Playing for Keeps (Heartbreaker Bay #7)(45)

“Wow,” she said, coming up on her elbows. “Maybe we should agree to temporarily shelve how ridiculous you are and get back to you making me a very happy woman.”

“Absolutely.” Then, hands planted on either side of her head, he lowered himself to her and—

Lollipop whined.

“Ignore her,” Sadie said against his mouth.

It was heaven, she was heaven, but he could feel the weight of Lollipop’s stare and he let out a breath. “She’s watching.”

“She has no idea what we’re up to. Look, you’re even still dressed.”

Caleb turned his head and met the dog’s knowing eyes. “She totally knows what we’re up to.”

Sadie nudged him off of her and sat up to look at Lollipop. “She’s just afraid she’s missing out on some fun.”

“That’s because she is.”

Sadie laughed. “You’re awfully sure of yourself. I’ll reserve judgment until after.”

A challenge, one he was most definitely up for. Wrapping his hands around the back of her legs, he tugged so that she fell to her back. He lowered himself over her again and bent to lave some attention on her bare breasts, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement.

Lollipop had sidled up to the bed and was bouncing up and down like she was a pogo stick.

“Don’t look at her,” Sadie whispered breathlessly, her fingers in his hair.

He dropped his head to her gorgeous bare breasts. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I don’t think I can perform with an audience.”

Sadie snorted and pointed at the dog. “Lollipop, go to your bed.”

Lollipop panted happily, and proving she didn’t see herself as disabled in the slightest, took a flying leap on two fallen pillows, using them as stairs to get all the way up onto the bed. Very proud of herself, she pounced on her two favorite people in the world.

“Ohmigod, you’re so effing cute,” Sadie said.

“Yeah, she’s the cutest cockblocker on the planet.” Caleb scooped the dog up, let her nuzzle in for a minute, hugged her tight and then . . . took her out to the hallway.

“Smooth,” Sadie said with a laugh when he—carefully—shut the bedroom door on the dog’s nose.

“I’m motivated,” he said and dropped trou.

It was now even darker in her room with the door shut, just some ambient lighting coming in from the window, but he could play connect the dots with the best of them. She’d wanted to leave some clothes on to stay warm so he tugged off her boots and bunched her skirt up to her waist. “Hold this,” he said and she took the material in her hands. He admired her pretty little lace panties, before they flew over his shoulder. When he dropped a knee to the bed and crawled up Sadie’s body, he took the time to kiss every inch of her as he could get to. Her calf. The inside of her right thigh. Then he turned his head to do the same for her left and caught sight of some ink. Tattoos high on her thigh, written in a beautiful script that he strained in the dark to read.

Heart

Mind



And . . .

Courage

Fear



He took his time there, kissing each, feeling his own heart and mind open up to her in a way he hadn’t expected. But then he realized she’d froze at the first touch of his mouth to the ink. Froze, and then squirmed in a way that had him lifting his head to meet her gaze, which was filled with sudden nerves and anxiety.

“They’re beautiful,” he said, running his finger over the words. The two tattoos were lined up vertically, one beneath the other. And beneath them both was a two-inch-long scar that was at least several years old. “As beautiful as you.”

She closed her eyes and he knew what that meant. Sadie retreated inward when she got uncomfortable, which was the last thing he wanted here. “Hey,” he murmured, lifting himself up to rub his jaw to hers, dipping his head to press a kiss to the spot beneath her ear that he knew drove her wild.

And indeed he felt her breath hitch, felt her arch up into him, her fingers sinking into his hair. Her mouth sought his and when they finally broke apart, they were both taking short ragged breaths. “Still with me?” he murmured, his hands cupping her breasts, causing her to bow her back for more.

“Yes,” she gasped, wrapping her legs around him.

“Are you—?”

“I’m sure! I’m 100 percent that sure I’m going to kill you if you stop now!”

He laughed against her and slid down her body again, nudging her thighs open so he could taste her. “I’m not going to stop.”

And he didn’t, not even when she went off like a firecracker, fingers gripping his hair, body arching up into his, nearly bringing him along with her and he hadn’t even gotten inside her yet.

And that’s when he remembered. Condoms. He didn’t have any. Shit. He couldn’t believe it. How stupid was he for not carrying a Just In Case condom? Though to be fair to himself, it’d been a while since he’d needed one.

“In,” Sadie said in a husky voice. “In me. Please, Caleb, get inside me now .”

There was nothing he wanted more, but he lifted his head. “I don’t have a condom.”

She met his gaze and bit her lower lip.

“What?”