winning streak that couldn’t be broken.
Kylie was acutely aware of Deacon’s hand on her waist as they walked toward the hotel. Even though the pool area was busy and noisy, she was totally focused on the man next to her. Her pulse pounded in her ears and heat pooled low in her belly.
She leaned closer to him as they walked and felt his hand dip lower on her waist, resting on her buttocks. She shivered in purely sensual awareness. She’d never thought of herself as sex-crazed, but no less than twenty-four hours after meeting Deacon Prescott, she could easily see herself becoming just that.
The man exuded sexuality the way other men exuded power or wealth. There was something so purely masculine in his eyes that it called forth everything feminine in her. It made her want to preen and toss her hair. To switch her hips and send out every signal she knew that said, Take me, big boy.
The sun had warmed her through and through, leaving her feeling almost lazy with lassitude But it was tinged with the excitement she’d only experienced with him. An excitement that was quickly waking every nerve ending.
“I tried the roulette table without you,” she said to distract herself from the memory of how those lips of his had felt under hers last night. God, she wanted to kiss him again. Instead, she was playing a waiting game. She’d always been a good girl, a rule follower, and that had never bothered her until now.
“How’d you do?” he asked. He maneuvered her through a crowd of college-age kids near the bar, protecting her from a wildly gesturing young man. Deacon put his arm around her and hugged her close for a minute. The guy gave them a halfhearted apology, and they moved on.
She savored the moment resting her head on his strong shoulder. It had been a long time since she’d even thought about letting a man into her life.
“Did you win?” he asked.
“No. I didn’t do very well without you. I think you must be my good-luck charm.”
“That’s a first.”
“I thought you believed in fate and luck.”
“I do for me, but I’ve never brought it to someone else.”
“Well, you did for me.”
He appeared unaware that he’d used his body as a shield for her, but she tucked the knowledge away. As they neared the hotel, he directed her to a shady grotto hidden from the main path. There was a small bench beside a water fountain.
She looked at him questioningly.
“I wanted a few minutes alone with you before we’re immersed in the crowd,” he said. He pulled her into his arms again and lowered his head, taking her mouth in the sort of kiss she’d been craving from the moment he’d arrived at her lounger with drinks.
She tipped her head to the side to allow him deeper access. She stood on tiptoe, pressing her breasts against his chest and shivering as his big hands slid up her back. He slipped one finger under the fastening of her bikini top and caressed the skin between her shoulder blades.
She ran her hands up his chest and knotted her fingers behind his neck. Holding on to him gave her the illusion of control. With tentative sweeps of her tongue, she tasted him. He was patient, letting her set the tone of the kiss until she tickled the roof of his mouth with her tongue.
He groaned deep in his throat and leaned back against the low rock wall surrounding the grotto. Cradling her against his hips, he lifted his head. His lips glistened from their kiss and she lifted her hand to wipe away the moisture.
“Is this what you had in mind when you invited me to brunch?”
“More or less. I’d forgotten what a temptation you are.”
“It must be this new swimsuit.”
“Did you buy it for me?” he asked.
She nodded. She wasn’t used to doing things for men. Her independence meant standing on her own two feet. It also meant doing things that pleased only her.
“Model it for me.”
She stepped away and held her arms out from her sides, then spun slowly.
“I can’t see your legs.”
She had
Kylie was acutely aware of Deacon’s hand on her waist as they walked toward the hotel. Even though the pool area was busy and noisy, she was totally focused on the man next to her. Her pulse pounded in her ears and heat pooled low in her belly.
She leaned closer to him as they walked and felt his hand dip lower on her waist, resting on her buttocks. She shivered in purely sensual awareness. She’d never thought of herself as sex-crazed, but no less than twenty-four hours after meeting Deacon Prescott, she could easily see herself becoming just that.
The man exuded sexuality the way other men exuded power or wealth. There was something so purely masculine in his eyes that it called forth everything feminine in her. It made her want to preen and toss her hair. To switch her hips and send out every signal she knew that said, Take me, big boy.
The sun had warmed her through and through, leaving her feeling almost lazy with lassitude But it was tinged with the excitement she’d only experienced with him. An excitement that was quickly waking every nerve ending.
“I tried the roulette table without you,” she said to distract herself from the memory of how those lips of his had felt under hers last night. God, she wanted to kiss him again. Instead, she was playing a waiting game. She’d always been a good girl, a rule follower, and that had never bothered her until now.
“How’d you do?” he asked. He maneuvered her through a crowd of college-age kids near the bar, protecting her from a wildly gesturing young man. Deacon put his arm around her and hugged her close for a minute. The guy gave them a halfhearted apology, and they moved on.
She savored the moment resting her head on his strong shoulder. It had been a long time since she’d even thought about letting a man into her life.
“Did you win?” he asked.
“No. I didn’t do very well without you. I think you must be my good-luck charm.”
“That’s a first.”
“I thought you believed in fate and luck.”
“I do for me, but I’ve never brought it to someone else.”
“Well, you did for me.”
He appeared unaware that he’d used his body as a shield for her, but she tucked the knowledge away. As they neared the hotel, he directed her to a shady grotto hidden from the main path. There was a small bench beside a water fountain.
She looked at him questioningly.
“I wanted a few minutes alone with you before we’re immersed in the crowd,” he said. He pulled her into his arms again and lowered his head, taking her mouth in the sort of kiss she’d been craving from the moment he’d arrived at her lounger with drinks.
She tipped her head to the side to allow him deeper access. She stood on tiptoe, pressing her breasts against his chest and shivering as his big hands slid up her back. He slipped one finger under the fastening of her bikini top and caressed the skin between her shoulder blades.
She ran her hands up his chest and knotted her fingers behind his neck. Holding on to him gave her the illusion of control. With tentative sweeps of her tongue, she tasted him. He was patient, letting her set the tone of the kiss until she tickled the roof of his mouth with her tongue.
He groaned deep in his throat and leaned back against the low rock wall surrounding the grotto. Cradling her against his hips, he lifted his head. His lips glistened from their kiss and she lifted her hand to wipe away the moisture.
“Is this what you had in mind when you invited me to brunch?”
“More or less. I’d forgotten what a temptation you are.”
“It must be this new swimsuit.”
“Did you buy it for me?” he asked.
She nodded. She wasn’t used to doing things for men. Her independence meant standing on her own two feet. It also meant doing things that pleased only her.
“Model it for me.”
She stepped away and held her arms out from her sides, then spun slowly.
“I can’t see your legs.”
She had
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