I nod.
A beat of hesitation. “Were you planning to hide your promotion from me?”
“What?”
“I’m doing homemade pasta from scratch to celebrate. My cooking is still only so-so, but I wanted to do something nice for you. I didn’t add any salt, though. So you’ll want to sprinkle some on it to get the full flavor.”
“Did Bryce tell you about the promotion?” It’s obvious she’s been in touch with my brother.
“Yes. But he wasn’t the only one. I think everyone wanted me to give you a surprise celebration.” She smiles brilliantly. “I’m so happy for you. I know you’ve been working really hard for this.”
“I have, and thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
For a second, her eyes seem to dim, which surprises me. But before I can ask what’s bothering her, she’s back to beaming so brightly that I wonder if I actually saw anything.
“I’m glad,” she says, placing a kiss on my cheek.
Guess it was just a trick of the light. “Is there anything I can do to help?” I ask, shrugging out of my jacket and rolling up my shirt sleeves.
Her gaze drops to my forearms. “I feel like you’re hinting at something.”
I cock an eyebrow. “Got a forearm fetish?”
“Of course. When a man rolls up his sleeves… Mmm.” She does a chef’s kiss. “Those coconuts were great before, but what made them better was the way you cut them open. I could see the muscles…” She fans herself while fluttering her eyes.
“Look all you want.” I flex my forearm muscles.
“Damn.” She bites her lip. “I’m trying to cook here. But no matter how sexy you’d look stirring the sauce, I can’t have you cooking your own celebration meal.”
“You can have me do whatever you want.” I put my hands on either side of her against the counter and cage her. She smells so good—all lemony, with a hint of the herbs she’s been using to cook. I bury my face in her neck and nibble a little. She lets out a soft, infinitely erotic gasp.
I’m hard and ready. I press against her, letting her feel how much I want her.
“How hungry are you?” I ask against her ear.
“Not…that much. You?” she says shakily.
“I can wait.”
“Well.” Her gaze darts to the bubbling sauce and boiling water on the stove. “I guess I can always reheat it.” She cuts the gas.
“I love the way you think.”
I kiss her. I’ve been thinking about this all day. Hell, I think about kissing her all the time. Don’t need a reason. I breathe and I want to kiss her, hold her and pamper her. It’s the strangest thing.
Maybe it’s fate. It’s not like me to be so sentimental, but I don’t know what else it could be when she literally fell into my arms in her wedding gown. She fuses her mouth to mine, her tongue aggressive. Her enthusiasm is the most potent aphrodisiac. I pull her close and slip my hand underneath her shirt, palm her taut skin, reveling in the supple warmth. When I move higher and cup her bare breast, I groan. If I’d known she was braless when I walked in, I might’ve just tossed her over my shoulder before we could even exchange greetings.
I set her on the edge of the counter and push the shirt up. Her breasts never fail to catch my attention, so plump and soft, tipped with gorgeous, rosy points. Part of me wants to go slow and drag it out, but another part of me wants it fast and furious. She plunges her fingers into my hair, pulls me to her chest. I close my mouth around the nipple. Her cries of pleasure are better than the finest whiskey, hot and potent. I knead the other breast, enjoying the pleasant weight in my palm. Her breathing grows shallow, and a moan tears from her slender throat where her pulse flutters wildly. Lust turns monstrous at her openly unabashed desire.
“Please,” she says, her eyes narrowed and glittering with need. “I want you right now. I’m so wet.” She takes my hand and leads it beneath her pants.
Her impatience fuels mine. Overheated blood pumps through me. The fire in my veins burn away my control. I kissher with unrestrained greed, stroke her, caress her and rub her, making her thrash and beg and rock against me.
Her pants and underwear fall to the floor. She undoes just enough of my slacks to grip my naked dick and bring it to her pussy.
“Wait, no condom.”
“So pull out and mark me.” She throws out the answer carelessly before gliding her slick flesh over mine.
