His Kind of Wonderful (Sugar Bay #2) (16 page)

His gaze zeroed on the twin peaks. He licked his lips and lowered his gaze to take in her sexy nightie. He paused on her legs for so long, Dani started feeling selfconscious and shifted restlessly. Nerves sensitized her body. She couldn’t stay still.

“You still want to go through with this?”

“Yes.” She was so close. Despite her nerves, she wouldn’t let him back out of their deal.

He nodded and held out his hand. She let him lead her into the living room.

“Last night we skipped ahead a few steps.”

She was about to interrupt but he held up his hand.

“No, Dani. Last night was unplanned and I was—let’s just say, I was half asleep and not at my best.”

“If that wasn’t your best, I wonder if I’ll survive when you’re at peak performance.” She knew her face was red.

He shook his head. “You’ll manage. But now we have to backtrack a little.”

She unfolded her palm and held out her crumpled list. “I’ve added a few things.”

He grabbed the list from her, uncurled and scanned it. “Role play? What kind of research is this, Dani?”

“Can’t tell you the details.”

“This is for your PhD?” He looked skeptical.

She nodded.
What’s a little white lie?

“Damn. I’m going to have to read this when you’re done.”

She shrugged. She didn’t see it happening. Joe didn’t look like a romance reader but she played along.

“Okay. Let’s start with the basics.” He looked around them as if debating whether they should stay in or go onto the deck. The lights in the living room were low and since the deck doors were open, the gulf breeze surrounded them. She shivered though she wasn’t sure if it was from the cool air or from anticipation.

“Well get you warmed up.” He pulled her down to the sofa. The new position hiked her hem to just below her crotch. His gaze was glued to her thighs and modesty demanded she pull the hem down but she remembered her plan of action and left it where it was.

Goosebumps rose along her flesh and the silky fabric of her nightgown abraded her already sensitive nipples.

Joe swallowed hard then stood up. “I’ll be right back,” he said over his shoulder.

She watched him walk away while her knees bounced in a completely uncool manner. Dani took a deep breath and forced her body to relax while he rummaged through a hall closet. He walked back with a patchwork quilt and a satisfied grin. A quilt landed on her lap.

“What’s this?”

He arranged the quilt across her lap so it covered her legs. “My aunt made it. You looked cold.”

“But I’m hot.” She pushed the quilt off.

He put it back on. “Help me out here.”

“What’s the problem?”

He glared at her. “Your legs are distracting me so either go put on sweat pants or keep the quilt on your legs.”

She grinned.
Big, bad Joe had a thing for her legs
. She shifted them in place.

“Stop smiling.”

“What? I’m not smiling,” she responded but she knew her grin was huge and hopelessly satisfied.

He exhaled and shoved a hand through his hair. The movement pushed his damp hair up in tufts. “Now, you know my weakness.”

She shrugged because he looked so cute and so hot at the same time. “It’s okay.” She’d drooled over him for so long, it felt good to know he found her appealing and not simply as Derek’s little sister.

She let him arrange the quilt over her legs until he was satisfied.

“Whatever you do, keep this between us.” He gave her an “I’m not kidding’ look. Dani nodded and sat up straight, the picture of an eager pupil.

“Tonight we’re going to start off slow and easy, concentrating on first base—keeping it above the neck. I assume you know the basics of kissing?”

He sounded so academic, she wasn’t certain they were talking about sex. “I do, but we can review it again.”

He cleared his throat then moved closer before he paused.

“Joe?” She whispered when he remained frozen. The sound was loud in the room.

“Give me a second, Dani.” He’d closed his eyes as if in pain. It was hardly flattering.

“For goodness sakes, if you have to brace yourself for the horrible task of kissing me, let’s call this whole thing off.” She moved to get up but he grabbed her elbows.

“It’s not like that, Dani.”

“No? It certainly looks that way. I’ll find someone else to help.”

“No. You won’t.” He looked fierce as he leveled golden eyes at her.

“Why? It shouldn’t matter to you.”

“The thought of some other guy doing to you what I did last night makes me want to break things.” His voice was soft but deadly. His eyes glittered with an intensity that stole her breath. “You won’t be kissing Professor Pervert or whoever else you’ve got lined up for this research of yours. Understood?”

She started to nod but he crushed her mouth beneath his as if he were punishing her for the thought of replacing him. Joe nipped her lower lip and swallowed the gasp she couldn’t contain. She angled her head, needing a better connection.

She moaned and he pulled back.

“Did I hurt you?”

She licked her swollen lips. “No. I liked it.”

He was inches away and she saw the details of his beautiful face—from the tiny scar above his right brow to the slight crook of his nose as well as his enviably eyelashes. There was something inherently unjust that a man would be so blessed with long and thick lashes when she battled with hers daily to get them to look like his.

“The first kiss should be soft without any tongue. There should be firm pressure—more like an introduction. The guy should probably stroke your arm or hand lightly. If you smile, you’re giving him the green light.”

He looked at her and she looked back at him. She hoped her smile was appropriately encouraging. It was sweet that he wanted to go through the steps, when all she wanted was to flash neon blinking green lights to fast track this session.

But she waited.

She knew from Joe’s ornery nature, if she didn’t, he would purposely slow down the intended lesson and drive her straight out of her mind.

She touched her tongue to his and felt him start. “Okay. All ready for the next stage then?”

Dani moaned and Joe thankfully took it as an affirmative. His lips caught hers in a delicious frenzy. Moist and firm, each succulent impact increased her arousal. She pulled him close and he pressed her deep into the sofa cushions, his tongue tangling with hers, while lust hit her hard.

“Joe,” she gasped.

“I know.” He sprinkled kisses across her cheek and down her neck, before nipping the skin above her neckline. “Not yet.”

The quilt held down by both his knee and his other foot trapped her on the sofa. A hard ridge rubbed against her and she strained to get closer. Her head fell back and exposed her neck. Joe attacked the vulnerable skin, kissing and rubbing against her with his mouth and chin.

“It would be too easy to mark you.”

Her eyes dared him to do it.

His gaze glittered down at her. “But I won’t.”

He must have read her disappointment because he groaned and crushed her lips again.

Long, erotic kisses that spoke of desire and wanton need passed between them. On and on it went as her body melted into a deeply yearning vessel. Her fingers threaded through his hair while his mouth nipped and licked and fed her hungry kisses.

She struggled to pull him closer; drunk as she was on the sensations he’d stirred.

“More,” she demanded, moaning beneath him.

He pressed harder and she tried to spread her legs, needing the hard ridge of his body against that very hungry
part of her. Yet the quilt
remained tangled between them and when she attempted to push it out of her way, he stopped her.

“No.” He pulled back and shook his head, his breathing harsh. “Keep it there, Dani. Or we stop.”

The thought of stopping was painful. She was so close. Was it possible to orgasm through kissing alone?

“Please, Joe.”

He seemed to understand what she needed and he nodded, taking a deep breath.

He hovered above her on all fours, rearranging the quilt so it covered her yet she allowed her movement. Her eyes moved along his body and gasped at the thick ridge blatantly outlined by his thin athletic shorts. Dani licked her lips at the sight and heard him groan.

“Don’t,” he muttered.

But how could she not?

He slammed his body into hers and the ridge nestled her soft core through the cotton material. His mouth demanded entry and she surrendered. His thighs held hers wide as he pressed and flexed above her. Excitement rushed through her and caught her in its grasp. Sensation compelled her to undulate beneath, moaning in response.

“Oh fuck.” He renewed pressure against her body while he kissed her aggressively. Lights flickered behind her eyes as an orgasm rushed through her and pleasure racked every cell of her body.

Joe swallowed her cry of surrender while her body shuddered beneath his.

If she were able to orgasm through his kisses alone, what would happen when he used his entire body?

Dani was sore—so sore. Her shower had taken twice as long as normal but she’d been desperate for the hot water to soothe her aches. If Joe thought exhaustion would delay her quest—because that was what her research had become—he was sorely mistaken. Quitting had never entered her mind.

The shower powered on although she didn’t know how he withstood the cold. She’d used the bulk of the hot water during her turn and only left when the cold had crept in towards the end. She’d felt a tad guilty at hogging the hot water, but had gotten over it when she recalled the day she’d had at his instigation.

Joe had taken her on an extended paddling trek despite the fact she was a relative novice at stand up paddling. Sheer determination or as Derek loved to call it “damn stubbornness” kept her from calling mercy.

Let Joe enjoy his cold shower. It was only fair.

Besides, there had been no need for him to remain in the cold water for so long. He could have gotten in, scrubbed up and rinsed off. For him to purposely stay under meant only one thing.

Dani grinned. Poor Joe. Why he bothered she didn’t know. He was going to kill himself through hypothermia or exertion.

She knew that last night after her orgasm, Joe had taken off on another run. She’d wanted to call him back, but she’d been too weak and watched him run away from her spent position on the sofa.

As with yesterday, Joe had successfully avoided her throughout the day until dinner.
The coward.
Dani knew he had a shift tomorrow and would be gone for twenty-four hours. The pressure to push him beyond his restraints forced her to dress for dinner more provocatively than usual.

The pleasure she’d gotten from his expression when she’d come out for dinner still thrilled her. He was strong, so being sneaky had been the only way to provoke him if she wanted to win—and she did.

She wanted his ultimate surrender.

Dani wanted him spread in front of her so she could taste, nibble, suck and torture him with pleasure. It was the least she could do because at present, she was a hair’s breadth from losing it.

After his initial stumble, he’d held firm throughout dinner. His resolve was so strong that at this point, she may not settle on him simply being spread out in welcome in front of her. Nope, at this point, only tying him to her bed would sooth her irritation over his damn iron control.

The image of him at her mercy simmered in her mind a bit. Yep—payback was going to be a real pleasure.

A knock rapped at the door and she smoothed down the loose t-shirt and panties she wore. It wasn’t the slinky thing from yesterday but the shirt was well worn and almost see-through in places. Plus it had a tendency to fall off her shoulder.

The door swung open and Joe towered in front of her. The jerk didn’t look any worse for wear. In fact, he looked delicious. A retro Buccaneer shirt stretched across his wide shoulders.
Wasn’t he aware the Bucs sucked?

She shrugged and let it go. No one was perfect.

“Seattle?” He motioned to her oversized shirt. “Where’s the loyalty to your new home state?”

She grinned. “Can’t help myself.”

He shook his head. “It’s a good thing what’s underneath is so appealing otherwise I might not be able to overlook the packaging.”

He held up some oil. “How about a massage?”

Somehow she bit back a mortified groan. “Are you hoping I’ll fall comatose again and skip tonight’s session?”

“What?” He gave her an innocent look. “Never.”

“If you say so.” She put her hair up in a claw and followed him to the living room—aka their designated neutral zone.

“Lie down.”

She stretched out on the sofa and he groaned. She peeked over her shoulder and saw him stare at her barely covered bottom. She wiggled it a little for fun and was rewarded with a muttered, “Have mercy.”

Satisfaction didn’t last long when she caught sight of his aunt’s quilt. “Now Joe, I don’t think—“

“I have to disagree, Dani. In fact, I insist upon it.”

She sighed and let him win this time. His defenses must be low if he felt the need to tire her out physically and finish her off with a sleep inducing massage.

She shook her head.

Poor Joe
. He should just give it up.

When he was done fussing with the quilt, creating the perfect barrier, she heard him remove the oil cap. He rubbed his hands together and moved close.

“I can take off my top if you want me to,” she volunteered.

“No. No. I got it.”

She hid a wicked grin against her forearm and let him work his magical fingers on her shoulders. She moaned. “You’re good, Joe.”

“Glad you like it. Relax, I’ve got you.”

Yeah, right, you’ve got me. You’re trying to lull me to sleep again? No, thanks.
She kept her thoughts to herself and let him continue. Two could play this game. She focused on counting. She faltered at sixty-two but jerked awake when his neighbor slammed a car door. Finally at one hundred, she sat up.

“Excellent job, Joe. I’m no longer sore.”