taylor's gaze slewed to the floor.

"No, don't look away. I need to see your eyes, read them and see what you're feeling. Sex isn't
just
touch and feel or sensory, it's being able to see what the other is thinking, being guided by them. Will you guide me, Taylor Sullivan?"

"But you're the teacher."

"Am I? Right now, I feel as if I know nothing. That you are teaching me."

And with that his mouth covered hers...

Taylor didn't know what sex would be like Oh, she'd imagined it. Hours when she lay awake at night, making dream-filled love with a faceless lover.

But this?

Cade's touch far outweighed her imaginings, the fumblings of teenage years. Those had been girlish dreams.
And the sweet and innocent kisses from...?

No, not even Rob's foreplay had ever brought this much pleasure. Pleasure that, deep down, she felt guilty feeling . Or enjoying.

Cade's kisses covered her mouth, her eyelids, her jaw, the tip of his tongue twirling the erotic curve of her ear, teeth grazing her earlobe, hands threading through her hair. His kisses sent her head spinning and fired every nerve cell. Seeing the depth of Cade's desire for her fuelled her confidence.

"That's right, sweetheart. You're hot.” Cade flicked the clasp on her bra, and her breasts heavy with need, aching for his touch, fell from their miniscule lacy cloak into his hands.

It felt so very good. So hot. Every sensation escalating. He pulled her closer, her hips connecting with his, his arousal potent, teasing.

Cade sure was pure temptation in a hundred percent sexy package.

She dropped a hand from around his neck and found what she was looking for. Rock hard beneath her fingertips, she brushed the head of his penis through his jeans.

Cade sucked back a breath.

She smiled. “You like?"

"You want an answer? I can barely think, sweetheart."

Walking her backwards towards the bed, he lowered her down. But he didn't follow. Instead, he stood there, his breathing coming in shallow puffs, his hands poised on his hips as if he was some swashbuckling pirate about to plunder his captive.

One brow arched, his grin lopsided and quirky and just so damned sexy. “Do you always wear such sexy underwear?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"The outside is prim and proper; the inside is definitely a treat."

"No one knows what I wear beneath my suits. It's my secret."

"Not any more,” Cade drawled. The tip of his tongue wiped along his bottom lip, a slow and provocative action. Taylor followed, imitating him. She could still taste him, taste her.

"Every time I see you, I'll know what you're wearing underneath. Imagine it covering your breasts, wondering if you've a thong or panties on."

"And the garter?” she teased.

"That's a bonus. Garter and stockings, lace and silky underwear can turn a man to jelly."

"How about you? Are you jelly?"

"Not all of me,” he said. “Do you always wear them?"

"Always.” And she smiled up at him, winking.

"Pleased to hear it.” He stepped between her legs, edging them wider, and knelt .

Hot swirls of heat coiled in Taylor's center, every fiber aware of him, tensing, wanting his touch.

He didn't disappoint and lightly trailed the back of his hand along an inner thigh.

A rippling sigh escaped Taylor's parted lips. “This is heaven."

"Honey, we haven't even started yet.” Leaning forward he blew a soft funnel of warm, tickling breath along her thigh.

Taylor tensed, then her body arched and when she felt she some ounce of control, she looked at Cade. His gaze was directed right at her very center.

Oh, dear heaven.

And it was. This was heaven, and even hell, all joined into one pulsating, sensual moment. A moment when she wanted it all, but wasn't sure she could take much more pleasure that Cade gave.

Pin pricks of heat dotted her cheeks and her nipples hardened with an aching want. He was looking right at her—there. Suddenly, embarrassment overtook and she reached down to cover herself, but Cade clasped her hand in his.

"Don't."

Her mouth parted, but no sound came. Besides, what did she want to say? She couldn't remember a word.

"You're beautiful. Everywhere."

Taylor's eyes fluttered closed, then jerked open as he slid teasing fingers slid beneath the lacy edge of one stocking. Backwards and forwards he caressed, urging her higher, to a need so great, her skin so tight she felt she would explode.

This was a different world for Taylor. A world of heightened sensory exploration. Her hand fell away, but Cade's remained and he began a gentle quest, brushing from her wet center across her clitoris and back. Over and over.

"I can't ... no more,” she whispered as her belly clinched and the spiral of need for release inside her coiled ever tighter.

"Yes, baby, more. Until you come for me. Let it go."

She squeezed her eyes shut. Tighter. Tighter. Then his fingers entered her, slicked by her wetness. It was the very thing that tipped Taylor over the edge, the sound of him sliding in and out, his thumb brushing over her nub, sending her into paroxysms of pleasure.

"More. I want more,” she demanded. In some half world, Taylor was aware her voice was soft and pleading. It matched exactly how she felt inside, immediate and compelling. Her head thrashed from side to side, lights danced behind her eyes, her body sheathed in a fine silken layer of perspiration. But it was what Cade did to her that she centered on, willed him to bring her to an unknown end.

"Told you so.” He leant down and blew a soft draught right onto her center.

"Cade!” She screamed his name and he repeated the teasing action. Once, twice, and whispering words of encouragement.

Taylor couldn't hold back. Her body spasmed and arched as her orgasm flowed to Cade's teasing fingers, ecstasy coursing through every part of her as her body tensed one last momentous time and she fell back lost in a new and wonderful world.

"Taylor?” Cade bent down and kissed her core, eliciting another violent shudder. Her muscles contracted.

Her eyes fluttered open. “No more. I can't.” She didn't think she could survive any more. “That was...” How could she describe what he had done to her? She tried. “It was beautiful, wonderful, oh wow,” and a ripple of laughter burst from her lips.

Cade smiled as he pulled himself upright. “Glad you liked it. It's just the beginning.” He dropped his hands to his belt buckle and, in what must have been record time, removed his jeans.

Taylor watched him every delicious second, marveling at his strong legs, the muscular thighs that had held her captive by the car. Her gaze traveled his length, wondering what he would taste like, with skin so different in texture from hers. She licked her lips. She wanted to find out.