Personal Adventures (3 page)

The truth was, he’d tried to stay away from any of the men she’d dated. He hadn’t wanted to know them and they’d never sounded deserving enough.

Elise nibbled her bottom lip.

“Never mind. Don’t kiss and tell. I don’t want to know.” He clasped her hand and stepped back. She swayed in place, her gaze tracking him, waiting for him to do something. “Come inside.”

She hesitated. Tugging her hand, he jerked his head toward the house, with its brightly lit windows and the big bed with the brand new sheets. He was looking forward to breaking them in. Maybe he was hitting fast forward, but she wasn’t leaving tonight or anytime tomorrow if he had his way. They could spare a day or two exploring each other before finishing up the winter preparations at Adventures.

Nodding, she let him lead her to the house. She’d been over before, but this was different. She’d asked him to kiss her and he would. He’d do a lot of other things if she’d let him.

Chapter Four

Carey held the door for her and tried to see his place from her eyes. The cabin was a far cry from the gated mansions of his childhood. He’d built this place with a focus on comfort, not appearances. The walls were smoothed logs, the floor hardwood. The furniture was big, overstuffed corduroy pieces in hunter green. There was little decoration on the walls. A picture of his family hung in a corner, a few photographs he’d bought at one of the local fairs. The only real artwork was an old, plywood Rocky Mountain Adventures sign that he’d dug out of the garbage.

If his family could see the cabin, they would be unimpressed. They weren’t materialistic, but they liked their house staff, the latest gadgets and stylish furniture, where he preferred simplicity. He’d never even offered to bring his family out to visit. Elise was the only person he regularly invited over, and he didn’t have to wonder if she liked his place. He knew she did.

“Why don’t you have any curtains?”

She stood behind the couch a few feet away looking at the big double windows that offered a view out over the front porch. During the day, they looked out over a small meadow, sometimes he’d catch deer grazing there.

“I like the mountains.” He shrugged. “I don’t want to keep them out. I like being able to see them in every room.” He’d spent most of his life boxed into a structured life that had strangled him. If he had his way, he’d never be without a window into the wild again. Offices and nine-to-five weren’t him.

Her hands clenched the back of the sofa. She was nervous. He didn’t want to scare her, he wanted her. He wanted her so bad he sometimes jerked off to the thought of her.

Oh.

He grinned and leaned against the door. His dick still protested being ignored, so he reached down and squeezed himself through his shorts. “Were you peeping on me, Elly?”

“What?” Her head snapped up, the blush on her cheeks rising. He hadn’t missed the way her gaze snagged on his hand.

“Did you set off the car alarm on accident, or did you want to interrupt me?”

“I didn’t mean to,” she blurted.

The idea of her watching him, enjoying it even, was something to think about later. Maybe they could reciprocate, because he’d sure as hell love that kind of show.

Pushing off the door, he sauntered to her. Elise was unsure how to handle the change in their relationship. He got that. He wasn’t sure of anything, except that he wanted to keep pushing forward. Figuring out the rest could happen later.

He cupped the back of her neck and brushed a kiss across her forehead.

“I like that you want to watch me. That’s hot.” He stepped around her and headed for the kitchen. He needed something to do to keep from grabbing her. “Want a drink?”

“Water, please.”

He grabbed bottles from the fridge and went back to join her. Elise hadn’t moved from her station behind the couch. He set the water down on the coffee table, which was strewn with magazines and old brochures.

“Come here.” He held out his hand.

She looked at his hand. He watched her gaze travel up his arm, take a detour over his chest and lower. Did she find him as attractive physically as he did her? She took a deep breath and shook her head. He’d knocked her off balance. He’d pay for it later, she didn’t like not being in control, but he hoped by then he was balls-deep in her.

She circled the couch and took his hand. He folded one leg under himself and tugged her closer so she sat nestled between his leg and the back of the couch. He put their clasped hands on his thigh, forcing her to twist toward him.

He’d meant to drag it out. He wanted to make her pay for leaving him earlier, but he wanted to kiss her more.

Cupping her face with his left hand, he leaned into her. A smug pulse of satisfaction coursed through him when she met him halfway. He sucked her lower lip, fighting a sigh. She was perfection. The way her lips felt against his was better than he imagined. She leaned into him, opening her mouth and giving him leave to deepen the kiss.

Her lips were softer than he’d anticipated and tasted of something fruity. He tilted his head, sliding his fingers deeper into her hair to better control the angle of the kiss. Elise’s tongue caressed his, darting out to tease his lips.

More than happy to let her have her wicked way, he opened to her. Her tongue flicked light, teasing caresses against his lips and mouth. Lust already rode him too hard to be satisfied with light or teasing.

Fisting her hair—god, how many times had he imagined doing this?—he thrust into her mouth, tasting her.

Her hand on his thigh clenched his leg, damn close to his aching cock.

She moaned into the kiss. Her other hand had sneaked up to splay over his chest, her fingers digging in just enough to leave marks.

Returning the favor, he palmed her breast. Her nipple was a tight peak begging for attention. He tugged her neckline down enough to reach her nipple and rolled it between his fingers.

Elise gasped against his mouth and jerked back. Her lips were swollen from his not so tender kisses and her eyes gleamed with lust.

“Oh my god.” Elise clapped a hand over her mouth, muffling her giggles.

“What?” He frowned.

She leaned away and he let her. “The lipstick, it’s—it’s all over your face.”

He touched his mouth. “Is it my color?”

She wiped at his mouth, his chin and well, everywhere—all the places her lips had touched. She laughed quietly, the spark that was Elise at her best coming back.

“It’s everywhere,” she repeated.

He cupped her cheek and swiped his thumb at a smudge of pale-pink lipstick on her chin. “I think this probably looks better on you than it does me.”

“Yeah, I think so too.”

Their gazes locked, the old familiar zing of attraction intensified now that he knew how she kissed.

Elise licked her lips. “Sorry about earlier. And the lipstick.”

“Jog my memory. What about earlier?”

Carey slid his hand down her arm, gripping her elbow. There was too much space between them. Too much of her he hadn’t touched. Tugging on her arm, he rolled onto his back. Elise was slower to respond, not that he gave her much choice, but neither did she resist.

“Just—everything,” she mumbled, settling over him. She was cute, trying to brace herself on the couch, but he took up too much room and she was so much smaller than he was.

He placed her hands his chest. Her weight felt good, pressing against him. “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.” He drawled out his words in time to the slow strokes he gave her hair. It spread over her back and down around her like a cape, tickling his skin with light, barely there touches.

Elise frowned. “You’re being difficult.”

“No, sweetheart.” He chuckled at her scowl. “I’m just trying to make sure I know what you aren’t sorry about.”

She sighed while her fingers stroked his skin.

“I’m not sorry I left. You surprised me.” Her chin thrust forward in her stubborn manner.

“Okay.” He pushed her hair behind her ears.

“Sorry I didn’t call and…ah—”

Her voice trailed off as the color in her cheeks rose.

He grinned. “You’re sorry you interrupted the free show?”

“Fine, yes.” She rolled her eyes. “I didn’t expect you to be doing—that.”

“What? Stroking the snake?”

Her gasp turned into a laugh.

“Choking the chicken?”

“Carey!”

“The five-finger salute?”

“Oh my god,” she choked out between giggles.

“How about fucking Ms. Palmer?”

She buried her face against his chest, her shoulders heaving.

“Battling the purple-headed yogurt slinger?”

Elise, honest to god, snorted and squeaked.

“Did you just snort?” Carey flipped her hair out of her face and tilted her head back. Keeping a straight face was damn hard. “Is my secret handshake that funny to you?”

She had one hand cupped over her mouth, her shoulders still shaking.

He chuckled and indulged himself, stroking his hands down her back, feeling the lean muscles flex and dance. She was all muscle and grace under the delicate material of the dress. His hands reached her ass, his personal prize. Cupping the firm globes, he ground his pelvis against her.

“You’re terrible.” Elise was beautiful when she smiled. Her eyes lit with a passion nothing could capture, least of all him. She was elemental, and he was a lucky bastard to get to hold her.

His breath caught in his throat. Swallowing around it, he let his gaze drop to her lips. “Yeah, but you like me. Come here.” He propped his leg up, spreading her thighs with his knee. She felt hot straddling his thigh, her skirt riding up the backs of her legs.

“Come where?” she purred, hands gliding over his chest to grip his shoulders. She slid up his body, the delicious friction enough to make him groan.

“Damn,” he groaned. His cock trapped between their bodies was both torture and bliss. He squeezed her ass, appreciating the supple feel of her in his palm. The only way it could be better was if they were skin to skin. Now there was an idea.

She dipped her head, a slight smile pulling on the corners of her lips. His siren. He let her lead, waiting for her to kiss him. She brushed a light kiss over his nose, the corner of his mouth. He couldn’t stop the urge to nuzzle her face as her lips avoided his, creating wandering trails over his face, across his jaw. She burrowed her hands into his hair, twining and twisting the strands. Maybe he would let it grow out a little more so she had something to hold on to.

Finally she set her lips to his in a gentle caress, sucking his bottom lip into her mouth. His cock twitched, growing harder as she took her time, nipping and kissing his mouth. Turnabout was fair play. Plus, it was hot letting her crawl over him and torture him with kisses.

Carey slid a hand down her leg, past the point where her hem ended. She was warm and smooth.

He groaned as she sucked his tongue into her mouth, mimicking what he wanted her to do with his dick.

The kiss was hers but Carey needed something. He needed to touch her. Hiking her skirt up, he smoothed his hands over her ass. Her bare ass.

The kiss stilled, her lips pressed against his as he smoothed his hands over her cheeks and up to her hips. His thigh was still clenched tightly between hers, nothing but his cargo shorts separating them.

“Do you have something against underwear?” he asked against her lips.

Instead of avoiding his gaze, she lifted her face, staring down at him defiantly. “I forgot them.”

Carey slid one hand to her inner cheek, his thumb skimming the crease, stroking down to her secret depths, soaking his shorts.

“That’s hot.” His voice was a deep growl. What kind of woman showed up at a man’s house without underwear? The kind who got laid.

“You’re such a guy.” She chuckled.

He cracked a grin. Hell, yeah. He felt cocky enough to say, “You like me this way.”

Straightening his leg gave him the opening he needed. He skimmed his fingers over her bare folds, slick with moisture. If it wasn’t for the arm he’d slung over her waist, Elise probably would have shot up and off the couch at the first touch.

“Carey!”

He liked the sound of his name on her lips and the wild glint in her eyes as she clawed at his shoulders. In fact, he wanted to tip her over the edge. He slid his fingers back and forth, coating them. Tiny tremors ran through her delicate muscles.

Elise crashed her mouth against his. Her hunger fed his fire, and suddenly teasing touches weren’t enough. He pushed one finger into her, her body yielding to the small intrusion. He sank the digit all the way to his knuckle. Withdrawing, he added a second, feeling her stretch around him.

The dam in her broke. She gripped his shoulders with both hands, devouring his kisses, moaning into his mouth. She was so fucking hot, better than any dream he’d had. Her hips moved, thrusting on his hand, grinding his cock between them.

“Come on, baby,” he whispered as she moaned against his lips.

“Can’t,” she gasped.

“Yes, you can. You’re so fucking hot. Do it, baby. Come on my hand.” If she did, he was going to lose it in his pants. As embarrassing as that was, it might be worth it.

“No!” She sat up, pushing at his chest, her face drawn into a menacing scowl. His hand slipped from inside her, leaving him grasping the backs of her thighs as she sat back on him. “No.”