Chapter Eleven #2
He sat her on an aft sofa and, with glasses of champagne in hand, snuggled up beside her. She heard an engine then and watched the wake upon the water as they sailed out of the harbor.
“Are we the only passengers?”
“It’s just us, Gina. And the crew,” he added after a pause, holding her close to his side. “I didn’t want to have to share your company with anybody else.”
With only a nod and a smile, a uniformed man set a platter of nibbles on the table in front of them. Matt spooned cold shrimp in a creamy dill sauce on a buttery cracker and fed it to her.
“God, that’s good,” she said after she swallowed. “Are you trying to impress me?”
“Of course.”
“You don’t have to, you know.”
“But I want to.” He fed her another cracker and wiped the leftover sauce from her lip. “It’s in a man’s nature to make sure his woman knows she’s precious and cared for.”
Not all men. Based on her limited experience with them, anyway.
“Well, you’ve succeeded and then some.” Her tummy fluttering, Gina tilted her head to gaze into his chocolate eyes. “I don’t know what to say except thank you.”
His lips turned up in a boyish smile and, leaning closer, Matt took the tie out of her hair. “I’ve been looking forward to today.”
“I have, too.” Longest two weeks of my life. Gina glanced away to look out at the magnificent Chicago skyline. She’d never seen the city from this perspective before, except in photographs. “I didn’t want to like you.”
“But you do.” With a finger on her chin, Matt drew her back to him.
“Yeah, I do.”
Smiling, his lips brushed over hers. “Why didn’t you want to?”
“My own insecurities, I guess,” she admitted. It might be foolish of her to say, but that was the truth, wasn’t it? “C’mon, you’re famous. I’ve seen photos of you with lots of beautiful women… I mean, you could have anyone in the world you want, so why me?”
“You are beautiful, and it’s you I want. Nobody else.” His fingers slid into her hair, and he dropped his forehead to hers. “Do you know why I’ve never gotten married or been in a relationship before?”
“No, why?”
“It’s only been the past few years since we rebuilt Park Place that we haven’t been touring non-stop.
Life on the road? Couldn’t commit to anyone during all of that, not that there was someone I wanted to commit to.
” He rubbed her cheeks with his thumbs while skating his lips along her jaw.
“And yeah, I’ve had more than my share of meaningless flings and casual sex, but we learned real quick that girls only wanted to be with us for the story—so they could say they fucked a rock star.
I can’t say I felt anything for any of them, and I know none of them gave a shit about me. ”
“That’s so sad.” Gina held her hand to his face.
“It’s not, really.” Matt pulled her onto his lap so she straddled it, and his eyes locked with hers. “Sad would have been settling for what was indiscriminately offered and so easily taken.”
“What do you mean?”
“See, I don’t want a tame love. Shallow kisses and careful touches.
Love that lacks passion is a sure way to boredom and the slow path to death.
” A hint of a smile appeared. He reached for her nape, and bringing her so close to him that their noses touched, his thumb traced along the bounding pulse in her neck.
“I need to claim, to own, to feel it in my gut. I need out-of-breath, sloppy, rough kisses. Two sweaty bodies craving each other.”
With a swipe of her tongue, she licked her lips. Lost in the heated gaze searing into her soul, her chest heaving, Gina found it difficult to breathe. She craved him.
He knew it.
His smile widened.
And as if to contain it, Matt grazed his lip with his teeth, tenderly stroking her windblown hair.
“I want to hear in no uncertain terms that I’m the only one, grab a fistful of this pretty hair and make you look at me when I tell you how much I fucking love you.
I want unleashed passion, filthy desire, and an endless inferno of lust that’s downright impossible to douse.
” His head dipped to the hollow of her throat, and inhaling deeply, he dragged his lips up to her ear.
“You can keep that soft and careful shit. I don’t want it. ”
She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Gina circled her arms around him, and sliding her hands underneath his shirt, she caressed his skin.
“My love is savage and raw, baby. It’s so fucking intense, and so damn unreasonable, it seems impossible to keep up with, but for the right woman it makes perfect sense.
” Matt lifted his head, his gaze seeking hers.
“I want that woman to be you, Gina, and if it is, then you will know, without a doubt, that my love is the only love you deserve, and the only love you’ll ever need. ”
Oddio. Oh, God.
He took her mouth then, claiming it with his teeth and his tongue. She allowed it, returning his kiss with the same fervor. When had she ever known such brutal honesty, such vulnerability before? Never. He only wanted to be loved, and isn’t that what she wanted, too?
The sound of the crewman clearing his throat halted them. “Your dinner, sir. Would you like it served here or down below?”
“Right here is good,” Matt answered, unabashedly. “Thanks.”
Her cheeks heating, Gina glanced down to see the hem of her dress had ridden up well past her thighs. Mortified, she scrambled off his lap and, pulling it back down, sat like a lady should beside him.
His arm came around her shoulders, and he kissed her crown. “Did I mention how beautiful that dress is on you?”
It was a simple dress, nothing special about it.
“I thought so the moment I saw you.” Matt laced their fingers together and brought her hand to his lips. “I was so blown away that I think I forgot to tell you.”
“Thank you, but I know what you’re doing.”
“And what’s that?”
The crewman returned, setting covered plates down in front of them. He removed the domed lids to reveal perfectly seared filets, grilled asparagus, and lobster tails with drawn butter, then retreated.
“You were trying to distract me from the fact that my ass was bared for that man to see.”
“Did it work?” He grinned, and after opening another bottle of champagne, Matt refilled their glasses. “He didn’t look, baby girl. I’d have torn his eyeballs out if he had.”
Oh.
He patted his lap. “Now, come back here.”
The boat gently rocked with the waves of the lake. They took turns feeding each other their dinner, laughing together between bites. And Gina couldn’t recall ever having felt as genuinely content as she did right now.
“We’re playing at the festival in two weeks.”
“I know.”
“I want you to be there.” Matt held her chin and softly touched her lips with his. “The boys would like to meet you. Well, I suppose I should say they want to see you again.”
“You told them about me?” She hadn’t expected that he would—not yet, anyway.
“Of course I did.” He cocked his head with a smile, running his fingers through her tangled waves. “Why wouldn’t I?”
Gina didn’t have an answer.
“Will you come?”
“I’d love to.” She laid her head on his shoulder, stroking the stubble along his jaw. “I promised my mom I’d help her that day—Rossi’s is crazy busy during the festival—but yes, I’ll be there.”
“Good,” he said, releasing a breath. “Come as early as you can. We’ll have dinner together. They put on quite a spread for us.”
“Okay, I will.”
“Look, it’s almost dark.” Matt stood and, taking her by the hand, he helped her out of her seat. “Let’s go up top for the show.”
They reclined together, side by side on a double lounger, gazing at the clear night sky.
And Gina waited.
For the fireworks to start.
To have his hands on her.
His fingers made a lazy trail up and down her arm, catching on her skin. “Damn calluses. Hazard of the trade. I’m sorry, bunny, but you won’t feel anything soft with me.”
“I like it,” she said, turning her head toward him. “I don’t want soft from you.”
Matt gave her a look.
“Why do you seem so surprised?”
“I’m not sure you know what you’re saying yet.” He shook his head and turned onto his side, tracing her lips with his finger. “Are you still a virgin?”
Does it matter?
Her gaze returned to the sky above. “No, I’ve had sex before.”
His hand cupped her cheek, forcing her to look at him. “One day soon, I’m gonna fuck you ’til you’re crying for me.”
“If you can catch me.”
He smiled then, and it was a promise. “Oh, my beautiful baby rabbit, I will hunt you down and pin you to the ground until you beg me for mercy.”
“Will you now?”
“I said so, didn’t I?” His hand ghosted over the curve of her hip. “But right now, I’m going to make you come on my fingers under the fireworks.”
“Someone might see.” And why did the thought of that excite her?
A husky chuckle fanned her neck. Rough fingertips crept up her inner thigh, heating her blood. “Do you care?”
“Not really, no,” Gina said, her breath sawing in and out.
Black silk panties slid down her thighs. “Pull your dress up. Show me that pretty virgin pussy.”
“I told you, I’m not a virgin.”
“Yeah, you are,” Matt said, swiping his fingers through her slit.
Then he pushed a finger inside.
“I haven’t fucked you yet.”