Meeting His Match (A Match Me Novel) (Entangled Lovestruck) (6 page)

Dull?
Caine might be a lot of things, but dull didn’t make the top ten—or even the top one hundred.

The match might be a disaster, but maybe she could use it to finally open Sarah’s eyes. “Does this mean you’ll finally listen to some of my suggestions about figuring out what you absolutely won’t compromise on? I’ve given you exactly what you wanted, and it sounds like it’s not melding well.”

Sarah sighed. “Fine, Addison. Have it your way. Just get me out of the godforsaken South as soon as possible.”

That, she could do. “I have you on a flight out tomorrow morning.”

“Thank God. You’ve emailed me the details?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you.” Then she was gone, leaving Addison to figure out how to handle the other half of the date. It might not be fair to blame this whole thing on Caine, but it was easier to do that than to think that maybe that ill-advised kiss before he left was part of the problem.

“It won’t happen again. I won’t let it.” But she’d said the very same thing before, and look how well
that
had worked out. She obviously couldn’t be trusted to avoid the temptation that was Caine McNeill. Maybe it would be better if she wasn’t actually living in his house, but going to a hotel meant she’d have to drive here every day to muscle him into being more approachable.

Obviously she’d failed this time.

The front door slammed hard enough to shake the entire house. Gollum growled, but apparently she’d gotten used to Caine enough to know she didn’t need to defend her babies when he was around. Addison took one look at the scattered evidence of her state of mind and decided that having him in what had become her space wasn’t the best plan. So she marched toward the door, deciding to meet him in the formal dining room.

The massive wooden table looked solid enough to have survived the Civil War and a few others, all without losing its perfection and charm. It was polished within an inch of its life, as were the dozen sturdy chairs around it, as if a dinner party were just minutes away.

Apparently the staff he’d hired to keep this place clean lived in hope.

Caine shoved through the door, looking a little wild, his hair standing on end as if he’d been running his hands through it, and his gray eyes darker than normal. His gaze raked her from head to toe, and Addison had half a second to regret the comfortable drawstring pants and wish she had a bra on under her tank top.
This
was why living under the same roof as him was a terrible idea.

He stalked toward her. “If that’s the best woman you can come up with, your so-called matchmaking skills are seriously lacking.”

Instinct demanded she retreat, but her feet stayed firmly planted. “There’s only so much I can do. You have to be able to fly on your own.”

“That’s the thing. I was flying just fine on my own before you showed up.” He sliced a hand through the air when she opened her mouth to respond. “I already know your opinion on that. I don’t need to hear it again.”

Well, that was too damn bad. “What possessed you to talk about business on a date?”

He stopped just out of reach, which was a good thing, because she didn’t know what to do with this less-than-poised Caine. “What else was I supposed to talk about? She was curt to the point of being rude when I tried to make small talk, and all I could think about was how I could still taste you on my lips.”

Chapter Eight

Caine couldn’t remember the last time he felt so out of control. Maybe it had never happened. All he knew was that he’d sat across the table from that beautiful blonde and realized that she was exactly the sort of thing his father would approve of, to the point where Caine could almost see his old man checking traits of an approved wife off his list.

And he’d felt nothing. Less than nothing.

Sarah Roberts bored him, and the thought of spending the rest of his life with someone like that left him feeling like he had been in a free fall for the last thirty-five years and was only just now waking up.

The only thing that wasn’t directly connected was Addison.

And now she stood there, staring at him as if he were crazed. Hell, maybe he was. He certainly felt like it.

“Caine, what happened before—”

“I’m tired of talking.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, taking her mouth just like he had earlier tonight. He actually tasted her breath of indecision before she melted against him, her hands sliding up his chest to tangle in his hair. Christ, the woman tasted better than the bottle of ’88 Le Pin he had in the wine cellar. He kicked the closest chair to the side and lifted her onto the table. The new position lined their bodies up perfectly, and he couldn’t help the growl that rose in his chest at the feeling of her legs wrapping around his waist. He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. “Let me take care of you, darlin’. Please.”

Her body went taut, and he held his breath, sure that she’d push him away just like she had every time before. “Okay.”

The word came out so small, he was sure he’d heard wrong. Caine lifted his head so he could see her face. For the first time since they met, she actually looked unsure of herself. It was enough to make him wonder if Regan was right and she hadn’t let another man this close since her husband died. The thought of being the first…

The possessive feeling that surged had him clenching his hands in an effort to keep from hauling her ass into his bed and ruining her for any other man. It wasn’t rational and it sure as fuck wasn’t sane, but the desire was there all the same.

But that wasn’t what tonight was about. It was about
her
. Because if the shitty date had made anything clear, it was that there was only one woman who made him feel alive and it was the pain-in-the-ass matchmaker who was currently overhauling his life.

So he had to make her want him as much.

Caine grinned, liking the way she shivered when he did. He could already see the wheels in her head trying to turn, to convince her that this was a mistake. If he let her think long enough, she’d find a reason to stop this. So he kissed her again, stroking her tongue with his until she writhed against him. He hooked his thumbs under the bottom of her tank top and peeled it up her body, breaking the kiss long enough to pull it over her head. Unable to resist, he moved back just enough so that he could look at her. “Fuck.”

Her pale skin was completely unmarred by tan lines, long neck leading the eye south to her perfect breasts, each topped with a rosy nipple practically begging for his mouth. He kissed his way down her neck to answer the siren call, moving slowly, following the urging of her fingers in his hair. She smelled faintly of a sweet sea breeze, so good it made him groan. Was there anything about this woman that didn’t do it for him?

He took her nipple in his mouth, rolling his tongue over the bud, and Addison nearly shot off the table. “God!” Her grip on his hair was nearly painful, but he relished every pull because she was the one doing it.
He
was doing this to her, pushing her past the point of control.

Savage satisfaction filled him as he moved to her other nipple, giving it the same treatment. He leaned her back on the table until she lay flat, lashing her with his tongue until her entire body shook, pulled so taut it was a wonder she didn’t break into a million pieces.

And he wasn’t done yet. Not by a long shot.

He undid the drawstring on her pants and pulled them off, leaving her in only a pair of lace bikini-style panties. They were a pale rose—exactly the same shade as her nipples. She lifted her head, her eyes wild as he dropped the pants on the floor next to him. There was desire there, but also a thread of fear. He ran his hands up the outside of her thighs to cup her hips. “The panties stay on, darlin’.”

When she didn’t respond, aside from the little tremors of her body, he stopped the little circular movement he’d been stroking on her skin. “Do you want me to stop?”

She searched his face. “The panties stay on?”

The sheer amount of trust she was putting in him to keep his word staggered Caine. He’d die before he broke it. He met her gaze. “I promise.”

Addison let her head drop back to the table. “Don’t stop.”

He hadn’t realized how tense he’d been as he waited for her answer until his legs threatened to give out. Caine pressed a kiss to the inside of her knee. “I won’t.” He reached behind him for the chair he’d kicked aside and dragged it back so he could sit down. Having her laid out like the best kind of feast did things for him—things he wasn’t completely prepared to deal with. Because she trusted him to take this further without pushing it too far, and he fully intended to reward that trust.

He pulled her to the edge of the table and stroked his hands over her hip bones and down to trace over the lace of her panties. He teased her, dipping one finger just beneath the edge of the fabric, silently letting her know that he could keep this up all night if he were so inclined.

He wasn’t.

She lifted her hips as his finger continued its journey, stopping just to the side of her center. “Please, Caine. I don’t think I can stand it if you keep teasing me.”

Hell, he’d barely started. But he couldn’t ignore the desperation in her voice any more than he could ignore how soaked her panties were. He slipped his hand beneath the fabric, pushing them to the side so he had free access to her body. She whimpered as he spread her wetness around, before he pushed one finger into her slowly, nearly cursing again at how tight she was. And then her hands were in his hair again, silently demanding what he was only too happy to give.

He lowered his head and kissed her through the lace as he worked her with his finger. That first stroke of his tongue was pure heaven, and her crying out was music to his ears. But he wanted her with no barriers between them, so he used his free hand to drag the fabric farther to the side. She arched up to meet each plunge of his finger, her body already tightening around him. She had to be close, and he was the one bringing her to the edge.

Caine almost pulled back, almost kept on teasing her, but then he remembered the desperation in her voice. If she really hadn’t had this with anyone in years, then he sure as fuck wasn’t going to deny her now. Still, he couldn’t help lifting his head and looking up her body. He wanted her to know exactly whose hands were on her. “I’m going to let you come, and when I do, you’re going to be calling my name to the heavens. Got it?”

“Yes, yes, whatever you want, just please don’t stop.” The words came out almost as a sob.

“I won’t, darlin’.” He covered her clit with his mouth, flicking his tongue over the sensitive nub as he pushed a second finger into her.

She lasted until the third stroke. “
Caine
.”

He leaned his forehead against her lower stomach, doing his damnedest to remember why he couldn’t bury his cock inside her right this second.
You promised, you shit
. Yeah, that was it. He couldn’t resist licking her again, though, to tease out a few more of those delicious cries.

He drew back, breathing as hard as she was, his control damn near to the breaking point. If she’d reached for him, he would have been on her in a second. But Addison blinked at him as if slowly coming back to herself. Then she smiled, the sweetest, most trusting expression anyone had ever turned his way.

Christ. He had to get her out of here before he lost it, but he couldn’t just leave her like this, not after what they’d just shared. So he stood, paused to adjust his pants, and scooped her into his arms. She leaned her head against his shoulder. “You don’t have to carry me. I could probably walk…in like twenty minutes.”

Because of
him
. He held her tighter as he started for the stairs. “I promised I’d take care of you.”

“I think you more than managed that.” Her eyes drifted shut.

If he were a smart man, he would have left her on that table and walked away. But he obviously had lost what common sense he possessed because he carried her up to the room she’d picked for herself. It was the pink suite, one that had been empty for as long as he could remember. In a house of boys, there wasn’t a lot of use for a room that seemed designed for a princess. It fit Addison, though, and he liked seeing evidence of her settling in scattered on the dresser and nightstand.

He set her on the bed and pulled the covers up to her shoulders. She looked smaller in the massive king-size bed. Delicate. It made him want to take her to
his
bed so he could make sure she didn’t break, but that was a terrible idea. If she was in his bed… Yeah, better that she stayed here. He moved to the door and glanced back, but she seemed to have already fallen asleep. “Good night, Addison.”

As he made his way to his own room, he came to one painful conclusion. He was well and truly fucked when it came to Addison St. Claire.

Chapter Nine

Addison opened her eyes as soon as the morning sun hit her face. One glance at the clock confirmed that it was well past when she should have been awake. The only upside to sleeping in was that Caine must already be gone for work.

Caine
.

She could feel a freak-out pending, but for once in her life, she pushed it away. Right now all she wanted to do was luxuriate in how good her body felt after what he’d done to her last night.

It had been years since she let someone close enough to touch her like that—ever since Lee, her friend who’d thought he could help her recover from the death of her husband and be her everything. Lee had been as perfect as a man could be—sweet, and strong, and loving—and he hadn’t done a single thing for her. It didn’t make any sense. Those were the qualities in Aiden that had made her heart speed up, but with Lee, she had to force herself to respond.

And when even that didn’t work, she
faked
it.

It was then that she’d finally had to face the facts—her grandmother was right. Everyone had one soul mate, and she’d lost hers forever. Addison rolled over and stretched. Last night hadn’t been sweet, not by a long shot. Caine had kissed her like he was never going to stop, and then he’d gone and done things to her body that had her shaking and fighting to not beg him to take it all the way. She hadn’t faked a single damn thing.

And he’d kept his word.

The sad fact was that if he’d looked at her sideways after that orgasm-to-end-all-orgasms, she would have done anything he wanted. More than that,
she
wanted. If he could make her feel so damn good with only his hands and mouth, how much better would it be if his whole body was involved? Even thinking about it made her shiver all over again.

Except he hadn’t looked at her sideways. He hadn’t taken advantage of the desire that turned her common sense inside out. He hadn’t even taken off her panties. All because he’d promised.

She didn’t know what to do with that.

No, that wasn’t true. She knew
exactly
what she wanted to do with Caine, which was the problem. Right now she had a choice—she could keep silently freaking out, or she could do something about it. Her traitorous brain offered up all sorts of scenarios that involved doing something with him, but she forcibly silenced it. She was not, under any circumstances, going to offer herself up for another round as soon as he got home. The fact that she wanted to so much was a problem, because she couldn’t pretend anymore that this thing with him wasn’t going to happen again—and escalate next time it did.

Which meant she had to get him matched sooner, rather than later.

The thought hurt, but she pushed that feeling away, too. This was sheer self-preservation, and she’d be a fool to give in to her desire for him. Doing that would lead to ruin for both of them.

Taking a deep breath, she started poking at the problem. Sarah was too uptight for him, which really meant she was too much
like
Caine. So he’d need someone who was a free thinker, someone who’d challenge him and expand his horizons. It’d be good for him, no matter how much he might initially hate it.

Addison stretched one last time and climbed out of bed. She needed her list. There were a couple who’d work, but she needed to find the right one or she’d end up in Caine’s bed faster than she could say “clusterfuck.”

It was tempting to make a detour to the massive kitchen and see if she could scrounge up some food, but she recognized it for the stalling tactic it was.
That
got her moving. She made her way to the room where she’d set up shop and froze at the sight of the cheery pink sticky note on top of her computer. It definitely hadn’t been there when she left the room last night.

She approached it like she would a snake, ready to spring back at the least provocation. Even as she did it, she recognized she was being completely irrational. It was just a sticky piece of paper. It couldn’t hurt her. But that didn’t stop adrenaline from pumping through her body as she stopped close enough to read the chicken scratch.

See you tonight
.

No signature, but he didn’t really need one, did he? She peeled it off the computer and stared hard. He had to be feeling pretty damn cocky right now. He’d gotten what he wanted, and he had to know exactly how twisted up she’d be over what they’d done. This was both a promise and a threat.

She couldn’t make herself throw it away, so she pressed it to the inside of the cover of the thriller she’d been slowing picking away at for the last few days. Then she opened her computer and tried not to panic. She had to get someone down here, and it had to be tonight. The alternative was too dangerous to consider.

A name practically jumped out at her as she scanned the list she’d made up. Rachel Hamilton. She remembered Rachel. The woman was a new client, barely with them two weeks, and she’d made a big impression when Addison interviewed her. She was a web designer and so peppy and sweet, it would take a meaner man than Caine to shut her down. In short, she was perfect.

She checked the time—early, but not too early for a phone call—and dialed. If she remembered correctly, Rachel was a night owl, but she should still be up by now. Hopefully. The phone barely rang twice when she answered, “Addison! It’s good to hear from you.”

It was like this with her every time they talked. She was the kind of person who’d never met a stranger, and Addison was pretty sure she could charm the birds from the trees if she ever tried. Caine wouldn’t know what hit him. Her chest panged at the thought, but she forced a smile into her voice. “I think I’ve found a man that might interest you.”

“Wow, that was fast. I’m in.”

She’d thought Rachel would say that. “Then I have a question for you… How do you feel about Tennessee?”

…

Caine got home, expecting to spend an evening slowly seducing Addison. What he met was chaos as soon as he walked through the door. He stopped to avoid getting run over by his woman with a phone, and then could only stare as Gollum trotted by, followed by her four pups. Sometime during the day, they had acquired collars, and he couldn’t help the small smile as he took in the colors—red, orange, blue, and purple. He’d bet they corresponded with their names. He started to greet Addison, but she held up a finger and turned away, still issuing instructions to whoever was on the other side of the phone call—something about a car pickup.

He crossed his arms over his chest and waited. Something was going on, and he wanted to know what. Though he had his suspicions. He’d thought that restraining himself last night would be enough to set them in the right direction, but apparently he’d been wrong. She was still going forward with her plan to match him with someone else.

She hung up the phone and spun on her heel, nearly running him over before she realized he wasn’t moving. “What are you doing still standing here? Go change.”

Damn it, he’d really hoped he wasn’t right. “Why do I need to change?”

“Because you’re almost late.” She glanced at her watch. “Correction, you
are
late. So please hurry.”

He wanted to shake her until she snapped out of the denial she seemed content to cloak herself in, but he suspected that would only make her dig in her heels harder. Caine turned away and stalked up the stairs, considering his next move. He couldn’t let this stand. None of these dates were going to succeed, because there was only one woman he was interested in. He grabbed the first colored shirt he found—a deep blue one—and shrugged it on. She wanted him to go on a date? Well, he’d damn well do just that.

But he wasn’t going alone.

By the time he made it back to the foyer, Addison was a mass of frantic energy, practically bouncing in place. She barely gave him a once-over before she opened the front door. “Try not to bore this one. She’s a nice lady.”

Caine stopped just this side of the threshold. “I make no promises.”

“Wait—what? Why would you say that?”

Because he was pissed, and growing more so by the second. “Well, you know me. I’m dull as a box of rocks. I’ll probably tell her about the new project set to break ground this spring. I’m sure she’ll like that.”

“You can’t!” She looked like she wanted to kick him in the shins. “Good God, this isn’t going to work if you’re not putting forth at least a little effort. I can’t do everything.”

“Then you should be there with me.”

Her gaze snapped back to him. “What?”

“I’m not getting in that goddamn car unless you’re coming along.” If she thought he was bluffing, she had another think coming. He wanted
her
, not some mystery woman she was sure was perfect for him. Would this new woman charge into his life and challenge him on a daily basis? He doubted it.

But the only way he could get Addison to see what a mistake this was would be for her to literally
see
it.

She shook her head. “I’m not going on a date with you and Rachel. What if you hit it off? Am I supposed to sit in the backseat as chaperone?” Something flickered through her eyes—
jealousy
—and he knew he had her.

“Of course not.” He wasn’t taking this other woman anywhere. “I’d call you a cab.”

There it was again. She didn’t like the idea of him with another woman any more than he did. “This is unacceptable.”

“It’s a shame she flew all the way down here for nothing.”

“You’re impossible. Fine. I’ll go to the restaurant, but that’s it. Get your ass in the car.” She grabbed his arm and towed him down the steps to where his Cadillac waited. She
had
been busy. When he held the door for her, she huffed out a breath and climbed into the passenger seat. It was everything he could do not to slam the door. Stubborn, idiotic woman.

“Now, I need you to remember…” She trailed off when he glared. “Never mind.”

They didn’t speak the rest of the way to the restaurant. His agitation only grew, no matter how much he tried to get control of it. It wasn’t this date’s fault that their matchmaker was determined to ignore all sanity and keep trying to set him up. He needed to have his shit together before he met her, because he wasn’t asshole enough to be a dick to an innocent.

No matter how angry he was.

The hostess’s smile dimmed at the look on his face, so apparently he wasn’t doing a great job of keeping his shit together. “I have a reservation. I need
her
”—he pointed at Addison—“set up in the room next door.”

“Sir, I can’t really…” She gulped when he shoved two hundreds into her hand. “I’ll take care of that immediately.”

“Thank you.”

Addison spun on him as soon as she disappeared. “You scared her.”

“She’ll survive.”

“I don’t know what your problem is, but—”

“You want to know my problem, darlin’?” He stepped into her, so close they almost touched, so close her breath caught and her pupils dilated. “My problem is that a little over twenty-four hours ago, I had you on my table and coming against my mouth. And now you’re shoving me at the first available woman you can find.”

A throat clearing had him tearing his gaze away from her—a blessing, because if he had another second, he’d kiss her and then it would be all over. The hostess watched them with wide eyes. “I have your rooms ready.”

“Thank you.” He moved after her, leaving Addison to follow or be left behind. The room contained a single table set for two and was decorated with warm gold and red, the low light designed to flatter. He moved to the adjoining door and opened it in time to see her take a seat.

She immediately jumped to her feet. “Now listen—”

“You can yell at me later.” It was far too satisfying to cut her off. “You wouldn’t want to interfere with my
date
, would you?”

For a second he thought—hoped—she’d keep going, but she took a deep breath, smoothed down her green dress, and sank gracefully into her seat. “Of course not.”

“I thought so.” He left the door cracked and moved to his own seat. The hostess reappeared a few minutes later, this time with a brunette in tow. Caine stood because it was the polite thing to do, and even managed a smile.

She grinned in return, the expression lighting up her face. “I’m Rachel. You must be Caine.” She really was a pretty little thing, her brunette hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail that exposed her model-like cheekbones.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“Sure.” She sank into the chair he pulled out for her. “Addison was right, you really are gorgeous.”

What the hell was he supposed to say to that? “Thank you.”

“No, thank you.” She laughed. “I’m sorry. She told me not to be too forward, but I don’t get to interact with people face-to-face all that often, so I’m out of practice. And really, what’s the point in pretending I’m suave and polished? If we spend any amount together, you’ll figure it out for a lie, and I’d rather just be honest to begin with.”

He laughed. “That’s a refreshing way to look at it. And I’m familiar with Addison’s pep talks.”

“Really?” Rachel leaned forward. It was a move that, on anyone else, he’d suspect was meant to draw his eye down the long line of her body, but she seemed completely oblivious to her charm. “You seem pretty put-together. What could she possibly have to correct you on?”

“Would you like a list?” Had he imagined the huff from the other room? He didn’t think so. “Apparently I’m intimidating, and wear too much gray.”

“Oh dear. I’d think both those things would be assets.”

“That’s what I told her. She didn’t listen, though. She even bought me a damn dog.”