Chapter Fifteen
Iris honestly didn’t know what was happening to her.
She had enjoyed both Karlton and Warren in the bedroom, but what she was experiencing with Matt could only be described as uniquely different.
Totally overwhelming. Off-the-charts mind-boggling.
Like this, for instance—the way he’d swept her into his arms. Not just the way he’d done it, but him doing it in the first place.
She thought they only did that in the romance novels she used to read eons ago.
Granted, Garlan had done so routinely, but not the two lovers who’d come after, which led her to assume that such a romantic gesture was a thing of the past. If sweeping a woman off her feet had become outdated, Matt was certainly bringing it back in style.
She had a feeling that nothing about tonight would be obsolete or feel rushed.
Whatever they did, Matt intended to take his time and savor every moment.
And she felt certain he would make sure she savored it as well.
He placed her back on her feet beside the bed and took her mouth, kissing her more hungrily than he’d ever done before.
It was as if knowing they were in his private sphere, and not on Pam and Dillon’s porch or in The MacArthur’s courtyard, had changed everything.
In the privacy of his bedroom, he planned to get downright naughty, and she was all for it.
By the way he was taking her mouth, thrusting his tongue as if tasting her from corner to corner, it seemed he had been wanting to do this again since the last time. He was also touching her backside, using his hands to knead her butt cheeks through the material of her gown.
And he wasn’t leaving her to play catch-up.
It was quite obvious he intended for her to keep up by devouring her lips in a way that escalated her passion.
He tangled his hand in her hair while keeping their mouths locked.
Matt was very proficient at what he was doing, and she didn’t want to think of the years it had taken to perfect such a skill.
She was just glad she was the recipient of it.
With her arms wrapped around his neck, she tried her darndest to return the kiss with as much eagerness and greediness as he was giving.
When her knees were about to give out from passion overload, he broke off the kiss.
As she usually did after experiencing a Matt Caulder kiss, she dropped her head to his chest to regain her strength.
The manly scent of him renewed her energy, and she finally lifted her head to look up at him.
What she saw in the depths of his dark eyes nearly took her breath away.
Then, taking a step back while holding his gaze tight to hers, he slowly began unbuttoning his dress shirt.
Her mouth suddenly felt wetter from watching him.
Hadn’t she passed the age when a man could make her drool? Obviously not.
The task seemed to take him forever, and with every button that was undone, she ached even more between her legs.
He tossed the shirt on a nearby chair. She suddenly felt hot at the sight of his bare chest, broad masculine shoulders and a taut, firm stomach.
And what really made her stare was all that thick, curly hair on his chest. It was hair that extended down his stomach and tapered in a path down past the waistband of his slacks.
He had the kind of chest hair that would make a woman want to run her fingers through it.
And while her gaze followed the line of hair from his chest to his slacks, his hands went to the snap on his pants.
“Did I tell you how good you looked tonight?” she asked, barely able to speak while watching him slowly ease down his zipper.
“Yes, you told me. I’m glad you thought so.”
Ha! It wasn’t just her who had thought so.
She’d seen the looks he had gotten from several other women.
Especially, the envy in their eyes when the two of them had gone on the dance floor.
Candy Sumlar hadn’t been the only barracuda there tonight.
However, after that stunt she had pulled, which was probably seen by others, they figured he was taken.
Let them continue to think that because, in a way, he was.
At least for tonight, he was off-limits.
“Do you want to finish undressing me, Iris?”
His question reclaimed her attention, and she thought about what he’d asked. Did she? Making a decision, she eased onto the bed and said, “No, I’d rather sit here and enjoy the strip show.”
He flashed her a smile that was so sexy, she felt her panties get wet. “Will you reciprocate and strip for me?” he asked.
She had no problem doing that. “I most certainly will, Matt.”
Iris then watched as he proceeded to remove his slacks, treating her to the strip show she wanted.
Taking his time, he removed his pants down his legs and was left wearing a pair of black briefs.
Both Karlton and Warren, even Garlan, had worn boxers, but the briefs on Matt were appealing.
She could clearly see the shape, size and magnitude of his aroused body.
And it appeared to be straining against the material.
“Are you tired of watching yet, Iris?”
Was he kidding? His question made her lift her gaze from his midsection to his face, meeting his eyes. “No,” she said, grinning. “You’re about to get to the good part.” She decided not to add that it was the part she dreamed about at night and fantasized about during the day.
When he eased his briefs down his legs, she thought her eyes would pop out of her head. The man was perfectly formed, an outstanding specimen of male exquisiteness. There were a lot of words she could use to describe such a flawless body, and the more she looked, additional ones came to mind.
Matt stood before her naked, unashamedly so. All she could do was sit there, enthralled, entranced and eager to get some of what he was packing. And he didn’t seem to have a problem standing there, baring all.
“Now it’s your turn, Iris.”
* * *
Matt knew his comment made Iris fully aware of what was about to take place.
She had seen his strip show, and now it was time for him to see hers.
He had longed for this night. Dreamed about it and, on more than one occasion, wondered if it would ever take place.
If only she knew how much he wanted her, and had wanted her from the first moment their gazes had met at Cheyenne’s birthday party.
He had been intensely attracted to her, and that attraction hadn’t lessened any.
If anything, it had increased. The more he got to know her, the more he could see a future with her.
He knew getting her to see it too would be a challenge, but he was up for it.
“Yes, it’s my turn and I have no problem taking it,” she said.
He watched as she eased to her feet. She wore a long jade-colored gown. It was beautiful, but he was ready for her to come out of it. “May I help?” he volunteered. Of course, he expected her to say no.
“Yes, Matt. I could use your help with my zipper. Unlike yours, it’s long and in the back.”
Surprised she had taken him up on his offer, he didn’t hesitate crossing the floor to her.
She presented her back to him. He slowly eased down the zipper to expose the fact that she wasn’t wearing a bra.
When she turned around and tugged the gown past her hips, he saw the only thing she’d worn underneath was a barely-there thong.
It didn’t take long for her to dispense of it.
“There. Quick and easy,” she said, standing in front of him as naked as he was.
He drew in a sharp breath, then released it while his gaze roamed over her.
She had perfect, firm, uplifted breasts.
Everything about her was gorgeous—thighs, hips, legs, slim waist…
A much younger woman had nothing on her.
And when she bent down to pick up her gown off the floor to toss it on the chair next to his shirt and pants, he tried to regain his composure.
Matt thought he had done a pretty good job of recovering until she sashayed toward him. With every sexy step, a thrill of desire and profound excitement stirred through him.
“So, Mr. Caulder, what’s next?”
Did she honestly think she had to ask? Yet since she had, he would answer. “What’s next is you and me in that bed, making love all night long. However, consider this the prelude.” And then he lowered his mouth to hers.
They had all night. He had hinted as much earlier, and she hadn’t refuted it, which he could only assume meant she would spend the night. As far as he was concerned, she could stay the entire weekend. He had no problem getting her back home by Monday morning.
Their kiss intensified until he noticed she had lowered her hands and he felt the warmth of her fingers slide between their bodies to fondle him. As soon as she touched that part of him, he broke off the kiss, and buried his face in her chest, as she had done to him the last time they’d kissed.
From between her breasts, he inhaled her scent. That’s what had triggered his desire tonight, before even knowing she was at the charity ball. Her very alluring fragrance.
Matt lifted his head and kissed her again before sweeping her back into his arms.
* * *
Iris’s head was still spinning when he placed her on the bed. Matt’s kisses were as intoxicating as any alcoholic drink she’d ever tasted. And now, the way he stood beside the bed, his gaze on her as if he could never see enough of her nakedness.
She didn’t understand how that was possible when he had watched her every move as she stripped for him.
The moment she had slid that gown down her legs, and he saw the only thing she’d been wearing beneath was underwear—a very flimsy black lace thong—she was certain fire leaped into his eyes.
And for some reason, like him, she hadn’t felt uncomfortable standing before him totally nude.