Page 87 of Hot to Trot

Itsopaid.

AFTER BRINGINGSCARLET to a splendid climax, Adam took a moment to treasure the taste of her on his lips, the feel of her soft body beneath his hands, the sound of her panting in his ear.

He'd never experienced a woman who was so damn sexy. He'd been with many, but none he'd wanted like this one, none he’d felt his heart tilting toward. Scarlett Rose had caught him well and good.

No more playing around. He needed to sink inside her, bind her to him in the way males had been claiming their mates throughout time. For there was one certainty he knew. Scarlet Rose had been made for him.

He rolled her to her side, kissed the crook of her neck, tasting the salty sweetness of her perspiration. Lust sank its teeth into him. He reached for the picnic basket and found the condom he’d slipped into the pocket of the lining. He continued to cup her breasts, nip her neck, and drop kisses as he sheathed himself. Then he nudged her leg up over his, moving his hips forward as he tilted her pelvis back toward him. Then he slid home.

Her eyes flew open and she twisted her head to look at him. ''That was-"

He started to move, his hand on her hip, moving her as he sank into her.

“Oh, my…Adam.” She clamped a hand over his as she arched her back and moved with him. “You’re good at this.”

"I wasn't always such a Boy Scout,” he said, capturing her breast in the hand he curved beneath her ribs.

She hooked her leg back over his knee and he slid the hand he’d had on her hip down to that sweetness between her thighs, working her again.

“I love…I love…that…you’re not a….Jesus…”

“Nope. Adam,” he whispered in her ear as he increased his tempo.

He felt Scarlet tighten around him, tipping over into that sweet abyss where there was nothing but pleasure and tempo. Then she did something that brought a protest to his lips. She pulled herself from him, pushed him back onto the quilt, and climbed on top of him. He snapped his mouth shut as she lowered herself, sheathing him in the heat of her body.

“Oh, Go-” He couldn't finish because she'd begun to move.

“Nope, Scarlet.” She leaned down and nipped his ear as she channeled her inner vixen, tossing those long, red tresses over her shoulders, breasts bouncing in the moonlight as she taught him a lesson about playing games with a temptress.

And he loved every millisecond of that lesson. Within minutes, his cry met hers as they both catapulted into mindless bliss, riding wave upon wave of sheer pleasure until Scarlet collapsed onto his chest.

Then nothing more was heard, except them gasping for breath with the accompaniment of the sounds of the countryside.

CHAPTER TWENTY

SCARLET ENDED UP with poison ivy, which was one mark against the whole country-living idea. However, it was a small price to pay for the wonderful night she'd spent in Adam's arms on the bank of his secret pond. It had truly been one of the best nights of her life. Not because their lovemaking had been explosive, but because they'd lain wrapped in the quilt, sharing favorite memories of their childhood, sipping cabernet, and devouring decadent dark chocolate.

A few fireflies had shown up to celebrate with them, and the stars had steadfastly observed Scarlet tilt even more toward the man she'd once thought of as humorless and tight-assed.

"What are you smiling about?" Rayne asked, passing the morning newspaper to Brent. "You're almost cheerful. Are you that happy to be leaving Oak Stand?"

Scarlet set the lid on the butter dish. "Who said I'm leaving?"

Brent lowered the sports section to peer at her. Rayne shrugged. "Well, you said your community service was over. I figured-"

"I have the play coming up. I can't leave yet.”

Brent narrowed his eyes. "That's unexpected."

"Why?" Scarlet asked, taking a bite of toast. She was ravenous. Strawberries and chocolate had only gone so far in supplying her with the calories she'd lost last night. She scratched her ankle.

He shrugged. "Because don't you have an audition or something?"

"I sent a tape. And why wouldn't I follow through on my obligation to direct the play?”

No one said anything.

"Oh, I forgot. You think I can't finish stuff." Scarlet grabbed the last piece of bacon. Henry had left for school over an hour ago so there was no one there to protest her pigging out. "See? I finished the bacon."

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