Tilting her head to catch his eyes, Scarlet asked, “Before what?”
He lifted his face to the ceiling and groaned. “Ugh, I can’t believe I just spilled that…”
“Spilled what?”
“I went for a little run.”
Now Scarlett was even more confused. “In your dress shoes?”
“Nah, my dress shoes and clothes were all in the messenger bag I hid in your bushes until after I got dressed.”
Bushes? Well, that explained his slightly rumpled but still fantastic appearance. “Oh!” Scarlett’s eyes widened with realization. “You shifted? Why?”
Davis covered his face with both hands and groaned again. “I just can’t keep anything from you, I guess. I really wanted to see you, and then car trouble…my truck is out on the shoulder a little bit more than a mile away.”
A huge, open-mouthed smile spread across her face and she reached out before lightly pushing him. “You big, crazy pants! Why didn’t you just call me to come get you?”
“Yeah, I guess I could have done it that way, but I couldn’t stand the wait. I just had to get to you as quickly as I could, and it looks as if I got here just in time.
Scarlett’s cheeks flushed and she averted her eyes. “How much did you hear?”
Davis put a finger under her chin and gently lifted her face until they were looking in each other’s eyes. “I didn’t hear anything I didn’t already know from Gram. She’s not one to skimp on details. She told me about your idiot ex and your break-up as soon as she was sure her matchmaking took.” He offered a sideways smile as he added, “I also got a great, big lecture on how to treat a lady.”
Scarlett snickered. “I must admit, I was a little surprised to learn she was the one who’d rented the cabin to me, but I don’t think you needed any lessons in chivalry. Sorry, I didn’t say anything about…I wasn’t really trying to hide anything. I just wasn’t ready to talk about it.”
“Yeah, I get it. As long as it’s over, it’s all good. Still, I didn’t appreciate seeing that guy in your face like that.”
“My hero,” Scarlett said with a snicker, grabbing him around the waist and hugging him. “I think you deserve a reward.” She shot him her best “come hither” stare while running her tongue across her bottom lip.
“You keep looking at me like that and you might be late for your party.”
“I think the real celebration will happen when I get you to my bedroom.”
“Hell yeah.” Davis smiled as he wrapped his arms around her.
His warm lips crushed against hers and his hand smoothed her hair. As a heated frenzy stirred within her, she slipped her hands underneath his shirt and then lightly raking her fingernails over his hard abs. He gave a low moan while pulling her sweater off her shoulders.
“Where’s that bedroom, baby?”
As she took a step backward, Scarlett let her cardigan fall to the floor and shot him a smile. “Follow me.”
Davis grasped her hand and trailed behind her. The anticipation was almost more than she could bear, making it nearly impossible to walk at an unhurried pace.
As soon as they breached the doorway, Davis swept her up into his arms and dipped down to nip at her neck. Scarlett ran her hands through his hair before grasping his broad shoulders. The warmth of his breath on her skin sent a tremor through her core as his lips trailed sultry kisses down to her collarbone. His large hands clasped around her waist and slid down to her hips before he moved on to caress her ass over her dress. Everywhere Davis touched her seared with heat and pulsed with need.
She looked up into his eyes and he dipped his head, landing a kiss on her lips. She opened her mouth, practically begging his tongue to enter. Their saliva mixed as their tongues twisted and turned in an oral tango. As Davis squeezed her ass, she moaned into his mouth while her fingers worked on the buttons of his shirt. As soon as she pushed the last one through the small hole, Scarlett pulled back from the kiss and took the opportunity to snatch the shirt wide open. Breathing heavily, she feasted her eyes on his impressive pectorals and the well-defined contours of his abdomen. Arousal stirred between her legs and she suppressed the urge to growl like an animal.
As her gazed drifted upward past his sexy collarbone and on up to his face, the hungry look in his eyes nearly took her breath. Davis grasped her arms, caressing up and down from her elbows up to her shoulders, as he seemed to catch his breath too. Snaking one hand behind her, his fingertips rested on her zipper and he paused.
“Last chance to back out before I get you all wrinkled and…wet.”
“Don’t stop!” She could hear the aching in her own voice.
“We’ll be late for your party…” He settled a sweet kiss on her forehead.
A sudden jolt of uncertainty struck. Why was he backing off? Didn’t he want her as much as she wanted him? She looked away, attempting to hide her insecurity as she answered in a near whisper, “We don’t have to if you don’t want to…”
“Pfft.” Davis laughed softly while grabbing her hand and placing it on his crotch. “Does that feel like I don’t want to?”
Holy shit! With wide eyes, Scarlett shook her head, startled by the anaconda straining the limits of his pants.
“Whoa, that must be painful. Let’s let that monster out.” She unbuttoned his pants and pulled down his zipper.
Davis worked his way out of his shoes, using his feet. As his pants glided to the floor, he stepped out of
