“In that case, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
As the truck came to a stop outside the house, she turned toward him, her stare boring into his blue eyes gleaming under the full moon. “That’s not the oil talkin’ is it?”
Some men might’ve taken offense to the direct question, but he simply held her gaze, offering a half shake of his head. His throat bounced as he swallowed. “No, sweetheart. Oil’s got nothing to do with this. At least not on my end.”
“Just to be clear, this is personal not business, right?”
“You can arrange the question however you’d like, but my answer is still going to be the same.”
Nash climbed out of the truck and came around to her side, opening the passenger door. Moonlight filled the cab, shadowing the lines of his face. Her fingers fumbled with the seat belt trying to unbuckle, but it was stuck. He ducked his head inside and reached across her mid-section to fuss with the jammed latch.
“It’s a little temperamental.”
Nerves danced, her brain raced, and her stomach did half a dozen quick somersaults. She wasn’t breathing well. Her body throbbed everywhere they touched; his arm, his shoulder, his torso, brushed against her as he worked to release the buckle.
Her chest heaved, each fractured breath spindling into tiny gusts.
Ember’s hand trembled as she laid it on his shoulder. Without thinking or any hesitation, she thread her fingers into the layers of his thick dark hair.
The latch clicked.
As he lifted his head it felt like all the air had been sucked from the cab of the truck. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, but blood charged through her veins as she lifted her other hand to the opposite side of his face, cradling his jaw.
Their breath mingled, gusting over her face as if they’d just finished a marathon. If she wasn’t so turned on, she’d be utterly mortified by the franticness laden in each dramatic exhale.
Nash leaned in and pressed his full lips to hers.
The kiss was soft and sweet…hesitant.
Brushing his nose to hers, his eyes turned lazy with desire, slowly reaching inside her, settling the rush of nerves coiling through her tummy. In one swift move, he removed the seat belt from her shoulder and took hold of her hips, scooting her sideways until her legs dangled over the edge of the seat and he stood between her knees.
The elusive scent of him coasted through her senses as her hands slipped over his shoulders, fingers knotting into the hair at his nape.
Nash cupped her jaw in the palm of his hands, stroking. Needing more contact, she eased closer, tilting her neck. His mouth wandered over her cheek and neck with deliberate slowness, the rasp of his shaven face drew a low moan from her throat.
The unhurried exploration caused her to tremble uncontrollably. “Nash?”
“If we start, I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop.”
“I don’t want you to stop. Stay with me tonight.”
He dropped his forehead to her shoulder, releasing a heavy sigh littered with frustration and tension. “I can’t, Ember.”
His rebuff stabbed at her chest.
An onslaught of feelings, rejection and humiliation, filled her with the need to bolt, but there was nowhere to hide. She was trapped in his damn truck. Ember shoved at his shoulder, but she may as well have been trying to move a granite statue. He wouldn’t budge.
“Believe me, I want to.”
Fury gathered force, but wounded pride brought a sting to her eyes. He still had hold of her face and she twisted, trying to get some distance between them. There was no way she was going to let him see the tears welling on her bottom lashes.
“I guess we’re all business then, huh?” she bit through clenched teeth.
“It’s not like that. You’ve been drinking. I gave my word that I wouldn’t. How ‘bout if I pick you up for breakfast. We can spend the day together.”
“No because I’m still going to be pissed at you in the morning! I can’t believe this.” Dipping her head, she tried hiding behind her mane of dark hair, moving side to side, shoving at his shoulders.
He refused to let her out of the truck.
“I gave my word. I can’t.”
“Excuse me?”
“Before we left the party, I promised Reed that I wouldn’t—”
Ember’s head snapped upward, eyes locking on his. Sexual frustration boiled over. Her fingers curled into his shirt, tugging aggressively, bringing him inches from her face.
“You’re telling me that you won’t have sex with me because you promised Reed you wouldn’t?”
He buried his face in the slope of her neck, kissing and nibbling, trying to soften her annoyance. “I can’t take much more than just a kiss. Let me make it up to you tomorrow?”
She straightened her legs, pointing her toes toward the ground, sliding between his solid form and the seat of the truck until her feet hit the dirt.
Desire lost to a big case of pissed off.
For a second.
Shoving him out of her way, she stomped toward the door. Nash caught her around the waist, his mouth buried in her hair. The heat of his long fingers spanned across her ribs, locking her back to his broad chest.
Instinct drew an arch from her back, lifting her breasts as her hips pushed against his. She gasped at the stiff, galvanized pressure of his erection.
“Don’t be angry. I’m trying to do the right thing here,” he murmured into her hair.
She protested adamantly, “The right thing for you to do would be take me inside and fuck me senseless. Not leave me hanging.”
Unpleasant flashbacks of being hung out to dry by her last boyfriend on far too many occasions began building like an inferno inside, raising her level of disappointment even higher.
Nash rocked against her hips, teasingly, making a point, assuring her of the pleasure he could bring. The hard lines of his body felt heavy on her back.
Powerful.
Promising.
Every part of her ached for him, needing him to extinguish the firestorm raging inside. A low groan, full of yearning, rose in her throat and floated through the night sky. She privately cursed herself for whimpering. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.
Ummm Another moan slipped from her parted lips feeling the rhythmic grind.
“Sweetheart, I assure you, there’s no pony express here. I’m all cattle drive.”
God, I need a cattle drive.
A round of fireworks exploded inside her chest. Ember was falling too fast and too hard. For an instant, she prayed he wouldn’t be a stampede—a stampede that would trample her heart and soul.
Ember had never experienced a one-night stand. Previously, all her sexual encounters started with boyfriend first then sex. She’d had a total of five relationships and none of them made her feel the way she felt now. Over the years, she’d listened to a few of her girlfriends recant stories of grand, orgasmic sex. Part of her always thought they were exaggerating, until now. She’d never endured the feelings of such raw need.
Somewhere deep inside, she knew tomorrow would bring feelings of guilt for jumping into bed for one night of unadulterated, no holds barred sex, but he felt too damn good. She couldn’t deny the attraction consuming her every thought.
Fumbling blindly through her purse, she retrieved her phone, dialing JC’s number.