Rebound (Tryst Island Series) (11 page)

But not quite as much.

Because, after all… Football.

A knock at the back door surprised them. The neighbors rarely visited.
 

Cassie was closest, so she hopped up to answer it. Lane opened his door as she passed. He looked like hell with red eyes and hair all matted to his head. There was a pillow streak on his cheek.

Kristi heard the rumble of voices but couldn’t make out any words, but then her belly lurched. She knew who it was.

She leaped to her feet as Rolf pushed past Cassie and Lane.
 
His gaze rounded the room and settled on her. Every man around the table rose as well. When Rolf stepped closer, they all bristled. His intense expression morphed into that charming mien she’d once found so irresistible. “There you are, baby. I’ve been hunting all over for you.”

“Here I am.” It was funny how her body reacted to him, especially now. There was no excitement. No thrill at the sight of him—not like she felt with Cam. Only a vague unease.

At the beginning, she’d thought his moodiness sexy, but it had gotten old quick. And though they’d been together for three years, the magic had evaporated long ago. Kristi didn’t know why they’d stayed together. Probably just habit.
 

A bad reason to remain in a relationship with someone you didn’t love to the depth of your being.

 
Rolf stepped closer. His voice dropped an octave. “Kristi. We need to talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Yes. There is. Please. Five minutes.” He glared around the room again. “In private.”

In private? No way. She waved toward the deck. “Outside.”

“Okay.”

She led the way through the slider and turned to face him.
 

He closed the door. “Kristi. Honey. It wasn’t what it looked like.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Really? It looked like your white ass going to town on Savannah.”

 
“Okay. I screwed up. It won’t happen again.”

Wouldn’t it? She wasn’t so sure. “Has it ever happened before?”

“What?” The flicker of guilt in his eyes was a dead giveaway.

“How many women, Rolf? How many women have you screwed since we’ve been together?”

He shrugged. “Not that many.”

“Not that many?”
Mortification washed through her.
She’d been a fool to stay with him. To be with him.

A red tide rose on his cheeks. “None. None, baby.” And at her glower, “Okay. Just the one. Just that one time.”

“Right.”

“Come on, Kristi. Give me another chance.”
 

Certainty, unlike any certainty she’d ever known, settled in her gut. “It’s over Rolf.”

“Sweetheart…” He stepped closer and made a move to pull her into his arms. She evaded him.
 

A movement to her left, through the wall of windows, caught her attention. She glanced over to see Lane, Drew, Holt and Cam standing, in formation, tracking Rolf’s every move, like ancient warriors surveying the field of a coming battle.
 

Love swelled in her chest. For all of them. One in particular. They would always be there for her. Always keep her safe. Her Dawgs.

Rolf followed her gaze and frowned. “I’ve always hated those guys.”

She shook her head. “Don’t you see? That’s the problem here. Not Savannah…or any other woman. We simply aren’t a good fit.” Hardly a new revelation. For her at least.

Rolf gaped at her. “What are you talking about? We’re perfect together.”

“No. We aren’t.” Not even close. For one thing, he didn’t like any of her friends. And he didn’t like
football
. She should have known…
 

“Aw, come on, baby. Don’t be like this.” His voice took on a wheedling quality. He tipped his head to the side and sent her a cajoling smile.
 
“We can work it out.”

“There’s nothing to work out, Rolf. I’m sorry. It’s over.”

He scratched his head and blew out a sigh. “Okay. Listen. I’ve been thinking. Maybe it’s time to take our relationship to the next level.”

“The next—what?”

“You know. I want you to move in with me.”

This he said, just as the slider opened. So those were the words Cam heard.

“The fuck she will!” he bellowed.

A tiny glow lit in her chest. She liked the way his fury felt. At least, about this.

Rolf’s cajoling expression morphed into a sneer. He propped his hands on his hips and gave Cam an insolent once-over. “Fuck off, douche wad. This isn’t any of your business.”

“The hell it’s not. She’s not moving in with you. She’s moving in with me.”

“I am?” Oh. This was news to her.

Cam winced and shot her an apologetic grin. “I was going to ask you in a week or so. Maybe after our third date.”

“We’re having a third date?”

“It’s on the schedule.”

“The schedule?”

A flush crawled up his cheeks. “The schedule in my head. I have it all worked out. I told you I’ve been thinking about you for a while.”

Rolf went ape-shit. “What. The. Fuck,” he snarled. Have you been making moves on my girl all this time?” He poked Cam’s chest with a belligerent finger.
 

Stupid move. It brought him back to Cam’s attention. That sweet, adorable face went all Highlander.

“She’s not your girl,” he snapped. “She’s mine.”

“Since when?” Rolf shoved Cam’s shoulder. He wheeled on Kristi. “Are you fucking him, you whore?”

Uh oh.

Dumb.

Dumb de dumb dumb.

Before she could say a word to defend herself—as though she would even bother—Cam’s fist smashed into Rolf’s cheek and he went reeling. He collapsed against the railing and slumped onto the deck.

“Dude,” Holt said from the door, “you’re gonna have to stop hitting people.”

Cam shook out his hand and shot his friend a dark look. “I only hit them when they really need hitting.”

“Yeah.” Holt cleared his throat. “I’ll remember that.” With a glance at Rolf, he stepped back inside and slid the door shut.

Cam pulled Kristi into his arms. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she laughed. She was better than okay. “But what about you?” She kissed his knuckles. “That had to hurt.”

“It hurt so good.” He glowered at Rolf and Rolf’s eyes widened. He skittered out of reach like a crab and then leaped to his feet and escaped around the corner of the house.

No one was following.

Because finally, they were alone.

Kristi grinned and turned her attention back to Cam. “Did you mean what you said?”

“About what?”

“About a future? For us?”

“Shit, Kristi. Of course I meant it. Didn’t I make myself clear last night?”

“Not really. We agreed on rebound.”

“That was just a ploy!”

“A what?”

He cringed at her screech. “You know. A ploy? To get you in bed?”

She smacked his shoulder. “You. Did. Not.”

“Kinda.”

His expression was sheepish. And adorable. And she loved it.

“I’m serious about dating you, Kristi. Really dating. And when you’re ready we can move in together and…”

“And?”

“More. If, you know, we both want more.”

She had a suspicion
she
would want more. “I’d like that.”

“Would you?”

“Definitely.”

He stared at her for a long moment. “Holt said something that intrigued me.”

“Forget about Holt.”

He chuckled. “I can’t forget about this.”

“All right.” She looped her arms around his neck and leaned against him. “What did Holt say that was so intriguing?”

“He said a spanking can really spice up a sex life.”

“Umm hmm,” she said. “Sounds like Holt.”

“Well. What do you think? Is that something you…might be interested in?”

She focused on the hairs erupting in the vee of his shirt. Stroked them with a fingertip. “I dunno. Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

“If
you’re
interested.”

“Oh, I am. At least I think I am. We could, you know, explore. I bet Bella’s store has some interesting stuff we could play with.”

“Right. Like I want to do my sex shopping at my sister’s boutique?”

He leaned in and kissed her. “We’ll go by when she’s not there. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“And that spanking?” Damn, he was insistent. “Are you up for it tonight?”

“Tonight? Really?”

“Umm hmm.” He silenced her with a long, leisurely kiss.
 

When he pulled away she was breathless. “Okay, Mr. Jackson. You’ve convinced me. We’ll try a little spanking tonight.” She shot him a fiendish grin. “But I sure hope your ass can take it.”

The look on his face was priceless.
 

Next Up:

Dragonfly Kisses by Sabrina York

A Tryst Island Erotic Romance

Dylan Deveney has no interest in a wild fling. He simply wants a quiet place where he can try to forget a painful past and, barring that, drink himself to death. But when he catches a glimpse of his exquisite neighbor—in the buff—his passion for life reignites.

Cassie French can’t resist Dylan’s allure. From his scruffy beard to his earring to his intriguing dragonfly tattoo, she’s crazy about him. And sex between them is scorching. Everything seems perfect…until a tragedy from Dylan’s past threatens to ruin everything.

An Excerpt from Dragonfly Kisses

When they finished eating and bantering, a crackling silence fell. Cassie licked her finger and blotted up her crumbs. “Well,” she said. “I should probably be going.” She moved to stand.

“Don’t.”
 

One word, sharp, with a tinge of panic, froze her in place. She glanced at him.

“Please stay. I’ve…enjoyed talking to you.”

She forced a smile. “Lucy will be worried.”

“About me?”

She laughed. “About me. Poaching. We have rules about poaching, you see.”

“Poaching only counts on things you own. Lucy doesn’t own me.”

Cassie cleared her throat. “She wants to. And she has dibbs.”

He snorted a laugh. “Sounds like third grade. And, by the way, I thought Bella had dibbs.”

“They’re dueling over you.”

His expression sobered. “Do I get a say in this?”
 

She tipped her head to the side. “Have you met them? They can be rather…adamant.”

“So can I. When I want something.”

Her heart flipped. “You, ah, want something?”

“You know I do.”

Holy heaven. His gaze was steamy. It left no doubt about exactly what he wanted. But she had to ask. “W-what?”

He stood, balancing on one foot. “Come here.”

The thread of command, of yearning, in his tone snared her. She couldn’t ignore it. She rounded the table and looked up at him. This close, he was even more mesmerizing. And he smelled…he smelled delicious. His cologne teased her nostrils. Musky and woodsy and manly.

She stilled as he threaded his fingers through her hair and cupped her cheeks. And then his head descended.

His lips brushed hers. Just a soft, sweet buss, but it held a skein of promise, a hint of hunger and a tinge of desperation.
 

At her moan, he deepened the kiss, opening his mouth, pressing against her, consuming her. His taste, his essence, flooded her. Desire, wild and wonton, lashed her. Unbidden, a moan rose in her throat. He took it, swallowed it, gave it back.

He pulled her closer, flush against him. His body was hard and hot. Demanding. A trill of excitement rippled through her as she nudged the thick wedge of his erection.
 

Oh, she shouldn’t be doing this, kissing, consuming a man she barely knew like a lust-crazed wanton, but she couldn’t stop. And she kind of was. A lust-crazed wanton.

Something about this man curled around her sanity, her core, and sank in with needy claws. She’d kissed a lot of men in her life. But never a kiss like this.

He slanted his lips and took her from a new direction, molding his mouth over hers, teasing, nibbling, licking. She shuddered as his tongue dipped in. She met it with her own, then, unable to resist, gently sucked.

He reared back and stared at her. His eyes were rimmed with red, burned with desire. “God, Cassie,” he groaned, but didn’t finish the thought. As though he couldn’t resist, he kissed her again, but this time with a fiercer passion, one that made her muscles lock, her heart thud, her body melt.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, stroked his hair, then scored his scalp in a rake of need.