Risky Play (Red Card #1)(59)

“To be asked to stay,” she said on her next breath, like she was afraid to speak it too loud.





Chapter Forty-Two MACKENZIE

Don’t be the weird girl who cries after sex.

That was the only thing I could think of as we drove in silence back to his house.

I had one more week before my dad expected me back at the main winery. One more week where I could both work and play with Slade.

I swore to myself to take advantage of that.

But first steps first, don’t cry because he said everything that I’ve been wanting another human to say to me for the last few years.

Alton included.

It was too heavy of a thing to tell him, and though I wanted to trust him—needed to—I was still scared.

Petrified, actually.

It wasn’t helping that Jagger’s words haunted me, as if I didn’t know the real Slade.

It gave me a headache thinking about it.

Was this the real Slade?

This sexy combination of the Slade from vacation and the confident albeit cocky celeb?

By the time we pulled up to the house and got out of the car, my nerves were a wreck, I was overthinking everything.

And it wasn’t fair to him.

But he didn’t push me.

He didn’t even ask me what I was thinking about.

And when Alfie barreled toward the front door, I intercepted him so he wouldn’t run into the driveway. “Buddy, you miss us?”

“Of course he does.” Slade lowered himself to the ground. “You miss Mom and Dad, buddy?”

I froze.

Slade froze.

Alfie froze—tongue hanging out.

Slade cleared his throat. “You know what . . . I meant . . . in . . . joking. It was . . . a joke.”

“It was funny?” I offered, scrunching up my nose.

He actually looked like he was blushing as he stared down at Alfie, as though the dog was the reason for his slipup, and then back over at me. “So, I’ll just get the guest bedroom ready for you?”

I frowned. “Wait, what?”

He grinned. “See, that was funny, that reaction right there. You have this very Botox-free line that appears when you get pissed, divides your face right in half, sexy as hell.”

I narrowed my eyes.

He whistled. “And paired with that I’m going to spank you later look—it’s every guy’s dream.”

“You’re a . . .” I gritted my teeth. “Huh, maybe I will take the guest room, Alfie would probably love to share a bed.”

“That backfired in ways I didn’t predict,” he grumbled, getting to his feet and holding out his hand. “Also, if you sleep anywhere but my bed, you’re going to have company and not just that of the farting variety.” He jerked his head to Alfie. “I mean you, buddy.”

Alfie whined and turned in a little circle. I laughed while Slade locked the doors and then wrapped his arms around me from behind, drawing lazy kisses with his tongue down my neck.

I shivered.

“See, that’s the response I love . . .” He tugged my ear with his teeth. “You’re so damn responsive for me—how the hell am I supposed to keep my hands off you?”

“You’re not.” I turned in his arms.

He devoured my next words, walking us backward toward the stairway. “I want more of you . . . I want all of you.”

“You have all of me.”

“I want it all the time. I want all of you every second. I want to hear you scream my name so loud your voice goes fucking hoarse. I want every step you take to be a reminder that I’ve been inside you, that I’m between your thighs.” He oozed sexuality, his powerful body bracing me against the stairs, his golden eyes wild as he flattened his palm against my ass and jerked me forward. A tremor of want rippled down my spine as he lowered his head and coaxed my mouth open with his velvet tongue. “I’m not done yet. We’re not done.”

I exhaled against his lips. “Good.”

Growling, he pulled me into his arms, our mouths knocked together in frenzied heated kisses that had me rubbing myself shamelessly against him. I grabbed two fistfuls of his hair, deepening the kiss as he braced himself against the wall.

“Keep doing that and Alfie’s going to see you naked.” He swallowed another scorching kiss as we stumbled into the bedroom.

Slowly, he set me on my feet.

I’d never seen a man’s eyes so eager, so full of temptation and power. He was a perfect box named Sin—and I was about to fall.

Again.

My blood buzzed in my ears as he dipped his head. His mouth didn’t touch mine, but the inches between our lips were so electric that I swayed toward him.

And then I was hit with cold air as he lifted my dress over my head and tossed it to the floor.

Before I could utter a word, he gripped my thong in a fist and ripped it from my body. “You won’t be needing this tonight.”

“What about tomorrow?” I licked my suddenly dry lips.

He just grinned. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, wildcat, I’d hate for you to bite off more than you can chew.”

My heart fluttered in my chest.

I pressed a hand against my skin to feel its beats—the beats were for him, in anticipation of his touch. Ready for anything he would give me.