“Natalie!” he bellowed.
And then, slowly, the pleasure faded, leaving him with one helluva happy memory. His hands fell away from her hips. He felt her dismount and move to his side, her body stretched out on the bed. He reached up and pulled the bandana off and tossed it down to the floor.
“I don’t understand,” she murmured.
Me neither. But let’s not question the sex gods right now.
Not that he wanted to give them credit.
“You asked for mind-blowing.” He turned on his side, needing to see her now that he’d abandoned the blindfold. Her long black hair fell over her shoulders and teased her taut nipples. The rest of her body sank into the mattress, offering hope that she’d experienced an unforgettable climax.
She turned her head and looked up at him. “I don’t understand how all those women who fall for your pick-up lines walk away afterward.”
He raised an eyebrow, trying to hide the fact that her words felt like a knee to the groin. All those women did not belong in bed with him right now.
“First off, I don’t have a harem stashed away somewhere,” he said. “And second, I haven’t gone looking for more than a night or two in a long time.”
And most of the time, he didn’t have to work all that hard for a chance at a naked sleepover. A smile, some eye contact in a bar, and a lousy line or two led to a pajama-less party in his bed.
But Natalie? She challenged him every step of the way. And shit, she listened to him.
“And after a night or two, you what? Leave them mourning the loss of those ‘mind-blowing’ orgasms?” she asked, the dazed look fading from her brown eyes.
“That good, huh?”
“You know it was,” she shot back. She moved her right foot in an attempt to kick him, but he caught her thigh with his hand and drew her leg between his.
“I do.” He ran his hand over her stomach, up to her breasts, and stopped with his fingers resting over her sternum. “If it’s so good, why are you still pushing me away? There’s no bet now. I want you, Natalie. And you know we’re good together.”
“Is this why you forfeited?” she demanded, the fight returning to her brown eyes as she pulled her leg free from his. “For more sex?”
She slid off the bed, demanding physical space. But that only reinforced his point. The woman he’d fantasized about for so damn long wanted him, too. And he wasn’t willing to let her go without a fight.
“No.” He sat up and looked her straight in the eyes. “I realized I had my eye on the wrong prize.”
She laughed as she backed away from him, heading for the door. “I’m not something you can win. Another challenge that will prove to your brothers once and for all there’s nothing you can’t do.”
“Natalie, I wanted you long before my brothers walked into your bar,” he said quietly. “I didn’t go after you because you didn’t act as if you liked me. But then you kissed me—”
“To shut up your brothers.”
He shook his head, pushed off the bed, and stood in front of her. “Not that kiss. The one in the back room of the bar. The way you responded to my touch…”
“No,” she murmured.
“I should have walked away from the bet and told you that I want you more than a win. But I was looking for an excuse to get close to you. And hell, the spark in your eyes when you toss out a dare? The fire I saw when my brothers threw out that stupid challenge? I couldn’t walk away from that. From you.”
“You wanted a naked slumber party,” she said, her gaze shifting south.
“Yes.” His erection jutted out from his body, appearing eager to prove her point. “But that’s not all I want. I
threw the bet because I want to dream about naked slumber parties with you while I’m overseas. And then I want to come home to the real thing. To you.”
Run.
The word flashed in her mind like a neon warning sign. She took a step back, ready to bolt for the door—and leave behind her destroyed dress, her cell phone, and her room key. Because he wanted her?
No, she didn’t need to risk security footage of her racing naked through a Vegas hotel. She needed to move the conversation back to the bedroom. Sure, he’d thrown the bet. But he still wanted that same thing.