two of them had gotten into growing up. While she didn’t think tales of her own childhood were nearly as amusing, she still managed to entertain him with stories about all the things she and her friends had done. All the while they were laughing, Kate had to swear him to secrecy. She didn’t want the other women to know she’d broken the sacred girl-code by revealing all the embarrassing stuff they’d done. If she’d stopped to think about it, Kate might have censored what she said a little bit more, but Dawson was so easy to talk to that she found herself sharing things with him she’d never told another guy.
In fact, she and Dawson talked so much while they were lying there in bed that Kate didn’t think they could possibly come up with anything more to talk about over dinner. When they went out to the balcony later that night after room service came, however, she discovered she was wrong. As the conversation continued to flow without any of those uncomfortable silences, she realized how much she and Dawson had in common. They liked the same kind of movies, they listened to the same music, they even liked to hang out at a lot of the same clubs in Seattle.
Without even meaning to, she found herself mentally running through her checklist as they ate and putting a check mark beside each thing she came to. She was more than halfway through the list when she abruptly remembered she wasn’t supposed to be sizing up Dawson as a potential husband. This thing with him was a weekend fling and at the end of it, they would go their separate ways. They had both agreed to it. That was getting more and more difficult to remember, though, especially when he was shaping up to be the most perfect guy she’d ever met.
Kate took a sip of wine, eyeing him over the rim of the glass as he casually leaned back in his chair. Even if she wanted to explore their relationship further, she couldn’t. She was the one who had made the rules about this being a no-strings-attached affair. Heck, she’d practically spelled it out in big, block letters for him. She couldn’t simply change her mind in the middle of things, no matter how much she might want to. Dawson would think she was a complete nutcase. She was just going to have to settle for enjoying their little fling while it lasted.
Afraid Dawson would notice she’d suddenly zoned out, Kate forced herself to stop being introspective and focus on what he was saying. He was talking about the latest summer blockbuster, which he’d recently seen and liked.
Kate groaned at the name. So much for liking the same movies. “Oh God, I hated that movie.”
Dawson looked at her incredulously. “You’re kidding. It’s one of the best action movies of all time.”
She laughed. “I should have known you’d like all that stuff blowing up.”
He chuckled. “I’m a guy. It’s in my DNA.”
She shook her head.
Taking another sip of wine, she leaned back in her chair. He did the same, stretching his legs out in front of him. Even though he was wearing pajama bottoms, she could still see the outline of his muscles. God, he had great legs. Unable to help herself, she slowly ran her bare foot up his leg, following the muscular curve of his calf underneath the material. As she did so, the complimentary hotel robe she had on parted slightly to reveal even more of her leg and she felt heat pool between her thighs as his predatory gaze slowly ran up and down her silky skin.
“Maybe we should go inside and finish our wine in front of the fireplace,” he suggested.
Her lips curved. “You must have read my mind.”
Picking up his glass, Dawson got to his feet and opened the sliding glass door for her. Kate stepped inside and walked across the room to sink down on the faux bear skin rug in front of the fireplace. Since it was a gas-burning one, all Dawson had to do was turn it on before joining her on the floor. He set his glass down, then leaned close to gently kiss her on the mouth.
Kate closed her eyes and parted her lips, her tongue meeting his halfway and tangling with it eagerly. He tasted like the wine they’d had with dinner, but was more potent and intoxicating than any drink could ever be, and she willingly surrendered to him, tilting her head back so that he could plunder her mouth more completely.
She ran her hands up his bare chest and over his shoulders, sighing in appreciation as the muscles flexed and bunched beneath her fingers. She absently wondered how many times a week he had to work out to look like he did. At least twice, maybe more, she surmised, letting out a little moan as she pictured his gorgeous body all slick with sweat after a hard workout.
But then all thought fled her mind as Dawson reached down to untie the sash on her robe. When it fell open, he pushed it off her shoulders and cupped her naked breast, his thumb and forefinger finding her nipple and giving it a firm little squeeze. Kate gasped as he dragged his mouth away from hers to kiss his way along the curve of her jaw and down her neck.
She arched her back, offering her breasts to him. But instead of moving his mouth lower, he lifted his head to gaze down at her. His eyes were molten gold in the firelight and she caught her breath at the heat she saw in their depths. She’d never had a man look at her with such desire before. She was so mesmerized she didn’t even realize he’d moved his hands until she felt him slide the belt of her robe from the loops.
She stared at it in confusion. “What are you doing?”
He didn’t answer, but instead put her hands together and wrapped the sash around her wrists.
Kate’s eyes went wide as realization dawned on her. “Oh,” she murmured, watching in fascination as he looped the belt around her wrists again, then expertly tied a knot. That answered the question as to whether he was a boy scout or not. Then again, maybe not. She was pretty sure they didn’t teach Bondage 101 in the boy scouts. She stifled a little giggle at the thought.
Dawson lifted his head and gazed into her eyes for a moment before swooping down to cover her mouth with his again. This time, he wrapped his arm around her and urged her back onto the fur rug. When she was completely lying down, he took her bound wrists and gently placed them above her head, then leaned close and put his mouth to her ear.
“I’m going to kiss every inch of your beautiful body and while I do, you’re going to keep your hands right where they are,” he said softly. “Is that understood?”
She shivered at the command in his deep voice. “Yes,” she whispered.
He pressed his lips to the hollow behind her ear. “Good. Because if you don’t, then I’ll stop what I’m doing, even if I’m in the middle of licking your sweet pussy. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”
Kate moaned in reply, instinctively squeezing her thighs together and squirming beneath him. She’d never let a guy tie her up and have his way with her before, but the idea of playing the submissive and Dawson being completely and totally in charge turned her on like crazy.
Shifting above her, Dawson began to slowly trail a path of warm kisses down the curve of her arm. While she was careful to keep her arms where they were, Kate couldn’t help but wiggle against her bonds a little, just to see how secure they were. Although they weren’t tight, they weren’t loose enough for her to free her hands, either. That realization got her even more hot and bothered and she found herself almost wishing Dawson would forego his exploration of her body and just go straight for her pussy instead. As he paused to lick and nibble on the inside of her elbow, however, she had to admit that getting him there was going to be half the fun.
She giggled as his lips brushed the inside of her arm, unable to help herself.
He lifted his head to look at her. “Does that tickle?”
“A little,” she admitted.
“Really? Makes me wonder where else you’re ticklish.”
Giving her a wolfish grin, he lowered his head to continue kissing his way down her arm. Kate turned her head to the side, hoping he would stop to nibble her neck a little. He did, much to her delight.
Kate sighed and tilted her head back as he placed a series of light, little kisses along the curve her jaw. She parted her lips in anticipation, but instead of covering her mouth with his, Dawson teased her lips with featherlight kisses that made her tingle all over. She moaned and squirmed beneath him, wanting to grab a handful of hair and pull him down for a real kiss, but afraid if she disobeyed his command and moved, he would make good on his words and stop what he was doing altogether. She definitely didn’t want that.
So she forced herself to be good and stay where she was. Which really wasn’t all that difficult because despite her desire to grab him and kiss him, she rather liked his teasing. But she could only be patient for so long.
“Kiss me,” she begged as he lightly traced her lips with his again. “Please.”
He chuckled, capturing her lips and ravishing her mouth thoroughly and completely.
As she kissed him back, Kate once again had to fight the urge to hold him there. But she knew the penalty if
