Christmas at Evergreen Inn (Jewell Cove 4)

It wasn’t fair how he said those words and her whole body seemed to respond. Darts of arousal shot through her body, centering in her core at the sound of his low, smooth voice. Something was definitely simmering between them.

“I wasn’t fishing for compliments, you know.” Her voice sounded a little hoarse. She hated that he could have this kind of an effect on her … and loved it at the same time. She’d needed the boost so badly.

“I know that. I thought it needed saying anyway.”

He took another step and was really close now, so close she could reach out and press her hand against the breadth of his chest if she wanted. She did want, but fear of making the first move held her back. Her breath was shallow, her body taut with anticipation as he lifted his hand and put it along the side of her face.

“Todd,” she warned, and made the mistake of looking up into his eyes. They were dark and seductive and oh God oh God oh God.

“Shh,” he responded. “Let me show you. Don’t move.”

She didn’t fight it, even though she knew she should. His lips touched hers, gently at first, soft and tasting like warm whiskey. They teased and nipped at her mouth until her lips opened on a glorious, surrendering sigh.

As soon as she melted just a little, he slid his other arm around her back and pulled her close. At the same time he deepened the kiss, his tongue tangling with hers.

Lainey didn’t think. Instead she disobeyed his order to remain still and slid her hands inside the hoodie, up over the warm, smooth skin of his back. Her fingers played over the firm muscles and she felt them shift as he tightened his embrace. His mouth slid away from hers and swept along the curve of her jaw, right to the sensitive point on her neck, just below her ear. A sound came from her throat, half moan, half gasp, and she felt him smile against her skin.

“So. Damn. Hot.” He breathed it against her neck as she tilted her head to give him better access, and his left hand slid under her sweater to cup her breast, his thumb rubbing against the hard tip.

She wasn’t sure how much longer she could stand up.

As if he read her mind, he moved his hand down, over her hip, and bent quickly to catch her up into his arms. Never in her life had a man done that, and it made her all swoony just thinking about it. But it wasn’t just that. The teasing expression that usually marked his face was gone, replaced by an intensity that made her toes curl. He was 100 percent focused on her, and never in her life had she felt so desired or so desirable.

He carried her across the room and laid her gently on the sofa, then followed her down, his weight pressing her into the soft cushions, his hard body sliding against hers seductively. She arched up with her hips, desperate to meet him, and he kissed her again with an urgency that stole her breath.

And yet … despite the passion that throbbed between them, he made no move to remove any of her clothing. He wasn’t pushing, or rushing, or taking anything for granted, and she found an unexpected sweetness in that. He just kept kissing her, and kissing her, until she thought she might die from the bliss of it.

Todd. He was everything she’d always imagined he’d be … and more. How come we never dated, he’d asked. Now she was asking herself the same question, because by God the chemistry was certainly there between them.

She ran her hand over his hip, over the back pocket of his jeans, holding him close. With a growl, Todd reared up enough to pull her partway to sitting and pulled at her sweater, tugging it off with haste so that it was wrong-side out and twisted—and then lying on the floor. So much for not removing clothes. The excitement had her quivering against him. She loved the heat of his wide hand on the skin of her ribs, just below her breasts. The way his thumb grazed the underwire of her bra, then expertly flicked open the front clasp. Still he said nothing, but she didn’t want him to. All she wanted was the feel of his mouth on her, and once it happened she cried out in pleasured shock.

“Mmm,” he finally murmured against the sensitive nipple. “Sweet. A little salty. So good.”

She was relatively sure he had her so hot now that her jeans were going to start melting. The air felt blissfully cool on all the spots where he’d kissed or licked her, but she pushed him away for a few seconds so she could reach the hem of his hoodie and pull it over his head.

Todd Ricker without a shirt on was a beautiful sight. “Oh,” she said, admiring, and ran her fingertips down over his breastbone, over the pebbled nipple and the texture

of the sprinkling of dark hair. He braced his hands on either side of her head and lowered himself so their chests were pressed together and the feel of skin on skin was surprisingly intimate.

It would only take a minute to take this to the next step. He’d undo her jeans, slide them down over her legs, then remove his own. They’d make love … slowly, then faster as need overtook them …

Todd began the journey and his fingers found the button on her jeans. And as much as she wanted to, as much as her whole body was crying out for this, it threatened to overwhelm her and she knew they had to stop. What had begun as him proving a point had turned into something bigger than she’d expected. It didn’t matter that she was a grown woman, or that she’d known him for years and had fantasized about this very thing more times than she’d like to admit. The truth was, she didn’t have sex on the first date. If she wanted to prove to herself that she could still feel, still desire, still be desired … mission accomplished. But there was a fine line between where they were now and making a mistake that they’d regret in the morning.

“I can’t,” she breathed, not wanting this to end but knowing it should. “Todd…”

“Okay.” He moved his hand, and she thought that was the end. But instead, he simply kept kissing her, kept her senses drugged with him, his taste, his touch, the scent of his skin and the cologne he wore. He lavished attention on her lips, her breasts, all the while rhythmically grinding against her. She was helpless to stop him, and lost herself in the sensations until she could take no more. It was too much, and need took over, pushing all other thoughts from her mind. She ground back, harder and faster, and when he lightly bit her nipple her muscles tightened into a glorious, surprising climax.

Her eyes were closed. She could hear her harsh breath echoing through the room, echoed by his own as he rested on his elbows, still above her.

He moved slightly; she felt his lips touch her shoulder in a light, tender kiss. When she opened her eyes, she could see the slight gleam of sweat on their skin. The firelight flickered shadows through the room, setting off the bits of gold in his gorgeous eyes.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he whispered, brushing a piece of hair off her forehead and tucking it behind her ear. “So, so beautiful.”

It was a heck of a time to feel bashful, but she did. Now that she wasn’t lost in desire and passion, modesty came rushing back. She was glad he was still pressed against her so that her breasts weren’t just out there. “You are, too,” she murmured, biting down on her lip. “I didn’t, uh, expect that.”

“Me either.” He grinned at her. “I was just going to kiss you. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. But then … wow. I think I lost my mind.”

“And took mine with you. About before, I have a thing about…” She stopped. Could she even call this a first date? It almost sounded like she presumed there’d be a second, which she didn’t. They were stuck together during a snowstorm, that was all. They’d had a few drinks. Played around …