Wild Irish (Book 1 of the Weldon Series) (5 page)

Alexi snapped her mouth close. “My open mouth is shock. Any gentleman would turn around.”
Watch?
Her breath caught and she tingled from both the sexual and the challenging lights in his devilish blue eyes.

“
Don’t make that mistake, Lexi. I’m no gentleman." His voice dropped low and soft and steamy, surrounding her like a bone-melting sauna. “Now are you going to sit there and burn up in the hot sun or shuck your silks?”

It wasn’t the sun that had her sizzling. He made her burn. “You’re a devil determined to get your due?”

“
You bet,” he said with an unrepentant gleam in his eyes.

“
I’m starting to feel like the gingerbread getting a ride from the fox.”

“
I’m looking forward to the meal,” Jesse quipped then laughed at the expression on her face. “Relax, I like to take my time. You aren’t in any immediate danger. Maybe.”

Jesse’s loud groan was her only warning before he took hold of her stocking and snatched it down. “Stand up and let me fix your dress so you won’t break your neck.”

Jesse knelt on one knee at her feet. Sunshine streamed over them and bathed his head with light, making his dark hair glisten and his tanned face darken with intriguing shadows. He could have been a dark, warrior knight pledging his loyalty at that moment. She realized why he had such an impact on her senses; he moved with an unconscious sensual nobility--if there was such a thing. Jesse the man was a whole cut above the motorcycling bad boy she’d known.

Well maybe, she thought as her heart thumped an extra beat when he lifted the hem of her dress. Maybe he’d just become a more devastating bad boy. Rolling her dress up to her knees, he gathered the excess material to the side and tied it in a knot, which he handed to her as he stood.

"That takes care of the dress. Maybe.” His voice was gruff and deep. “Ditching it completely would be better.”

When she glanced at him, the look he had centered on her mouth nearly made her swoon. His expression said she was more appetizing than gingerbread and he was more ravenous than a fox.

He leaned her way and she turned from the heat. Things were moving too fast. Heavens, she felt as if they were seconds from making love. “So what do people who creek sit do?”

“
You mean besides sex?” he asked grinning. Before she could answer, he picked up a rock and tossed it. Amazingly, the rock skimmed across the surface of the creek and didn’t sink until it hit the opposite bank.

“
How did you do that?”

“
What?”

“
The rock trick.”

She frowned. “Did you say skinned or skimmed rocks?”

He laughed. “Don’t guess you have. You’re about to learn from a pro. First you need the right shaped rock, flat and light.”

He moved along the bank, picking up several rocks then returned, moving up behind her. “There’s an art to rock skimming. You have to hold it like this, letting the bottom of it rest on your middle finger.”

His arms settled around her so she could see. He held the rock between his index finger and thumb. Heat skittered along her nerves at his nearness.

“
Now you try it.”

His voice, low and deep, slid inside her and pooled. Determined to shut out her clamoring senses, she focused on the rock, mirroring his hold. “Like this?”

“
Good. Now you bring your arm back.” Taking her wrist in his hand, he positioned her arm and placed the flat of his other hand on her stomach. Uh, oh. She almost dropped the rock.

“
Now lean to your side, closer to the surface of the water. Cock your wrist and throw hard.” He helped, giving her an idea of the muscle needed behind the throw. The rock hit the surface of the creek, bounced twice then sank beneath a wave.

“
It worked,” she said, feeling pleased. “That’s easy.”

“
Right.” He handed her a few rocks, some heavier and some lighter than the one they’d thrown together. Now watch me once and you do it by yourself.” Jesse’s rock made five skips before it plunked out of sight.

“
That was all right,” she said.

“
Passable,” he agreed. “I can usually get twice as many skips. Let’s see you try, but first, how about a wager?”

“
What kind of wager.”

“
Let’s exchange favors for skips?”

“
What kind of favors?

“
Kisses would do for starters.”

“
You mean for every skip you make, I have to give you a kiss?”
“Yeah.”

“
What do I get for skips then?”

He opened his arms, offering his body. “Your choice. What do you want?”

She ran her gaze over him. “A dance,” she said, suddenly finding the idea of being wrapped in strong arms with nothing but a romantic song on her mind very appealing.

“
A dance?” Jesse frowned. “I don’t think that—“

“
Great. It’s a deal.” She leaned down and concentrated on throwing the rock just like he’d shown her. The rock sunk the second it hit the water. “That one caught on my dress.”

“
Right,” he said. “I like these odds, Lexi. So far I’ve got five kisses coming and you’re zippo in the dance column.”

“
I’m just getting started.” She cocked her arm and swung for all she was worth. The rock hit the water’s surface and hopped awkwardly three times before disappearing. “There,” she said primly. “That’s three dances of my choosing. We’re almost even.”

“
If you get to choose the dance then I get to choose where my kisses go,” he said softly.

Looking at him and not looking at where she stepped, Alexi felt gushy earth, serious mud, and the ground give way beneath her foot. “What?” she cried, falling. The extra rocks in her hand flew as she flung her arms out, trying to save herself.

She heard Jesse yell just before the shock of cold water made a frontal assault on her body. She gasped, sucking in creek water. Scrambling to her knees, she coughed and sputtered until tears rolled from her eyes. She tried to stand but her dress, now soaked, weighed her down.

Jesse came stomping through the water. “Lexi, oh jeez, shit. Are you all right?” He latched his hands around her waist and pulled. She had to weigh a ton. Water dripped from her hair and off her nose. She looked at Jesse, surprised to see blood trickling down from a cut on his right eyebrow. “What happened to you?” She pointed at his eye.

“
Got knocked low by the gingerbread
woman.
She throws a mean rock even when she isn’t aiming.”

“
I did that! Oh no. I’m sorry.” She placed her hand against his cheek, feeling the blood drain from her head.

“
Don’t pass out on me.”

“
She drew a deep breath. “I won’t. Do…you have a handkerchief?”

He handed her one and as she dabbed at his cut, her heart squeezing tight. It was crazy, but she felt seventeen again. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, unsure if she spoke of what happened now or what he said happened in the past. After a few minutes, the bleeding stopped, but she could already see the skin beginning to bruise. “You’re going to have a black eye.”

“
I don’t think it’s that bad,” his voice was gruff and he was looking at her much like he had in her bedroom all of those years ago when he was torn between loving her or leaving her. The sudden sprinkling of a southern afternoon sun shower broke the moment. He took his handkerchief back and stuck it in his pocket. “Come on, we better get you back to the car.” Scooping her up, wet dress and all, he sloshed back to the car and set her on the trunk to keep her feet out of the dirt that was quickly turning to mud from the increasing rain.

“
My shoes—”

“
I’ll get them in a minute.” He dropped his gaze to her lips and slowly leaned toward her. This time she had plenty of warning but she didn't turn away. She parted her lips and waited, anticipation oozing into places she didn't know she had. He looked so sexy with raindrops darkening his lashes and sliding along the rough edge of his jaw. He leaned closer and didn't disappoint her. His warm, sensual mouth met hers, soft and tentative, as if he were savoring every nuance of her lips before he explored further. She closed her eyes and leaned into him, welcoming the unique euphoria he induced in her.

What in the hell am I doing?
Jesse slid his tongue into the warm inviting recess of Alexi's soft, full mouth. He stood in the rain in his best boots—now wet and likely ruined from creek water--with a bleeding cut over his eye, and all he could think about was kissing her, getting inside her, satisfying that hunger that gnawed despite almost twelve years. Though her lavender scent had been diluted, she still smelled like a twenty-four carat slice of heavenly pie dropped right into his hands for him to feast on.

What started out as a light tease in a very public arena less than an hour ago was quickly turning into a very interesting, very private game that he was a breath away from taking it as far as he could. That was why his heart was racing wildly, he thought. It was the game they were playing. It was sensual, and just fast-paced enough past the bounds of propriety to give him an adrenalin rush. When she'd been a virginal seventeen to his nineteen, he hadn't taken what she'd offered, though he'd wanted her more than anything else in life. He'd gone against his better judgment and had paid for it then.

This time, he thought, as he pressed her back against the car and planted his hands on the trunk, deepening the kiss. This time, he was the one writing the script, and he had a different scenario in mind.

Her back arched, pressing her breasts closer to him, inviting him to feel more of her. Nudging her knees with his, he slipped between her legs until he felt the softness of her thighs cup his hips. But it wasn't enough. His growing erection demanded the feel of her, too. She moaned deep in her throat and Jesse's control slipped.

"Damn, Lexi. I need to feel you." Reaching down, he pulled her closer, shoving her wet dress out of the way, until her bare legs hugged his hips and the soft contours of her panty covered sex met the ridge of his erection. She had no choice but to wrap her arms about his neck and her legs around the backs of his thighs. He couldn't remember the last time a kiss rocked like this one. He was less than an inch away from moving this foreplay into the full sex arena.

Cupping her wet, satin covered breasts, he left her lips to kiss his way down her neck, tasting her, and tasting the elemental musk of the creek mixed with sweet lavender. Her panting breath, flushed skin, and eager kisses let him know she was just as hungry and he was. His thumbs found the peaks of her nipples and rolled them.

“
Jesse!”

“
More, Lexi, I need more.” He pulled the straps of her dress off her shoulders, and, heedless of the sound of tearing material, he yanked the satin down until he freed her breasts. Cupping each peach-capped creamy breast, he lowered his mouth to her nipples, licking off the droplets of rain, tasting her, and then sucking her until she writhed her hips against his erection.

“
Jesse, please. I have to—”

“
I know, Lex." I’ve got it covered. Just one more taste.”

Alexi, about to tell Jesse that she had to stop because this was too fast and she couldn’t take any more, grabbed him and pulled him up closer to her. She kissed him like the world was on fire, which she was. Not even a full blown thunderstorm could have dampened her need to have him at that minute. When they both came up for air, Jesse groaned deep.

“
I’ve gotta have more,” he rasped, sounding like a man on the edge of reason.

“
More,” she gasped as his raw sexuality triggered an equally red-hot need in her. He nudged her back against the car, shoved her dress higher and placed his mouth over her sex.

“
Ahhh,” she breathed. His steamy breath made her sensitive flesh sizzle with pleasure. Light droplets of rain teased at her face and her breasts. It was the most primal, most elemental, most wildly erotic moment she’d ever experience. She was helpless to stop it. “Jesse, oh, my, I—”