Chapter 10

Andre touched me constantly for the rest of the evening. If he didn’t have a hand on me, his arm was wrapped around my shoulders. It was obvious he was not only well known in town but well liked and respected.

But not because of who he knew or who he was related to. He was liked and respected because of who he was.

A family walked over at one point to say hello to another couple, but when the son saw Andre, he tugged his dad’s hand to say hello.

Andre kneeled on the ground in front of the little boy and high-fived him. “How are you, Danny?”

“I’m good, Mr. Andre.” Dad nudged him. “How are you?”

“I’m really good. You’ve gotten bigger since last summer. What have you been eating? You’re almost as tall as I am!”

Danny giggled and hid his face in Dad’s leg. “I don’t know.”

“Jeez, well, you need to give me some pointers. Molly is getting big, too, and it’s not so easy carrying her around.”

Danny looked around, his eyes excited. “Is she here?”

Andre chuckled and shook his head. “No, sorry, bud. Some people are allergic to cats so I don’t bring her to the festivals in town. But we’ll be out at the Retreat next Sunday afternoon if you and your dad have a minute to stop by. I’m out there just about every Sunday.”

Danny looked up at Dad, and Dad nodded. “We can do that.”

“Yes!” Danny shouted, pumping his little fist in the air.

“Come on, Danny. Let’s go find Mommy and Ella.”

“Bye, Mr. Andre! See you Sunday!”

Andre high-fived Danny again and waved. “See you Sunday.” He stood, sliding a hand around my waist again when he stood. “I maintain the property where the summer camp is. Danny saw Molly out there before I was able to catch her. He was so disappointed when I adopted her and she wasn’t around for him to watch. Natalie owns the camp and asked if I could meet up with them sometimes. They come out about once a month to run around with Molly, but there wasn’t really a good way to get together through the winter.”

“That’s really sweet,” I told him. “I think he likes you almost as much as he likes Molly.”

Andre barked a laugh. “Not even close. If it wasn’t for her, I’d be invisible. But that’s okay. She’s pretty damn cute. Like someone else I know.”

He tapped my nose as my cheeks heated. “Are you comparing me to your cat?”

“She is my favorite female, so it’s not a bad comparison.”

“Don’t tell your mother that.”

Andre laughed again. “Good idea. Or my niece. I’ll be relegated to second-favorite uncle if I admit that.”

I laughed and let him pull me in for a quick kiss. He lingered a little longer than I expected, his hand sliding to my hip. I sighed against his lips, feeling those tingles that kept popping up when I was around him.

“Are you ready to head out?” he whispered against my lips.

I nodded.

“Did you drive here?”

I shook my head. “We walked over.”

“My truck is a few blocks away. If you’re okay with me driving.”

I nodded. “Definitely.”

He took my hand and led me away from the festival. It was getting late and the crowd was thinning, but there were still plenty of people hanging around, listening to the live music and grabbing late snacks.

Andre opened the passenger door for me and waited until I was buckled before he closed it. He climbed in next to me and started the truck before he leaned across the console and kissed me hard.

His hand tugged my jaw toward him, getting as close as possible. His tongue slicked against my lips, and I opened for him without pause. He groaned as he licked into my mouth, tightening his fingers on my jaw to get even closer.

He pulled back a second later, breathing heavily and staring at me. “I want you to know I’m not going to be upset if you aren’t up for this, but I am really looking forward to getting you naked.”

I breathed a laugh. “I’m definitely up for getting you naked, too.”

Andre shifted his truck into gear and made a U-turn, heading away from the busyness of the festival. He reached for my hand, squeezing it tight as he drove the short distance to the Inn.

He parked in a visitor spot and jogged around the front of the truck to meet me at my door. He held my hips as I slid out of the truck, pulling me into his arms and kissing the hell out of me. I hung on him, pushing away any and all thoughts. I wanted this. I wanted him.

I’d spent years feeling undesirable. Feeling like I wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t a virgin, but I didn’t have an overly active sex life. And the last few years, between living with my mother and her quest to marry me off, I hadn’t had any sex. Hell, I barely had a desire for it most of the time. Imagining my life with Thomas didn’t inspire any sexy thoughts, and the little exploration we did never sparked anything close to what kissing Andre did for me.

Andre pulled back and tugged me away from the truck, slamming the door closed and dragging me toward the Inn. He pressed me against the wall next to the front door, spinning us quickly so his back was against the siding instead of mine. The move almost brought tears to my eyes, but he thrust his tongue into my mouth and I focused on that instead.

“Do they lock the door?” he breathed.

His hands rubbed the sliver of skin between my shorts and shirt and short-circuited my brain in a way I never knew was possible. “Hmm?”

He chuckled. “The door? How do we get in?”

“Oh, a key. I have a key.” I dug into my bag for the key, moving toward the door.

Andre slid his hands beneath my shirt in the back, the around to my soft belly. I sucked in a breath, trying to tighten the jiggly part of my stomach. He kissed the back of my neck and slid his tongue toward my shoulder, not appearing to be bothered at all by the softness of my body.

I drew a breath, forgetting what I was supposed to be doing as he tortured me with his tongue.

“Key, Joelle. Where’s your key?”

“Oh, right.” I tried to move away from him and his tempting tongue, but he chased me. I searched for the key, finding it right where I put it so I would remember. Funny how that worked. I held the key to the pad next to the door, and it beeped softly and unlocked.

We pushed the door open and stepped inside. The Inn was quiet, but all the lights were still on in the main rooms.

Andre let me lead, holding my hand as we moved toward the dining room. “I thought all the rooms were the other way.”

“I’m staying in a different room. It’s not one they rent out, but since I just showed up, they were nice enough to let me stay here.”

“Really?”

I nodded and stopped at the door to the room I was using.

“Is it weird? I mean, you’re a guest but not in a guest room?”

I shrugged. He obviously didn’t know what brought me to the little town. I should tell him. I should confess that I was supposed to be married two weeks ago and ended up stranded on the side of the road in my wedding dress because I ran before the ceremony. That I was never supposed to be there, but Zoey and Piper were doing me a favor.

“Are you having second thoughts?” he asked, taking a small step away from me.

I shook my head, reaching for him before he could get too far away. “Definitely not.”

“Then we should probably go into your room. I don’t share very well, and I’m guessing there are other guests here.”

I chuckled and nodded, stepping around him to swipe my card against the keypad on the wall. It unlocked my door, and we walked in.

The first thing Andre did was turn on the lights. The second thing he did was press me against the door and set off more of those tingles I was starting to get as addicted to as I was to the man who created them.

He grabbed one of my hands and drew it over my head, clasping my fingers in his. His stubble rubbed against my jaw, and I shivered at the thought of that roughness on my inner thighs.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked against my lips. His other hand eased up my shirt, dragging the fabric up with his arm.

“I was thinking how good your stubble feels on me.”

He drew back enough to catch my gaze. “Is that so?”

I nodded.

“Where else do you want to feel it?” His whispered words were that much more intimate against the column of my neck. His fingertips brushed the band of my bra, testing me for approval.

“Everywhere,” I confessed.

“Here?” He slid a finger beneath the band, rubbing the bottom of my heavy breast.

“Yes.”

He kissed the underside of my bicep. “Here?”

“Yes.”

He nudged between my thighs, kicking my feet wider and letting me feel his erection. “Here?”

“Oh, God, yes,” I moaned.

“Fuck, Joelle. How far are we from the other guests? Are they going to hear us?”

I shook my head. “This place has surprisingly good soundproofing.”

He smirked. “Remind me to thank Gavin and Sebastian for that insightful choice some other time.”

I nodded.

He nipped at my earlobe, rubbing his jaw against my throat. I moaned at the contact, my back arching to get closer to him. He chuckled and dragged his jaw down my neck to where my shirt stopped him.

I reached for the hem with my free hand, not waiting for him to ask before I tugged it up.

He helped, releasing my other hand and skimming both hands up my sides. He dipped his face between my full breasts as I tossed my shirt. His tongue licked under the edge of one cup, then the other, then his hands were unhooking the back.

I dropped my shoulders to let the straps fall, my heavy breasts falling into his waiting hands.

He raised them both, thumbs brushing over my nipples, and brought them to his greedy mouth.

My head fell back against the door as his tongue toyed with the hardened peaks. My hands went to his hair, spearing through the strands as if to hold him in place.

His hands eased the weight of my breasts and slid around my waist. He ducked, his body folding before he kneeled in front of me, kissing and licking my belly. “I love how soft your skin is.”

I hummed my agreement, then moaned when he turned his cheek and brushed his stubble over the sensitive skin on my stomach.

“I guess you really do like that,” he whispered into my belly button. “It’s making me want to leave it.”

“Yes, please.”

He chuckled, then fingered the button on my shorts. “Are you okay with losing these?”

“Yes,” I breathed.

He kissed my skin as he unbuttoned my shorts. He tugged them over my hips, then let them fall to my feet. His breath was warm on my lace panties, the only thing my mother sent me with that I didn’t race to replace.

“Well, fuck, now I wish I hadn’t gotten rid of your bra so quickly.” He looked up at me, getting more than an eyeful of my breasts. “Never mind.”

I giggled as he surged to his feet, cupping and molding my breasts in his hands. He captured my lips, diving inside with no hesitance.

I kissed him right back, the softness of his shirt brushing my overly sensitive nipples. His erection notched between my thighs again.

“Why are you still wearing so many clothes?”

“No one told me to remove them yet,” he said, as if it was the most obvious thing ever.

“Strip,” I said, laughing when he raised one eyebrow at me.

“Yes, ma’am.” He stepped back, holding my gaze as he reached back and grabbed the collar of his shirt. He yanked it off in one smooth motion, dropping it with a wink.

His chest was covered in dark hair, his muscles rippling with every move he made. He didn’t have the same gym body Thomas had, but it was better. It was real. He was a man who enjoyed everything life gave him, not just spending all his time in a gym. Although he clearly enjoyed that, too.

“Are you enjoying your view?”

My gaze snapped to his face, then lingered to his body again. “Yes, I am.”

“Me, too.”

I looked up at him. His hungry gaze was focused on my breasts, but dipped between my thighs every few seconds.

He reached for the button on his shorts, dragging the zipper down. It was loud in the otherwise silent room, a reminder of what we were about to do.

I had a sudden realization. “I don’t have condoms.”

Andre shook his head. “I have one. All good.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Unless that was you hoping to use that as an excuse. You don’t need—”

I stepped forward and pressed my hand over his lips. “Not looking for an excuse.”

He licked my fingers, then bit down on one, sucking the tip into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around the digit, holding eye contact as he made my body tremble without any more effort.

“I don’t think I’m going to last long,” I whispered.

He grinned. “I think that’s supposed to be my line.”

I laughed softly. I couldn’t remember ever laughing, or talking, before sex. It was always passionate and intense or sensual and emotional. It wasn’t ever fun and all of those other things.

“Come here, Joelle,” Andre beckoned.

I shoved his shorts over his hips and reached for the cotton-clad erection straining his boxers.

He jerked against my touch, groaning when I stroked down his length. “Fuck. I’m definitely not going to last long.”

I stroked him again. “Do you want me to stop?”

“Never,” he exhaled. “But if we’re going to make use of the one condom I have, you probably should.”

I released him reluctantly, wishing I’d gotten my hands on him bare.

He stepped into my personal space again, cupping my jaw and bringing my lips to his. He was a few inches taller than me but not so tall he had to bend over to kiss me.

It wasn’t long before the kiss had us both panting and moving toward the bed. I shoved my panties to the floor and smiled when Andre groaned, then did the same with his boxers.

“Lay down,” he commanded in a voice that said I was not going to be disappointed if I did as he asked.

I laid on the bed, on my back, watching him as he stroked himself once, then again, and crawled on the bed with me. He held himself over me, kissing me once before trailing his stubbled jaw down my body, licking the same path until he settled between my thighs.

He kissed the inside of one thigh, rubbing his cheek on the opposite one. I shivered against him. He smiled up at me, catching my gaze over the peaks of my body. “You’re so damn gorgeous.”

Before I could argue or counter his words, his mouth descended on me, sealing tight over my clit and sucking it hard.

I was so ready for him from all the kisses and teasing. My hips arched up, grinding my pelvis into his face as he flicked the tender nub with the tip of his tongue.

“Oh, God, Andre. Fuck. Holy… Yes!”

Before I was done, he pressed two fingers inside me, spinning them to stretch me out and drive me wild. He released the hard suction on my clit and pumped his fingers in and out of me. He licked my clit, teasing it with each pass.

My body shivered and chased his movements, ready for another release as he tempted me with it. When I groaned, he sucked my clit into his mouth again and curled his fingers, making me scream as everything burst inside me.

My vision went black at the edges, my body boneless. I was vaguely aware of him retreating, then I heard the tear of the condom wrapper.

“You still with me?”

“Mm hm,” I mumbled.

“Do you want me to go?”

“Not a chance,” I whispered, reaching for him.

“Condom first. Hold on,” he said, his voice strained.

I pried my eyes open to watch him, finding myself nearly eye-level with his cock. I licked my lips. I wanted to taste him. I’d never had that thought before, but I was curious what he would taste like. What he would enjoy. If he liked having his balls played with or if he was all about his dick.

“What are you thinking about now?” His voice brought me back to the moment.

I looked up at him.

He was smirking at me. “You look like I’m your next meal.”

“I was wondering what you taste like.”

His cock twitched with my admission. “Fuck, Joelle. I… You tasted like fucking heaven, but I didn’t know you wanted to suck me.”

“Next time,” I said.

His cock jerked again. “Next time.” He moved to the end of the bed. It dipped with his weight. He leaned down, pressing a kiss to my pubic bone before crawling over me. He stopped a few inches from me. “Is it okay to kiss you?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I wasn’t sure how you felt about kissing me after I made you come.”

“It’s my own body. I’m not going to be weird about that.”

He lowered his weight onto me and kissed me softly. I could smell myself on his face, but it didn’t bother me. I parted my lips and spread my thighs to let him settled between them.

He pushed back after a minute and went up on his knees. He held his erection and lined himself up with my entrance. He nudged my folds, sliding an inch inside.

His gaze slid up my body and met mine. It snapped back to where we were joined, and he pushed inside a few more inches. One more stroke and he was fully seated inside me.

“Oh, so good,” I moaned.

“Fuck yeah.”

I smiled at him, watching as he regained his control. I wanted to hurry him along and freeze the moment at the same time.

He eased back, then slid in slowly. His strokes were even and smooth, adjusting for the right angle until my body rippled. “Good?”

“Oh, yeah,” I breathed.

He increased his pace just a bit, enough to hit that spot again and spike my temperature.

I squeezed my muscles around him, and he shook with his next breath.

“Fuck, Joelle. So good. So good.”

I reached for him, needing to feel the connection to him I’d felt since we met. Since I watched him outside my window and wanted to know what the hot, sweaty lawnmower man smelled like.

“You smell good, too,” he said.

“I said that out loud?”

He chuckled. “I watched you, too. You were in something lacy and sexy, and I wanted to watch you all day. I never thought you’d talk to me.”

“I wanted to do a lot more than talk.”

He slammed into me. “I’m happy to hear that since we’re here.”

I laughed just long enough for his next stroke to catch me off-guard. My orgasm was right there, and when I wasn’t looking, it wrapped around my neck and jumped off the cliff, taking me over in an instant. “Andre! Oh, fuck. Yes. Andre! Oh!”

“Joelle,” he grunted, slamming hard into me and stilling. “Gorgeous.”

I felt his body shiver with his release, and it triggered an aftershock for me. My body curled in, tensing as I came again.

“Holy fuck,” Andre breathed, then collapsed on top of me. “What the hell just happened?”

“I was wondering that, too.”