Nora leaned against the high-top table in the ornate ballroom feeling like Cinderella. She’d never been in such a posh environment. She took in the fancy walls with crown molding, fluted columns with gold leaf accents, and thick velvet drapes hanging over French windows. The ceilings were a sea of gold with massive tiered chandeliers shimmering in the soft light. High heels clacked against marble floors as wait staff dressed in black and white gracefully carried trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres.

Yesterday, Steph had taken her shopping to purchase an outfit for this NASCAR sponsored event. Wearing a black three-quarter length dress and strappy sliver heels with glittery crystals made her feel like she fit in even though she was more comfortable in jeans and a T-shirt. But she could admit that she cleaned up well.

Besides, this event was for a good cause, a charity that funded global orphanages.

When it came to kids and animals, she was all in. She appreciated that Davey cared enough to attend this event to help raise money for the orphanages.

This morning he had sent a car service to drive her to Bristol so she could ride home with him on Monday morning. Steph and Cruz were skipping this weekend’s race; they’d headed to Vegas instead to get married. When Steph had first shared the news, Nora had been disappointed. She’d wanted Steph to have a big wedding that she could be a part of until she realized that was her dream, not Steph’s. Last weekend Steph had told Cruz that she didn’t care about the ceremony, she only cared about becoming his wife. Nora smiled into her champagne thinking about how quickly Cruz had made the Vegas arrangements after Steph’s declaration. They’d get the opportunity to celebrate with the bride and groom on Wednesday night at the party Davey was hosting for them.

AJ smiled at her as he grabbed two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter. She was hanging out with him while Davey did some PR work for the event.

“Where’s Ben-jo?” AJ asked, sliding one of the glasses across the table.

“He and Lucas have a science project due on Monday.” She took a sip of the champagne. Rich and smooth, she tasted hints of ripe fruit and white flowers. “Jamie’s a science geek so he’s helping them.”

Ben had been disappointed to miss the race, but he’d been happy when talk had turned to lava eruptions and earthquakes for his and Lucas’ elaborate project.

AJ grinned. “I was a science nerd too.”

Laughing, she shook her head. “I can’t see it.” She took another sip of the delectable champagne. “Where’s your date for the evening?”

He shrugged. “I decided to come solo.”

“Really?” She touched a palm to his forehead. “Are you sick?”

“Nah.” Chuckling, he brushed her hand away from his head. “I’m just getting tired of the song and dance.”

She hadn’t expected that response. Swirling the amber liquid, golden bubbles rose to the surface in her glass. She lifted it in the air. “Here’s to the right woman for you.” AJ laughed as she tapped her glass to his. “She’s out there.”

“Is this your new girl?” a drop-dead gorgeous blonde asked AJ, as she approached their table.

AJ put his arm around her shoulder. “I wish,” he said, sounding like he really meant it.

Aw, AJ was sweet. Nora considered planting a big, noisy kiss on his cheek but she refrained. Still, his words made her feel confident around this imposingly beautiful woman.

“This is Nora Williams, Davey’s girlfriend.” AJ waved a hand toward the other woman. “Nora meet Becca.”

As Nora shook the woman’s tiny, beautifully manicured hand, Nora recognized her. She’d been the lead actress in the romantic comedy Nora had recently seen with Ella and Hud.

“Oh.” Becca’s perfect top lip protruded ever so slightly. “I didn’t know he was dating again,” she said, her voice wistful and filled with disappointment.

“Yep.” AJ grinned. “And he got quite the catch this time.”

Based on the woman’s indignant expression and tight posture, Nora could only assume that Davey had dated Becca in the past and that AJ had just snubbed her.

Becca gave Nora a half-smile. “Nice to meet you,” she said politely, and to AJ she said, “See you around handsome.”

After she left, Nora stared at the flickering candle on the table, then lifted her gaze to AJ. “When did Becca and Davey date?”

“Davey did a cameo in a movie she starred in a couple of years back, then they started dating.” AJ took Nora’s hand. “Don’t pay her any mind. She’s hung up on herself, thinks she’s better than everyone else. We were all glad when Davey dumped her snooty ass.”

“Who’s a snooty ass?” Davey asked, joining them.

“Nora just had the pleasure of meeting Becca,” AJ said, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

“Glad those days are behind me,” Davey said.

Nora let out a soft gasp of surprise. Becca was one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen, yet both Davey and AJ acted as if she were the real prize. She kissed Davey on the cheek as he put an arm around her waist.

“Did you miss me, baby?” he asked.

Taking in the hopeful glint in his heartbreakingly blue eyes, she pulled his face to hers and kissed him.

She pulled back when AJ moaned loudly. “You guys are killing me.” He winked at her, then pinned a look on Davey. “Aren’t friends supposed to share?”

“Find your own.” Davey squeezed her in closer. “This one’s mine.” His possessiveness should have put her off, but it didn’t. It made her feel content as a cat curling up in a patch of sunshine. With a bright warmth in her chest, she gave him a flirty smile, then excused herself to use the restroom.

Right after she’d made her way into a stall, she heard the click of heels entering the ladies room.

“He seems happy,” a familiar voice said. “Real happy.”

It was Becca. Who was she talking about, Nora wondered, another movie star?

“I’ve tried my best to get Davey back over the last few months, but he wants nothing to do with me.”

Nora stifled her pant of surprise. Becca had been going after Davey, and he had picked her instead?

“You need to move on,” another female voice said, “Did you see the way Davey looked at her earlier?”

Becca sighed. “Yeah. He seems pretty into her.”

Nora’s heart beat quickened. Davey had blown off this stunningly beautiful woman for her. She finally believed—really believed—that he had meant every kind, complimentary thing he’d said to her. It put to rest her lingering fears that he was using standard pick-up lines or simply trying to get what he wanted. That wasn’t the case at all. He had been fully and completely genuine.

The revelation both pleased and scared her. Neither she or Davey had had much experience—or much luck—with relationships.

“There’s plenty of men in the sea,” the other woman said.

“True. I think I’ll cast my net on AJ next,” Becca said. “He’s cute and talented.” A click sounded—maybe a purse or make-up bag closing? “He can be a little surly, but I’m sure I can tame him,” she said, her voice cool and confident.

Poor AJ, Nora thought, suppressing her giggle. She waited until Becca and her friend left before exiting the stall.

Becca, a gorgeous movie star, had just acquiesced to her. She left the restroom, tall and proud, sporting an increased level of self-assurance.

Davey sipped his non-alcoholic beer waiting for Nora to return from the restroom. His PR work and sponsor interviews had taken way too long. The whole time he’d been gone, he had counted down the minutes until he could get back to Nora.

He wanted to show her a good time tonight, to show her that she did fit into his world. Even more importantly, he wanted to show her how much she meant to him. His gaze moved to the direction in which she’d disappeared. Where was she, he wondered impatiently?

From across the table, AJ chuckled. “You’ve got it bad, man.”

Davey grinned. Yeah, he did…and he liked it. He lifted his bottle in AJ’s direction, making his friend laugh again.

“I don’t blame you,” AJ said. “She sure is something.”

Across the ballroom, a band strummed soft music and guests swirled around on the large dance floor.

When Nora sashayed toward them, his breath hitched. She had a wholesome beauty that never failed to grab him by the balls. Her golden-brown hair glistened under the soft lights, like a single raindrop on a strand of hay. She had fixed her hair in an elaborate up-do, but a few strands had fallen out here and there, and he desperately wanted to pull it down and muss it up, running his hands through her silky tresses.

Her stunning emerald eyes sparkled as she approached him. “Hey, there,” she said. “Did you miss me?” she asked, repeating his question from earlier.

He tugged her to him. “More than you can imagine.” He tipped her chin up and kissed her, putting everything he had that was soft, sweet, and romantic into it.

When he drew back, she swayed. Gratified, he held her elbows to steady her. “May I have this dance?”

She blinked up at him through her long lashes. “I’d like that.”

He grinned at AJ, then led Nora across the room, past tall tables and mingling guests, and large ornate doors manned by white-gloved staff. A floral scent filled the air as they made their way past the enormous arrangements, but nothing smelled better than the woman at his side. Her scent was quintessentially Nora, a mix of pine forest, water mists, and sweet honeysuckle. Drawing it in now, his heart beat a little faster, his pulse raced, and his southern parts rose to attention.

Escorting Nora onto the dance floor, he shifted his thoughts to the James Patterson book he’d finished last night, the new Batman Xbox game, and racing stats. But when Nora pressed her curvy body against his, his efforts at distraction were shot to hell and back.

Resigned, he pressed his hard-on against her belly. She laughed, and the soft, sexy sound did nothing to help him will it down.

She feathered her fingers through his bangs. “I think I know what you’re thinking,” she teased.

He chuckled. “Not likely.” He’d been thinking about pushing her into a dark corner and tearing her clothes off. He rested his cheek on Nora’s head, closed his eyes, and drew in her very essence. The music and murmur of voices around them faded as he soaked in the pleasure of the moment.

A short while later, the slow dancing got to him. He didn’t know how much longer he could take Nora’s hot body pressed against his, her hands gently stroking his back, the soft sighs of pleasure that were too similar to the sounds she made when they were under the sheets. A flush of heat moved through his body making his tuxedo feel like a sauna suit. He tugged at his bowtie which had suddenly cut off the circulation in his neck.

As if sensing a disturbance in the force, Nora pulled back. “Are you ready to call it a night?” she asked, and his spirits soared.

He had her off the dance floor faster than he raced his car on a straightaway. As they made their way out of the ballroom, they passed by AJ slow dancing with Becca. Dumbass.

In the hotel’s lobby, Davey whipped out his cell and texted AJ. We’re out of here. Don’t be stupid. He tucked his phone in his pocket, put his hand on the small of Nora’s back, and led her to the elevator. Inside, he pushed the button for the tenth floor, then gently nudged her into the corner. “These events are usually boring,” he whispered in her ear. “But this one was amazing because you’re here with me.”

Nora’s lashes fluttered, and she gave him a shy smile. Two people stepped into the elevator behind them, ruining his plans to make out with her. Her eyes flashed regret, then mischief as she lifted a palm to his chest and pressed it suggestively against his pecs. Her simple touch made his stomach quiver, his chest tighten, and his body ache for a whole lot more.

They got off on the tenth floor and made their way to his suite. “How long did you date Becca?” Nora asked him. Her tone was casual, but he suspected there was an underlying reason for her question.

He’d dated Becca for four months, which had been a record of sorts. But he didn’t want to share that with Nora for fear that she would think he lacked staying power. And, she would have been right. He had been shallow back then, but not now, not with her. Puffing out his cheeks, he pulled his key card from his pocket and slid it in the door. Inside the room, he shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it onto a nearby chair. “I don’t want to talk about her.” He took Nora’s hand. “She didn’t mean anything to me.”

“Then why did you date her?”

“Right now,” he said, leading Nora to the sofa, “I have no idea.”

Nora narrowed her eyes, so he tried again.

He reflected back on Nora’s first impressions of him. She had Googled him and found countless pictures of him out with different women. His days of flitting from one woman to another seemed like a lifetime ago, but in linear time it had been less than six months. He didn’t want to feed into Nora’s idea that he was a womanizer. Even if he had been capable of a long-term commitment back then it sure as hell wouldn’t have been with Becca. She’d been a prima donna who had expected him to be at her beck and call. He lifted his gaze to meet Nora’s. “If she’d been nice and sweet like you, it might have lasted longer.”

Nora put a hand on her hip. “Great. I’m nice.”

Davey blew out a breath. He was screwing this up, but the hell if he knew why. What was wrong with being nice? He’d told her she was beautiful too, and there was no better combination.

“Yes, you’re nice. You’re also beautiful, kind, and caring.” He drew back so she could look in his eyes. She had told him that she could read people and animals through their eyes, and he wanted her to see the truth in his. “You’re the whole package, Nora.”

Her expression softened and her body relaxed.

He lowered to the couch and scooped her onto his lap so she could feel his bulge. “Can you feel what you do to me?”

Nora dipped her head, but not before he caught the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She jiggled her ass on his lap, telling him she knew exactly what she did to him.

He didn’t want to scare her off, but he needed her to know that their relationship was more than their sizzling chemistry. “And it’s not just this,” he said, treading carefully.

She put her palms on his chest and dug her fingers into his muscles. “But this is pretty darn good.”

He couldn’t argue that point. He slipped a hand under the hem of her dress, making her suck in a sharp breath. When he trailed his fingers up her left thigh, it was his turn to suck in air. She had on stockings and silky lingerie. She had no idea what a temptation she was to him, and once again, it wasn’t only the sex. He wanted to give her more, he wanted to show her the depth of his feelings. “You make me a better person,” he said quietly.

Her eyes lit with pleasure, and maybe a little surprise too. Did she think he was whispering sweet nothings? He’d done his share of that in the past, but he’d never said anything like what he’d just said to any other woman. Nor had he ever felt anything like what he felt for Nora.

“I mean it, Nora.” He removed his hand from under her dress and rested it on her thigh. “You get to me in a way no one else has. You make me want to be a better man.”

She let out a nervous laugh. “That’s sweet.” She wiggled her ass on his lap. “Now do me.”

She still didn’t get the extent of his feelings. It was ironic that not too long ago he was the one who suppressed his emotions. But Nora had changed that too. She made him feel again. But he knew she wasn’t ready to hear his declaration of love, so instead of telling her, he would show her.

“As you wish.” He gave her a lazy smile, then drew her into a deep, passionate kiss. When they came up for air, her eyes were gleaming with desire. He trailed his lips down her neck, then slid a hand under her dress again. This time, he trekked his fingers up her thigh, across her belly, and inside her panties.

She let out a slow, sexy moan.

“Is this what you want?” Using his index finger, he made gentle circles over her sensitive flesh.

She made an adorable rumble that sounded a lot like a cat’s purr. “Yes, but more.”

She tugged his shirt out of his waistband and slipped both hands underneath to touch his stomach, then his chest. It felt good to have her warm palms gliding up his body. She slid her hands around to his back, then lightly scratched her nails up and down his flesh as she bit the side of his neck. Desire shot into his groin. “Give me more,” she said, her voice pure velvet.

Her enthusiasm for making love turned him on almost as much as the act itself. He removed his finger and let out a low chuckle when Nora made a pouty face.

“Just until I get you undressed,” he said which garnered a coy smile.

He unzipped the back of her dress, then rose with her in his arms. After he placed her feet on the floor, she shimmied out of the dress. As the garment hit the floor, his knees turned to water.

He gaped at the black push-up bra with scalloped cups that barely held in her generous breasts. Her panties were no more than a scrap of silky material and the garter skirt holding up her lace-top stockings nearly took his breath away. And she still had on those super-sexy heels.

He pressed a hand against his heart. “Damn, Nora.”

Looking pleased, she spun around, and his breath stuttered as he took in her exposed backside. Thank you, whoever created the thong.

He tugged her against him so her back was against his front. “So hot,” he whispered.

In her heels, Nora’s ass aligned perfectly with the growing bulge in his pants. She wriggled against him, and he turned even harder. He slowly moved his hands up her body taking his time to worship every scrap of material, every beautiful curve and contour.

“Why are your clothes still on?” She gyrated against him. “Take something off.”

He kicked off his shoes.

“Davey,” she protested on a giggle.

“No can do. If I take anything else off, I’ll come right here, right now.” He spun her around, so she was facing him. “I mean it, Nora. You have no idea what you do to me.”

He pressed kisses along her cheek, jaw, and neck. Trailing down her body, he kissed his way across her chest, then sucked along the scalloped edges of her bra. When she arched toward him, he unhooked her bra and tossed it aside.

He eased her onto the sofa, then straddled her. “You’re stunning,” he whispered, leaning in close. She brushed her lashes against his check, the soft, sweet gesture touching him deeply. He nuzzled his face in the curve of her neck, mostly to give him time to recover. She got to him, in every possible way.

After he’d composed himself, he continued to cherish her body.

“Curvy…sexy…responsive.” In between each word he pressed his lips to her neck, behind her ear, through her hair. “And so damn sweet.”

She unbuttoned his shirt, tugged it off, and pitched it across the room. As she kneaded her palms along his pecs, he moved his hands to her breasts and gently massaged them. Her eyes heated with every caress, and her nipples hardened. “It’s like they were made for me,” he said. “Calling me to play with them.”

“Then play,” she suggested, her voice thick and needy.

He squeezed a breast, then circled his tongue around it. She writhed underneath him as he pulled a nipple into his mouth and sucked. Moving from side to side, he touched and teased, licked and sucked…all the while appreciating her sweet gasps and needy whimpers.

“Davey,” she said, arching her hips toward him. “I need more.”

He loved that she could tell him what she needed. Sliding a hand behind her neck, he claimed her lips in a kiss that was long, intense, and possessive. He moved a hand across her belly, then lower to finger the edge of her garter belt. He ran his fingers along the edge of her stocking, then unhooked the garter and removed each strap with slow reverence. He pushed the garter aside, trailed a finger along the band of her thong, then tugged her panties off.

After, he moved his hands up her thighs to cup her backside.

“Great ass,” he said, in part, because Nora was sensitive about it, but also because he loved the soft, pliant flesh that fit perfectly in the palms of his hands. “Just perfect,” he whispered, pressing kisses across her throat as he massaged her butt.

Sliding his hands up her back, he gazed deep into her emerald eyes. After spending most of his adult life holding himself back emotionally, he wasn’t sure how he’d fallen for Nora so quickly or so deeply. But here he was completely, utterly, and wildly in love with her. He stroked her cheek with his knuckles as he lovingly held her gaze.

She wriggled, probably uncomfortable with his soul-searching scrutiny. He would have been uncomfortable with it too not so long ago. But now he wanted her to see his truth.

She dropped her gaze to his chest. “I’m waiting,” she teased in a sing-song voice, running her fingers down his torso.

Me too, he thought, even though he knew she wasn’t referring to matters of the heart.

He wanted to make her happy, so he scooped her into his arms, carried her to the bedroom, and placed her on the king-sized bed. He took a long moment to appreciate her sprawled across the bed in nothing but her stockings and high heels. He pulled a condom out of his pocket and tossed it on the bed, then stepped out of his pants.

Reaching out, Nora slid a hand over his boxers. Black silk, they were covered with chili peppers, and had the words ‘hot stuff’ scribed across the crotch. “I’ll say,” she said in an exaggerated voice. Then she laid back and patted the space next to her.

His gaze roved her body, taking in every inch of lush beauty. Her honey-colored hair was mussed and strewn across the pure white sheets. Big mountains and trim valleys beckoned him, making the pit of his stomach quiver.

He slid onto the bed next to her and trailed a finger down the length of her leg. He pressed his lips to her ankle and kissed his way up. When he reached her thigh, he shifted so his mouth hovered between her legs. He drew in her sweet scent and the intense heat that rose from her core.

Nora pushed his head down until his face was nearly touching her.

On a low laugh, he pressed a single kiss, took a single lick. She tasted as sweet as she smelled, like waterfalls and honeysuckle and everything that was sweet in the world. When she rocked against him, he kissed her harder, sucking a hum of pleasure from her.

She sank her fingers into his hair and spread her legs apart. As he found a steady rhythm, she led him to her sweet spots through sighs of pleasure and needy whimpers. He took delight in her delight, until with no warning, she came.

There was no better sight than Nora coming undone. She was in her glory—engaged, enthusiastic, and full of passion—the same way she lived her life.

He gathered her in his arms and caressed her hair as she came down from her high. When her breathing returned to normal, he grabbed the condom, tugged his boxers off and sheathed himself. He rolled on top of her, lifted her chin and didn’t push inside until her eyes were glued to his.

Then he pushed in a fraction of an inch. She squeezed her fingers into his arms and he moved in another fraction.

She narrowed her eyes to slits. “You’re torturing me.”

“Ditto,” he said, pushing in a little further, noticing the rise and fall of her breath and the desire deepening in her eyes. He lingered for a glorious moment, then thrust in a little more, playing sensually as he entered her one blissful fraction at a time. Until she took matters into her own hands and tugged him in deep.

“Oh,” she said, her voice breathy. “It feels good.”

He pressed his lips behind her ear as he began to drive inside her with long, steady strokes. They easily found a pleasurable rhythm. When she began to thrust wildly, he stepped up his pace. Together, they moved faster and faster until they were on top of a roller coaster ready to plummet. He’d never experienced anything so sexy. He wasn’t sure if it was the act itself or if his new-found love for Nora had further intensified what was already a mind-blowing experience.

“Nora,” he said, barely recognizing his gravelly voice. It felt so damn good moving in and out of her, loving her. He feathered his hands through her hair. “You’re so beautiful, so perfect.” So mine, he added, but only in his mind.

Thinking about her, about them, he started to lose control. He’d sported a hard-on for most of the evening. Parading around with Nora at his side, he’d incessantly thought about the things they could do once they were alone. But now that they were, he was so hot and horny he didn’t think he could make it last.

He wanted to rock her world. He thought about kittens. Cars. Engines. Then…thank you, Jesus…Nora’s orgasm hit, and it rocked his world. As she tumbled and shook, he let himself go along with her. They hurtled down the steel track, his stomach leaping into his throat as he rode the g-forces through a mind-shattering ride with the one woman who meant the world to him.

Afterward, they flopped onto the bed side by side. He pulled her against him and spooned her. “You good?”

She let out a quiet purr. “Mmm. That was amazing.” She nuzzled her ass against his crotch. “You always make me want more.”

“After we rest, we’ll go another round.” He kissed the top of her head. “But next time, it’s gonna be sweet and tender.” Just like his Nora.

He kept his word. When he reached for her again, he loved her soft and sweet. As night turned into morning, they napped and made love, rested and pleasured each other over and over again. When the first rays of light slanted through the wall of windows, they had made love more times than he could count.

He was more content than he could ever remember and his love for Nora had grown, if that was even possible. She had strong feelings for him too, of that he was sure. They couldn’t have made love the way they just had without intense, tender feelings for one another. For now, he’d let that knowledge fuel him as he continued to show her that they belonged in victory lane together.