Challenging the Center (Santa Fe Bobcats #6)(49)

Michael stood beside the bed, grinning, clearly pleased with himself that he’d thrown her—literally—off-balance.

“You ass,” she ground out. But it didn’t dull the sharp edge of need.

“You like when I’m an ass,” he countered, toeing his shoes off before sitting beside her. “If I were easy on you, you’d be bored. You’re that kind of woman.”

Kat’s heart stuttered at that. That kind of woman. Was it meant to be an insult? Was he going to bring up the sex tape now? The thought made her want to throw up.

Something on her face must have shown, because he bent over and kissed her gently, more a brushing of the lips than a real smooch. As he kissed her lips, her nose, her cheeks, he spoke.

“I meant that in the best way possible. You’ve fought me tooth and nail every step of the way. You don’t give up ground. You won’t surrender. So when you’re here, in my own damn bed, it’s because I know you want this as much—maybe more—than even I do. You can’t know how much that turns me on.”

“I can guess,” she breathed as he pulled back. The fact that his erection felt like a tree trunk against her was a pretty good indication.

His hands glided up and down her arms, head shaking. “Now that you’re here…”

“You don’t know what to do?” Kat interrupted. “It’s pretty simple. When a boy and a girl like each other very much…”

Michael gripped her hip and rolled her instantly, giving her a quick smack on her ass for that. She laughed, then moaned as heat spread. It was meant to be playful, she knew, but it still did something to her.

“You’re such a mouthy one. How they ever thought I could be any sort of influence on you is beyond me.”

“I’m hopeless.” Kat rolled back to face him, beaming.

“You’re my kinda hopeless,” Michael admitted, then kissed her once more.



She was here, in his bed, willing and waiting.

And Michael had no clue what to do with her.

Okay, he knew what to do with her. He wasn’t an idiot.

Or maybe he was since he was sitting there, staring at her, thinking instead of touching.

With one hand, he pulled her shirt up, waiting for any cue from her to halt progress. But her lids half lowered, as if she was too lost in the sensation to make them stay open to watch. When he reached the edge of her bra, she shifted slightly, letting the shirt glide effortlessly over her breasts to rest below her chin. Then she reached down to rip it up and over her head before launching it across the room.

So she wouldn’t be a passive bedmate. Good, he thought savagely. She had too much fire in her to lay back and let anything just happen to her. And he wanted to witness every moment of it.

“You know, I’ve never been with another athlete before,” he commented casually. Her abdominal muscles rippled under his touch. “There’s something really… sexy about all these muscles.”

“Not masculine?” she asked, a curious uncertainty in her eyes.

“Why would you…” He realized at once why she’d asked, then fought hard not to scowl. “Did some dumb shit call you masculine?”

She shrugged, looking sideways across the room, but a telltale blush spread over her cheeks.

Michael sighed, then reached under to release the clasp of her bra. It popped open without a problem, and she didn’t fight as he took the bra off and tossed it to the side. The sight of her lying in his bed, naked from the waist up, was the most erotic sight he’d ever beheld in his life.

“This body,” he said, kissing her navel, her ribs, working his way up to the underside of her breast, “is the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen.” With one hand, he cupped her other breast as he began working the nipple of the first with his mouth. “These… these are definitely feminine.”

She breathed in deeply, then let it out on a wavering sigh.

“So anyone who could see you like this and think you’re masculine, is a f*ckhead whose opinion shouldn’t be considered for longer than the time it takes to show him the door.”

That made her smile a little, and when his eyes met hers, he let go of her breast with a small pop. Her eyes widened, as if shocked by the display. Michael rolled over to give her other breast some attention, fingers playing with the wet tip of the first, pleased with how it puckered tightly in the cool room air.

Kat’s chest heaved, and her eyes closed now, as if she were too overwhelmed to keep eye contact.

He kissed her on the lips once, just to anchor himself, before letting one of his hands open the button on her shorts. They slid apart easily, and Kat lifted her hips so he could take them off, her panties with them. And she was naked, finally, in his bed.

God damn, it wasn’t soon enough.

Michael sat back on his heels just to watch her. As he did, a flush crept up over her skin, and her eyes darted away.

“Kat Kelly, don’t tell me you’re shy,” he teased softly.

“This…” She chewed on her lip for a moment, then whispered, “I’m not used to being with guys. Like… this. I’m not that experienced.”

He blinked. “But…” He swallowed. There was no easy way to say that.

“But I have a sex tape,” Kat finished for him, flatly.