Secrets from Her Past: Scandalous, Book 2 (10 page)

He pulled his cell from his pocket to check the status of the storm. The last thing he wanted was to be caught off guard if a tornado or some such thing was coming through. Highly doubtful, but he was a Boy Scout, so he’d learned the golden rule of scouting: Always be prepared.

“Why don’t you relax?”

Dylan turned from the window in the downstairs guest bedroom and saw Cori with a flashlight standing in the doorway. The light pointed down to the floor, so he couldn’t make out her face too well.

“I’m relaxed,” he lied. “I just wanted to see if there was any damage yet and—”

“You’re nervous.” She leaned against the small dresser and crossed her arms over her chest. “We can talk about the big white elephant, Dylan. The fact that we had sex and we would’ve had sex this morning and now we’re both half-dressed doesn’t have to make us uncomfortable.”

“All of that isn’t making me uncomfortable,” he told her and he wasn’t lying.

“Dylan. You’re jumpy and you can’t stay in the same room with me. Don’t tell me you’re not comfortable.”

He held on to the post at the end of the bed and looked at her through the darkness now that his eyes had adjusted to just the small, narrow light from the flashlight.

“Having sex with you on the beach and nearly getting you naked in my kitchen this morning doesn’t make me uncomfortable, Cori. Seeing you walk around in my house, bringing up old memories and wondering what might have been makes me uncomfortable. Knowing that I want you more than my next breath, but realizing that’s probably a mistake, is making me uncomfortable.”

He moved across the room until he was standing directly in front of her. “And knowing you have nothing separating those breasts from my shirt is making me damn uncomfortable.”

“Dylan.” She chewed her lower lip and brushed her hair off her shoulders. “We can admit this attraction, but is that all this is? I know we’re both adults here and you probably don’t want to analyze what’s between us, but I just need to know. Is this sex or is it more?”

“You’re right. I don’t want to overthink what’s happening. Is it too shallow of me to just admit I want you and that’s all I can give?”

Because he couldn’t stand to not touch her, he reached out, stroked her cheek. “Tell me you want to move back here for good, hold on to those roots your parents set for you and remain in the small-town life.”

She turned her face into his palm. “You know I can’t tell you that.”

He did, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to hear her say different. Fool that he was, or maybe he had a streak of that hopeless romantic his sister had, but he’d wanted her to say she was staying for good. He wanted to hear her say she would stick around and see if this attraction was more than just physical.

But she didn’t, and if all she could offer was sex, then he’d take it. Yes, he had emotions and feelings he hadn’t wanted, hadn’t expected, but he was still a man and he had needs. Needs this woman could satisfy.

Lightning flashed through the window, lighting up the room like a strobe light. With each flash he saw deeper into her eyes where she so held her heart. He saw pain, fear and determination.

Dylan cupped the other side of her face and held her between his two palms. “The other night was too fast, too unexpected. Right now I want you and there’s nothing stopping us from enjoying each and every moment we have of this night. We have nowhere to be, nothing to do and no worries. There’s only right now.”

Cori closed her eyes and sighed. “Dylan, if you knew my past, you wouldn’t be so eager to be with me…even temporarily.”

“Your past has no place here,” he told her.

Her eyes opened and met his just as another flash lit up the room. “Here is the only place my past does have a place. And one of these days I may have to face it head on.”

“Not today.”

She gripped his wrists and smiled. “Not today.”

Chapter Eight

She didn’t care that her past or the secret she’d carried since leaving more than ten years ago could ruin any bond or relationship they’d ever had. Corinne wanted Dylan. She’d wanted him as a teen and she wanted him even more as an adult. Her willpower where he was concerned had always been nonexistent.

And the fact he was strong, independent and dependable only made him that much more attractive. He wasn’t the teen she’d fallen in love with. He was all man and he made it no secret that he wanted her.

“I need you in my bed, Cori.”

Corinne smiled against his lips. “Then lead the way.”

He hoisted her up and over his shoulder and headed out of the spare bedroom.

“Why do you keep carrying me like this?” she asked, then smacked his rather fine backside.

“I figure you’ve been pampered enough with those Rhett Butler types who whisk you off in that romantic way. I want to be memorable.”

Oh, he was memorable. There was no doubt about that. She’d never forgotten him and when she left here again, she knew he’d remain in her mind, in her heart.

He carried her up the steps and he wasn’t even breathing hard once they reached the landing. Yeah, add that to the ever-growing list of why she was attracted to him…stamina. The man had it in spades.

Dylan moved down the hall and into another bedroom. When he set her down on her feet, she got a glimpse at her surroundings, thanks to the small candle she’d lit earlier. Of course when she’d been up in his room earlier she’d know it was his, but she hadn’t taken the time to really look because she didn’t want him to wonder what was taking her so long.

But the instant she’d come in, she’d known this was his room. Other than the masculine cologne that had settled into the air, there was a pair of running shoes by the closet door and a towel hanging in the adjoining bath. The dark-wood, king-sized bed dominated the space and the navy comforter seemed inviting and cozy.

Cori wanted to crawl beneath those blankets and snuggle next to him like she belonged. But she didn’t. And thanks to that one ugly sin, that fateful night, she never would. The world she belonged in was shallow and riddled with lies and deceit. Perfectly fitting for her.

“Wherever your mind went, come back to me.” Dylan slid his arms around her waist and tugged her close. “Nothing outside this room exists. Got it?”

Corinne smiled and nodded as she allowed her hands to roam up his bare shoulders and the nape of his neck.

“You’re the boss,” she told him.

“You mean that?”

“Why not? I like everything you do to me, Dylan.”

He captured her lips quickly, seductively. “In that case, strip. Slowly.”

Corinne backed up, reached for the hem of her T-shirt and pulled it up over her head, tossing it to the side. With her eyes locked on his, she hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her thong and slid it down. She kicked it aside and put her hands on her hips.

“Sorry,” she told him with a smile. “Hard to go slow when you’re wearing so few clothes.”

Dylan shoved his shorts and boxers down and tossed them aside to land off somewhere near her pile. “I see what you mean.”

She took in the sight of his hard male body and her own body instantly responded.

“I could look at you all day,” she whispered.

“I hope while you’re looking you feel the need to touch,” he told her. “Because I plan on touching you a lot.”

Corinne stepped toward him, the ache inside her spreading throughout and the anticipation of what was to come nearly buckling her knees.

“I’ve never wanted someone more,” she told him as she came to stand before him. “Don’t make me wait.”

In a flash, he snaked his arms around her waist, molded his hands to her rear and pulled her against him. Thunder shook the house, a streak of lightning lit up the sky through the narrow window.

Dylan’s mouth covered hers, his tongue darted in to tangle with her own and Corinne pressed herself fully against him. She wanted to feel that strong body against hers, she wanted all the contact she could get because she knew, no matter what, there would never be enough. Not when it came to Dylan.

His hands roamed up her back, then down again to her rear. He lifted her off the floor, never breaking contact with her mouth. Corinne wrapped her legs around his waist, the tip of him coming to rest where she ached most.

“Condom?” she asked against his mouth.

“We didn’t use one last time. Are you okay without?”

“More than okay.”

He backed her against the wall and slammed into her. Corinne squeezed his shoulders as he pumped in and out of her. His mouth slid down her throat and back up to claim her mouth. He kept one hand on her backside and brought the other one to her breast.

Between those talented hands all over her, his mouth devouring her and the pace he set with his hips, Corinne wasn’t going to last long.

She tore her mouth from his. “Oh, Dylan…”

Her back arched against the wall, forcing him deeper into her. With her breasts tilted up now, he wasted no time in claiming one with his tongue. Moistening her nipples then teasing her even more by blowing on the dampness.

Her body started to tighten and he knew it. Dylan reached between them, raking his thumb over her most sensitive spot, and sent her straight over the edge.

She gripped those firm shoulders as the orgasm slammed into her. Before she could come back to reality, Dylan’s body was pumping faster, sweat had broken out on his forehead.

He gripped her hips with both hands and slammed into her one last time before his body shook. His eyes were shut, his head tipped back, mouth open as if he wanted to scream but held himself back.

She wanted all of him, wanted to see him utterly and completely powerless. But when his body stopped trembling, Corinne knew she had her work cut out for her.

The next time, he was hers. In every form of the word.

Chapter Nine

Sunshine beamed in through the slats of the blinds on Dylan’s wide window, which overlooked the ocean. Morning brought not only much more pleasant weather, but a bit of uncertainty, considering she’d woken up in Dylan’s bed after they’d made love. Twice.

She clutched her clothes—well, his, technically—as she stared down at the sleeping man who’d fulfilled every single one of her fantasies last night…and some she didn’t even know she had.

He lay on his stomach, arms wide as if he still had her pinned to the navy sheets. His face scrunched against his pillow and the sheet dipped low to reveal the majority of one very fine backside.

So why wasn’t she hopping right back into that bed and begging for a repeat performance? Because she was one hundred percent pure chicken. She knew getting intimate with Dylan would only make her old feelings jumble with the new ones and have her wanting, wishing for things she couldn’t have.

But, God, if she could have a future with anyone, she was almost certain it would be this man. Even time hadn’t diminished the bond they’d shared. Yes, they were two different people now, but all that proved was how strong their ties were.

Her heart clenched, her throat clogged. Nothing good would come from them spending so much time together, from being intimate over and over.

She pulled his oversized tee over her head, slid into a new pair of baggy sweats he’d lent her and tiptoed from the room. She’d retrieve her clothes from the laundry room, leave his and head for home. She wondered who in the neighborhood would see her doing the walk of shame from Dylan’s house to hers, but the way this town thought of her, she really didn’t care. Could her reputation get any worse?

The media had made her out to practically be some drug lord and once the media says it, the majority of the public takes all that gossip as gospel.

Corinne changed quickly and headed out the back door. The fresh smell of the ocean was always a wonderful way to wake up, but all the debris all over Dylan’s yard and the small private beach down the way was going to take some work.

She hated to see the damage to her own yard. No matter what it was, though, she intended to see her parents first. Then she’d come home and do damage control and cleanup.

As she rounded her fence, she stopped short at the sight of the old oak tree, which was now missing one of its larger limbs. That limb was on top of the front porch and had collapsed the roof over the porch.

She ran closer to get a better look. From all the leaves and small limbs shooting out, she couldn’t tell if the damage went into the house too. Either way, she had a mess on her hands.

Raking her fingers through her still-matted bedhead, Corinne sighed. Looks like she’d have to do the walk of shame back over to Dylan’s, because if anyone could fix this, it would be Dylan. Though she prayed to God her parents had good insurance because her funds were completely depleted and there was no way she could afford to have that fixed.

Not to mention she had hit a brick wall when it came to job hunting in this town.

But she’d only been at it one day. She refused to back down. Her parents depended on her, not to mention she refused to fail ever again, at anything. She owed it to her parents to keep her mother in therapy in a facility that could provide better care than at home. She also owed it to herself to quit pouting about what had happened and try to make something of this mess she called her life.