Sweet Harmony (15 page)

Jeff chuckled and then lifted her head so she had to look at him. “Now that’s an offer I can’t refuse.”

“Good, because otherwise saying that would have been super embarrassing.”

Jeff laughed again. “I want to lick you everywhere too,” he said. “So what are we waiting for?”

“Christmas?”

“No way . . . much too long of a wait. I want you now.”

Love Me Do

J
EFF TOSSED HIS HEAD BACK AND LAUGHED AGAIN. GOD
,
I love you
slammed into his brain and nearly slid out of his mouth, but he caught himself just in time. It dawned on Jeff that he did love Cat, or at least he was falling hard. Being with her was like being on a runaway train that he was unable to stop. But he realized he didn’t want to. “Grab your purse and your guitar,” he said and then grabbed her free hand.

“You’re awfully bossy.”

“You like it.”

“I do not,” Cat insisted, but followed him down the dimly lit hallway. When she clung to his hand he remembered that she was afraid of the dark and he pulled her closer to his side. Once they were outdoors they jogged over to his truck. He opened her door and took her guitar, placing it and his own in the extended cab behind them. “Hop on in.”

Cat laughed when Jeff made gravel fly in an effort to go fast. “Trying to impress me, country boy?”

“Not yet, but that will happen soon enough.”

“Right.” Cat made a scoffing sound but held on tight while he sped off down the road but turned away before the front entrance.

“Where are you going?”

Jeff grinned her way. “Taking a little shortcut.”

“Little shortcut?”

“Big shortcut.”

She lifted her hand to point out the front window. “But . . . there’s no, you know . . .
road
.”

“This truck is four-wheel drive, city girl. Just hold on tight.”

“You don’t scare me.”

“Ha,” Jeff said and did a donut in the middle of a field.

Jeff laughed when Cat squealed and clamped one hand on the dash and the other on the armrest.

“Really?”

“Really.”

“You want more?”

“Give it to me, baby,” she boasted, but he figured he would find fingernail marks on his dash the next day.

“You know I can’t resist a dare.” He took her across bumpy terrain, over hills and splashing through a shallow creek bed. At one point she bounced up so far from the seat that she bumped her head on the roof and yelped. “You need me to take it easy on you?”

“Never!”

“Are you gonna get sick?”

“Maybe.” She laughed but Jeff took it easier the rest of the way. Still, they ended up at his cabin in half the time it should have taken them to get there. Jeff ran around to her side, helped her down, and grabbed her hand. They jogged up to his front door, which was unlocked, and they all but tumbled inside his cabin. He dipped his head and kissed her, pedaling backward and turning sideways, nearly taking out a lamp. They somehow made it to his bedroom. He tapped the round light switch on the wall, turning it to bathe the room in a soft glow.

Still kissing, they fell onto the bed in a tangle of arms, legs, and locked lips. When they fell apart, Cat laughed and the throaty, sexy sound made Jeff’s pulse pound even harder.

And suddenly he wanted to slow things down and savor each little detail. Jeff rolled to his side and propped himself up on his elbow. “How’s your broken finger?”

“Still broken, I think,” she said, and he kissed it.

“All better now?”

“No . . . kiss it again,” she said in a husky voice filled with emotion.

He traced the outline of her lips with a fingertip and then trailed his fingers lightly down her chin and over her neck.

“When you touch me, I melt,” she said with a shiver. “Is it some kind of superpower you have?”

“I hope so. With you, anyway.” He played with the elastic of her peasant blouse, dipping his finger beneath the edge until he felt the lace of her bra. She sucked in a sharp breath, arched her back, and when he tugged the soft material downward off one shoulder Jeff had to lean in and taste her skin. He kissed and then nipped, tugging the material down inch by inch until he exposed part of her black lacy bra. “You’re gorgeous, Cat.” He looked into her expressive green eyes and was surprised to see a question.

“Am I?” she whispered.

“Surely you know . . .” Jeff replied, but when he expected a flippant remark or a joke she lowered her lashes and swallowed.

“Funny—I spent a lifetime longing to fit in, but I was always gangly, awkward . . . forgetful and so insecure. I never really thought anyone would find me beautiful . . . only funny.”

“Well, think again.”

She looked at him and smiled. “Maria told me that the only skin I needed to fit into was my own.”

Jeff traced his finger over her collarbone and over the swell of her breasts. “I agree. Now, that being said, I fully admit that I’ve never known anyone remotely like you.”

“You mean that in a good way, right?”

“Mostly.”

She slid a glance his way.

“I wouldn’t change a thing,” he said. “Not one damned thing.”

Cat raised her hands and cupped his cheeks. “Kiss me, Jeff. Just kiss me.”

“Ah . . . Cat.” He lowered his head and captured her mouth in a tender, lingering kiss. He wanted her to know that this was more to him than a quick tumble in his bed. He cared about her, worried about her. “If anybody even looks at you wrong, there would be hell to pay.”

“Are you going to start beating your chest?”

“Maybe.”

Cat chuckled low in her throat. “That’s actually quite a turn-on.”

“Good, that’s my goal,” he said, but he looked at her with serious eyes. “But I mean it.”

“I know,” she answered softly. “You make me feel safe and that’s no easy feat,” she said. There was something in her eyes that made him want to know more, but she smiled and gave him a long, lingering kiss.

And after singing “Jackson” with her tonight he knew they had something unique onstage. They had chemistry. They clicked. He couldn’t deny that they had potential to become something special, lasting. He just didn’t know what to do about it. For now he just wanted this amazing woman in his arms in his bed and hopefully the rest would find a way to fall into place. Jeff pulled back and ran his tongue over her wet bottom lip. “I want to make love to you all night long.”

“Do you think that’s possible?”

“I hear a challenge in that question.”

“Are you up for it?”

Jeff glanced down and nodded. “Definitely,” he said with a laugh. “Ah, but first take your clothes off for me, Cat. I want to see all of you.”

“Okay,” she said softly. She scooted off the bed and stood up. She took off her boots and kicked them to the side, then turned to him. “Help me,” she said, raising her arms above her head. “I’m a little . . . shaky.”

Her soft admission was like a zip line going straight to Jeff’s heart. He found her honesty sweet and so genuine. He scooted to the edge of the bed and tugged her blouse over her head. Leaning forward, he reached around her back and unclasped her bra and when her breasts tumbled free he sucked in a breath. He cupped the fullness, and when he rubbed his thumbs over her nipples her head tilted to the side and she moaned.

“That feels . . . delicious.”

Jeff took a nipple into his mouth, licked and then sucked. When he nipped lightly she cried out and threaded her fingers through his hair, offering him more. “Tastes delicious too,” he murmured. Jeff put his hands on her ass and pulled her even closer and then, while feasting on her breasts, first one and then the other, he found her belt buckle and made quick work of sliding her hip-hugger jeans down, revealing a black lace thong. “I wondered all damned night after you teased me with peeks, but dear God . . .” He toyed with the lace and then slipped his finger beneath the patch of satin, finding her oh so wet. “Were you teasing me on purpose?”

“Yes. Did it work?”

“You know the answer. Colin told me to give you a taste of your own medicine.”

“Is that what this is all about?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I’m not cured yet so keep going . . . Ahhhh . . .”

Jeff laughed. He wanted to flip her onto the bed and sink into her silky heat but when she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth he was powerless to stop stroking her
flesh. Cat grabbed his shoulders, digging in her fingers while he caressed her through the black satin. And then with one quick movement he tugged the thong down and kissed her there. She gasped but then moved seductively against him. Jeff held her close and licked her sweet, silky hot core until she threaded her fingers in his hair and moaned.

“You . . . That’s . . . Oh!” Cat cried out and her knees buckled. When she fell against him he turned her over onto the bed. He tugged her thong all the way off and tossed it over his head before pausing to drink in the sight of her lying in his bed. She looked up at him with eyes that were a little bit dazed. With her flushed cheeks, heavy-lidded gaze, and wet mouth, she looked so damned sexy that Jeff heard himself groan. Her body, while toned and fit, had an abundance of curves rather than bones and sharp angles. She was truly perfection in his eyes but it went beyond the physical. He simply liked being with her and when he wasn’t with her all he did was think about her. Cat Carson was never far from his mind.

“I want to take your clothes off but I’m not sure I can move just yet,” she admitted, making Jeff grin. She came up to her elbows. “No, I’m serious. I don’t think I can move. Even this was difficult. What did you do to me?”

Jeff’s grin widened. “Rocked your world and I plan on doing the same thing over and over in many different ways.”

“Dear God . . .” She fell back onto the bed and moaned up at the ceiling. “What next?”

“I think there was mention of licking your body
all
over. Are you ready?” Jeff asked as he tossed his shirt over his shoulder. After he tugged off his boots, the rest of his clothes joined the pile.

“I’m ready.”

“Me too,” he said and joined her on the bed. He ran his hands over her body until he felt goose bumps and a little shiver. “Cold?”

“Yeah, warm me up, would you?”

“Gladly.” When he caressed her breasts, she sucked in a breath and he knew she was ready for him once more. After rolling on a condom he covered her body with his and kissed her deeply. And then, threading his fingers with hers, he raised her hands above her head and entered her in one sure stroke.

“Oh!” Cat curled her fingers over his and held on while he moved in a slow and steady rhythm. She arched her hips as if wanting more of him . . . all of him, and he gave it to her. When she wrapped her long legs around him, Jeff stroked harder, deeper, loving the feel of being inside her sweet, silky heat. Jeff held back until he felt her body shudder, and then he let go, feeling pleasure erupt in a long, hot explosion.

Jeff stayed there, buried deep, and kept Cat flush against his body. He could feel the rapid beat of her heart and when she kissed his chest Jeff felt a warm rush of tenderness. He rolled to the side and held her against him.

“That was . . .” she trailed off, and Jeff smiled.

“Nice?”

“Mmm, yes, very nice. No—better than nice. I would elaborate but my mind is blown right now.”

Jeff laughed. He loved her candor, her willingness to be honest. “And we’re just getting started.”

“I need a moment . . . to regroup.”

“I understand. I’ll be right back,” he said and headed for the bathroom. When he returned Jeff pulled Cat next to him and held her closely. With a sigh, she snuggled against him, and when she put her head on his shoulder and laid her hand on his chest, he felt relaxed and content. He’d never been a one-night stand kind of guy, so this was a game changer and she needed to know it. After a few minutes he said, “I can’t fight how I feel about you any longer, Cat.”

“Me neither.” She kissed his neck and started drawing little circles on his chest. “So what are you saying?”

“Let’s give it a shot.” Jeff’s heart thumped while he waited for her answer.

“Okay, but not tequila, because it makes me crazy and I throw up.”

Jeff chuckled but then kissed the top of her head. “This won’t be easy. There are complications.”

“I know,” she said softly.

“But I want to get to know you more. I . . . I already care about you, Cat.”

The circle drawing stopped and she propped up on her elbow. “Well, then, we should all
drift
.”

“What does that even mean?”

“Well, when I went white-water rafting last year there were some pretty intense level four and five rapids. After coming through them to the calm waters, the guide would tell us to lift our paddles out and . . .
all drift
. To relax and let the current take us forward.”

“Ah, so we should all drift and see where this takes us?” Jeff asked.

“Precisely. There will be some rough water. We already know that going in, but if we can make it through, then we’ll be fine.” She rubbed her fingertip over the stubble on his cheeks.

“We’ll make it through,” Jeff said firmly and then gave her a light kiss. He pulled back and looked at her. “So I have to know. How did the white-water rafting excursion pan out for you?”

“Oh, I fell in twice and had to be rescued with a rope at one point. Apparently that’s rarely done.”

Jeff pictured the situation and chuckled. “That’s why you have to wear the helmet?”

“Are you surprised?”

“Nope. Just how did you manage to fall in?”

“Apparently you’re not supposed to stand up and point to a bald eagle.”

“You saw a bald eagle?”

“Well, no, but I thought it was one. But I did see one
later when the guide pointed it out. Excitement overtook me and, well, cue my second big splash.” She grinned. “But hey, I survived, didn’t I?”

“You did, and made the excursion more memorable for everyone involved, I imagine. And by the way, I would have jumped in to save you.”

“Ah, then you would have broken one of the many rules imposed upon us. Rafters are only supposed to extend their paddle if someone falls overboard and not jump in and attempt rescue.”

“I don’t care,” Jeff said firmly, almost dropping an
I love you
but caught himself again.

“I believe you.” Cat snuggled closer and whispered, “All drift, Jeff . . .”

A moment later he felt her breathing soft and evenly and knew she’d fallen asleep. He smiled, thinking he’d let her rest for now. And then he planned to make sweet love to her until the roosters starting crowing.