Sweet Heat Rising (Thoroughbred Men Series) (5 page)

9

Matt offered to do the dishes, however, Sarah would have none of it. She gathered up the plates and he helped carry them to the kitchen. She placed them on the counter and checked on the cheesecakes in the oven, removed them and placed them in the industrial refrigerator to stop the cooking process.  She scraped off the remnants of their dinner and loaded them in the tray to slide through the professional grade washer. She had it installed a few years ago when she could not keep up with the larger items. It was a godsend some days because it freed up so much time for her.

Matt stepped forward and brushed her hair back from her cheek. “Thank you so much for a beautiful evening. Dinner was perfect,” he said softly and kissed her. He had wanted to kiss her all afternoon and seeing her in the candlelight set his blood on fire.

Sarah’s heart beat quickly. He smelled so good and he was so very nice to talk to this evening. She had caught her breath several times over dinner at the sexy smiles he had given her, and the times he had reached out to touch her hand. She had wanted him to kiss her again, but now that the moment was here she wanted it more than ever before.

Matt felt his mouth touch hers softly, her lips tasted so good and she seemed to melt against his body. He slid his arms around her waist and deepened the kiss. Her arms climbed up his chest and clasped around his neck, as he pulled her even closer. He whispered against her lips, “I really like this a lot,” he said kissing her, tasting the cherry on her lips once again. He continued to drift small kisses along her jaw and trailed down her neck softly, feeling her pulse flutter under his mouth, breathing in her scent.

Sarah mindlessly arched towards him, her head thrown back in pleasure as his hot breath caressed her throat. She felt Matt’s hands glided up towards her waist and was surprised when he picked her up effortlessly. He sat her on the stainless metal table in the center of the kitchen.

“Oh my,” Sarah breathed as he pulled her close again. He was driving her crazy with tender kisses, small whispers (who knew what he was saying?) And light strokes with his hands on her lower back. Sarah was pulling at his shirt and he leaned up and started to unbutton it. Growing brave, she stopped his hands and said, “Allow me,” and unbuttoned it and slid her hand boldly on his tanned chest. “Oh my,” she repeated as she revealed his smooth skin.

  Matt grinned widely at her expression. He adored that he could make her so flustered. He leaned in again, kissing her breathless. He slid his hand slowly under the rim of her shirt and hesitated. He wanted so much to feel her skin, to see if it was as soft and amazing as it was to kiss her lips and caress her neck.

Sarah noticed his hesitation and pulled back. “Are you okay?” she whispered to him, suddenly unsure of herself. Maybe she moved too quickly, she thought. The smooth heat of his chest was turning her into mush and doing crazy things to her body.

Matt chuckled lightly, put his forehead against hers and shut his eyes. “Would you believe me if I said yes and no at the same time?” He saw the confusion on her face and liked that it was flushed with desire. “Sarah, I really like you and I really like this.” He gestured and could see her tense up.

“Great! Here we go. I like you but... speech,” Sarah said embarrassed. She pulled back and looked away. She felt humiliated and disappointed at once. She could not help but wonder if that was why Josh had the reaction he did all those years ago.  Was this what it felt like to be let down? She wanted to hide. She had not allowed herself to get carried away in such a long time, and with him? She didn't want it to stop.

Matt sighed and touched her chin, turning her lovely face back towards him. “Sarah, I really like you. I do not want to screw this up because I desire you - and I do. I want you now more than anything but your kitchen just does not seem right or special for our first time to be together. 

“I want to see you again, several times over again and I want us to have a first time together that rocks your world. I want it to be magical with you. Does that sound stupid?” he said quietly as he continued to look deeply into her eyes and pushed a lock of hair from her face again.  He leaned down, kissed her softly on the lips, then again on the shell of her ear and whispered, “Sarah, you are very special to me and I don't want to mess things up because all I can think about is kissing you all over and wondering how you taste.”

Sarah pulled back, smiled shyly at him and said, “Same here...shall we call it a night and maybe you can call me sometime and we’ll make plans to go out again?” Matt nodded and didn't say anything. Sarah was still sitting perched on the table in his arms while he stood there looking at her hotly. Unsure still of herself, she just kinda smiled at him and tried to scoot towards the edge of the table as a hint that she was moving.

Matt didn't move at all. He just stood there quietly with one arm on either side of her. “Sarah, stop” he said quietly and shut his eyes again. He clutched the table to keep his hands from shaking. He was trying to think of anything to get rid of his raging desire and so far, nothing worked. He could smell her perfume and feel her legs against his. It was driving him crazy.

Sarah shifted again. “Are you okay?” she said getting a bit nervous and slid off the edge of the table to move away and give him room if he wasn't all right. She suddenly felt the urge get away if something was wrong. Her internal radar was starting to register alarm. He was so still and silent, she felt paranoia set in. Was he upset that things would not continue tonight? Could she have misjudged him as she had Josh?

Matt felt her jump down from the table, and slide directly along his growing erection. He knew it wasn't intentional and his desire took over. Matt pulled her into a tight grip and said slowly “You're killing me,” and kissed her again, this time with all of the raging passion he felt.

Sarah could feel his hardness against her, her fears washed away quickly. Paranoia turned to instant heat and Sarah smiled with all the knowledge of Eve. She felt his excitement and desire. She felt his fervor and matched it. Her fears melted and was replaced by lust, as she felt his hardness against her body.

Matt took that as an invitation and grasped her bottom, pulling her even closer and grinding himself against her. His hands slid up the back of her shirt and slowly moved towards the front. Her skin was so soft and she felt so delicate in his arms.

Sarah groaned as his thumbs grazed her nipples in her bra. She reached up and yanked her blouse out of her pants in front and started to unbutton it. His hands felt so hot on her skin and she wanted him to touch more of her.

Matt’s shaking hands took over for her and quickly he had her shirt open. He spread the blouse wide and smiled at the pretty blue lace bra underneath. “My God, you are gorgeous! Are you okay so far?” he asked, suddenly unsure he was taking things too far, too fast. He wanted to give her space and be the man she needed based off of what she had revealed in their conversations. His body and mind felt so conflicted.

Sarah smiled, bit her lip and nodded. “I am more than okay so far,” she said trailing her finger down his chest and touching his navel. She watched his skin jump under her fingers. She had not been so excited in so very long. She was intensely relieved to know it was the same for him.

Matt kissed her again, his hands slid up her back again and he unclasped her bra. He grabbed her blouse and hesitated again. “Sarah, maybe we should stop...” he asked questioningly, he wanted her so much and didn't want things to backfire. His brain barely functioned and instinct had taken over. He had a momentary lapse and realized they their location was far from ideal. He wanted her to have no regrets.

Sarah sighed, frustrated, and reached back to latch her bra again. He kept asking her if it was okay, she took it as a hint that maybe he wanted to wait. Sarah was blushing something fierce from sheer embarrassment. Maybe she was trying too hard and had misread the signs? She stepped away from him and headed to the restroom to compose herself.

Matt watched her walk away, wondering if he just screwed up his chance with her. He did not want to ruin anything between them. She was a breath of fresh air his life needed. He shut his eyes, his body calmed down as he tried to readjust his clothing.

Sarah looked in the mirror. Her face was flushed, her lips red and swollen, her blouse was askew. She straightened it and tucked it back in. “Don't do this. Don’t think bad thoughts. Don't think he doesn't like you. Don't do this to yourself” she whispered the litany to her reflection and shut her eyes for a moment. Self-doubt and lack of confidence was nagging at her and she couldn't let it get to her yet. She didn't want Matt to see her insecurities. Comparisons flew through her head, differences between the men and how they looked at her and touched her.

Sarah exited the bathroom and saw that Matt had buttoned his shirt back haphazardly. All the buttons were off by one. Sarah smiled wryly and said, “Would you like me to fix that?” She thought he looked so sexy to have his clothing askew. Someday, she hoped with a happy sigh. She would eagerly await that day, based on how he made her feel tonight.

Matt looked down and laughed. “Fix it? I look like I got dressed in the dark, do I not?” he joked. He quickly fixed it and offered to walk her to her car. He saw her nod as she proceeded to wrap up at the shop while he waited patiently and watched her.

              Sara quickly put a few things away, cut a large slice of coffee cake for him and wrapped it in foil carefully. Sarah glanced up at the clock and gasped. “‘Time flies when you are having fun’ is apparently true,” she said. “Can you believe it’s after ten pm already? We’ve been talking,”  she heard him cough at her- and she laughed, “and kissing,” she grinned as his coughing/clearing his throat got more pronounced and she spoke over him, “and talking some more for over five hours!”

Matt grinned mischievously and said, “One of these days, it’s gonna be a lot more than five hours of ‘talking,’ my lady, now let’s get you safely to your chariot,”  he said. He saw pink creep over her lovely face and she smiled shyly at him. He hoped it was sooner rather than later. He wanted it to be perfect.

10

Sarah walked out the back of the shop, turned and locked the door. Matt stood there and frowned at the dim lights. “What is wrong?” she said looking around quickly. She always seemed to be jumpy and was forever wondering if Josh was around the corner waiting for her. She still felt traumatized from him.

Matt said, “What is wrong is that it's not lit back here and you don't need to be back here alone in this small lot.  You do not leave late at night often, do you?” he said, concerned. This maybe small town Kentucky, however, being in a small town did not save you from dangerous situations. They maybe few and far between, but still occur.”

Sarah waved him off and walked quickly to her car. “Not really, today is an exception.  It's usually only dark when I am arriving to open up. Get in, and I will drop you off around front at your car.” She slid in the seat and locked the doors as he opened the passenger side. She watched as he got in and buckled up. She backed up and drove out of the lot and down the small alley way, turning and circling back towards the front of the building.

The building was an old ‘row’ building that had several shops, converted offices, and a small grocery inside of what used to be a bank. The buildings were all extremely old and connected, so she had to literally drive down the block to get back around front. Sarah was so very proud her bakery, BatterUp! had been doing so well on the main road in town. If it was going to prosper, it would have been there. She had an ideal spot with plenty of traffic.

Matt interrupted her train of thought, “What is your cell number?” and he pulled out his phone. He wanted her to be able to call or text, and for him to be able to call her. He missed her this week and was glad to be able to see her tonight.

Sarah listed the numbers and grinned as her phone rang. “Hmm, wonder who that is?” she said mockingly. She was secretly thrilled he was so interested in her, especially after the way things got so heated but then stopped suddenly, in the kitchen not long ago. That really did a number on her confidence.

Matt smiled sideways at her across the bench seats, “I don't know! Maybe it's a guy who wants to see you again,” he teased and then in all seriousness “I’m serious. Call or text me anytime. I would like to see you again, if you have free time.” He saw Sarah nod, as she pulled up in front of her shop behind his parked car. He leaned over, lightly kissed her and opened the door. “Text me when you get home and get inside, okay? Goodnight, princess,” and slid out of the car, waved to her and jumped in his car, starting it up.

Sarah watched as Matt pulled out away from the curb, she followed along and turned at the intersection to head home. She drove a little ways, pulled in front of the condo and turned off the car. She gathered her things, headed inside and locked the door behind her. She leaned against the door, shut her eyes and sighed.

He was so very nice but she was a bit confused as to why he wanted to stop kissing her. She really enjoyed it and had never felt like that before. She had not even felt that way with Josh. She texted him: “
I am home, thank you for a lovely evening.
”

Matt’s phone beeped and he read her text. “
I am glad, see you soon
?” he replied. He was glad they had exchanged numbers. He planned on making sure they communicated daily. He liked making her blush and laugh. He had truly missed her smile and talking with her this last week.

“
Yes
,” Sarah replied and quickly got undressed and headed to bed.  It would be time to open the shop in no time flat and she had to be ready to work. Sarah’s phone beeped again. Sarah opened the screen and smiled. Matt had texted “
goodnight princess
” to her phone. She adored the endearment and it made her feel special.

Sarah texted back “
Goodnight, sweet dreams
” she hesitated because she didn’t want to sound corny and then sent it anyway. She laid her head down and thought of his smiling face, his warm hands on her and his lips touching hers... and drifted off to sleep.