Page 21 of Handling Skylar
“That lying…never mind.”
“I wasn’t ever as interested in her as I was in you. Getting physical is more commitment than I wanted to make. Deep down I knew that. I was just trying to force it.”
“Where do we go from here?”
“We’ll keep us quiet until things die down with Anna Kate. I don’t want any blowback.”
“You think she’d badmouth you?”
“Not for me, sugar,” I said, softly. “For you. I can weather whatever she decides to throw my way. We’re on equal social status, even if the Suttons do have a notorious past.”
Her eyes got dark, the pulse point in her neck beating, and she gave me a smile that I felt all the way down to my toes. “A little outlaw never really hurt anyone, much,” she said.
I smiled my best bad boy grin. “Is that so?” I crowded her against the small vehicle. “So, you expect something a little wicked from me, then?”
She raised her hands and bracketed my face, her eyes dancing. “Jake. You’re big, bad, and beautiful. I expect all kinds of wicked from you. Hell, I’d be disappointed if you didn’t deliver.”
I had meant to kiss her, but instead I found myself dragging her fiercely against me. She held me just as fiercely. Last week, I hadn’t thought I was going to kiss her. I had thought I was going to forget it happened and continue on my course with Anna Kate. But I couldn’t because it wasn’t Anna Kate I was interested in kissing. In retrospect, it made sense. We had grown closer, sharing personal things about our lives, and despite Sky’s wisecracking, we had fun together. We depended on each other. I liked her better and trusted her more than I sure did Anna Kate. Sky might look and sound like a diamond in the rough, but she had a simple wisdom about her that was addictive. Her honesty alone was alluring. She had a sharp, teasing tongue, but she was kind and genuine. She listened with compassion, with sympathy and not pity, as I ranted about my family. She didn’t suffer fools gladly and spoke her mind, no matter how much trouble it might land her in—case in point—Anna Kate.
We stood like that for a few moments, my heart beating hard, knowing this was something…something. I had fought long and hard, but I couldn’t fight anymore. I was really tired of fighting against myself.
My fingers snagging in her hair, I tucked my head against hers, forcing myself to remain immobile. Every muscle in my body attuned to hers. She had no idea what she did to me, but, fuck, I really liked it.
It took me a while, but I finally got myself under control, and I could finally breathe without it nearly killing me. Releasing a shaky sigh, I adjusted my hold on her, drawing her deeper into my embrace, my lungs constricting.
We parted just enough to look into each other’s eyes. “I’ll be patient. You’re well worth the wait,” she whispered huskily.
Feeling as if I was handling something sweet and dangerous, I took a deep breath, then let it out in a rush. She smiled and braced one hand on my chest, leaning over and giving me a kiss. I’m sure she meant for it to be soft and tender, but that only made it much more provocative to me. We couldn’t take the next step, one because I wanted to get to know her better before there was anything physical between us. I didn’t want to cloud any connection we might have with hormones, and, two, I wasn’t exactly free of my obligation to Anna Kate. I was wrong there. I should never have tried to force something that didn’t feel right from the beginning. But no matter how much of an unpleasant person she was, we had struck a bargain, and, as a gentleman, it was up to me to withdraw and leave us both with our dignity intact—at least on my part. I had no idea how Anna Kate would react.
Okay, I knew how she would react, but hopefully I could minimize the blow-up.
She nodded. Her eyes were so unguarded, and I fought the inclination to devour her. The hunger in her eyes matched mine and when she brushed her mouth against mine, the warmth and moistness of the kiss made my pulse more erratic. My control slipped. Opening my mouth beneath hers, I dropped my head just enough to deepen the kiss, resolutely keeping my hands pressed against the metal of the cart, my fingers curling around the struts until my knuckles were white.
Perfecting the seal of her mouth against mine, she smoothed her hand down the nape of my neck and pinpricks of pleasure traveled down my spine, pooling in my lower back and groin. I wanted to find a secluded spot and take this all the way, drag her on top of me. I tightened my muscles against her tormenting touch, yielding my mouth to hers as she deepened the kiss, stroking the inside of my bottom lip with her tongue at the same time as her palm passed over my nipple. The dual sensation almost put me through the roof. My breathing turned heavy, and it took every ounce of control I had to remain still and unmoving.
I sucked in a ragged breath, releasing a guttural sound against her mouth when she bunched my shirt in her fist and scooted closer to me, her hip brushing my inner thigh. Her accidental intimate touch electrified me, and I drew her tongue deeply into my mouth, the pulsating hardness in my groin aching. Unable to be passive one second longer, I caught her by the back of the head and ground my mouth hungrily against hers, heat searing through me as everything in her softened for me.
Grasping her face between my hands, I gazed at her, my breathing labored. Her eyes dark and heavy-lidded, her full, sensual mouth swollen from the urgency of my kiss, she was the temptress, my ultimate fantasy. My hands circling her neck, I stroked the line of her jaw with my thumbs, her pulse frantic beneath the heels of my hands. I wanted her naked on top of me, I wanted to be buried so deep inside her that I would become a part of her and I wanted to let go of the heat that had me hard and erect. But this was as far as I could go.
Closing her eyes and pressing her forehead to my jaw she said, reading me perfectly, “Good things come to those who wait.”
“Yeah, something like that,” I whispered, not wanting to end this, but it was getting late. “Let me take you out. Somewhere away from here. Lafayette has a great night life.”
She raised her head, her eyes warm and dancing. “Fancy? Will I have to get all dolled up and even put on a nice dress? No cowboy boots?”
“Up to you. I like your boots, and I have the best place to take you.”
“I have some nice Sunday-going-to-meeting ones.” She smirked and giggled.
“Works for me. I’m unfortunately busy until Thursday, but does that fit into you schedule?”
“That suits me fine.” While we were driving back, she said, “So, I have to behave myself in public? No cow eyes or blown kisses?”
I glanced over at her. Her tone was flippant, but I was aware this was, on some level, bothering her. “I know this isn’t optimum, but it’s for the best. We both know how Anna Kate is going to take this.”
“I don’t give a damn how she’s going to take it,” she said under her breath.
“I know. It’s hard when we want to be open about it, but Sky, I won’t have her using her influence to hurt you. You know she can.”
