down to the expanse of bare skin below where her shirt was tied. Past her tiny waist and over her gently rounded hips and down her long, long legs.
He slowly made the trek back to her face and the knowing look in her eyes. Yeah, she knew exactly what she was doing to him, and what’s more, she was doing it very well.
Swallowing was difficult. Hell, it was even hard for him to breathe when all he could think about was kissing her, stripping off her clothes, and making love to her.
Dammit, she was taunting him.
He sauntered closer. So close there were only inches between them. Nikki tilted her head and looked up at him, then slowly licked her lips. It was all he could do to stifle the groan that threatened to escape.
“Sweetheart, I more than enjoyed the kiss. It made me think of other things that I’d like to do.” He brushed her hair behind her ear, enjoying the feel once again of her soft skin.
She probably used the finest creams to keep her skin soft. He remembered what Jeff had told him about her parents: wealthy lawyers. Maybe she hadn’t celebrated holidays the way he had, but she’d led a life of privilege, never knowing any kind of hardship. Just like Cynthia.
He planned to teach Nikki a lesson she wouldn’t soon forget. Before she left the ranch, she’d have a whole new outlook on life.
“Other things?” She visibly swallowed.
His gaze dropped down to her breasts. Her bra must be thin. Silk? Her nipples were pushed tight against the fabric of her top. He lightly circled one before he ran his finger over the pebbled hardness. She whimpered. He watched her face. Her eyes had closed and she nibbled on her bottom lip.
His body began to throb. He hadn’t meant to go any further than this, but what he shouldn’t do was pushed to the back of his mind as the need inside him grew stronger. How far would she go?
He leaned closer, testing the waters. “I want to see you naked. I want to suck on your breasts, caress your skin.”
He slipped his hand between her legs and rubbed it against her sex. She nudged her crotch against his hand, silently begging for more.
“Are you hot? Are you damp with need? Do you want me inside you?” he whispered.
Chapter 8
Nikki couldn’t swallow. Hell, she could barely breathe. Only one thing ran across her mind: she wanted Cal Braxton, had wanted him from the moment she saw his picture.
Now he was touching her, whispering words in her ears that made her burn with desire. The story didn’t matter as she lived out the fantasies she’d been having about the rugged football player.
Oh, yeah, she could care less about the damned story. At least, at this moment in time. She’d think about it later. But the man? That was a whole different matter and she most certainly wanted him.
“Make love to me,” she moaned.
“Are you sure?” he muttered as he nuzzled her neck, his hot breath teasing her neck.
“Yes,” she said, barely holding back a moan of desire. She tugged his shirt out of his pants and quickly unbuttoned it, then could only stare at his male beauty.
He pulled at the knot in her shirt until it came loose, then fumbled with the buttons, not having much luck.
“You’re too slow.” She brushed his hands away and unbuttoned her top, then yanked it off. Her bra quickly followed.
Cal stood in front of her, mouth open.
She arched an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you’ve never seen a naked woman, because I won’t believe you.”
He came out of his daze and practically ripped off his shirt the rest of the way. “No, I’ve seen lots of naked women, but they’re not quite this brazen about it.”
“Does it bother you?”
“Not in the least.”
She popped the button on her shorts through the hole and slid the zipper down. “Good, because when I see something I want, I usually go after it. Why should I deny myself?”
He grinned. “You want me?”
Oh, Lord, now he was going on an ego trip. She slid off her shorts, then her panties. “I’m naked and I’m standing in front of you. What do you think?” she asked as he kicked out of his jeans and briefs.
She’d known there was a reason she wanted him. Nice, very nice and she couldn’t resist not touching a second longer. She stepped closer, running a fingernail over the hard ridges of his chest, the six-pack abs, all that deliciously tanned skin.
“No tan lines,” she said.
“There’s a pond on the ranch that I like to go swimming in when I’m here.”
“And you don’t own a suit?”
“Don’t need one since no one goes there but me. I don’t wear one when I go swimming in my pool at home, either.”
“I bet your female neighbors just love that.” She stepped closer, licking across first one nipple and then the other. He tasted salty, nice.
Before Nikki could do more exploring, he ran his hands through her hair, then grasped her neck and rubbed lightly. She closed her eyes, then leaned back. He took the opportunity to massage a breast, tweaking the nipple.
“Oh, yes, that feels good.” She opened her eyes, saw the passion in his. She liked knowing he wanted her as much as she wanted him.
“It seems like forever since I’ve been with a woman.”
She had to bite her tongue to keep from asking about Cynthia. His ex-fiancee didn’t matter. Not right now. Nikki only wanted Cal buried deep inside her.
But curiosity got the better of her. “You haven’t been with anyone in a while, either?” she asked, liking that he hadn’t been with Cynthia recently. If he wasn’t lying, that is. Men seemed to know what they should say to a woman, and she’d heard it all before in other relationships.
He stilled. “Do you really want to talk about past affairs?”
She shook her head. “No.”
He relaxed. “Good.”
Cal scooped her into his arms. She grabbed him around his neck as he headed toward the bedroom. Naked skin against naked skin. She’d never been carried to the bedroom before. It was something she could get used to.
But when he set her on her feet, she took charge again. It was a role she didn’t give up easily and she wasn’t about to start now.
She pushed on his shoulders until he was sitting on the bed. Her plan was to be the one on top, but he caught her unaware again.
“Nice view,” he drawled.
His breath blew lightly across the curls that covered her sex. Cal didn’t just look but clasped her bottom and brought her body closer to his face, his mouth.
“I’m supposed to be on top,” she gasped, grabbing hold of his shoulders for support. “I wanted you to lie back on the bed.”
His chuckle vibrated against her, sending trembles of delight over her. She bit her bottom lip. God, that had felt good.
“So, you were going to have your way with me.” He began to place soft kisses against the folds of her sex.
“Yes,” she gasped as she clung to him. “Right there. Yes.” She pressed her body closer. So what if she’d let him take control. As long as he didn’t stop what he was doing, she didn’t care. His tongue was making her wild. When he told her to spread her legs, she obeyed without question.
