Real Men Don't Break Hearts(27)

He opened the door wider. “Come on in.”

“I hope I’m not disturbing you.” The moment she said it, she wanted to thump her head. What an inane thing to say.

“Not at all. I was just doing some work.” He was all suave politeness.

She glanced around the living room they were standing in. She’d never been inside his house before. There were large abstract paintings, metal lamps, and a drafting table covered with papers. The furniture looked like it had been bought for a much bigger, more urban space, and here in this modest weatherboard cottage the slick pieces seemed out of place. She gestured toward the drafting table. “Landscaping work?”

“Yeah. I’ve just landed my first job. It’s not very big—just a couple of retaining walls and a new pergola—but it’s a start.”

“That’s great.”

“So you’re pleased for me?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know. You blow hot and cold around me. Sometimes you seem real friendly, and then other times you freeze up for no apparent reason.”

She gulped, her throat dry and tight, and tried to flick her hair back casually. “I do have my reasons.”

“You like torturing me? You still hold a secret grudge against me? You like to lead me on just so you can slap me down?”

“No! You think I’m a tease?”

He folded his arms across his chest, the sleeves of his shirt drawing taut over his biceps. “So why are you here?”

His expression was cagey, and he looked impervious to her charms, such as they were. A cold spasm fluttered low in her belly. Shoot. Either she was going to scuttle out of here with her tail between her legs or she was going to take that risk she’d been telling herself to.

Angling her hip into what she hoped was an insouciant pose, she shrugged. “Can’t you guess? I’m here because, well, I enjoyed what we did this afternoon, and—and I’d like to take it further.” Damn, why did her voice have to wobble like that? And what should she do next? Lick her lips lasciviously? Bat her eyelashes at him? Her heart rattled as she took a couple of steps toward him. Nate’s focus on her intensified. He followed her approach like a lion sizing up a gazelle, his wariness giving way to watchful expectation.

Just a few inches away from him she paused, her mind a complete blank. “Uh, I really have no idea what I’m doing here, so jump in any time you like.”

His eyes warmed as he smiled. “From my end you’re doing great, so keep going.”

Fantastic. Some femme fatale she’d make. And then as she gazed at him, his sexual charisma sizzled away her hesitation. The bare skin revealed by his open-necked shirt drew her attention, and the urge to touch him was a thirst she had to quench. Without thinking she closed the gap and pressed her lips against the base of his throat. His masculine scent flooded her nostrils. He smelled clean, earthy, wonderful. Inhibition crumbling, she slid her hands up the broad expanse of his chest, relishing the feel of his muscle beneath the crisp cotton, and when she reached his shoulders, she stood on tiptoe and angled her mouth toward his.

His lips met hers halfway. His hands closed possessively over her hips. The kiss was frank and hungry and sensual. Their tongues flitted together, exploring, tasting, relishing. She gave herself up to the pleasure of it all, the censuring, nagging voice at the back of her mind falling silent. She didn’t have to fight with herself, didn’t have to justify her behavior. She was free to do as she pleased.

“See? I said you were doing great,” Nate murmured against her mouth.

“Um….” She nibbled at his lower lip. “Shut up and kiss me.”

He pulled her tight against him and obliged. Now, he didn’t hold back, and a few minutes of his plundering left her panting. While she was still catching her breath, he pulled her onto the two-seater and reclined her against the cushions. The leather squeaked as he leaned over her and undid the knot in her T-shirt, and then his hands were roaming over her belly, stroking her sensitized skin.

“You feel so soft and silky.” His eyes glimmered in the lamplight. “I’ve been wanted to touch you like this for ages.”

He explored her torso, caressing each rib as his fingers slowly inched up her chest. Her lungs squeezed like an accordion, anticipation building in her, and when he reached her bra, she could scarcely breathe. He fingered the lace for only a few seconds before he withdrew his hand. She almost wailed in frustration until she realized he was tugging at her T-shirt. Lifting her arms, she assisted him to get rid of her top. A brief wave of embarrassment came over her as she realized she was only wearing her white, everyday bra, but the heat in Nate’s gaze seared away all her doubts. Cupping both her breasts, he buried his face in her cleavage and breathed in deep as if she were life-giving oxygen. The intimacy of his touch sent her temperature sky-rocketing.

A sensual rage took hold of her. Grabbing his shirt, she clawed it open. Nate chuckled, obviously amused by her haste, and then he inhaled as she rolled over on top of him and straddled his hips.

His hungry eyes ate her up. “Sweetheart, you’re full of surprises.”

Ally was surprised herself. She’d never thought herself as sexually voracious, but tonight she was caught up in a lustful tornado, and she didn’t know where the twister would drop her down.

Bending, she coasted her mouth over Nate’s chest and relished the feel of his taut muscles bunching beneath her legs. Sitting on top of him, she had access to all of him, could feast her eyes on his beautiful body. With his dark hair all rumpled, his eyes on fire, and his burnished skin glowing, his sheer gorgeousness took her breath away.

Nate’s smile turned molten. “This couch isn’t big enough for the two of us. Wanna go somewhere more comfortable?”

Ally’s heart leaped into her throat. Come on, scaredy cat. You knew where this would lead the moment you grabbed hold of him.

“Okay,” she croaked.

His smile widened and lit up his face. He looked eager and surprised, as if he hadn’t expected her to say yes so quickly. Pulling her to her feet, he led her down the short hallway and into his master bedroom. As she glimpsed the sprawling king-size bed, her heart hammered even faster, but she knew there was no turning back. The need in her couldn’t be denied. Tonight she was Nate’s.

…

The awkwardness of morning afters. Over the years Nate had perfected his method of handling them. Invariably, the first time he slept with a woman, he would be keen to get rid of her the next morning as smoothly as possible. It had nothing to do with how well the night before had gone, and everything to do with his need to reassert his independence.

But the morning after his night with Ally was different. He woke first, the sweet scent of her instantly reminding him of how they’d spent the night together. For a while he was happy just to lie there next to her head of curls buried deep in the pillow. Memories of the amazing night they’d shared warmed him. Ally had been such an incredible revelation in bed. But when she woke, would she regret what she’d done? He could never have misgivings about last night, but if she did, he didn’t want to be there to see her sleepy eyes open and gradually fill with dismay.

He rolled out of bed quick smart, pulled on some clothes, and padded to the kitchen to put on the kettle. He made himself some tea and sat at his drafting table where he looked over his plans one more time. His first landscaping job. An important step in re-launching his brother’s business. In Sydney, Nate had everything Robbie had always coveted. But that was just a lifestyle, not a life. He wanted more: peace, satisfaction, a sense of belonging.

“Hi.”

Almost knocking over his mug, he swiveled to find Ally hovering in the doorway. She’d pulled on her jeans and shoes, but she was naked from the waist up, her arms crossed modestly over her chest. The sight of her barely covered breasts made his blood pressure rocket.

“Good morning.” He stood, lust already rising.

She hurried across the room, picked up her fallen T-shirt, and pulled it on.

“Can I cook you breakfast?” he said. “I make a mean omelet.”

“Um, no thanks.” Ducking behind the couch, she retrieved her bra and stuffed it into the pocket of her jeans. “I should leave now.”

“There’s no hurry. I’m not doing anything.” Except mentally undressing her. This morning after was unlike every other. Instead of wishing her gone, all he could think was how beautiful Ally looked. Her skin had a soft glow to it, and her mouth was ripe like a juicy tomato. He wanted her all over again. He wanted to spend the whole day in bed with her.

But she was already edging toward the door. “I have to open the shop today.”

“Can’t you give it a miss just once?”

“No, I can’t. Sundays are one of my better days, and I haven’t yet made up all the rent money I owe Mr. Cummings.”

The loose T-shirt she was wearing didn’t do a very good job of concealing her bra-less breasts. He could see them perking against the cotton, could practically taste them between his lips like ripe raspberries. His mouth started to water. “You don’t have to worry about that.” The words slipped carelessly from his tongue, all his thoughts centered on her lusciousness. “I can lend you the money.”