Rough: Daunting Temptation (Coral Gables Series Book 1) (24 page)

"Shh," he says. "Remember your stepfather's shotgun."

"We ought to stop," I whisper.

"Or you ought to be quiet," he grins as he raises his head from my chest. His warm breath causes my nipple to stiffen again. I struggle to be quiet, but it's hard. Delsin lowers his mouth over my left nipple and repeats what he did to the other one, which his fingers now tug gently. "You don't make it easy for me to be quiet," I gasp.

"I know," he growls, and then he lets go of my nipples and trails a wet line of kisses down to my belly button, circling his tongue around it, and then further down, until he reaches the mound between my legs. I feel his tongue glide between my lips there, flick my clit. I suppress my moans, thinking of the horror of mom or Buck coming in. I want to avoid their attention at all costs. By now, I only want to feel Delsin inside me, want to see him come and hear him moan. He sucks at my clit, while his fingers move in and out of me.

The warm waves and spasms in various parts of my body arrive fast. "Come for me," Delsin demands in a growl.

My heart is hammering against my chest again, and then the fireworks explode before my eyes and I climax. Delsin holds a hand over my mouth so nobody can hear me gasp and moan. Then he comes up, aligning his body with mine. His boxers glide over my pelvis, and I can feel the hard swell of his erection. He kisses me while I pull down his shorts. I desperately want to feel him inside me, but he doesn't enter me when he is naked. Instead he pulls away a little. "Do you have any condoms?" he asks softly.

I shake my head. "No, I don't, but I'm on the pill," I answer in the same low tone.

"I have never ... done it without a condom," he whispers.

"Then it may be time for me to deflower you now," I smile.

The corners of his mouth quirk up before he kisses me again. During the extended kiss, he moves his penis in position and then slides it in. I moan into his mouth and close my eyes. His motions are slow and fluid at first, and his own moans are as quiet as possible. I caress his cheeks, his neck, his shoulder blades, not knowing where to put my hands. Delsin nuzzles my neck as his thrusts become harder. I wrap my legs around him so I can push back if they get too hard. When another moan escapes my mouth, he puts his hand over it. Then he thrusts faster and hits the spot that sends me spiraling. "Oh god, I'm almost there," he murmurs. His thrusts become more erratic and frantic, until his free hand grabs the pillow and he comes, swallowing his own strangled outcry. His climax triggers my own, and I virtually scream into his covering hand, which he clamps over my mouth to prevent me from really screaming out.

When my breathing is back to normal, he takes the hand away and gives me a tender kiss. He remains buried in my depths, caressing my cheek with his fingers and grinning at me. "I think I'm still going to feel this night for a few days," he says softly.

"Why?" I ask, confused.

"Look at my shoulders," he smiles and settles his body comfortably on mine.

I gasp because he is heavy, but I also revel in that weight. Then I raise my head a little. "Oh, I'm sorry," I say when I see the long scratches I have left on his tan skin.

Delsin kisses the sensitive spot under my ear. "No worries. It drives me wild when you let yourself go."

"That was probably the first time," I counter.

"Still, I love it. Good sex may leave its marks, and that's more than fine with me." He winks at me and kisses the tip of my nose. Then he slowly slips out of me and lies down next to me. He pulls me into his arms and I snuggle up to him, content and sated.

"Caramel?"

"Yes?"

"Do I get another chance to prove that I am good enough for you?" he asks, sounding shy.

I sigh before I answer. "Delsin, I ... I can offer you something."

He looks down at me when I raise my eyes. "What is it?"

"Friends with benefits," I joke.

His face falls, and I smirk, but ruefully. "It was a joke. Sorry, not really appropriate right now."

"And what would be your real offer?" he asks.

"That you can fight for me. I still don't know how to get a hold, a grasp of what it is I feel for you. Everyone says it is love, but I want to be certain before I get together with you again," I explain.

He takes a deep breath. "Alright. I'll fight for you. But why did you sleep with me?"

"I don't know. I think ... I was horny," I answer sheepishly.

He starts to laugh. "I didn't expect this answer, but I am glad you slept with me and not with anyone else."

"With you, I know it will be satisfying, even though that may sound awfully selfish now. I didn't want to take advantage of you," I apologize.

"I've enjoyed being taken advantage of, and I also enjoyed feeling you without the barrier of a condom between us," he whispers and kisses my forehead.

I smile at him shyly and put my head on his chest. "Do you know how to ride? Ride a horse, I mean."

"No, I don't. Do you want to teach me how to do it?" Delsin asks.

"If you're interested. I have no plans for tomorrow, except maybe to go out at night. I could show you the farm," I offer.

"That sounds good to me."

I breathe a kiss on his chest. "Yeah, to me, too, but I think you should go to your room now."

"Are you kicking me out?" he grins.

"You could phrase it like that, yes," I giggle.

"But I want to stay with you," he insists, a little more earnest now.

"Then stay, but keep that shotgun in mind," I say, trying to sound ominous.

"I'll take the risk. But let's go to sleep now, Caramel." He pulls me closer, almost on top of him, and I close my eyes.

"You have no idea how important you are to me," he murmurs.

"You've become important to me, too, but that's all I can say about my own feelings. They are still so confused, and confusing."

"You mean I've turned your emotional world upside down."

"That's very true, yes. I ought to have stuck with hating you, not letting you get this close to me. You treated my friends and other women rather cheaply, after all. On the other hand, my heart is fighting every attempt my head makes at pushing you away from me." I sigh. "You found a way to sneak into my heart, and now it won't let you go."

"Let's try and sleep, Caramel. Your mom warned me that here, the night ends at six in the morning. I don't want to look like a zombie," he says softly.

I giggle. "Good night, Delsin."

"Good night, Caramel. Dream a little dream of me," he whispers.

"That would interfere with a sound sleep."

"Too bad. Then wake me up if it does," he smiles.

I breathe another kiss on his chest and slip into a deep slumber.

Chapter 11

The morning arrived quicker than I would have liked. Around five, Delsin kissed me awake and then slipped out so he wouldn't be caught by Buck.

I got up, too, took a shower and got rid of the sweat of our heated encounter. After that I made my bed so my mom wouldn't notice anything. I tiptoed down into the basement with the old sheets, wanting to let them disappear in the washer. I've always been good at covering up my tracks, even when I was with Kieran. I'm glad he hasn't gotten wind of my stay here yet, or else he would probably already have shown up on the farm. But I feel that Delsin would protect me from him, should he come too close and threaten me. I'm pretty certain he would. He was the one who dragged Ethan away from me when he was hassling me.

I leave the basement laundry room and walk up the stairs again. When I put my hand on the door to the first floor, someone pulls it open from the other side. A cry of shock escapes me.

"Dear god, Cami, what are you doing in the basement this early?" mom barks at me, looking as frightened as I do.

Then we hear hasty steps from above, racing down the stairs. "Are you okay, Caramel?" Delsin asks and looks at me with an alarmed expression.

"Yes. Everything is fine. My mom and I just ran into each other and, well, gave each other a fright," I answer.

He exhales. "Okay."

"And because you gave me a fright, young lady, you will prepare breakfast for everyone now," my mom instructs me.

"I don't even know what to prepare," I protest.

"Scrambled eggs, bacon, waffles or pancakes. The works. You know."

I heave a dramatic sigh. "Okay. Should I go to the bakery and get fresh rolls and stuff?"

"That's a good idea. You know the usual order."

"Yes, I do. Ten normal rolls, two of which should have poppyseed in them, five French croissants, and five French rolls," I list. Both Steve and Buck are exceptionally fond of sweet baked goods.

"Right, but I guess you should take fifteen rolls today, including four poppyseed ones, because we have two more eaters," she decides.

"Got that."

"You want me to come along?" Delsin asks.

I look at him and nod. "Would be nice to make the short trip with you."

He smiles. "Let me go fetch my baseball cap."

"One moment, I've got something better," I grin and slip past my mom, up to my room. My dad's old hat is in my closet, and I want to give it to Delsin now. My own Stetson has magically appeared on my desk, so I put it on and carry the other one downstairs. It's a dark brown one. Delsin looks at me and the hat skeptically. "You want me to wear that?"

"Yes. We're in Texas and here, virtually everyone outside the large cities wears a hat," I explain, standing on the last step.

Delsin comes closer and I place the hat on his head. I bite my lip so I won't laugh, because he looks somewhat ridiculous in it. His style doesn't go well with the old hat. "You look ..." I start.

"Totally stupid, I guess?" he asks.

"Maybe a little bit … But I guess it just takes a while to get used to the new you. Maybe we'll go look for some clothes to go with it later, so you can look like a real cowboy," I grin.

He laughs softly. "Thanks, but no, thanks. I'll stick to my own style."

"He doesn't look too bad," mom chimes in. "You should comb your hair away from your face and maybe stop shaving for a few days, then you'll look more masculine."

"Are you telling me I'm not manly enough?" Delsin laughs.

"No, but you could look even more manly, that's what I'm saying."

I grab Delsin's hand and drag him with me to the front door. "Let's go before Buck joins the fun and dresses you up in his own clothes," I warn him. "Bye, mom." We leave the house and get into my car. Because the top is open, Delsin climbs in and opens the driver's door for me.

"I hope you're not going to do that again, ever," I grin.

"Why?" he asks, irritated.

"Because my car is my treasure, and you stood on the leather seat with your shoes."

"Oh," he laughs. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. You didn't know, that's why I'm telling you." Then I start the engine and put the gear in reverse. We roll out of the driveway.

"Can I turn on the radio?"

I look at Delsin before I enter the road. "Sure."

He turns it on, and a remix of Billy Ray Cyrus'
Achy breaky heart
starts blaring from the speakers.

"Shit, what in the holy cow's name is that?" Delsin laughs.

"That is the music I grew up with. Well, with the original version, not the remix," I explain.

"Poor girl."

I punch him in the leg, but he catches my hand and holds it. "You're impossible, Delsin Rough."

"I know. I'm equipped with an impossibly great taste in music," he counters.

"I don't even know what type of music you like."

He turns the radio's volume down and starts to rap a song I have never heard. It sounds rather misogynistic to me.

I cock an eyebrow and try to concentrate on the road. "Are you serious? You like music that deals with bitches that need to be screwed all night?"

He stops. "It's more about the rhythm."

"I see. That's why you know all the words," I grumble.

"Oh, Caramel, it's only music. As long as I don't take the rappers' advice, everything is fine, isn't it?" It's obvious he doesn't want to argue.

And he's right. I press his hand and smile at him. "It is."

When I park the car in front of the town bakery, Delsin hugs me and gives me another kiss, which I return softly. "I'll go get the goods and you wait here," I whisper against his lips and breathe a kiss against them. Then I get out.

There are few customers in the store, so Misses Miller is ready to greet me in no time: "Very nice to see you, Camille," she smiles.

"Nice to see you, too, Misses Miller."

She takes my order and put everything into two paper bags. I pay and balance the bags out, back to the car. I hand the warm bags to Delsin, before I walk around the car and get in at my side.

"Homeward bound," I announce and hit the gas.