7 Minutes in Heaven (Are You Game?) (6 page)

For a start, he respected her—admired her—and he could tell they held the same moral codes when it came to working hard and going after what they wanted. She wasn’t hard on the eyes either. In spite of her lack of height, she wasn’t what he’d call short, just shorter than his usual preference. Of course, those preferences hadn’t found him anywhere near the pleasure he’d found with Cassie, and he hadn’t even fucked her yet. He had to assume there would be fireworks once he managed to get her beneath him.

Dry, Luc hung the towel on the free rail and made his way back to his room. The house remained quiet around him and he assumed Cassie had gone to sleep after she’d come loud enough to shake the rafters. He chuckled. Hearing her scream when he made her climax would be music to his ears. A symphony he couldn’t wait to conduct. With a smile, he climbed into bed once more and thought about tomorrow and how he’d win Cassie over. He expected her to fight him—in spite of their combustible attraction, they hardly knew each other—and he relished the chance to tussle with her again.

No doubt about it. Cassandra Moreland fired his blood and went close to driving him insane, but he wasn’t about to walk away. Not until he’d explored every inch of her, discovered everything that made her tick and convinced her she wanted to do the same to him.

By the time their challenge was over, Luc hoped to have made inroads in his quest to not only win her over but to win her heart. He had the feeling she guarded that soft centre with razor wire, but he planned to breach her defences, because suddenly he wouldn’t be happy with anything less than all of her.

Chapter Five

Cassie rolled over with a grunt when her phone alarm blared from across the room. Burrowing her head beneath her pillow, she tried to ignore the offending noise, but that only allowed the voice in her head to remind her no one else would run Are You Game? or today’s event. Just the thought of a lively bunch of six-year-olds made her want to weep. Of course, once she mainlined some caffeine and showered she’d be right to go. It was those minutes until then that were always the killer.

Eyes closed, Cassie tossed the pillow aside and all but fell out of bed. With her eyelids barely cracked, she staggered the few steps to her dresser and stabbed at the screen of her iPhone until the screeching stopped. Silence. Her lips tipped up on the ends while her ears sighed in relief. Floor boards creaked beneath her bare feet as she made her way to the kitchen and the coffee pot. The aroma of coffee hung on the air and Cassie thanked the inventor of the humble timer mechanism. She also thanked herself for having the foresight to set the timer yesterday before she left for work so she woke to the much needed kick start to her morning today.

She grabbed her favourite mug from the dishwasher and filled it to the rim with the dark liquid that was her saving grace every day. Cassie had never been a morning person, and even after years of getting up at dawn, her body refused to be trained to enjoy the first light of day. With a sigh, she leaned against the counter and took a sip. Hot, but not enough to scald, she rolled the coffee around her mouth and savoured that first taste before she swallowed then proceeded to gulp down the rest of the cup. Warmth filled her chest and belly, and it would only take a few minutes for that initial shot of caffeine to hit her blood stream.

Topping up her mug, Cassie resigned herself to the inevitable and headed back to her room. She had a lot to do this morning. Unpack last night’s equipment from the van, repack it for the bead party today’s birthday girl had requested and do the last-minute food prep. Dan would meet…

Cassie stopped mid step, the sip of coffee she’d barely swallowed catching in her throat. Standing in her hallway—naked—was the most gorgeous man she’d ever laid eyes on. Lucas Wilhelm was every woman’s fantasy, and here he stood in all his bronzed glory. All she could do was stare. And drool. Definitely drool. How had she forgotten he was in her house? He moved the bundle of clothes in his hand to cover his groin, but it was too late. She’d already seen his semi-erect cock, and her mouth wasn’t the only thing drooling. Heat bloomed between her legs and moisture coated her folds, her body making it perfectly clear where she wanted that magnificent appendage.

And his cock was magnificent. Cassie had never seen one better. Or bigger. A shudder gripped her as her pussy clenched with delight at the thought of being impaled on his length. She’d never been this affected by a guy before. Sex—while enjoyable—hadn’t delivered this burning need to touch and be touched, and she wasn’t all that happy about it. There was no denying the way he made her feel. Even if he couldn’t see her dripping pussy he’d have to be blind to miss her nipples doing their impersonation of Sydney Tower. They all but poked holes in her tank top, they were that hard.

Lucas cleared his throat and Cassie’s gaze darted up to collide with fiery black orbs. The flare of desire he aimed at her had heat washing up her neck and into her face. “Um…”

“I was going to grab a quick shower.” His voice, rough and deep, skipped over her nerves and sent a shiver down her spine.

“Oh, right. Yes.” She licked her bottom lip. “Go ahead. I’ll go after you and we’ll leave in about thirty minutes. Coffee’s in the kitchen.”

“Thanks.” He didn’t move.

Acutely aware of his every breath, Cassie sidled past him and escaped to the safety of her room. Only there was nothing safe about her bedroom. Not when she could still see him in her mind, and when the old house’s plumbing rattled, she imagined him naked—wet. Sleek and hot as he stood beneath the falling water. Her breathing stuttered and her lower belly warmed with arousal that dripped down into her core to remind her of what she was missing. There was no way she’d last through his shower. Yanking her bedside drawer open, she put her cup down, grabbed her ear buds and plugged them into her phone. Within seconds, the pounding beat of the latest dance-floor tune filled her head and drowned out the sound of water rushing through pipes. Unfortunately, the music didn’t erase the images her memory continued to play.

Sinking to the edge of her bed, she pressed her fingertips against her closed eyelids and tried to think of all the boxes she had to unload from the van. All the boxes she had to load. The cupcakes she had to bake before ten o’clock. A bunch of six-year-olds high on sugar attempting to sit still long enough to thread tiny coloured beads on thin lengths of elastic to make necklaces and bracelets. But nothing seemed to remove the stunning pictures of Lucas in all his nakedness. Frustrated in more ways than one, Cassie jumped to her feet and frantically gathered clothes to wear. Once that was done, she pivoted on her heel looking for something else to occupy her hands.

Spying her mug, she reached over and snatched it up, causing the dark liquid to slosh up the sides. She took a few quick gulps. Still warm, the coffee went down smooth, but like everything else she’d tried, it failed miserably in its effort to wipe her mind clean of one sexy man Cassie had the feeling she’d never be able to ignore no matter how much she wanted to. With her body humming and a sexy beat pounding in her ears, Cassie started to wonder why she even bothered. Who said she couldn’t enjoy all Lucas had to offer while he offered it?

A relationship was the last thing she wanted. The disastrous end to her last one had cured her of the notion she could have a successful business and a boyfriend. She wasn’t the type to indulge in one-night stands, however, their challenge encompassed the whole weekend, which gave them more than one night. Of course, they’d kind of wasted a night already, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t make the most of the rest of their time together. Cassie knew she was splitting hairs with her reasoning, plus there was that pesky problem of him wanting more than a weekend to get around. Surely one weekend would satisfy him. Lust that sparked this hot couldn’t be more than a flash in the pan. And what guy didn’t want sex without strings?

Cassie smiled. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d allowed herself to let loose and enjoy something for pleasure alone. Perhaps that’s where all her previous relationships had gone wrong. Instead of trying to make the guy she was with into Mr. Right she should have been enjoying what they had and not worrying about the future. If Cassie was going to have a fling with anyone it would be Lucas. Something about him said trustworthy. Maybe it was his job. Or maybe it was the guy himself. Either way, she wasn’t going to let him walk away like he had last night. No. Next time they found themselves in a steamy lip-lock, Cassie would make sure they didn’t stop there.

Luc scrubbed a hand over his stubbled chin. He needed a shave, but that wasn’t happening until he went home. He’d been a twice-a-day shaver since he hit puberty, which meant he’d have to be careful around Cassie. The sharp bristles would leave her skin raw, and while the thought of marking her in that way sent a thrill through him, he wouldn’t risk hurting her. She might be a tough little thing, but her skin was soft as silk, and he had no doubt she’d end up with a severe case of beard burn.

He picked up yesterday’s boxers and instantly changed his mind, dropping them back on the floor. He’d rather go commando than wear the pre-worn underwear. Snatching up his pants, he dropped the towel from around his waist and stepped into one leg. With his other foot off the floor and both hands on his pants, Luc had no way of stopping the door from swinging open. Stumbling backwards, he crashed into the basin and dropped his pants to catch his balance. For the second time today, Cassie stood in front of him staring at his groin.

Neither of them moved. Well, his cock did, that part of his anatomy knew exactly what to do around Cassie. Her shorts and top may have adequately covered her luscious body, but his libido didn’t seem to care what she dressed in. It just wanted to get her undressed as quickly as possible, and at this point Luc couldn’t come up with a good argument against getting her naked. Now. He noted he wasn’t the only one affected by their close quarters. Cassie’s breath was shallow, her skin flushed and her nipples were hard beneath her thin shirt.

Before he thought about it, he had her in his arms. He spun around, hoisted her onto the basin and, using his legs, spread her knees until they were wide enough for his thighs to fit snugly between hers, his cock pressing into her belly. Luc lowered his head and took her mouth. She parted her lips, and he took the silent invitation and thrust his tongue between her teeth to explore the hot recesses of her mouth. For seconds, she remained passive, letting him do and take as he wished. Then she exploded in a hungry surge that stole his breath. There was nothing submissive about her now. She stroked her tongue over his, past his teeth and into his mouth.

In moments, their kiss turned desperate. Blood rushed in his ears, his heart pounded in his chest and his cock throbbed where it lay trapped between them. He bucked his hips, rocked his length against her. He gripped the hem of her shirt and yanked it up so he could get his hands on the hard nipples that were digging into his chest. Air rushed from his lungs when he cradled the soft globes in his palms. Luc pulled his mouth from hers and looked down. Cassie’s top was bunched beneath her arms and her creamy skin was covered by his darker flesh. The sight sent an erotic spike into his groin.

He had to taste her. Had to feel her under his lips—his tongue. He lowered his head and trailed his mouth down her chin to her throat. Her pulse beat in a rapid tattoo and he lingered over it. Nipping and licking until her head fell back and she gave him free rein. She gasped when he scrapped his teeth across her collarbone. Moaned when he moved lower and sucked one taut nipple between his lips. Luc loved the way she arched into him as he drew harder on the rigid peak. His fingers tugged at her other breast while he continued to feast on the one in his mouth.

Cassie curled her hands over his shoulders and pushed. At first he fought her, but she tangled her fingers in his hair and tugged to get his attention. Stepping back, he watched as she wiggled her pants out from under her arse and let them drop to the floor at his feet. He swallowed over the lump in his throat when she whipped her shirt over her head and tossed it over his shoulder. Damn. She was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen, and he wanted to touch her everywhere. But his gaze was drawn to the valley between her legs. Her pussy hair was trimmed close and her pink folds peeked out to give him a flash of her glistening slit.

Luc fell to his knees and buried his mouth in her silken flesh. Gripping her hips, he pulled her forward so her arse sat on the very edge of the counter and her legs were draped over his shoulders—her heels bumping into his back. Her smell and taste surrounded him. The tang of her desire coated his tongue, flooded his mouth and sent sizzling need zipping into his balls. She rocked against him, rode the rhythm he set with his tongue and took what he offered and demanded more. He lapped at her folds. Up and down. Back to front. With each swipe of his tongue, Cassie moaned and thrashed above him.

She buried her fingers in his hair and held him close. His groin burned with need and he had to wrap one hand around his cock and squeeze hard in an attempt to stave off the orgasm barrelling towards him. He palmed her arse with his other hand, trailed his fingers over her hot skin until they slid through the slick fluid flowing from her pussy and drew a moan of pleasure from her lips. She dug her nails into his scalp and her hips bucked, driving her wet slit into his face.

“Oh God.” Cassie’s words ended on a gasp as he drove two fingers deep inside her.

Hot walls sucked at his fingers. Clamped down and held him tight as her body convulsed in a bone-jolting climax. She writhed against him, flexed and rolled with each wave of her release until she went limp, spent as the last of her orgasm drained away. Luc clenched his jaw, ground his back teeth and gripped his cock in a punishing hold as he fought not to come all over the bathroom floor. If he was going to lose his load it would be in the drenched pussy that continued to quiver around his fingers.