Easy Charm by Kristen Proby
She nods.
“And there was poop on the floor?”
She nods again and then grumbles, “Thankfully, he didn’t poop in the water.”
I chuckle, and then bite my lip, because it’s not funny. It made her cry.
“And then Sam went outside and broke a window?”
“I told him to take the demon puppy outside so I could clean up the huge mess in the kitchen, and then crash. Broke the window in your room.”
“This is my room,” I reply without thinking. And then I can’t help it. The laughter just comes.
“It’s not funny,” she says and leans back to scowl at me.
“Sorry.” I clear my throat and try to sober my face, but it’s no use. A slow, shy, sleepy smile spreads over her beautiful face.
“Okay, it’s kind of funny.”
And then here, in the cool darkness of this bedroom, we laugh in each other’s arms, until finally we just lie here, smiling, staring into each other’s eyes.
“Fuck me, you’re beautiful.”
She tries to look shyly down, but I catch her chin in my finger. “No, don’t look away from me. You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. There are seven billion smiles in this world, and yours is my favorite.”
Her smile widens. “Thank you. That makes me feel…special.”
“You are special.” I kiss her forehead, then her nose. “You are beautiful.”
“You are charming.”
I smile against her skin. Always back to this. She has to get up in about an hour, and although I thought I was exhausted when I got here, I suddenly have some extra energy to expel.
Of course, I can’t stop fucking touching her. I’m drawn to her in ways I never saw coming.
I push her onto her back and kiss her neck slowly. Gently. I’m going to take this very slow.
“Want you,” she whispers in my ear.
“On the same page,” I reply and drag my lips up her jawline to her lips, then spend time thoroughly kissing her, biting that plump lower lip, nibbling at the corner. She shifts, pushing closer to me, and I happily pull her more tightly against me, slipping her tank top off, reveling in how warm and sweet she is. Skin to skin.
My fingers drift down her torso, lightly glide over her nipples, her stomach, then over to her ribs. I know she’s self-conscious of her post-baby belly, but I couldn’t care any less about a few stretch marks and some extra skin. She’s amazing just as she is.
Fuck me, I can’t stop touching her. Looking at her. I could stare at her all damn day.
She pushes her fingers into my hair and grips a handful, making me growl against her neck as I kiss my way down to her chest. Her tits are fantastic. I pull one nub between my lips and tug, just a little, making her arch her back and sigh.
The sounds that come out of her sexy mouth make my already hard cock twitch. Her legs are restless, moving back and forth, clearly trying to ease the ache between them.
I’ll be happy to do that for her.
But not quite yet. We’re taking this slow.
“Rhys,” she whispers.
“Your skin is so soft.” One hand drifts down her belly and under the elastic of her panties, my fingertips lightly grazing over her smooth pubis, making those hips shift. “I love the way you sound. Move. Smell.”
“Smell?” She chuckles softly and shifts her hips so I can guide her panties down her legs. “How do I smell?”
“Like you want me inside you.” Her eyes flare. “Like you want me to move in and out of you, and make you come like crazy.”
“The smell is right.” Her eyes are wide, watching me, wondering what I might do next. But I don’t want to make this wild and crazy. I want to keep it slow and lazy. Sleepy.
Loving.
Because for the first time in my life, I feel like I’m making love to a woman. I’m not fucking her. I’m not having sex.
This is way more intimate than that.
“You’re so much more, Gabby.”
“More?” She sighs as my fingers slide lower into her folds, massaging them lightly. “More than what?”
“More than anything.” I tug her nipple back in my mouth and press one finger into her sopping wet center and grin happily when those hips come up off the bed and she grips onto my shoulder.
“I’m gonna come.”
And that’s my cue to slow down. “Not yet.”
“Party pooper,” she pouts, sticking her bottom lip out.
She’s fucking adorable.
I bite that lip and smile down at her. Why does my face feel different when I smile at her compared to when I smile at anyone else?
It’s the damndest thing.
Finally I slide my body over hers, brace my elbows on either side of her head, careful not to crush her. She’s less than half the size I am. I settle between her thighs, rest my pulsing cock against her sopping wet pussy and just rest here, smiling down into her happy face.
“I love this with you,” I whisper against her lips.
I love you.
God, I’m such a pussy when it comes to words. But surely she can feel it. Surely she knows. I’ve never been in love before, but it’s so big, there’s no way in hell that she doesn’t see it.
“You feel amazing.” Her hands are drifting up and down my back, her fingertips on my spine, making my eyes cross.
“You’re good with your hands.”
She smiles sweetly and hitches her legs up higher on my hips, shifting me enough for a little friction and I growl, “Fuck.”
“Yes, let’s.”
“No.” I brush her hair off her face, pull my knuckles down her soft cheek. “We’re not fucking right now, Gabrielle.”
“No, we’re not.” She turns her face into my palm and kisses me there. “But I’m going to need you inside me, please.”
I tilt my hips back, and when I’m aligned with her opening, I slide in, pushing slowly, making us both moan. God, she’s so fucking tight. She hugs my cock, and my spine immediately tingles.
“God, Rhys, it feels amazing every damn time.”
“It’s like the first time every damn time,” I reply softly and hold still inside her, reveling in how good she feels.
And realize that I don’t have a fucking condom on.
Shit.
She clenches down and I have to bite her neck to keep from coming. “If you keep doing that, this won’t last nearly as long as I want it to.”
“I don’t think I can stop,” she says. Her hands are gripping my ass, she’s circling her hips and her snug pussy keeps rippling around me.
She’s going to come spectacularly.
So I start to move again, in short pulses, tapping her G-spot with the tip of my dick. I shove my hands under her ass to tilt her up more, making the angle even more incredible, and her legs begin to shake the way they do when she’s about to lose it.
And I’m not going to last much longer than she does.
“Give in to it, Gabby,” I whisper against her lips. “Go ahead.”
She tilts her head back and whimpers as she shudders around me. There is no shouting, or crying out, but it’s no less intense.
It’s everything.
I come with her, quickly pulling out and spilling onto her stomach, panting. But I can’t take my eyes off of her gorgeous face.
“So much more,” I whisper.
Chapter Fourteen
~Gabby~
I’m running late. And to be perfectly honest, I don’t even care, one little bit. Because I just spent the two most amazing hours of my life in bed with Rhys where he freaking worshipped my body for every single minute of those two hours.
Worshipped. There is no other way to describe it. The way he touched me, looked at me, spoke to me. Yes, some of it was still dirty, thank God, but he was also gentle and thorough—so damn thorough—and loving.
Tender.
It was maybe the best moment of my life. I can’t believe that he came here early just because he couldn’t
And speaking of that, where in the hell is my phone?
I hurry into the kitchen to get breakfast ready for the guests, and there on the countertop is my phone, along with a note from Van.
Gabs,
Found this in the fridge. Was the phone spoiling? Were you worried about mold? Rhys tried to call.
Love,
Van
“In the fridge?” Rhys asks, reading over my shoulder.
“Yeah. I put it in there because I kept getting annoying calls from the unknown number. And I was irritated with the whole poop/water thing, so I stuffed it in the fridge and forgot about it.”
“Talk to me about this unknown number.”
“There’s nothing to tell. They hang up.”
“So don’t answer.”
“It could be a guest calling. I have to answer.”
He pours us each a cup of coffee, then leans his hips against the countertop and crosses his arms over his chest. He’s shirtless, wearing just a pair of loose-fitting workout pants, and dear sweet God, my body just went into hyper-alert mode.
Seriously, his muscles are ridiculous.
“See something you like?” he asks with that half-smile on his lips.
“Meh.” I hide my smile behind my mug as I take a sip of coffee, and Rhys’s eyes narrow.
“What was that?”
“Maybe.” Now I smile innocently and arrange cinnamon rolls in a pan. “I mean, you’ll do.”
“I’ll do.” His voice is dry, but his green eyes are full of humor as he watches me bustle around the kitchen.
“Shouldn’t you be in bed? You haven’t slept in two days.”
“I’m fine for now. Where’s Sam?”
“He just got picked up for baseball camp.”
He nods. “So, I’ll do.”
“Wow, do you really need me to stroke your ego?” I shake my head and turn toward the oven, but I’m suddenly caught up in Rhys’s arms and he’s kissing the hell out of me. His hands are everywhere, his mouth firm and sure on mine, as he simply takes what he wants.
And what he wants is me.
“I don’t need you to stroke my ego, baby,” he whispers against my lips. “That’s not what this is about. There are no egos here. It’s just you and me, and I have no problem admitting that I’m hot for you. I have a permanent hard-on when I just think of you. I haven’t been this turned on by a woman since I was a kid. I would hope it’s reciprocated just a little bit, or I’ll feel like a fool.”
“I always want you,” I reply and swallow hard. “Your body is insane, Rhys. In. Sane. But more than that, I want the way you make me feel.”
“How do I make you feel?”
“Safe. Beautiful. Sexy.”
“Yes.” He grins and kisses me once more. “You are those things.”
I lick my lips, tasting him there, and watch as he resumes his place against the counter.
“Can I bring something up without you biting my head off?” he asks, staring down into his coffee.
“Maybe. Not if it’s about my hair. Girls are touchy about their hair.”
He shakes his head. “No, I love your hair. I think you should hire help.”
I bite my lip and wince. “I can do this, Rhys.”
“I know. I’m not saying you can’t. That’s not the point. You can, but you shouldn’t have to do it all alone. I would think that the past twenty-four hours would have shown you that an extra pair of hands around here would help you out considerably. Maybe just bring someone on to handle breakfast and check-outs. Or even just breakfast.”
He shrugs, and I can’t help but think that he could be right. It would be nice to be able to take Sam to school, or sleep a little later, or just have my hands freed up to do other things. And the inn is busy enough now that an employee is completely affordable.
“I’ll look into it,” I finally reply, and Rhys’s eyes widen in surprise.
“You will?”
“Yes. You’re right, it would be nice to have some flexibility in the morning.”
“Wow. That was easier than I thought it would be.”
I laugh and kiss his arm as I pass by him. “I’m not unreasonable; I’m just stubborn.”
“You? No. I had no idea.”
“And you’re a smart ass.”
“Better than being a dumb ass,” he says with a wink and then frowns when he watches me pull drawers out, search through them, then push them back in. “What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to find my iPad.”
“Did you think you might have stored it with the freezer bags?”
“No, but I can’t find it. Anywhere. I mean, my phone was in the fridge, so you just never know.”
“Good point. Don’t you have that app that you can use to help you find it if it’s stolen or lost?”
“Oh, I think I do!” I reach for my phone and activate the app, then touch my way through the screens, until it shows me where my iPad is.
“It’s not in the house,” Rhys says grimly, again looking over my shoulder.
I make the map bigger and try to figure out how I know that address. “I’ve been there before. How do I know it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Oh my God!” I spin and stare at Rhys in horror. “I know where this is.”
“Okay, where?”
“It’s Cindy’s condo in the city. She must have taken it the other day when she was here. Why would she do that?”
“To make your life hell,” he replies grimly. “You know, I don’t condone violence against women, but I’d really love to wring her little neck.”
“I wonder if she changed my password to the program too,” I mumble, trying to figure out what to do.
“What do you mean?”
“I need the program on there for all of the inn scheduling. It’s my Bible. I can log into it from the computer too, and when I tried, the password wouldn’t work. I always use the same password, Rhys. The only explanation is that she changed it.”
“You need to report it stolen and file a police report.”
“What?” I shake my head incredulously. “That’s crazy.”
“No. She stole it, Gabby. Obviously with the intention of hurting you. She didn’t accidentally slip away with it. She’s not your friend. Let the cops get it back for you.”
“I can afford to replace it.”
“That’s not the point.” His jaw is firm. “She took something that isn’t hers.”
He’s right.
“Okay. But to do that, I have to go into the city.”
“We’ll go right after breakfast.”
“Guests—”
“Won’t arrive until late afternoon, and the ones who are staying over will have keys to get in if they come back before us. We’ll be gone a few hours.”
I really need to hire help.
And stop choosing thieving friends.
“Okay.” I nod and pull the rolls out of the oven. “Hungry?”
“Yes.” I turn to see his green eyes on my ass.
“For food?”
“Sure, if that’s all you’re offering.”
***
“So, we filed a police report,” I say while nibbling on chips and salsa. Rhys and I met up with Kate and Eli for lunch. Eli is currently glaring at Rhys because Rhys has his arm around my shoulders.
God save me from overprotective brothers.
“I can’t believe she stole it right under your nose,” Kate says, shaking her head, also munching on chips and salsa. “What in the hell is her problem?”
“I wouldn’t sleep with her,” Rhys replies. “And Gabby stood up to her, told her off, and kicked her out of her house.”
“Actually,” I say, looking up into Rhys’s face, “I think it was you who finally kicked her out.”
“Either way, she got kicked out.”
“Good, but you should have called me,” Eli says, then sighs when Rhys kisses my hand. “Are you going to continue to touch my si
“Yes,” Rhys replies simply, making Kate grin.
“I’m not sure how I feel about this,” Eli says.
“You don’t have to feel any way about it,” I reply in frustration. “I’m a grown-ass woman.”
“It’s my job to protect you,” Eli says, as if I’m being difficult.
“But it’s not your job to be an ass,” Kate says, but softens the blow by kissing his cheek. “It’s Rhys. You know him. And they’re cute together.”
“Hurt her, and—”
“Seriously,” I interrupt, not wanting to hear the hurt her and I’ll kill you speech. “We’re fine.”
“I get it,” Rhys says to Eli. “I feel the same about Kate; you know that. We’ve had that conversation. I almost decked you when you showed up in Denver.”
Eli sits back in his chair, and his eyes calm a bit, but he looks no less foreboding.
“Don’t make me regret trusting you,” Eli says calmly, just as our meals are delivered.
“Back at you,” Rhys replies with a cold smile. Kate catches my eye, and we both sigh, and shrug as if to say, what can you do? They love us. They’re worried about us.
Damn it, sometimes they’re idiots.
But lunch is delicious.
“Beau said this morning that you need a new dishwasher,” Eli says.
“I do. I’ll find time to pick one out in the next few days.”
“Just come to the office with me after lunch and sign off on one, and I’ll have it delivered. It’s your inn, but damn it, we can help with that shit. You’re busy enough.”
“Too busy,” Kate agrees.
“I think I’m going to hire some help,” I reply. “Rhys might have talked me into it.”
Eli’s eyebrow shoots up in surprise. “We’ve been trying to talk you into it for over a year.”
“I didn’t need it a year ago.” I shrug and twirl a long string of cheese around my fork. “But I’m much busier now, and Sam is getting more involved in things, so it’s time to have some help.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Eli says, as if there is no room for argument, and I simply laugh at him.
“No, you won’t.”
“Gabby, I have a whole HR staff that can easily find someone qualified to help you.”
“I’m perfectly capable of finding someone to help me,” I reply. “You run your business, and I’ll run mine, big brother.”