Lip Lock (23 page)

Here it was. The big brush-off. The it’s-been-fun discussion. The don’t-get-too-comfortable-around-here talk. Or just the I-don’t-trust-you would do the trick.

But did he really need to do this in the middle of the night? Then again, time meant nothing to Kyle Ashton.

“…and so I followed up,” Kyle said. His fingers stilled on her arm.

Followed up? On what? She was almost embarrassed to ask him to repeat himself. Then again, if he was going have a discussion in the
middle of the night
, he better expect some nodding off.

“And what did you find out?” she asked hesitantly.

“That you were right.” Kyle sighed. “Sara is behind the blueprint theft.”

She lay quietly, waiting for the other shoe to drop. It didn’t happen. “This is your big news?” Because she already knew this. Told him about it yesterday. Got a whole lot of grief from him because of it.

“Hey,” Kyle said, the corner of his mouth twitching. He looked up and met her gaze. “I was wrong and I know that now.”

Apparently this was a momentous occasion. One that required getting up in the
middle of the night
to commemorate. “What are you going to do with Sara?”

“Pretend everything is okay, and when she returns to work on Monday, she’ll be caught by surprise.”

“This is your plan?” She thought he would devise some brain-bending strategy. “How come I got the full public humiliation and Sara gets the kid-glove treatment?”

“Because you’re special?” Kyle asked with a smile. “Come on, Molly. I don’t have security guards here that can escort her off the island.”

“True.”

He lay down beside her, his face inches away from hers. The way he looked at her made her nervous. It was like he was really
seeing
her. She closed her eyes, her only line of defense.

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you,” he said quietly.

She shrugged, feeling very charitable now that she was proven correct. “You had good reason.”

“And you kept at it.”

She frowned, keeping her eyes closed. “What do you mean?”

“I saw you confront Sara this morning. I couldn’t understand why you bothered when I swore I would believe Sara before I took your word.”

“Heh. Still sounds harsh.”

“Why did you pursue it?”

“I dunno.” She was getting uncomfortable by this line of questioning.

“To prove to me that I was wrong?”

She fought the smile wavering on her lips. “I’m sure that had something to do with it.”

“Or to protect me?”

The need to smile disappeared. “Probably.” He was getting too close to the truth.

“Or because you love me?”

She opened her eyes. “Oh, so now we’re not ignoring what I said almost three days ago?”

“Maybe,” he said with a smile. He tilted toward her and placed a gentle kiss against her lips.

“Maybe?” she asked against his mouth.

He kissed her again, his touch soft and exploratory, but his touch still managed to sizzle right through her. “It depends if you still feel that way,” he said.

Molly turned her head to the side. “Oh, gee. It has been three days. I’m sure my mood has swung entirely to the opposite direction. I’m flighty that way.” Sheesh, was this what he thought of her?

“Kiss me,” he commanded in a whisper.

She scooted away. “Forget it.”

Kyle cupped the back of her head and prevented her escape. “You know you want to.”

Yeah, she wanted to, Molly silently admitted as he outlined her mouth with small kisses. Wanted him. But more than anything, she wanted him to trust her and her feelings for him.

That wasn’t going to happen overnight. So she had two choices. Either she grabbed this last chance to make love with Kyle, or she ended everything right here and now.

Okay, it was kind of hard to make an unbiased decision as his tongue darted along the seam of her mouth. And as the heat from his body made her skin tingle. And she was very aware that the only thing she wore was his T-shirt.

She wanted to take this last chance and make it good. But how good could it be if he really didn’t trust her? Would he give her full access to his body? Hand over total control? Not likely.

But she could try. Gain his trust little by little, inch by inch. There had to be a way to convince Kyle to give her anything and everything.

Molly gradually surrendered to his kisses, softening under his touch. She framed his face with her hands, fanning her fingers along his jaw. The bite of his whiskers promised an uncivilized side to her lover.

She darted her tongue past his firm lips and tasted him, but Kyle had other ideas. She teased him with the tip of her tongue, but before she knew it, he was invading her mouth, boldly staking his claim.

She felt his hands under her T-shirt. Molly arched and swayed against his knowing touch. When Kyle pulled the cotton off of her body with little effort, she knew she couldn’t wrestle control from this man.

Why was she even trying? She could easily allow him to sweep her away and enjoy every delicious moment. But she wanted more. She wanted to see a glimpse of him unguarded, or a sign of trust.

One step at a time, she reminded herself. And this time, she was not going to be the only one naked. Molly struggled with his shirt. Stripping his clothes off wasn’t going to strip him of his power, she decided, but it would equalize.

Kyle pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it over the edge of the bed. She stared at his sculpted muscles before he pulled her against him, the hair on his chest scratching her breasts. Okay, how was this supposed to be an equalizing maneuver?

His jeans rubbed against her bare leg. He was still overdressed. Forget equalizing, she decided, bailing on her plan. She wanted him naked. Now, if not sooner.

She hurriedly unzipped his jeans and pushed them down his lean hips. She hated how her hands shook and her muscles quivered with impatience. Her fumbling was at odds with every deliberate, sleek move Kyle made, designed to give her maximum pleasure.

She wanted to give him pleasure. Molly grasped his penis with both hands. Wrapping her fingers around him, her palms tingled and the sensations zinged through her wrists. Kyle lay back, stretching his arms above his head, welcoming her to explore.

Her pulse galloped as she watched how he twitched and hardened under her touch. How his eyes glittered and his skin flushed as she caressed him. This was where she felt powerful and weak. Dominant and submissive.

She wanted to see him go wild. Lose control from her touch. Molly scooted down the bed, intent to take him in her mouth. Kyle tried to stop her progress, but was too slow. He only managed to bunch her long hair in his hands.

Grasping him firmly with her hand at his base, Molly teased the domed tip with her tongue. She started with small, darting licks. As he flexed and bucked against her, she became bolder. She laved him with broad strokes of her tongue, pumping him with her fist.

His hands twisted in her hair. His breathing was uneven as he bit back his groans. She could tell he wanted to guide her head closer, and resisted, just barely. She wanted to break that restraint. Molly pressed his tip between her lips and drew him in.

He gasped and his hips rose from the mattress. “No, Molly,” Kyle said and reached for her.

She lifted her head. “You know you want me to,” she said, mimicking his earlier words.

“And it’ll be over before you know it.”

“Kyle,” she said with a pout. She needed to know he could trust her. Maybe not with his life or with his love, but at least in bed.

“Anything but that,” Kyle decided. “I want to make this last.”

She crawled back up to face him. “Anything?” she asked mischievously.

His eyes narrowed. “What do you have in mind?”

She might not be the master of negotiation, but she had picked up a few tips during the week. Basically, ask for more than you hope for and you could get what you originally wanted.

“How about you lying on your back,” she began, tightening her hold on his penis.

“Sounds good so far.”

“Me riding you,” she said, gliding her hand up. “Hard.”

His muscles in his throat constricted as he swallowed. “Even better,” he said hoarsely.

She met his gaze. “And you’re blindfolded.”

Her suggestion was met by silence. The tension in the room crackled as his green eyes darkened.

She met his gaze with bravado. Where did
that
suggestion came from? She’d never blindfolded a guy before and would probably crush his corneas if she tried. But she didn’t have to worry. From Kyle’s reaction, she didn’t have to do any on-the-job training.

“Hmm? Not ready for that?” Molly said with a smug smile. She scooted down. “There’s always…”

“Okay.” Kyle said in a rough voice.

Molly froze. He couldn’t possibly mean what she thought. “Okay to what?”

He arched his eyebrow as he called her bluff. “Blindfold me.”

Molly got on her knees and looked at him. Kyle wanted to smile at the shock stamped on her face. “Are you sure about this?”

He wasn’t, Kyle realized as he propped himself on his elbow, but he also wasn’t going to back out. He sensed that Molly needed his trust. It wasn’t enough that he shared his bed. She needed proof. That was something he could understand.

And blindfolding wasn’t so bad. It was a piece of fabric over his eyes. No big deal. It wasn’t as if it would incapacitate him.

Anyway, how much trouble could Molly possibly cause while he had it on?

Hmm. Scratch that last question.

Kyle sat up when he noticed Molly hadn’t moved. “Are you chickening out?” he teased.

His question bolted her into action. “No, of course not.” Molly grabbed her T-shirt, which had been tossed and forgotten at the corner of the bed. She pleated the cotton into a wide strip. “I’m giving you a chance to chicken out.”

“I don’t need it.” He was going to prove that he could trust Molly. Prove it to her and to himself.

“Okay, if you say so,” Molly said hesitantly. She reached over and covered his eyes. It immediately blocked out the light.

That surprised him. For some reason he had thought he would still be aware of the light. See shadows. Anything. His body went on full alert, his muscles tense, as he looked for a hint of light or movement along the edges of cotton.

Molly tied the ends firmly at the back of his head. “Is it slipping?”

“No.” If anything, it was going to leave creases in his face. He twitched his nose, wondering if he could make it slide. No such luck.

“And no peeking,” she warned him.

“I don’t need to cheat,” Kyle said. He paused when Molly didn’t say anything in response. He tilted his head to the side, but didn’t hear a sound.

Playing games already? He was up for that. Yeah, sure he was. He could win. He always won.

She had to still be on the bed, he decided. He hadn’t felt the mattress move or heard the bedsprings creak.

But where was she, and what was she doing? A couple of wild ideas came to mind, but he would have heard her.

Was she just sitting there? Watching him? The seemingly innocent act set him on edge.

“Molly?” he asked softly, but she didn’t respond. Kyle was ready to yank off the blindfold, but something stopped him. Pride? Determination?

He listened and noticed his other senses had heightened. The cotton sheets were softer than he remembered. The blindfold still held Molly’s scent and warmth. He heard Molly’s quiet breathing. She was close.

Kyle reached out and his fingertips collided with skin. He knew his smile was triumphant. “Gotcha,” he murmured.

“Oh, you think so?” Molly moved away.

“I am not going to chase you around this room,” he warned her.

“You won’t have to,” she promised with a teasing lilt.

Kyle turned to the sound of her voice and lunged. He had been aiming for her arm, but found soft flesh instead.

He lifted her breast into his hand. It was heavier than he remembered. Fuller.

Kyle thumbed her nipple until it beaded under his touch. He yearned to see the color, but he felt the aureole crinkle against his thumb. The simple reaction fascinated him and he circled his finger round and round until he reached the tip.

He reached for her other breast, fingers splayed, and found nothing.

Kyle bunched his fingers tight. The anticipation thrumming inside him evaporated. He was beginning to hate this blindfold.

“Stop fighting it,” Molly suggested, laughter threading her voice.

“Why should I?” he asked as he rolled her nipple between his thumb and finger. He smiled when he heard her breath hitch.

“Don’t think of this as a test,” she said as she dodged him.

But it was a test. And he was going to pass with flying colors. “I’m—”

“Stop trying to anticipate my next move.” He turned when he heard her voice behind him on his left. Predicting her next move, he swung to the right. Hearing Molly’s muffled shriek, he knew his hunch had been correct.

He snagged her arm and dragged her to his lap. “Stop thinking that you can get away with anything because my eyes are closed.”

“I wouldn’t dream of such a thing,” Molly said primly as she straddled his legs.

“Riiight.”

Her legs brushed the outside of his thighs and his hands went for her hips. He felt her fingers skim from his jaw to his cheekbone. For a brief moment, he thought she would remove the blindfold. Instead Molly tilted his face up and kissed him.

He drew her in his mouth, tasting her with a fierce need. Kyle cupped the back of her head, tangling his fingers in her long hair.

He wanted to roll over and cover her body with his. Make her beg for his kisses. Tell her the game was over. He’d proved more than enough.

But he knew he hadn’t. It was getting more difficult, and he didn’t know if he trusted Molly enough. Damn it, he didn’t want to fail. Not in front of Molly, who had already seen him at his worst. He’d keep the blindfold on for as long as he could.

Trailing his hands down the length of her spine, Kyle was aware of every dip and swell of her back. He wanted to memorize every curve. Next time, he promised himself, as he grasped her hips and moved her closer to his cock.

She murmured against his mouth and resisted his coaxing. Kyle knew how to convince her to see it his way. He slid his fingers along the slant of her hipbone before spearing through her wet, silky curls.

Molly’s staggered moan sounded raw and primal to his ears. It echoed with something deep and elemental inside of him. He wanted more of that. He wanted to know that she was on the brink of control just like him.

Kyle dipped his fingers into her moist heat and she bucked against him. He found her clit, caressing her lightly, and she shuddered with pleasure. Her hands fell to his shoulders and she tried to push him down on his back.

He went willingly. Kyle knew he could display his strength and resist. But he was going to give her his trust. Let her take charge. Just this once.

As he lay down, he struggled with a wave of disorientation. It was like his world was turned upside down. The blindfold was making matters worse.

His head hit the pillow just as Molly wrapped her hands around his length. She teased his cock with her wetness. Rubbed her slick flesh against his engorged tip. Kyle knew he would come before he entered her.

“Molly,” he warned in a ragged breath.

She sheathed him in one fluid move. The pleasure was so intense, so sudden, that Kyle bucked violently against her. He hissed through his teeth as tiny starbursts bloomed in front of his eyes.

He needed to take charge. He’d been patient enough. He wanted to rip off the blindfold, flip Molly on her back and drive himself inside her to the hilt.

He could do it. Easily. Instead he grasped her soft, rounded bottom and thrust inside her. She felt too good. Slick. Tight. A sheen of sweat formed on his heated skin as his iron control slipped precariously.

Molly rocked against him in a mind-blowing slow rhythm. Her uneven breathing hitched and expelled with every languorous roll of her hips. Kyle desperately wanted to increase her pace. Have it match his rocketing pulse.

She moved against him faster. The sound of skin against skin sparked his imagination. He knew Molly was giving him everything she had. She hid nothing.

He wanted more than anything to take off the blindfold. He bet she wouldn’t stop him now. But it was more important to give Molly his trust. He could do this. He wanted to do this.

Kyle dropped his hands from her hips and spread them out wide as she rocked against him in a fast, wild frenzy. He felt like he was free falling, waiting for something to catch him. Nothing did. Nothing was going to.

His fingers curled as he fought the need to hold onto her. Guide her. It was too much of a temptation to grab her. He moved his arms above his head.

Kyle felt Molly tilt forward. He jolted in surprise as her small hands encircled his wrists.

And he let her hold him in place.

The simple act didn’t come easy for him. His arms slowly relaxed. His fingers uncurled. And then he knew that he could trust Molly. With anything. In his bed and in his life. With his heart and with his dreams.

Kyle jerked as he felt that sweet, satisfying kick in his blood. The white-hot energy roared through him, sweeping in front of his eyes as he shouted his release.

“’Bye!” Molly called out from the front yard. She waved at Bridget and Darrell as Glenn drove them away in his sports car. He honked his horn and sped down the driveway. Sara followed Glenn in her car at a cautious speed.

Molly watched until the cars were out of sight. Her shoulders sagged with relief. “Whew! We did it.”

“Did what?” Kyle asked beside her, his shoulder grazing her back.

“Kept up the engagement story,” she explained as she did a small happy dance. “It was touch and go there a few times, but it worked!”

Kyle didn’t say anything. She stopped dancing and turned to him. His solemn expression took the fizz right out of her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” He continued to look off into the distance, right where they had last seen the cars.

No, he wasn’t. Molly could see that. The end of the week meant the return of the real world. Dealing with Sara’s betrayal and the cutthroat high-tech business. She didn’t envy him. She only wished she could carry some of the burden so he didn’t have to face it alone.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go back to the mainland with them? You still have time to grab your bag and catch the ferry.”

Kyle looked down at her. “And leave you behind?” he asked, his eyebrow arching.

“It’s not a problem.”

His mouth twitched with a smile. “That’s like keeping the mouse in charge of the cheese.”

Molly’s eyes widened. “Excuse me, are you calling me a mouse?”

Kyle grinned, but didn’t reply.

She tilted her chin. “I’ll have you know that if it weren’t for me, this place would be a pigsty.”

“Probably.” He reached for her and wrapped his arms around her waist before gathering her close. “Thanks for everything.”

“You’re welcome.” She wanted to close her eyes and lean against his chest. Hear his heartbeat and be surrounded by his heat.

“You really did make everything special,” he said in a low, husky voice.

Don’t read too much into this. Don’t get mushy over a simple thank you. Keep it light
. “That’s what best damn fiancées do. It’s in our job description.”

His serious mood threw her off. She wanted to end this week on a high note. With some class. No regrets. No drama. And definitely no tears.

Molly disentangled herself from his embrace. “I better get started on the chores,” she said with a bright smile.

“Why?” Kyle dropped his arms reluctantly. “Leave them.”

“Isn’t that why we stayed behind?” Molly asked as she walked into the cottage and headed straight for the kitchen. “I heard you tell Darrell that we were closing up.”

“I was lying.”

“You?” She looked over her shoulder. “Lie? Shocking.”

“Isn’t it?” he said. “But seriously, it would look weird if we got back home and you didn’t know anything about my real life and didn’t fit in.”

“Oh.”
Didn’t fit in
. She grabbed for the tea kettle as if it was her life preserver. “Good planning,” she said hoarsely. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

Didn’t fit in
. That shouldn’t hurt so much. What Kyle said was true. She couldn’t disagree. She didn’t fit in his life anymore than he fit into hers.

“Speaking of plans,” Kyle said as he leaned against the kitchen counter. “What are yours?”

“Plans?” She took the kettle to the sink, not sure what she wanted to do with it. “For what?”

“Once we get back home.”

“Oh, I’m not really sure. I’ll think of something.” She turned the faucet on. “I always do.”

Kyle was silent for a moment. “Where are you going to stay?”

“I don’t know,” she said over the sound of the kettle filling with water. “I could always stay with my friend Bonita for a night or two.”

“That’s not much of a plan.”

It was all she had to work with at the moment! Molly turned off the water. “I’ll be able to settle down once I find a job. The recommendations you’re going to give me will be a big help.”

“Yeah. About that…”

Uh-oh. She didn’t like the sound of that. Kyle wouldn’t back out on his promise. Not unless there was a really good reason.

“What about it?” Molly asked, cautiously turning to look at him.

“Well”—he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, which was never a good sign—“if you’re looking for something more local, those recommendations won’t work.”

Wow. She set the kettle down in the sink as disappointment pulled at her from all directions. He really
was
backing out. She couldn’t believe it.