Perfect Fit (Serendipity's Finest) - By Carly Phillips Page 0,56
inside.
Between the rush of cold air and the desire flooding her veins, she’d more than shaken off the effects of the wine, but she was more than happy to let him take the lead. For one thing, he was hot doing it, and for another, as long as he wasn’t telling her what to do in every other part of her life, she’d cede control in the bedroom. When she’d decided that, she had no idea. But this was Mike. He liked to be in charge there, and she liked to give him what he wanted. Who cared as long as it worked?
And when it came to this, they definitely clicked.
She shucked off her jacket, letting it fall to the foyer floor. Next she bent over to remove her boots, only to feel Mike’s hand slip beneath her skirt and find the lacy Victoria’s Secret panties she’d chosen, knowing he was staying over.
His hand caressed her ass, and heat flooded her everywhere.
“Cara, baby,” he murmured, his voice rough.
But his words stopped her cold and she whirled around to face him. “Baby?”
Realization dawned, and he narrowed his already dark gaze. “Okay, that’s it.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the couch, settling her on his lap. “The word obviously slipped out of my mouth. Again. I need to know why you react the way you do.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Tough.” He lifted her hand and pressed a hot kiss against the rapidly beating pulse point in her wrist. “Now tell me so I can understand and we can get past it,” he said, his tone implacable.
He wouldn’t give her an out, and she blew out a frustrated breath. “Look, I know I’m being ridiculous.” Because Mike used the word as an endearment.
And other people used it too, as a joke or a friendly comment, and Cara snapped at them every time. Sam and Dare thought she was a feminist, and she didn’t bother correcting them. Nobody had ever pushed her about it before.
“I didn’t say you were ridiculous. I just want to know why it bothers you.” He kept his hand intertwined with hers.
“Fine,” she snapped, feeling cornered. “It’s what my father says to my mother. Baby, bring me a drink. Baby, get me the newspaper. Baby, stop being such a goddamned drama queen. Baby, shut the fuck up and cook dinner.” And Baby, you need to listen when I tell you to do something before he let loose with his fists.
Beneath her, Mike stiffened at her words, then finally forced himself to relax. “Thank you for telling me,” he said at last.
She heard the heartfelt sentiment behind the words. “Guess I’m more screwed up than you thought, huh?” She managed a laugh she didn’t really feel.
“No more than me, baby.” Before she could react to the word, he’d lifted her hand and run his tongue over her sensitive skin.
She shivered, feeling the cool trail of moisture all the way to her core, and she unconsciously wriggled deeper into his lap, seeking pressure where she ached the most.
“Notice that?” he asked.
All Cara felt was a pure shot of desire. “Notice what?”
He chuckled. “Desensitization to the word. I’m going to work at it until every time you hear baby, you think of me doing something wicked to your body and the bad memories no longer resurface.”
“You think you can accomplish that?” she asked in a husky voice, unbelievably touched by his response.
He shrugged. “I hope so. I know it’ll be fun to try.”
He blew on the damp skin of her wrist and with an answering sigh, she shifted positions until her thighs bracketed his and her sex came into direct contact with his erection.
“See?”
She laughed.
He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, the pressure light at first, teasing her with soft kisses and leisurely licks of his tongue. He didn’t let up. She wasn’t sure how long they remained that way, kissing, nibbling each other’s mouths, fondling one another over their clothes. All she knew was that this kind of foreplay wasn’t something the guys she’d been with usually indulged in, not when sex was the end goal. But Mike didn’t seem in any hurry to get to the finish line, since he was clearly enjoying this and so was she.
He cupped her breasts in his hands, teasing and plucking at her nipples through the bra and the silk, until they were hard peaks. Only then did he lean down and suck one rigid tip into