“Because I’ve been taking care of myself since long before I met you and I’ll continue to do so after you’re gone. Can’t we just have fun while you’re here?” I leaned into the warmth of his hand because I couldn’t help myself; his touch was addictive.
There was indecision in his eyes as he stared into mine, but it was shrouded in undeniable heat. The magnetism between us was hard to ignore and I unconsciously licked my lips, the need for him to kiss me almost more than I could stand. Then he tilted his head and lowered his mouth to mine. His lips were soft but more demanding than they’d been the last time he’d kissed me, his tongue slowly slipping between the seam of my lips. It was both sexy and sweet, all wrapped up like a sensual gift box of promise.
Before I had a chance to lose myself in him, it was over, and he brushed his mouth across my cheek, lips against my ear as he whispered, “This is neither the time nor the place. But we’ll pick this back up later.”
He slid his hand around mine and we headed for the parking garage.
“You want to get an early dinner?” he asked once we were headed back to Garland Grove.
“I’m not hungry,” I said softly, squeezing his fingers.
He looked down at where our hands were linked and then stared straight ahead. “Noelle, I want to take you back to my room and lick every inch of you. I really do. But I’m leaving soon, probably for good, and I don’t want you to have regrets.”
“Believe it or not,” I said quietly, “women are just as interested in sex as men are, and we don’t all need proclamations of love to enjoy it. I’m well aware that you’re leaving, and like I said earlier, I just want to enjoy the time we have together. You’re not going to be here long enough for either of us to get invested, you know?”
His jaw tightened a little, but he was still staring at the road ahead so I couldn’t see his eyes. That seemed to be the best way to read him, by the emotions that lurked behind those golden eyes of his, so I felt unsettled when I couldn’t see them.
He was quiet for a long time before he said, “We should stop at a drugstore.”
“There’s one a few blocks from your bed and breakfast.”
“Do they sell big boxes of condoms?”
I chuckled. “I don’t know. I’ve never bought any there.”
“I don’t think those little boxes of six will be enough.”
“No?”
He glanced over at me. “Probably not.”
“Twelve?”
“I was thinking a supersized box of like thirty-six or something.”
I laughed. “We don’t have a Costco around here and I don’t think I’ve seen a box like that at any local stores.”
“Guess I’ll have to stock up then.”
“How long are you staying, exactly?” I asked, still chuckling.
“Probably until the twentieth or so. I’m going to Vancouver for Christmas and that’s when I’m thinking of heading out.”
I did a quick mental count. Today was December fourth. Which meant I had approximately sixteen more days with him. Hopefully, that would be enough.
Chapter Eleven
Remy
* * *
Sex, I thought wryly, was so much more powerful than we gave it credit for. It was biological, physical, emotional, and mental, and I couldn’t think of anything else that ticked all those boxes. If you added someone you really liked to the equation, it probably hit on a bunch of other qualifiers too, and that was why I was having a tough time with this. Somewhere in the deepest recesses of my soul, I knew that if I touched her—really touched her—nothing would ever be the same.
It’s only sex, I told myself as we drove to the drugstore.
You’ve had dozens of one-night stands, I thought as I grabbed five boxes of condoms.
“You must be Remy Knight.” The woman behind the counter of the Garland Grove Apothecary had to be at least eighty, but her eyes twinkled as she rang me up.
“Yes, ma’am.” I had no idea how she knew me.
“You and Noelle must have some fun plans this week,” she said, putting the condoms in a bag and taking my credit card.
Christ. I’d forgotten how small towns like this could be when it came to gossip.
“You be good to her, you hear me?” The older woman didn’t even look up as she ran my card. “She’s had a rough time since that no-good mother of hers ran off. And Noelle’s a good girl.”
“Yes, ma’am. She’s amazing.”
She glanced up sharply. “Don’t toy with her, Mr. Knight. It would make many of us here in town unhappy. Especially me.”
I had no idea what to say so I just nodded and put my credit card back in my wallet. “Thank you.”
“See you soon.” She was smiling now, as if she hadn’t just offered a veiled threat. “You two have fun!”
I practically ran back out to my rental car.
Buying condoms had probably been a bad idea.
I had no intention of hurting Noelle, but I was leaving in a little over two weeks.
She knows you’re leaving, I reminded myself as I parked in my spot at the B&B.
What the hell was wrong with me? I was never this indecisive about women, but this situation was a little different and I wasn’t sure how to handle it.
I kept my hand firmly wrapped around hers as we climbed the steps to my room and let ourselves in. I gave myself a little pep talk as I kept busy putting away my new clothes, leaving the bag of condoms on the floor next to the bed.
“Did I do something wrong?” Noelle asked after a few minutes of me fumbling around the room like a teenager about to get his first blow job.
“What?” I’d been so deep in my own head, the sound of her voice startled me.
“Ever since I said I was okay with casual sex, you’ve been quiet and…weird. Are you one of those guys who doesn’t like it when a woman is confident in her sexuality?”
I chuckled, shaking my head as I sat next to her on the edge of the bed. “No. That’s not it.” I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “In fact, I love a woman who’s confident about sex. I just don’t like it when the woman is in a vulnerable situation.”
“How am I vulnerable?” she asked, cocking her head slightly.
“Technically, you work for me.”
“Ah.” She got up and swung around, climbing up to straddle me and hooking her arms around my neck as she leaned in. “That kind of adds an element of naughty to the equation, doesn’t it?”
“Fuck, Noelle.” I slid my hands around so I was cupping her glorious bottom.
“Grown woman,” she whispered, brushing her lips along my temple. “Grown woman who really wants to make love with you.” Her hair fell forward, lightly tickling my neck and the sides of my face as she nibbled my lower lip. “Grown woman who’s perfectly capable of deciding what is and isn’t an acceptable risk.” She ran her tongue along the soft spot behind my ear and pinpricks of heat assaulted my skin.
“You’ve made your point.” I leaned up and captured her mouth with mine. This was probably selfish and reckless, but there was no doubt she wanted me as much as I wanted her. Her arms tightened around my neck, pulling me closer, rubbing her soft, lithe body against my chest. Her lips were pliant against mine, softening for me with each stroke of my tongue. She was beautiful, but also sensual and sexy and so damn sweet.