Christmas With the Billionaire Rancher (3 page)

“Hyenas.” Nate took a long swig from the mouth of the bottle and Chloe's gaze wandered to his lips. Was it possible to be jealous of an inanimate object?

“They can't all be bad.”

He cocked a brow. The expression faded into something akin to resignation. “Maybe.” His gaze raked over her once again and Chloe felt her cheeks flush. “I'm reserving judgment until I get to know you better.”

Two hours passed in the blink of an eye. Chloe had had enough champagne to know that one more would push her past tipsy, and it was time to head home and form a new game plan for how to handle Nate before she said something she might regret. Like how much she wanted to bite the delicious curve of his ass cheek for starters. The man was perfection. Every hard angle of his body begging for a closer inspection. Chloe wanted to bite him. Lick him. Taste that lovely junction between his hip and thigh right before she ventured lower.

Oookaaay. Time to go home
. She couldn't curb the train of her erotic thoughts any longer and the future of her foundation depended on her keeping her damned panties on. She wanted a professional relationship with Nate Christensen. Nothing more.
Good god, his ass …

“I think it's time for me to call it a night.” Chloe placed the empty flute on a nearby table. “It was nice to meet you, Nate. And again, I'm sorry for your loss.”

His brow furrowed as though he waged some internal battle. Chloe knew the feeling all too well. Before he could convince her to stay—and it wouldn't take more than a look—she turned and headed for the coat closet just outside the ballroom.

As Chloe searched through the rows of hangers for her jacket, she tried to slow her racing heart. Nate's gruff demeanor, no-nonsense attitude, and piercing hazel eyes stirred Chloe's lust to a fever pitch. How could she possibly charm him into parting with his money when she couldn't even look at him without being starstruck? He tied her into knots without even trying. Hell, if he asked her right now, she'd empty her own bank account and lay it all at his feet in tribute to his magnificence.
Way to melt into a useless heap at the first sight of a good-looking guy, Chloe
. Oh, hell. Who was she kidding? Nate Christensen left good-looking in his freaking wake!

The hairs on the back of Chloe's neck prickled as she sensed someone behind her. Her breaths came quick and shallow. She didn't have to turn around to know that Nate had followed her—and what he wanted. His gaze had practically set her on fire.

“Do you always run off in the middle of a conversation?” His deep voice rumbled close to her ear and Chloe shivered.

“I didn't know you had something more to say.” Her own response was nothing more than a breathy whisper. Her pounding heart didn't allow for her to fill her lungs.

Nate's palms came to rest at her hips and the contact sent a jolt of electricity through Chloe's body that settled between her thighs. Her sex pulsed in time with her heart and her tongue darted out to lick her suddenly dry lips.

“I've got a lot more to say.”

She swallowed. Hard. This was a bad idea, and yet, she couldn't help but ask, “Like what?”

“Like I want to fuck you.”

A rush of wet heat spread between Chloe's thighs at Nate's brash words. Her head spun with his scent, his proximity, the sheer
size
of him that crowded her from behind. The length of his erection brushed her ass and Chloe hissed in a breath. “Are you sure that's not the IPA talking?”

“You and I both know we haven't had that much to drink.”

True. If she had, Chloe could blame the epically bad decision she was about to make on the champagne. As it was, she had no one to blame but herself. His fingertips dug into her hips, a delicious amount of pressure that made Chloe bite back a moan. “Right here in the coat closet, huh? Wanna bend me over that chair in the corner and get right to it?”

“If you want.” Nate's voice rippled over her skin as his mouth moved to her neck. He nipped at the skin and a thrill raced through her. God, the anticipation would give her an orgasm long before Nate was able to even get her clothes off. “I'll hike up your skirt right here and now if you want me to. But I'd rather take you upstairs.”

Chloe couldn't help but grin. “Why's that?”

“Because I'm dying to get a glimpse of your pussy.”

Oh.
Wow
.

“Are you wet, Chloe?” He eased his erection against her ass again. A slow roll of his hips that made Chloe's breath hitch. Nate Christensen was a first-class dirty talker and he was talking her right into a wanton frenzy.

She didn't even have to guess. “Yes.”

“Mmmm.” His warm growl of approval made her wetter still. “My room's upstairs. All you have to say is yes, Chloe. Goddamn, I want to fuck you.”

His mouth touched down on her throat, hot and wet. The scrape of his teeth on her sensitive skin coaxed goose bumps to the surface of Chloe's skin and she shuddered. If she gave in, if she said the word he wanted to hear, it might submarine her chances of saving her foundation. Problem was, only one word formed on her lips and she was powerless not to speak it. “Yes.”

His hands moved up her torso and brushed the outer curves of Chloe's breasts. She sucked in another sharp breath as her nipples hardened to stiff peaks inside of her bra.

“Let's go. Now. Before I can't wait any longer and bend you over that chair anyway.”

“Okay.” Chloe tried to slow her racing pulse and frantic breaths. Already she felt naked, exposed to him and he'd barely touched her. If they didn't get upstairs, Nate wouldn't have the opportunity to bend her over that chair because Chloe was pretty sure she'd hike up her skirt and bend herself over it for him. “I'm ready.”

Three

Nate fumbled with the key card as he shoved it into the reader. Chloe's mouth was too sweet, her lips too soft for him to even consider breaking their kiss for as long as it would take to unlock the hotel room door. As he reached back to turn the doorknob, Chloe's fingers brushed against his fly and his cock throbbed through the layers of fabric that separated their skin.

“God I need to fuck.” They stumbled through the door and it slammed closed behind them. Chloe sighed against his mouth and she gripped him harder through his slacks, cupping her palm around the length of his erection. He kicked off his ridiculous leather loafers and groped for the buttons on Chloe's shirt. “I can't get you naked fast enough.”

Chloe's expression heated.
Goddamn
. There was nothing coy or shy about her. She was every bit as wound up as he was. When he unfastened the last button on her shirt, she tore it from her body and discarded it somewhere behind her. Nate buried his face between the swells of her breasts, biting, licking, kissing the tender flesh that spilled over the cups as he stripped off her bra. Chloe let out a low moan that vibrated down his spine and settled in his balls. She popped the button on his slacks and jerked down the zipper before sliding his pants and underwear down over his ass. With a firm grip she took his cock in her hand and squeezed. The delicious constriction caused his hips to buck and she stroked from the engorged head to the base in a twisting caress that caused his stomach to clench.

He was ready to come right here and now and they'd barely gotten started.

“Do you have a condom?” Her voice was a breathy plea as she stroked him again with that same torturous precision.

“Wallet.” He couldn't manage more than the one guttural word.

“Good. I would have hated to stop now.”

Fucking hell. The heat between them built from a smolder to a roaring inferno. His mouth seized hers in a hungry kiss as he slipped her skirt down off her hips, leaving her clad in nothing more than her black stiletto heels and underwear. Nate shrugged out of his own shirt before he cupped his palm over the rounded curve of her ass, loving the sensation of the satiny fabric as his hand slid over it. He kicked off his slacks and underwear from around his ankles and Chloe shifted to step out of her skirt.

“Leave the heels on,” he commanded against her mouth.

“Naughty,” Chloe murmured in a teasing tone. “I like it.”

“Get on the bed.” Tremors shook Nate's body as he guided Chloe down onto mattress. She moved to push herself farther up on the bed but he stopped her. “No. Stay right on the edge.”

Her green eyes darkened and her tongue lashed out at her bottom lip. He couldn't tear his eyes off her as he dug through his slacks for his wallet. With shaking fingers, he pulled out the condom from one of the pockets and tossed it onto the bed beside her. It took a sheer act of will not to roll the damned thing on, jerk her underwear aside, and bury himself to the base inside of her.

Chloe leaned back on her arms and spread her thighs. Nate scrubbed a hand over his mouth as he took in the sight of her pale skin, the curve of her hips, and the slight roundness of her belly, her breasts impossibly full and rosy nipples erect. She wasn't nervous or unsure or even a little shy. Her confidence turned him on more than anything. Wound him up so tight that his balls ached. She wanted this as much as he did. Maybe she needed it as badly as he did, too.

Nate leaned down and braced an arm on the bed beside her. Chloe's breath came in quick little pants of anticipation that sent his blood racing though his veins. He kept his eyes trained on her face as he reached down with his right hand and gently stroked between her thighs with the pads of his fingers. Her gaze went liquid and a barely visible tremor shook her. He stroked her again, this time circling the tiny bud of her clit that stood out against the satiny fabric of her underwear. Chloe's hips thrust toward him as a slow throaty moan escaped her parted lips.

She didn't look away as he continued to pet her. The intensity of her gaze, the dark sensuality of her flushed cheeks and full lips fueled his fire. She pushed herself up and reached out with one hand to stroke his cock. “God, Nate. You're so hard.”

A wave of lust stole over him and punched straight into his gut. He took Chloe down to the bed and laid himself out on top of her, careful to shift the bulk of his weight off of her. His mouth seized hers again, slanting with a desperate ferocity as he thrust his tongue inside of her mouth. Her passion matched his and then some. Nate thrust into her hand, fucking her palm at the same time his tongue fucked her mouth. He gripped the lacy elastic band of her underwear and plunged his hand inside. A groan vibrated in his throat as he made contact with the slick heat of her pussy. Her lips were swollen, her clit hard and protruding from between them. Her arousal coated his fingers as he slid between the folds and what had started out as slow, easy caresses escalated into something purposeful and desperate.

Her quiet moans turned into loud mewling cries that echoed off the stark hotel room walls. She shifted, pulling her hips back but Nate refused to let her shy from his touch. He wanted her mindless and ready to beg if he asked her to. Hell, he'd beg her if she wanted him to.

“You're going to make me come, Nate.” Chloe sucked in a sharp breath. Her thighs quivered around his hand. She was close.

“Not until I'm inside of you.” Nate pushed himself up and tore into the foil packet. He rolled the condom onto his erection in a single stroke. He jerked Chloe's underwear off and scooped her leg up in the crook of his arm as he positioned himself at her opening. Her arm came up to encircle his neck and her fingernails scraped over the stubble of hair at the back of his neck. Her eyes held his and a tremor of fear rippled through him. He felt as though she could see right into his soul.

The darkness that he'd tried to bury threatened to surface and Nate pushed it back down. He needed to stay in the moment. To
feel
. To do whatever it took to keep that motherfucking endless void at bay. He eased the head of his cock into her pussy and Chloe's thighs fell open. He took a deep breath and thrust deep inside of her on a guttural exhale.

This
was what he needed. Nate stilled as he adjusted to her tight hold that squeezed him like a fist. He pulled out slowly and thrust again, eliciting a gasp from Chloe. “God, I love that sound.” He kept his mouth close to her ear as he repeated the motion. She writhed beneath him, her hips jerking up to meet his. He rolled his hips, seating himself as deep as he could go and she rewarded him for his effort with another sharp intake of breath. “How do you want it, Chloe? I want to hear you say it.”

“Just like that,” she said through pants of breath. “Fuck me hard, Nate. And don't stop until I come.”

*   *   *

When Chloe set out to win a chunk of Nate Christensen's newly acquired fortune, this wasn't how she'd planned the night to end. Not that she was complaining. It had been a long damned time since a man rocked her world. And right now the earth was positively quaking beneath her.

Nate fucked her as though he knew her inside and out. He wasn't about to pound into her like some groaning mass of man-flesh. He made sex an art form. A sensual dance that left Chloe breathless and trembling, drawing out her pleasure until she didn't think she could take another moment of his careful assault. She'd known he was intense, that something boiled under the surface of his unshakable façade. What would it be like to bring a man like that to the edge of his control? Lord, she wanted to find out.

Nate eased the leg he held in the cradle of his arm up higher, allowing him to penetrate her more deeply. She wrapped her free leg around his hip and dug her heel into the muscular globes of his ass as she angled her hips up to meet his. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so
good
.

“Your pussy is so tight, Chloe. So wet.” Nate's voice strained with each word as he lowered his mouth to hers. He kissed her as deeply as he fucked her. With the same slow, deliberate motion. His free hand wandered up her torso, over the swell of her breast, and came to rest at her throat. Long fingers gripped her with enough purpose for her to recognize his barely restrained strength. His open mouth searched hers, his tongue danced with hers in a slippery tangle.