Page 12 of One Wild Wedding Weekend

She shrugged. “I figured you would get around to it eventually.”

“Smart-ass.” He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to her temple. “This is nice.”

Every bit of available oxygen had inexplicably been sucked out of the room. Daley felt dizzy and disoriented. She clung to the only steady thing at hand.

Tristan. Naked, soap-scented, hard-bodied Tristan.

He felt amazing.

He pulled the band from her ponytail. She had covered her hair in the shower, too tired to wash it twice in one day. Now, she was glad. Tristan winnowed his fingers through her heavy layers, sifting and separating. The scalp massage was almost enough to make her come.

“I have a very nice bed,” she said. “King size. Great mattress.”

“Not yet.” The two words were gravelly. As if he had to work to find them.

Without warning, he covered her mouth with his. His tongue was bold and tasted of toothpaste. When he thrust that same tongue gently against hers, she whimpered. Somehow, deep down, she had known it would be like this.

Suddenly, they were kissing like two lovers reunited after a long, continents-apart separation. Panting. Desperate. Ravenous.

The man knew how to kiss. Which shouldn’t surprise her. According to Tabby and John, he’d dated a bevy of eligible women in the Peach State. But never for more than a few weeks at a time. Tristan was not a relationship kind of guy.

That was fine with Daley. She didn’t want to date him. She just wanted to...well, you know. It was hard to even say it in her head.

The world tilted when Tristan scooped her into his arms and staggered to the bed. She liked to think his lack of coordination was due to rampant sexual desperation and not her addiction to caloric coffee drinks.

When he dropped her on the mattress and followed her down, she smiled up at him. “You really are a stud, aren’t you? Tell me again why you don’t have a date for your brother’s wedding?”

He nuzzled her nose with his. “My job is to fraternize with the maid of honor. I didn’t want any distractions.”

“Such dedication,” she mocked him gently.

“You have no idea.” He slid his hand between her legs and stroked her intimately. Daley’s squeak of alarm and surprise didn’t sound at all sophisticated.

Tristan chuckled. “I’m glad we decided to bury the hatchet,” he said. “This is way more fun than arguing.”

“It may only be a temporary détente,” she warned. “I’m still not sure I like you.”

He found her breast, squeezed the nipple and bent his head to taste the bud with the tip of his tongue. “I’ll take my chances.”

Heat flashed through Daley’s body. Her back arched off the bed. Suddenly, she was uncertain. Did she want this overwhelming sexual hunger? Could she hold her own with a man like Tristan? He was bold and decisive, and he certainly was not the kind of guy who would be easily handled.

The time had passed for making rational decisions. At this moment, she wanted Tristan so badly, she was willing to do just about anything. Including the choice to ignore common sense and her gut feeling that she was courting disaster.

He made her come once with his hand—fast and hard—before moving between her thighs and pressing the head of his sex where she still quivered. “Are we okay?” he asked.

She managed to open her eyes. “I don’t know about you, but I’m great.”

His choked laugh as he pressed deep made her smile. He filled her completely, but the flex of his powerful hips was more gentle than rough. As if he wanted to make sure she was comfortable.

When he was all the way in, she tried to find her breath, but it was gone. Her body trembled. This felt good. So good. For once, she was able to enjoy the act of lovemaking without worrying about consequences. She and Tristan were nothing to each other. This was sex. Really great sex.

It didn’t matter if they were one and done. Daley could relax and feel.

Perhaps Tristan picked up on her bemusement. He rested his forehead on hers. “You still with me, Daley? I’d hate to think you were dozing off.”

She wrapped her legs around his waist, making them both groan. “I’m here,” she said softly. “Just enjoying the moment. You’re good at this. But I guess you know that. Given your vast experience.”

Tristan withdrew and thrust harder. “Insults? Really? What happened to détente?”

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