Secretly Hers (Sterling Canyon) (6 page)

“Bored?” She cocked her head, annoyed. When he started fiddling with a pink eraser, she asked, “Why would I be bored?”

“Because everyone who gets married ends up bored. One person—forever?” He tossed aside the eraser he’d been tapping on the desk. “Good God, I’m bored even thinking about it.”

“Naturally
you’re
bored. You can’t even be with the same woman for a whole weekend.” His unrepentant shrug prompted her to lean forward. “You may be proud of that fact, but it tells me you only have a few moves and no imagination.”

His cocky expression transformed to heated indignation and then something . . . else. He hooked his foot around the leg of her chair and yanked it toward his own. After planting his hands on the arms of her chair and caging her with his body, he murmured, “Honey, you can’t throw down a challenge like that unless you’re willing to let me prove you wrong.”

Before she could respond, he unclipped her hair and ran his fingers through her curls. Every hair on her body vibrated in anticipation as his gaze dropped to her mouth.

Bewildered. Excited. Confused. A little terrified. The conflicting emotions coursed through her veins, making the one at the base of her neck throb so hard she thought it might burst.

“Tri—” she began, but he silenced her with a breathtaking kiss. Firm, a little rough, a whole lotta hot. She didn’t want his kiss, or at least she hadn’t been angling for one, and yet its carnal power swept her away.

He groaned, making her heart thunder. In a fluid movement, he lifted her as if she weighed no more than a Styrofoam cup, plunking her bottom onto the desk. Settling his hips between her legs, he dragged her to the edge of the desk, using his hands to coax her legs around his waist. He crushed her against his body while hungrily kissing her mouth, jaw, and neck.

Whatever happened in the future, she could no longer make wisecracks about his skill. Her entire body burned like she’d been thrown in front of a bonfire.

His hands were everywhere—seeking, touching, kneading—turning her on way more than she could handle. Granted, it had been a while since she’d been with a man, but the way he overpowered her, took what he wanted, and knew what to do with it, well, it unleashed yearning buried deep inside, which took hold like some kind of drug.

He broke the kiss to catch his breath, then immediately pressed his mouth to her neck. She gasped as he pulled her closer to his body. He practically growled when the hard ridge of his erection rubbed against her panties, making her wet and needy and panicked.

This could not happen. Not here and now.

Not with
Trip
, of all men.

That thought broke through her lusty haze so she shoved at his chest. “Wait.”

“Why?” He barely got the word out as he continued his hot assault on her body, his thumbs now circling her nipples through the fabric of her dress. “Let’s do this, Kelsey. We both want it.” He kissed her again, and like the hungry fool she was, she kissed him back. “That’s my girl.”

His cocky tone coupled with the little smirk she felt against her cheek gave her the strength to push him away.

“Trip, please. Stop.” She kicked him again, this time in the thigh.

“Hey, those damn heels are lethal, especially in this vicinity.” He waved his hand in front of his crotch.

She jumped off the desk and backed away. “I don’t know
what
that was about, but it never happened. You are never going to tell Grey or Avery or anyone else.”

“First of all, barely anything happened.” He scrubbed his hand over his face. “Secondly, why the hell does a kiss have to be a state secret?”

“Look, Trip. I’ve grown up being thought of as some kind of blond bombshell, making it impossible to get a man to see me any other way. I don’t mean to hurt your feelings, but if I get associated with you, no decent man in this small town will ever take me seriously. And whether or not
you
think it would be boring to be ‘stuck’ with the same person, it’s the one thing I want more than anything else. So I will
not
muck it up just for twenty minutes of pleasure.”

“Oh, at least an hour, darlin’.” He was hard and horny and stunned that she’d shot him down. She looked damn gorgeous standing there, fired up and flushed, chest heaving, hair wild and flowing.

Kelsey rolled her eyes. “Go ahead, joke. It’s what you do best.” She straightened her dress and then bent over to pick her purse off the floor. “Return my book when you’re done with it, please.”

“Wait a second.” He held up his hands. That little taste of Kelsey had only whet his appetite, confirming what he’d suspected all along. She would be H-O-T. Now he needed to convince her to loosen up and have a little fun . . . with him. “Tell me why you’re so desperate to get married. I mean, shouldn’t you actually meet someone and fall in love first? Maybe the reason you keep failing is because you’re going about it all backward.”

Kelsey hugged her purse to her chest, frowning. “Is this the part where you try to give me relationship advice again?”

“Now there’s an idea.” He smiled as he took a small step toward her.

“I don’t want your advice.” She stepped back. “I don’t trust you.”

“Ouch.” He grabbed his chest, mocking the insult. “Between the shoes and that sharp tongue, I’m losing a lot of blood this morning.”

“Look, I’ve got to go.” She turned to leave.

“Go study for Wade?” The thought of her and Wade curdled in his stomach like sour milk. Wade wasn’t a strong enough personality for Kelsey. She’d be bored within a month, no matter what she thought right now. Kelsey needed someone bigger, stronger, and more fun than Wade to keep her interested for a lifetime. Someone more like Trip—not that he was vying for the honors.

“No, not for Wade!” She whirled around, eyes blazing, and stepped toward him. “For myself, Trip. Expand my horizons. Fulfill my potential. Any of these concepts mean anything to you?” She shrugged one shoulder. “Of course, if it makes me more appealing to Wade and other men, then all the better. Eventually I’ll find my happily-ever-after with someone who wants a family. Someone who won’t be
bored
by the idea of a woman who adores him and supports him and loves him above all others.”

“Settle down, princess.” This time he inched closer. “I’m here to help.”

“Yeah, right.” Her nose wrinkled, skepticism written all over her face. “Help how?”

“When you find your next target—” She scowled at his word choice, so he stopped and rephrased. “When you meet the next guy you want to date, I’ll help you reel him in.”

“Oh, really?” She tipped up her chin, narrowing her gaze, apparently unaware that he’d taken another step closer. “How, exactly, will you perform that magic act?”

“By keeping you from making the mistakes you made with Grey and Wade, and whomever else, that pushed those guys away. I’ll be your gatekeeper.” Now he was close enough to touch her again, but he didn’t dare just yet.

“And why would you take on that role?”

“I love a good challenge.” He chuckled at her outraged expression and held up his hands to fend off the whack she aimed at his chest. “Seriously, Kelsey, I think you’re a sweet girl and I know I can help you. But while you’re looking around for Mr. Right, there’s no reason you can’t have a no-strings fling with me. Memories to keep you warm on those cold days in the future when you’re
bored
.” He winked.

“You don’t know when to quit, do you?”

“Nah, that’s no fun. Besides, last night you admitted it’d been too long since you had a ‘good time’ with anyone. We get along. If the past few minutes prove anything, it’s that we’d be combustible. Let’s enjoy each other’s company without all the BS that screws up serious relationships. In the end, we both wind up happy, satisfied friends.”

“You’d get what you want, but I won’t. I just told you, a fling with you will make me undesirable to most of the men around here.”

“We’ll keep it a secret, then.” Worked better for Trip anyway, considering Grey’s request. “Hell, that’ll even make it hotter. And Kelsey, don’t pretend that kiss didn’t make you hot.”

At least she didn’t argue that point. He noticed her cheeks turn pink even as she tried to feign indifference. “This is still not a good deal for me.”

“Deal? It’s not a transaction, princess. Just two single people having fun.” He stepped closer still, sensing some interest on her part. “But if the broker in you is more comfortable treating it like a deal, negotiate your terms.”

“Well, you get everything you want right up front, but you can’t guarantee I’ll ever get what I want most.” Her voice wobbled a little as she registered his body crowding hers.

“I sure can. You’re a beautiful woman. You’re successful. You’re kind, or at least you are to everyone else. And you’re savvy. There are plenty of men out there who’d want you if you didn’t scare them all away by coming on too strong.” Her disbelieving expression spurred him on. “In fact, I’m so sure I’m right, I’d even be willing to make a bet.”

“A bet?” She tapped her fingers against her bicep.

“Yep.”

“I get to name the prize?” One corner of her mouth lifted.

“Wait a sec, you’ve got to promise you’ll follow my instructions to the letter. I can’t have you purposely screw up just to win the prize.”

“I want a husband and kids more than anything you could give me, Trip.” She tilted her head, assessing him. Her grin suggested something between suspicion and daring. “Since you’re so confident, then I’m thinking your grandfather’s Stetson should be sufficient motivation.”

“You must have lost your mind when I kissed you.”

“Hey, this was your proposition.” She poked her index finger at his chest. “You’re the one who seems so interested in a secret sexual relationship. You’re the one who claims to have all the answers. You’re the one who came up with the bet.” Her grin transformed to some smug flirty expression. “If you want to call it quits, that’s fine with me. I’ve got other things to do today, anyway.”

She tossed her hair over her shoulder, releasing the perfumed scent of her shampoo into the six inches of space separating their bodies. Whether the aroma infected his brain, or those pouty lips of hers made him stupid, he wasn’t sure. Either way, he heard himself saying, “Hang on. How about a thousand bucks instead of the hat? That should make you comfortable I won’t renege on my promise.”

“You’re serious?” Her mouth fell open. “You’d
actually
pay me a grand if you fail?”

“I’m not going to fail.” He refrained from touching her while he waited for her answer. His heart dropped a bit when she started shaking her head.

“Why are you suddenly so interested in my love life?”

“I’m not interested in your love life. I’m interested in your sex life, but I’m happy to help you with your love life, as a friend—one with benefits.”

“You’re going to an awful lot of effort just to sleep with me, Trip. Have I just stumbled onto the real reason why so many women fall into bed with you—do they all get this same deal? Or is there some other reason you’re so intent on taking me to bed?”

“You want me to admit to fantasizing about what it’d be like to strip you down and heat you up? Fine. Busted. I want you. Now that I know you’ve got no interest in a relationship with me, that makes you the perfect woman.” Trip linked his fingers with hers and tugged her against his body. He could feel her heart beating faster, which totally turned him on. Instinct urged him to grab her and kiss her into submission, but he refrained. “So are you down with this?”

Her eyes searched his as if she were trying to solve a puzzle. “Okay, cowboy. But forget the money—that makes me feel tacky. It’s the hat or nothing.”

Hell no.

“The hat is off the table.” His mouth set in a grim line.

“Guess you’re not so sure you can help me, then, which means everything else is off the table, too.” She patted his shoulder, taunting him. “See you ’round.”

She got about three steps away before he found himself chasing after her. He reached out and yanked her back so her heart-shaped ass smacked against his pelvis. “You win.” Snaking one arm around her waist, he set his mouth right beside her ear while gently wrapping her hair around his other wrist to expose her neck, just the way he’d been yearning to do for months. “Or maybe I’ve won.”

When she shivered, he kissed her neck to remind her of their explosive chemistry and ensure she didn’t back out. Her body softened but then she braced against him, a little breathless. She cast a haughty gaze over her shoulder. “Know this: you’re not winning anything I wasn’t willing to give before I suckered you into that bet.”

“Oh, really?” He chuckled and released her, slowly unraveling his wrist from her hair. “Go on and study. But get some rest, ’cause I’ll be dropping by later tonight.”

As she headed out of the office, she stopped briefly at the door. “You’ve talked a lot of smack since we’ve met, so I’ve just got one piece of advice. You’d better bring your A game, Trip Lexington.”

And then she was gone, leaving him alone with a painful hard-on.

Trip read several pages of the social media book, but his mind kept getting distracted by visceral memories of the way Kelsey smelled, the texture of her hair and skin, the warmth of her mouth. By the mounting anticipation of seeing her again tonight—all of her.

Potent stuff. Intoxicating.

Enough so that she
had
gotten the upper hand and convinced him to risk losing his most treasured Stetson just to be with her. Dammit, he hadn’t won anything. Somewhere in the middle of his attempted seduction, he’d lost control of the situation.

He scowled, wondering what other witchy spells she would cast on him before their little tryst ended.

Chapter Five

“Can you keep a secret?” Kelsey asked Maura the minute Bill took Fee outside on a nature walk.

“You know I can.” Maura closed the dishwasher door and tossed her dishtowel on the spigot. “Guess now I know why you’ve been so fidgety for the past thirty minutes. Spill it.”

Kelsey extended her pinky finger, waiting for her sister’s pinky to latch on. “I mean it, Maura. I’ve just made a deal with the devil and I need to tell someone, but no one else—and I mean no one—can ever know. Not even Bill.”

Maura pinky-shook and stepped back. “With that intro, I’ll admit, I’m a little worried. Are you in some kind of trouble with the law?”

“What?” Kelsey set one fist on her hip. “Why would you ask something that ridiculous?”

“You’re the one making this such a big deal. What am I supposed to think?”

“Certainly not that I’m some kind of criminal.” Kelsey sipped her Diet Coke. “However, you might want to sit down.”

Maura sighed, pulled out a kitchen chair, sat beside the round oak table, and cut herself another slice of banana bread. “This reminds me of when you lost Mom’s pearl necklace and wanted to blame it on cousin Sarah.”

“If anything goes wrong with this plan, I’ll take all the blame.” An attack of nerves caused Kelsey to rapidly tap the toe of her red shoe against the linoleum flooring.

“Okay.” Maura placed her palms on the table. “Lay it on me.”

Kelsey went still and drew a deep breath before spilling her guts.

“I’ve agreed to engage in a purely sexual fling with Trip Lexington.” As soon as she said the words aloud, she covered her mouth with her hand, half stunned, half giggling.

Maura’s eyes widened as she dropped the final bite of bread onto her napkin. “Why in the world would you agree to something so . . . so risqué?”

Kelsey twisted her hair in her hand before letting it fall around her shoulders. She then began ticking off her fingers as she spoke. “A, he’s hot. Hotter than hot. Trip Lexington may be the hottest guy I’ve ever seen in my entire life, including celebrities.”

Maura shook her head in disbelief, which made Kelsey eager to persuade her she’d made a good decision. “B, I haven’t had sex in almost a year. Given a choice between sex with Trip or a battery-operated toy, there really is no choice.”

“TMI!” Maura sank her head into her hands for a moment. When she looked up, she pressed her palms to her flushed cheeks. “Okay, recovered. Continue.”

Kelsey rolled her eyes before she resumed her argument. “C, it’s actually kinda freeing. Think about it. I’ve carried so many expectations into all my other sexual experiences. This will be completely different. I have
no
expectations or hopes. It’s purely for fun, so I can live out some kinky fantasies without worrying about any repercussions.”

“Again, TMI!” Maura’s fingers drummed the tabletop. “I mean,
really
, Kelsey. You’re not going all fifty shades on me, are you?”

“No.” Kelsey’s hand found her hip again, her brow lowering. “But stop being such a prude.” Then she waved off the remark. “I’m serious, though. This will probably be the only time in my life that I can enjoy myself in bed without worrying about how it might affect the relationship . . .”

Maura’s eyes grew as wide and round as golf balls. “Are you actually listening to the words coming out of your mouth, or do you think you’re making sense just because you’re talking fast?”

Kelsey waved her hand in the air. “I haven’t even told you the best part yet. Trip’s going to help me reel in the next guy I’m interested in dating.”

“Stop.” Maura raised one hand. “He’s going to help get you together with some other guy? Honestly, that’s not the best part. It’s the
dumbest
point on your list.”

Kelsey sank onto a kitchen chair. “Is not.”

Maura nodded. “Yes, it is. You’re telling me you’re going to be having hot sex with Trip while simultaneously trying to woo some other guy? How does that even work?”

“We haven’t discussed all the details.” Kelsey frowned, realizing it could get tricky. “I wouldn’t continue being with Trip once I started up with someone else, but who knows
when
I’ll meet someone I really like. In the meantime, why can’t I have fun sexy-times with a really gorgeous guy?”

“Because I know you. You’re not going to be able to keep your heart out of the equation past your first orgasm. Then what? It’s one thing to go out with him if you think there’s a chance for something real. But if you agree to go through with this crazy deal, you’re going to get hurt.”

She knew her sister meant well, but Maura’s delivery sounded more like a reprimand than concern. Kelsey wasn’t a child.

“Not this time.” Kelsey shook her head. “Trust me. I know what Trip is and isn’t capable of, and I know what he does and doesn’t want. This is a
mutual
decision—purely physical.”

Maura leaned forward, brow furrowed with concern. “Kelsey, you don’t do purely physical. I’d bet everything this was his big idea, not yours. He’s seducing you with promises he can’t possibly keep, and you’re letting yourself get in way over your head.”

Maura’s lemon-face temporarily set Kelsey back on her heels.

“You know what I need from my sister right now? Support, not judgment.” Kelsey cast a hard glare at Maura, then stood and tossed her empty can in the recycling bin. “I’m sure you, with your doting husband, picket fence, and two kids, can’t imagine what it feels like to be thirty-one and alone and going crazy thanks to the ticking biological clock you can’t escape or slow down. It’s been a long, cold winter, spring, and summer. If I can find a little heat with a charming, if superficial, man, why would you try to ruin it for me?”

Maura stood and approached Kelsey, grabbing her into a hug. “I’m sorry. I’m not judging you. I’m worried about you. I
know
you, Kels. I know you’re going to start to care for him, and from everything you’ve admitted, he’s never going to give you what you deserve. What you really want and need.”

Kelsey bit the inside of her cheek to keep from getting choked up by her own fears and doubts. “I know he’s not what I need, but for the short term, he’s a good substitute.”

Kelsey stood before her mirror, her body humming in anticipation even as she tried to calm her nerves with a large glass of full-bodied Italian red wine. She glanced at the clock: 8:56.

Turning to one side, she examined herself. Four-inch BCBG black strappy heels—check. Sheer black negligee with lace trim—check. Spritz of Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede cologne behind ears, on her cleavage, and behind the knees—check. Dimmed lighting, soft music, opened bottle of red wine. Blindfold, silk robe sash, edible body paint.

All set.

Well, almost. She picked up Trip’s cowboy hat and stuck it on her head. Now she was ready.

Maura had been wrong. Kelsey knew exactly what she was doing. The blindfold would protect her heart by creating distance. The sash, well, that was just something she’d always wanted to try and, despite Trip’s playboy persona, she knew he’d never hurt her. For one thing, Grey would kill him. For another, her intuition sensed an odd code of honor about him.

And by setting the stage tonight with her props and plans, she’d make it clear to Trip that she not only understood the terms of their deal, but was taking full advantage of them for her own reasons. Reasons that had less to do with him than with her own sexual curiosity. In an hour or so, after they’d both gotten what they’d wanted from this part of their bargain, she’d politely send him home without any regrets.

Inhaling slowly, she took another long, slow drag of wine from her glass to drown out any lingering misgivings. A short while later, she started when her door buzzer rang. Her heart raced. When she stood to answer the door, a dull roar rushed to her ears.

Here we go.

She pressed the intercom button. “Who is it?”

“Prince Charming,” answered the smooth baritone.

“Come on up. Door’s unlocked.” She released the intercom and then sat—or rather posed, with her ankles crossed and her chest held high—on the arm of her sofa.

Trip knocked gently before opening the door to her unit. He stepped inside, his cocky grin fixed in place until he actually looked at her. Stopping midstride, jaw unhinged, he stood there blinking.

Score one for me.

In his right hand he held a single white rose, which made her lips part in surprise. Fortunately, she remembered the reality of their situation before her heart skipped ahead of her brain.

Trip collected himself quickly, handing her the flower. “Thought we should start off on a high note.”

“Thank you.” She lifted off the sofa and forced a calm voice even as six thousand butterflies took flight in her belly. Did he bring other girls flowers, or was this something just for her? “Pour yourself a glass of wine while I put this in water.”

Before she turned away, she noted him swallowing hard as his gaze traveled over her body, which boosted her confidence. “You do not disappoint, princess.”

“Did you think I might?” she said over her shoulder on her way to the small kitchen to fill a bud vase with water.

“No.” He filled his glass but downed it like a cold beer rather than a pricey Amarone. “Did you finish studying?”

“In fact, I did.” She slid the stem into the vase and set it on the counter. “Would you like to know what I learned?”

“Nope. I don’t want to argue about Wade or his development right now. I’m just making sure I have your full focus for the rest of the night.”

Oh, he had her attention. But she needed to remind both of them of their bargain. “First, share a dating tip to prove your good intentions about helping me.”

Trip set his empty glass on the coffee table, pulled a folded sheet of paper from his jacket, and waved it in the air while walking toward her. “You’ll learn I’m a man of my word.”

He flattened the paper on the counter and pushed it toward her. She lifted the handwritten sheet, entitled “Trip’s Tips,” and raised one brow.

He snatched the paper back. “This can wait.” His expression turned wolfish. “I can’t.”

This was it; she’d committed to this odd arrangement, for better or worse. It would be fine as long as she retained control of herself and the situation. But at that moment, with his strong body brushing up against hers and his green eyes shining with desire, she didn’t know how in the world she’d manage to keep herself in check.

His fingers toyed with the ends of her hair. “You are a most beautiful woman, Kelsey Callihan.” Then he removed the Stetson from her head, grinning. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather not think about my grandfather right now.”

As soon as he set the hat down, he cradled her head with both hands and kissed her long and deep. She opened her eyes to find his closed tight, almost painfully so. God, she needed the protection of the sexy fantasy she’d constructed before she started to actually feel something for this man.

“Trip,” she whispered. “I want you to do something.”

“What,” he murmured against her neck just before planting another kiss behind her ear, one she felt all the way down to her toes.

“Come with me.” She eased away, leading him by the hand toward her bedroom.

When they approached the edge of the bed, where she’d laid out the props she’d assembled, Trip’s eyes widened before filling with electrified lust. “If I die tonight from pleasure, bury me with my hat.”

She smiled and then kissed him, enjoying the way her body trembled under his touch. Her fingers fiddled with the buttons of his shirt, but he quickly took over and unfastened them himself, tossing his shirt to the floor and pulling her tight to his chest.

The hard muscles of his shoulders and chest flexed as her fingers explored the carved lines of his body—his big, athletic body. Way, waaay better than a vibrator.

She tugged at his belt, and within another minute, he’d stripped out of his jeans. Everything about his appearance was as perfect as his face: broad shoulders, narrow hips, and a tightly sculpted butt. If he were famous, he’d be at the top of
People
magazine’s annual “most beautiful” list. No wonder he was so damn cocky.

She reached for the hem of her negligee, but he grasped her wrist.

“Keep this on,” he ordered between kisses. “And the shoes, too.”

He lifted her before laying her on the bed, pushing her arms over her head, and kissing her mouth, chin, neck, and chest. His hands followed, caressing her breasts and waist, the fabric of her nightie abrading her skin. Then he reached across the mattress and snagged the blindfold.

Trip sat back on his knees as he placed the blindfold over her eyes. For a minute, she regretted the mask because now she could no longer admire his physique. Lying in the darkness, her heart kicked up a few notches as she began to anticipate what he would do next. Her senses awakened with each passing second.

“Look at you,” he murmured. The light brush of his fingertips traced parts of her body, creating a trail of goose bumps along her collarbone, the underside of her breast, the centerline of her abdomen, the inside of her thigh. His heavy breathing excited her, feeding her own gasps whenever she sucked in a breath under his touch. The wet heat of his mouth, and the weight of him as he shifted from his knees to his side to lying partly on top of her, overwhelmed her senses, as did the smell of his skin and spicy-scented deodorant. His kisses tasted like the wine he’d drunk not long ago.