Secretly Hers (Sterling Canyon) (7 page)

Suddenly, she liked being blindfolded. Liked the way her heightened senses made her entire body purr from his attention. Liked the kind of sensual control she seemed to exert over him, too. In fact, she couldn’t have been happier about agreeing to this whole plan.

His mouth trailed down her neck as his fingers went to the juncture between her legs. She licked her lips and lifted the small of her back off the mattress, like a serpent at the mercy of a snake charmer.

Aphrodite
. Somehow she’d managed to control and yet submit to him at the same time. Impossible. Surprising. Sexy as hell. And maybe more than he’d bargained for tonight.

Trip opened his eyes to watch her respond to his kiss and touch. Her lips parted. Her muscles twitched. Her body quivered and arched, seeking him out.

He ached to bury himself inside her already, but wouldn’t rush this pleasure. When she hooked her leg over his hip, he smiled. “That’s my girl.”

He rubbed his body along the length of hers while kissing her hard, harder, invading her mouth the way he planned to invade her body. She tasted like chocolate and wine. Her hair tangled up all around his hands. Her dusky pink nipples were tight and hard beneath the negligee.

“I like that,” she moaned, her nails scratching along his shoulders and back with just enough pressure to feel good.

“I can tell.” He then reached over for the lengthy robe sash and hooked it through one of the bedposts before gently binding her wrists. “Does my naughty girl like this, too?”

“She does.” She writhed within the binding in order to get closer to him.

His heart raced even more than when standing at the top of any snowy cornice before hucking off the edge and into the deep powder.

As he finished the knot, he gazed at her—blindfolded and bound for him. For his pleasure. A rush of hot lust crashed over him, making him groan and descend upon her with a blitz of kisses. He sucked at her nipples through the see-through nightie, loving the way her body writhed for him. Adrenaline spurred him to get a little rougher with his mouth and hands.

“I want you, cowboy.” She bucked her hips.

He parted her with his fingers, and teased her, caressing her hot center until she begged for release. “More,” she pleaded, so he used his mouth and his hand to push her closer to the edge. “Oh, yes. Now!”

“Patience, princess.”

Her heels dug into the mattress; her hands strained against the sash. He watched her body tighten with the pleasure he held just out of her reach. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he wanted to control her. Make her moan and groan and beg. He wanted her to feel him, and feel the lingering evidence of him tomorrow.

“Trip, please.”

She smelled and tasted like sweet, sweet sex, which worked him up into a lather. He continued his onslaught until he couldn’t wait another second, and then, after tearing open a condom package with his teeth, he thrust himself inside her, making her call out in surprise.

“Oh, God, yes!” she exclaimed.

“Not God. Just me.” He chuckled before kissing her.

She clenched around him, hot, wet, and so, so tight. He kissed her again, overwhelmed by desire and power and, oddly, a surge of tenderness. He slowly withdrew and then thrust inside her again, slowly, purposefully, opening his eyes and watching her flushed cheeks, her swollen lips, her heaving chest.

A thing of beauty, his princess.

Suddenly he was carried away on another wave of sexual frenzy. Swamped with a need to possess and consume her, he pulled out, flipped her over and yanked her hips into the air. Her arms were still restrained by the lengthy, twisted sash as he entered her from behind.

“You like this, too?” He grasped her breast with one hand while the other slipped between her legs, as he began beating out a faster rhythm.

“I do.”

Then, moving one hand to grip her hip, he wrapped the length of her hair around his other wrist like a set of reins and yanked her more upright as he slammed into her body, practically growling with desire. “And this?”

“More,” she moaned. “Harder.”

He heard his own voice shout something as he pounded into her, more excited than he could remember feeling in years. Her groans and grunts escalated until he felt her shudder, her insides in a spasm, tugging at him. And then, before he was ready to let go, he careened over the edge, his body erupting into a series of uncontrolled tremors until he collapsed on top of her.

For a few seconds, he struggled to control his breathing. His body, drenched in sweat, lay wrapped around her gorgeous curves.

Holy fucking hell. Everything he’d hoped for times ten.

“Trip?”

“You gotta give me a few minutes to recover.” He brushed her hair away from her neck and kissed her.

“Untie me, please.”

“Whatever you want.” He untied her hands, only vaguely aware of her oddly detached voice.

Once her hands were free, he rolled her onto her back to kiss her, but she blocked him by removing the blindfold. She smiled—a satisfied smile.

“I needed that more than I realized. I’ll sleep well tonight, thanks.” Then she gently exerted pressure on his chest until he rolled off her body. She finger combed her hair and glanced at him. “So, take a few minutes to get dressed or whatever. I’m going to get some water. Would you like a glass before you go?” She stood at the edge of the bed, looking even sexier than she had when he’d first arrived.

“When I go?” He sat up, confused and . . . irked.

“I’ll be right back.” She flashed a pleasant, if not exactly personal, smile. Nothing like the smiles she gave Wade. No, this smile was more like that of a damn flight attendant.

He flopped back on the bed and closed his eyes, playing with the sash while recalling the highlights from their first encounter. What the hell was up with her attitude?

Irritated, he yanked off the condom, and discovered it had torn. Had it torn during sex or just now when he’d removed the damn thing? He frowned, his brief concern supplanted by jumbled thoughts about Kelsey’s dismissiveness. He wrapped the condom in tissue before tossing it into the garbage can beside the nightstand.

“Here you go.” Kelsey reappeared and handed him a glass of water, then sat in a chair three feet away from the bed.

The heart-stopping impact of seeing her in those heels and nightie made him hot all over again. He wasn’t used to being told to get dressed and leave, and he didn’t like it. Especially not when she sat there taunting him with her fuck-me heels, see-through nightie, and sexy hair, dampened from their lovemaking. He had no idea why she was kicking him to the curb, but wasn’t ready for his time with Kelsey to end.

“You’re not getting shy on me now, are you?” He gulped down the water while maintaining eye contact.

“No. Why would you ask that?” She leaned back and crossed her legs, one foot bouncing up and down.

“Because you’re sitting way over there instead of crawling into bed.” He set his glass on her nightstand, edged to the bottom of the bed, and reached one arm toward her. “Come on back.”

Kelsey shook her head. “Let’s not pretend this is anything more than what it is, okay? We had sex. Really great sex, just like we discussed. And now you’ll go home or out or whatever it is you do at night, and I’ll go to sleep so I can be productive tomorrow. I’ll let you know when I need your help to make good on that other promise you made, but for now, I think we’re all set, right?”

“All set?” Trip chuckled, but when he met Kelsey’s blank gaze, he scowled. “I’m not all set. I’m just getting started.”

“Are you trying to prove something to me—make me eat those words I said earlier about your moves and imagination? No need. I take them back.” She stood up, giving him another gorgeous view of her body cloaked in sheer fabric.

His lower half stirred, demanding he seduce her back into bed. “Kelsey, you don’t really want me to go so soon, do you?”

“I’m not saying this can’t ever happen again, just not tonight.” She wrapped a silk robe around her body and sighed. “I’d think you’d be high-fiving me right now. Not only did you get what you wanted, but also you don’t have to cuddle or figure out how to sneak out of bed before the sun rises.”

“Wow. You’re just full of surprises tonight, princess.” The snarky bite in his voice caused her to wince. He stood, watching her gaze rake over his naked body, so he took his time getting dressed while he brooded about the unceremonious way she was kicking him to the curb. “Guess I’ll get out of your hair, then.”

She followed him through the living room and to her front door. Before he opened it, she reached up to his shoulder, her indifferent mask slipping away for a moment. “Thanks for the rose, Trip. That was sweet.”

Sweet? He wasn’t sweet. And he wasn’t about to leave her apartment being the only one who wanted more. He swooped down on her faster than a hawk on a mouse and kissed her, grabbing her ass with both hands.

Her resistance ebbed almost immediately and she kissed him back, digging her hands into his hair and moaning softly from her throat. He caressed her hips, and ran one hand along her upper thigh and in between her legs until he felt her knees buckle. Only then did he release her, leaving her panting and needy, just like him. Now they were even. “See you ’round, princess.”

Chapter Six

Trip’s Tips:

1. Don’t return a new guy’s interest right away. Force his hand. Get him to invest first.

2. Whenever a guy calls for the first time, end the call first because you’ve got to “run.” Leave him wondering where you’re going and who you’re meeting. Jealousy is a powerful motivator.

3. Don’t talk about the guy to anyone for the first few weeks (not with friends or Facebook or anyone else). Let it develop privately.

4. Don’t text him all the time, or ask where things stand, or talk about your desire for marriage and family, for at least two months.

5. Under NO circumstances do you go to bed with him for at least five real dates. Make him work for it.

Kelsey refolded the paper she’d read at least a dozen times in the past ten days and tucked it back in her desk drawer. His obnoxious “advice” directly conflicted with her natural instincts, which made her want to reject it as stupid. But at thirty-one and hopelessly single, she had to consider perhaps her instincts sucked. Trip didn’t understand women at all, but maybe he understood men better than she did.

Of course, thinking of him immediately launched her into yet another lusty daydream. She knew she should stop, but the memories were more addictive—and entertaining—than
Scandal
.

The alarm on her phone buzzed, pulling her from her thoughts.
Shoot!
She had just ten minutes to get her butt over to the groundbreaking ceremony. Grabbing her keys and purse, she dashed out the door.

She swerved her car into the dusty parking area of Wade’s new project at 10:58 a.m., kicking up pebbles and dust. After checking her hair and lipstick in her rearview mirror, she exited the car and crossed the rocky ground toward where the crowd had gathered. She and the floral-print Miu Miu shoes she’d picked up online at a discount navigated the gravel and divot obstacle course without a major stumble.

As she approached the hub of activity, she smoothed her cream-colored tulip skirt and straightened her shoulders. Scanning the throng, she noticed Mayor Burns, Jimmy, the editor of the local paper, with his photographer, and Sandra, the local branch manager of the bank financing Wade’s project. Wade and a few others were standing along a roped-off section of dirt, each wearing a hardhat and holding a shovel.

When she glanced past the assembly, off to the distant corners of the fifty-acre project, a swell of pride filled her lungs. This deal had not only earned her a bundle, but also had been a huge step in expanding her little company into a residential
and
commercial real estate brokerage. And if she succeeded in convincing the Copelands to sell, she knew exactly which small apartment complex she wanted to buy with that commission. Broker
and
landlord; maybe then people in town would start taking her more seriously.

Her gaze drifted back to Wade. At their first meeting months ago, she’d hoped to interest him in more than her listings, but looking at him now she felt less enthused. His friendly face and warm smile were still appealing, as were his sandy-colored hair and pressed clothing. His business acumen remained as impressive, his personality as affable. And yet he failed to make her heart race and her knees weaken. Truth be told, perhaps he never really had. Had she only set her sights on him because he’d been mature, which she’d assumed meant he’d be looking to settle down?

A mental image of Trip’s muscled torso surfaced, causing her insides to quake like the San Andreas Fault. Flashbacks like that had been driving her crazy since he’d left her apartment. Thank God she’d avoided running into him in town since that night. She needed to get over their sexual encounter before facing him again.

At the outset, Kelsey had convinced herself she could protect her heart from that man. Then her stupid subconscious started leaking through the cracks of her defense shield. Cracks that wouldn’t mend as long as she kept that now dry-pressed white rose beside her bed, or purposely summoned memories of the heavy, hot sensation of Trip’s body.
Shoot
.

She forced herself to focus on Wade again, to listen to his pleasant voice as he spoke about the Sterling Canyon community, job creation, and the unique features of his planned five-star resort. People all around her watched him with admiration while he delivered the public speech with relaxed confidence. A copse of aspens swayed in the breeze of a beautiful summer day, providing a gorgeous backdrop to the scene.
Feel something, Kelsey
.

Nada.

Wade and his crew each lifted a shovel for the cameras and then took a first stab at the land that would soon be excavated. She clapped along with the crowd and then, when Wade caught sight of her and waved her over, walked around the cordoned land to join him.

“Kelsey, thanks for coming.” Wade shook her hand and kissed her cheek in the same friendly business manner in which he’d always treated her. Still no sparks. “Can you join our little project team for lunch?”

“Not today, but thanks. I’ve got a client appointment at noon. How about a rain check? I’d love to discuss the Copeland property development more.”

“Same. Shoot me a text with some dates and times and we’ll get together again, ideally with one of the Copelands.” He briefly diverted his attention to nod at someone in the distance. “I’m headed to Seattle for a week or so, and after that I’ll be in and out of town as this project gets underway.”

“I’ll speak with Nick Copeland and get back to you. I’m sure we can put this together.” She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt because, if Trip’s opinions were shared by the majority, it wouldn’t be a slam dunk deal. Fortunately, most folks like Trip only talked big and loud in the bars. “In the meantime, congratulations on all of this,” she said, gesturing toward the acreage. “I hope everything proceeds without a hitch.”

“Well, that’ll be largely up to that guy right there.” Wade pointed at an attractive man who was staring at Kelsey with apparent interest. “Hey, Mason, come on over and let me introduce you to this lovely young woman.”

Except for a quick glance to acknowledge Wade, Mason kept his polite gaze fixed on Kelsey. He carried himself with self-assurance, which she always found appealing. She also appreciated his taste in clothes: dark denim jeans, cowboy boots, a tailored shirt, and linen-blend blazer.

When he removed the hardhat he’d donned for the ceremony, she noticed his closely cropped hair contained a few hints of distinguished-looking gray. The outer edges of his deep-set, coffee-colored eyes crinkled when he smiled, a pleasant smile that softened his dark features.

“Mason Cutler,” Wade began, “meet Kelsey Callihan, Sterling Canyon’s finest real estate broker.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mason.” She extended her hand, which he gently grasped with both of his. She felt something not unpleasant, although his open scrutiny suggested a certain familiarity she knew they lacked.

“Pleasure’s all mine.” Although Kelsey exceeded his height in her heels, Mason’s smooth, deep voice belied his smaller stature. His expression turned a bit coy. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Heard about her? She took a slight step back, glanced briefly at Wade, then returned her attention to Mason. “Cutler, as in Cutler Construction, I suppose?”

“Yes.” He clasped his hands behind his back and cocked his head to the left. “We’re very excited Wade chose us for this particular project.”

“I’m looking forward to a productive working relationship, too,” Wade said. “Now, if you two will excuse me, I need to speak with the mayor. Kelsey, I’ll look for a text from you about getting together when I return to town. Mason, I’ll see you at lunch.”

Mason waited until Wade had walked away before resuming the conversation.

“You’re not joining us for lunch?” His hands remained hidden behind his back. “That’s disappointing.”

Something about his shy, introverted grin intrigued Kelsey. Was he flirting? Another image of Trip raced through her mind, swamping her in guilt. Stupid guilt. Trip was a boy toy, not a boyfriend.

“Unfortunately, I’ve got a conflict today.” She gripped her purse strap near her shoulder. Mason hadn’t done or said anything unusual, yet she had a hunch he was a man with an agenda. “I’m meeting a client shortly.”

“Speaking of which, may I have your business card?” He tucked his thumbs in his front pockets. “I’m going home for a couple of weeks, but when I return to oversee the construction, I’ll need a decent rental. Perhaps you can help me find a good lease.”

Ah, that was it. He’d heard about her from Wade and needed an agent.

A week ago, she’d have been grossly disappointed that he wasn’t flirting. Today she could barely muster regret.

It was official. Trip had screwed her up.

“The long-term rental market isn’t huge here, but I’ll dig around a bit.” Kelsey riffled through her purse to retrieve a card. “Here you go. Email me your wish list and then I’ll see you when you return.”

“Great, thanks. Am I embarrassing you if I say my outlook on living here just got a whole lot brighter?” Once again Mason’s generous smile seemed flirtatious. It didn’t exactly reduce her to jelly, but a little something bloomed in her chest. A little something was better than nothing.

Still, Trip’s tip about not responding to perceived initial interest flared, causing her to project a professional, polite smile. “You’re very kind, Mason. I look forward to working with you. Have a great lunch, and please tell Wade I said good-bye.”

She walked away, glancing back over her shoulder in curiosity. Mason, who was still watching her, waved. Flustered, she waved back and then hustled to her car.

Perhaps Wade’s project could result in a romantic payoff after all. Of course, the tiny blip of interest she felt about Mason paled in comparison to the whole-body sensations Trip aroused. But Trip wasn’t available for anything more than a roll or two—or five—in the hay. She would not prove Maura right by allowing the shallow, physical, lusty
thing
between Trip and her to steer her off course.

Trip returned from leading three climbers up a cliff face, bothered by some of the chatter he’d overheard about Wade’s latest plans. Rather than change out of his rock climbing clothes, he immediately settled behind the desk and made a list of elected officials and relevant board members to contact. Maybe there were wetlands on the property, or maybe he could persuade the Open Space Council to convince the town to buy and preserve the land. Anything to hold up the deal or make it less attractive to Wade.

Setting aside his list, he decided to load another GoPro clip from last March onto the Backtrax Facebook page. A death-defying reel taken when he’d shot over and cleared a fifteen-foot-high cliff face before making a perfect landing into twenty inches of fresh powder and then ripping through it to the bottom of the run. The footage looked almost as awesome as he’d felt flying through the air and snow.

“Hey, Avery and I are grabbing dinner.” Grey stood in the doorway of the back office. “Want to come?”

“Nah, you two go ahead. I’m just getting into this stuff now.” Trip nodded at the wad of cash on the desk. “When I’m done, I’ll log those fees and tips into the system and then stick them in the safe.”

“Keep your tips.” Grey strolled over to stand behind him and view the footage. “Man, I missed out after the accident. Can’t wait to get back out there.”

“Me too!” Trip glanced up. “Hey, I want to talk to you later about Wade Kessler.”

“What about?” Grey’s hands rested on his hips.

“He wants to build some kind of mall and office park at the northwest corner of town if he can coax the owners into selling.”

“Oh, hell no.” Grey ran one hand through his overgrown hair.

“Exactly. We need to jump ahead of him somehow, but I need to keep my name out of it because of my dad’s involvement with Wade. Somehow we’ve got to convince the owners not to sell, or make it too much of a headache for Wade to pursue.”

“I’d imagine the local retailers will band together to keep national chains out of town.” Grey snatched a lollipop from the cup on the desk. “Why don’t you join Avery and me and we can talk about it more?”

“No. Don’t say anything to Avery. I really want to keep a low profile, at least until I have more info. You go have a nice night. I’ve still got a ton of work to do on these website updates.”

“Okay. See you later.”

Trip returned his attention to the computer, jumping around to other ski enthusiast pages to leave comments and interact, just like Kelsey had suggested. The minute he’d thought of her—which had been happening all too frequently lately—he glanced at his phone.

He’d refrained from calling her or surprising her with a visit, although the thought had occurred to him more than once. And where the hell was Boomerang, anyway?

After meeting Grey last January and sharing one stupid public kiss, she’d dogged
him
for months with texts and drop-ins. Considering the mind-blowing sex she and Trip had enjoyed, he thought he should’ve heard from Kelsey by now. The fact she hadn’t made any attempt to seek him out pissed him off. Hell, he wasn’t ashamed to admit to himself it hurt his feelings a little, too. What the heck was so special about Grey?