Best Friends With the Billionaire (The Rochesters) (12 page)

“You really put a rocket under them,” Cassie said. “They’re still convinced you’re a stripper.”

“I don’t think I’d have the nerve. Those women were pretty worked up, and they weren’t even drunk yet. I thought they were going to jump me.”

As they walked down the path, she cast an awed gaze over Kirk. Those gray denim jeans hugged his hips and butt to perfection, while the close fit of his charcoal shirt highlighted his bulked shoulders and chest. Lust stirred in her as well as amazement that such a gorgeous hottie like Kirk had driven two hours just to see her.

“Why were you holding those tongs?” Kirk asked as he ushered her onto the footpath.

“Oh, you mean the eyelash curlers? I thought Lillian’s maid of honor was trying to embarrass me with a stripper. I was going to snap those curlers near your G-string. You know, mess with your head.”

Kirk chuckled. “You’re impossible.” He paused, the glow from the sunset gilding his cheek. “I wonder if male strippers get hazard pay.”

“Maybe we should ask this guy.” Cassie tilted her head at a man getting out of a parked car. He was dressed as a cowboy, complete with leather chaps, Stetson, and spurred boots, and he was carrying a portable boom box. This was the stripper Ariel had booked and Lillian was still dreading.

“Looking for the bachelorette party at number fifty-six?” Cassie asked the guy.

“Yeah. I’m running late.”

Cassie took out her wallet and pressed a fifty-dollar bill into the guy’s hand. “I’d appreciate it if you went easy on the bride-to-be, but feel free to go nuts with the maid of honor. She’s the loud, bossy one. You can’t miss her. Thanks.”

They passed the stripper and reached Kirk’s car. Cassie couldn’t suppress the butterflies swarming in her stomach any longer. Their banter about male strippers had been a mask for the questions she was burning to ask him.

“Why did you come?”

“I needed to talk to you.” He opened the passenger door for her.

“And it couldn’t wait until tomorrow?”

“No.” He stood over her, his solid presence surrounding her, invading her consciousness.

She’d always been aware of Kirk’s physicality, his effortless allure, but now, after the scorching kisses they’d exchanged, and last night’s make out session on his kitchen counter, she was hyper-aware of both his potency and her weakness. She was vulnerable to everything about him, from the lock of hair curling on his ear, to the shadowed hollow of his throat, to the gleam in his eyes as he studied her with calm determination.

“Kirk…” She didn’t know what to say.

“Get in the car, Cassie.”

Her nape tingled, and goose bumps rose on her bare upper arms, even though the night was warm. She found herself obeying him. Kirk got in the driver’s seat and pulled off from the curb.

“Where are we going?” She tried to sound casual. So what if Kirk had driven all this way just to see her? No big deal.

“Want to grab a bite to eat?”

“Okay, but nothing fancy.”

“We can get some fish and chips and eat it on the beach.”

“Sounds great.”

A half hour later, they walked onto the beach, Kirk carrying a picnic blanket while Cassie held the warm parcel of food. People and dogs wandered about on the fine white sand, but the place wasn’t crowded, and there was plenty of space for everyone. Kirk spread out the blanket at the base of a slight sand hill that gave them some privacy. Cassie kneeled down on the tartan material, feeling ungainly in her black dress.

“I should have changed back into my jeans,” she said.

“I’m glad you didn’t.” Kirk’s gaze drifted over her bare legs as she tried to tuck them under her. “I like the view from here.”

Her hand wobbled as she opened the parcel of fish and chips. Sooner or later, she knew, they were going to talk about last night, but she wasn’t prepared yet. She tore open a packet of ketchup and dunked a fry into it.

As if sensing her need to compose herself, Kirk didn’t say anything more about her legs, instead concentrating on the food. He talked about the baseball game, and they ate their dinner while the sun sank below the horizon, painting the sky in lilac, gold, and crimson. The spectacular sunset deserved to be appreciated, and they watched in silence, the only sound coming from the ocean breeze and a few dogs barking in the distance.

When the shimmering orb finally disappeared, Cassie let out a sigh. “That was perfect. I’d forgotten how wonderful it is to sit on a beach and watch the sun set over the ocean. In Sydney, most of the beaches face east.”

Kirk was stretched out next to her, propped up on one elbow. He twisted his head toward her. “You’ll have something to remember when you go back.”

The words were innocuous enough, but the way he said them set her on alert. Not knowing how to reply, she busied herself scrunching up the empty food wrappers and stuffing them into a plastic bag.

“Cassie, will you stop that, please?” He was close to her now, hunkered on his knees like her, no longer relaxed. She sensed his tension rising, which only multiplied hers.

“Don’t want the wind to blow our garbage all over the beach.”

He wrapped his arms around her, and instantly warm and cool shivers raced over her skin. She turned to him, breathing in his presence, every muscle coiled in anticipation and need. He bent his head toward her, and his mouth coasted over hers, gentle at first, before deepening into a red, avid fever. She drank him in, senses alive to every nuance—lips tantalizing, fingers stroking, tongue teasing. The tang of lemon on his mouth, her toes curling into cool sand, his muscles shifting beneath her palms. Kirk kissed her slowly and thoroughly, holding her close, communicating with his mouth, his caresses. His need and desire demolished the last of her resistance. She gave her all, kissing him back, softening her lips against his, curling her arms around his neck to get closer to him.

He drifted his mouth over her cheeks and temples as his hands slid up and down her bare arms.

“Goose bumps?” he murmured against her hair. “Want me to warm you up some more?”

She nodded, too happy in the moment to speak. He laid them both flat on the picnic blanket and gathered her into him, the length of his body pinning her to the ground. He resumed kissing her, and the feel of his weight sent her excitement mounting. She was no lightweight, but she’d have a hard time pushing him off. If he wanted to, he could hold her down, have his wonderful, wicked way with her. The idea thrilled her. She braced a hand against his shoulder, testing the power in his bulk. Oh yeah, he was more than strong enough.

She dug her fingernails into his shoulder. He broke off the kiss and drew back slightly.

“What’s wrong? Want me to stop?”

“No.” She grinned up at him. “Just wondering if I could win an arm wrestle with you.”

“Kiss me, and I’ll let you win any kind of wrestle with me.”

She cupped her hands around his face and drew him to her. Fire rose in her. She kissed him long and deep, her tongue frisking with his, and when they broke for air, his eyes were sparking, and his hand was cupped around her breast.

“Cassie.” He hauled in a breath. “I have to ask you something.”

Her lips throbbed, her body roiled with unconsummated heat. “Go on.”

“Last night when we were making out, I stopped because I didn’t want to ruin anything between us. But all through today I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” He brushed the back of his fingers over her cheek, the tenderness unexpected and moving. “The thing is, you’ll be leaving soon, and I might not see you for a long while, and it’s driving me crazy that I might never get the chance to make love to you.”

Her heart bloomed and quivered. Of course Kirk was only using the term “make love” for her benefit when what he meant was more crude and basic. He wasn’t in love with her. He couldn’t be because he’d just confirmed he had no plans to stop her or chase after her when she left. Well, so what? She didn’t expect romantic love from him. Heck, the kissing was far more than she’d ever expected, anything beyond that was a bonus.

“So, something like friends with benefits?” she asked, keeping her tone light.

He massaged her breast gently, muddling up her thoughts. “Yeah.” He dipped his head to forage at her neck. “As your best friend, I can offer you some great benefits.”

“Mmm…” His hand was doing incredible things to her breast. “Talking yourself up there, buddy. Hope you can deliver.”

In reply, he slid his hand into the crossover top of her dress and pushed aside her lace bra. The heat of his palm engulfed her breast, his broad thumb rotating around her already upright nipple.

“Am I delivering some now?” He tugged the dress lower over one of her shoulders and nestled his head into her cleavage. When his mouth closed around her nipple, she arched her back, gasping, her core tightening with moist heat. The indigo sky above her darkened as he licked and sucked her breast. When he released her, the breeze felt cool against her damp, throbbing nipple. “You like those benefits?”

“A-amazing,” she panted, desperate for more. “Keep ’em coming.”

He gripped her knee then glided his hand slowly up the length of her thigh, all the while kissing her lightly. She rolled into him and lifted her leg over his, encouraging his hand to slide higher. He obliged, his fingers flitting over her lace panties. She’d gone to some effort with her underwear, figuring she didn’t want to be shown up in front of Lillian’s friends, and now she was glad she was wearing a matching black lace set. Not that Kirk seemed to care what her panties were made of. He skirted his hand around to her belly, pressing his palm against her abdomen before he moved southward under the lace, exploring the curls between her thighs.

Desire convulsed deep in her, rushed through her, a manic burst of energy. She shuddered then lifted herself half up, her momentum propelling Kirk to lie face up on the picnic blanket. Shifting her leg, she straddled him. He blinked in surprise but didn’t resist, curiosity plain in his expression as he gazed up at her.

She acted on instinct. She unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hands greedily over his chest, relishing the play of his muscles. Bending over him, she skated her mouth across his shoulders, licking and sucking. He tasted of salt and something warm, earthy, erogenous. His muscular beauty thrilled her as she explored him in detail. How incredible that she had the freedom to indulge herself. She kissed the hollow at the base of his throat, enchanted by the deep, quick beat of his pulse. She squeezed her thighs around his hips, pressing her panties against the growing bulge in his jeans. He groaned, his eyes flaring, hands clenching. She knew he could flip her onto her back anytime he wanted to, regardless of her weight, but it seemed he chose to let her tease him. How far could she go?

Gripping his waistband, she ground herself against him, rubbing back and forth over his erection. The friction of his denim aroused her as much as the blazing look in his eyes. He grasped her thighs and encouraged her movements, molding himself into the apex of her thighs until they were moving in unison.

Oh God, she was torturing herself as much as him. She didn’t know how much longer she could take this teasing.

Kirk sat up, holding her firmly in his lap. “Let’s go somewhere private.” His voice was thick, strained.

She could only nod before scrambling to her feet. She swayed, lightheaded with lust, and Kirk caught her round the waist. “Easy there, sweetheart.”

His endearment made her knees buckle, but Kirk’s arm circled her, strong and sturdy. The salty evening breeze momentarily cooled her flushed cheeks. She took several deep breaths to steady herself before they began to pack up the picnic blanket and the remains of their dinner.

“Where’re we going?” she asked once they were back in Kirk’s car and driving off.

He pressed his lips together, frowning slightly. “You know what, I’m an idiot. I didn’t book a hotel room before I came racing down here.”

And it was nine p.m. in Carmel on a balmy Saturday night. Their chances of finding a room were bupkus.

“It doesn’t matter.” Cassie squeezed her hands between her knees. “We—we don’t need a room when we’ve got a car.”

Kirk’s eyebrows shot up. “You sure about that?” he said, his eyes bright in the glow from his dashboard.

They were driving past some sort of forest. A sign up ahead indicated a turn off onto a scenic drive. “Let’s go there,” she murmured.

Kirk steered the car onto the dirt side road. He leaned forward in his seat, hands clutched around the steering wheel. She sensed the anticipation boiling in him, the same thrilling hope that hummed through her veins. She could barely sit still or keep her hands to herself.

Kirk shifted a hand from the wheel to her knee. Her heart started, her limbs trembled. Still steering the car down the winding road, he massaged her, his fingertips rotating over the soft inner part of her leg. She responded in kind, stroking the length of his thigh, her hand unsteady.

The car bounced over a rut before Kirk guided them into a small parking bay off the road. He braked hard, the car coming to a halt with its nose deep in a bank of bushes. He cut the engine and the lights and turned to her, arms already around her, pulling her in.

They kissed as if they were starved, lips and tongues desperate, hands groping under clothes. She couldn’t get enough of him, couldn’t get close enough to him. Kirk’s Aston Martin was the ultimate in luxury, but the central console was like the Great Wall of China keeping them apart.

“Wait.” Kirk pressed a button that made his seat shift back and slowly recline.

Cassie didn’t wait for an invitation. She was on top of him before he was fully horizontal. She fumbled with his shirt while Kirk efficiently unzipped her dress and pulled it off her. She was still getting rid of his shirt when he unclipped her bra and cupped her breasts. Then she lost focus as his mouth and fingers went to work on her nipples. Oh, she could let him do that all night if only she wasn’t desperate to have him inside her.

She was boneless with pleasure when Kirk pushed himself up. His hands gripped her panties. “Maybe you should get rid of these before I tear them off.”