Crave (Billionaire Bachelors Club #1)(42)

That little sigh spurs me on, and I increase my pace. Her arms and legs clutch me close and I nuzzle her damp hair, breathe in her heady scent. I’ve never felt closer to a woman than I do at this very moment with Ivy. She’s all I want. All I’ll ever want.

The realization is so staggering I fumble for a moment, my hands gripping her ass tight. I pause, trying to keep my control, desperate to make this good for her, but she’s circling her hips and sending me deeper. So much deeper I’m afraid I’ll never find my way out of her.

“Harder, Archer,” she breathes against my ear, making me shiver. “I want to come with you inside me.”

Ah hell, she’s as good of a tease as I am. Increasing my pace once more, I f**k her hard against that wall, her body thumping loud with my every thrust, our sweaty skin clinging to each other, my hand tangled in her hair as I grip the back of her neck and bring her in for a kiss. Our lips meet, our tongues stroke, and then I’m groaning against her, coming so f**king hard I swear I see stars.

She’s coming too. I can feel her clench all around me, milking my orgasm further until I’m absolutely spent. We stand together for long, quiet moments, the only sounds our stuttering breaths, our frantic heartbeats. I’m not ready to let go of her yet, not ready to slip out of her hot depths and I stay there. Wrapped tight in her embrace, never ever wanting to move again.

“I . . . uh. Wow,” she murmurs minutes later, and I chuckle as I lift my head away from her to meet her gaze. “That was . . . I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“Really?” I kiss her, not insulted in the least. I don’t doubt for a second she didn’t mean for that to happen. I really didn’t either.

But when she’s sitting there talking about her lack of orgasms, it was like she threw down a challenge. I had to prove to her that she was wrong.

Did I ever.

“I just . . .” She laughs and shakes her head. “You make it hard for me to form words, after all that.”

“Mmm.” I kiss her again, her swollen lips parting for me easily as I search her mouth with my tongue. “We’re amazing together.”

“We are, aren’t we?”

“I’m going to enjoy showing you just how amazing again and again over these next two weeks.” I say it like a promise. A vow. Because it is.

She presses against my chest with her hands so I move away from her, but I still don’t let her go. “That sounds promising.”

I meet her gaze, schooling my expression, needing her to know the truth. “I was an idiot for pretending what happened between us didn’t exist. And I’m sorry about that.” Leaning in, I drop a soft kiss on her swollen lips. “I’m sorry I let you down. I can’t wait to start working with you. I trust your instincts. I believe in your skills. And I can’t wait for us to work together on this project and make my resort the best f**king thing the entire industry has ever seen.”

A slow, sexy smile curves her lips and she kisses me again. “I love it when you talk like that.”

“What, like an arrogant ass**le?”

“Yes.” Her lips linger on mine. “I find your arrogance . . . arousing.”

“Really?” I’m doubtful, but I’ll go with it.

“Yes. Really.” She licks my cheek and I flinch. What the hell was that for? “Take me to bed, Archer. Show me what else those magic hands and fingers can do.”

“Wait until you see what my magic tongue can do for you.” I get hard just thinking about it.

“I can’t wait to see.”

Chapter Thirteen

Ivy

ELEVEN DAYS. I’VE been in Calistoga with Archer for eleven days and I can’t believe how wonderful it’s been. Busy and tiring and exhausting but also . . . freaking amazing.

I don’t ever want to come down off this high.

We’ve been working nonstop on Crave. It’s small and quaint and gorgeous and sophisticated all at once. I’ve poured over endless fabric swatches, paint colors for the interiors, and searched through enough furniture catalogs and websites to make my eyes cross until I finally came up with the perfect color scheme for all eight of the suites, plus the lobby and spa accommodations.

All with Archer’s approval, of course, and he’s loved everything I’ve come up with. Considering we have similar taste, it’s been a relatively easy road. For all our arguing and fighting from the past, it’s hard for me to believe just how easily and well we work together. He’s brilliant and smart and comes up with the best ideas. I constantly compliment him as if I can’t help myself.

And then he thanks me by kissing me stupid, stripping me naked and having his way with me. Again and again and again.

Every night that we’re together it’s like this. We come together in a frenzy of heated breaths, delicious kisses, soft sighs, and wandering hands over naked skin. During the day we’re on our best behavior, working hard, going over plans, all sorts of plans, or returning to Hush where Archer has to take care of his day-to-day responsibilities, which are tedious and sometimes irritating, but he always handles them with ease.

He’s so good at his job, it’s a joy to watch him in action. I admire the easy way he has with people. How efficiently he handles a guest complaint, an employee complaint, a call from some reporter inquiring about the Calistoga location. It’s nonstop, everything he has to do.