Claimed by the Mate, Volume 1 by Kate Douglas Page A

love one, but I need to go and get a shower. I stopped by on the way to my cabin because I wondered if Cain had checked on the pups today, if they were doing okay.”
    â€œHe’s there now. I’m sure we’ll get an update later this evening.”
    â€œThanks. I’ll see you at dinner, then.”
    Before she could step down from the stool, Brad said, “Hang on a minute,” and turned back to the blender. In mere seconds he was pouring a fresh margarita into a broad glass with salt coating the rim. “It’s plastic,” he said, tapping the side of the glass. “Shower proof. Can you think of anything more decadent than a cold margarita and a hot shower?”
    She laughed as she took the drink, then took a sip and stared at him over the salted rim of the glass. “Delicious. And yes, Brad, I can. It would be a lot more decadent if you were sharing the shower and the margarita with me.” The second the words left her mouth, she knew she had to be fire-engine red. She never talked like that, flirted that openly.
    But Brad didn’t seem to mind at all. His eyes lit up and the look he gave Cherry curled her toes. “I have to agree with you on that one,” he said. Then he leaned close, tipped her chin up with his fingertips, and gave her a kiss that included the sweep of his tongue against hers.
    â€œGo, Cherry. Leave the door unlocked. If I can get away, I’ll come join you.”
    *   *   *
    She left the door unlocked, but she didn’t really expect him. It didn’t matter. Not really. She had her fantasies and her margarita, but she’d set the drink aside and was rinsing conditioner out of her hair when she heard the shower door click.
    â€œDon’t be frightened. It’s just me.” Warm hands caressed her shoulders, warmer lips found the side of her neck, and she shivered, though she couldn’t blame it on the air temperature—that had to be rising from the heat coming off Brad’s body.
    She kept her eyes closed as Brad caressed her and the water beat against her neck and back. He cupped her full breasts and she moaned when he teased the tips of each one with his tongue and teeth. Then he pulled her close and hugged her, resting his cheek against her wet hair.
    She sucked in a quick breath at the heat of his erection pressing against her belly. He was huge and so hot it felt as if he branded her.
    â€œI’ll wait for you in the other room”
    She hadn’t opened her eyes, hadn’t said a word, but he was gone.
    She finished rinsing herself and then turned off the water with shaking hands. She hadn’t brought her nightgown into the bathroom, so she wrapped a big towel around herself and walked out into the main room.
    Brad lay on her bed, all sprawled out and relaxed, with a big smile on his face and very little else. The workout shorts he wore didn’t hide much at all. His chest was all hard planes and ridges, and she wanted nothing more than to run her hand across his flat stomach. But it was the blatant arousal tenting his shorts that took Cherry’s breath. She sucked in a sharp gasp.
    â€œSorry,” he said. “I hope I didn’t frighten you.”
    When Cherry didn’t say anything—catching her breath took all her concentration—he curled easily into a sitting position and patted the bed beside him. “Sit down, Cherry. Talk to me. I’m not going to do anything you don’t want or aren’t comfortable with. I will never do anything without your full consent. Are we clear on that?”
    She nodded and took a big swallow of her margarita. The ice was mostly melted, the salt all gone, but thank goodness there was still enough tequila in the glass to burn all the way down.
    It reminded her she was way too sober for this. Whatever this was.
    But she liked Brad. A lot. He wasn’t just a really nice guy—he was totally hot, his muscles rippling under