Shoot Out (The Baltimore Banners Book 7) (14 page)

If you want to.

The shy words still rang in Mat's head. Yeah, he wanted to. Christ, he wanted to more than he wanted to admit. He'd waited a few long minutes, just to be sure Nicole meant what he thought she meant, that she wouldn't change her mind. The searing kiss she'd given him removed any doubt he might have had left. As soon as she pulled away, he turned the engine on and sped away from the curb, breaking the speed limit in his rush to get her home.

Now he was standing in front of his door, trying to get the damn key in the lock. Nicole was right behind him, the scorching heat from her body bathing him, driving him crazy.

And shit. Was the place clean? Yeah. The cleaning service had just been in two days ago and it wasn't like he was a slob to begin with. Good, that meant he wouldn't have to worry—not about the condition of his house, anyway.

The key finally turned and Mat pushed the door open, palming the light switch for the entranceway then standing aside so Nicole could enter. She offered him a small smile, almost shy, then looked around. Her eyes widened and she blinked but he didn't understand why. Maybe the light was too bright?

He closed the door and locked it, his gaze sliding around as he tried to see the house from her eyes. It wasn't sprawling, not like JP's cedar house on the water, but it was comfortable. Four bedrooms and two bathrooms up the stairs to their left, another full bathroom on the first level, just off the formal sitting room. And okay, maybe that was a bit overboard because he sure as hell didn't need a formal anything, but that's what the realtor had called it.

The living room opened up on their right, decorated in blues and greens and creams. Past that was the kitchen and dining room, an open air concept that ran along the entire back length of the house. French doors opened off the dining room onto the large deck leading to the pool and hot tub.

He glanced around again, making sure nothing was out of place, that everything was presentable. Yeah, just as he left it. So now what? They couldn't stand in the entranceway all night but Mat didn't want to go all caveman on her and carry her upstairs, either. He didn't think she'd appreciate that, not with the way her hands were tightening around the strap of the backpack held by her side.

"You live here by yourself?"

He tossed his keys onto the small table next to the door. "Uh, yeah. Would you like the grand tour? It'll only take about two minutes."

He'd meant the words as a joke but saw something flare in Nicole's eyes. A shadow of…something. He couldn't tell, only knew that whatever it was struck him as something sad. He thought to ask, wondered if maybe she was having second thoughts, but before he could say anything, Nicole was in his arms. Her body pressed tight against his, her mouth seeking his as her arms wound around his neck. The backpack was still in her hand and it hit him in the side but he didn't care. She could hit him with the thing all night as long as she didn't stop kissing him.

But it was more than a kiss. So much more. Mat tightened his arms around her, the palm of one hand curving around the firm flesh of her ass. He pulled her closer, pressed the hard length of his erection against her, and groaned.

Christ, he wanted her. He hadn't stopped wanting her, not since that night in New Orleans. He wanted her with a hunger that was ferocious, frightening, intense. He wanted her like he'd never wanted another woman before.

And fuck, if he didn't stop, if he didn't get control of himself, he'd take her right here. Just pull the hem of her skirt up, back her against the wall, and bury himself in her sweet heat.

Mat broke the kiss, his breathing coming in harsh gasps as he pulled away. Disappointment flashed in her amber eyes, only to be replaced by surprise when he bent down and wrapped one arm behind her legs. Her hands dug into his shoulders, the backpack hitting him in the side again when he lifted her.

"What are you doing?" Her voice was just above a whisper, all husky and smoky, spilling over him like a smooth whiskey. He grinned down at her, glad to see that their kisses had the same effect on her as they did on him.

"I'm carrying you upstairs."

Her hands tightened their grip on his shoulders and her mouth opened into a small
O
of surprise. She shouldn't be surprised, though, not when he was already halfway up the stairs, not when it should be obvious what he was doing.

His eyes never left hers as he carried her into the bedroom, over to the large bed. Gently, carefully, he lowered her to the mattress, his fingers sliding along the backs of her legs, caressing.

Then he kneeled next to her on the bed and leaned forward, pressed his lips against hers, hesitant and slow. He wanted to devour her in every way imaginable. But not yet. No, he wanted to seduce her first. Tease her, taste her. Make her weak with desire, mindless with need. Except she deepened the kiss, her hands drifting down along his chest to the hem of his shirt. His skin burned everywhere she touched, causing the breath to hitch in his chest, causing his lungs to burn.

She eased his shirt up, breaking the hungry kiss long enough to pull it over his head and toss it on the floor. She pushed to her knees, facing him, her chest pressed against his, her hips searching. She moaned and pressed herself more tightly against him, against the rock hard length of his cock. It took every ounce of self-control he had not to throw her on her back and drive into her, to lose himself in her warm body.

He dragged his hands along her back, down to her ass, lower, until he touched bare skin. Christ, her skin was so soft, like silk. Mat ached to touch every inch of her, taste every inch of her.

His hands drifted up, under her skirt to skim her ass, bare except for a tiny wisp of lace that barely covered her. He groaned, the sound loss in the melding of their mouths, their tongues.

He wanted her. Needed her. Now.

No, not yet. He wanted this to be more than just a hurried romp, more than a stolen moment. He broke the kiss and dragged his lips across her cheek, to her ear, nibbling. Along the graceful lines of her neck, to that spot where it met her shoulder. Nicole gasped and her head fell back, her hair coming undone and falling across his arm, the soft strands teasing his skin.

"Mat—"

He silenced her plea with a kiss, swallowing her soft cry as he tilted his hips, letting her know exactly how much he wanted her. She rested her hands on his bare shoulders, her fingers digging into his flesh as he kissed and licked. Too many clothes, too many boundaries.

He moved his hand up her side, up and around so he could ease her jacket off, careful to not hit her arm where she hurt it. The shirt came next as he slowly eased it up, his thumbs grazing her skin, teasing her nipples through the lacy material of her bra before pulling the shirt over her head.

Mat leaned back, his eyes studying her, drinking her in. From the fall of hair around her shoulders to the graceful lines and curves of her beautiful breasts. From the shadows of the tattoos on her arm, barely visible in the light coming from the hall, to the indentation of her waist and the flare of her hips. He wanted it all. He wanted
her
.

He licked his lips and met her gaze, saw the passion glazing them and knew his own eyes would look the same. "You're so beautiful."

She shook her head, opened her mouth to say something, but Mat pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her. "Yes, you are. You're beautiful."

Then he kissed her. Not a gentle, hesitant kiss meant to reassure but a deep kiss, meant to seduce. Possessing, claiming. Showing her without words what he wanted, what he thought. He eased back on the bed, pulling her down on top of him, his hand splayed along her back. His elbow knocked into something and there was a sudden bounce followed by a thud. He ignored it, not caring what it was, caring only about the woman in his arms.

But Nicole stiffened and pulled away, scrambled over him to lean over the edge of the bed. And Christ, she was straddling him, her hips pressed against his rock hard cock. If he had been fully naked, if he didn't still have his shorts on, all he'd have to do—

Nicole straightened, the backpack in her hands and a frown on her face as she unzipped it and dug through it. Fuck. The thud had been her backpack hitting the floor. He wanted to tell her to leave it, wanted to tell her that it wasn't important. But the expression on her face—worry, anxiety—told him that it
was
important. To her.

He propped himself on his elbows and watched as she dug through the bag. "Everything okay?"

"My camera." She pulled the camera out then placed the bag on the bed next to them. Mat could feel her anxiety now, pulsing through her as she held it up to her face, trying to examine it in the near-darkness.

He shifted, one hand on her hip, holding her in place as he leaned over and hit the switch on the bedside lamp. Soft light fell over them, not enough to illuminate the entire room but enough that she would be able to see.

Nicole sat back, her firm and mostly bare ass now pressed tight against his erection. But she didn't seem to notice, not when she was studying the camera, turning it this way and that. She turned it on and looked through the view finder then made some adjustments. He heard her sigh, felt some of the tension leave her body.

"Everything okay?"

She finally looked at him, a relieved smile on her face. "Yeah, I think so."

He sat up and wrapped his hands around her hips, holding her in place. He tried to tell himself it was so she wouldn't tumble off the bed when he moved. "Are you sure? Did you need to take a few pictures to check?"

A playful glint lit her eyes and tugged at the corners of her full mouth. Before Mat realized what she was doing, she lifted the camera and snapped a series of pictures. His mouth dropped open and he leaned back.

"Uh, what are you doing?"

"Taking a few pictures like you said." She lowered the camera, her gaze fixed on whatever was showing on the small review screen.

"I didn't mean of me."

"The camera loves you, though. Look." She turned the camera around to show him but damn if he saw what she meant. The only thing he could see was a close-up of his face, his eyes widened in surprise, a stunned expression on his face.

Nicole moved the camera, bringing it up to her face. She smiled then snapped a few more. "I've been wanting to do this since that first night we met." A shy grin spread over her face as she lowered her gaze. "Since New Orleans."

It was the first time she'd ever specifically mentioned their time together in New Orleans. Yeah, she'd said how much she enjoyed it, but she'd never mentioned their actual time together. Mat thought maybe she was embarrassed or something, though he couldn't imagine why. And yeah, the fact that she was mentioning it now—with a smile on her face—did something to him. A warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with the way her hips pressed against him. At least, not much to do with it. He wanted to see her smile like that again, shy yet somehow uninhibited. He wanted to see the playful gleam in her eyes grow brighter.

Mat grinned, wanting to give her more, willing to do whatever she wanted if it would keep that smile on her face and that light in her eyes. He ran one hand along her back, up to her neck, then gently pulled her down until their mouths met in a long delicious kiss. He pulled away, breathless, knowing that too much more of that would make him forget what he was about to do.

"Then snap away."

Nicole blinked, like she hadn't heard him right. And maybe she hadn't, not if the kiss had the same effect on her that it had on him. Yeah, he was definitely hoping it did.

She blinked again then leaned back, the camera held loosely in her hands. "Seriously? You mean it?"

"Sure, why not?"

Mat had expected her to just stay where she was and snap a few more pictures and that would be it. But no, Nicole apparently had other ideas. She pressed a quick kiss against his mouth then slid off him. He swallowed back a groan of disappointment. What the hell had he been thinking? If he'd known she was going to move, he would have never said anything.

He rolled to his side and propped his head on his hand, watching as she moved around his room, his eyes focused on her mostly-bare ass. So okay, maybe he could enjoy this if it meant watching Nicole prance around in nothing but a lacy bra and skimpy lace thong.

She paused in the middle of the room, looking around, then moved over to the small sitting area. Mat smiled in appreciation when she bent over, then squeezed his eyes shut against the sudden glare when she turned on the floor light.

"Nicole?"

She turned, her hair falling over her shoulder and brushing against the slope of one breast. Mat swallowed and pulled his gaze away, forced himself to look at her face instead.

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing?"

"Just getting more light." She turned around again and his gaze immediately dropped back to her ass. Except he didn't want to just see her ass. He wanted to touch it, feel it. He wanted to cup the warm flesh of her ass in his palms as he held her body against his.

Yeah, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. If he'd known she was going to go to all this trouble for a few candid shots, he wouldn't have said anything. But then she was walking over to him with that beautiful, stunning, mesmerizing smile on her face and he forgot all about his objections.