Kiss Me Crazy (19 page)

“Is that good or bad?” He took the wine from her hand and slowly inserted the opener in the cork.

“Good…so far.”

He grinned. “I can work with that.”

Kara retrieved two wine glasses from a cupboard, placed them between them and leaned against the counter, inadvertently offering him a view of her delectable cleavage from the neckline of her dress. A relentless ache curled in his stomach, reminding him of what they could be doing right now instead of talking. The cork came out with a slight pop and he poured the wine into the glasses.

“Tel me about your big plans,” Baron said.

“You mean my store?” Her voice teased. She picked up her glass and walked ahead of him to the living room.

He grinned. “Yeah, your store. It should be up and running in a few months, right?”

“You talked to your mother.”

“If you mean she mentioned the lunch the two of you had, then yes. She didn’t say anything out of line, did she? My mother has a knack of speaking her mind, which can be very unsettling.” Kara kicked off her shoes, curled one leg under her, and sat. When she realized he was stil standing with his gaze on her exposed thighs, she indicated the opposite end of the sofa.

“Please.”

She sipped her wine and waited for him to sit. “Actualy, your mother was very subtle. I enjoyed talking to her.” Baron couldn’t help feeling there was something she wasn’t teling him. “But?”

“But nothing. We had an interesting chat, promised to do it again, and that was that.” She took another sip of her drink and put her glass on the coffee table. “So what do you want to know about my store?”

“Everything.” Baron propped his shoulder against the back of the sofa and listened to her talk. Realy listened without passing judgment or thinking about what
he
wanted. He soon realized just how much she’d researched the business. From the location she chose for her store to having her father design the frames, her decisions were al sensible. Her enthusiasm made him realize his mother was right. It would be wrong to stop Kara from folowing her dream or to make her do things his way.

“I’l use the frames my father completed for displays but I’l also have a catalogue with some of the designs he’s working on before I open.”

“What about prints to display in the frames?”

“I found a few local artists who sel prints of their original works but I haven’t bought anything yet.”

“Use mine.”

A hopeful expression crossed her face. “You mean….”

“Prints of the swamp photographs in the galery,” he finished and received a radiant smile from her. The way her hazel eyes lit held him mesmerized for a spel. “I also have a few more you haven’t seen yet. I can bring the thumb drive with them on it to Idaho for you to look through.”

She fixed her gaze on him, paused as though rearranging her thoughts. “Okay, you want to tel me what’s going on? Why you’re being so sweet?”

Baron grimaced. “I object to the word ‘sweet.’”

“Nice…supportive…you know what I mean.”

He got a warm, fuzzy feeling when she smiled at him like she was doing now, which he rather liked a lot. “I get free publicity so I’m being totaly selfish.”

Kara roled her eyes. “You don’t need free publicity, Baron. Seriously, I’ve already agreed to have an affair with you.

You don’t have to score points by doing nice things for me.” Didn’t she know he’d do just about anything for her? It had nothing to do with luring her into his bed. Baron wasn’t sure how it happened, but her happiness had become more important to him than anything.

He drained the last of his wine, put the glass on the table and knelt next to her folded leg. Holding onto the back and the arm of the sofa to support his body, he leaned forward and neatly boxed her in. Her expression, half expectant and half wary, aroused a primitive thril in him and male need rampaged through his blood.

“Maybe I’m just a nice guy,” he whispered against her lips and stole a kiss. Her eyes darkened with passion. “Or maybe it makes me happy to do nice things for you.”

She let out a shaky breath and reached up to caress his cheek, her gaze heavy-lidded. “Maybe?”

He turned his head and kissed her fingers. “Yes. I’d rather you find out the truth by yourself.”

“I like that,” she whispered in a husky voice.

“Just like I intend to find out al your little secrets, Kara Michaels.”

She blinked, uncertainty crossing her beautiful face. “I don’t have any secrets.”

Was she kidding? How else could she know just how to turn him on with a mere look, kiss him until he wanted to rip her clothes off and bury himself inside her? Even now, unbridled longing coursed through him as her fingers roamed his face, traced the scar on his chin, and caressed the corner of his mouth.

“Yes you do.” He lowered his head and claimed her mouth.

She lifted her arms, wrapped them around his neck and puled him closer, sliding down until her head rested on the arm of the sofa. He stared at the perfection of her face, the air between them pulsating with need. His gaze shifted lower to her chest, to the hardened nipples that beckoned to him as they pushed against her dress. A groan escaped his lips. How could he walk away from her? The wilpower he’d been so proud of earlier evaporated.

“I’d planned to leave early tonight but you’re not making it easy.” The gruffness in his voice surprised him.

“Early? Why?” Kara whispered, her fingers caressing the back of his head.

He hesitated, not sure just what he’d be revealing with his confession. He mentaly shrugged. It didn’t matter. He was through playing games.

“I want our first time together to be perfect.” Baron waited for her to say something but Kara fel silent, her eyes serious, and her hands stopped their gentle exploration. The silence continued.

Regret folowed, and his face grew hot.

“I meant I won’t be able to stop—”

“Shh.” She placed her finger on his lips. “That was the sweetest and sexiest thing a man has ever said to me.” Baron grinned. “Realy?”

“Realy. Now wil you stop torturing me with smal talk and kiss me.”

He dropped his head and claimed her mouth. Her lips opened under his, passionate and yielding, sweet and addictive. He slid his hand under the hem of her dress. Her skin was warm, smooth, and soft. What would it taste like? He hoped to find out tonight. She shivered, but his relentless hand kept moving upward, greedily stroking, and worshipping her curves, past the lacey edge of her thong to her silken bely.

He puled away from the kiss, his breathing shalow. Kara slowly opened her eyes and the hunger in them sent a primal thril through him. His eyes shifted to her dress.

“Take it off,” he commanded.

Confusion flashed in her eyes. “My dress?”

“Yes.” He shifted back to give her space and watched her bunch the hem of her dress then pul it over her head. Her mood shifted as she revealed a lacey black bra and matching skimpy lace thong. She dropped her head and her hair swung to hide her face.

His baby was shy? He hoped to cure her of that soon but for now, no need to make her even more self-conscious by pointing out her wariness.

He reached behind her, deftly unhooked the bra and flung it aside. He stared at the contours of her breasts. Pure perfection, he wanted to say, but words failed him. The tips rose tight and pink against her skin, begging to be savored. He reached out and trailed his knuckles down her warm chest, over the taut nipples. She shivered and arched her back, her breathing short and choppy.

“I’ve often fantasized about these,” he told her softly, stroking and exploring the plump mounds, loving the way they filed his palms.

“They’re not drool-worthy.” Her voice shook with uncertainty.

“They’re perfect.”

He toed off his shoes, rearranged her legs so she was straddling him then leaned forward and slowly swirled his tongue around one ripe nipple. Kara moaned and gripped his head. Her response, uninhibited and intense, drove him out of his mind. He eased her backward and tenderly took one of the sensitive nubs in his mouth.

Kara whimpered, her hand creeping up around his neck to cradle him close. The sounds from her mouth made him feel invincible, her shivers echoing his. He planned to make up for lost years, bring her to climax over and over again until she surrendered herself completely to him. Tonight was just the beginning. He moved to the other breast, indulged himself while lavishing it with al the attention it deserved.

Baron moved lower, his insatiable hands competing with his mouth as he stroked and explored her ribs, the sensitive skin on her sides, her back. Kara ran her hands over his head, his shoulders, her fingers digging into his flesh, egging him on. He dipped his tongue into her sexy bely button, grazed the gentle swel of her stomach with his teeth and heard her release a breathy gasp.

The scent of her arousal, musky and flowery, teased his senses. His arm shook…hel, his whole body shook, the need to feel her heat so great it hurt. He gripped the thong covering her silken flesh and pushed it down over her ass to her thighs.

“Baron?” she whispered, his name coming out disjointed.

He nuzzled her bely one last time and lifted his head. She looked sexy, glorious with her eyes half-closed and dewy, sweat dotting her skin. His hands stayed busy, caressing and exploring, moving around to cover the most intimate part of her body. She whimpered but didn’t shy away. The heat of her, the wetness soaking his palm sent blood roaring in his ears.

“I want to please you so much it’s kiling me.” His fingers teased her tender folds and the sensitive nub. Nothing intense, just slight brushes guaranteed to drive her crazy. His gaze stayed on her face, waiting for the signal to take things up a notch. That her movements were restricted by the thong around her thighs didn’t bother him. He would work around it, make the climax memorable.

“Tel me you want this.”

Kara squirmed and lifted her hips to press against his hand, silently answering him. He slipped a finger in her molten heat and she gasped at the invasion. He wasn’t playing fair, he knew that, but he wanted to make her come so badly he could taste it. “Talk to me, baby.”

“I don’t want you to stop.”

“Thank goodness.”

She giggled, her body convulsing when he added another finger and stroked her. “Not fair. You’re fuly clothed.” He laughed though mirth was the last thing on his mind.

Touching her was pure heaven and torture roled into one. He imagined how he would feel buried inside her, giving selflessly, receiving abundantly, and groaned. No, sex with Kara went beyond wanting her to surrender. He wanted to please her, make her the happiest woman in the entire universe.

“Tonight is your night, baby. It’s al about you.” He let her go long enough to slide off the flimsy thong, spread her smooth, toned thighs and finaly tasted her female essence.

Sweet and creamy. Intoxicating.

Baron ignored her whimpering protests as he lapped, caressed, and suckled. Her breath hitched and her hips jerked, but he didn’t stop. Her hands came down to grip his head as she writhed. He was so hungry for her, desperate to please as he increased the intensity. Her fingers dug into his scalp as she shuddered and screamed out his name.

Baron puled her into his arms, held her until the tremors subsided. Then he scooped her up and carried her into her bedroom. The light from the halway spiled into the room. He laid her against the pilows on top of the coral floral duvet, kissed her lips and dropped his forehead to hers.

Her eyes fluttered open and she reached up to touch his face fleetingly. “Are you finaly going to remove your clothes?” There was nothing he wanted more. He reached for his shirt then remembered. “Do you have any condoms?”

She groaned. “Oh no. I completely forgot. How could I think of everything but that?”

He kissed her fingers and turned on the nearest bedside lamp. The sight of her toned naked body stopped him. Glorious.

Riveting. He was an idiot to hang around without a condom within reach. He had none, not in some secret compartment in his SUV or tucked somewhere in his walet. He’d lived like a eunuch for six months and there was no way he’d have sex with Kara without protection. Maybe he ought to jump behind the wheel, find the nearest gas station, and buy boxes of the damned things.

No, he wasn’t going anywhere. It was late and she had to wake up for Rick’s nephew’s bar mitzvah. He realy should be going. Despite the pep talk, Baron reached out and trailed a finger down her body, from the sensitive tip of her breast to the neatly trimmed hair between her thighs. She arched her back, her thigh tensing under his finger. There was just so much a man could take before he went insane.

“Come on. Under the covers you go.” He tugged at the cover none too gently.

“Why?” Despite the question, she roled to one side, helped him yank down the duvet and slid under it.

Baron tucked her in, puled the covers al the way to her neck. “You distract me.”

Her eyes widened then she grinned. “And that’s bad how?”

“I can’t make love to you without protection and I’m not leaving yet until I hear about the ‘everything’ you’ve been up to.” Her gaze ran down his body and stopped at the bulge stil going strong behind his zipper. The overenthusiastic organ responded to her with a kick.