She looked up at Rick. So handsome, so strong, a body that was hard and muscled, a man that made most women glance at him twice, even three times.
And he expected her to share her fat, dimply body with him. “I can’t.”
“Can’t?” His arm slid around her waist, drawing her against him, the heat of his body seeping into her chilled one. “Or won’t?” When she looked down, he placed a finger under her chin to angle her head back up so he could study her face.
It took all her strength of will to give him a small smile. “Can’t.”
“Won’t.”
Her smile faltered. “Don’t be silly.”
“Are you scared of me?”
“No.”
“Are you scared to be intimate with me?”
Not for the reason he was thinking. She shook her head.
“Liar.” The word came without anger, but there was a thread of steel in it. That thread of steel was something Cherry was starting to recognize.
It was enough to make her stiffen and start to pull away, only to stop when muffled giggles and hushed words broke the silence. She glanced sideways to see a couple, obviously a little the worse for wear with alcohol, stumble to their room not less than two doors away. The man had his arm around the tall, slender woman, and she was pressed against his side. While he tried to get the key in the door, she giggled and kissed him, her fingers combing through his hair, her long, slim leg twining around his leg. He laughed, his hand on that slender thigh, her back slamming against the door as he turned her. They kissed hard, and even though they weren’t clear in the glow from the overhead veranda lights, it was clear there was a lot of tongue involved in that kissing.
Cherry’s heart bumped uncomfortably as she watched the byplay while in the arms of Rick. A glance up revealed that he, too, was watching, but as though he felt her scrutiny, his gaze swung back down to her.
The raw heat in his eyes made her mouth dry, and she looked away once more in time to see the door swing open behind the couple and they stumbled inside, their laughter abruptly halted by their door shutting.
They were inside and obviously planned a sex session.
Rick’s gaze was till burning a hole through the top of her head, so she took a deep breath that made her breasts push against his hard chest and glanced up once more. His eyes were still hot, desire clear to see. Clear to feel, too, if the hardening length against her belly was anything to go by.
Her insides were like jelly.
“Cherry.” Her name came out in husky tones.
She meant to say “No.” She meant to give an excuse and walk away. She meant to put distance between herself and this intoxicating man. She meant to…but what came out was a whispered, “I don’t know the rules.”
“There are none.” His breath was on her temple.
“I can’t do this.” A shiver went through her as his lips brushed her skin.
Long fingers at the small of her back spread, tugging her even closer. “You can.” Those hands slid down to cup her generous derriere. “You will.” His lips were gliding with excruciating slowness down her cheek.
The heat of his body, his clean, masculine scent, the strength in his arms and the assuredness of his actions made her blood pump faster, sent a thrill of coiled heat through to her womanhood.
She wanted to, God knew she wanted him, but fear still nibbled torturously at her conscience. Lips trembling, she tried to find the words in her scattered thoughts to deny him, to deny herself, but then he kissed her. His lips came down on hers, muffling the words before they could be properly formed, and every thought she’d managed to capture was swept away under the skilled onslaught of his kiss.
Rick kissed her deep, his tongue ravishing her mouth, one of his hands coming up to cup the back of her head, his other hand pressing her into his body, the hardness of his erection a brand against her belly.
Caught up in the drugging kiss, she was only dimly aware of being led into his room, one slow, hazy step at a time. The door shut, and then she was against it, her back to the hard wood and Rick’s knee between her thighs, his hands cupping her cheeks as he kissed her with an almost frightening intensity.
It stirred her blood, made her nerves tingle, and desire curled higher inside her.
That magical mouth slid across to her throat, leaving her gasping for breath as skilful fingers trailed down to cup one breast through the silk of her blouse. The hard palm cupped her, shaped her, pressed gently. Fire flared to life inside her, and she grabbed his shoulders, pressing forward against him, feeling the hardness of his thigh between her softer ones.
“Yes,” he breathed hotly against her throat. “Oh God, yes, Cherry.”