Crave (16 page)

He toys with the tie at the waist of my dress, his fingers playing with the ends, and then he’s tugging. Pulling the tie undone until my dress loosens and he’s pushing either side of it wide, exposing me to his perusal.

Breaking the kiss, he studies me, his smoldering gaze raking over my body, making me aware of how on display I am for him. I thrust my chest out and let him look his fill. Remind him of what he’s missed out on for the last month.

Me.

“You’re killing me.” He slips his fingers beneath the strap of my black bra, moving to trace the scalloped lacy edge across one breast, then the other. “So fucking beautiful.”

Pleasure swarms me, making me dizzy, and I lock my knees for fear I’ll collapse. I almost cry out when he leans in, one hand braced on the wall beside my head, his mouth at my throat, then my collarbone. Dropping sweet little kisses on my chest, the tops of my breasts, sampling me. I grip his hips, holding on to him for dear life as he licks and kisses my skin.

Everything he’s doing feels so good I’m afraid I might pass out from the pleasure of it all. My belly clenches, between my legs I grow hot and damp, and I bite my lip when he trails his fingers down my stomach until they’re toying with the waistband of my matching black panties.

“I can see through them,” he whispers, and I crack my eyes open to find his dark head bent, no doubt staring intently at the tiny scrap of material that’s barely covering me. “I really think you are trying to kill me.”

A soft burst of laughter escapes me and he glances up, a sexy smile curving his delicious lips. Tilting my head back, I brush my mouth with his, licking his lips, a soft moan escaping me when his tongue touches mine. I could get drunk off his kisses. His fingers are teasing me, sliding across my stomach, dipping just beneath the waistband of my flimsy panties, not quite reaching where I really want him to be.

“I think I’m going to enjoy this orgasm task,” he mutters against my mouth, making me laugh again. I love how blunt he is. How honest. Spending time with him is never, ever boring.

Especially now.

“Let’s take this off,” he murmurs, pushing my dress off my shoulders so it falls to the crook of my arms. I straighten them as he steps away and the dress flutters to the ground in a heap around my feet. I kick the fabric away, standing before him in just my panties and bra and my black heels.

His gaze drops, running up the length of my body, frank appreciation in his eyes. “Holy hell, woman.”

I feel hot from his words, the way he’s looking at me. Thrusting my chest out farther, I contemplate him, heat blooming between my legs when he studies my breasts, no doubt seeing my nipples poke against the thin fabric of my bra.

Without warning he’s on me, his mouth fused with mine, his hands cupping my breasts, thumbs circling my nipples. I arch into his touch, a long agonized groan escaping me when he tugs on my nipples. The pleasurable pain shoots through me, landing between my legs, and I rub against his thigh, sparks of heat blistering through me.

“I want to fuck you right here. Against the wall.” His hand sinks into the front of my panties, finally touching me exactly where I want him. “So wet, Ivy.
God.
”

He sounds tortured. I
feel
tortured. Without thought I grab him, mold my hand around the length of his erection, stroking him over his jeans. I wish I could touch his bare skin. I wish I could go down on my knees and draw him into my mouth . . .

Deciding that’s the perfect idea, I frantically undo the snap and zipper on his jeans, shoving them down with impatient, shaky hands. They fall to his feet and he kicks them off, his mouth locked with mine once again, his hand between my legs. I ride that hand unashamedly, whimpering as his fingers work a sort of magic over me, and I lose myself in the sensation. My breaths leave me in shuddery exhales and I throw my head back, my eyelids fluttering as his fingers circle and stroke my clit again and again.

“Come for me, baby,” he whispers against my lips just before he kisses me. “Reach for it.”

A ragged little cry escapes me and I close my eyes, moaning when I feel his lips on the side of my neck. He drags his hot tongue over my skin as I grind against his palm and I’m close. So, so close, I’m almost afraid it’s not going to happen.

“I can feel you. Hot and clenching so tight around my finger. You want more, don’t you Ivy?”

His hot words send me straight into oblivion. My body is racked with tremors as my orgasm pulses through me, taking me completely over the edge until all I can do is ride the wave. I grip his shoulders for fear I might collapse as he continues to stroke me, his fingers feather light and so gentle I almost want to weep at how amazing his touch feels.

God. He makes me fall apart with a few hot kisses and delicious touches like some sort of sexual miracle.

As I slowly come back down to earth, I realize he’s still touching me, licking my collarbone, pressing up against me. I can feel his erection brush against my stomach, still covered by his boxer briefs, and I reach for him. Brush my fingers down the light trail of dark hair that lines a path from his navel downward. Sliding my hands beneath the waistband of his underwear, I touch bare, hard skin, my fingers curling around his length.

“Jesus, Ivy,” he chokes out.

Smiling, I slide my back down the wall until I’m level with his cock. Slowly I tug his underwear down, revealing him to my gaze, and his erection springs out toward me almost eagerly.

I feel just as eager. Exhilarated. Reaching for him, I curl my fingers around the base of him and lean in, dropping a kiss on the tip. His agonized groan fuels me and I lick him, wrap my lips around just the head as I suck and work him deeper.

“Not like this,” he gasps, tugging on me so hard I have no choice but to stand and face him again, my feet wobbly since I’m still wearing the damn heels. I’m about to kick them off when he rests his hand on my cheek, making me look up at him. “Keep the shoes on.”

Archer

T
HIS IS MY
every fantasy come to life. Ivy in my arms, spent from the orgasm I just gave her. Ivy kneeling in front of me, drawing me into her mouth, her enthusiastic tongue whipping me into such a frenzy I knew I wouldn’t last long.

No way was I going to come too fast again. This time around, I want to make it last as long as possible. So I yank her to her feet and push impatiently at her tiny panties, wanting them off. Then I’m unsnapping her bra, watching her toss it to the floor before I’m on her again, nestled close, our mouths locked, our tongues dancing, my hands wandering.

We’re both naked save for her heels and I pick her up, her legs automatically going around my waist, her pointy heels poking into my ass but I ignore the sharp pain. I press my cock against her, dying to plunge inside her.

Fuck. I need a condom first.

“I’m on the pill,” she whispers as if she can read my mind, and I lean back to study her. Her lips are puffy from our frantic kisses and her hair is in wild disarray about her head. Red marks dot her neck from my mouth and her chest is flushed; her nipples so hard I’m tempted to suck one into my mouth right now and pull and tug with my lips until she’s whimpering from the pleasure.

“Yeah, uh . . . despite what you’ve heard, I’m clean. I swear.” I swallow hard, overwhelmed with the idea of taking Ivy with no barriers. Just skin on skin. All that wet, silky heat sucking me deep . . .

“I want you, Archer.” She tightens her legs around my hips and I can feel her. Hot. Slick. Tempting me like no one else ever has. “I trust you.”

Her simple statement threatens to unravel me.

Reaching between us, I guide myself in, teasing her with the head of my cock before I finally sink into her depths. She throws her head back against the wall with a loud groan when I fill her completely and then we’re moving. Grinding. We’re in absolute perfect sync as she slowly rides the length of my cock.

Closing my eyes, I press my forehead to hers, breathing hard, trying to keep my shit together. She feels fucking amazing, surrounding me, all over me until she’s the only thing I can see, hear, smell, taste. I turn my head and bite along her neck, soothing the nips with little flicks of my tongue, and she releases a shuddering sigh, my name falling from her lips.

That little sigh spurs me on, and I increase my pace. Her arms and legs clutch me close and I nuzzle her damp hair, breathe in her heady scent. I’ve never felt closer to a woman than I do at this very moment with Ivy. She’s all I want. All I’ll ever want.

The realization is so staggering I fumble for a moment, my hands gripping her ass tight. I pause, trying to keep my control, desperate to make this good for her, but she’s circling her hips and sending me deeper. So much deeper I’m afraid I’ll never find my way out of her.

“Harder, Archer,” she breathes against my ear, making me shiver. “I want to come with you inside me.”

Ah hell, she’s as good of a tease as I am. Increasing my pace once more, I fuck her hard against that wall, her body thumping loud with my every thrust, our sweaty skin clinging to each other, my hand tangled in her hair as I grip the back of her neck and bring her in for a kiss. Our lips meet, our tongues stroke, and then I’m groaning against her, coming so fucking hard I swear I see stars.

She’s coming too. I can feel her clench all around me, milking my orgasm further until I’m absolutely spent. We stand together for long, quiet moments, the only sounds our stuttering breaths, our frantic heartbeats. I’m not ready to let go of her yet, not ready to slip out of her hot depths and I stay there. Wrapped tight in her embrace, never ever wanting to move again.

“I . . . uh. Wow,” she murmurs minutes later, and I chuckle as I lift my head away from her to meet her gaze. “That was . . . I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“Really?” I kiss her, not insulted in the least. I don’t doubt for a second she didn’t mean for that to happen. I really didn’t either.

But when she’s sitting there talking about her lack of orgasms, it was like she threw down a challenge. I had to prove to her that she was wrong.

Did I ever.

“I just . . .” She laughs and shakes her head. “You make it hard for me to form words, after all that.”

“Mmm.” I kiss her again, her swollen lips parting for me easily as I search her mouth with my tongue. “We’re amazing together.”

“We are, aren’t we?”

“I’m going to enjoy showing you just how amazing again and again over these next two weeks.” I say it like a promise. A vow. Because it is.

She presses against my chest with her hands so I move away from her, but I still don’t let her go. “That sounds promising.”

I meet her gaze, schooling my expression, needing her to know the truth. “I was an idiot for pretending what happened between us didn’t exist. And I’m sorry about that.” Leaning in, I drop a soft kiss on her swollen lips. “I’m sorry I let you down. I can’t wait to start working with you. I trust your instincts. I believe in your skills. And I can’t wait for us to work together on this project and make my resort the best fucking thing the entire industry has ever seen.”

A slow, sexy smile curves her lips and she kisses me again. “I love it when you talk like that.”

“What, like an arrogant asshole?”

“Yes.” Her lips linger on mine. “I find your arrogance . . . arousing.”

“Really?” I’m doubtful, but I’ll go with it.

“Yes. Really.” She licks my cheek and I flinch. What the hell was that for? “Take me to bed, Archer. Show me what else those magic hands and fingers can do.”

“Wait until you see what my magic tongue can do for you.” I get hard just thinking about it.

“I can’t wait to see.”

Chapter Thirteen

Ivy

E
LEVEN DAYS. I’VE
been in Calistoga with Archer for eleven days and I can’t believe how wonderful it’s been. Busy and tiring and exhausting but also . . . freaking amazing.

I don’t ever want to come down off this high.

We’ve been working nonstop on Crave. It’s small and quaint and gorgeous and sophisticated all at once. I’ve poured over endless fabric swatches, paint colors for the interiors, and searched through enough furniture catalogs and websites to make my eyes cross until I finally came up with the perfect color scheme for all eight of the suites, plus the lobby and spa accommodations.

All with Archer’s approval, of course, and he’s loved everything I’ve come up with. Considering we have similar taste, it’s been a relatively easy road. For all our arguing and fighting from the past, it’s hard for me to believe just how easily and well we work together. He’s brilliant and smart and comes up with the best ideas. I constantly compliment him as if I can’t help myself.

And then he thanks me by kissing me stupid, stripping me naked and having his way with me. Again and again and again.

Every night that we’re together it’s like this. We come together in a frenzy of heated breaths, delicious kisses, soft sighs, and wandering hands over naked skin. During the day we’re on our best behavior, working hard, going over plans, all sorts of plans, or returning to Hush where Archer has to take care of his day-to-day responsibilities, which are tedious and sometimes irritating, but he always handles them with ease.

He’s so good at his job, it’s a joy to watch him in action. I admire the easy way he has with people. How efficiently he handles a guest complaint, an employee complaint, a call from some reporter inquiring about the Calistoga location. It’s nonstop, everything he has to do.

As each day passes, my admiration for him grows. I care for Archer far more than I want to admit. I think he cares for me too. Spending so much one-on-one time with this gorgeous, frustrating, adorable, volatile, sweet, stubborn man, I can’t get over how much I didn’t know about him until now.

His drive. His passion. His intelligence. He so believes in what he’s doing, the service he provides for people, he will do everything he can to ensure that he offers his guests the absolute best service their money can buy. And he’s pulling out all the stops for the new resort. It’s costing him a fortune. He’ll charge his guests a fortune too. But I have a sneaking suspicion they’ll love it and come back for more.