Breaking the Rules Read online

  She smiled. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

  Chapter 14

  The fall breeze grabbed Hope’s hair and pushed it behind her shoulders. They held hands all the way back, and Hope could smell the smoke before they reached their starting point. A small bonfire had been set up near the picnic area and laughter arose around it as their friends chatted. Once they neared, the laughter died and all eyes rested on the two.

  “Well, if it isn’t the two love birds,” Tim crowed.

  Hope didn’t want Tim to make a scene so she tried to drop her hand from Colin’s, but he held tighter.

  Colin’s eyes narrowed at his friend, while Hope frowned in Kelly’s direction.

  Apparently, Tim didn’t get the message. “It took you guys a while. What you been doing?”

  Kelly reached down, scooped up sand into her palm and threw it at her husband. “Stop it, Tim.”

  Colin pretended to scratch his nose and showed Tim his middle finger. “Yeah, Tim. Ease up.” He nodded his head in the direction of an empty chair by the fire. “Let’s go over here. Away from shitty buffoons.”

  They walked past Tim and Hope scowled as she passed. Why did Tim have to go around being a loud mouth? He was the complete opposite of Kelly. As if on cue, Tim held out his hands in an apologetic gesture. “Sorry.”

  Maybe she was being too hard on the guy. Cracking jokes was just in his nature. Always had been. She actually liked her friend’s husband when he wasn’t picking on her.

  The fire crackled and popped and the heat welcomed them. Since the chair was too close to the fire, Colin moved it back and aired out the blanket they used earlier. Then he spread it on the lounger. “We’ll sit here.” His eyes rose and his dimples broadened. “Together.” He laid his body down in the fold out lounger and pulled on Hope’s hand. “Come on.”

  Hope sat on Colin’s lap, pressing her body against his side and resting her head in the crook of his neck.

  “Ignore Tim,” he whispered. “He’s only being an ass because he drank too much.”

  She looked at the others in their group. Kelly caught her eye and nodded at her, smiling ear to ear. She couldn’t help but smile back. Kelly flashed a thumbs-up at her and then a thumbs-down in Tim’s direction. Hope shrugged then snuggled closer as Colin placed the blanket around them.

  With a mouth full of marshmallows, Tim asked, “You guys gonna roast?”

  “In a minute.” Colin pulled Hope’s shoulder tighter. “Unless you want to.”

  “I don’t want to get up now. Too comfy.” She placed her hand on his chest.

  “Couldn’t agree more.”

  She couldn’t feel better. Passing up roasted marshmallows was proof of that. This feeling of belonging to someone made her insides quiver. Her head swam with thoughts of what they started and where it would lead. Now that they were truly open about their relationship, there was no turning back.

  • • •

  A little after ten, Colin pulled into Hope’s condominium driveway and put the Jeep in park. A fluttering grew in his chest as he turned in his seat, losing himself in Hope’s dark blue eyes. She bit her lip, which made the hair on his arms rise.

  He reached over and turned off the radio, then tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “So, here you are.” He ached to touch her, but he knew it had to be on her terms.

  Without losing eye contact, Hope put her hand on his shoulder. “You want to come in?”

  A huge smile erupted and he answered quickly. “Yes.”

  They opened the car doors and got out. Colin ran over to her side and reached behind her to grab her beach bag. His arm grazed her back and he swore he heard her gasp under her breath. Or was it his own?

  She smiled up at him. “Thanks. Let me just get my purse.” She bent over and Colin couldn’t tear his eyes away from her round ass. Those sexy white shorts hugged her curves in the best possible way. He drummed his fingers on his pant leg so he wouldn’t actually reach out.

  Colin looked around as they walked up the sidewalk. “Do you own this condo?”

  “No. Just renting.” She searched in her big purse for the keys.

  Hope stumbled on the walkway and Colin grabbed her elbow, steadying her. “Be careful,” he said, “We don’t want another fall.”

  She laughed and pulled her hair behind her ear. “I told you I had cracks in the sidewalk.”

  He shook his head. “Excuses, excuses.”

  She put the key into the lock, her hands shaking. He reached out and put his own over them. Looking into her eyes, a slow smile spread. “Let me.”

  She stared back at him. Her pupils darkened even more, softening as she licked her lips. Damn, she was sexy! She let out a small sigh and stepped back to let him open the door. It was all he could do to keep his own hands from shaking too hard to maneuver the key in the lock, but he finally did it, stepping back to let her pass through first.

  He closed the door and faced her again, not moving. His heart beat so fast, he was sure she heard it too. Damn it to hell, that beach lotion smelled like heaven. When she didn’t move either, he roamed his eyes across her body. She stood biting her lip, and her chest moved up and down in a rhythm. “Hope — ”

  They threw down their bags and stepped for each other at the same time. Just her name opened the eagerness that was evident between them. Hands groped and searched each other as their mouths found the places that wanted to be kissed, crushed and pressed, trying to find any empty space between them to fill. Colin gripped her arms and shoved her against the wall, pinning her with his body, all the while planting supple kisses against her neck.

  “God, I’ve wanted you like this since we first met in that office of yours,” Colin said in between kisses.

  Hope only groaned and pulled his head closer, leaning in to kiss his neck, chin and collarbone.

  He lifted his head and looked in her eyes. “You sure you want this? I won’t be able to stop.”

  “Try to stop me,” she whispered.

  Their bodies grinded as if they knew how to act on their own. Each touch became harder. Each kiss took longer. The raging fire inside Colin intensified. His body sought out and took pleasure from Hope. She seemed to be doing the same. He drove his tongue into her mouth as his hands stroked her hips and down under her shorts, reaching up and under to grab as much of her flesh as he could. “You feel so good.”

  She pulled his shirt up and her fingers grazed his chest, playing with one nipple and moving over to the next. “You do too, Colin.” She dipped her head and kissed one pec, while tugging the shirt over his head. He almost slid his hands up to help, but she got it off in record time.

  Once the shirt was off, they both came up for air. His hands brushed against her bare skin under her shirt. Not breathing steadily, he grinned at her and she smiled, too.

  She brushed her hand across his cheek. “Sweet.”

  His eyes rolled. “You want me to show you sweet?”

  She squealed when he grabbed her ass and wrapped her legs around his body. Carrying her over to the stairway, he smiled up at her. “Bedroom upstairs?”

  She nodded an answer.

  He kissed her and then bit her lip. She rubbed herself against him when Colin stepped onto the third stair. He stumbled against the railing and they laughed.

  Hope put her feet down. “I can walk.”

  “Nope.” He pushed her down gently onto the step. “Now.” He kneeled in front of her and pulled her t-shirt off. Her earrings caught in the neck of the shirt, and they laughed at each other in between kisses as they tangled with the shirt and got the jewelry out safely.

  His shorts were already unzipped and he wondered how that happened already. Smirking, he used his hands to push her gently back onto the step. “Right here.”

  Hope spread her legs a
s he lowered his mouth for another earth-shattering kiss. Not a sweet, gentle kiss, but a kiss that said you are my world and we belong together. He reached for her shorts and pulled them off, throwing them behind him.

  Hope giggled and reached for his, pulling them down. She threw them along with hers, screaming, “This is liberating.”

  “You don’t even know half of it. You want liberating?” He pushed her legs further apart. “You got it.” Her skimpy bikini bottom called his name as he twirled his fingers on the ties. “I’ve been dying to take this off you all day.” Slowly, he untied them as she arched her back, moving into the air.

  “Colin — ”

  “Shh.” He untied the other side and trailed them down her legs. Looking at her beauty and taking in her smell, he stopped short. “There it is.” He looked up into her eyes, as she stared down smiling. “There’s the damn tattoo.” His finger caressed just below her hipbone. “What is it?”

  “A freedom dragonfly — a symbol from the sixteenth century.”

  He bent down and kissed it. Hope reached back and sighed. His lips slowly descended past the dragonfly and moved down to her inner thigh. “Freedom,” he whispered and blew onto her flesh. His hands shook with the emotion he felt. “That’s exactly what I feel right now. I’ve needed you for too long.” He rubbed his cheek into her center. “You’re my freedom.” Then he took her as she dug her fingernails into his shoulders, anchoring her moving body as he brought her to the next level of freedom. When he flicked his tongue, her hips pushed into him in quick, rocking circles.

  “Colin — ” She tried to pull him up, but he didn’t let her.

  Faster and faster he kept up the rhythm until she groaned and wrapped her legs around his neck. Once her breathing slowed, he crawled back up her body and her breasts brushed his chest. “Now, that’s sweet.”

  She blushed but raised up to kiss him. “God, you’re amazing.”

  He pressed his lips to her shoulder and licked up to her neck and back to her lips. The touch of her lips, soft, gentle and giving, made his heart lurch again. He began to move and then stopped. “Shit. Condoms are in my pants. Hold on.” Practically running for his wallet, he found the foil packet and then looked up. Hope had disappeared.

  Panic almost erupted, but then he saw her face peek around a doorway at the top of the stairs. “You coming?”

  He took the steps two at a time.

  Chapter 15

  Hope hid behind the bedroom door with a smirk. When Colin entered the bedroom, she almost melted against the wall. Her eyes focused on his solid back, rigid and tense, and then his firm ass — absolutely calling her name.

  He looked around the room and finally found her. His eyes darkened and a slow smile built. “There you are.”

  She walked toward him, and they met in the middle of the room.

  “There you are.” She walked backward to the queen-sized bed and stopped in front of it. She ran her hand over her throat and down her stomach. Colin reached for her, but she pushed his hand away. “Nah ah ah.” She grabbed his shoulders and pushed him down on the edge of the bed. “Your turn, doctor.”

  With Colin’s smile at the corner of his mouth, a shiver of pleasure overcame her. This man just sent her to heaven and back, and now it was his turn. Oh, the things he made her want to do to him. She almost was ashamed of her thoughts, but when she looked into his eyes and down at his heavenly body, she knew he wouldn’t mind at all.

  Colin wrapped his arm around her waist, sending a jolt of electricity through her when he kneaded the muscles of her butt. “No way. It’s our turn, Hope. I can’t not touch you.”

  In answer, she took his hands off her and pushed him down onto the mattress, then straddled him. “Nope. Your turn and absolutely no touching.” She forced his hands above his head.

  His eyes were smoldering now as he rubbed his cheek against her arm that held his wrist. “Who are you and what did you do with my sweet Hope?”

  She laughed and gave him a pointed stare. “Keep your naughty hands there, or you will have further consequences.”

  Her head buzzed and a slow smile spread across his face. He’s all yours and he likes this.

  “Is this your school marm personality talking? I think I like it.” His chin rested on his chest with his lids lowered in obvious approval.

  Her fingers trailed down his body, stopping at his stomach. “Oh, you’ll like it, doctor.”

  “This is more than I can stand,” Colin moaned.

  “But not nearly what you deserve.” Her finger continued its journey down and taunted him as she let butterfly caresses fall around his shaft. His body buckled as she grabbed gently. “Easy, big boy,” she said softly. She slinked down his legs and took him in her mouth, mimicking circles with her tongue.

  “You really aren’t sweet, are you?” He reached down to place his hands in her hair.

  She stopped and eyed him. “Nah ah ah. Hands up.”

  A groan emitted from his lips and he raised his hands behind his head, as if he were lying at the beach on a towel, and closed his eyes.

  “That’s it.” She continued her perusal with her mouth. Damn, this was good and it was all because she had him in her bed, in her sight, in her mouth and slowly moving to her heart. She was never this bold, but something about Colin allowed her to open up and just be who she wanted to be. No holding back and she liked it. She took more of him into her mouth and moved quicker, wanting to feel every inch of him.

  Colin reached down again, “Shit, Hope.” He pulled her elbows. “You need to stop now or this’ll end before it started.”

  She looked up into his satisfied green eyes and saw a twitch in his lips. She let out a smug smile.

  Pulling her up, he whispered. “Not that I didn’t like that, but damn, I need to feel your body around me.”

  “Patience.” She kissed him hard and let her tongue explore his own. A groan came from her throat as her body molded and ground into his.

  He lifted her head and held it with both hands. Looking into her eyes, he softly laughed. “Not sweet at all. You’re a vixen.”

  Hope laughed, letting her head fall back and exposing her throat to him. He joined her and wrestled with her on the bed until he was able to maneuver his body on top. His eyes traced her body, up and down, and then he fingered her small tattoo. The tattoo no other man had ever seen. And he didn’t laugh. She was sure he would. It wasn’t much of a tattoo at all, maybe an inch in size. But to her it had meant a lot. Normally, she would never do that to her body, mark it with something so permanent. Yet telling him felt liberating, which was ironic since the dragonfly symbolized freedom. She smiled and reached down to circle the tattoo with him.

  Free. She’d never felt more free than in this moment, about to join together in the most intimate way.

  Colin brought his hand back up and ran his finger across her bottom lip. “To hell with sweet. Pure vixen is what I like.” He kissed her bottom lip, sucking on it until he had her squirming underneath him. The next thing she knew, he slipped on the condom, entered her and a gasp escaped her mouth.

  So right. This was what she needed and wanted and could live for.

  Colin moved slowly and ran his hand down her hair, his eyes not leaving hers. A bond had built between them, something she never experienced before. For a brief moment, it scared her, because for the first time she felt freedom in a different way. Freedom with someone else. He took her to places she never thought she would encounter, and it was damn good. Right. Perfect.

  Freedom with Colin.

  And then Colin took her to heaven and back for the second time in an hour. When they both climaxed, resting next to each other in desperate breaths, neither of them said a word. He held her body close to his and spooned her, kissing her neck. They drifted into a peaceful sleep, anchored in each other’s bodies. An
chored into a perfect freedom Hope could only dream would never end.

  • • •

  The beeping next to Hope’s ear awoke her from her deep, restful sleep. What the hell is that? Again it sounded, as she lifted her head and then saw him. Colin. In her bed. Memories rushed to her. She leaned back and let out a satisfied sigh. The beeping continued and Colin’s arm swung to the night table, without moving Hope away. He picked up his cell phone, clicked some buttons, and placed it back. Still groggy, she closed her eyes. The slow steady beat of her heart matched his under her fingertips. When she finally opened one eye, he stared down at her.

  “Good morning, sunshine.” He placed his hand on top of hers.

  It had been forever since she woke up with a man. She sat up, but Colin’s hand tightened around her shoulders.

  “You don’t have to get up yet.” He curved her body into his and kissed her until she lay underneath him. “It was just Jason texting me. We have a family football day over at Scott’s.”

  She nodded and asked, “What time is it?”

  He laughed a little. “Ten o’clock.”

  She sat up quickly. “Are you kidding? I haven’t slept this late since I was a teenager.”

  He pulled her arm. “But it was worth it, right?”

  The uneasiness settled on her again. Did that mean he thought their unbelievable nonstop night of passion was worth it? The best sex she’d ever experienced in her life.

  “Come here.” He pulled her on top of him and kissed her.

  “You never tire, do you?” She giggled against his lips.

  “When it comes to you, never.”

  His phone vibrated again. Hope picked it up and handed it to him. “Do you always get this many calls, doctor?”

  He looked at the screen and tapped some buttons. “Jason again. He’s waiting for me. The game starts in an hour. You wanna come?”

  She sat up, pulling the blanket with her. “I have plans with some of the teachers at school. We have a game of Ultimate Frisbee.” She accidentally pulled the blanket off Colin, all of Colin. “Oh, um — ”