The Billionaire's Courageous Lover (Bold, Alaskan Men Book 3) (12 page)

He liked that about her. 

Hell, there was very little about this woman that he didn’t like. 

With a sigh, he moved over to the cabinet where she stored the wine glasses and took two down, pouring some into both glasses and sliding one to her.  For a moment, he was stunned motionless while he watched her lips sip the wine, the way her fingers delicately held the glass, and the slow smile of appreciation when she felt the flavor burst on her tongue. 

“Are you ready?” he asked, his voice deeper and he cleared it slightly, needing to hear her voice.  Wanting so much more from her though. 

“Yes.  Definitely ready,” Andie replied.  She picked up the roast with the potatoes as well as the gravy and a plate of asparagus that she’d steamed.  “Can you put this on the table?” she asked, and handed him the platter. 

Knox grabbed it and moved over to the small table.  Suddenly, he wasn’t very hungry.  Not for food, anyway. 

An hour later, arguments over the best nineteenth century writer and the problem with the oil markets, dinner was over and Andie couldn’t think of any other reason to delay Knox’s visit.  She didn’t have a television so she couldn’t suggest a movie.  And she didn’t have any games to play.  Not that a man like Knox would want to play board games. 

Andie started to pick up the plates, feeling deflated.  Not one little pass!  Not even…

“What do you think you’re doing?” Knox demanded as he swung her around and pulled her into his arms. 

Andie gasped, startled as she looked up at him.  He was so close!  And yet, he still kept an inch between their bodies.  She decided to be honest with him.  At this point, it didn’t matter any longer.  She wanted him, needed him as her lover.  But if he didn’t want to have anything to do with her, then she had to stop fooling herself. 

He was pressing her backwards and she couldn’t see where she was going.  But when she felt the wall on her back, she sighed with relief. 

“I’m trying to seduce you!” she finally gasped out, her hands were suddenly pinned over her head, pressed against the wall behind her.  Her fingers were aching to touch him, but his grip wasn’t relenting.  “I know that there’s something between us.  Why are you pushing this away?”  She tried to move her body, to have contact with him somehow.  But he kept his own far enough away that she couldn’t touch him, couldn’t do anything. 

He looked at her, his eyes wandering over her delicate features and even down to the dark shadow between her breasts.  “Because you’ll get hurt.”

She wanted to kick him.  “Yep.  I probably will.  I’ll probably stub my toe walking to the bathroom one night, maybe break my leg skiing next time and whatever is downstairs in the basement might gobble me up.  But I’m taking precautions on each of those circumstances.  The only thing that is hurting me now is that fact that you won’t kiss me.”  She was angry now.  Angry, frustrated, furious with him for denying what was between them and thinking he was going to be stronger about resisting her once again. 

Knox moved closer, his anger welling up as his need almost choked him.  “First of all, you’re not going skiing without me again.  I have no idea what you’re talking about regarding the basement, and stubbing your toe is a minor issue.”

“Yeah, talk to me next time I do it.  Not so minor then,” she grumbled.  “So this means that you think I’m frail and pointless, eh?”

He shook his head, the overhead lights of her kitchen dancing on his black hair and making his green eyes sparkle like emeralds.  Sharp, painful emeralds.  “Not pointless.  Frail?  Yes.  Definitely frail.  And I’m not willing to let you hurt yourself.”

She tried to jerk her hands out from his.  “Yeah, well, I’m hurting now.  I want you.  And I know you want me.  Stop being the big superhero, and do something about it!”

He almost laughed.  But instead, he bent down and kissed her.  Softly, gently, barely there, and making sure that this kiss didn’t blow out of control like the last few times they’d kissed. 

But a moment later, he was gone.  All that was left was a cold breeze after he exited.

Andie stared at the closed door, furious with him.  He was a hard man to seduce, she thought.  Maybe she was wrong.  Maybe she should just give in and listen to him, accept that he wasn’t going to have a wild, steamy affair with her. 

Yes, that was probably the best plan, she told herself.  Knox didn’t want her.  Not in that way. 

Time to move on.

She cleaned up the dinner dishes and stored the leftover food in the fridge.  When she crawled into bed that night, she couldn’t stop the tears from falling down her cheeks.  She had to move on.  She’d told herself this before, but then Knox had done something to give her hope. 

No more.  She wouldn’t fool herself again.  She was done clinging to a hope that was pointless.  Knox was stronger than she was, and she couldn’t fight him any longer. 

The chocolate chip cookies were still warm when she wrapped them up and hurried out to her car.  The snow wasn’t too thick right now, but she suspected that Knox was right.  She was going to need a new car this winter.  Her little VW Bug was fun and spunky, great to drive around, but it wouldn’t have the clearance she’d need to get over several inches, or feet, of snow when the real cold weather settled in. 

But she wasn’t worrying about her car at the moment.  Nope.  Right now, her priority was other things.

“You’re here!” Violet and Tyla called out, waving to her as soon as she’d walked into the bar. 

Andie waved back and pulled her raincoat off, then walked over to the table where the ladies were sitting.  Saeger, Tucker, and Creek were at the next table while Knox was behind the bar.  She hadn’t thought he was working tonight, but she didn’t care either.  He was being annoying and stubborn, so she was going to be stubborn right back.

“Are those…” Tyla glanced down at the plate, her eyes wide and hopeful. 

“Oh no!” Violet breathed, leaning forward to peer underneath the cover. 

Andie set the plate down on the table and pulled the wax paper away, revealing the plate of still warm cookies.  “Chocolate chip,” she announced with a forced-happy smile.  She loved that others enjoyed her cookies.  Andie knew that Violet was an amazing baker as well, but her specialty was brownies.  There was something about the brownies that made Creek groan and then Violet blushed but…she wasn’t going to pry into that can of worms. 

There were groans from the next table where the men were sipping whiskey and Andie smiled.  “Help yourself,” she told the three men, not even bothering to look at Knox.  She could feel his glare though.  She could almost feel the anger emanating from him, but she sat down so that her back was to him.  If he was going to race out of her house, refuse her offer, reject her over and over again, then he was going to be ignored.

The three women made lists, figured out details, and laughed as Tyla worked up what she wanted her wedding to be like.  She leaned over to the other table several times, asking Saeger what he would prefer.  But when he consistently replied that he didn’t care, whatever she wanted, the women stopped asking. 

There was noise all around them, but not as bad as it would be when the bar really started hopping.  Tyla poured Andie a glass of wine, and the ladies started discussing wedding plans for Tyla and Saeger’s wedding. 

Some of the locals were already filtering in and when one of them asked if Andie wanted to dance, she smiled up at the man.  The wedding conversation was long over and they were just laughing about different topics now.  So when the man offered, she accepted.  “I’d love to,” she said and followed him to the next room where a country music song was blasting out.  One after another, she danced with as many men as she wanted to, ignoring the sadness that was creeping in at the fact that she wasn’t in Knox’s arms.  She wanted Knox to ask her to dance but he stubbornly refused to come close to her.  He stayed behind the bar, serving up beers and drinks while she tried hard to keep her back to the doorway that led back to the room with the tables.  She didn’t want to talk to him, didn’t want to even look at him.  He’d had his chance, and he’d told her no. 

Fine!  He didn’t want her around, she was going to stay away.  She wanted him, but he obviously didn’t feel the same way.  So she’d find someone who did want her! 

“Can I speak to you?”

Andie turned her head just slightly, knowing that it was Knox behind her, but careful not to touch him in any way.  “No.  I don’t think we have anything to say to each other,” she told him. 

He wasn’t having that. Instead of asking again, he simply spun her around and lifted her off of the dance floor.  When she passed by the table where Violet and Tyla were still sitting, he started to reach for a cookie but she slapped his hand.  “No!  You could have had them last night, but you rejected the offer.”  Her glare silently told him that she was referring to her other offer. 

He had run out of chances, she told herself. 

Knox glared down at her, wanting to paddle her cute butt.  But he was too furious with her to even think about something like that.  Once he got his hands on her butt, he wasn’t sure he would be doing any spanking. 

But he continued walking, carrying her into the locker room of the employee section.  When they were finally in the employee area, he put her down and allowed her to step backwards slightly.  “What are you up to, Andie?” he demanded, glaring down at her with his arms crossed over his chest.

“I’m not up to anything except trying to have some fun, Knox.  You have your bartending duties this weekend.  That’s your job.  I’m not interfering with anything.”

He leaned closer to her.  “You’re dancing with every guy who asks you!” he said through his gritted teeth. 

She pushed away from him, refusing to be intimidated by the enormous man.  Not anymore!  “You’re right!  I’m dancing, having fun, getting to know the other men in Winthrop so that I can…”

“You’re not!” he roared. 

Someone, neither Andie nor Knox knew who, closed the door to the locker room.  Knox wasn’t sure if someone thought they needed privacy, or if his yelling was disturbing the other patrons.  Either way, he didn’t give a damn.  Andie was his!  She was dancing with all the other men in the bar, but wouldn’t even look at him!

And those chocolate chip cookies had been meant for him! 

“I am, Knox.  You don’t want me.  I get that.  Or maybe you do want me, but you’re not willing to do anything about it because you think I’m a frail, hothouse flower.”  She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  “I understand that.  Finally.  You’ve said it several times already, but I’ve refused to listen.  Until last night.”

Knox rubbed a hand over his jaw and shook his head.  “I do want you.  But you’re leaving soon.”

She shook her head.  “No, Knox.  I’m not leaving.  Not sooner or later.  I’m here to stay.  I love my job, I love my house and I love…” she almost said that she loved him, but stopped herself just in time.

It was true though.  She did love him.  She loved him so much her heart ached.  But she couldn’t have him because he didn’t want her hurt. 

“You can’t stop me from seeing other men, Knox.”

He hated those words because…well, hell…she was right!  He couldn’t stop her! 

He couldn’t….

“Aw hell,” he grumbled a moment before he lifted her back into his arms and carried her out the side entrance of the bar. 

“What are you doing?’ she demanded when she felt the cold air on her back where her sweater had ridden up.  “Knox!  Put me down!”

He swatted her bottom.  Hell, her bottom felt perfect against his palm. 

He was going to have to explore that in more detail, but right now, all he wanted to do was get her back to his place. 

When he dumped her in the passenger seat of his truck, he slammed the door and locked it when she tried to get out again.  It wouldn’t take her long to find the lock release, but he was in the driver’s seat with the engine revving before her fingers fumbled along the side.

“This is kidnapping,” she snapped at him.  “I’m going to get Cliff involved in your little escapade.”

Knox only laughed, feeling relieved now that he’d accepted fate.  Andie was his.  End of conversation.  When she walked out of his life and went back home, he’d…figure something out. 

Tonight had proven one thing to him.  He wanted her, and he couldn’t stand the idea of her being in another man’s arms.  Even for just a dance.  As he’d watched her, felt her anger towards him, he’d felt worse and worse. 

He hadn’t consciously made the decision to give in to this lust that surged through him every time she was even close by, or when he thought about her, or dreamed about her.  It wasn’t until he was halfway across the bar, heading towards the dance floor and he felt Saeger slap his shoulder as his friend headed to take over bartending responsibilities that Knox knew that he was going to take Andie out of here and put them both out of their misery.

He appreciated Saeger stepping in without a word, because Knox wasn’t sure he’d be able to articulate anything, which was why he just picked Andie up and walked out with her.  Rude, inconsiderate, and probably everyone in town would know what he’d done by the time he’d reached his house, but he didn’t care.

“Knox!  You’re not listening to me!” she snapped, her voice getting louder. 

Now that he’d made the decision, he was more relaxed.  He sensed the fear in her voice and reached over, touched her cheek the way he’d done so many weeks ago, but hadn’t allowed himself the pleasure since then.

“Relax, Andie.”

He almost chuckled when his little spitfire bristled.  He hadn’t meant to be condescending, but he understood that was how his words had come across. 

Thankfully, they were pulling up to his house now.  There was only silence from the other side of his truck. 

When he pulled into the garage and shut off the engine, he turned so that his left forearm was resting on top of the steering wheel and he could look into her silver eyes. 

“Where are we?” she asked. 

“My house.”

Andie shifted in her seat, not sure what to do.  “What are we doing here?”

He waited, letting her mind wrap around the reality.  When she realized what was going to happen, he saw her body change.  No longer was she angry, but a nervousness entered those pretty eyes.

“You okay?” he asked, thinking she looked so beautiful right at this moment. 

Andie thought about it.  Was she okay?  “I don’t know,” she told him honestly. 

Knox tilted his head slightly.  “Do you not want this now, Andie?” he asked, his heart stopping for a moment at the thought that he might have completely messed up. 

Her response was to throw herself across the truck, landing against his chest with a grunt.  A moment later, her soft, delicate hands were holding his jaw while her lips brushed against his. 

Knox was startled for all of one second.  But after that, he took control, his hands wrapping around her soft waist and bringing her closer, settling her against his lap.  His truck wasn’t the best place to kiss a woman, but it wasn’t the worst either.  And when that woman was Andie, he didn’t give a damn about location. 

Somehow, he lifted her out of the truck without stopping the kiss.  When he reached the door, he didn’t have keys in his hand so he simply pressed her back against the door and continued kissing her, loving the way her legs were wrapped around his waist.  His hands were now filled with her soft bottom and he groaned when she shifted against him experimentally.  That groan was echoed by Andie when she did it again, her hips shifting against his erection and finding a rhythm that she liked. 

“Andie!” he growled, trying to get the door open. 

“Don’t stop,” she whimpered.  “Oh, please don’t stop!”

He might have a heart attack, but he didn’t care.  He wouldn’t stop!  His fingers fumbled with the door and he finally got it open.  But then her lips moved to his neck and he had absolutely no idea how they’d reached his bedroom.  All he could think about was getting her clothes off and seeing his precious Andie naked. 

Slow down, he told himself.  But he couldn’t.  Andie was here, in his bed and she was just as frantic as he was.  Clothes came flying off, discarded to the floor in a haphazard heap.  His mouth latched onto the already hard peak of her breast through the lace of her bra, but it wasn’t enough.  He pushed the fabric away, needing to taste that bud, needing to see her breasts.  She reached up and pulled the straps off of her shoulders, giving him more access and his hands plumped up the gorgeous flesh while his teeth and tongue teased.  When she screamed out, he only moved to the other breast, giving it equal attention.  He felt her fingers in his hair, pulling, causing a bit of pain, but he didn’t care.  It was all part of the experience of Andie. 

“More!” she begged when he moved down to her stomach.

“I will, love.”

“Now!” she whimpered. 

Then his fingers moved to the snap of her jeans, pulling and tugging.  He stood up so that he could get rid of them, tossing them behind him as he stared down at her with just her underwear.  Her bra was technically still on her but since the cups were pulled down, the bit of lace didn’t count. 

“Not good enough,” he growled, and his fingers reached for the band of her matching underwear.  Pulling it down, he slowly revealed Andie to his needy gaze, taking her all in. 

“Knox?” she called out to him when he only stared.

His erection throbbed with his name on her lips.  Or maybe it was the way her hips shifted against his bed.  He wasn’t really sure.  All he knew was that she was here! 

“Andie,” he groaned as he pulled his own clothes off in record time.  He heard her gasp when his erection came clear of his boxers, but he didn’t slow down.  This was Andie.  He would take care of her. 

“Knox?” she asked, uncertainty in her voice. 

“It’s okay, love,” he said.  He would make it okay, he promised himself.  Moving against her, feeling her soft, warm skin against his was possibly the best experience of his life.  Nothing else mattered other than satisfying this woman, taking her higher than she’d ever gone before.