Treat with Caution (Treats to Tempt You Book 1) Page 16

  He had purposely avoided bringing any girls back to his place as he hadn’t wanted the intrusion on his private territory, but it felt different with Tasha. She was so easy to be with, and fun too—she reacted well to his teasing manner and usually returned with a joke of her own, and he didn’t have to watch what he said. He felt comfortable. Content.

  Hmm.

  The show ended, and although it was only nine thirty, Kole couldn’t wait any longer. He took their glasses into the kitchen, locked the front door, then led her into the bedroom. They went into the bathroom and brushed their teeth together, and he left her to cleanse her face and finish up, and then they stood in front of the bed by the large glass doors, bathed in the light of the full moon.

  Kole took his time undressing her. First, he removed her glasses, folded them, and placed them on the bedside table. Then he released the clasp holding up her hair, watching the long brown strands unfurling like silver ferns to tumble across her shoulders.

  He grasped her orange T-shirt by the base and pulled it up and over her head, laying it neatly on the chair, as she would have to wear it the next morning on her way to get changed before going to work. Then he unclipped the back of her bra and slid it down her arms. The moonlight shone on her round, high breasts, painting them white. He covered them with his palms for a moment, feeling their weight, and gave her a small kiss on the lips, but he didn’t lower his mouth to her nipples, not yet. He wanted her naked first.

  Next, he unpopped the button at the top of her jeans, undid the zipper, and slid them down her legs. He dropped to his haunches, and she held onto his shoulders as he helped her step out of them.

  Finally, he slid her panties down and helped her step out of those, too. Then he pitched forward onto his knees and pressed his nose to the triangle of hair, inhaling her scent. She smelled warm and musky, all woman, and he grew hard inside his jeans, his mouth watering. Unable to hold back, wanting to taste her, he rested his hands on the firm cheeks of her bottom and slid his tongue into her slick folds, groaning as she dominated his senses, taste, touch, smell. Her hands tightened into fists on his shoulders, and she gasped, her body bowing as she tipped back her head.

  Kole held himself back with difficulty. He could easily have brought her to climax there and then, or pushed her onto the bed and slid straight inside her. But this time, he wanted it to last. She was like an expensive box of chocolates, and he wanted to take time to savor every mouthful, to treasure every moment of his time with her.

  He pushed himself up, and this time let her pull his T-shirt over his head and drop it onto the chair. Her hands fanned out over his chest, fingers running across his muscles, nails scraping lightly over his nipples and down to his stomach.

  She undid his jeans and he kicked them off, and then her fingers slid into the elastic of his boxers. They skirted around his waist to his hips, then back again, and her thumb bumped the erection that jutted out eagerly toward her. She glanced up at him, laughing, and he pushed her away and removed the boxers. He didn’t want her taking him in hand this time, or dropping to her knees. This time was for her.

  He led her to the bed, peeled back the duvet, and they climbed onto the mattress and lay down.

  Kole left the duvet at the bottom of the bed. He propped his head on a hand, and she did the same, facing him.

  “What now?” she whispered playfully.

  “I just want to look at you.” He spoke the truth. He wanted to commit this image to memory, of her stretched out in his bed, her curvy body bathed in pearly moonlight. It highlighted the swell of her breasts and stomach, her slim thighs, her shapely calves. It brought out the apples of her cheeks and emphasized the hollows beneath her cheekbones.

  “Something tells me you want to do more than just look.” Her hand moved to his erection, which strained toward her, desperate to be touched. She closed her fingers around it, then stroked, gentle and slow.

  “Don’t,” he said, breathing heavily.

  She stopped and ran a thumb over the swollen tip, catching the moisture that beaded there, and brought it up to her mouth. Carefully, she sucked it off her thumb. “Why?” she whispered. “Don’t you like it?”

  Kole hesitated. She went so easily from the shy and doubtful girl who brought out his instinct to protect, to the confident and sexy kitten that turned him on, and for a moment he couldn’t decide which was the real Tasha. The emotions he preferred to keep restrained behind a wall of steel were seeping through, mixing, causing confusion like mist on a battlefield.

  Was her jealousy over Caitlin, the reticence, all an act, part of the bet? Maybe I’ll win you over so much, she’d told him on the beach, you’ll give me the shop without a second thought. He’d scoffed at the idea, but women were often much more skilful at applying their wiles than men. She been quite clear that men weren’t the only ones who could have a fling without getting their emotions involved. He’d wanted this to be about sex, but his hesitation told him there was more to it than that for him.

  Was this just a play for his heart?

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Tasha saw Kole hesitate and glimpsed puzzlement in his eyes before he lowered his lids.

  What had she done wrong? It had been a lovely evening so far, cuddled up together on the sofa, talking about this and that as they watched the TV. He’d kissed her occasionally and murmured about looking forward to going to bed with her, and then when they came into the bedroom, he’d enjoyed undressing her slowly before leading her to the bed. And his body was obviously interested in going further.

  It was the bet. The pachyderm in the bedroom between them, blocking out the light.

  They’d declared they were going to try and seduce each other, but the stupid wager had backfired big time. Because now they were both developing feelings, and yet neither felt they could mention it due to the tiny niggle of doubt the other was doing it on purpose.

  What should she do? Start talking about the bet, say it hadn’t been at all what she’d expected? State she really liked him? Get it all out in the open?

  But what result could she expect from that? Would he laugh with relief and declare his undying love for her? Of course he wouldn’t. This was Kole, after all. There was a slim chance he would smirk and announce he’d won, and she didn’t know if she was brave enough to test that. And even if she could get him to admit he liked her more than he expected, that didn’t mean he’d want to take this further. Mr. Anti-Commitment wasn’t interested in relationships—he’d made that quite clear.

  His hand rested on the bed between them, and she put hers on top. He turned his over, palm up, and rubbed his thumb across her knuckles.

  There was nothing to be said. Talking was pointless, because they’d only stumble over the obstacle course of feelings and expectations and fears. Instead, she would have to show him how she felt.

  She shifted on the mattress to move closer to him, until they were only a few inches apart. Raising a hand, she touched his cheek, stroking the bristles there and thinking how manly he was, how different to her. His large frame, muscular arms, tanned skin, all brought out his masculinity, and she slid her hand into his short hair and pulled his head down to hers, wanting to taste him, to drink him in, to possess and be possessed.

  Opening her mouth to his searching tongue, she moaned as he kissed her deeply. He was such a great kisser. Previous boyfriends had just fastened their mouths on her and plunged their tongues in as if trying to lick out a bowl of chocolate ice cream. But Kole kissed sensually, moving his lips from one corner of her mouth to the other, teeth grazing, tongue sliding against hers in an erotic dance until she could feel moisture between her thighs and an ache in her abdomen.

  She explored his body leisurely, running her hand up his arm and across his wide shoulders, then down to trace the muscles on his chest. Her fingers skimmed across his flat nipples and through the scattering of hair on his ribs, then moved lower, enjoying his taut body, so different to her own somewhat soft one. She did go to t
he gym occasionally, but she could hardly call herself muscular.

  Not that Kole seemed to mind her being soft. His touch was languid and gentle, skimming down from her shoulder to her arm, then onto her hip and along the length of her thigh. His fingers were like feathers, so light, and they sent everything tingling, hairs rising across her body. He stroked up her thighs, brushed the triangle of hair at the top, then continued over the slight swell of her stomach and up to her breasts.

  Tasha sighed as his fingers circled her nipples, teasing and not quite touching. It was warm in the room as he hadn’t yet put the ceiling fan on, and her nipples were relaxed and smooth. He closed his forefinger and thumb around one, stroking to the tip, and then squeezed tighter, a soft tug. Desire spiked through her system as if he’d injected her with a syringe full of lust, and she inhaled sharply, lips parting.

  Their eyes met. Tasha’s heart raced. She loved the way passion darkened his eyes, his pupils dilating until his eyes appeared black in the moonlight.

  “Come here,” he said.

  She moistened her lips, naughtiness surging through her. “Make me.”

  In answer, Kole picked up a thick strand of her hair and wrapped it around his fingers. Tighter and tighter he wound, until she was forced to lean forward, her mouth an inch away from his.

  She closed her eyes, turning to mush inside, everything super-sensitive, desperate for him to kiss her. His hand tightened further, almost hurting, and her lips parted with an “Aaah…”

  “You’re mine,” he stated. Her eyes flew open at the possessiveness in his voice. “And I’m yours,” he continued fiercely. “A hundred percent while we’re together. Remember?”

  “I remember,” she whispered, heart thundering.

  He clenched his fingers in her hair, almost brutal, his jaw set. “You drive me crazy, you know that?”

  “And you me.”

  His eyes blazed. “Don’t lie to me.”

  “I’m not lying.” She took his hand from her hair and moved it between her thighs, covered his fingers with her own, and slid them down to her slick, swollen center. “Is that lying?”

  His fingers stroked her automatically, but his chest continued to heave with emotion—what emotion, though, she wasn’t sure.

  “I don’t want you faking anything, physical or emotional,” he snapped. “You hear me?”

  Tasha gulped down a surge of emotion. “I’m not. I swear it, Kole.” She hooked her leg over his hips and shifted on the mattress until the tip of his erection slid just into her.

  “Wait.” His hand dropped clenched her hip, holding her in place. “Condom.”

  She hesitated. “A doctor put me on the pill years ago for medical reasons. It’s up to you, but you don’t have to wear one if you don’t want to.”

  He stared at her. “I’ve never had sex without one.”

  “Me neither.”

  She could feel him pressing into her, and had to fight not to push her hips down. This had to be his decision.

  His expression cleared, and she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He didn’t move, and she imagined his thoughts whirring away behind his eyes like cogs inside a glass clock.

  She’d panicked him. Wishing she hadn’t said anything, she opened her mouth to tell him not to worry and to grab a condom from the drawer. But even as her lips parted, his hand tightened on her hip, and he pushed forward.

  He slid easily into her, and they both exclaimed at the sensation of him deep inside her, hot, thick, and hard.

  Kole closed his eyes. “Fuck.”

  She stretched out against him, loving the feel of his skin against her from her breasts all the way down to where they were joined. “You feel amazing.”

  He opened his eyes. The anger and resentment had vanished, and had been replaced by white hot desire. “You’re so fucking wet,” he said.

  “Kole!”

  “It’s not a complaint.” He gave a long, slow thrust. “Not a complaint at all.”

  She groaned at the feel of him sliding through her flesh, the large head of his erection teasing her opening. “Oh…come on, don’t torture me…”

  He chuckled and lowered his lips, teeth nibbling her bottom lip, tongue playing with hers. “It’s not always fun to be fast,” he murmured. “Sometimes it’s nice to take it slow.”

  “Mmm.” As much as part of her longed for him to tip her onto her back and thrust away, there was something delightfully sensual about this. “I thought there was only one way to have sex,” she whispered, tipping back her head when his lips traced down her neck.

  “There are a thousand ways.” His lips found her pulse point, and he sucked. Her body tightened in response, and he groaned as she clamped around him. “I’d love to show you them all.”

  She closed her eyes. “Oh…”

  He moved his hand up to her breast, rubbing his thumb across her nipple as he kissed her. “There are so many things I’d like to do your body.”

  “Tell me some of them.” She was so turned on, she wouldn’t be able to last much longer.

  “I’d like to fuck you in every position I can think of.” His lips brushed hers, sending a shiver skittering through her.

  “Like?”

  “Me behind. You on all fours.”

  She groaned. “My favorite.”

  He chuckled. “Or standing in the shower.”

  The thought of screwing under the stream of water, hot and wet and slippery, made her clench deep inside, sending more moisture to lubricate his thrusts.

  “Jesus.” He dropped his hand to her butt and slid it down between her cheeks to feel the point where they met. He kissed her. “I’d like to do this with something other than my cock.”

  Her eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

  “A vibrator.”

  Her jaw dropped. “Really?”

  He laughed. “You don’t have one?”

  “Of course I don’t have one! Where would I get one from?”

  “There are catalogues, the odd shop in the city…” He kissed beneath her ear and nibbled her lobe.

  She felt the slide of him in her sensitive flesh and imagined it being something other than his warm length. “What would it feel like?”

  “Like me, but harder. Cooler. And it would buzz. I’ve heard it’s very pleasant.” He slid his hand between them, down through the triangle of hair, to stroke the small bundle of nerves at the top. “We could use it here. Imagine it vibrating, sending ripples all through you.”

  Closing her eyes, she reached up to kiss him. Her orgasm was so close, everything tightening, tingling. “Please…”

  “Then I’d move it inside you, and fuck you with it.”

  She groaned. “Oh…”

  His fingers slid down, collecting her slippery moisture. “And then…” He moved his hand over her hip to her tailbone, down between her cheeks. His lips brushed hers as his forefinger touched the puckered skin there. “I might tease you, right here.”

  She held her breath as he slipped the tip of his finger into her tight hole. “Holy fuck.”

  “Yes.” He kissed her hard and thrust more firmly, continuing to slide his fingertip just inside her. “I want to possess all of you, Tash. Every single inch of your body.”

  Everything was tightening at the exciting, unusual sensation of being touched there. “Kole…”

  “Everything a man can do to a woman, I want to do to you.” His voice was fierce, possessive, brooking no argument.

  She panted, about to explode. “Oh God…”

  “More?” he murmured, his other hand moving behind her to hold the nape of her neck as if worried she’d pull away.

  She squeezed her eyes closed, locked in sensation. “Yes…”

  He slid his finger in farther, and she cried out, her body clamping around him of its own accord. The orgasm was fast and fierce, and she was only partly conscious of Kole thrusting hard, his muscles turning to concrete beneath her fingers as his own climax swept over him.

 
; He thrust, she clenched, and they rode out the wave, the pleasure almost too much for her to bear, intense, white-hot.

  When they’d finished, it took a moment for their bodies to release their tight grip on one another, and she gave a deep, satisfied groan as he finally removed his finger and let her relax.

  “Oh.” Her heart raced as if she’d drunk a hundred cups of coffee. He slid out of her, and she fell back onto the mattress, exhausted. “Jeez, Kole.”

  He lay beside her on his back, breathing heavily. “Fuck.”

  “Fuck indeed.”

  He blew out a long breath, staring up at the ceiling. Then he turned his head to look at her. “You okay?”

  She nodded. “I’m fucking amazing.”

  He had the energy for a brief laugh. “I didn’t hurt you?”

  “No, of course not.” She rolled onto her side to look at him. “Although it’s possible you may have pulled my hair out by the roots.”

  “Should have done as you were told, then.” His lips curved.

  “Point taken.” She reached across him to the box of tissues on the bedside table and plucked out a few. Then, giving him a wry look, she quickly cleaned herself up.

  “Never had to worry about a damp patch before,” he said, watching her.

  “No. Me neither.” She threw the tissues in the little rubbish basket and curled up next to him again. “It was nice, though. A different sensation, eh?”

  “Very.” His expression went guarded again. What was he thinking?

  She was too tired to puzzle it out for long. Reaching to the edge of the bed, she pulled the duvet back over them and snuggled up to his chest. He didn’t say anything, but he did lower his arms around her and hold her tightly, and that was enough, for now.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Kole slept soundly through until six thirty a.m., for once not waking in the night. He opened his eyes to warm sunlight, checked the clock, then touched the other side of the bed, searching for Tasha.

  When his hand found only empty space, he lifted his head and looked around. He spotted her immediately, out on the deck looking over the harbor, moving through a series of yoga positions he seemed to recall was some kind of sun salutation. She wore her orange T-shirt, but her legs were bare.