Page 32 of Need Me
Grinning self-consciously, Brooke thought that while Robert was still handsome without them, there was something intensely sexy about his glasses. To distract him, she said, “Put your glasses back on and kissme.”
His eyes widened as he looked at the glasses and then back at her. “What?”
Brooke took them from him and closed the distance between them. Slowly, she reached up and slid them on, settling them over his ears. “There. That’s better.” Molten heat entered his eyes right before she said, “Kissme.”
One of his large hands came up to cup her face while the other one flattened against her back. Without hesitation, Robert pulled her to him and claimed her mouth. Brooke’s heartbeat skittered out of control as her breasts flattened against his hard chest. His aggressive behavior was unexpected and utterlyexciting.
Her breath quickened as his mouth slanted over hers, plundering deep when she opened for him. Encircling his waist with her arms, she ran her hands up his back, enjoying the rock-hard muscles under her palms. She grew warm as he twined his tongue with hers. In the back of her mind, she wondered again at the contrast between the sometimes bashful man and the skillfulseducer.
There was nothing shy about the way he skimmed a hand down her back and squeezed her ass. Suddenly he stiffened and his mouth froze on hers as he pulled his handback.
“What’s wrong?” she asked against hislips.
“I hope that’s okay. You’re so sexy I struggle to keep my hands offyou.”
Her mouth wobbled as she fought back a smug smile. “It’s more than okay.” She took his hand and brazenly settled it over her breast. “Why don’t we go in the house and you can touch me all youlike.”
* * *
Robert wassure that he’d misheard her. “What?”
Her lovely, delicious lips curved and her eyes shone. “You heardme.”
Her breast just nicely filled his palm and he couldn’t make himself remove it from her tempting flesh. Was she serious or just teasing him? He cleared his throat a little. “You wantto…?”
Her voice lowered to a sultry pitch. “Yes, Ido.”
His hand gently kneaded her breast as even more blood flowed south. But even though he wanted to take her up on her offer, he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Although he’d had one-night stands, they always left him feeling hollow and unsatisfied the next morning. Gazing into her eyes, Robert felt that shift in his heart again and knew that he didn’t want just one brief night withBrooke.
“I-I can’t,” he stammered, his face hot withembarrassment.
A disappointed frown formed between her brows. “Whynot?”
“I smell like goat and I’m all dirty.” He was grasping at any straw he could find. “I’d prefer that the first time, I mean, assuming there’s a first time, that it was when I didn’t stink. Plus, I have to meet Tyler in about four hours and I don’t want to be in arush.”
His heartbeat echoed in his ears like a kettle drum as he waited for herresponse.
After a moment, her smile returned and her pretty nose crinkled. “We do kind of stink, don’twe?”
Relief that she wasn’t angry washed through him and he chuckled. “Yeah, we kind ofdo.”
Brooke stifled a yawn. “I think I’d better go home, get cleaned up, and go tobed.”
They gave the goat family a few more pats and scratches and then left the goat pen. Robert turned off the lights, closed the big barn door, and put his arm around Brooke’sshoulders.
“You know, if you wanted to, you could get a shower and stay in my spare bedroom. I can find a spare t-shirt for you,” hesaid.
Brooke’s sidelong look was illuminated by the pole light that stood halfway between the barn and house. “Thanks.”
He laughed and gave her a squeeze. “It’ll be hard, but I promise to behavemyself.”
“Always the gentleman.” She gave an exaggerated sigh. “Okay. I’llstay.”
“Good. Come on. We’ll get you settled in so you can get somerest.”
As he led Brooke inside, Robert thought how funny it was that just knowing she’d be in the same house made him happy. He took her to Kate’s room, let her pick out some clothes, and showed her thebathroom.
“Sketch is probably in the tub. I just use the stand-up shower.” He went over to the tub. Sure enough, Sketch lay curled up at the back of tub. “Hey,sleepyhead.”
