Bringing Home a Bachelor

“Have you changed your mind?” Pete asked, again. “It’s okay if you have.”

She moistened her lips with her tongue, still staring at his cock, knowing that her body was more than ready for him.

He forced her chin up, gently, but she wouldn’t meet his eyes. Her pulse beat triple time.

“If you haven’t changed your mind,” he said softly, “then I want you to do something for me. I want you to lie back right now, on the bed, and spread your legs. Open your thighs, like the dirty girl you were pretending to be … open them all the way, until I can see pink.”

Shocked, her gaze flew to meet his, but she looked away just as fast. Her breathing had gone fast and shallow, her pulse haywire. Those lighting streaks were coming in clusters, assaulting her erogenous zones.

“Pink,” he repeated. “I want to see you. I want to stroke

you. I want to taste you. And then I’m going to make love to you.”

She thought she might come on the spot, just from his words.

“So what’s it gonna be, Mel? Hmm?”

To hell with shame …

She followed instinct.

She lay down for him.

She spread her thighs.

4

MELINDA WAS LAID OUT like a banquet in front of him, and Pete shook his head, a little dazed by the sight. Was it the champagne or pure lust that fogged his brain?

He eased himself onto the bed, noting her self-conscious blush. “You’re beautiful,” he said softly. “Do you know that?”

Her blush only intensified. She moved a shoulder ever so slightly, saying nothing, but everything.

And it got to him. Pete’s heart turned over. “We’ve got to do something about this,” he said firmly. “Right now.”

Mel shot him a puzzled glance and tried to close her legs, which didn’t work well since Pete moved quickly to position himself between them. He sat back on his heels, then ran his hands from her knees up to her thighs, his thumbs tracing the sensitive flesh on either side of her mons.

She shivered as he caressed her lightly there; let out a soft gasp. She parted her lips; so did he, rubbing a little more firmly against the slickness and paying special attention to the small nub that he knew would bring her the most pleasure.

“You like that?” he asked, as she pushed against him unconsciously. Her eyes had fallen closed and her breathing hitched.

“Yes …”

“I like it, too. You know you’re beautiful?”

Mel’s mouth twisted; again, she made no comment, and again, it bothered him. He slipped a finger inside her while still stroking that little fold of flesh. Tight, hot, wet, welcoming: the crazy mystery of a woman, the innermost cave that drew a man.

A small moan escaped her, and he smiled, knowing he was bringing her pleasure. Pete came forward on his knees and bent his head to her breasts, taking one into his mouth while still working his magic between her legs.

Her body began to tremble in mounting tension as he sucked, and he took his hand from between her legs, placing it instead on her other breast. He didn’t want her coming too early.

She made a sound of protest but quieted as he slid his cock against her, teasing and exploring. She tried to guide him inside her, but he took her hands away. “This is for you,” he said. “I want this to be all about you.”

There were dozens of questions in her eyes, but he ignored them. He kissed her, tasting the champagne on her lips along with something sweet that was pure Mel. He wanted more of it. He slid his tongue into her mouth to explore, and denied his body’s insistence on doing the same further south.

He kept teasing her there, though, and moved his mouth to her nipples again, abrading them lightly, sucking until she wrapped her legs around him and whispered, “Please …”

He wasn’t ready to indulge her yet. “Say this aloud, Mel. Say, ‘I’m beautiful.’ I want to hear you.”

“Pete, come on,” she muttered, the blush beginning to reappear.

“Come on, what? I want you to say it.”

“I’m not saying that.” She reached for his cock and wrapped her fingers around it.

Yeah, oh yeah, his body said.

“No, Mel, you can’t have it yet,” his mouth said.

Dumb ass, said his body.

“Tell me you’re beautiful.”

She let go of him and lay her head back on the pillow, clearly frustrated. “I’m not playing this game with you, Pete.”

“It’s not a game,” he said, stung.

“I’m not trading cheesy affirmations for … for—”

“Cheesy affirmations? Melinda, I just wanted you to acknowledge something which happens to be true.” He stared down at her.

“It’s not true, and we both know it!” she snapped.

“Yeah, darlin,’ it is. Clearly you haven’t been looking in any mirrors lately.”

“Spare me. Really. Spare me the bad lines, Mr. Customer Service.” She sat up, clearly with the intent of getting out of bed.

Pete had never been naked, fully erect and this instantly angry before in his life. Maybe it was the years of smiling in the face of hotel-guest abuse, or maybe it was having his kindness thrown back into his face. Maybe it was this particular woman.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back down on the mattress, ignoring the shock in her eyes as she struggled against him.

“Listen to me, Melinda. You can have a complex about your weight if you want to. You can be self-conscious and awkward—that’s your choice. But what you cannot do is call me a liar. Understand?”

She just stared up at him, wide-eyed.

“Does this—” he gestured bitterly at his raging erection “—does this look like customer service to you?”

She opened her mouth but only a squeak came out.