Chapter Thirteen
“Wow. You look amazing.” Noelle ogled Tate unashamedly. A black suit, obviously custom-fitted, draped his figure like it had found its rightful home and never wanted to leave. Lucky suit.
“That’s supposed to be my line,” he said.
He stepped back, and Noelle twirled. His audible intake of breath made the two hours she’d spent getting ready worth it. From the front, the fire-engine-red dress gave off an innocent vibe. It showed not a hint of cleavage due to its boatneck collar. But the truth was revealed when she turned around. The back plunged to a vee at the base of her spine, leaving most of her back open. Oh, yeah, the dress also cupped her behind.
“You look better than amazing,” he drawled.
“Thank you, kind sir.” Noelle followed him outside her house and halted in her tracks. “What is that?”
Tate clasped her hand, and they started down the walkway. “It’s exactly what you think it is.”
“Right.” The stretch limo was sleek, black, and gleaming. Gorgeous. “I guess I should have said what is it doing here? What’s going on?”
He grinned and squeezed her hand. “All in due time.”
“Are Mike and Shannon inside?” She’d made separate reservations at a restaurant for the two couples for her second love-is-the-way-to-go date.
“Change of plans. They’re having alone time.”
“You hijacked my date?”
Tate chuckled. “I wouldn’t call it hijacking. Don’t worry about them. They’re well taken care of. Tonight is all about us.”
“It is?” Sounded promising.
“It is.” He held the door open. She scrutinized his handsome face for a second. She saw nothing but kindness and enthusiasm in his expression. What was he doing to her? It was hard, nearly impossible, to keep him at a distance when he insisted on being a stand-up guy. He was so much more than she’d given him credit for. Than he gave himself credit for.
Noelle kissed him on the cheek, then stepped inside the vehicle and sank into the sumptuous leather seat. This wasn’t the bottom-tier limo high school seniors rented for prom.
Tate slid in next to her and pointed to a champagne bottle icing in a silver bucket. “Can I offer you a drink?”
She shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t drink, remember?”
“I remember.”
Ice clinked as he picked up the bottle and tilted it toward her. Noelle let out a delighted laugh. Sparkling grape juice.
“Only the best will do tonight.” He twisted the cap off and juice dribbled down the sides. Noelle laughed, grabbed the white towel next to the bucket, and handed it to him.
“Thanks,” he said, wiping the bottle.
“No. Thank you,” she said after he handed her a glass. She took a sip of the cool, crisp liquid.
“My pleasure,” he said, leaning in. He sipped gently at her mouth. The taste of his tongue blended perfectly with the sweetness of the juice.
Noelle caressed his smooth jaw as the kiss came to an end. “Hmm. Nice.”
“Just nice?”
She met his twinkling eyes. “Okay. Very nice. Very, very nice. Let’s make a toast.”
“To what?”
“To us. The best youth baseball team coach and cheerleader in Dallas.”
Tate nodded. “We are, aren’t we?”
They clinked glasses. “To us,” they said at the same time.
The limo glided through the streets. Noelle let Tate lead the conversation. He kept it light, regaling her with tales about some of his more opinionated listeners.
When the car stopped, Noelle peered out the window, hoping to clue in to their whereabouts, but she couldn’t see much. The driver opened the door and they alighted. Noelle turned in a circle, taking in their ramshackle surroundings, which consisted of a group of what looked like abandoned warehouses and an empty parking lot. “What are we doing here?”
“Come on. You’ll see.” He tugged on her hand. His excitement roused hers and she hurried alongside him. They rounded the corner and Noelle gasped.
In front of them, a helicopter beckoned. She whirled to Tate. “Is that for us?”
“Yes,” he said, bending down in for a kiss. She met him halfway and laid her hand against his cheek, the contact thrilling her. She lost herself in him until someone behind them cleared his throat. She reluctantly pulled away and smiled, silently acknowledging Tate’s promise for more later.
“Welcome to Destiny Aviation,” the man who’d interrupted them said. “I’m Nolan Avery, your pilot. I’m assuming you’re Tate and Noelle.” When they nodded, he said, “Follow me, please.”
The pilot showed them into the helicopter. They buckled their seat belts and put on headsets that would allow them to hear and talk to each other while in flight.
Tate reached behind their seats and pulled out a bucket of ice, a bottle of juice nestled inside and a tray of strawberries, kiwis, and other fruit. “You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?” she asked, taking a champagne flute from him and holding it while he poured.
“I try,” he answered with a quick grin.
Then the helicopter was off. Noelle knew her smile stretched from ear to ear, but she had no desire to dim it. She couldn’t believe he’d remembered her desire to take a helicopter tour of Dallas.
She gasped in wonder at all they saw. The downtown skyline, White Rock Lake, Southern Methodist University. Skyscrapers took on a beautiful, otherworldly view. They shared a smile as they passed the behemoth stadium the Cowboys played in.
The setting sun added an extra layer of romance to the tour. On the ground with all the city lights shining, it was impossible to see the bountiful twinkling stars in the sky. In the air, brilliant stars, tons of them, were almost close enough to touch. A clear night with no clouds marring the view made the experience even better.
Tate seemed as in awe as she was. He held her hand the entire time, raising it repeatedly to apply kisses to the palm.
“Is that…?” Noelle pointed with her free hand.
“Yep. Southfork Ranch.” The place where the TV show was filmed. The old version and the new. Noelle laughed. Despite being a Dallas native, she’d never made it to the tourist attraction.
When the helicopter started descending, Noelle frowned. They weren’t anywhere close to the airport where they’d taken off from. She turned to Tate. Was something wrong? Not if his demeanor was any indication. He lounged in the seat, his expression calm.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
He leaned in for a quick kiss. “Don’t worry. It’s fine.”
After the aircraft touched down, Captain Avery exited and held the door open for them. Tate jumped out and offered his hand. She took it and stepped out.
“I’ve enjoyed having you both with me,” the pilot said. “Enjoy the rest of your night.”
Was he going to leave them there? Apparently so, because he got inside the helicopter and flew away.
Noelle held her hair back as the rotors whipped the air. They stood on top of a building in downtown Dallas, which was cool, but… “What are we doing here?”
“Come on. You’ll see.” Strands of glittering lights offered guidance. They walked, stepping carefully, to the other side of the rooftop, which was draped in shadows. Two portable fans cooled the hot July air. He really had thought of everything.
Tate stopped and stepped aside.
Noelle gasped at the tableau before her. A table covered by a crisp, white tablecloth. A centerpiece of blooming red roses. Flickering candles. Gleaming silverware. Silver domes that presumably covered their dinner. He’d done this? For her?
She’d been sure he couldn’t surprise her any more, but he’d just proven her a liar. “Wow. Thank you. It’s gorgeous, but can I ask what the occasion is?”
…
Tate held out a chair for Noelle. After she sat, he took his seat. “I realized we’ve never been on an official date, which isn’t fair to you. You deserve better.”
When their relationship ran its course, as all relationships did, he wanted her to remember their time together fondly. Yesterday, at the cemetery, he wanted nothing more than to obliterate the sadness from her face. He couldn’t give her forever, but he would give her tonight.
“You look beautiful.” He drank her in. Soft, black curls cascaded down her back the way he liked. The sinful red dress skimmed her delectable curves. Candlelight played across the planes of her face, highlighting her expressive gray eyes, sharp cheekbones, and luscious lips. She was the perfect mixture of effortless class and sexiness. How had he missed it for over a year? “Why aren’t you married?”
Noelle jerked back, her eyes opening wide. “What brought that on?”
He was as shocked as she was that the question had spilled out. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. The answer was part of the puzzle that was Noelle, a puzzle he found himself becoming more and more obsessed with solving. Beautiful, ambitious, compassionate—why hadn’t some guy who believed in happily ever after snapped her up? “I don’t know. You’re a good catch, Doc.”
“Thanks.” Her lips twisted. “I was engaged.”
“You were engaged?” Every muscle in his body tensed. The thought of another guy being with her, having a claim on her, touching her filled him with an unfettered amount of fury.
“For about six months. I worked at a college doing research with my then-fiancé. I thought we were living my three Cs until he accused me of loving work more than him and told me he’d found someone more biddable, someone who didn’t mind revolving her whole life around him.” She paused. “I stayed at the job for a while.”
“That must have been uncomfortable.” He forced himself to relax back in his seat.
She rolled her eyes. “To say the least. But thankfully, a few months later Deb called me. She’d heard some guest segments I’d done on another show. The call came at the perfect time. I needed a fresh start, and I missed counseling and connecting with people.”
“And…um, you’re over that relationship?” Tate took a sip of juice, needing to do something besides holding his breath while he waited for her answer.
Noelle let out a small laugh. “Without a doubt. He was a self-righteous ass. I dodged a bullet.”
Tate smiled. “You’re a strong woman.”
“You’re a smooth talker.”
“It’s a skill,” he said, shooting her a flirtatious glance. “Let’s eat before the food gets cold.”
She lifted the dome in front of her, revealing surf and turf artfully displayed on white bone china. “This looks amazing.”
“I’d say I made it, but we’d both know that would be a lie.” During their nights together, she’d assumed most of the cooking duties, and he’d made up for it by cleaning up. And satisfying her in other ways, as he liked to remind her.
“Too true.” Noelle looked around again, her surprise about being on a rooftop in downtown Dallas clear. “I never would have expected all this.” She waved her hand. “How did you get permission to be up here?”
He let his mouth curve into a brief smile. “I have my ways. Now let’s eat.”
“Ooh, you’re being mysterious, but I like it.” She dug into the steak first and moaned. “This is so good.” She ate a few more bites and then said, “Can I ask you a question?”
She sounded and looked serious. He swallowed a bite of lobster before answering. “Sure.”
“Why did you sell your website?”
An unexpected question, but one he’d answered plenty of times. “The short answer is I received an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
Noelle studied him over the rim of the glass, her gray eyes seeing far too much. “And the long answer?”
She demanded the truth. More importantly, he wanted to give it to her. “The long answer is it wasn’t as fun as it was when I first started it. It was successful beyond my wildest dreams, but it wasn’t a challenge anymore.”
“You got bored.”
“Yes.” He shrugged. A problem that had plagued him his entire life.
“And then you went to radio?”
“Yeah, Deb offered me the job when she found out I was local. The website became popular, in part, because I was never afraid to offer my opinion. The job sounded interesting, so I said sure. Like you, I enjoy connecting voice to voice. It’s way better than doing it through a computer.”
“You’re happy doing radio?” Her eyes probed deep.
He paused before answering. “Yeah.”
“Are you sure? That wasn’t the most convincing answer.”
He shrugged again. “I’ve been doing it a long time. Sometimes I get a little restless. Well I did until a certain doctor started mouthing off about how sports weren’t important.”
“I have my moments,” she said with a sexy twist of her lips.
Contentment settled over him. Being there alone with Noelle, with no bet, no radio show, no well-meaning friends to distract them was nice. Better than. Way better.
“Have you thought more about going to your parents’ wedding?”
His fork dropped out of his hand and clanked against the plate. “Way to spoil the mood.”
“I didn’t mean to.” She reached across the table and covered his hand. “I know they drive you crazy, but they are your parents. You never know what tomorrow holds.”
“I know, but I haven’t thought about going.” Which wasn’t precisely true. He had thought about it, but didn’t know if he could stomach sitting through the ceremony watching his parents make promises to each other they had no intention of keeping. He stared at her, while he took a long swallow of juice. “My turn to ask you a question.”
Her lips pressed together like she was repressing a sigh. “Okay.”
“Have you heard anything about your book?”
Noelle smiled. “Good way to distract me, but no, not yet. The publishing business moves at a snail’s pace, so I don’t expect to hear anything for a while. At least that’s what I tell myself to keep from going crazy.”
“My money is on you. It’ll happen.”
“You are such a smooth talker. What am I going to do with you?”
A husky tone entered his voice. “I have some ideas.”
…
After dinner, Tate escorted her to a door on the far wall of the roof, down a flight of stairs, and into a lit hallway. Noelle assumed they were heading for the elevator, but he shocked her again, stopping at a door about halfway down the hall. He pulled out a key card from the inner breast pocket of his suit jacket. He opened the door and flipped the switch on the wall, bathing the room in bright light. “Welcome to my place.”
Place was an understatement. Try penthouse. Her jaw dropped. Gorgeous wood floors. A stunning entryway that led to a sunken living room. All tastefully decorated in shades of blue, green, and brown. No stereotypical bearskin rug in front of the striking stone fireplace.
She spun back to him and twined her arms around his neck. Touching him never got old. “It’s beautiful.”
His arms snuck around her waist. “Thank you.”
She rose on her toes and pressed a lingering kiss to his lips, pulling back with a groan when the doorbell rang.
“Hold that thought.” Tate went to the door and opened it to a man and a woman carrying folding tables.
“What’s going on?” Noelle asked.
“They’re here to give us massages.”
Okay, he really was messing with her head now. He introduced her to the massage therapists, Kim and Ray, and then said, “Why don’t you go change? There’s a robe waiting in the bathroom.”
She headed to the bathroom and studied herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement. Her grin couldn’t stretch any farther. She changed, caressing the heavy, smooth cotton of the robe worthy of the most luxurious, five-star hotel. Wow. Everything about tonight was wow. She returned to the living room and found that Tate had changed into a matching robe. He stood next to the massage tables. Alone. “Where did Kim and Ray go?”
“It occurred to me that if you want a massage, I’m more than up for the task.”
Oh. The heat in his gaze seared her. “But you’re not a trained professional.”
“I’m sure I can make up for my lack of training with unbridled enthusiasm and eagerness to please. Trust me.”
Desire infused every pore of her being. “Okay,” she whispered.
She eased off the robe. Tate played the perfect gentleman, never letting his eyes slide down below her eyes. She arranged herself facedown on the table, and Tate covered her with a sheet at her waist.
Music, a bluesy arrangement, began to play. Wow. Not one detail had escaped his notice tonight.
All thoughts scattered at the first touch of his hands on her skin. He’d doused his hands in oil, lavender based on what her nose was telling her, and gently massaged the liquid into her sensitive skin, starting at her shoulders. His hands glided up and down her back, applying just the right amount of pressure to soothe—and arouse—her. He might not be a pro, but he knew how to handle her body. How to wring the best and purest response from her. Her muscles liquefied under his sure touch. Tate made his way to her legs, massaging her calves and then back up, not touching her where she longed to be touched the most. Where her sex pulsed with desire for him. She bit her lip to keep a moan from escaping and pressed her forehead against the table. The pressure lightened degree by degree, teasing her, until she held her breath, waiting, longing for the next touch.
“Turn over.” They were the first words Tate had spoken since the start of the massage. They sounded wrenched from his gut.
Denying him would be denying herself. Noelle rolled over, not bothering to shield herself with the sheet. She felt Tate’s gaze like a caress. Her eyes drifted to his face. Amber eyes glittered down at her, the muscle in his hard jaw ticking. She arched her back, her breasts thrusting high in the air, as she completed a full-body stretch.
Still, he didn’t take the hint, massaging the soles of her feet, then up her calves and shins, the oil leaving faint traces of evidence of his journey. Her legs parted, sending an undeniable invitation. He massaged her inner thighs with firm strokes. She watched through eyes cast at half-mast, unable to stop a shaky sigh as he inched ever closer to her aching center.
Just when she thought he was going to give her what she needed, he abandoned her legs and picked up the bottle of oil. She growled. She didn’t care if she sounded deranged or greedy or needy. She was.
“Patience, Doc.” He graced her with that arrogant grin that only ramped up her desire another impossible degree.
She opened her mouth to retort, but the words escaped as a hiss when he made contact with her stomach, massaging oil into her skin.
Then his talented hands headed north.
They slicked over her swollen breasts over and over until they were shiny, the nipples tight, hard buds.
She gripped the table, her back arching, pushing her breasts into his hands. She bit her lip to keep a whimper from escaping, the blood in her veins thickening.
Her eyes flickered upward. His face was intense and focused, his lips drawn tight, almost like he was in distress. His eyes gleamed, completely engrossed in his task.
“Tate. Please,” she whispered. Her hand snuck down. His stopped hers.
“No, let me.”
He trailed a hand through the crisp curls at the top of her mound, but this time he didn’t stop. He grazed her folds, running a finger up and down them. Then, because by now he knew her body as well as she did, he zeroed in her clit, applying pressure the way she liked, the way she craved. Pleasure spread from her center through her entire body. Unable to control herself, she ground herself against his hand. She was close. So close. But when she was about to explode, he lightened the pressure.
She moaned.
He slipped a finger inside her. Her hips twisted at the fresh wave of arousal that hit her. He retreated and spread her juices all around her mound. Then he slid inside her again, stretching her with two fingers. Noelle could only shudder at the sensations hitting her from every direction. He played her like a violin, hitting all the right notes, finally returning his attention to the bundle of nerves at her center.
“Now.”
At his rough command, she fell over the edge, the orgasm sweeping through her body in endless waves.
When she came back to her senses, her body felt so weightless, she would have sworn she was floating. Her eyes fluttered open. No, Tate was carrying her. “Thank you,” she whispered against his neck. Only he could make her feel this way.
“The night’s just begun.”
…
And he meant it. While Noelle was recovering from her climax, he’d briefly torn himself from her to draw a bath. He turned off the spigots, lowered her into the mammoth bathtub, and eased in behind her. She settled back into his chest, her sigh a boon to his senses.
Tate slicked his hands with soap and went to work washing the oil off her amazing body. He raised her right arm and slid his fingers from the smooth, pretty, warm brown skin of her shoulder to her fingertips. He repeated the process with her other arm. She offered no resistance. But still he had better places to roam. His hands wandered, sliding up her flat stomach to play with her responsive nipples. A moan came from Noelle even as her head twisted back and forth against his chest, her hands clamping down on his thighs. He reversed field, but she stopped him before he reached his target.
“What? Don’t you want me to touch you? Don’t you know how much I love touching you?” How much I’ll always love touching you?
Every muscle in his body tensed, but before he could wonder about the unsettling thought, Noelle said, “Of course I do, but I’ve been pampered. It’s your turn.”
She rose on her knees, the water gently swishing around them, and turned to face him. She cupped his cheeks and leaned in for a kiss. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. The kiss deepened, and his hand glided once again toward her center, but she broke away again.
She tapped him on the lips with a finger, halting his growl. “I’ve got something better planned.”
“Prove it.”
“Ooh, a challenge. I like it.” Noelle soaped her hands and glided them across his shoulders. “Thank you for tonight.”
“Trust me, I’ve enjoyed it as much as you have.”
“You think so?” Her capable hands slicked down his chest, sending his arousal soaring.
“Yeah, I…ahh.” The rest of his reply ended on a garbled note. She’d reached his waist and wrapped a hand around his erection.
She squeezed, just the way he liked it, and pulled upward. Once. Twice. Again. Then, her other hand joined in.
He hadn’t thought it possible, but his desire for her ratcheted up another notch. He shook with the effort to hold it in. He needed to be inside her. Now.
“Nuh-uh. Not yet,” she said when he tried to touch her. She crowded closer, brushing her full breasts against his chest.
Maintaining eye contact, her lips curled in a flirtatious smile, she reached behind him and grabbed a condom he’d thankfully remembered to bring. She took her sweet time putting it on with talented, dexterous fingers. His chest heaved, arousal racing through his veins, but he was determined to comply with her wishes to take control. Tonight was about her. But she was killing him.
“Noelle,” he said through gritted teeth. At the edge of his control.
“Tate.” She rose and hooked her legs on the outside of his. She braced herself on the ledge, gripping his cock in the other hand, and lowered herself onto him.
So damn good.
He drew her closer, needing the connection. Needing her. He craved her. He groaned as her body stretched to accommodate him and clasped him tight, like they were two halves of a perfect whole. He let her set the pace. They moved in synchronicity, the ride slow and languid, which suited him just fine. He never wanted it to end. “Noelle.”
Her eyes fluttered open, the desire in them thrilling him. Yes, that was the connection he sought. Needing to be joined with her in every way possible, he swooped in for a kiss. Slow. Passionate. Perfect.
The rightness of the moment, the sense of belonging nearly overwhelmed him. There was no place he’d rather be. No one he’d rather be with. They moved as one, Noelle’s nails clutching his shoulders like she never intended to let go. Fine with him.
The end snuck up on him, building slowly, but steadily, until his whole body shook with the effort to hold it back. “Doc?”
“Yes.” She leaned in for another kiss. He poured everything he was feeling into it.
They tumbled through space together, his orgasm nerve-jarring in its intensity, her sharp cry the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard.
Afterward, she rested her forehead on his shoulder, her chest heaving against his.
He slid his hands up and down her back, offering comfort, and taking comfort from simply being with her. “Do you think you can move?”
“Don’t want to,” she mumbled.
He chuckled. “We can’t stay in here forever.”
“Just a little longer.”
“All right.” Truth be told, he didn’t want the moment to end, either. “But I know you’re not comfortable. Let me help you.” He slid her off him and turned her, so she sat between his legs again.
They stayed, their fingers entwined, in the cooling water, enjoying their time together. Tate pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. He didn’t know if he’d ever felt more at peace. He was almost certain he hadn’t. It was all because of her.
“Doc?”
“Hmm?”
“Would you go to my parents’ wedding with me?”
“I’d be honored to.”