Naughty Little Wishes (Birthday Dare) (10 page)

Tab looped her arm through his, and he returned her smile. “All right. Let’s go.”

Later that evening, she sat on the edge of the pool next to Drew, jeans rolled up, feet dangling in the water. She’d enjoyed a perfectly grilled hamburger and fries for dinner with nothing more than a chuckle and head shake from him. They’d talked, or more accurately had friendly disagreements, about everything from best movies to worst airports to get stuck in on a layover. He’d shared about his triathlons and visits to his grandfather. She’d told him about her family’s ranch where her parents stabled horses and bred champion bulls. She hadn’t said much about Corey and he hadn’t talked about Shana. It was almost as if they’d agreed not to talk about other people and focus more about themselves.

She swirled her feet in slow circles through the water. Maybe they hadn’t gotten along, at first, because they needed time to get to know each other. If they had more than seven days together, what would happen? Or what if they made more time like Jasmine and Ethan did for a long distance relationship?

Drew stretched and his T-shirt formed to his torso; strong biceps flexed in his arms. He bumped her with his foot and the scar near his knee shifted.

A horrific accident, losing his fiancée, the average person would have given up. Maybe he’d focused so hard on his physical recovery he didn’t see the emotional walls he’d erected. For them to have a chance, she’d have to trust he would eventually let her in, and not push her away because of his past. If boundaries had become a natural part of his landscape, it would take a lot for him to accept a relationship. More importantly, how did Drew see things between them? What did he want?

Drew took a sip of iced tea. “Can you believe the ending? I didn’t think they could top the last one but this blew me away.”

She returned his smile. “I know. All the risks he had to take and then the way he stopped the bomb from going off. That was insane.”

“I could see it though. I’d do the same thing.”

Drew, take a risk? Ha! Choosing spicy instead of regular mustard didn’t count.

From his incredulous expression, her thoughts were written on her face. “You don’t think I would? What type of company do you think I’m in charge of, a candy factory?”

“I didn’t say anything.” And she wasn’t going there. They were joking and he was still laughing. That’s where they needed to stay. “I’m sure your contractors have had their share of badass moments.”

“Aah, I get it.” He chuckled. “My contractors are badasses but because I sit behind a desk, I’m not. Okay, challenge me.”

“To do what? You run triathlons. You’ll ace a physical challenge.”

“Not physical, something you think I won’t do.”

He’d already done it. Drew was near obsessive about work seven days a week. His wanting to go to a movie had stunned her. She kicked water his direction. “No. I’m not challenging you.”

When they were kids, Corey used to goad her into giving him physical challenges, and it had always gotten them in trouble. As an adult, she knew better. She met his gaze in a stare-off. Why wouldn’t he let he go? What was the point? Oh right. He was a man.

“Fine.” Exasperated, she looked around. All she needed was some innocuous, amazing feat for him to accomplish and for her to applaud. “Jump in the pool with your clothes on.”

“You’re not even trying. I’ll up the ante.” He stripped off his shirt and tossed it into a lounge chair. Next went the shorts and his briefs. His semi-erection bobbed with the movement.

Her pulse skipped into overdrive. She trained her eyes on the pool’s calm water. “You don’t have to do this.”

Drew strutted to the deep end of the pool and dived in. He cut through the water with clean, rhythmic strokes. When he finished several laps, he swam over to her. A hint of devilry sparkled in his hazel-green eyes. “Challenge complete. Now it’s your turn.”

“Don’t. I was sick. Remember?” Tab started scooting from the edge.

He grabbed her ankle, and she tensed, waiting for him to pull her in. He kneaded the ball of her foot, pushing into pressure points that hit all the right places. “It’s a heated pool and you’re better. I think you’re up for the challenge.”

“No.” Tab tested, pulling her foot away.

He pulled her closer to the edge and massaged her calf. She curled her fingers into the pavement, torn between how good it felt and her growing wariness as her bottom scooted to the edge. An unexpected, deep chuckle rumbled from his chest.

Damn. If he smiled like that during an argument, she’d lose every time. Mesmerized by how that one small change brought him one giant step closer to irresistible, he caught her off-guard.

Drew yanked and she fell forward. He cushioned most of the impact of her fall, but she still hit with a large splash.

She smoothed her hair out of her eyes. “Oh. You’re paying for that.”

He grinned. “I can’t wait.”

She surged up out of the water to dunk him, but her hands slipped from his shoulders. He reached for her, and she swam out of reach. Deciding she was no match for him in her water-soaked clothes, she kept swimming toward the edge of the pool. Laughter and Drew’s fingers nipping at her ankles held her back, but she finally made it. Planting her hands on the concrete, she lifted herself up until Drew caught her around the waist.

He pulled her back down and chuckled softly near her ear. “Going somewhere?”

“To change clothes.” Her breathing grew unsteady, partly from exertion, and the rest from the tickling sensation caused by kisses to the back of her neck.

“I can help with that.” He tunneled his hand underneath the hem of her blouse and flattened his palm against her belly. She floated back and connected with his arousal.

He flicked open the rivet on her jeans and pulled down her zipper. As he eased his hands inside her bikinis, words died. She let her head fall back to his shoulder and closed her eyes in anticipation. “Drew…”

He slid his finger into her and she melted when he found her clit. Caught between his cock and the hand working magic between her thighs, she escaped into the rhythm of the slow sweeps and lazy circles of his fingers. Her orgasm hovered, threatening to erupt with every whisper-soft touch. Wanting it to last, she held back.

“Let go, Tab.” Drew kissed the side of her neck. “Let me feel you come.” He glided his other hand up her belly, rolled her nipple with his fingers, and gave it a hard squeeze.

Pleasure tugged at her core and sucked her under in heated waves driven by his fingers gliding and pumping inside of her. Turning her face toward his, she threaded her fingers through his hair, and pulled him down for an openmouthed kiss.

Her orgasm hit with a rush, and water rippled around them. His heart pounded against her back as he anchored her against him. His erection throbbed against the cleft of her butt.

Drew lifted her out of the pool. “We’re going inside.”

They hurried upstairs with trails of water left behind. In his bedroom, they became a tangle of limbs with him struggling to take off her wet jeans and bikinis, and her fumbling with the buttons of her blouse. She shrugged it away, and he followed the slide of her bra strap over her shoulder with kisses.

Finally free of clothes, he backed her onto the bed, kissing her, making her crazy with his hands and tongue until she begged him to find a condom. He lined himself up and eased in his thick length. Following his lead, she raised her legs to his shoulders. He molded his hands to her hips, and sunk deeper, quickening the pace from spark to flame in an instant.

Time hovered and Tab’s orgasm tore through her body, rising up from her toes and streaming heat from her chest to her cheeks. It poured into a kiss, hot, uninhibited. Drew trapped her cries of pleasure in his mouth. He waited for her to calm, and building slowly, he reset the pace.

Chapter Fifteen

Drew sipped coffee as he stood at the kitchen counter. He reviewed his note to Tab. He wasn’t anxious to leave, but the company plane waited at the airport to take him to Montana. He had to put Sunday behind him and face a new Monday-morning reality. Today marked the countdown to his final week with Tab.

“Hey.”

Tab walked into the kitchen. The emerald-green slip and robe flowed over her rounded breasts, and her nipples pressed through the fabric. The mid-thigh length showed off her toned legs. With her mussed hair and slumberous eyes, she looked like a woman who’d enjoyed a night of good sex.

No, make that fantastic sex. They’d made up for the time their misunderstanding and the virus had taken away from them, but it wasn’t enough. He’d avoided entanglements after Shana, but continuing with Tab, for as long as it worked for them, felt right. They lived in different places and had busy schedules. If they could find a way to get around the distance, they could make a relationship work.

She took the mug out of his hand. “Hmm, coffee. I need this.”

He hooked his arm around her waist and prompted her to lean against him. Her gaze stayed on his face as she took a good long sip and then ran her tongue over her lower lip. Desire he’d held in check since he awoke that morning fired through him. “Is it good?” He adjusted his stance to make room for her between his legs and the hard-on threatening to tent his slacks.

“Oh yeah—very good.” She set the cup down on the counter and rested her hands on his chest. Her warm touch seeped through his dress shirt. “So good, I can’t get enough.”

“Then you should have more.” He indulged in a kiss flavored with coffee, and what he’d become addicted to in her taste: sweet mint. If he kept this up, he was going to suffer withdrawals.

They broke apart with teasing nips and brushes. She sighed. “When are you coming back?” Her gaze spelled out what had come to him in the shower. They were running out of time.

“If all goes well, Thursday night.” He stroked his hand up and down her back. “What about you?” Adjustments to her schedule because of her illness had forced her to push back a client visit to Miami.

“I leave Thursday and come back Saturday morning.” The downward turn of her lips relayed disappointment, but he had a plan that would make her smile again. If he could convince her.

“Stay a few more days.” He rested his forehead against hers. “One of our clients has a vacation home he hardly uses. He keeps reminding me to take advantage of his open invitation. How about it? You and I at the beach for an extra long weekend.”

Tab smoothed her hands over his shoulders. “I shouldn’t. I have meetings next week in Virginia.”

Shouldn’t. Not couldn’t.

“But, if I stayed that would give me an extra day or two to work on your makeover. With all the changes in my schedule, your closet got the short end of the deal. I was thinking about that last night.”

The ouch-factor stung. If she’d had time to think of anything but him between her thighs, maybe the sex hadn’t been as fantastic as he’d believed.

“I know I agreed to do your closet after taking care of Natalie’s wardrobe,” she said. “I’m almost there, but we’re running out of time. I already picked out what I want for you. The suits just need to be tailored. I called a friend in Montana. You can take them with you. He’ll meet you at the training center or wherever you’re staying. You try them on. He’ll make the adjustments and you bring them back with you on the plane.” She played with his red tie. “In the meantime, I can sort through your clothes and give away what we’re not keeping to charity.”

A frisson of displeasure moved through him. He was thinking about a weekend together while she was back on task about changing his wardrobe. Would they ever arrive on the same page? He forced an indulgent smile. “No. The deal was Natalie’s wardrobe completed. Not almost-completed, and what happened to me approving changes first before you make them?”

She stopped fiddling with his tie. “I’m starting to wonder if you’ve literally got skeletons in your closet.”

“Is that what you think?”

“I don’t know.” She stared at the floor. “I’m not sure what to think. I don’t understand why making changes to your closet is such a bad thing to you.”

If she only knew. At one time, designer and custom made suits filled his closet. Shana had insisted on it. Being the guy lucky enough to stand next to the beautiful girl meant he had to look the part. He couldn’t go back to that. The first designer suit he put on, he’d look in the mirror and see the man who’d failed Shana and ruined her life.

She dropped her hands. “You’re going to be late.” With her first step back, their long-weekend plans started fizzling away.

“Hold on.” Drew snagged her by the waist. “This weekend wasn’t just about us at the beach.” He tilted up her chin. “You didn’t have to help me with Bob and Natalie. It means a lot to me. I wanted to thank you properly. If you’ll let me. I’ll pay the fees for changing your flight reservation to Virginia.”

“Changing flights is only part of it.” She looked conflicted. “I’d planned on catching up on admin stuff the first day. As long as there’s an internet connection, I could do that at the beach, though. And my designer friends probably wouldn’t mind if I reschedule to dinner meetings later in the week, but I can’t cancel on my clients. I’d have to be there no later than Wednesday morning.”

“Then do it. Please.” He pressed quick kisses to her lips, determined to make her silent worries and her frown go away.

Her lips softened. “You never say please.”

“See? You’re convincing me to make changes already. If you say yes, I’ll devote quality time into making you breakfast the entire weekend.”

She linked her hands around his neck. “That’s too easy. All you need is a spoon and big bowl.”

He smoothed his hands to the back of her thighs and inched up the hem of her nightie. “We’ve really got to work on our communication. We have too many misunderstandings.”

She laughed. “Did I miss something? We were just talking about breakfast.”

He cupped her smooth, bare bottom and traced over the lower curves. Her lips parted with a sigh, and her shallow breaths heated his lips as he caressed inward. His impending departure was swamped by the fog of lust clouding his mind. They didn’t have time to hunt down a condom, but there were other ways to please.