Texas Gold (11 page)

His hands ran down the front of her dress, brushing across her hardened nipples, and up again then down to her center, pressing there until she practically cried aloud in wonder.

“Sweetheart, I know you didn’t lock that door.” He whispered the words in her ear. “Let’s get inside before one of the neighbors has us arrested because I’m sure what I have planned for you is quite possibly worth jail time and a hefty fine in Serendipity.”

She turned and opened the screen first, and even that became an erotic game as he pressed into her back, his hands still planted at the vee between her legs. When she stopped moving, he chuckled seductively into her ear again.

“What’s the matter? Forget how to open that unlocked door?”

His breath was hot against the back of her neck, and when his lips moved to nibble just behind her ear, she leaned her head back in resignation.

There was something pretty damn sexy about making out on her front porch.
 

She should have learned about this years before, but since she hadn’t, she took advantage of the moment. And when she got him inside, she’d make sure to leave him immobile with lust.

He pressed against her in perfect time to the pulse beating where his hands now rested. “Open the door, Mal.” His fingers eased, and she heard herself moan.

If she didn’t open the door, she was going to experience her first orgasm in front of any neighbors who might be watching.

As badly as she wanted that orgasm, she didn’t want it in front of an audience.

She opened the door, and they practically tumbled inside.

He slammed the door shut behind them and threw his jacket on her couch.

As she moved to unzip her dress, he stopped her. “Don’t.”

His shirt was discarded in the hall near the reunion photo.

Before she made it to the bedroom, he pushed her against the wall, his bare chest rubbing against her as his mouth claimed hers yet again.

She felt herself stepping backwards, steered in an endless dance by Brenton until finally, she felt her mattress against the back of her knees.

Ever so slowly, he unzipped her dress, letting it fall softly to the ground around her sandaled feet.

Turning her, he sat on the bed in front of her, his hands trailing across her bare stomach, over the lace cups of her bra. Everywhere but the one place she craved his touch.

“You’re a goddess.” His words seemed ripped from someplace deep inside as his lips caressed her nipples, hardened against her black bra.
 

When his fingers unsnapped the clasp, she practically shouted in relief.
 

Finally his fingers trailed down their earlier course, and as they slid inside the waist band of her black silk panties, she whimpered.

She looked down and saw his face focused on hers, and somehow that was the best part.

As he pushed the silky material down to join her dress in the puddle at her still sandaled feet, she could only watch until his hands returned to the juncture between her legs, and then her eyes closed on their own accord.

Brenton wanted to watch her come.

Even as his erection strained against his pants, he wanted to give her this pleasure.

She was undeniably the most beautiful woman he’d ever known and as his fingers slipped between her folds into her wetness, he knew this one night would not be enough.

She gasped and her legs nearly buckled, as he placed a hand behind her back to brace her. “You like that, hmm?”

“Yes, oh, yes.” Her words were a whispered cry as he repeated the movement, knowing the slowness of it would make it all the more intense.

“Watch my face.”

He smiled as she looked down, her glazed eyes meeting his.

“Don’t concentrate, love. Just feel. Just feel.”

With those words, he watched as she finally shattered against his fingers.
 

Her shoes kicked off, Mallory climbed into bed as Brenton added his pants and underwear to the pile of clothes on her floor.

She wanted to cover up, but he wouldn’t let her. Said he wanted to enjoy her complete beauty. His words left her hot and breathless.
 

“I’m a little embarrassed.”

He stretched out beside her, his fingers running around her breasts causing her nipples to pucker again. “Don’t be.”

He couldn’t possibly understand. “I can’t believe I did that. I was standing up and I still had my shoes on!”

He grinned against her neck as he kissed her. “Don’t be embarrassed about that. It was quite possibly the sexiest experience of my life, and if you say you didn’t enjoy it, I’m going to suffer severe damage.”

“But I wanted you to....”

Her words ended as he rolled her onto her back.
 

Complete with condom, his erection pushed against her.

“You wanted me to...”

She lifted her legs and pulled him closer, and as he sank deep inside, she could only close her eyes and whisper. “Oh, yes.”

The next morning, Mallory awoke to the glorious feeling of an exhausted well-loved woman.

She loved it!

Every ache made her smile.

To think she’d almost let one failed love affair in college destroy her chances for this. This!

She rubbed her hands across the sheets and closed her eyes, trying to remember the entire night.

Brenton was already up, clothes on, ready to leave by the looks of things, but even that didn’t bother her.

As he sat on the bed and brushed a kiss on her forehead she practically purred. “Leaving already?”

The clock on her bedside table read five in the morning. She’d barely slept a wink, was completely exhausted, but full of remarkable energy.
 

“I’d better get home before Nina comes looking for me.”

She nodded. “True. Do you need a ride?”

He shook his head. The car’s outside. Waiting.”

“Oh my God.” She covered her face with her hands. “The whole town’s going to know.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “Honey, the town’s been taking bets on how long it would take from the night we met at Charlie’s.”

“Four days.” She wanted to crawl under the covers. In four days she’d gone from despising him to making love all night long.
 

He pushed her hands from in front of her face and kissed her until she no longer cared. “Charlie’s might have been four days ago, but we’ve been moving toward this for months. Don’t tell me you’re sorry.”

His self assured, I’m-never-wrong-grin made it quite apparent he knew the answer.
 

“I’m not sorry. Not a bit. I can now say I have been well and truly loved.” She sighed as she remembered exactly what he’d been doing when he’d said those words earlier that morning.

“And you can bet it’ll happen again.”

Oh she hoped. She hoped so much.

He stood up and grinned. “I’ll let myself out.”

When she heard the door close behind him and the limousine drive off, she leaned back against the pillows, grabbed the one he’d slept on and held it close.

She wasn’t sorry. Not a bit. But if the whole town knew, that included her brothers and her daddy.

Somehow she didn’t think they’d approve.

And for once in her life, she didn’t really care.
 

Mallory’s plans for a long day of sleep came to quick end with a staccato knock on her door before noon.

What was it with all these morning visitors?

Groaning, she tossed back her covers at the same time she heard a high voice sing, “Hello, Mal, you here?”

She didn’t bother with the robe, just threw on a long Lady Mustangs shirt at the same time she yelled, “Come on in.”

When she reached her living room, she found her absent of late best friend sitting on her couch eyeing her with a mixture of humor and disbelief.

“Well damn, Mallory. If I’d a known you were going to end up sleeping with the man I could’ve sworn you spent the last few months cussing, I would‘ve stayed around for the fire works.”

“And missed your cruise? I just bet.” Mallory hugged Carolyn and sat across from her in the rocking chair. “I’m so glad you’re home. I’ve been dying to talk to you. Julie would never understand and Celinda would’ve preached.” She stopped for a second and thought about the implications of her best friend’s comments.

“So how do you know I slept with him?”

Carolyn ran her fingers through her almost magenta spiked hair and laughed.
 

“Honey, the whole town knows, I figure. Or at least they’re speculating. Nosy Nelly across the street was in A Cut Above today for her weekly shampoo and set, and you should have heard what she was saying. To hear her tell it, the two of you were practically rolling around on your front lawn.”

So Nelly had been watching. She was doomed now for sure. In fact, she was a bit surprised neither of her brothers had called or come by yet.

“Lordy, I’m dead.”

“Don’t look dead to me. In fact, you look fantastic. I’m jealous. And I’d say it was about time some man came along and swept you off your feet. So when did Mr. Evil change his mind about town?”

“I don’t know that he did.”
 

At her friend’s look of surprise, Mallory continued. “I mean, he hasn’t actually said he’s changed his mind, but all those things we thought about him are wrong, Carolyn. He’s actually a very nice man. Incredible even.”

“Hmmm. Well, I’ll say this, he looks pretty damn good.”

“Oh yeah, he does.”

Mallory made them some instant coffee and yelled into the living room as she stirred. “You’re not going to believe how this happened.”

She carried the glasses back into the living room.

“You’re right. I was gone two weeks and when I come back, my best friend, who’s never had a serious relationship since returning to town after college, is carrying on some hot affair with Mr. Millionaire down the road. I’m not going to believe it. But I want to hear all the juicy gossip, so start, and don’t leave out the good stuff.”

Where to start? Mallory sipped her coffee and thought. “Well, I guess it started, sort of a few days ago when something happened at the board meeting and I agreed to meet Brenton at Charlie’s.”

Carolyn practically spit her coffee out. “Brenton Alexander went to Charlie’s? It must be love.”

“I know. I couldn’t believe it either. But there we were, eating burgers and drinking sodas when he looks across the table and tells me he wants me. I was madder than all get out, but I’ve got to admit, it was one of the sexiest moments of my life.”

She was ready to tell Carolyn the rest of the story, about how she ended up at Brenton’s house, about Nina and Jen, about the benefit, but her friend interrupted.

“So the big impetus that drove you together was what everyone at A Cut Above was talking about.”

“Everyone? Who?” As far as Mallory knew, the board’s closed door session was just that.

“Everyone, everyone. They all said old Coach Baber’s days are numbered.”

“Don’t be silly.” Mallory brushed aside the comment.

“Okay, what did drive you to Charlie’s?”

“Just what you said, but it’s ridiculous. Daddy’s days aren’t numbered.”

Carolyn didn’t argue, just shrugged. “Okay. So he said he wanted you and you just jumped right into the man’s arms?”

“No. It was more like I told him to get lost but then he made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

“Honey, don’t go telling your grandchildren this story.”

Mallory laughed. “It worked out in the end. Earlier this week, I agreed to his offer, but we were spending the week getting to know one another.”

“I’d say.”

“Then, last night just happened.”

“You slept with the man to save your dad’s job?”

Mallory hated the censure in her friend’s voice.

“No. Last night had nothing to do with Daddy or Serendipity. It was magic.”

Carolyn didn’t look convinced. “Are you sure he’s on the same page?”

Mallory refused to let doubt cloud her mind. “Positive. And that’s the best part. He won’t insist on changing the town as much. I’m sure.”

“Has he said that?”

“No but I hope... I think... I don’t know. I have to believe he’ll do the right thing.”

Carolyn didn’t seem impressed with her story.

“I need your support here, Caro.”

“You know you’ve got it. I just think you’re confusing sex with a commitment to you that doesn’t exist.”

“Ouch.”

“Seriously. He can’t just shut down operations now. And Mayor Jenkins has wanted J.D. out of the athletic director job for years. Don’t count on this being more than what it was or is or whatever.”

Mallory’d been waiting days for Carolyn to get home and now that she was, she wished she’d leave.

She wanted her day in dreamland.
 

Oh God, what had she done?

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Suddenly, I have a headache the size of Dallas.”

Carolyn nodded with understanding. “Hey, don’t get bummed out now. You still had a spectacular night. Come on, get ready, and I’ll take you over to the shop so you can hide out from Tim and Scott. Shoot, with your luck, they’ll call the rest of the group. Or worse, send Celinda over to offer support.”

The last thing in the world she wanted or needed was a family meeting. Surely her brother’s had realized she was old enough to live her life. However, on the off chance they’d forgotten she wasn‘t fifteen anymore... Mallory showered, clipped her hair back and threw on clothes before following Carolyn to her car.

Avoidance was the order of the day.

Brenton looked over the paper work John shoved across the desk.

For some reason, he felt guilty even speaking to his business partner today.

Hell, some reason. He knew damn well the reason was Mallory Baber.

The last person he’d expected to see so early was John. Now that he was there, Brenton knew he couldn’t let last night cloud his judgment.

“Everything seems in order. When can we move?”

“Soon as you want, boss. I’m just happy we’re still in business. After last night, I thought maybe you’d go soft on the whole deal.”

“Last night?”

“You know, you bringing the lovely Coach Baber to the benefit. I thought maybe you’d change your mind. But now I see you’re keeping her occupied. Very smart move. If she’s quiet, this will be much easier.”