Hell, he’d barely glimpsed at her profile when she sat beside him at the bar, but he knew she was beautiful. But Landon was ready to pry off that ratty ball cap to see the loveliness hidden beneath.
Kerry hesitated as she slid the keycard into the lock and Landon worried that he was going to burst out of his skin. He was itching in desire for her, but he knew to let her lead. She was skittish about where they were headed; it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out, but somehow she was willing to step outside of her comfort zone with him.
“Sorry,” she murmured as she continued to fumble with the card and lock. Stepping forward until his front pressed against her back, Landon placed his hand over hers and slowly guided the card into the slot. On instinct, he tilted his head until his lips brushed against her neck, smiling as she shivered against him. Landon didn’t have to look up to see the light blink green; the lock disengaging sounded like a bomb going off in the hallway.
They pushed down on the door knob with their combined hands and pushed the heavy door open, Landon stepping back to allow Kerry to enter first. Glancing around the room, Landon took in the small lamp turned on in the corner as Kerry reached into her bag and grabbed a phone, appearing to type out a small message as she approached the dresser where she placed her bag and phone.
“Um. . .this is me. I’ve. . .um. . .never,” she faltered as her delicate fingers twisted around each other in a nervous gesture.
Stalking toward her, Landon said, “Never done this. I understand. We’ll take it slow.” Once she was within his grasp, Landon couldn’t help himself as he gripped the brim of her hat and lifted it from her head, doing his best to fight back a groan at seeing the true beauty she was hiding beneath the cotton material. Haphazardly he tossed the cap onto a small chair in the corner, then reached for her hair and tugged the elastic band lose, letting her long wavy hair fall down her back in ripples. With an overwhelming desire to take care of her, Landon reached up and delved his fingers into her hair. He shook the strands to loosen them around her scalp where they had been pressed tightly beneath her hat.
What he didn’t expect was the orgasmic moan that vibrated through her entire body at the motion.
“Mmm. That feels so good.”
“Good. And just think of what else I can do with these hands.” He said it in jest, but watching the pink tip of her tongue peek out from her mouth as she licked at her lips, he realized that he really did want to massage every ounce of muscle in her body.
Her eyes opened as he slowed his massage and she tentatively reached out and placed her hands on his hips. Her confidence waivered as she bit her lip and Landon wanted to do whatever he could to bring back the self-assured woman from the bar.
“What do you want, Kerry?”
“Right now?” she whispered as he drew his hands down from the back of her head to cup her cheeks, replying to her question with a nod of his head.
“I want to take your shirt off.”
“Please, be my guest.”
Balli
ng the hem of his shirt in her fists, she tugged the material quickly off his upper body and over his head. He loved the way her knuckles scraped against his skin, and as she threw the shirt somewhere in the room, he witnessed her chest heave as she took in his chest and abs. The part of his body he worked the hardest to maintain.
“Are you real?” Kerry questioned as she traced one of his many chest tattoos.
“Flesh and blood.”
“Wow. I mean, you must know how attractive you look, especially like this.” Kerry gestured to his body and he did very little to fight back the smile that grew on his lips.
“I only care what you think. Now, your turn.”
She faltered for only a second before taking a deep breath, then reaching down to grip the bottom of her soft tank and lifting it over her head. Landon swallowed his tongue as he took in the pale skin of her soft stomach and the perfect-sized breasts restrained by purple-colored lace. If an angel had fallen on earth, he was now standing in front of one.
“Are you hiding your wings somewhere?”
“What?” she asked, cocking her head to the side in confusion. Those big brown eyes were arresting him as they gazed up at him.
“You look like an angel, beautiful.”
“Oh! I’ve never been called that before.”
Extending his arms, Landon cupped her shoulders, sliding his hands around to her back as he leaned closer. His lips met the soft, sensitive skin of her neck and Kerry automatically tilted her head to the side to give him better access.
“Well, that’s a shame. You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever set my eyes on. I bet if I let myself, I could get lost in you.”
Landon savored her reaction to his touch and his words. She was melting against him and he wasn’t sure she even realized.
“I bet you say that to all the girls,” she whispered as her hands inched up his chest. It was pure agony in the best way as her fingertips left trails of heat across his skin.
Landon was surprised by her words, that she believed this was as casual a hookup as any other woman he could have met tonight. But he knew this night was going to be different. She was different. Kerry was going to flip his world on its axis and he was never going to be the same after their night together.