More Than One Night

He smiled. There was so much hot promise in his eyes that she squeezed her thighs together.

“Hold that thought.” She slipped from his arms to approach the taxi and ducked her head inside.

“Let me guess, I’m on my own,” Gina said.

“Yeah.” Charlie laughed. She sounded like a giddy schoolgirl, but she didn’t care. She wanted this. Wanted the way Rhys made her feel.

“When was your last drink?” Gina asked.

“Sorry?”

“I want to know how drunk you are so I can decide if I’m being a good friend letting you go home with this guy.”

“I’m not drunk. I’m not sober, but I know what I’m doing.”

“Okay. You’re a big girl. Have a good time, C. Be safe.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Charlie straightened, shutting the door. The taxi took off immediately and the reality of what she’d agreed to hit her like a bucket of cold water. She didn’t know this man, after all. He could be anyone. And she’d agreed to get naked with him and share the most intimate of acts with him.

A warm hand landed on the small of her back and a second later she felt Rhys brush the hair away from her nape before pressing a kiss there. Everything inside her tensed with delight as his whiskers rasped against her skin.

He moved closer, wrapping his arms around her from behind. She felt his erection against her backside, and every sane thought flew out her head like so much dandelion fluff.

She wanted him. She’d indulged herself precious few times in her life, but she wanted this man, wanted the experience he promised with his eyes and hard body, and she was damn well going to have him.

She rested her hands over his and pressed into his hips. He opened his mouth against her neck and she felt the hot press of his tongue. A shiver of need raced down her spine and her nipples hardened.

“Where do you live?” she whispered.

She hoped it was somewhere close because she was so turned on it almost hurt.

“Potts Point. About five minutes.”

She twisted in his arms and kissed him, her hands sliding to his hips and then, boldly, to his backside. She made a small approving sound in her throat as her hands felt hard muscle.

“You keep that up, we’re not going to make it home,” Rhys murmured against her mouth.

“What are we waiting for, then?”

CHAPTER THREE

RHYS SLIPPED HIS hand into hers and led her toward the next cab.

“Potts Point,” he said as he climbed into the backseat, pulling her behind him.

She wanted him to kiss her again very badly. Instead, he slid his arm around her and tugged her against his side.

“You smell good,” he said as the cab drove away from the curb.

“So do you.” She put her hand on his thigh, her belly tightening as she felt the firm muscle beneath her fingers. He had a beautiful body. She couldn’t wait to see it.

Rhys leaned close and started to kiss her neck, small, delicate caresses that made her limp with need. She let her head drop to the side and tried not to moan out loud.

She was aware that they’d arrived at their destination only when the taxi jerked to a halt. Rhys gave a surprised grunt and removed his arm from around her shoulders to pull his wallet from his back pocket.

“Keep the change,” he said as he handed the driver two twenties.

They slid out of the car.

“You realize you gave that guy an eighty percent tip, right?” she said.

“It was worth it.” He took her hand and led her toward the entrance of a modern apartment block. She felt light-headed with lust, all her thoughts concentrated on what was about to happen upstairs. In his bedroom.

His thumb brushed gentle circles inside her wrist as they rode to the sixth floor.

“This is me,” he said as he led her toward a nondescript gray door. He unlocked the door, flicking on a light as he led her inside.

“I’ve got beer or wine—”

Charlie pushed him against the wall and pressed her body to his. “I don’t want beer or wine.”

She kissed him, channeling years of frustrated desire into the meeting of their mouths and tongues. He responded with equal hunger, his hands sliding up her rib cage and onto her breasts. His thumbs found her nipples with unerring accuracy and she jerked her hips against his as he squeezed them gently.

“Man,” he muttered against her mouth.

She slid her hands onto his backside and urged his hips closer to hers, rubbing herself against his erection. He responded by pushing his hands beneath her top and cupping her bare breasts. He teased her mercilessly, to the point where she started to pant.

“Charlie, you are so damn hot,” he said, breaking their kiss to look into her face.

“I need to be naked.” She had no idea where the demand came from. She’d never been this sexually aggressive in her life, but there was something about this man…

“The feeling is totally mutual.”

He held her gaze as he slid a hand over the front of her trousers. She gave a small, needy whimper as he cupped her sex, his fingers pressing against the spot where she needed him the most.

“Are you ready for me, Charlie?” he asked, his voice very low.

She answered with her body, pressing herself forward, into his hand. She reached for the stud on his jeans at the same time, her fingers fumbling for the warm metal of his zipper. It gave readily and she felt him tense as she slid her hand into the opening she’d created. Her fingers found warm cotton over hard flesh. She gripped him firmly, stroking her hand along his length. He shuddered and closed his eyes for the briefest of seconds. When he opened them again his eyes blazed into hers.

“Let’s go.”

She removed her hand from his jeans as he pushed them both away from the wall. He led her into a darkened living room and up another hallway. She was too intent on the man walking ahead of her to pay much attention to her surroundings. As he entered what she assumed was the bedroom, she reached for the hem of her top and dragged it over her head. It hit the floor with a metallic hiss and Rhys turned to face her, his gaze dropping immediately to her naked breasts.

He mouthed a four-letter word, the appreciation in his eyes lifting her desire higher still.

“You’re going to have to help me with these stupid pants,” she said a she reached for the snap on her trousers.