Zoey And The Nice Guy (Big Girl Panties #1) (16 page)

“I thought we were going to date?”

“We are. But tomorrow is gingerbread decorating day. Tuesday is Christmas Eve. Wednesday is Christmas. I need some alone time with you.”

“You mean sex.”

“Doesn’t have to be sex. Probably will be…but doesn’t have to be.”

She chuckled and put her hand over his on her leg.
 

He pulled down the dirt driveway to his cabin and listened to her gasp. “What?” he asked.

“I thought you lived in some one-room, log cabin or something. This is really nice.”

He climbed out of the truck and went to open the door for her. He held her hand and led her inside. The cabin was two stories with a loft, so the entryway ceiling was high and full of light and air. She seemed to want time to look around, but he dragged her straight up the stairs to his loft bedroom.
 

She laughed when she saw where they were going. “Kind of feels like you brought me here to, I don’t know, establish dominance or something,” she said.

“I did.” He turned and pulled her hard against him, taking her mouth with his. “I feel like you don’t fully grasp how much my girl you are.”
 

She chuckled against his mouth, her hands pawing at his chest and shoulders.
 

He covered her with kisses and slid his hands beneath her sweater to her back. “Last night you kept pushing me away,” he said.

“Mmm.”

“No more, Zoey. I want you. I wanna take care of you.”

She let out a breath when his hand moved to cup her breast. Her own hand had wandered down to the front of his pants. He’d never been with a woman this aggressive. He’d never been this aggressive with a woman.
 

“So what are you gonna do next time I try to stand by you?” He shoved her sweater up and over her head. She jerked at his t-shirt, and he helped her peel it off.
 

She pressed her lips to his chest and his blood sang in his ears.
 

“Answer me.”

She slid her hand down his jeans, taking his length before he had a chance to react. He forced through the blinding urge to fuck her and grabbed her by the wrist. He spun her to face the bed and pressed against her back, bending her over the bed. God, he’d never done this. It felt freaking great. He unclasped her bra and shoved it off her shoulders, tossing it aside. He grabbed her hips and ground his erection against her ass. “Fuck,” he murmured. “Next time I offer to help you or hold you, Zoey, what are you going to do?”

“Let you,” she answered.
 

He was pleased with the answer. He pulled her upright with her back against him, and took her breasts into his hands. Blood surged from his brain and he groaned.
 

She pushed back, turned, fell to her knees, and ran her teeth over his dick through his jeans. “Holy fuck,” he gasped.

The triumphant grin she gave him was a challenge. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to her feet. She cried out and then moaned when his bare chest pressed against her bare breasts. He massaged his fingers into her scalp. With his free hand, he dipped into her pants and massaged her clit. She cried out.

“I need one more thing, Zoey,” he said.

“Don’t push your luck.” She grabbed him by the balls. “We both know I’m the one in control.”

“Wrong answer.” He spun her again, this time capturing her wrists behind her back. He held them in one hand and then pinched her nipple with his free hand. “I want you to ask me nicely to fuck you.”

She threw her head back and laughed.

“And say please,” he added.

She fought to free her arms, but he held her tightly. He reached down and unfastened her jeans. He shoved them down with her panties and she kicked them off. “Like you’re not going to fuck me anyway?”

He didn’t argue with her. He bent her back over the bed, her arms still pinned to her back. Ah, the sweet view he had. He cupped and caressed her ass.
 

She laughed and then, when he slid his hand up her slit from behind, she moaned. He drew his wet fingers away and fumbled with his jeans, getting them pushed down just enough to free himself. He took himself in hand and pressed his tip against her opening. Then he leaned over and nibbled at her ear. “Zoey, you’re so beautiful.”

“Fuck me!” she cried through gritted teeth.
 

“I love the way you make me feel, Zoey. Not when you’re yelling at me or pushing me away or making unreasonable demands. But when we’re talking, laughing, kissing. Like now. I love the way I feel with you now.”

A frustrated sob escaped her lips.

“Just say please, Zoey. I want you so bad. I hate waiting like this. Your ass pressed against my dick like this is driving me crazy.” He moved a hand beneath her and cupped one of her breasts. “God, you’re fucking perfect.”

“Kellen, just do it!” She fought, trying to free her hands. Her hips arched up and back, inviting him, begging him.
 

He broke into a sweat. He rested his forehead against her spine and groaned. “I won’t give in to you,” he said. “This is where you have to meet me.”

“Fuck!” she cried. “Please! Please, God, Kellen, fuck me already!”

He stood up, released her hands, and reached in his nightstand for a condom. She arched her back and rocked her hips toward him. He grabbed her hips and slammed into her. They both cried out.
 

The way she rocked against him, meeting him move for move, he knew he wasn’t going to last long. He hooked an arm around her waist and lifted her so that her back was against him, her head dropped back on his chest. He sat her on her knees on the edge of the bed, thrusting into her hard and fast. One hand stayed on her left breast, the other snaked its way between her legs.

“Oh, God!” she sobbed.
 

A second later, he felt her muscles contract as she cried out and writhed in his arms. He let her pleasure carry him over the edge. He sucked in a breath, gritted his teeth, and held on through the waves of orgasm.

He dropped her onto the bed and took a step back, breathing heavily. Her back was to him. He disposed of the condom and waited. She rolled toward him. The smile on her face was the sweetest thing he’d ever seen. Until she reached for him, which was even sweeter.

Zoey chugged a glass of water and then dragged her arm across her sweaty brow. She’d stripped down to a tank top and was considering trading her jeans for shorts.
 

“I know it’s hard work,” Maya said. “You don’t have to do it.”

“I’m halfway there. Just gotta get over this hump.” She had the pieces baked to one of the gingerbread houses. It took three batches to finish them. The dough was stiff, the oven was hot, but she was not giving up.
 

Besides, it was good distraction. Kellen had brought her back home yesterday and then left. She’d hinted that he should spend the night, but he hadn’t taken the bait. No, he’d dragged her to his cave, broken her in like a wild stallion, and then left her here wanting more. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that was exactly what he’d done. He’d planted his flag. Staked his claim. He’d wanted her to know that she was his girl.
 

She picked up the rolling pin and started rolling another batch of dough. It helped that out of the corner of her eye she could see the most gorgeous man on the planet sitting on her sofa, concentrating hard on whatever was on his computer screen. He’d come over, as promised, bringing his camera and laptop with him so that he could get pictures of the kids—his Christmas present to Maya. But aside from a quick peck on the cheek, he hadn’t shown any indication of being nearly as smitten as she was.

Maya snapped her fingers. Zoey realized she’d stopped rolling and started gazing. “Sorry,” she said and focused with renewed determination.

“No, I think it’s cute,” Maya said. “I’ve never seen you like this.”

She lowered her voice. “He’s so intense over there.”

“He gets that way.”

Zoey sighed, but it was masked under her heavy breathing from rolling out the impossibly stiff dough. At last she got it where she wanted it and started cutting out the pieces using cardboard templates she and the kids had drawn.
 

Addy came by. Though she was staying with her parents over the break, she much preferred to be here with her friends. She came in the door without knocking and headed straight for the kitchen. “Kids look like they’re having fun in the snow,” she said. When she approached the counter, she lowered her voice.
 

Zoey tip-toed up so she could see out the front window. The morning had yielded about four inches of snow, so far. The kids were running around bundled in their coats, hats, and scarves, trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues.

Zoey smiled and then filled a deep bowl with powdered sugar, egg whites, and lemon juice to make the icing. She put the beaters of the hand mixer she’d just bought in the bowl and switched them on.

Powdered sugar poofed in a cloud all over the kitchen. She immediately switched the mixer off and stood there while the sugar settled. Maya and Addy sat there gaping at her. Kellen had fallen to his side on the sofa laughing.
 

“You can laugh while you’re cleaning up this mess, funny guy!”

He pulled himself together and came into the kitchen. He held up that damn camera and shot a picture of her. “Oh, that’s a good one,” he said. “Captures the full potential of your rage.”

“I’m gonna shove that thing up your ass, Kellen.”

He set the camera down and picked up the mixer, turning it on to it’s lowest speed until the mixture was wet. Then, he kicked the mixer up higher and gestured for her to take over. She did, casting him a skeptical glance along the way.
 

He went to the sink, wrung out a cloth, and started cleaning the sugar off the cabinets and countertops.
 

By the time she finished the icing and took out the last of the cookies, he was pulling a mop and bucket out of her utility room. Zoey worked on cleaning up the clutter on her counters and then helped Addy and Maya assemble the first house. Kellen mopped around her feet until she hopped up on the counter. When he finished, he put the mop and bucket away, and then came back in.

He gave her hair a tug. “Your turn,” he said.

“My turn for what?”

“I’ve cleaned your kitchen and your floors. Now, it’s your turn.”

Without warning, he picked her up, tossing her over his shoulder, and carried her back to her bedroom and into the bathroom. He sat her on her feet, turned on the shower, and then started stripping.

“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?” she asked, even as she peeled off her tank top and started on her jeans.

“Taking a shower. What are you doing?”

“Taking a shower. Do you think you’re going to get lucky in there?”

He crossed his fingers before shoving his jeans off. His boxers went next and that left him totally, gloriously naked. Zoey froze, her jeans halfway down her thighs, and stared. He dug a condom out of the pocket of his jeans. She had no will to fight or tease as he came toward her and finished yanking her jeans down. And then her panties. And lastly her bra, which he unclasped and slipped off of her almost reverently.
 

Their eyes met for a moment. They both smiled. Their smiles slipped away as they held hands, and climbed in the shower. He turned her, putting her back to the water. Gently cupping the back of her head, Kellen tilted it away from him, into the water. She closed her eyes. His fingers massaged as they threaded their way through her water soaked hair.
 

When he tilted her head forward, she couldn’t help but marvel at him. His blue eyes, hot and potent, focused on hers. His jaw, strong and tense. His massive erection pressed into her belly.
 

Touching him was an evolutionary imperative. Without thought of any kind, she reached for him, wrapped her hand around his length, because that was what she was meant to do. It was what he was meant for. He hissed in a breath and the tendons in his neck popped out. He dropped his forehead to hers, his eyes squeezed shut.
 

He reached behind her for something. The shampoo. He lathered some into his hands and then began working it through her hair. She was lost again. Hypnotized by his power. Lulled by his strong, knowing hands, caring for her. Pleasing her.
 

He tilted her head back again and rinsed her hair. She closed her eyes as the water sluiced down her scalp and hair and back. His tongue on her neck had her gasping and opening her eyes. He held her against him while he kissed and licked her neck, nipping at her jaw and ears. He grabbed her knee and brought her leg up over his hip.

She panted frantically, already on the edge of orgasm and he wasn’t even touching her there. She arched her hips, seeking more of him.
 

Kellen lifted her up, turned, and pressed her back against the wall. She wrapped her legs around his waist, struggling to keep from sliding off of him. He had her, though. One arm braced beneath her ass, the other wrapped around the small of her back. He wasn’t going to drop her.

He dipped his head down and sucked her nipple between his teeth.

“God!” she sobbed. She thrust against him, struggling to quell that insane need.

He took her other breast and she dropped her head back in frustration. Detaching his lips from her nipple and raising his head until his mouth hovered just in front of hers, he whispered, “Say please, Zoey.” His voice was harsh and hungry.

“Please!” she gasped. The game was over. He could have anything he wanted from her.
 

He chuckled against her mouth. “That’s getting easier. What is it you want?”

“You know,” she groaned. She lunged at his mouth, wanting to kiss him, but he pulled back.

“I wanna hear you say it.”

“I want you inside of me. God, Kellen, please!”

And then she felt him, the tip of him at her entrance. She thrust her hips, bringing him into her an inch.