Page 16 of Sugarplum

"No, don't tell me. You've won the Boston Marathon."

"Nope. I came in second."

"Kind of surprised."

"I think you're making small talk to distract me because I'm still waiting for those panties."

"Possibly." I lifted a finger in the air to signal just a minute. Then I finished the rest of my wine and set the delicate glass down just a little too hard. "Oops." I took a deep breath. "All right, I think the wine is making its way north to my head." I looked up as if I could see the inner workings of my brain. I was absolutely feeling a little light up there but it was more because of Holt than the glass of wine.

"I'm ready." I shifted in my chair as if that was something that was necessary.

Holt rested his forearm along the edge of the table and drummed his fingers. "You realize this gets less and less sexy with each of your stalling tactics?"

"Right. No more stalling." A sound coming from the kitchen drew away my attention from the task at hand. "Did you hear that? Maybe Coco came back."

"That was the ice in the refrigerator. Coco is forty miles away at her sister's house, no doubt stuck there for the night until the snowplows come through. Now—panties, or I will take them off myself."

"Not only are you a cocky winner, but you are rather impatient." Without giving it another thought, I reached under the dress and pulled off my underwear, carefully moving them past the high heels one shoe at a time.

I dropped them on his palm, and suddenly, the light, comical mood in the room shifted completely. Holt's teasing smile disappeared and his green eyes darkened with a serious case of desire. And for me, sitting in a formal dining room with a tall, dark semi-stranger and no panties between me and that stranger made me feel just a little naughty and extremely horny. My dinner date seemed to read my mind.

Holt shoved the green panties into the pocket of his jeans and took hold of my hand. He whipped me up from the chair. We traversed the hallway and the flight of stairs in record time. He stopped at his own room and threw open the door before pulling me inside.

"One pair of panties," he muttered, seemingly to himself. "Just one pair of panties." He continued his one-sided conversation. We stopped mid-room, and he spun me into his arms. "Don't know what you've done to me, Jen, but you slipped off those green panties and—" He kissed me before he could finish.

His powerful arms tightened around me. The thought that he could easily crush the life from me with those arms crossed my mind. What a way to go. But there was no crushing, only firm, sweet caresses as his hands swept beneath the dress and covered my naked bottom. He lifted me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist as he carried me to the bed, our mouths still locked in a kiss.

He lowered me into the center of the bed, which wasn't quite as frilly or pillow-flooded as the bed in my room, but it was still cozy. The entire room had a much more masculine feel to it, as if one room had been set up for women and the other for men. But that would be an odd way for an inn to operate. Of course, this inn was different in so many ways, why not that?

Holt stared down at me as he stood like a towering giant over the bed. He had a glint in his eye that sent a warm surge of heat through my body. He looked every bit the part of a Hell's Ranger, dark, dangerous and desirable.

"Scoot that dress up, so I can see your pussy," he ordered in a smooth, low voice.

I reached down, took hold of the hem and scooted the dress up slowly. A little too slowly. My tall, impatient friend was having none of the slow tease.

His dark brow arched in annoyance. "If I help, I don't make promises about the dress surviving in one piece."

I yanked it up quickly. The cool air in the room mixed with the heated air coming from the man. The combination of cold and hot tickled my newly exposed skin. Assuming he wanted the dress completely off, I shifted around and continued with its removal.

"Stop." His booming voice bounced off the walls. "Leave it on. Just like that. I've got just what I need for now."

I might have bristled if another man had been so demanding, but his commands seemed to have the opposite effect. I was putty in his hands, willing to do anything. I wanted to do anything he desired because I knew it would fulfill my fantasy as well. I was a captive of a Hell's Ranger. I was exactly where I wanted to be.

Holt stared down at me with such interest I could almost feel it, as if he'd stroked me with just his gaze. Instinctively, I spread my legs wider, giving him an even better view. A groan rolled up from his chest as he unzipped his fly. His gaze didn't stray from me, as if I had some magnetic hold on him, as he kicked off his boots. His pants and underwear came next.

As he straightened, I sucked in a shocked gasp. Once again, I was working hard to believe what I was seeing and what I was seeing would have been exaggerated even with a digital artist's pen. The size of his erection sent me back a few inches on the bed.

He grinned at my reaction. "Are you still game, my hot little player?"

I laughed. "Gamer's dirty talk, huh? I can join that. Hell yes. And I have a feeling getting to the last level isn't going to take too much effort. I'm half way there just looking at you." I stopped and looked up at him. "Not as stimulating as I expected it to be. I think I prefer the old fashioned, less techie dirty talk."

Holt reached into the dresser and pulled out a condom. "You mean like—" He lowered his voice to a deep, sensual lull as he leaned over me and pressed his mouth against my ear. His warm breath tickled my skin and sent a frivolous shiver down my back. "Hey, baby, I want to fuck you until you scream my name."

I could barely get the words out. "That . . . works."

He straightened, again, casting his big shadow over the bed, as he yanked off his shirt. He was fully naked, and he was spectacularly perfect.

My last shred of control was gone. I reached for him. He took hold of my hands and pressed them back against the pillows as he settled between my legs. My pussy was lubed with moisture, but he was so big, I felt slightly apprehensive. He seemed to sense my hesitation and understood it completely. No doubt it was something he'd experienced before.

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