Caught Between an Oops and a Hard Body (Caught Between series Book 2) (23 page)

She glanced up at him, and as the frown cleared from her face, her mouth morphed into a smirk. “I’m still not marrying you.”

He quirked one brow. “Just because I asked once—”

“Twice.”

“—doesn’t mean I plan to ask again.”

“Good, because marriage sucks.”

He followed her gaze down the hallway to where Liz was talking to Kevin. “For a wedding planner, you sure have some strange ideas.”

She turned her gaze up to his face, and for just a moment, Stone felt sucker-punched by the tenderness and concern in her eyes. “What would you do if you saw something that didn’t bode well for the married couple?”

As Kevin disappeared one way and Liz disappeared the other, Stone set his hand on the small of Stephanie’s back and guided her down the hallway before she could find another excuse to go back to the party.

“I’d tell her brother.” When she didn’t say anything, he smiled down at her. “Marriage is hard. Liz is young. I’ve seen enough divorces to want to protect her from going through that.”

Silent, they headed outside and Stone noticed Stephanie shiver. He tugged off his suit jacket and wrapped it around her bare shoulders.

She gave an appreciative smile, grabbed the lapels, and hugged it to her chest. “And yet you asked me to marry you.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“We’re older and you’re carrying my baby.”

She shook her head. “That’s not enough, Stone.”

He quirked one eyebrow and leered down at her. “How about the sex? You can’t deny that it’s outstanding.”

She laughed and waggled her eyebrows at him “Since apparently I’ve abandoned my duties, maybe we could—you know.”

Oh yeah, he knew. His heart did a strange sizzle that threatened to take his breath away while desire unfurled and his lower extremities jump to attention. He stopped her in the middle of the path and gently turned her to face him. “Are you sure you’re up to it?”

“We’ll have to go to your cottage, though. Mom likes to pop in and out of mine.” Her eyes drifted closed. He saw her touch her stomach and inhale deeply. And then she opened her eyes and he saw heat, desire, need. “This doesn’t mean anything, Stone. It’s just sex.”

At the moment, he didn’t care. He lowered his head and he took her mouth with his own, kissing her until his head was spinning and she was standing so close against him, he felt as though he could absorb her into his body. When she moaned into his mouth, he swung her into his arms and practically ran the rest of the way. He loped up the stairs, waited impatiently for the few seconds it took her to reach down and open the door.

Once inside, he kicked the door shut and released her legs, enjoying the feel of her sliding down his body as their mouths meshed and he backed her toward the bedroom.

For the last month, he’d alternated between the insane longing to call her just to hear her voice and her laughter, and the desire to bury himself deep within her body and never come out again.

He knew he should be concentrating on other things—the divorce case for that idiot, Bill Tremaine, Liz’s upcoming nuptials and her fascination for Kevin, the tension between his parents—but with Stephanie in his arms, he didn’t care about those things.

As he slanted his mouth across hers and tried to inhale her, he felt every inch of her body as she pressed up against him. And her breathy little moans. It made him feel like King Kong, like god to her goddess, like her man—

He jerked back, his hands on her shoulders, holding her within his grasp but no longer pressed against her. She blinked back up at him, her eyes unfocused and glazed with desire, her mouth swollen from his kiss.

With the pad of his thumb, he touched her cheek and felt the softness of her skin against his thumb.

She gave him a saucy grin. “What are you waiting for? Was I too subtle?”

Stone ran one hand up under her top, ran his hand up the ridge of her spine, then shifted till he’d cupped her breast in the palm of his hand. No bra and definitely fuller than he remembered. He growled deep in his throat as she tilted back her head to give him better access to everything.

“We should get naked and get this over with before one of us has a premature moment,” she breathed and the already elevated temperature of Stone's body heated and engulfed him.

He felt himself drown in the slick heat of her mouth, in the soft moans of pleasure, in the way she responded so willingly to his every touch. He gave himself license to explore the soft curves and valleys of her body, felt her respond in kind as the cool air rode off his back as she tugged the shirttails out of his slacks and ran her hands up his back, around to his chest, sending more heat spiraling through his body.

He knew that he was in deep, way over his head, because being with her this time felt strangely like he’d come home. He tried to clear his head, but then his tongue got tangled up with hers, and everything blanked out but the woman in his arms.

Yet somewhere in the distance recesses of his mind, the squeak of the front door registered in his thoughts. He’d locked the door, hadn’t he? Or had he been in such a rush to get his mouth on hers, his hands on her body, that he’d forgotten to be careful? Stephanie’s presence always seemed to cloud his judgment and ruin his cool objectivity.

And then he heard the sound of his dad’s voice calling through the darkened cabin. “Stone, are you in here?”

Stone jerked his hand out from under Stephanie’s top, saw surprise on her face right before the flush of desire on her cheeks bleached from her face. She clasped her hand over her mouth, turned and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

“Sorry, son, I didn’t know you had someone in here with you.” The older man flipped on a light switch and crossed the room to stand beside him, hands in his trouser pockets, a speculative light in his eyes as he gazed at the closed door. The sound of Stephanie puking her guts out was unmistakable. “So now that you’re over thirty, you get to ignore the dragon lady’s rule?”

Stone raked his fingers through his hair and willed his body under control, thankful that Steph had pulled his shirt out from his pants. Otherwise, he’d be facing the older man with a full blown erection standing at attention between them. It was embarrassing enough to see the knowing gleam in the old man’s gaze.

Next time, he vowed, he wouldn’t lose his head until
after
he locked the door. “You won’t tell Mom, will you? You know how she gets. All weird and determined to protect me from my latest mistake.”

“Are you kidding? Knock yourself out, son. Sew your wild oats. I only wish I’d done more of that when I was your age.” His dad winked and glanced back at the door. “Is that the wedding planner? And can I safely assume you’re responsible for her current condition?”

He kept his expression carefully neutral. “She’s got the flu.”

“Right.”

He threw one arm over his dad’s shoulder and turned the older man toward the door. “I’ll be around for the entire week. We have plenty of time to catch up.”

“Looks like you’re not too busy now.” Jim ducked under his arm and headed back toward the kitchen, where he poked his head inside the fridge and came out with a bottled water in his hand. “So, keeping busy?”

Stone leaned his hip against the counter top, folded his arms across his chest, eyed the closed bathroom door, and thought,
Not now, Dad
. “What’s up?”

“Nothing. Just wondering how you’re doing. How’s work? With divorces on the rise, I expect you’ve got business coming out of your yin yang.”

“I’m not hurting for clients,” he responded easily. But something wasn’t right. It was in the nervous movements of his dad. Casually, Stone reached into the fridge for a bottle of water. “What’s up with you? Enjoying retirement?”

“Sure. What’s not to love? I have the freedom to spend all day doing exactly as I please. Golf.” Jim pushed away from the counter and paced to the fireplace in the corner of the room. “Morning, noon, and night. This wedding of Lizzie’s is really interfering with the golf time.”

Something wasn’t right. Stone sensed it, but knew the older man wouldn’t talk about it until he was ready. Which might be never. “You know, Dad, anything you say to me will be held in the strictest confidence.”

His dad shot him a disgruntled look. “I’m not one of your clients.”

“No, but if you want to talk man to man, I’m way too old to tattle tale on you.”

Jim gave him the eye. “Women and sex. When the chemistry is right between two people, the sex can be amazing.”

Stone thought of Stephanie and the chemistry that flared between them, then thought of all the women before her where it hadn’t been just so, and gave a shrug. Which would explain why he’d been unable to get her out of his mind.

Yeah, that was it.

Chemistry. Spectacular sex. It had nothing to do with
feelings
.

He refocused on his dad. “Is there someone else?”

For a split second, Jim looked startled. “No, no, of course not.”

“Then stop beating around the bush. What’s going on?”

His dad hesitated, then sighed and spilled. “What happens when the chemistry isn’t right, but the sex is so hot, you can’t stay away?” He gave a groan and turned away. “It’s this fucking retirement gig. It’s making me nutty.”

Before he could say another word, the bathroom door swung open and Stephanie stopped in the opening to turn off the light. For a moment, Stone just took in the essence of her—clean scrubbed face, shoulder length hair pulled into a ponytail, sleek sexy body. She reminded him of a girl fresh out of college, even though he knew she was closer to his age.

That first night together, after Morty and Elvira’s wedding, she’d known the score. No attachment. Just a good time to be had by both parties.

But now they had the baby to consider and it changed things for them both.

He pushed away from the counter and headed toward her, meeting her halfway. When they both stopped, the distance of one foot separating them, the other man’s presence a damp cloud in the room, it felt like a chasm to Stone. “How’re you feeling?”

“Better.” She leaned in closer, and he could smell lavender soap on her skin and the hint of toothpaste. Her gaze darted past his shoulder to his dad. “Hello, Mr. Kincaid.”

His dad moved forward. “Sounds like you have a nasty flu.”

“I do.” Her gaze flitted to the front door. “I should leave.”

“Don’t leave on my account,” Jim inserted. He backed toward the door. “We can finish our discussion another time, son.”

“Goodnight, Dad,” Stone said taking his gaze from the woman in front of him. As soon as the door clicked shut, he put his hands on her waist and pulled her against him. “Sorry about that. You get me so insane with lust, I can’t even remember to lock the door.”

She gave him a wry grin and waggled her eyebrows at him. “So should we hurry up and get back to it?”

Except she looked so cute trying to squelch a yawn, the words popped out before he could stop himself. “I like to be with you for more than the sex, Steph.”

She eyed him, suspicious-like. “When did this happen?”

With a self-conscious grin, he shrugged and finally admitted the truth. “I believe it happened the first day you had your head over the toilet.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet that was attractive.” She stared at him, silent and considering. Then she walked her fingers up his shirt. “You’re pretty smooth, I’ll give you that. So do you think flattery will get that engagement ring back on my finger?”

Another knock sounded on the door. He stared down at her, determined to ignore whoever was out there, because this woman—these feelings—were more important than anything else in his world. “I’m serious, sweetheart. You, me, and our baby. Doesn’t that tempt you to explore the possibilities?”

The knock sounded again, and as a tired smile blossomed across her mouth, she shifted back. “I’m toddling off to bed before my mom does a bed check and not finding me there, starts poking and prying into everyone’s affairs. I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”

She skirted around him and pulled open the door. Roger stood there, his hand raised to knock again.

The other man stepped back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You’re not. I was about to leave anyway.” She sent Stone a glance over her shoulder and one of her heart-stopping grins. “Be gentle with him. He’s had a full day already.”

With a wave, she moved past the musician and disappeared down the path toward her cottage.

Roger whistled low. “That’s one hot babe.”

“Cool it, kid, you’re already taken.”

The musician grinned and stepped inside. “Sorry if I interrupted something.”

Stone regarded his future brother-in-law. “What are you doing here instead of being at the party?”

“Liz wasn’t feeling well, so she excused herself. I figured if she could leave, so could I.” Roger glanced around the room. “Your family has some nice digs.”

Stone headed to the fridge. “Want a beer?”

“Sure.”

As he pulled out a couple of beers, cracked them open, then passed one over to the other man, he wondered where his sister really was, and if she was alone.

Roger took a deep drink of the beer, then regarded him. “So you and the wedding planner? Is it serious between you?”

“Maybe,” Stone hedged. He regarded the other man. “How did you know Liz was the one for you?”

“Because she totally gets me. She knows when I wander off in the middle of a conversation that I’m not being rude. But when inspiration strikes, I gotta go, man. I gotta record those lyrics or they’re gone forever.”

“Roger—” He clamped his mouth shut.

“Yeah?”

He remembered his promise to Liz, that he wouldn’t tell Roger about her almost mis-step.

He raised his beer and tapped it against the bottle in Roger’s hand. “Nothing. Just wanted to congratulate you and wish you a long and happy marriage.”

“Thanks, man.” Roger chugged the last of his beer, then pushed to his feet. “Well, I should go find your sister and drag her back to the party before Grace-the-Menace notices we’re gone.”

Stone followed his future brother-in-law onto the front deck, then sat down in the quiet of the night and watched the other man cross the compound, heading for Liz’s cottage.