Sunlight streamed in through the wall of glass that made up the backside of the house, brightening the living room, causing Hope to blink her eyes several times as she tried to adjust to the light. She raised her hand to shield her eyes, and that’s when a warm grip tightened around her waist and pulled her into its embrace. A smile ghosted over her lips as thoughts of the night before ran through her mind, a small groan of embarrassed satisfaction escaping as she curled against the hard body behind her. She picked a stranger up off the side of the road and ended up having mind-blowing sex with him!

“Don’t get up yet.” His voice vibrated deeply against her neck, causing goosebumps to break out across her body. “I just want to feel you against me for another minute.”

“Okay.” She scooted herself back until her entire body was flush with his, almost purring when his arms wrapped tighter to hold her possessively. She could feel his heart beating against her back, his hot breath gently breezing through the strands of her hair. As she grazed her fingers lightly over the muscles that corded his forearms, she blushed at the memory of them grasping onto her as she rode him.

“What are you smiling about?” His voice grumbled behind her.

“How can you tell I’m smiling?” Her smile grew even wider.

“You are, right?”

“Maybe.” She tried hard to stifle the giggle trying to escape.

Before she could react further, her body was flipped around and Gage was pressed down on top of her, a wicked gleam in his eyes. He leaned down and ran his tongue languidly around her ear before whispering, “I like making you smile.” He continued to trail his tongue down her jawbone before making his way to her lips, tracing them lightly before nipping playfully. “And I like how swollen and pretty these look after I kiss you.”

She let out a gasp of surprise as his mouth captured hers completely in a searing kiss, his tongue snaking inside, dancing together with hers. She slid her hands up over his broad shoulders and around his neck, pulling him tighter against her raging body. Her legs fell open as he pushed himself up against her core, a low growl of desire sounding in his throat. His lips tore away from hers, causing a strangled groan to escape her lips as her eyes flew open in question. He leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes capturing hers, his breathing heavy.

“I probably should have brought this up last night, but protection?”

She felt her cheeks heat in embarrassment as she realized that was something she should have thought to ask about, as well. Damn wine and his fine body had made her senseless. “I’m on the pill, so, um, I think we’re okay, and I actually was just tested. I’m clean.” She thought about her lying, cheating boyfriend for only an instant.

“I haven’t been with anyone in about six months. I can wear a condom if you want?”

She moved her chin up and brought her mouth up to his, kissing him slowly. Not moving her mouth from his, she whispered, “The only thing I want inside of me is you. Just you.”

“Thank you, Jesus,” was all she heard before his lips crashed back against hers and his hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her body back to his. She arched her hips up to rub against his—

BRRRING! They both froze, their lips breaking apart. BRRING!

“That’s the phone.” She pushed gently against his chest and rose to sit up. “The power must be back on.”

Gage moved completely off her, his eyes following her as she wrapped a blanket around her nakedness and walked to a phone on the wall next to the pantry entrance. She lifted the receiver off the cradle and brought it to her ear.

“Hello?”

“Hope dear, is that you?” Her father’s concerned voice carried over the line.

“Daddy? Of course, it’s me. What’s wrong?” She heard a sigh come from the other end of the line.

“Dearest, I hadn’t heard from you since yesterday, and you weren’t answering your cell. I’ve been worried.”

Nothing like a call from her father to throw cold water onto the flames that she was about to ignite into. “Oh, Dad, sorry about that. No power here last night because of the storm, and my cell was dead. I didn’t even realize the power was back on. I was just waking up.”

She watched as Gage stood up and bent down to retrieve the sweatpants that had been discarded on the floor the night before. She couldn’t help but admire his ass and had to drag her eyes away in order to pay attention to her father.

“What was that, Dad?”

“I said, is everything okay up there? Should I send one of the caretakers out to check on things?”

“Oh, no, that shouldn’t be necessary.” She watched in disappointment as Gage pulled the t-shirt over his head and looked away quickly when his eyes caught her staring. “I’ll take a walk around the property, and if I need anything, I know who to call.”

“Okay, dear, just keep me posted. Please be careful up there and get some rest.”

“I will, Dad. Promise. Love you.”

“Love you too, Hope.”

She turned to hang the phone up and smiled when she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her, followed by warm lips up against her cheek.

“Good morning.”

She turned in his arms and rested her free hand against his chest, bringing her eyes up to meet his. “Good morning to you.”

He leaned down and kissed her, his lips feathering over hers before pressing more firmly, his tongue stroking her bottom lip as he pulled away. “I guess I should call the rental company.”

She felt her heart dip just a little in disappointment at the thought of him leaving and couldn’t help the frown that appeared. Although she barely knew him, she was surprised at how much she wanted him to stay.

His eyebrows shot up, and his head tilted in confusion. “What? Don’t call the rental company?”

“Yes, of course, you need to call them. Do you have the number? We can look it up if you need it. I’m sure there’s a phone book in one of these drawers.” She moved to walk around him to make herself busy looking for the phone book, but he grabbed her wrist gently and pulled it so she was facing him.

“Say it.”

Her brows creased, and her eyes narrowed. “Say what?”

He took a step closer, and she could feel the pulse in her wrist increase as he did. When he licked his lips and dragged his eyes up her body, Hope stifled a low moan before meeting his eyes with her own. “Say it, Hope.”

She shifted nervously and looked away, huffing out a breath. “I’m not sure what you want me to say, Gage,” she mumbled, hoping he wanted to stay as much as she wanted him to.

He leaned even closer and grazed his lips lightly over hers. “Tell me you want me to stay.”

Her eyes widened, and Hope held on to her anticipation, looking up at his face again, trying to read him. “I… You must… I…”

A sly grin fell on his lips as he shook his head. “I what? I must? Is it that hard to ask me?”

Could he possibly see how badly she wanted him to stay? Flustered and not wanting to give in so easily, she told him, “I barely even know you.” She desperately needed to gain back some of the ground she had lost with her earlier stutter.

“But do you want to? Because I’d really, really like to stay and get to know you better.”

Unable to hold it in any longer, a smile broke across her features, her eyes lighting up. “You would?”

He nodded slowly, his eyes still locked on hers. “I would.”

“But, what about your car? Don’t you have a plane to catch this morning?”

He stepped forward until his body was flush with hers, his hand releasing her wrist to slide around her waist and hold in her place. Her head tilted back as she looked up at him, her eyes never leaving his.

“Flights can be rescheduled. Tow trucks can be called. I don’t have anywhere I need to be until Wednesday.” His voice sounded low, dark, and needy.

“Oh.” Her voice was soft even to her own ears, coming out breathy and more relieved than she wanted to let on.

Gage’s eyes darted to her mouth as her tongue flicked out and ran quickly over her plump bottom lip before her teeth captured just the corner in a bite. Her lip was pink and puffy against the white of her teeth, and he wanted nothing more than to replace her bite with his. Instead, he brought his free hand up to cup her face and used his thumb to pull it free. He leaned in and swiped his tongue lightly over the part of the lip she had been grasping. When he felt her suck in a quick breath at his touch, he flicked his eyes back to hers, growling lightly. “Say it.”

Her response came out like an exhale, filled with enough lust and wonder and need to match his own. “I want you to stay.”

“Why didn’t you just say so?” His grin was instant and victorious before he covered her gasp of surprise with his lips, silencing any further questions or doubt she may have had. He felt her blanket slide down her body, knowing she’d finally released the death grip she’d had on it, and let out a satisfied groan as she wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening their kiss.

His hands trailed down her body before coming to rest on her ass. Tightening his grip, and without tearing his lips from hers, he hoisted her up onto the island behind her. She gasped as her skin hit the cold marble, giving him just enough time to yank his shirt quickly over his head before slamming his lips back on hers. Their tongues danced together in a swirl of mixed desire, their moans echoing against the kitchen walls.

He slid his lips from hers and began trailing them softly down her throat, one hand moving to cup lightly around her breast, his fingers teasing the nipple. Her head fell back, her nails grazing across his back as she arched into his touch. He hissed at her assault, sucking her peaked nipple into his mouth, eliciting a low ‘Oooo’. Her nails moved from his back to grasp onto the scruff of his neck. He couldn’t help the grin forming at her response to him or the raging hard-on tenting the sweats.

Reaching down with one hand, Gage pushed the pants off his waist then used his feet to push them down and out between his legs, moving his mouth off her nipple and down her taut stomach as he did. He used his other hand to gently push her back against the cold marble until she was lying flat, her body open and exposed to him. She looked up at him from under heavy lashes, lust heady in her stare. He scanned the length of her body, really seeing it for the first time, given the darkness of the night before, and marveled at its perfection.

Her long hair fell in waves, creating a yellow halo around her angelic face and kiss-swollen lips. Her perfectly rounded breasts rose and fell quickly with each excited breath she took, exposing a flat, rigid stomach. Her legs were long and lean and bent at the knee, while her feet braced on the counter, toes painted the perfect shade of pink. Her legs were open just enough to allow him a view of her pussy, which glistened with evidence of her want and need.

He ran his hand down the length of her body, stopping at her core before running his fingers through her lips, both of them groaning at the touch. He slid one finger inside her and began moving it slowly in and out, pushing her legs open wider, kissing down the inside of her thigh.

“Oh my God, yes, Gage. That feels so good.” Hope mewled her approval softly, fueling Gage’s desire to please as she ground her hips trying to get closer to his touch.

“You like that, Angel?” Sliding another finger inside her heat, he continued his rhythm, his mouth now hovering just over her clit. He darted his tongue out and swiped lightly at the swollen nub, her salty essence exploding on his taste buds. Her loud moan of gratification was all he needed to press his tongue flat against her core and lick heavily. Arching her back off the counter, she pushed herself up against his mouth, another song of appreciation coming from her.

“You taste so fucking good, Hope.” He thrust his fingers in more deeply, strumming his tongue back and forth over her clit, her hips thrusting in time to his strokes. Gage clamped his mouth over her pussy and sucked, humming at the same time, knowing the vibrations would send her over the edge.

“Oh, my… I’m going to come if you… Oooooohhh!” Her foot slid off the counter and onto his shoulder, grinding into it as she tightened around his fingers, her pussy convulsing, her wetness met by his eager lips. He continued to pump his fingers in and out of her, but pulled his mouth away, looking up to see the bliss on her face. Standing up straight, he pulled his fingers out, grasped his cock, and lined it up so he could sink into her wet, throbbing core and…

Bang! Bang! Bang!

They both rose to attention, their eyes flying open, before turning in the direction of the noise. Gage still had his cock fisted in his hand, when the same banging sounded again, this time with a questionable greeting.

“Hope? You home? It’s Walter. Your dad called and asked me to come check on you.”

Gage sighed under his breath, not believing he was being cock-blocked by her dad, again. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Hope sat up on the counter, her cheeks turning pink, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “Ssshh. I don’t want him to know you’re here. The first call he’ll make is to my father, and that’s the last thing either of us want.”

She jumped down off the counter and, instead of wrapping herself back in the blanket, threw on the shirt and sweats that Gage had been wearing. He looked at her, shaking his head, a questioning look in his eyes. “And what do you want me to do?”

She pointed to the pantry, jumping a little in place, her nervousness getting the best of her. “Just go hide in there.”

“Seriously?” His eyebrows raised in disbelief. As much as he didn’t want to deal with her dad by being caught, he couldn’t believe she was sending him to hide in the pantry.

“Please.” She jumped up and kissed him quickly on the cheek, just as Walter began banging on the door again. “I gotta get that before he barges in!” She scurried off in the direction of the front door as he reached for the blanket on the floor. Wrapping it around his waist, he shook his head and, feeling like a thief, walked into the pantry, shutting the doors behind him as he went.