But even knowing that, she didn’t pull away; she just enjoyed the feel of his warm breath rushing across the top of her head as the wind stirred her hair. If she turned her face just a little, their mouths would align perfectly. The slightest tilt and those lips could be on hers.
She moved her head involuntarily, and then she was looking into his eyes, those warm gray eyes that hid so many secrets. And were able to draw her so quickly into their depths.
“Misty,” he sighed before closing the minuscule gap between them and pressing his lips to hers. The cool air made their mouths tingle when they met. He pushed his tongue against her bottom lip, the softest of caresses. It was a question. Would she open to him?
Whether she wanted it to be or not, her answer had to be yes. She opened to him.
Bryson tugged her even closer as his mouth danced across hers, as he made her body ache with need. Tremors racked her body, and she snuggled tighter into his embrace, trying to satisfy a need that could be met only when the two of them lay skin to skin.
There was no hurry, though, nowhere to be but right there. He kissed the corner of her mouth, then her cheek, and her head fell back as his hot breath smoothed over the column of her throat.
He could take her now, right here on this beach, and it still wouldn’t be enough. It would never be enough, no matter how many times their bodies joined, no matter how much pleasure he brought her. She finally understood the meaning of the word insatiable.
That’s what she was — insatiable — at least when it came to Bryson.
In such a short amount of time, her life had begun to revolve around this man. It was a dangerous game, a game she was sure to lose, but for now, she couldn’t make herself care.
His lips worked their way back up to her mouth, where he caressed her gently, kissing her bottom lip with such sweetness that she felt herself lift into a whole new plane.
This man was taking control over her every desire. She wanted to please him. And she wanted to be pleased by him.
Soon, the kiss went from sweet and gentle to hungry and passionate. Her core heated to dangerous levels, and her entire consciousness was fixated on having him strip her clothes away and sink deep inside her.
She grasped at his hair, holding him to her, while he explored her back with his hands, then let them move beneath the bundle of clothes she was wearing, and then climb up her sides until he was suddenly clasping one aching breast, the touch of his palm scorching her.
Before she could fall into an abyss of total pleasure, Bryson pulled back, his eyes almost savage as they gazed down at her, hot, hungry — ready.
“I want you every minute of every day,” he said huskily.
“Then have me,” she told him, too turned on to consider regretting her words.
The flash of need in his eyes, followed by a glance up the hill, made her feel like a seductress. With a boldness she would have never known she possessed, she moved her hands downward and squeezed the muscles of his tight bu**ocks.
“When we get alone…” he growled, then pulled back and enclosed her hand with his.
“Is that a promise or a threat?” she asked, feeling almost giddy.
“Both.”
The way he said the word sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. She’d made this big, strong man ache. She’d made him desire her — need her. She felt euphoric and found herself practically skipping as they made their way back up the trail to the house.
“I don’t think I ever want to go back to the real world,” she said with a sigh.
“I need this case to end,” he replied, taking the glow right out of her. When she tensed, he halted their progress and turned to her. “So that I can be with you all I want — without the conflict of interest.”
Her glow came flooding back.
Misty didn’t believe their fling could last. But she didn’t want to think about that. All she wanted to think about right now was the two of them lying in bed together, spectacularly sated.
“Why didn’t you join me last night?” she asked. If he wanted her so badly, she didn’t understand why he hadn’t come to take what she was offering.
“Because Joseph would have somehow known and then strung me up as an example of what happens to men who defile the Anderson women,” he said with a chuckle. “And, Misty, you are an Anderson.”
“Maybe by blood, but I wasn’t raised with them, and apparently my father was the black sheep of the family, so while they may be greeting me with open arms right now, that could all change in an instant. I’ve decided just to enjoy it while it lasts.” She wasn’t upset, just realistic.
“You will gain trust the more you get to know them. They’re the good kind of people to have in your life,” Bryson assured her.
“I think you’re right about that. But I don’t think I’m exactly an asset to their superior blood,” she said with a laugh, though her own words stung her.
“You are more of an asset than you could ever realize,” Bryson said as they reached the back door.
“No more talk of this. I want to enjoy the next couple of days with this perfect family, and then, when I get back home — if you have time — I want to finish what we started down there on the beach.” Misty sent him a flirtatious smile. Or at least what she hoped was a flirtatious smile. She’d hardly had a lot of experience handing those out.
“I’ll move our flights up,” he growled, cornering her on the porch.
“I wouldn’t complain.” She whimpered as his lips touched hers again and she melted against him.
“Well, I sure as hell would.”
The two of them jumped apart quicker than a frog’s tongue catching a fly as Joseph looked out at them from the doorway.
“We were just taking a walk,” Bryson said, his cheeks slightly pink.
Misty was fascinated by his nervousness. Edginess from a man who seemed so confident all the time was fascinating to behold. But she could certainly understand it. Joseph was one heck of an intimidating man, especially standing in the entryway to his castle.
“Yeah, I’ll just bet you were,” Joseph grumbled, and he sent a warning look Bryson’s way. Then a gleam appeared in the old man’s eyes as he looked back and forth between the two of them. “Of course, a nice morning walk isn’t such a bad thing.”
Misty and Bryson gaped at him.
“Why don’t we have breakfast and visit?” Joseph walked inside, absolutely certain the two of them would follow immediately.
And they did.
For the next few hours, Misty felt as if she were in an interrogation room. When Damien and Sierra joined them, she sighed in relief.
“Don’t worry about Joseph. He just loves to be in charge,” Sierra said as the two women escaped to a couch, leaving the men to chat among themselves. Soon, Katherine joined them, and Misty found herself really liking the soft-spoken woman.
The topic of Joseph and his wild schemes came up eventually. He thought he was being secretive, but it seemed that his antics were very well known.
“I can’t figure out what Joseph’s doing. He keeps talking about school, and marriage and kids, then he looks from Bryson to me. We’re not a couple. We’re just…” she trailed off, not knowing how to define their relationship.
“Yeah, I was just…” Sierra got a big smile on her face. “…just nothing with Damien, too,” she finished with a giggle as she looked pointedly to the sleeping baby lying in her husband’s arms as he talked with Joseph and Bryson.
Damien was so natural with his daughter, cradling her protectively in one arm while he rubbed along her soft bald head or patted her back gently with his free hand. He would look at her every few moments just to assure himself she was comfortable. Awwwww, Misty thought.
“Don’t try to fight it, Misty. Just grab it while it’s hot and then hold on for the ride,” Sierra advised.
Though Misty blushed, she looked across the room at Bryson, and when their eyes met, a spark shot through her. Maybe her newly found sister-in-law was right — maybe she should just hold on and see where this all led.
She sent Bryson a wink. Would this work as a sexy gesture? Yesss! She felt immediate warmth when she saw him stiffen. Mmm, flirting was becoming a new favorite pastime of hers.
“You go, girl,” Sierra said with a chuckle.
“I just might do that,” Misty replied, leaning back and enjoying herself.
By the end of her second night at the Anderson mansion, she’d been talked into meeting the rest of the family. The Anderson Foundation was throwing a fundraising party and it sounded like too much fun to miss. Her last night there promised to be an adventure unlike anything she’d experienced before.
Bring it on, she thought with a new optimism.
Chapter Twenty
“You look stunning,” Sierra gasped after circling around Misty slowly so she could take in the entire effect of the gauze dress.
Misty clutched at the top of her gown and tugged, and Sierra jumped over and grabbed her hand. “Don’t do that. You’ll rip it and then be showing far more of your goodies than you are now,” she said with a laugh.