She’d have to leave when he stopped over or risk more of that madness that catapulted her into complete insanity when she got within a mile of him.
Being around him felt like…
She tipped her head up to study his profile.
Surrender.
Dammit, why did that word spring to mind first? Contracting Theo to work on her home might be her worst plan yet.
She tried to pull her attention away from the angles of his rugged jaw—she really did. She thought of the most unsexy things possible—sweaty gym socks. A dog licking its ass.
But nothing helped. She wanted him.
Stepping back, she put distance between them. Theo glanced up from the plan…and his eyes started with that electric twinkle, as if the sparkles of gold in the depths were stars in the dark brown canvas of his iris and they came to life as if someone flipped a switch.
She did it—she’d flipped the switch.
He set the plan on top of the box and stepped in her direction. Without willing her legs to move, she felt her feet scuff against the worn old unfinished knotty pine covering the floor.
Suddenly, she was locked in his arms. She thrust upward to her toes. “This is such a bad idea,” she murmured a split second before she crushed her lips to his.
Their mouths fused, and she drank in his spicy scent reminding her of wood shavings and hay. That scent had followed her to dreamland several nights, and she’d woken sniffing the air to catch more.
He brought one arm around her spine and yanked her closer, mashing her aching breasts to his chest. Her nipples puckered, and wetness pooled low in her belly as he angled his head and lapped his tongue over her lower lip, growling, “Let me in.”
She did…burning…a total goner the minute she stepped into his arms.
Twisting his head, he angled deeper, thrusting his tongue in a fucking motion, which came next if they continued to burn much longer.
She reached up and pulled his hat off. She dropped it and plunged her hands into his hair, pulling, holding him, moving him where she wanted for the perfect, mind-blowing kiss. Her toes curled inside her boots.
Theo issued a low moan as he skimmed his palms over her spine to cup her ass. He squeezed the globes lightly at first and then clamped down more insistently. She moaned and rocked into him.
He tore away with a “Fuck yeah,” and whipped her around to face away. “I want to look at your ass, honey.”
A beat of silence.
“Fuck!” He held her by the hips while her heart juddered inside her ribcage, a trapped animal. She never felt desire this blazing hot. Theo lit a million matches inside her.
Her breaths escaped in short rasps that only grew louder as he smoothed his hands down her hips and around the undercurves of her ass. Her insides knotted. Juices slicked her pussy.
“I want you. So. Fucking. Much,” he grated out.
She panted and twisted her head to look at him. Tenderly, he raised a hand and slipped her hair off her neck. When he leaned in, she felt his heated breath trail over her skin. Each little hair on her nape lifted in response, and her nipples bunched up hard.
Up and down, he trailed his nose over her neck. Heartbeats ticked by. Her insides wobbled. He still cupped her ass, his touch burning through her jeans and panties, straight to her flesh.
He lightly closed his hands on her ass again.
Her knees nearly buckled, and a low whimper of want broke from her.
With an answering rumble, he slid his mouth up and down her throat. “So goddamned beautiful. You need to be cherished. Every. Damn. Day.” He opened his mouth, latching on.
She creamed her panties.
Gasping, she raised a hand to his jaw. As she leaned into him for support, she closed her eyes and let her mind spin out of control.
He released his kiss on her neck and nuzzled her again. Another throbbing heartbeat and pussy squeeze passed, and then he whipped her to face him again. She slammed into his chest, bringing her arms around his neck and tilting her head for his kiss.
He claimed her mouth, kissing her into an inferno that turned into a five-alarm blaze. Need blasted though her, and she clung to him with short, panting rasps.
“Do you have a bed or should we use the floor?” he grated out.
“Back corner.” Her one big purchase for the new schoolhouse was a mattress, which she’d lugged into the corner. Even if she didn’t yet have a bedframe, she boasted new sheets with a thread count so high they felt like silk.
Theo stared down at her, searching her gaze until she didn’t know where she started and the depths of his warm brown eyes ended. He lifted her. She wrapped her thighs around his hips and burrowed her head against his shoulder as he carried her to the corner.
When he dropped to his knees on the mattress, she kissed him as they tumbled down.
He rubbed his thumb over her nipple, pebbling it into a harder peak.
“You make me feel so good,” she whispered.
His gaze bore into her. “You deserve it.” He took her mouth again, toying with her lips with soft nibbles and then feeding her his tongue in a small cat and mouse play that had her dying of need.
She tore off his shirt and spread her fingers over his rounded pecs, exploring the discs of his nipples and noting how they pebbled at her touch. He lowered himself over her, crushing her into the thick memory foam and springs she’d never imagined she’d share with Theo. Yet here he was, in her bed, less than a week after she made the purchase.
Passion burned hotter as she traced a path along his chest to his chiseled abs. The dips and swells burned into her skin, leaving imprints she would carry with her long after this encounter.
He stripped off her shirt and spanned his palms over her ribs, looking at her for what felt to be endless seconds. The silence of the schoolhouse surrounded them, and golden sun streamed through the tall windows, slanting across his muscular torso.
“I’ve been dreaming about you ever since that evening in the truck.” He pressed a tender kiss to her chin and then dragged his mouth down her neck to her breasts, making her arch. He slid a hand underneath her and popped the clasp of her bra. Hooking a finger into one strap, he eased it down her skin. The other strap followed, and then he removed the garment.
Her chest heaved. “The way you’re looking at me right now… It makes me feel so beautiful. I forgot how that felt.”
He smiled. “Then I’d better do more than look. I’d better show you too.”
Chapter Four
Theo needed to get out of his jeans before his cock strangled. The length felt double its normal erect size, and every small whimper Sadie made had more precum slicking the head.
He swept kisses over her breasts and stomach, moving down at a faster rate than he wanted. He told himself weeks ago that if he ever got another chance with her, he’d savor each minute. Now he couldn’t slow down if he wanted to.
Her wide, glazed eyes drove him on his downward quest, kissing and nipping her skin as he went. When he popped the button of her jeans and eased down her fly, she shuddered and fisted the covers.
Seeing her small hands knotting the cloth threatened his control. Such an innocent thing—his younger self got turned on by naked breasts or bare thighs. He was aching at the sight of her gripping the blanket.
To hell with slow.
He grabbed her jeans and whipped them off her. They caught at her ankles, and he groaned with frustration at having to remove her boots and socks. For extra convenience, when the time came, he kicked his off too.