Chapter 10 #2
I stilled when he brought one hand to my waist, then moved around to face me. When he gently stroked my cheek with his thumb, I didn’t protest or move away. In fact, about the only thing I could do was look at his lips. Those strong, full lips.
He brought his mouth to mine, just a gentle touch at first, then a small lick on my lower lip before kissing me hard.
His hand went into my hair at the back of my head, tilting it just so.
The other hand ran down my back, kneading my ass and pressing me against him.
Every cell in my body was alive, like I was about to burst from too much energy.
I was turned on, but so was he. Feeling him turn rock-hard within minutes almost made me lose my mind.
He was always so in control of himself, yet he seemed to let completely loose when he was with me.
His kiss was so tender that I couldn’t help the bout of emotion coursing through me. I couldn’t tell why, but he was awakening feelings no one had before.
He had both hands on me now. Touching, tugging, exploring. When he reached the hem of my bikini bottoms, his fingers dug into my skin, as if it was all he could do not to rip them away.
That snapped me back to reality. We were in a pool! Staff could walk in at any moment. I tore my mouth away from his but didn’t pull back. Merely stood there, entwined with him, drawing my breath. He kept me close, resting his jaw against my temple.
“Fuck, Hailey.”
I knew exactly what that “fuck” stood for: he couldn’t believe this had been so intense any more than I could. I was trembling. From a kiss!
It was official, I’d pegged Reid Davenport all wrong.
I’d thought he was broody and possibly an asshole.
He’d showed me otherwise. He’d invited me here under the pretense of work and had in fact planned an elaborate date.
It was as if he had a secret side that he was slowly revealing to me. I managed to gain his trust.
I looked up into those gray-blue eyes that were so alive—not just with lust. The realization overwhelmed me. I couldn’t explain how I knew it, but that warmth and happiness in his gaze stirred so many emotions inside me. He was looking at me as if I was the cause for it all, as if I was… special.
Maybe I was imagining it. Surely, that was it.
“Tell me you don’t want this,” he whispered.
“Reid….”
His fingers dug into my waist possessively. “Tell me you don’t feel it.”
“Of course, I do.”
His smile changed. I pointed an accusatory finger at him. “What’s with this smile?”
“What about it?”
“Looks triumphant. Almost smug.”
“Why, Ms. Connor, of course I’m feeling smug. This woman I like very much just confessed the feeling is mutual.”
“Very much, huh?” I looked away, biting down a triumphant smile of my own. I didn’t even understand all the things this man made me feel.
“Very much,” he repeated, feathering his lips up and down my cheek. Oh, Reid Davenport was going to be trouble. So much trouble.
I startled when a loud banging came from a nearby corridor.
“What’s that sound?” I inquired.
“That would be Mr. Lawrence. He cleans the pool.”
“He didn’t get the boss’s notice that the pool is closed for private and shameless use?”
“He most likely did, but he likes to ignore the boss.”
“Oh, and you don’t mind?”
He shrugged. “Mr. Lawrence has been with us since my grandparents ran the first hotel. He’s good at his job and likes to stick to his routine.”
We left the pool just as Mr. Lawrence arrived. He seemed to be about eighty and half-deaf and berated Reid for chasing out the guests, insisting his dad had never done this and that it was bad for business.
“I’ll take that into consideration, Mr. Lawrence.”
“How come he’s not retired?” I asked as we took the elevator to the penthouse.
“He did retire twelve years ago, but then his wife died, and he asked if he could have his old job back. Kids live in another city, and he didn’t want to be by himself the entire day.”
Oh wow. I had all sorts of fuzzy feelings for this man, and no idea what to do about them.
I showered quickly, then put on my clothes, fidgeting when I stepped out in the living room. Reid sat on a bar chair. He was fully dressed too. I had no idea why that surprised me.
“I’ll drive you home.” He slid from the chair, pocketing his phone as he strode my way.
“I can just Uber.”
“What kind of date would I be if I didn’t take you home?”
“Hmmm… the kind who ambushes an unsuspecting woman with a five-course meal, retroactively turning a business meeting into a date?”
He brushed a loose strand of hair out of my face, lingering with his fingers at my cheek. The contact electrified me. “So, I ambushed you, huh?”
“Well, that might be too harsh,” I conceded in a shaky voice. How could his touch affect me so much? “Surprised me.”
And now he was surprising me even more by not making any move to get me into his bed.
He chuckled. “Would you like me to make a move?”
Shit. Shit. Shit. I’d said that out loud?
“Please ignore that. Didn’t mean to say it out loud.”
“You fascinate me, Hailey Connor. And this was just our first date. One I ambushed you into. We’ll have a few more dates before I touch you. Before I taste you.”
From the tone of his voice, he clearly didn’t mean tasting my mouth.
My breath became more labored, and I instinctively pressed my thighs together.
Reid caught the movement and his eyes zeroed in on my mouth.
He was gripping my waist, I realized, and his fingers dug in so possessively, that I was sure he was a few seconds away from lifting me up on that bar and having his wicked way with me.
Oh, God. If he did, there would be no resisting him.
I only had so much willpower, after all, and I’d used it all up today.
“Let’s go, pretty girl,” he murmured instead. He flashed me another smile. He was all smiles tonight. I liked that.
My brain was foggy with lust, but even so, I knew I’d berate myself tomorrow if I gave in to more. I was fairly certain Reid could sense that, and he was letting me off the hook. Did I mention how much I loved that about him?
We were silent as he drove, which unnerved me.
I always felt the need to fill silence with chatter, but I didn’t know what to say.
I couldn’t focus enough to bring up the article, and I didn’t want to bring up the other topic either.
I could tell that he was completely at ease with the silence.
After all, he lived in a five-thousand-square-foot penthouse by himself because he liked his space and quiet.
I would go crazy. I loved that my two-bedroom house had no fences and I could hear the neighbor’s kids play in the backyard.
I loved that other neighbors played music late into the night.
Sometimes I sat on my porch, in the armchair I’d propped there, and just people-watched.
When we arrived, he walked me to my door, looking around with a bewildered expression.
“Are those kids supposed to be out there alone?”
I laughed. “Yup. It’s their yard. Sometimes they even come to play in mine. And before you ask, the music doesn’t bother me either.”
“I think I’d walk around wearing noise-canceling headphones. Your neighbors are insanely loud.”
He grinned, and I returned it. Oh, Reid. What was I thinking, already imagining our next date? He couldn’t fit in my crazy life, and I couldn’t fit in his either. We were just so different.
“Hey! Do not pick on my neighbors. I like them. They’re fun. We often get together to grill in each other’s yards, or just chat with a glass of wine.”
Reid whistled. “Wow, just when I was starting to think you’re okay.”
“Okay? Ouch.”
I laughed again, not ready to bid him goodbye yet. He was, well, adorable.
Hmm… a few seconds later, I thought of a more appropriate description. His eyes turned molten. He was looking at me as if he wanted to kiss me senseless. I was all for that, but surely he wouldn’t, here with all the neighbors—
He did.
Hmm… maybe we did have one or two things in common after all.
His mouth came down on mine, both hands gripping my waist. Oh, this man’s kisses were just exquisite.
The brush of his lips was hot, demanding.
We moved until I felt the door behind my back and his hips pressing into mine.
He brought his hands up to my face, his thumbs pressing gently on my skin, urging me to open up more, give him more.
I moved my fingers through his hair, all the way to the back of his head, tugging and pulling.
Guess I’m demanding too. I just couldn’t get enough.
I was so tempted to run my fingers all over him. He had far too many clothes on.
“Wow,” I whispered. “You’ve made an art form out of a goodnight kiss.”
“Won’t you invite me in for a nightcap?”
“After you’ve mocked my neighbors and my outgoing nature? You, mister, absolutely do not deserve a nightcap.”
If I invited him in, I’d want to keep him, and that just wouldn’t do. He laughed without moving his hands from my torso. I felt every single finger splayed on my rib cage as if I weren’t wearing anything.
“I’ll do better next time.”
Next time. My breath caught as he unabashedly looked at me.
I was so close to inviting him in, but instead, I wiggled out of his grasp.
I fumbled for my keys in my purse while Reid descended the steps of my porch, looking over his shoulder with a wicked expression.
I realized exactly what his smile meant.
Next time would be sooner rather than later.