He's the One (13 page)

He was big. Huge.

Taylor's eyes widened as he kicked his boxer shorts off. His erection stood proud. Ready. Her mouth went completely dry and her tongue slid over dry lips, palms suddenly sweaty while butterflies revved up the tango in her belly. Her thighs clenched in natural anticipation.

Easing his powerful frame onto the bed, he took her in his arms—and kissed her.

"Wait.” Taylor pulled back and put a hand on his warm chest.

Cade's brow creased and a glistening bead of sweat trickled down the side of his forehead. She wanted to lick it, but resisted.

"You think I can wait much more, baby? You don't realize how tempting you are, how you've stirred my blood passed boiling point."

"I want to touch you."

"I'll go over the edge."

"Just once,” she said, surprised at her own temerity.

"That's all it will take.” But Cade acquiesced and lay back, hands hooked beneath his head, watching her every move.

Suddenly, Taylor wasn't so sure.

"You don't have to do this,” he said, offering her a way out.

Oh, yes, she did. “It's my turn. Fair's fair."

"Sweetheart, I don't think anything is fair here. You've got me so wound up I'm ready to explode."

Biting her bottom lip, Taylor tentatively reached for him. She held his penis in her hand, felt his hardness, the ribbed veins engorged with blood and the slick sheen at its tip. She brushed the tip with the pad of her thumb, eliciting a violent shudder rippling through Cade. He squeezed his eyes shut and stiffened, obviously struggling for control. Taylor grinned. It was nice to see she could affect him. “Poor baby,” she purred caressing his length.

"No more words. Time for action.” Cade's broad hands spanned her hips, and he rolled her onto her back, his body lining her length. She cradled him between her parted legs, reveling in his hardness, so close to her.

But she wanted him much closer.

He cupped one breast, his mouth quickly covering the sensitive bud and sucked, his tongue swirling in circles before he moved to the other breast.

Taylor let out a deep and contented mewling sigh. This was definitely heaven.

While Cade tended her body, doing deliciously enticing things, she too took her pleasure of him, her hands traveling their own path down his back, feeling his muscles beneath her fingertips, his buttocks, cupping his testicles.

Cade groaned and pulled back a fraction. He reached to the bedside table and grabbed the box of condoms. She hadn't even noticed him putting them there. So much for protection.

She'd been too busy watching him undress, too hot with wanting to think about safety. Where were her brains?

Expertly, Cade sheathed the condom on and positioned himself, the tip of him edging her center. He looked into her eyes, holding her gaze. “Thank you."

Taylor frowned, confused by his words. “For what?"

"For this. This is a great honor, Taylor Sullivan,” he said. Then, he was inside her. Slow—inch by long, hard inch of him. He kissed her, taking her gasp with his beautiful mouth as he pushed further, breaking past nature's barrier, stilling momentarily, desire-filled eyes asking a silent question.

"Go on. Please don't stop, Cade."

He filled her to the hilt. All of him. Hard. Powerful—and totally wonderful.

With sure and precise movements, breathing a staccato rasp as he increased their rhythm, Taylor held onto him, legs wrapped around his hips, her hands cupping his head, bringing it down to her.

"I want to kiss you. Over and over,” she whispered as he built the tempo. But she couldn't think. Could only feel. Feel him inside her, so deep and gloriously full.

A drawn out mewling sound echoed around them. Her sound.

"That's it, sweetheart, go with me,” Cade breathed into her ear. His lips found her breast again, sucking, taking her to places she never knew existed, until time meant nothing and she spiraled over the precipice, shuddering her release with Cade holding her tightly, kissing her with a fierce need as he, too, exploded into her.

A soporific lethargy inched its way through Taylor as the first rays of daybreak slipped over the horizon and into Cade's bedroom.

Her eyes fluttered open and a hazy, all-is-well-with-the-world sort of smile curved at the corners of her mouth. She snuggled closer to Cade, reveling in his closeness, the feel of his warm body wrapped so intimately with hers.

She'd lain wrapped in his arms as, finally, the overdose of pleasure took its toll and, exhausted, had fallen asleep. Now, facing the beginnings of a brand new day, one hand tucked under her head, the other holding Cade's big strong hand in hers she watched him sleep. Even in sleep he cupped her breasts. They were still tender.

Too much loving, she purred silently, unable to stem the flush that heated her cheeks.

No, never too much loving. Last night Cade had teased every part of her awake, filled her with a want she had no way of controlling.

And this morning, as she listened to his gentle and regular breathing, she wriggled closer, enjoying the erotic sensation his bare skin against hers offered.

Little wonder, that after their action-filled night, she had lost count sometime after her third orgasm.

Orgasm. Even the word sounded exotic and pleasure-filled.

And so it was. Cade had given her so much pleasure.

Just thinking about it sent a tingle of shivery heat to that very part of her he'd treated with such reverence. With his fingers, his tongue, himself.

So what now
?

Taylor jolted at the thought, and Cade's hold on her tightened instinctively, his beautiful mouth nuzzling her neck and eliciting a fresh wave of goose bumps down her spine. Letting her eyes close, she tried to hold onto every fragment of this moment. His touches, the feelings that threatened to overpower her and send her over the edge with wanting. Knowing that even in sleep Cade desired her, his arousal a blatant wake up to exactly the effect she had on him.

Taylor smiled. She didn't want to have to think about reality. This dream, their fantasy was far better to wake up to.

But the dream was over.

She'd said
once
. And once, well, that was gone. Now what? What did she want? She didn't know the answer to that. Didn't trust herself to think about it. Besides, didn't trusting herself have a way of distorting reality? Guilt was an insidious thing, never leaving her alone.

Not wanting to wake Cade, she unlaced her fingers from his and moved his other hand from her breast. He let out a snuffled snore. Taylor stilled, her breath halting in her throat as she looked at her dark knight. He seemed so at peace. So sexy.

His long dark lashes fanned angled cheeks, the brush of stubble across his chin only adding to his devilish charm.

He rolled to lie on his stomach, and the sheet covering them slipped, baring his powerful frame, wide shoulders and narrowed hips, the rise and fall of his muscular buttocks.

Taylor colored, remembering how she'd cupped them, forcing him closer to her, deeper.

Shifting her gaze, she slipped from the bed and gathered up the closest piece of clothing. Cade's T-shirt. She pulled it over her head. The hem of it came half way down her thighs, but it felt cozy, familiar even. She dropped her chin toward the fabric, inhaling his scent, a heady fragrance of spice and cinnamon, evocative of the Orient.

Stealing away, she stumbled her way in the half-light of dawn into the lounge and slunk down on the sofa, pulling a throw around her shoulders to keep the early morning chill at bay. She could have stayed in bed with Cade, nestled in his arms, warm from the afterglow of their love making, but that was just it. It wasn't
making love,
but sex.

They'd had sex.

Cade had taught her what she'd wanted to know, and now she could go and live her life.

But just the thought of doing that wrought a sadness so sharp and inexplicably deep it frightened Taylor. She didn't understand it, and confusion lit a fear nearing panic deep down inside her. She
should
go—right now. All she had to do was get dressed, slip out, and walk away.

Too hard, Taylor Sullivan. Far too hard.

Taylor sat huddled beneath the brown blanket his sister called a “throw", and had informed him with an air of barely composed “superior” knowledge was “a rich chocolate” and not simply brown.

Seemingly deep in thought, Cade hesitated to interrupt. But he needed her, wanted her beside him, with him.

That his feelings were so intense, so desperate should have worried him. Instead, he battened down such thoughts, or any need to analyze them.

"For someone who's kept me awake most of the night, you look mighty good,” he said as he stepped into the room. He came to stand in front of her. She looked up at him, slowly, eyes round as saucers. He traced a finger beneath her right eye. “Those dark smudges are my fault. Sorry.” He grinned, and she smiled back—a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, and a slither of wary concern skittered across his brain.

Something was wrong?

"Come back to bed, Taylor."

"It's morning,” she said, still not really looking at him, and his panic escalated.

"Not quite. The sun hasn't officially hit the day, so I figure we've got at least another ten minutes. Besides, it's Saturday."

"My busiest day of the week,” she countered.

"Do you have a wedding?” He really hoped not.

"No.” She shook her head. “It's my only weekend free for three months,” she added.

"I'm glad."

Taylor went to speak then, but seemed to hesitate and Cade made an instant decision. He wouldn't let her go. Not yet.

"You surprised me, Taylor Sullivan,” he said taking both her hands in his. He pulled her upright and wrapped her in his arms, silently pleased she came so willingly. Cade uttered a sigh of relief, the panic of only seconds ago lessening by degrees. Leaning into her, his eyes shuttered as his cheek grazed along her silken tresses. “You smell good."

"Perfume,” she said simply.

He nuzzled at her neck, inhaling her fragrance. “Roses,” he murmured against her sweet skin. “Roses—and sex."

Taylor shuddered, and her body pressed against his, and his erection strained for release.

"You're one sexy lady, Taylor."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You can tell what you do to me. Even now.” And he guided her right hand to where his arousal was already making itself well and truly known.

He kissed her, slow and lingering, using all his skill to woo her back to him. He could tell she was skittery, ready to bolt. Yet in his arms, she had come alive, and the prim young woman who'd walked into his bar a few nights ago had dissolved.

"I know this is scary, Taylor. I can see it in your eyes, the way they twitch and dart around."

Her blue eyes widened, lightening to the color of a field of summer cornflowers.

When did you get poetic, Harper?

He kissed one eyelid, then the other. “See, like right now. You want to take off. Yet you haven't. You're still here, so it's definitely is time to go back to bed. I want you to stay, Taylor. I know we said only once, but right now that doesn't seem nearly enough"

"I should be going,” she said, trying to distract him.

He kissed her again, trailing butterfly-soft kisses up the enticing curve of her neck, brushing aside the heavy curtain of her hair. “Later, hmm. Right now, I have other plans for us."

"Plans?” her question came almost a croak..

"Like this.” And he cupped her bottom through the warmth of the throw, lifting her slightly. She moved with ease, and he smiled. Her legs hooked around his hips, holding on fast.

With Taylor cradled in his arms, Cade turned toward the bedroom. “By the way, did I tell you how sexy you look in my T-shirt?"

She pulled back then and looked at him directly through heavy-lidded eyes. “Better than my underwear?"

A throaty chuckle leapt from deep down in Cade's belly. “Nothing, sweetheart, is better than those sexy bits of fluff. You can turn me on with hose any time.” He kicked the bedroom door open, anticipation roaring through every part of him.

"And the stockings?” she asked as he sat back on the bed and brought her with him. Her sex rubbed against him, a warm invitation he definitely intended replying to.

"As long as I get to take them off.” And with that, Cade lifted her up slightly, pulling her down in one fluid rhythm onto his throbbing erection. “Once, is definitely not enough, Taylor Sullivan."

"Tell me something about you?” Taylor questioned as she lay repleted in Cade's arms hours later. She'd lost count of how many times they'd made love—and it was making love. This wasn't just sex. Sex was emotionless, and Taylor knew what happened between her and Cade was full to the brim with emotion.

Cade lay on his back, bare and blatant, for her eyes only. Just looking at him roused a primal urge in her. His breathing had slowed, but his eyes glittered with unrestrained desire, narrowed and dangerous. Tiny shivers fluttered across her skin, like effervescent bubbles.

"What do you want to know?"

With the tip of her finger, Taylor drew ever-increasing circles on Cade's flat abdomen. “How about something you've never told any one,” she suggested.

His brow furrowed. “That deep?"

"Think of it as getting to know you. A sort of speed dating."

"I think we're past the first date, don't you?” Cade said, cocking his head to one side, his steady gaze holding hers.

Taylor struggled to stem the blush suffusing her face. “True. How about I go first."

"Thought you'd never offer."

Taylor, play punched him on the arm.

"Okay, so what it is it? Are you a closet bungee jumper?"

"No."

"I know, you're afraid of heights."

"That would be good. Imagine trying to put up miles of silk ribbon and afraid to go past the first rung on the ladder. Nope. You'll have to try harder, Cade."

Seconds passed, and slowly, Cade's mouth spread into a devilish grin. “I know.” And he edged closer, “You're ticklish.” And he lunged for her. Taylor scrambled, but not fast enough before Cade grabbed her, his fingers tickling wherever they touched.