The Winston Brothers - Tangled Sheets Part 4

"Hmmm?" he muttered, distracted by the taste and texture and scent of her skin. The fact that this was his Sophie sharpened the pleasure to a keen edge.

"Will you take off your shirt, too?"

Hehesitated, afraid he might lose control if she started touching him too much.But her eyes were soft and huge, inquisitive and excited, and he couldn't resist. His heart pounding, he unb.u.t.toned his shirt and shrugged it off, then peeled his T-shirt over his head. He dropped them both on the floor. Sophie's gaze moved over him, warm and intimate.

"You can touch me, honey."

Still, she seemed timid, so he took her hand in his, kissed her palm,then laid it flat on his chest. Sophie licked her lips as she tentatively stroked him. "You're so warm and hard."

He laughed. Hot was a more apt description, and there was no questioning how hard he was. It felt like his jeans would split at any minute. He ruthlessly maintained his control and started on the side b.u.t.ton to her skirt.

"Cole..." Shestiffened, anxiety in her tone.

"I want to see you, baby,"He searched her expression and read so much nervousness there ,he paused . Cupping her face and leaning close, he whispered, "You're very s.e.xy. I could spend a lifetime looking at you and it wouldn't be enough."

Her small hands curled over his wrists. "And we certainly don't have a lifetime, do we?I... I'm leaving in just a few days."

When would she give up that ridiculous tale? At this point, it almost annoyed him. It was so difficult not to call her by name, not to admit how much he cared. But this was her show, he reminded himself, and he was determined to let her play it as she chose, at the same time, helping to meet her goals, to give her everything she'd ever wanted. "Are you sure you won't be able to stay in town awhile?"

"No." She interrupted him quickly, firmly,then stepped against him to wrap her arms tight around his waist. "No, we can have tonight, but that's all I need.Just one night.An exciting experience for both of us, but no more than that."

His confidence started to dip. Had he misread her? Did Sophie truly only want a very brief affair?

Not even that, he thought, as her wordsjust one night reverberated in his brain. Maybe, unlike him, she had stayed single by choice. G.o.d knew,the woman was more than attractive enough to draw men in droves.He'd seen the underlying sensuality beneath her quiet persona, so it stood to reason other men would have seen it as well.

Even Zane had commented that she was a looker, and he was a connoisseur of women.

Anger washed over him. Her ruse no longer seemed so touchingly sweet, and he was met with a new determination, one to make her so deliriously satisfied, so sated with his lovemaking, shewouldn't be able to deny him ever again. He would give her what she wanted and more. Before the night was over,she'd be as addicted as he.

One night h.e.l.l.

'Take off the skirt, sweetheart. Let me touch you."The growled words hung heavy between them until finally Sophie released her death grip on him and lifted her head. Cole stepped back just enough to allow her to move freely.

Her eyes looked more gray than blue as they held his, looking for rea.s.surance. At his smile, she carefully released the b.u.t.ton to the waistband of the skirt and slid the zipper down. It immediately dropped over her slim hips to layer around her ankles. Cole took her hand and she stepped out of it, leaving her shoes behind as well.

The dark, s.e.xy stockings covering her long, slender legs were enough to make him groan, but it was the sight of her narrow waist, her flat belly, that shook his control. Her panties were pale, and the small triangle of chestnut curlscould be seen beneath the sheer material, taunting him, making his palms burn with the need to touch her.

"Christ, you're beautiful."

Hehadn't realized she'd been holding her breath until she let it out in a long shaky sigh. "I wasn't sure what you would think-"

"I think I'm one lucky b.a.s.t.a.r.d," he muttered, his tone none too steady. "Come here, honey."

Hedidn't mean to be rough, to startle her, but he didn't think he could take much more.He'd been imagining this moment for almost seven months, and the reality was much sweeter than any fantasy he'd dredged up. He supposed it was because he genuinely cared about her, because he liked and respected her, that s.e.x between them seemed like so much more. To him, laying her down and burying himself in her would be more than physical, it would be emotional and mental, too, a bonding of more than just their bodies.

The softness of her skin drew him, and he touched her everywhere, his hands gliding over her shoulders, her waist,the back of her thighs above the stockings. He pulled his mouth away from hers as he slid both rough palms into her panties, cuddling her small b.u.t.tocks. Sophie stiffened, and he kissed her ear,then nipped the lobe. She gasped and her fingers contracted on his arms.

"I like that," she whispered.

He smiled despite his roaring l.u.s.t. "This?" he asked as he stroked her silky bottom again."Or this?" His teeth closed carefully on her earlobe as his tongue teased. She arched against him.

"Yes, that."

"There are other places to nibble, you know. Places you'll like even more."

"Oh?" She was breathless, trembling all over. Keeping one hand on her bottom to hold her close, Cole slid the other hand back up her side until her reached her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. With only one flick, he opened her skimpy bra.

They both groaned as he cuddled the soft, delicate weight of one warm breast in his hand. She gave a rough purr of feminine pleasure but jerked slightly as he caught her stiff nipple between his fingertips and rolled.

"There's here, too." With that warning, he bent his head and caught the tip of her breast between his teeth, flicking with his tongue, just ashe'd done to her earlobe. Sophie grabbed his head, her fingers tight in his hair as she cried out. Cole opened his mouth wide and drew her in, sucking strongly. His hands closed on her waist and he backed her to the nearest wall,then stepped between her thighs, deliberately forcing her legs wide.

His hand moved down her waist, over her belly, and his fingertips toyed with the edge of her panties. Sophie shivered and moaned, and he knew he was tormenting her as much ashimself. Just as his fingers dippedinside he kissed her again, swallowing her moan of pleasure.

She was warm, wet, her tender flesh swollen, and his fingers gently caressed her until she was panting, her face pressed to his throat, her fingers grasping his biceps.

"Right here, honey," he whispered as he used his middle finger to ply her tiny, swollen c.l.i.toris.

"Oh G.o.d..." Her body jerked in reaction, pressing hard against him.

Cole kissed his way back to her ear, his teeth once again catching the lobe. His tongue stroked just as his finger did, and Sophiewasn't too innocent to realize the parody of what he did. She clutched at him and her hips began to move in tandem with the rhythm he set.

She was close, and he knew it. It surprised him, her immediate, unsparing reaction to him. It also made him nearly wild with l.u.s.t.He'd always a.s.sumed Sophie had hidden depths, that once unleashed, her pa.s.sion would be savage and uninhibited. His entire body pulsed with each small shudder she gave, each deep, raw moan.And when he whispered, "You would taste so sweet. Can you imagine my mouth here, honey, my tongue touching and licking-" she gave a stifled scream and climaxed.

Cole held her close, keeping the wild pleasure intense until she whimpered and slumped into him, utterly drained. Blood pounded through his veins, roaring in his ears. He scooped her up and hurried into his bedroom. He lowered her to the bed, laying her on top of the cool quilts, his own body coming down to cover hers.

He kissed her long and deep, caressing her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, her thighs,her belly. He leaned back to look at her, then removed her open bra and finished stripping her panties down her legs. She turned her face away, breathing shakily.

"You're perfect, sweetheart." What an understatement.He'd never seen a woman who stirred him like this one did. He kissed her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, sucking and nipping, his mouth gentle,his tongue rough. Sophie's body seemed tobe designed with his sensual specifications in mind. He felt a near frenzy of need, but Sophie lay sated and limp beneath him, one hand in his hair, idly stroking. He shoved up to his side, pulled a condom from his jeans pocket,then held it in his teeth while he struggled out of the rest of his clothes.

His shoes went across the room when he kicked them off. He stood to shuck his jeans down his legs, and then turned back to Sophie. She immediately protested.

"I didn't get to see you," she said with a s.e.xy pout.

Despite his need, Cole chuckled and moved her thighs apart, situating her for lovemaking."Whereas I can see you very well. All of you," he added in a low, breathless growl, looking at her damp, soft curls and the tender flesh they protected. She still wore her stockings and the wisp of a garter belt, and she was so incredibly s.e.xy he nearly lost his control. His fingers stroked over her again, easily now with her recent o.r.g.a.s.m, feeling her slick dampness, her heat. Her modesty was gone and she simply allowed him to look, to touch. The sight helped to curb his rush. He could look at her forever and be happy.

Shewasn't willing to give him forever.d.a.m.n this game.

She stretched like a small cat and smiled at him. "It's hardly fair, you know. I've been very curious about your body."

"You'll see me soon enough." He tore the silver package open and slipped the condom on."But not now because I can't wait."

He caught her legs in the crook of his elbows and bent low over her, leaving her totally exposed and vulnerable to his possession. Sophie grabbed his shoulders to hold on, her eyes wide and dark,her breath coming in small, anxious pants. He probably should have taken more care, treated her more gently, with more restriction. Instead, he held her wide open and watched as he entered her body, as her delicate flesh gave way to his, slowly allowing him entrance. His muscles clenched even more, his heart thumping heavily. She was tight, resisting him, and he flexed his b.u.t.tocks, forcing his way forward.

She said his name on a low moan.

"G.o.d, you're snug," he whispered through clenched teeth, and his forehead was damp with sweat. Sophie tipped her head back, biting her lip and squeezing her eyes shut. A rosy flush spread from her b.r.e.a.s.t.s to her throat and cheeks, not embarra.s.sment, but sharp arousal. It fedhis own . And then he sank into her, her body finally accepting his, squeezing him like a hot, wet, hungry fist.

He knew, of course, that shewasn't overly experienced, that she was mostly shy and withdrawn and therefore probably not all that practiced with men.But he hadn't expected her to be like this, so tight that he had to wonder if any other man had ever had her. The thought that he was the first, that she'd waited twenty-six years for him, broke his control, overwhelming him with a tidal wave of feelings he couldn't name and wasn't ready to deal with.

He withdrew, only to rock into her again, slow at first, but then harder and faster. "I'm sorry, baby," he said between rushing breaths, "I can't wait."

With no apparent complaints, Sophie reached for him, drawing his mouth down to hers, kissing him with a hunger that matched his own. Her small, feminine muscles held him tight, resisting each time he pulled away, then gladly squeezing as he pushed deep back into her, milking him, making him wild. When she pressed her head back, groaning in another immediate climax, Cole followed her. His mind went blank, his vision blurred, and his body burned. He felt a part of her, her scent in his head, his heart. He pounded heavily into her slim body until finally, he stiffened and his body shook as he emptied himself. He stayed suspended like that for long moments,then slowly collapsed against her.

Their rapid heartbeats mingled, and he could feel her breathing in his ear, soft, fast breaths.G.o.d, he loved her . The possessiveness nearly choked him; he wanted badly to whisper her name, to tell her how their lives would be from now on. To make her admit she cared also.

He'dgladly given up his personal life to care for his brothers. In that time, no woman had really appealed to him, to tempt him from his duty.But now he was free, and Sophie was here, as if sent by fate just when he was ready for her and needed her most. He wanted her, now and always.But he held back the words of commitment, unsure of her and how she would take such a declaration when she'd been so insistent on their time limit.

Slowly, carefully, he untangled his arms from her legs and heard her moan as her legs dropped.He'd been too rough, moved too fast for her, but she hadn't complained.

He managed a kiss to her neck by way of apology, but his mind was too sluggish, too affected, to do more than that. Her fingers sifted through his damp hair, and he could feel her smile where her mouth touched his shoulder.

"I hadn't imagined anything like that."

How the h.e.l.lcould she form coherent words? Cole struggled up onto his elbows and looked down at her, still breathing hard. She appeared smug and very satisfied. "So you thought it was okay?" he teased.

"Incredible."

He felt like a world conqueror at her words. He brushed his fingertips over her swollen lips. "I'm glad. I thinkyou're pretty d.a.m.ned special, too. I always have."

She stilled for just a moment, her eyes wary. Her tongue came out to touch nervously on her lower lip, and sheaccidently licked against his finger. They both shuddered in reaction. "We only met a few days ago."

He was still inside her, her naked b.r.e.a.s.t.s flattened against the hardness of his chest, their pulses still too fast, and she continued the ridiculous game. She should have been admitting the truth to him by now.He'd all but told her how he felt.

Unless, of course, shedidn't feel the same. If what her a.s.sistant, Allison, had said was true, her life had been so quiet, sosedate, she may have just hungered for a quick bite of adventure. Did she truly want him as a one-night stand?He'd a.s.sumed she'd concocted the absurd plan because she was unsure of herself and him.But it was possible the opposite was true, that she didn't hope for more involvement, but rather a guarantee of less. His stomach cramped at the possibility.

"Cole?"

"I was just thinking. It seems like I've known you a long time."

"Maybe that's because you've known Sophie. But we're nothing alike."

He smoothed her dark hair away from her face, wishing there was some simple, magical way to figure

her out.He'd never suspected that his Sophie might be so contrary and complex. "I don't know about that," he whispered. "Sophie is-"

She laughed, interrupting him and quickly changing the subject before he could say the words that he

desperately wanted to say, words he hoped would rea.s.sure her and gain a reciprocal declaration. "Are

you ever going to get around to taking my picture?" Momentarilydistracted, he teased, "Like this?" He looked her over leisurely, the wild tangle of her hair,her sated gaze,the way her limbs were entwined with his. His hand smoothed over her hip. "You'd be awinner for sure."

She smiled. "How about just a head shot?"

He pretended disappointment. "I suppose it'll have to do." He pulled away, letting his hand linger on her thigh for a heart-stopping moment. "Don't move."

"I'm not sure I even can."But she did turn toward him, propping her head up on an elbow. "Where are

you going?"

"I have a camera here."

Cole disposed of the condom,then slipped on his jeans before rummaging in his closet for the instamatic

camera. He looked up to see Sophie posed there, her hair wild, the quilts rumpled beneath her, one long, stocking-clad leg bent, the lacy garter still in place. A new wave of heat hit him. She was his. One way or another,he'd make her admit it.

"I should have gone slower, played longer," he said as he surveyed the feast she made.

"Why didn't you?"

He shook his head and came to sit on the edge of the bed. "Because you made me so crazy I couldn't

even think straight, much less wait very long. I meant to make our first time together really special."

She laughed. "You haven't heard me complaining, have you?"

He'dnever imagined Sophie with that particular impish smile. He kissed her, loving her more with each

pa.s.sing moment. "So you feel satisfied?" She stretched again."Absolutely. It was more thanI'd ever imagined. So stop worrying." "All right."It was easy to convince him since hedidn't want to waste a single second with her by debating the issue. The night was still youngenough, he'd have plenty of time to prove his point to her. He lifted the camera to his eye, sending her squawking and screeching, grabbing for the sheet. "Cole, wait! I have to comb my hair. I'm a wreck." "No, you're beautiful." She crossed her arms over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and laughed at him, andthat's the picture he took. When it slid out of the camera, he lifted it out of her reach,then stood to put it on his dresser.

"Don't you dare consider hanging thatanywhere! "

"I'm keeping that one for myself."

She relaxed again and studied him, her expression going soft and curious. "Why?"

"So I can look at you whenever I want." That was the truth, though not nearly close to how deeply he felt about it. "Now, if you want to put your blouse on and comb your hair before I take the entry picture, that's fine, but I swear you don't need it."

"I'm going to do it anyway."

He chuckled at her show of prim vanity."All right.I'll go get us something to drink. You have about three minutes."

He was back in two, and Sophie had just begun to untangle her hair.She still feltlanguorous and warm and sated. She wanted nothing more than to curl back up on the bed with Cole and do all those things they'd already done, plus more. The bed smelled like him, and she could have snuggled into it forever. She pondered the possibility of stealing one of his pillows, but knewshe'd be found out. She glanced at the clock and wanted to cry over the amount of time that had already pa.s.sed them by.