Tempted Read online

  “Is it right for you to pass judgment on me? You don’t know my story. Maybe I have a really good reason for doing what I do.”

  “There’s never a good reason to use people.”

  She fell silent. Maybe she agreed. Maybe she wanted to tell him to shut up.

  “I’m not a bad person.”

  “I never said you were.”

  “Why did you kiss me?”

  “Because I wanted to.” Teagan tried to remain nonchalant, but his heart rate was already quickening just by having Harper near. He wanted to taste all of her, not just her lips. Harper tilted his world and he wasn’t quite sure how to right it.

  “Do you always just take what you want?”

  “Of course not.”

  She glanced up at him. “What if I would’ve screamed?”

  “You didn’t.”

  “But I could’ve.”

  “But you didn’t.”

  Perhaps he’d taken a big risk in kissing her. But his gut had told him she was on the same page, even if she was fighting tooth and nail not to be. Sometimes sexual attraction, chemistry, all that stuff, didn’t respond to rules.

  They were alone on the deck. The damp breeze had a subtle chill to it, but the stars were brilliant against the dark velvet skies.

  Hell, it was pretty damn romantic.

  Harper drifted away from him to lean against the railing and he followed.

  The wind played with her hair, causing his fingers to itch to touch it.

  “What’s your story?” she asked, curious. “Who are you, Teagan Carmichael?”

  “Just a guy. Simple dreams, simple needs. Nothing more to me than that.”

  “Don’t you ever want more?”

  “I’ve had more. Didn’t make me feel any better about the stuff I was trying to forget. A full bank account does nothing for a troubled mind.”

  “That’s very Chinese fortune cookie of you,” she retorted, turning away to face the open sea. “Some of us don’t have the luxury of living like monks.”

  Teagan chuckled, coming to stand right behind her, sliding his hands around her waist. “Forgoing designer bags and weekly pedicures isn’t living like a monk.”

  “Maybe not for you.”

  “Pretty toes are important to you?”

  She turned in his arms to gaze up at him. “When it comes to women, pretty toes, pretty everything, are important to men.”

  “Not me.”

  Teagan thumbed her soft cheek, bending to brush his lips against hers. She opened her mouth and he deepened the kiss. There was something so sweet about the way her tongue darted, as if unsure, against his, tasting, testing. The tiny soft gasps and moans nearly killed him.

  He could kiss her all night.

  But that wouldn’t change the fact that she was a gold digger and he wasn’t in the right tax bracket.

  Teagan regretfully broke the kiss first.

  “You know this doesn’t change anything, right?” she said.

  “You mean, as in, you’re still going to chase down Stuart Buck as your prize?” he answered with a wry grin.

  “Something like that.” Harper nodded but added, “However, if we both agree that nothing is going to change and we’re both free to go after whomever we want, who’s to say we couldn’t enjoy each other’s company right now?”

  Was Harper propositioning him?

  “Is this where I say, ‘I’m not that kind of boy’?”

  She glanced up at him coyly. “I don’t know. Are you?”

  Instead of answering, he countered, “And what if I said one night with me and you’ll keep coming back for more?”

  Harper laughed at his boast. “I’d say you shouldn’t get your hopes up. I’m offering one night. No strings. Work-out-the-tension kind of release for us both. Are you up for that?”

  If his raging erection were any judge—he was exactly up for that.

  And anything else she could throw at him.

  Teagan grasped her hand with a grin and said, “Challenge accepted, pretty girl.”

  He was about to show her that money couldn’t buy stamina.

  Or the equipment he was working with.

  Thank God J.T. had stuffed a box of condoms in his bag before leaving.

  They were going to make a serious dent in that box tonight.

  12

  HARPER KNEW GOING with Teagan was a mistake, but it felt so good to do something she wanted to do for once.

  She knew there was no future with the man leading her to his room and she was okay with that.

  All she wanted was to lose herself in the arms of someone of her own choosing.

  Teagan’s room was more like a suite, though still cozy, as most staterooms were on a cruise ship.

  Suddenly nervous, Harper opened her mouth to suggest a drink first but Teagan shared no such trepidation.

  “Oh!” she exclaimed as Teagan hoisted her into his arms. Her legs immediately wrapped around his trim waist and locked in place as he hungrily launched at her mouth with a kiss that stole her breath.

  Harper gasped against his mouth, everything inside her churning with heat and need. Teagan was a master with his tongue, driving inside her mouth, tasting, teasing, and it was near impossible not to shudder with anticipation at what else he could do.

  Gone was the charming stranger with the wry smiles and twinkling eyes.

  This guy—the guy pressing her against the wall, grinding that thick length against her groin—was ready to make good on his promise that she would leave wanting more.

  She’d never felt so needed, so desired.

  His hands, firm and strong, moved with the assurance of a man who knew what he wanted and didn’t hesitate to go after it.

  Harper shivered, losing herself to the sensation of being consumed by a man who took no prisoners in their sensual war.

  Teagan’s mouth traveled the column of her neck, igniting the nerve endings with a nip of his teeth as he teased the soft flesh. Harper bit her lip to keep from begging for more.

  Every inch of her body was alive and tingling with an incessant need for Teagan’s touch.

  She’d always been the seductress—always needed to dazzle her potential lovers with fantastic sex so they were blinded to anything but her—but she wasn’t pretending this time.

  Every moan, every gasp, every shudder was one hundred percent genuine. She couldn’t even muster the brain power to embellish her pleasure. Teagan was the real deal.

  How did she know?

  Because all he’d done was kiss her like a savage and she was ready to lose herself.

  Harper wrenched her mouth away. “Are we going to do this or not?” she asked in a husky, sex-starved tone that didn’t even sound like her, but she was becoming desperate for the need to feel him inside her.

  “Impatient little minx,” he chuckled, walking her to the bed dominating the bedroom.

  “Foreplay bores me,” she lied.

  “Then you’ve been doing it wrong,” Teagan replied, tossing her to the bed with a dark grin. In those beautiful eyes she saw a promise of unending pleasure and it both scared her and turned her on. Teagan reached under her black dress and slowly inched her panties down her thighs. “I don’t rest until my woman is wet, panting and clawing to get at my cock. That’s when I know she’s ready for me.”

  “And why is that?” she said, holding her breath as Teagan tossed her panties aside and shimmied her dress up over her hips so he could get to what he really wanted.

  His lazy smile was both devilish and dark—a combination she’d never seen look so sexy. “Because slippery is better, baby, when you’re packing heat.”

  Harper started to laugh—every guy thought he was bigger than the last—but
as Teagan dropped his shorts and shucked his briefs, the laughter dried in her throat as she sat straight up and stared.

  “That’s not going to fit,” she said with absolute certainty, but the tingle in her belly encouraged her to try. “Oh, my God, I’ll never be the same again! You should have to register that thing as a concealed weapon.”

  Teagan laughed and pulled her legs toward him as he knelt at the edge of the bed between her thighs. “That’s why slippery is better.”

  If Harper had half a mind to rethink the situation, Teagan didn’t give her a chance.

  That tongue...the one that’d ratcheted up the heat level with a searing kiss, was now right at her hot spot, folds parted and seeking that engorged button.

  Harper clutched at the bedspread, unable to catch her breath.

  “Oh, God, Teagan,” she panted, unable to control the guttural moans spilling from her mouth. The intensity grew with steady pressure as Teagan pushed her to the edge, then drew her back, only to drive her harder. The telltale quake of her thighs told her she was seconds from coming. Teagan knew it, too, the devil. She should’ve known the observant bastard would key in on her cues effortlessly. It was as if he had a blueprint to her erogenous zones and he was merciless in his pursuit.

  Harper clenched in almost painful pleasure as she climaxed, toes curling, voice strangled in the most intense sensual crash of her life.

  Dazed, she was barely aware of anything until she saw Teagan looming above her, his lips glistening from her juices, his cock sheathed in latex, dragging against her belly. He lowered to kiss her deeply, her scent clinging to his mouth as he toyed with her tongue.

  “Your pussy tastes like sugared vanilla,” he said, against her mouth. “I’d eat you for dessert anytime.”

  A delighted flush heated her cheeks at the obscene compliment. There was something so hot about the dirty way he talked in private, which was so different from the man she’d first met.

  Teagan moved onto his knees, and hooked her legs over his shoulders as he positioned that heat-seeking missile toward her entrance.

  He was going to bend her in half and impale her on that thing.

  And she couldn’t wait.

  If she could squirm with anticipation, she would, but he had her locked in place.

  There was no escaping what was coming.

  * * *

  TEAGAN SLOWLY FED his length into her slick passage, taking the time to let her adjust as he pushed forward.

  In her entire life she’d never been so filled by a man.

  The sensation was heady and powerful.

  And then, when she feared she couldn’t take another inch, he was fully seated inside her, stretching and filling until she was aware of only Teagan.

  His cock rubbed unerringly against her G-spot and she nearly cried as the pleasure erupted almost immediately.

  Teagan thrust against her with measured movements, gauging her reaction, watching as she tried to keep from succumbing so quickly to the pleasure.

  They locked gazes. Her behind was nestled against his groin as he was buried inside her. The heat between them was enough to scald. Electricity crackled in the tight space. Nothing existed but them.

  Sweat dewed their bodies as they moved together.

  The carnal concert in the room became more primal as each worked closer to that inevitable end.

  Teagan’s expression tightened as he gritted his teeth, his thrusts going deeper.

  “Harper,” he groaned, his voice rough. “Come for me, baby.”

  She shuddered, yielding to the orgasm rattling down her nerve endings and roaring through her bones.

  Harper vaguely heard Teagan shout as he came.

  A smaller ricochet pulsed through her body as a second orgasm hovered on the edge.

  She groaned as Teagan reached between them and pinched her aching clit with just enough pressure to send her into orbit.

  She may have shouted his name.

  She may have blacked out.

  Honestly, she couldn’t rightly recall.

  All she knew was that her body had never been so thoroughly satisfied by a man until Teagan.

  Oh, God, that was not a good sign.

  Not good at all.

  * * *

  COMING DOWN FROM that high left Teagan with a thundering heartbeat and an immediate need to nap.

  He felt drained, but in a good way.

  Was this what bliss felt like?

  Not to wax too poetically about it, but...yeah, he was feeling pretty good.

  He turned to his side to regard Harper, her eyes still closed, her mouth slack as she fought to catch her breath.

  Hair tousled in the sexiest bed head he’d ever seen, he found her relaxed, completely natural state far more alluring than the sex kitten part she played for others.

  Harper’s eyes opened slowly, meeting his gaze. His grin told the story. She blushed and covered her face with her hands because there weren’t words. How is that for the biggest ego boost, ever?

  “Let me know when you’re ready for round two,” he said, to which she groaned.

  “Keep that anaconda to yourself,” she said, trying to roll away but he caught her by the waist and pulled her straight to him. She laughed, pretending to be horrified when his semiflaccid cock leaped to life on her thigh.

  “Aww, look, he likes you,” Teagan said.

  Harper’s deep-throated laugh tickled his senses.

  Sobering slowly, he asked, “Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, right?”

  Harper shook her head shyly. “You didn’t hurt me.”

  “I’m glad,” he said. Having a big cock wasn’t all fun and games. Sometimes it was a real nuisance. “Is it too cheesy to admit that we fit together pretty well?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, well, I already put it out there. I like the way my tab fits in your slot,” he said with a half grin. “You feel...perfect.”

  “Stop,” she groaned, trying to hide her smile.

  “Why?”

  “You know why.”

  “Enlighten me.”

  Harper sighed and admonished him with a look. “You know this was a one-time thing. It’s not like I’m going to start sneaking into your room for booty calls. So don’t try to butter me up with flattery.”

  “Hey, don’t get ahead of yourself. I didn’t say I wanted booty calls. I’m just saying, it’s rare for me to find a woman who can accommodate me like you can.”

  She wrinkled her nose in adorable embarrassment. “We can stop talking about it now.”

  “For a woman who uses sex to lure men, you’re a little prudish.”

  “Prudish?” she repeated. “Hardly.”

  He laughed at her affront. “Honey, you can’t even talk about what we’ve done together without blushing. Sex should be fun, exciting and adventurous.”

  “I have plenty of fun,” she retorted, but Teagan found her bashfulness incredibly telling and alluring. Hell, who am I kidding? He found everything about Harper alluring.

  “What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever done in bed?” he challenged, loving the way she looked on her back next to him. Her perfect, plump breasts begged for his hands and those dusky nipples needed to be in his mouth, but he wanted to hear her stories. “C’mon, where’s the harm?”

  “I don’t kiss and tell.”

  “I’m not asking for names. Just acts. What did you do?” He slid his palm down her belly, noting the minute tremors at his touch, and cupped her mound firmly. “I want to know how this sweet pussy right here has been properly taken. I’m all ears, baby.”

  Harper inhaled sharply as he slowly pushed his index finger between her damp folds to stroke her clit with featherlight touches.

  She gasped as he l
eft her clit to push his finger deeper to find her G-spot. “W-what are you doing? I can’t think...”

  Her nipples pearled and he dipped down to suck one into his mouth.

  She threaded her fingers through his hair and clutched hard as he found a good spot to torture. Harper was so damn responsive. All it took was a few good strokes and she was shaking already, crying out, “Not again, oh God, ohh God...” And then she came again so sweetly, shuddering and mewling in short gasps as he gently withdrew his finger. She watched with a muzzy gaze as he sucked her flavor from his finger, smiling with pleasure at her unique taste.

  “Now tell me,” he instructed softly. “I want to know how wild you really are.”

  “I can’t believe you want to know that,” she said with a throaty laugh. “Why would you want to know what I’ve done with other men?”

  “Because I have a feeling you haven’t done anything worth remembering,” he challenged as he nuzzled her neck. She gasped and hooked her arms around him. He moved over her, smiling down. “But that’s easily remedied.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Yes. I have many things I’d like to do to you. In every possible way, every possible position, every possible place.”

  Harper shivered beneath him but her smile widened. “And how is that going to happen when I’ve only agreed to this one time?”

  “You and I both know, this is happening again,” he said, brushing a brief kiss across her lips. “But if you want to pretend that you’re still going to walk out that door and be done with this, then go ahead. I like to play games, too.”

  She lightly pinched his nipple. “That ego is going to bite you in the ass.”

  “It’s not ego if it’s fact.”

  Harper rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible.”

  “I like to call it confident.”

  “You can call it what you like but that’s all you’re getting.”

  Her gaze went straight to his cock as he rose up on his knees. Teagan laughed and said, “Maybe if you weren’t looking at my cock like that, I might believe you. But seeing as you look ready to eat me alive...yeah, I’m not buying that story.”