Love by Design (Crystal Falls Book 1) (18 page)

“It’s only been a few hours since I saw you last.”

“I still missed you.” He couldn’t help it. He pulled her into him again and gave her another passionate kiss, letting his hands roam over her delicate side and graze the roundness of her breast. She moaned in his mouth and put a hand on his hip, pulling his body into hers so his hardness pressed against her.

“Can I get you a drink?” he asked when he finally pulled away. “I’ve got some really good champagne chilling, if that sounds good.”

“Sure,” she told him. “I’m going to go change really quick.” She laughed when he pouted. “Just because I’m putting it on, doesn’t mean it needs to stay on. We want to leave something to the imagination, don’t we? Make you work for it a little bit, at least?” she said, one eyebrow playfully raised.

He laughed and shrugged. “A guy can hope.”

“I’ll just be a minute.”

He popped the cork on the champagne and pulled two flutes out for them, taking it all outside and placing it between the two chairs where their towels waited. He figured it made sense for him to weart a suit too, since she was going to torture him with one. Unbuttoning the shirt he’d worked so hard to pick out, he slid the glass door to his bedroom open and started to walk toward his closet.

She’d left the bathroom door open and as he passed he saw her naked, slipping the bottom part of her blue bikini up her legs. It almost took his breath away. He stayed where he was and shrugged out of his shirt without taking his eyes from her beautiful body.

It was almost too good to be true, having her here with him again. He’d imagined her here so many times and now that she was finally here, undressing in his bathroom, it threatened to undo him. All his plans and strength dissolved when it came to her and he wondered again if he shouldn’t just propose right then and there, keep her from ever leaving him again. But she’d freaked out when he’d even told her about designing the house for her. How would she handle a marriage proposal?

Of course, it was too soon. He would have to be patient. Have to live with the possibility of her walking out of his life once again.

“Oh!” she cried when she turned around and found him unbuttoning his pants, staring at her.

“Sorry,” he said, a sheepish grin spreading over his face. “I just came in here to change.”

“And do a little spying,” she replied, sliding over to him and winding her arms around his naked back, sending chills up his spine.

“Hey, I’m not the one who left the bathroom door open.”

It was her turn to look sheepish. “I was only in there a second.”

“And that’s all it took,” he told her, taking her hand and guiding it over the bulge in his pants that were unbuttoned and hanging halfway off his hips.

She flushed as her hand moved over him, letting her fingernails run up and down the length a couple of times. He could feel her breathing growing heavier against his chest.

“We better get out to the hot tub, or we’ll never make it,” he whispered into her hair, trying to settle himself as he slipped out of her grasp.

She grinned. “Towels?”

“Out by the pool. So’s the champagne.” He slid his pants down, springing himself free while she watched and gave her a grin. “I’ll see you out there in a minute.” She let her eyes linger on his length a moment before giving him anther sly smile and walking out the sliding door to the pool.

His heart beat wildly in his chest and he sighed deeply. God, he wanted her. He wanted to take her right there, on the cold stone floor as she’d eyed him seconds before. He wanted to take her in the pool and on the sofa and in the kitchen and everywhere else in the big house. He couldn’t get enough of her and it was making him wild. He slid on a pair of swim trunks and stood a minute longer, trying to get a hold of his desire before joining her in the water.

Lily eased into the water slowly, holding her champagne flute carefully as her skin adjusted to the bubbling water. It was cold outside, cold enough to give her goosebumps, but the water felt great once she slipped all the way in.

It was an oversized hot tub and could seat at least six comfortably. It sat slightly above the rest of the pool and gently spilled over the edge as the jets bubbled. The house’s gray and white stone was illuminated with outdoor lights and a full bar and outdoor grill stood along one wall, backlit from under its cabinets. The house truly was beautiful, built for a luxury and ease that Lily could only dream about back at her cramped and dirty apartment.

It needed a decorator’s touch, that was for certain. The furniture was sparse, the decor non-existent. She supposed his plan had been for her to take care of that part of things, if they had stayed together. She sipped the champagne, crinkling her nose as the bubbles tickled the back of her throat. The idea of living in the gorgeous house with him started to ease its way into her mind as the spray of the jets eased away the tension in her back. What had seemed unthinkable, an added burden she wasn’t ready to carry earlier in the day, now began to feel like something she could get used to.

She let herself fantasize, just for a moment. A thriving design business. Noah and this house to come home to every night. No longer needing to fret constantly about every penny she spent. It was almost too much. She wasn’t sure if she was strong enough to resist the temptation.

Speaking of temptation, Noah came out at just that moment, dark board shorts hanging low on his hips, the line of soft hairs from his navel to his groin as clearly visible as the muscles of his chest. His dark nipples stood out in the cold and he poured himself a glass of champagne quickly before slipping into the water beside her.

“Hey beautiful,” he said and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Nice night, isn’t it?”

“Mm hmm,” she replied and sank her hand down to rest on his leg.

“How are your parents?” he asked, moving a big palm up her calf.

“They’re good. Same as ever. Mom’s a busybody, dad’s obsessed with golf.”

He laughed and slid closer to her, the rub of their bare arms torturing her deliciously.

“Your mom isn’t a busybody. She just cares,” he told her. She met his eyes and saw he was sincere. It made her heart thud in her chest. How could this guy be so sexy and so sweet at the same time? Maybe her mother was right. Maybe she was making a big mistake not scooping him up as fast as she could.

She set her glass down and leaned over to place a kiss first on his shoulder, then on his neck. When he moaned and set his own glass down, she continued to place kisses along his neck until she got to the dip near his throat. She ran her tongue along the skin and smiled at him when he shivered.

He pulled her up to sit on his lap, taking her head in his hands and grazing her lips with his own. The kiss deepened and she felt him hard beneath her. She fought for breath and had to pull away, overcome by the hot water and her desire.

She moved from his lap and stepped down from the hot tub into the swimming pool, throwing him a smile over her shoulder as she went.

“You’re crazy,” he said and laughed, watching her squirm in the frigid water.

“I dare you to come in here with me.” She laughed and drained her champagne, moving to the side of the pool to set her empty glass down.

“No way. I’m just fine in here, thank you.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing,” she told him, a glint in her eye. She reached behind her back and undid the knot that held her bikini top on. It fell free, exposing the swell of her naked breasts beneath the fabric, bobbing in the water. “Don’t you want to come get me?”

She loosened the straps around her neck and the thin piece of fabric fell from her shoulders, exposing her completely. He’d been hard already but her tight nipples in the cold night air made him want to explode. It was almost worth braving the cold pool for. Almost.

She ran her fingers over her breasts, tempting him.

“Not fair,” he called to her. She laughed and slid the bottom half of the suit down her legs too, letting the blue fabric float beside her. When she circled her nipples and began to moan he couldn’t take it any longer.

He grunted and stood up so quickly she almost flinched. He set his glass down and hopped over the ledge separating the pool from the hot tub.

He cried out when his hot skin hit the cold water and Lily laughed, continuing to pinch her own nipples and give him a look he couldn’t resist. He growled and threaded through the water, picking her quickly up into his arms and bringing his mouth down on one of the rock hard nipples.

“You think you can get away with tempting me, little girl?” he said through the nibbles he placed along her flesh.

Her hands wound through his hair and she arched back against his firm biceps that held her up against him. His hands gripped her bare bottom and she wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling his erection press against her exposed sex. She moved on him, only his suit between them, and he took her mouth hotly, nipping at her lip and circling his tongue around her mouth.

Striding back over to the hot tub, her in his arms, he stepped up and over the divider, sinking them both back down into the warm water of the jacuzzi. He sat, her naked body wrapped around him and closed his eyes as she began to grind on him.

He slid his shorts off as they kissed then gripped the inside of her thighs, spreading them open. His fingers found her delicate folds and circled them, forcing her to close her eyes. She moaned and angled so that the tip of him was just at her opening.

His throbbing sex pierced her and she cried out, grabbing his shoulders and digging her nails into his flesh. He wanted more, more. And she gave it to him. He pulled her back and forth along his length, his big hands expertly gliding her hips over him, sinking deeper into her. Their bodies slid against one another in the water and her breasts bobbed on the surface. He bent his head and sucked first one nipple into his mouth and then the other, using his teeth and tongue to torture the hard buds.

Noah leaned her back in the water, cradling her back with his strong arms. The change in position allowed him to go deeper and she ground her hips against him, nearing her climax. Her wet hair flowed all around her and she watched his face as he watched hers, each of them waiting to see the height of pleasure in their lovers’ face. She felt him stiffen more as he got closer and knowing he was about to come, she let go and cried out as her climax overtook her, not breaking contact with his gaze.

It was her look that sent him over the edge. When their eyes met, something deep inside of him stirred. His desire went over the edge and as he pummeled into her, he let go of everything, only wanting to be just like this, with her, forever.

They clung to one another for minutes after, calmed by the warm water, neither ready to break contact. Finally she slid off him and stepped out of the pool into the freezing air. She grabbed a robe quickly and took him one too.

“I’ll meet you inside,” she said, giving him a quick kiss.

He watched her stoop to grab the rest of the champagne and head into his bedroom. He only stayed in the jacuzzi a few seconds more, catching his breath and trying to get hold of his heart. He couldn’t pretend with her. He couldn’t pretend to let it only be a fling, couldn’t pretend he wasn’t madly in love with her. He would propose to her, and soon.

She wouldn’t get away from him again.

Despite her intentions to the contrary, Lily woke up in Noah’s bed for the second morning in a row. She tried to be mad at herself, but his warm body and the smoothness of the high-end sheets made it impossible. She stretched lazily and turned over to rest her head on Noah’s chest when he stirred. His big arm wrapped around her, pulling her closer and rubbing her back softly.

“Good morning,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

“Good morning,” she replied. “I thought I said I wasn’t going to stay the night.”

He shrugged beneath her. “I didn’t force you to stay. But I’m glad you did.” He deftly pulled her on top of him, running his hands over her back and down further to cup her backside.

She moved against him and felt his erection harden beneath her. She smiled, and kissed his mouth, loving how good his skin felt pressed to hers.

Her cellphone interrupted them. “Damn it,” she whispered.

“Let it go to voicemail,” he said, his voice low and demanding. He growled when she reached for the phone and tried to pull her away. She laughed and snatched the phone. Seeing it was Lydia, she almost did let it go to voicemail. But her conscience got the better of her. It was work after all. And being her own boss meant she was never really off the clock.

“Hi Lydia,” she answered, still lying on top of Noah and trying not to giggle as he tickled her side with his fingertips.

“Hey, doll. Listen. Christina’s on her way up to the cabin now. You know her, has to check on everything for the millionth time. I don’t think you need to be there, but I wanted to let you know in case there’s anything you want to fix, or hide,” she let out a high-pitched laugh, “before the boss lady gets there.”

She slid off of Noah and sat up on the edge of the bed. “Thanks for the heads up, Lydia. I think everything’s pretty good up at the cabin. But I’ll double check.”

“Wonderful, darling,” she replied.

“Oh! Before I forget, I finally found the artist for the headboard!”